For a while, tone controls had a bad rep in the hi-fi world. We were supposed to prefer minimalist, purist designs—and there is something to be said for simple. But, let's face it: I miss tone controls. I think a lot of people do. They're useful. The…
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The first thing I did at the Toronto Audiofest—after eating breakfast and attending some business meetings—was visit the Zesto Audio room, where I was hosted by Zesto Audio President and designer George Counnas. I was eager to hear the just-announced Leto Ultra vacuum tube preamplifier ($9995 US), which features—wait for it—tone controls.
More great sound was had in retailer Audio Eden's room, where they were showcasing a system fronted by SME's Synergy all-in-one record player, which includes the SME model 12 turntable, SME lV arm with internal Crystal Cable wiring, an Ortofon Windfeld Ti MC cartridge, and a built-in phono stage made by Nagra ($CAD28,000 total cost)—but no kitchen sink.
I hate to say the price of the SME ensemble seems fair, but in hi-fi, where there are so many dubious places on which to plunk down 30 grand, the SME strikes me as a sure investment in musical pleasure. The Synergy was demoed with…
Having never before seen a pair of Klipsch La Scalas ($CAD15,000/pair) in person, I was pleasantly surprised by their appearance when I saw them in the Kennedy HiFi room. Looking stately, dare I say
noble even, with their wide baffles and hardwood enclosures, the Klipsches were coupled to a system that included a Simaudio Moon 393 preamp ($CAD6800), a Moon 330 120Wpc power amp ($CAD4400), and a Pro-Ject 2Xperience turntable ($CAD1700 with arm and cartridge). Though the sound I heard lacked some refinement and air, it possessed great drive and a goodly amount of fun factor.
Looking for a simple, sweet-sounding system that's sure to elicit pride of ownership? If so, I'd like to suggest the one I encountered in the room hosted by retailer Vinyl Sound. It starts with a Ken Micallef fave, the Kuzma Stabi S turntable with Stogi arm ($CAD6400 for both), and an Ortofon Cadenza Blue cartridge ($CAD2000).
Add to this an Aesthetix Rhea phono stage ($CAD6500), a pair of Harbeth 30.1 speakers ($CAD4800–$CAD5200), and a PrimaLuna Evo 400 integrated amp ($CAD6750) capable of 70Wpc in Ultralinear mode or 38Wpc in triode mode. Then throw in an assortment of…
After spending time in the Zesto room, I wandered into the other rooms hosted by Canadian audio importer/distributor Tri-Cell.
First up was the room featuring Harbeth 30.2 40th Anniversary loudspeakers on Beech Black Tontraeger stands, with turntable, phono preamp, and DAC from Brinkmann (the Taurus, Edison MkII, and Nyquist, respectively). Vinyl was playing and those small speakers were making a big sound.
Also in the system were the Goldnote DS-10 streamer, the Aesthetix Mimas integrated amplifier, racks by HRS and cabling by Cardas.
A working musician: singer and flautist Caroline St. Louis (above).
Toronto Audiofest co-organizer Sarah Tremblay (above).
Isabeau Corriveau (above) was tireless on harp.
Wynn Audio's Wynn Wong (above) with products from Tidal, Thales, and EMT.
Yamaha's A-S3000 integrated amplifier ($CAD8000).
The Wadax Atlantis transport ($US45,000) measures its own vibrations.
Like last year, James Tanner (above) presented an all-Bryston system featuring the T-Rex, which consists of an inverted pair of Bryston's…
Should you ground your loudspeakers? With most speakers it's a moot point, since there's no practical way to ground the internal metal parts. A few companies—Tannoy comes to mind—have in the past sold speakers with a grounding pin, claiming reduction of distortion and RF interference.
Audiovector, of Denmark, has returned to the practice grounding their loudspeakers, providing a grounding pin on their Avantgarde Arreté–series loudspeakers, which can be wired to earth ground via a special grounding terminal on the carbon-fiber panel. (The cable costs extra.) The big Arretés were in the…
Another system that did a great job at communicating music's gestalt was the one taking pride of place in the Toronto Home of Audiophile Ltd room. The system included a Lumin U1 streamer ($CAD8000), a Mutec Ref 10 Audiophile 10 MHz master clock with MC3+ smart clock/re-clocker/USB interface ($CAD7150 for both), a PS Audio DirectStream DSD DAC ($CAD9500), a Pass Labs XP22 preamp ($CAD14,000), a class-A, 30Wpc Pass Labs XA30.8 stereo amp ($CAD9800), and a pair of GoldenEar Triton One.R speakers ($CAD8000). Completing the system were a DirectStream Power Plant 20 power conditioner ($CAD14,700)…
The Hearken Audio room was showing the sort of gear that indulges my creative impulses. None of it looked boring, or robotically manufactured on an assembly line. Two of the displayed items in particular snagged my focus: the Jean Nantais Ultimate Lenco analog rig ($US17,500), outfitted with a Graham Audio 12" tonearm ($CAD10,335; only arms of 10.5" or more in length can be used) and a Tru-Lift automatic tonearm lifter ($USD275), a Miyajima Labs Saboten L low-output MC cartridge ($CAD6700), and a pair of 102dB-sensitive Rethm Saadhana speakers ($CAD24,000).
No less artisanal as…
The Acora Acoustics room was another standout. The Canadian company has been building speakers for only a year, but they are on to something with their SRC-1 speaker ($CAD37,995/pair), whose enclosure, as per their marketing literature, is "handcrafted using granite by only the finest artisans in Canada." Sure, they must be a pain to move around, but one could say the same of the amps that were powering them, the cinderblock-shaped Audio Research Ref 10/750Se amps ($CAD95,200/pair).
Mobility issues aside, what I heard of them being fed by an Esoteric E-02 phono preamp ($CAD12,000…