When unquestionably fine components were given sufficient room to strut their stuff, as happened when the new Wilson Audio Alexia Series 2 loudspeaker was mated with Constellation Audio electronics, the results were often magical.

Saturday October 14, Gig Harbor Audio (3019 Judson Street, Suite D, Gig Harbor, WA 98335), from 1–3pm, and Suncoast Audio (7353 International Place, Unit 309, Sarasota, FL 34240), from 12–4pm, are presenting audiophile events.

Dear reader, please stop for a second to imagine how I could go from the above-mentioned MSB room to the $500 setup without feeling pain.

High fidelity took a giant step forward in 1956 with Peter Walker's introduction of the Quad ESL. Walker's research efforts had been motivated by his firm belief in the superiority of the electrostatic dipole over the box loudspeaker, but actually to take the economic plunge and market such a speaker was surely an act of bravery. After all, those were the pre-stereo, pre-audiophile days of the mid '50s, and the public's tastes and expectations were relatively unsophisticated. The average front end was abominable by today's standards, so that making definitive assessments of loudspeaker quality was a difficult task at best.

Jim Hall: Jim Hall Live!
Jim Hall, guitar, Don Thompson, double bass, Terry Clarke, drums.
Horizon Records: A&M SP-705 (LP), reissued on CD as Horizon SP-705. John Snyder, prod., Don Thompson, eng. TT: 41:29.

These performances were taped by the double-bass player, Don Thompson, during a week's stand in June 1975 at Bourbon Street, Toronto, Canada. They are very closely miked, yet audience noises are audible although they seem to enhance rather than detract from the music. The balances are fascinating.

Fortunately, in a world of darkness, there is still light. And by light, I mean: hi-fi.

To paraphrase a classic early English song by Thomas Arne, “Where the big boys go, there go I.” Thus to the Marriott’s lobby and mezzanine, where many of the biggest systems found spaces congenial to their size, didst I head.

Since I am accustomed to hearing VTL electronics paired with either Wilson or Rockport loudspeakers, I was eager to hear how the Siegfried II monoblocks would mate with the Vandersteens…

By the time the show officially launched at noon on Friday, the lines at the two registration tables—one for pay-at-the-door folks, the other for online pre-registrants—were long…