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What's better than attending an audio event? Attending three. Well, not exactly three—more like two spread across three locations, tied together by one company: importer-distributor American Sound of Canada, which is based in Greater Toronto.

Owned by longtime industry figure Angie Lisi, American Sound of Canada has, since its founding in 1990, been a purveyor of some of the finest audio gear in the biz.

According to the written invitation, the event's main purpose was to celebrate the launch of a new showroom. But when I spoke with Angie ahead of my visit, she explained, in her signature rasp and no-nonsense style, that there was another reason behind the event: to bring the people who help shape the industry—manufacturers, dealers, consumers, media—together. "There are too many cliques now," she said, lamenting what she sees as a diminishing sense of community and common purpose. She also criticized dealers who focus only on selling mega-priced systems. "If people think it costs $100,000 to get into our hobby, that'll scare them away! None of us started with a $100,000 system. You have to show people you can have great sound for a lot less money."

The main draw—introducing the new showroom—was on the first day of the event. Instead of following that timeline, I'll recount the event(s) in reverse order, starting with the last place we visited, Angie's home.

Set on a sprawling estate, it's dream-home gorgeous. Best of all, it's filled with exquisite audio gear displayed across several rooms. The home doubles as a showroom, with tastefully arranged setups that demonstrate how a system can blend into a living space.

The first system stood just beyond the foyer in a sun-drenched living room, the fireplace partially obscured by a Boulder 2160 stereo amplifier on an HRS amp stand, bookended by a Rockport Lyra loudspeaker and a REL 32 subwoofer.

Closer to the listening position, an HRS rack abutted the wall, holding an enviable lineup of electronics: a VAC Statement preamp, a Wadax Server and Reference DAC combo, an SME 60 turntable, an Air Tight Reference ATE-3011 MM phono stage with an ATH3s step-up transformer, and an Esoteric T1 turntable with two tonearms—the Ikeda and Supreme Analog. Transparent cabling was used throughout.

Listening to the digital front-end—I didn't get a chance to hear the analog setup—the sound was lush, colorful, and poured forth with the consistency and heat of fresh lava—and I mean that in the best possible way.

The downstairs area was striking for its rich wood accents—and its fully stocked bar, close to which a system was set up featuring two Avantgarde Twin Subs, a model launched at this year's Munich show. The "Twin" designation refers to each unit's two 12" drivers. Designed to mate with any G3 (third-generation) speaker, here they were paired with Avantgarde's Mezzo G3 iTRON. Also in the system was a dCS Network Bridge (discontinued) used with a Wadax Atlantis DAC, an Esoteric C1X Solo preamp, and a pair of Air Tight ATM-211 mono amplifiers driving the speakers when in semi-active mode.

My knees nearly buckled when I walked into a room and saw a pair of towering Avantgarde Trio G3 iTRON speakers in a gleaming red finish flanking a massive Basshorn wedged between floor and ceiling so snugly that it looked as though the room had been built around it.

The Trio/Basshorn system looked majestic and sounded it, too, in both active and semi-active modes; here, too, the Trios in semi-active mode were powered by a pair of all-triode Air Tight ATM-3211 SE mono amplifiers. Also in the system were a Wadax Studio Player, a VAC Statement preamp, and a suite of components from the Esoteric's flagship Grandioso line, including a P1X SE transport, a pair of D1X SE mono DACs, an N-03T network audio transport system, and a G1X master clock. Using Transparent cabling and HRS racks, the system delivered reams of detail, layers of depth, and a sense of vibrant musicality.

In addition to her home-based showroom, Angie owns Angie's Corner, a three-level audio store about a 20-minute drive from her house. Here, too, was gear galore, ranging in price from entry level to "if you have to ask" levels. There was so much of it I would've needed at least a couple of days to catalog it all.

At Angie's Corner, REL Acoustics' Midwest/Eastern US and Canadian Regional Sales Manager Jerrad Perkins spoke about the company's new Series S subwoofers and why adding one—or better, several—can improve the performance of most stereo systems. "Adding a single REL sub can bring more weight to the music, giving voices greater natural body, piano notes more harmonic bloom, and allowing the soundstage to breathe," Jerrad said. The subwoofer line array, with two columns of three subs per side—often dubbed a "six-pack"—is "where the true magic begins," he continued. "This isn't just about more bass. It allows the music to unfold without strain or compression. It's the closest you can get to being in the room with the artist." He concluded by saying that he'd met several people who, intending to upgrade their speakers, had kept them once they heard how well they performed with properly integrated subwoofers.

