Zingali Acoustics, JMF Audio, Pear Audio Blue, Top Wing, and Levin Design Dance in Unison

In an extremely large 2nd floor room, products from two US distributors, Reference Components and Audio Skies, joined forces in a single, powerful all-analog system. Of special note, on the LP Paris, were the absolutely compelling soaring silvery highs that Hilary Hahn's violin produced as she flew through Prokofiev's first Violin Concerto.

Attention went immediately to the Zingali Acoustics Client Name 1.5 EVO 30th Anniversary Edition loudspeaker ($49,950/pair in finish shown). With its "Omniray" wood horn driver and dual 15" drivers, the 97dB sensitivity loudspeaker so occupied my starting-to-fry-at-the-end-of-show-day brain that, to my editors' chagrin, I oriented the photo incorrectly. Mea culpa.

This was my second opportunity to hear highly touted JMF Audio electronics from France. Belatedly making their way to the US, courtesy of Michael Vamos's Audio Skies Distribution, four offerings from JMF Audio were delivering the goods: the HQS 6002 dual-mono power amplifier ($39,000), PRS 1.5 dual-mono preamplifier ($34,000), PCD 201 Power Line filter ($18,000), and assorted JMF cabling. Heads up, dealers: opportunity awaits.

Pear Audio Blue's Kid Thomas turntable with Cornet 2 tonearm ($7995), outboard power supply ($2000), and distinctive platform ($995)—I love how it looks—shared source honors with a Top Wing Blue Dragon cartridge ($12,500). Levin Design supplied the record cleaning brush and isolation feet, and the Kirmuss KA-RC 1 Record Restoration System remained out of sight.

X