Jason Victor Serinus

News T.H.E. Show 2022

Common Wave Hi-Fi Sails JVS to Paradise with QLN, Innuos, Nagra, Kuzma, Dynavector, and AudioQuest

Jason Victor Serinus Jun 15, 2022

"This has to be one of the best sounding rooms at T.H.E. Show," said self to self. Listening to Count Basie and his Orchestra's rendition of "After the Rain," the beauty, clarity, and absolute spot-on rightness of every single high-end parameter I could think of impelled me to write in my notes, "The price reflects the pedigree of the sound."

News T.H.E. Show 2022

Common Wave Hi-Fi's Club Room

Jason Victor Serinus Jun 15, 2022

There were no seats available. Nor was there any real reason to sit. Assembled partly for the fun of it, with components more common to DJs than audiophiles, Common Wave Hi-Fi's Club set-up was designed for enjoyment plain and simple. You've got to hand it to a dealership/social gathering place that devotes as much time to entertaining its guests as selling equipment. They go hand-in-hand, actually, if you do it right.

News T.H.E. Show 2022

Common Wave Hi-Fi's Uncommonly Good Showing: DeVore O/Baby speakers, Audio Hungary Qualiton electronics, Merason DAC 1, Michell Engineering Gyro SE Turntable and Cusis E cartridge, and Innuos Mk3 Streaming Server

Jason Victor Serinus Jun 15, 2022

Hands down winner of my "Anything but Hotel California" Unusual Music Award, the first of Common Wave Hi-Fi of Los Angeles' three rooms kept platters spinning and visitors happy.

News T.H.E. Show 2022

Audioshield and Audio Chamber present Credo Audio Switzerland, Meitner, van den Hul, VPI, and more

Jason Victor Serinus Jun 15, 2022

John McGurk's Audioshield distribution, together with Johnathan Ellis's Audio Chamber of Murrieta, CA, featured a system that delivered fine, clear, all-of-a-piece sound that brought a smile to my eyes and happiness to my heart.

News T.H.E. Show 2022

Wynn Audio presents the new Kalista DreamPlay X CD transport and first USA showing of the Karan Acoustics POWERa power amplifier

Jason Victor Serinus Jun 15, 2022

For looks alone, few systems could top that from Ontario-based Wynn Audio. Perhaps the most eye-catching CD transport on the market, the Kalista DreamPlay X CD Transport ($68,800) with large outboard power supply, teamed with the DAC in the Métronome AQWO CD Player ($20,000) to create an awesome front end. Next to them, the unusual Vimberg Amea Bookshelf speakers ($18,000/pair; above) looked somewhat tame (which they weren't).

News T.H.E. Show 2022

Katli Audio pairs Usher's ML-801 loudspeaker with Conrad-Johnson, Cocktail Audio, and Esoteric gear

Jason Victor Serinus Jun 15, 2022

Katli Audio of Chino Hills, CA, the US importer of Usher Audio loudspeakers, paired Usher's ML-801 ($1l,950/pair in satin wood finish) with rarely-encountered-by-me Conrad-Johnson and other components. The ML-801 has a specified frequency range of 28Hz38kHz, and a sensitivity of 87dB. A three-way, four driver design with two 8" carbon-fiber woofers, it uses a new 1.25" magnesium-alloy tweeter and magnesium-lithium alloy midrange unit.

News T.H.E. Show 2022

PranaFidelity's purna/ma amp and Dhara loudspeakers team up with E.A.R. USA's Acute Classic CD player and Townshend Allegri Reference Mk.II preamp

Jason Victor Serinus Jun 15, 2022

Together in one room, PranaFidelity's Steven Norber and E.A.R. USA's Dan Meinwald guaranteed fine sound from great and unusual music. "The Dhara speakers are finally finished," said Norber of a 40lb standmount ($7950/pair with stands), which includes dual 6" woofers and a 30mm tweeter, and boasts a frequency range of 38Hz23kHz, a sensitivity of 88.5dB, and an 8 ohm nominal impedance.

News T.H.E. Show 2022

Garth Powell's Musicianship shares honors with AudioQuest's Mythical Creatures, CH Precision, Steinheim's Alumine 5SE loudspeakers, and more in one of many rooms from Sunny's Components

Jason Victor Serinus Jun 14, 2022

Chalk it up to show karma, but I've now covered two consecutive shows where the accuracy of CH Precision's latest gear has lent itself perfectly to comparison demos. In this case, it was AudioQuest's now-completed Mythical Creatures line of "characteristic impedance" cabling, in combination with Stenheim Alumine 5SE loudspeakers.

News T.H.E. Show 2022

Joseph Cali Systems Design Showcases Gryphon Audio's prototype EOS 2 loudspeakers, Antileon Evo power amp, Pandora preamp, Ethos CD/DAC, and more

Jason Victor Serinus Jun 14, 2022

Joseph Cali, aka the producer/husband of singer Lori Lieberman, made audio news with his sneak peak of Gryphon's prototype EOS 2 loudspeakers ($20,800/pair). A successor to the Mojo S, the EOS 2 is the first Gryphon speaker with a beryllium-dome tweeter.

News T.H.E. Show 2022

Alma Audio pairs the Wilson SabrinaX with Bricasti's M25 and M21, the Innuos Statement, Kubala-Sosna cabling, and more

Jason Victor Serinus Jun 13, 2022

One of the many qualities of Wilson Audio SabrinaX loudspeaker ($19,000/pair) is the ability to let you hear, without editorializing, the unique sonic qualities of the electronics that precede them. Thus, with the help of Kubala-Sosna Sensation cabling, a Finite Elemente HD09 ED amplifier stand, and Nemesis Decorac acoustic paneling (bottom photo), could I hear the lovely midrange, impressive bass, and unglamorized highs produced by Bricasti's M21 DAC/Preamp ($16,000) and M25 Stereo Amplifier ($18,000) with the essential help of an Innuos Statement Network Music Server ($15,100 with 1TB internal storage).