In one of Musical Surroundings' many rooms in the Denver Tech Center Marriott, the Clearaudio Anniversary AMG CMB turntable ($10,000), with its 80mm platter and Ceramic Magnetic Bearing of the Master Reference; Benz-Micro LP S-Class Cartridge ($5000), the company's new flagship; and Helius Omega Silver Ruby 10" tonearm ($4750) were paired with the Aesthetix Rhea Signature phono stage ($7,000) and Aesthetic Atlas stereo power amp ($8,000); Focal Diablo Utopia speakers and stands ($14,000/pair); Tara Labs ISM The One speaker cable ($3850/pair for 8') and The One ISM onboard 1m interconnects ($2495/pair; and Running Springs Audio Jaco ($2500) and Audio Duke ($1900) Powerline Conditioners.
Boy, you never thought I'd finish that list, did you? I didn't either. But the wait for the punch line is worth it.
To say I was blown away by the sound of Joan Sutherland singing "Bel raggio" would be an understatement. I didn't hear much in the way of a low end, although that could be the pressing, but the highs were extraordinary. Did I say extraordinary? Extraordinary. The size of Sutherland's voice is very hard to capture, but when she opened up on her high E flats, several people sitting around me gasped. This was very much the sound I heard during her Met debut in
Lucia many many many many years ago. Fabulous.
