At AXPONA, SOTA co-owner Donna Bodinet (above) was displaying their new Quasar model (below), which moves the suspension-less Urban product series a few steps upmarket. At $2995 without arm, it employs a new three-phase AC synchronous motor controlled by the Condor PSU developed by SOTA in cooperation with Phoenix Engineering, Unusually, 78rpm speed is included in addition to…
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I have long found it kind of disappointing that just a handful of companies still manufacture turntables in the United States, but SOTA is a true survivor, having delivered their first turntables way back in 1979.
As an enterprising Stereophile reporter, I do my homework. When I saw that Alex Sound Technology, of Windermere, Florida, was bringing the gorgeous Japanese Takatsuki 300B TA-S01 SET amplifier ($32,000, 8Wpc, new to the USA), along with new Japanese brand Sforzato (below), including their DST-050EX network transport ($4600), DSC-030EX Zero Link DAC ($9900), DSP-030EX Network Player ($9900), and PMC-015EX Master Clock ($4990), plus the Blumenhofer Acoustics Genuin FS 2 Mk2 horn-loaded loudspeakers ($22,850/pair), a bee flew into my Southern man's bonnet and I requested room coverage to major…
Acoustic Sounds' Chad Kassem has every reason to look as happy as he does here, because this really has become a new golden age for vinyl, with so many high-quality reissues of classic albums on vinyl that it's hard to know where to start. Acoustic Sounds has established itself as one of the top players in this field with their Analogue Productions reissues, with series after series especially to tempt the jazz lover.
One recent project is Kassem's reissues of titles from the Contemporary Records catalog, recordings from the 1950s and '60s which have been praised by audiophiles for…
The Analog Matters room, presented by Big Ear Consulting LLC and original AXPONA cofounder Steve Davis, debuted a variety of components, including the return of (wait for it) Plinius!
Ralph Abram of Plinius Audio Sales and Repair, and Plinius's own Johnny Harrison, were spinning The Beatles' Abbey Road on an Acoustic Signature Typhoon turntable ($17,995, below) with an Acoustic Signature TA 500 tonearm ($7895), running a Grado Aeon 3 phono cartridge ($6000). The sound was generally sweet and detailed, but muffled, and frankly, not loud enough for this New Yawker (see below).
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Two months ago, at the Tampa audio show, I got better acquainted with Acora Acoustics and its flagship loudspeaker, the VRC. They made some of the most impressive music at the expo—as they should for a price north of 200 grand.
For 15% of that fortune, could an Acora speaker further down the line, like the SRC-1 ($35,000/pair), keep pace? I found out in Mimic Audio's dealer room on the hotel's 12th floor, where a high-level UN meeting of sorts was going on, with brands from four countries.
Acora's generously-chamfered, two-way bass-reflex columns, in white granite, had…
It’s always fun to see a new company making their first presentation to the public, and AXPONA 2023 marks the debut of Toronto, Canada-based Audio Craftsmen. Headed up by Thom Pahmer (above), the company showed four models, ranging in price from the Laval stand mount at $2699/pair, up to the floor standing flagship Halifax at $10,999/pair.
Photo by Michael Trei
There's nothing quite like starting off the show with a million dollar system. Holding court in the huge Schaumburg D partition of the Convention Center, the imposing Estelon Extreme Mk II bi-amped loudspeakers ($269,000/pair) received their juice from two Vitus Audio MP-S201 Mk I stereo amplifiers ($230,000/total) via Crystal Cable Art Series cabling ($330,000). But they were just the start of a system where each amplifier required three power cables, put out up to 500W/pc into 8 ohms and 1000W into 4, and weighed more than I can type without getting back spasms. (…
Schofield, formerly of Krell, produced a bevy of smart gear (smart as in cool and hip, not Internet of Things smart) to bear on the AXPONA audience. Terry Medalen's Primare electronics from Sweden, including the Primare PRE 35 preamplifier ($5000, reviewed by Sasha Matson in April 2023), Primare A35.8 Amp, 150Wpc into 8 ohms, ($5500, reviewed by Kal Rubinson in November 2022), and Primare DD 35 Transport ($3800) relaxed my internal grouchy beast with their smooth sound and refined sonic beauty. A 432Evo Reference Music Server ($3500, below) served digits.
AntiCables including…
Jeffrey Catalano of Lower Manhattan lives in an ancient building near the South Street Seaport where ghosts of seaman and slaves mingle with investment bankers and tourists. Catalano's High Water Sound is the place where every New York City area audiophile dreams of being invited, cause it's here where this mad audio wizard (and former jazz drummer (1957 Ludwigs) and jazz LP collector, like moi) cooks up the magnificent sounds that appear, like magic, at every show where High Water Sound presents. Year after year, show after show, as consistent as Big Ben.
AXPONA 2023 was another…
I admit, I have my preferred rooms, my biases, at shows. Hey, I'm only human! One such joint is the Volti Audio, Border Patrol, Triode Wire Labs room commandeered, respectively, by Greg Roberts (right), Gary Dewes (left), and Triode Pete Grzybowski (center). I favorably reviewed one of Gary's SET Border Patrol amps, and use Greg and Pete's components in my system. So, when I hit their AXPONA room and saw a bust of Beethoven staring glumly at the rig, I asked "Who's the new guy?"
Greg responded, "I dreamt last night that a dude came in this very room and wounded me! (Greg took on…