Finally, Day 1, the (pre-)launch of a new showroom on a busy artery in Stratford, Ontario, a touristy place renowned for its art galleries and the annual Stratford Festival—as well as for being Justin Bieber's hometown.

Adorned with paintings by local artists and equipment that could pass for industrial art, the showroom is a nice fit for its Stratford setting. It is owned and operated by David Riggs, a 25-year customer of Angie's, who described it as both a collaboration with Angie and a satellite location of American Sound of Canada.

The space is open-concept and loft-like, with a vaulted ceiling and six dedicated listening areas, each graced by an Avantgarde-fronted demo, set within simulated home décor. "You can buy everything here," Angie told me, sweeping her hand across one of the setups. "If people want, they can buy the whole listening environment, not just the system."

You can even order one of the modular equipment racks by FalkenOhr in a color that matches your speakers. I didn't realize it then, but it mirrors the setups in Angie's home, where systems are displayed as part of the room's aesthetic. "It should look good in a house, so couples can enjoy it together," Angie said. David's lovely wife, Mary, past president and CEO of the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and this events splendid host, told me that she and David had just come back from a much-needed one-month vacation in London (England, not Ontario), where they attended more than 20 concerts and a handful of plays. David and Mary genuinely love the arts and are big arts supporters. It's why they're in the audio business to begin with.

Among those who made demo presentations was Air Tight Chief Designer Yutaka "Jack" Miura, all the way from Japan, where Air Tight products are designed by Jack and assembled by hand by a group of six women, three of whom have been with the company for over 18 years. "They are responsible for the quality of the parts they use, the assembly, and the initial inspection of the unit," Jack said. "When a unit is returned to us for repair, the person who built it will be responsible for the repair.

"The women are very patient, and experts in keeping our factory neat and clean," he continued. "They are our precious jewels."

Jack's designs use technologies and parts that, he explained, protect the products from obsolescence. Built mainly around vintage tubes, his components rely on traditional parts that can still be sourced on the market even if Air Tight, founded in 1986 and still healthy, is no longer in business. "I think that's important," said Jack. "Because even if we're not there, you can have our products serviced so they can be passed down." When I heard Avantgarde with Air Tight, it quickly became obvious that there was an effortless chemistry between the two brands.

I was also quite enamored by the sound of Wadax's Studio Player, a one-box audio system that combines a CD/SACD player, high-resolution streamer, DAC, preamplifier, and volume control.

Wadax Director of Sales and Marketing Brandon Lauer explained that the Studio Player is designed as a modular platform to accommodate upgrades, such as an external power supply and clock. The $39,800 (Canadian) Studio Player employs the same DAC circuit as Wadax's $175,000 Reference DAC, albeit in a simpler configuration. The two also share a designer, Javier Guadalajara, who has designed all the company's products since founding it in 2006. The speakers in this system were a pair of Avantgarde Duo GT iTRONs in full active mode, fed by a Phasemation CM 2200 passive preamp. Images were palpable, tonality was vivid, and the soundstage was deeply layered and solidly constructed.

I was impressed by the variety of Avantgarde models being showcased—from the massive Trio GT paired with the SpaceHorn bass system to the compact Colibri driven by Air Tight electronics and an Aurender A15 Analog Music Server.

The smaller system mesmerized everyone with its tactile, intimate rendition of Jacintha's Moon River.

"Usually, the Colibri is sold with its matching C-18 18" subwoofer," Jérôme André, Avantgarde's International Sales Manager, told me. Both he and the company's CEO, Philipp Hermann, were on hand to lend support and to see the new showroom.

Organizing events like this takes a village, or at least a crackerjack support team. With that in mind, I'd like to extend a special thank you to two exceptional members of Angie's team, Tony and Adrienne, who helped make sure I was where I needed to be and proved to be great conversationalists in the process. Tony doesn't work for Angie, but he helps out when he can as a way of giving back. "I wouldn't be where I am today with my systems if it wasn't for Angie," he said. I got a sense that David felt the same way.

If Angie's goal was to simultaneously celebrate the launch of David's showroom and underscore the value of everyone—the many tiers of folks who keep our industry moving—working and playing together, I'd say she made a convincing argument. Long live audio, and long live those, like Angie, who preach the audio gospel for the common good.