Herb's Binaural Video at AXPONA

After visiting the Expo Hall with Herb Reichert, we move on to the Schaumburg Renaissance Hotel's upper levels to visit a few rooms, capturing binaural sound so, on headphones, you can hear what Herb heard.

In a room shared by Schiit and Salk, we listen to the Salk Sound Streamplayer Gen III ($1695), a Schiit Gungnir multi-bit DAC ($1249), a Schiit Freya preamplifier (with Tung-Sol 6NS7 tubes; $799), a pair of balanced mono Schiit Vidar power amplifiers ($1398/pair), and Salk Sound Song3-A speakers ($3895/pair).

Next, we visit a room sponsored by Triode Wire Labs, Volti Audio, and BorderPatrol Audio, featuring Volti Audio Rival speakers (starting at $7900/pair) powered by a BorderPatrol P20EXD power amplifier ($32,650 as shown), with files playing through a BorderPatrol DAC ($1850)—which Herb will be reviewing in a future issue.

Lastly, we enter what both Herb and John Atkinson refer to as best sound at AXPONA(!): the GTT Audio room, with a system that comprised YG Acoustics' new XV Junior loudspeakers ($189,600/pair), a limited -edition Kronos turntable ($48,000) with an Air Tight Opus 1 cartridge ($15,000), Kronos Black Beauty tonearm ($10,000), and Kronos SCPS 1 power supply ($13,500), an Audionet PAM G2 phonostage ($10,100) with EPX power supply ($10,100), an Audionet Linestage ($45,000), a pair of Audionet Heisenberg mono amplifiers ($105,000/pair), with Kubala Sosna Realization cables throughout.

COMMENTS
aconitic's picture

No comment on the Volti Audio Rival?

dalethorn's picture

The sound was amazing. The little earbuds pick up enough detail that one can imagine being there. There must be a lot more to that headset than just the binaural feature.

sideshow bob's picture

herb, can you describe your recording system....microphones and recording device?
thanks, bob

Herb Reichert's picture

I am not sure about what microphones they are, but they are high quality lav micks connected to a Zoom H5 stereo recorder.

mrkaic's picture

Everyone knows that Stereophile guys write superbly and the reports from AXPONA are great examples of their skill. Good job there!

However, they should really work on taking good photos. The photos from AXPONA leave a whole lot to be desired. I am alone in this view?

John Atkinson's picture
mrkaic wrote:
Everyone knows that Stereophile guys write superbly and the reports from AXPONA are great examples of their skill. Good job there!

Thank you.

mrkaic wrote:
However, they should really work on taking good photos. The photos from AXPONA leave a whole lot to be desired.

Gotta be these MQA-equipped cameras! :-)

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

rschryer's picture

...from the Montreal show are way better than those from AXPONA; Art and I used 24/192-equipped cameras.

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