AXPONA 2017

A couple of months ago, I listened to a prototype of the Sonoma Acoustics electrostatic Model One Headphone System ($5000) at CanJam NYC, so I was excited for the opportunity to have some more one-on-one time with a production model of the system at AXPONA. (No major changes have been made since CanJam NYC.) The Model One Headphone System includes electrostatic headphones made with Warwick Technologies' High-Precision Electrostatic Laminate audio transducer (HPEL), and a proprietary class-A Energizing Amplifier. Sonoma booked an entire hotel room where more than a handful of headphone enthusiasts could simultaneously listen in a relatively quiet space. I had an exceptional time listening to an impressively transparent and realistic Hugh Masakela recording through this analog setup.

A few key things to know about the Model One System:
• Sonoma Acoustics is made up of ex-Sony guys who worked on the SACD project and are all incredibly knowledgeable about hi-rez.
• The Model One headphone is the first (and only) to utilize Warwick's new HPEL transducer, and thus uses a proprietary amp, understandably. Therefore, the headphone and amp are sold as a system ($5000) and cannot be interchanged with other headphones/amplifiers.
• And a last cool fact for you Daft Punk fans: Random Access Memories was recorded on an eight-track Sonoma DSD recorder.

Additionally, Sonoma Acoustics GM David Kawakami informed me that, from the start of the show, Acoustic Sounds began selling the Sonoma Model One at their booth and there seems to be a large amount of interest.

As soon as I saw "Rogue Audio" on the sign, I knew whatever lay in store for me inside just had to be hip and affordable. Compared to the majority of their competitors in the world of high-end audio, Rogue Audio is quite rogue in their pricing and demeanor. (Read: super good bang for buck sold by ultra-chill people.) A few years back, when I used to work as a hi-fi salesperson, I visited Rogue's factory in Pennsylvania and was impressed by how homey and down-to-earth their whole operation was. I got to see both men and women on workbenches assembling components, Mark O'Brien, the company's owner and electrical designer, casually working on the next circuit board design in a t-shirt and jeans, and I learned that Bill Magerman, Rogue's Sales Manager, also ran a blueberry farm in the summertime.

This particular room featured the Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II ($2495), Tannoy XT8F speakers ($2600), a Sony HAPZ1ES streamer ($2000), and Nordost cabling. Of this system, I was previously familiar with the Cronus Magnum II and the HAPZ1ES, but not the Tannoys. The room was small, and the chairs were a bit close to the system. We listened to "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen, and "Rock and Roll" by Led Zeppelin. Both tracks had a nice warm quality, and I immediately fell back in love with the Cronus Magnum II that I had long lusted after in my pre-Stereophile days, remembering how it could cast a warm analog spell upon all its encounters of the digital nature. Even though the room was small and the setup wasn't optimal (even taking into account that this was an audio show), the Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II was my favorite, most lusted-after piece of the day.

Right next door, I stepped into a room that featured another very affordable system, including a NAD C338 integrated amplifier with built-in DAC ($649), an NAD C516BEE CD player ($300), a BlueSound Node 2 ($500), PSB Imagine XB bookshelf speakers ($500/pair), PSB SubSeries 125 power subwoofer ($450), with Nordost cabling throughout. I played Aphex Twin's "Alberto Balsalm" from the album I Care Because You Do from my phone and they played me Rickie Lee Jones "Showbiz Kids." I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of power such a small system could exude! Affordability continues to surprise me.

Nashville-based manufacturer Thiel showed two new wireless speakers at the show: the Aurora LifeStream Tour ($600 each) and the Aurora LifeStream Home ($900 each). They premiered at CES in January and are both slated to ship from May 1. An excerpt from Thiel's site: "a new twist on high-performance wireless audio streaming." The LifeStream Tour is battery powered, while the LifeStream Home needs to be plugged in. Both are very lightweight, but even then, the Tour is still too big to function as an on-the-go unit. Thiel's Chief Revenue Officer, Stuart Levine, shared with me that showgoers seemed surprised by the sound quality of these wireless speakers.

Both can be controlled via DTS Play-Fi, Apple Airplay, and Bluetooth. Up to 16 speakers can be played simultaneously, and two can be programmed as a stereo pair. Both allow for interchangeable faceplates (not included up front) in wooden and metallic finishes. They are very cute.

After listening to a couple of tracks on both the LifeStream Tour and LifeStream Home, I oddly feel more compelled by the more pronounced midrange on the Tour, and found the bass on the Home to be a bit much. But regardless—in functionality and price point, both Aurora LifeStream products will fill a growing niche in audio somewhere between Devialet and Sonos, with an ultra-chic look nearly on par with Bowers & Wilkins' T7 collab with Burberry. (Ugh, so beautiful.)

My last room of the day: Schiit/Salk. With all the recent excitement and controversy surrounding Schiit, I had to make this room a Day 1 priority. Word on the street is, you either like Schiit or you don't. There is no in between. After a second listen, I think I do.

I reported that I was impressed by sound and affordability of the Schiit/Salk room at RMAF 2016, and the system they're featuring at AXPONA this year is even more affordable. This system features a Salk StreamPlayer Gen III controlled by Roon playing through a single-ended Bifrost DAC ($599), the Schiit Saga single-ended preamplifier ($349), and a prototype of the Schiit Vidar amplifier ($699) in stereo single-ended operation, through a pair of Salk Song3-A speakers ($3695/pair). (The fire extinguisher next to the Vidar is a little inside joke.)

"I decided at the last minute to stick to the simple, affordable system. I wanted to see what we could do at a quite affordable price point." Jason Stoddard said, when I asked why they didn't go with their original plan of demoing multiple systems at different price points. The more expensive system would've included Schiit's two top-end products: the Yggdrasil DAC ($2299) and Ragnarok integrated amplifier ($1699). He thoughtfully added, "We're trying to keep the electronics reasonable to that maybe people can spend more on the speakers."

Jason and David let me play some of my own music choices as the room emptied out at the end of the show. I listened to a track from Geotic's latest album Abysma and my default soundstage/cleanliness evaluator track "The Other Day We Thought Our Friends" by Kidsuke, and was so pleased with how fun and responsive the system was.

Schiit Audio, I like you very much.