AXPONA 2024

What a nice little system. The LP version of Paul Simon’s “Something So Right” sounded exactly that on TSO’s system, with an exceptionally smooth midrange and lovely bloom to the sound. After I heard Sarah Janosz and friends perform “Book of Right-On,” I declared, “The sweetest small-scaled system I encountered on Day 1!” And that was with no power conditioning to tame the noisy electricity in the huge Schaumburg Hotel.

Heading the lineup was the new flagship Rega Reference NAIA turntable with Aphelion 2 cartridge ($16,995). It’s the first five-figure table from the legendary turntable manufacturer.

Rega’s Reference Aura MC phono stage ($6695) joined three components from Chord—the Qutest DAC ($1595), Huge MScaler ($4750), and the US debut of the ULTIMA integrated amp ($11,250)—plus Chord cables. Speakers were ProAc Tablette Ten Signature ($3150-3550/pair). HRS supplied the EXR Audio Stand System.