Toronto Audiofest 2022

Exasound products have always been the source—literally, they make front end equipment—of good sound when I've heard them at audio shows, and this time was no different.

Exasound was sharing a room with Muraudio and Constellation—a constellation of three companies, if you will. The trio's setup included the Muraudio SP1 speaker (US$19,500/pair), an electrostatic/dynamic hybrid that radiates sound 120° horizontally and 16° vertically, a pattern said to prevent soundwave interactions with the floor and ceiling to achieve better imaging and bass.

Driving the speakers was a 200Wpc Constellation Inspiration 1.0 amplifier (US$16,000) and a matching pair of Exasound digital components, including the Delta server Mk2 ($2999)—a world premiere folks!—that serves as a Roon/UPnP server able to stream DXD and resolutions up to DSD512 and 768/32 PCM. It was feeding a S82 streaming 32-bit DAC ($6499).

The sound produced by this combination of products, from a 24/96 FLAC file of a piano trio jazz selection played from the Delta server's internal hard drive, sounded clear, natural, open, transparent, colorful, all of which seemed to be carried effortlessly on a warm breeze of lower end energy. I did a mental doubletake when the double bass came into the picture. It pounded the air. It was powerful!

Listening to this room made me think of how far audio has come, but no more so than digital. Digital is living in a golden age. Remember when it used to suck?

(All prices in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted.)