"The vast majority of Cabasse speakers are…
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After an absence of several years, French speaker manufacturer Cabasse has returned to the US market. Distributed by Upscale Distribution, Cabasse showed the 43lb Rialto all-in-one streaming loudspeaker system ($3995/pair). Complete with built-in rear-firing woofers powered by a 450W amplifier, the Rialto has a two-way coaxial speaker in front whose treble and midrange are each powered by 300W amplifiers. That's 1050Wpc total! It also claims a frequency range of 30Hz–27kHz, can produce volumes up to 118dB, and can process PCM files up to 24/192.
Upscale Audio saved one of its finest lookers, the Pathos InPol Legacy 100Wpc class-A integrated amplifier ($49,995), for Klipsch Klipschorn AK6 loudspeakers ($16,448/pair) and a REL Acoustics 212/SX subwoofer ($4999).
The InPol Legacy seemed quite happy paired up with the AK6—the two sang beautifully together—but the 212/SX must have taken too strong a dose of testosterone before joining in on the date.
I quite enjoyed the fine clarity and lively top on a Red Book file of Lauren Dawes's "Stormy Monday." Ditto for Ray Brown and Laurindo Almeida's "Mondscheinsonate/Round…
The best sound I have ever heard from an ATC loudspeaker poured forth in the room commandeered by Audiophile Zone of Los Osos, CA. On a 24/192 file of the Engegärd Quartet performing Haydn, every timbre sounded spot and believable. Switching gears to DSD64, highs were excellent and depth convincing on Frank Sinatra's "When You're Smiling." And, on 24/96 tracks from Spirit Hiromi, I was blown away by the excellent bass, believable piano timbres, and musicality of the presentation. If I could have stayed longer, I would have.
The speakers, ATC SCM 40s ($5999/pair in the passive model heard…
It took three attempts and a show near closing time for me to squeeze into the Volt room. Not only were there only three seats, arranged in a line in the center of the room parallel to the side walls, but the space was also illumined by a frequently changing light show that proved as enticing to show goers as those transformative "Eat Me" morsels in Alice in Wonderland.
Finally able to follow the rainbow to the pot of gold, I happened upon Grant Dunn, the mastermind behind Volt Lighting/Integration/Audio of Burbank. Specializing in lighting integration, production rentals, media system…
No sooner had I finished listening in the Audiophile Zone room than ATC's Leland Leard corralled me into the AGD room. There, Alberto Guerra, AGD President and CEO, introduced me to his AGD/Ocean Way system and discussed the rationale behind his "tube" GaN MOSFET class-D amplifiers.
First, the sound of the system. There was color—loads of color. "The silence is beautiful," I wrote, "and the system radiates color and light." Music glowed on a 24/44.1 file of Morten Lauridsen's recording of Magnificat, albeit with a touch of brightness in the treble. I would have liked far more volume on…
It has been too many years since I last encountered Von Gaylord Audio's Ling and Ray Leung of West Sacramento, CA. Celebrating 25 years in business, the couple now sells their equipment direct at half their old prices.
Lovely warmth and excellent transparency distinguished a system that was a joy to listen to. On CDs of The Holly Cole Trio performing "The Tennessee Waltz," Amanda McBroom singing "The Rose," and Three Blind Mice Vol.1 romping through "Aqua Marine," the system acquitted itself wonderfully. The entire range of cello proved captivating, bells had a special delicacy, electric…
T.H.E. Show VP Emiko Carlin (left) with Pandora Pang of On A Higher Note (right)
As one of the first US audio shows to reopen as the pandemic seemed to be winding down, T.H.E. Show's attendance figures had no way to go but up. Thanks to some good PR and the excellent choice of a new venue, The Hilton Costa Mesa in Southern California's Orange is the New Red County, attendance exceeded expectations. Saturday, for example, was so packed that I couldn't get into a number of rooms on floors 2 and 3.
Attendance also exceeded initial logistical preparedness. Early arriving attendees…
Dave Lombardo: Rites of Percussion
Ipecac IPC-265 (Auditioned as LP). 2023. Lombardo, prod.; Lombardo, David A. Lombardo, John Golden, engs.
Performance ****½
Sonics ****½
Ipecac IPC-265 (Auditioned as LP). 2023. Lombardo, prod.; Lombardo, David A. Lombardo, John Golden, engs.
Performance ****½
Sonics ****½
In Greek cosmology, the ancient philosophers theorized that the universe is comprised of four elements: fire, water, earth, and air. As these elements interact, matter and life are created. Dave Lombardo, though, needs only himself and some drums to construct fully articulated worlds.
Lombardo is, without hyperbole, one of the most accomplished drummers ever to sit behind a kit. He marries…
Many family-owned hi-fi companies have experienced generational leadership transitions over the last few years: Wilson Audio, Von Schweikert Audio, PS Audio, and VPI Industries, to name a few. In two of those cases, the founding father is still around. One of those is VPI Industries.
Harry and Sheila Weisfeld founded VPI in 1978. A succession plan? "Initially there really was none," VPI President Mat Weisfeld (above), who took over for his father Harry, told me. "They'd hoped to work to the last of their days. Unfortunately, my mom's days were cut short."
As Mat was growing up, he…
The Stereophile crew at AXPONA 2023, minus Herb Reichert (L–R): Jason Victor Serinus, Rogier van Bakel, Michael Trei, Jim Austin, Ken Micallef. Photo by David James Bellecci-Serinus.
At AXPONA 2023, I saw teenage besties cruising rooms together. I saw fashion-conscious 20-somethings listening in sweet spots, and young parents with younger children. Yeah, there were a few gray boomers like me, but only a couple were wearing Hawaiian shirts. AXPONA 2023 vibed like a tribal conference at a sacred pilgrimage site, and I've never enjoyed an audio show this much before.
I attended…