A Real, Live, In-Person Hi-Fi Event in Pennsylvania, with Actual Humans!

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania–based hi-fi dealer Now Listen Here is holding a real, live, non-Zoom event this coming weekend, September 26 and 27, 2020, at the Hyatt House in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, next to the King of Prussia mall.

Jeff Joseph of Joseph Audio will be in attendance, demonstrating the Joseph Audio Pearl 20/20 Graphene loudspeakers. Mat Weisfeld of VPI will also be there, demonstrating prototypes of the company's "new modular direct-drive turntable, universal arm pod, and phono preamp." Sounds tasty.

Other products to be demoed include the Fyne Audio F704, which is a high sensitivity dual-concentric loudspeaker, and the new Chord Electronics Ultima 5 amplifier and the Ultima Pre 2 preamp, all having their North American debuts. Jeff Rowland electronics, Transparent cabling, and state-of-the-art digital front-end components from Chord and Sonore will also be displayed. "Event-only" pricing will be available on the demonstrated lines. Presumably that means lower prices, not higher, so bring your checkbook.

How can you have a real, in person in these times, you ask? Answer: by being safe. Masks are required, and your temperature will be checked before they let you in. If you don't want to wear a mask or have your temperature taken, that's totally fine, but please understand that you won't get in.

To allow for proper social distancing and to comply with Pennsylvania’s gathering limit of 25 people, a seminar format has been adopted, which means that participants must register for a particular 2-hour time slot (see below; its free). Attendees will spend an hour in each of two large rooms, with widely spaced chairs, listening to music and presentations. Masks and hand sanitizer will be available. "Hyatt House is following procedures and protocols developed in consideration of guidance and information shared by the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), other leading organizations and experts, and local government requirements and guidance"—so reads the press release. So, please, don't show up and refuse to wear a mask, make a scene, and ruin everyone's good time. No, really, just don't.

If you wish to attend—I wish I could—please register at this Eventbrite page and choose a time that fits your schedule.

COMMENTS
tonykaz's picture

Governor Wolf's Pennsylvania Emergency lockdown measure DENIED !!

Today's Legal Press is on fire with reporting about William S.Stickman IV, Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania and the 61 page decision concerning the Constitutionality of Emergency Lockdowns.

It seems that Govt. Lockdowns are a breach to our Constitutional Rights.

Freedom of Assy can resume, un-abated. Hmmmm

I'm not a Constitutional Legal specialist.

but...

I'm expecting Shows to resume. ( even if it kills us )

Tony in Venice

ps. two thumbs up

MatthewT's picture

And it only applies to PA.

tonykaz's picture

Oh, that is my rash organisation of word thoughts.

The decision to suspend rights thru an emergency Act is considered unconstitutional. ( I think ) Of course, I'm not an attorney .

My attorney is explaining the Stickman ruling as the deciding voice in this matter.

So, it looks like, Audio ( and Auto ) Shows finally get some Legal Relief.

Bring your diving Bell Helmet.

Tony in Venice

ps. it's a Federal Judge so it's a National Decision, isn't it?, it can be appealed in a Federal Circuit Court and then taken up by the Supreme Court. but............

MatthewT's picture

For the clarification. I would expect other legal action against lockdowns to be referencing this decision. Intersting times.....

tonykaz's picture

Michigan is in Court over Emergency powers, I'm told.

Tony in Venice

Jack L's picture

Hi

So many American citizens think your same way, ending up with over 200,000 death due to the pandemic. Hopefully you loved ones would not be on the morality list!

Are you still single, without a family? So you don't care less "even if it kills YOU" ??????

How good would the constitutional rights to you when you already lost your life due to the deadly pandemic?? A dead man can't enjoy any music!

Wait until yr loved one(s) got killed by the virus & see if you would talk so heartlessly here, pal !

Jack L
Canada

tonykaz's picture

angry sarcasm on my part.

I and my wife have had Covid and have lost friends.

The Constitutional rights relate to declaring Emergency being purposefully excluded by our Founding Fathers as they designed the US.

Sadly, we just lost our Sylvia Eaton 88yr. on Saturday morn. 2AM Sept 18th.

I lost my grandmother ( 100 years ago ) to the Spanish Influenza , my mother never recovered from it, we tearfully buried her with her mother.

I'm not a Medical person. I've felt that Commercialism shouldn't ( but does ) T/trump a healthy society's needs.

I stand with you on all this.

Tony in Venice

Glotz's picture

NT

barrows's picture

I am glad to hear of this event taking place with Now Listen Here, and I am also glad that they will be taking all sensible precautions. Most audio shows cram a high density of listeners into small hotel rooms with very inadequate ventilation to be safe at all, and I do not expect "traditional" audio shows will be able to return until there is wide availability of a vaccine, probably late 2021 at the soonest.
Anyone who is not taking this C-19 seriously is not actually paying attention, and is also likely contributing to the infection rate, please take precautions folks, the more responsible we are now for each other, the sooner we will be able to get back to normal (and the events we care most about, live music).

Ortofan's picture

... spend about two minutes sitting in the front center seat?
(Based upon 25 people, for a particular 2-hour time slot, in each of two rooms - presumably one room with the Joseph Audio speakers and the other with the Fyne Audio speakers.)

Joe Whip's picture

You guys know that this was a decision by a judge in the Western District of PA right? Do you also realize that a judge in the Eastern District of PA came to the exact opposite decision a little over a week ago and UPHELD the restrictions. I am a retired lawyer who was a member of the bar of the Third Circuit and the US Supreme Court and even had a case there. At best, Judge Stickman’s opinion is binding only in the Western District not all of PA. Furthermore, I am sure an appeal will be filed with the Third Circuit and a request for a stay order issued, so hold your horses there Tex. This event will be in the Eastern District, so the governor’s rules are still in effect. Also, Aaron and Jessica have a say in this as does the venue. Aaron and Jessica are friends and I wish them the best of luck in this event although I will pass even though it is right down the street. A further word of caution, if they or the venue decide to ignore the orders and someone can trace a Covid case or god forbid, a death to the event, look out with a massive lawsuit. Why even take the risk?

tonykaz's picture

Thanks for the increased clarity. ( or should I use the audiophile term: transparancy ? )

The fear of a Covid based lawsuit feels TERRIFYING.

I guess we're back to thinking of Dec.2021 as the beginning of the return to what's left of normality.

I'll buy another 10 pack of surgical masks at Harbor Freight for $2.49.

Tony in Venice

cgh's picture

Joe! Good to hear from you. Hope PAAG is well! Took my kids to the Bates Motel last night. Got crammed in a room with twenty people shoulder to shoulder. It should get interesting in PA if, as you say, anything happens.

X