PAF 2022

As at T.H.E. Show in Long Beach, I was smitten by the round, colorful, and illumined sound of Thrax Spartacus 300B monoblocks ($97,500/pair). Seduced, won over, serenaded into submission. And then some.

In a not exactly modest ¾-million dollar system that also included a Hifistay Mythology Rack System ($5200/shelf), UHA SuperDeck ($90,000), Thrax Libra 300B stereo preamplifier ($65,500), Thrax Maximinus Mk II 32/384 DAC ($38,500), Vitus SCD 25 Mk II ($26,400), and, in a change from last time, Børresen 05 Silver Supreme Edition loudspeakers ($214,500/pair), Synergistic Research SRX cabling plus Galileo Power Cell SX ($27,995, below) and Galileo SX Active ground block ($8000)—I never thought I'd finish the list either—a security master tape of Bozzio/Stevens/Levin performing "Duende" sounded drop dead gorgeous. There was a little bass boom and cymbals were a might splashy, but the core of the sound was to die for. It was not only heavenly, but also more convincing than it had been in Long Beach with Verity Sarastro II loudspeakers and Ansuz cabling.

I wish I'd had time for more.