Florida Audio Expo 2025

Ryan O’Connor, president of ReVox North America, was working the rooms and the halls, but his ReVox B77 reel-to-reel machine ($15,900) failed to make it to Tampa for the ReVox room. No matter; the room offered a solid setup, including a Playback Designs IPS-3 integrated amplifier ($13,000) producing 260Wpc into 4 ohms, driving Aretai Contra 100S speakers ($9000/pair).

Aretai’s entry-level Contra 100S stands 8.25" x 15.75" x 10" (WxHxD) and weighs 33 lb. It’s a 2.5-way, acoustic-suspension design with a pair of 6" polypropylene woofers—one up front, another around back. Bass response is claimed to extend to 30Hz. The speaker uses a cute wooden waveguide to amplify sound from what appears to be a 1" silk-dome tweeter. Sensitivity is 87dB (2.83V/m) at 4 ohms. Tube amps could run these speakers, but solid state might be a better idea.

The speakers were supported by Lateral Audio Cadenz VR stands ($1800/pair), with connection provided by ViaBlue SC-6 cables ($1500/10' pair) and conditioning via a Puritan PSM136 power conditioner ($1800).

This was not a budget rig, and the sound proved it. Highs were clean and smooth, and bass filled the room reasonably well.