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Florida Audio Expo 2024
The Davina Loudspeaker Prototype
Mark Henninger  |  Feb 25, 2024  |  First Published: Feb 22, 2024  |  3 comments

There are always a few truly eccentric rooms at audio shows; I hope there always will be. At FLAX 2024, the Davina Loudspeaker commanded one.

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Florida Audio Expo 2024
1215: The Axiss Room
Ken Micallef  |  Feb 24, 2024  |  6 comments

As Stereophile managing editor Mark Henninger and I scurried up and down the Hilton halls, fulfilling our tasks as intrepid reporters, we had little time to compare notes. But we agreed on one room, Axiss Audio. In a room filled with exceptional gear, Axiss's Cliff Duffey and TJ Goldsby had set up a fantastic rig, well beyond the norm, which overachieved and set my ears afire. (Not literally.)

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Florida Audio Expo 2024
American Sound / American Audio & Video
Ken Micallef  |  Feb 24, 2024  |  2 comments

Angie Lisi and Matthew Legere of American Sound of Richmond Hill, Ontario, played vinyl records, after my heart.

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Audacious AudioDigital Processor Reviews
Weiss Engineering Helios D/A processor
John Atkinson  |  Feb 23, 2024  |  34 comments
When standalone digital/analog processors made an appearance a quarter-century ago, they were limited to the CD medium's 16 bits of resolution—at best. These days, almost every DAC can process at least 24 bits, and many models offer between 20 and 21 bits of real-world resolution. Modern models from Benchmark, dCS, Merging, Mola Mola, Okto, and Weiss illustrate not just the skill of the circuit designer but also that of the engineer who laid out the printed circuit board.

One of the first digital processors I encountered that offered 21 bits of resolution was the Weiss DAC202, which Erick Lichte reviewed in January 2012. Subsequent processors from this Swiss company have consistently performed well, not just on the test bench but also in the listening room.

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Florida Audio Expo 2024
Room 1016, Fidelity Imports / The Listening Room
Ken Micallef  |  Feb 23, 2024  |  0 comments

Steve Jain's Fidelity Imports held fort in six rooms at FLAX, crisscrossing lines that included Perlisten, Primare, Michell, Unison Research, Diptyque, Opera, Soulnote, Gold Note, Q Acoustics, and more. Room 1016 was co-hosted by Chestertown, Maryland, dealership The Listening Room.

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Florida Audio Expo 2024
FLAX Room 915: Suncoast Audio presents Clarity's, Aurender, Hegel, and Lumin
Ken Micallef  |  Feb 23, 2024  |  1 comments

Shunyata Research’s Richard Rogers showed me one of my favorite rooms of the show, a smallish rig that made very biggish sounds.

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Florida Audio Expo 2024
Black Ice Audio with Pure Fidelity, Bel Canto, Magnepan, MoFi
Mark Henninger  |  Feb 23, 2024  |  First Published: Feb 22, 2024  |  1 comments

There's something about Black Ice Audio (formerly Jolida) that puts me in the frame of mind to enjoy some great tunes. It could be CEO Jerred Dunkerson's welcoming demeanor, or it could be the way the company's tube-centric gear renders smooth, eminently listenable sound without costing a fortune.

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Turntable Reviews
Gold Note Mediterraneo X record player
Ken Micallef  |  Feb 22, 2024  |  2 comments
Though the hotel halls of Capital Audiofest 2023 were not as busy as some exhibitors might have hoped, the event's listening rooms were filled to the brim with choice equipment, practically overflowing. One piece that captured my attention was a turntable that embodies thoughtful design and contemporary Italian style: the Gold Note Mediterraneo X ($12,999). This elegant turntable combines traditional materials with touch-friendly digital technology in arresting fashion.

An exploration of the artistry and expertise behind the Mediterraneo X is a journey through Italian craftsmanship.

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Florida Audio Expo 2024
High End by Oz: Lansche, Thrax, Viva
Ken Micallef  |  Feb 22, 2024  |  0 comments

High End by Oz's Ozan Turan was showing beautiful equipment in the Kennedy Room, including an Esoteric X-05 CD/SACD Player ($12,000), Thrax Audio Maximinus Silver DAC ($38,500), Viva Audio Solista MK II class A 22Wpc integrated amplifier ($29,500), and Lansche Audio Model 5.2 speakers in white ($57,000/pair). Hifistay Mythology racks ($6,500) held the gear and Albedo provided their Silver signal and power cables ($6,000–$23,000) and a S.I.N. Audio PSD Unlimited Power Distributor ($23,500).

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Florida Audio Expo 2024
Room 304: Suncoast Audio Presents Pass Laboratories
Ken Micallef  |  Feb 22, 2024  |  2 comments

Suncoast Audio, a Sarasota-based dealership, was new to me, and boy, did it deliver: Four rooms, and each had serious buzz. Michael Bovaird, proprietor of Suncoast Audio and a cofounder of the Florida Audio Expo, put together rooms that played music that kept the room full, with knowledgeable support personnel (including Nordost's Seth Snyder) to answer questions.

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