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FIFY. I predict another bump in the wait list.

I have it on my calendar as the 14th - 16th.

Tom, I recall wondering about the same thing when Steve originally announced this.  I too expect a significant boost to the orders and waitlist post the event.  Good call to remind members (who might be on the fence) to pull their respective triggers prior.

For those who don't know, Wathen Audiophile is Cryotone.

Yes, we will be there scoping out the competition.

You know your position Steve. Enjoy your time at Axpona!
John

Tom,

Unfortunately making AXPONA isn’t on the cards for me this year but I’ll be very interested to hear your impressions on the PAP Duets in particular.

Voxativ AC-1.6 is the default driver now.

Over the years Voxativ full range drivers won their position as the ‘gold standard’ among full range drivers. The Ferrite magnet / light Japanese paper cone AC-1.6 driver is a ‘classic’. It’s built quality is top-notch and sound is realistic, smooth, full-body, transparent, with all the clarity, resolution and a beautiful sonic finesse. This driver is a natural match with the Duet15 design.

Thanks Tom.  At the heart of my question is whether these drivers are sonically that much superior to those of Lii Audio to justify it’s $6K starting point. Another thing that bugs me is that there aren’t too many reviews of the Duets floating around the net, besides Guttenberg and Alvin from Denafrips.   But perhaps, OB is still a niche category within our industry that perhaps it shouldn’t be too surprising.

I’m hoping to read some positive impressions concerning the CSS Audio Typhon speakers being introduced at the show. Jay Lee’s pet project.

Palomino wrote on 04/13/23 at 13:24:59:


Hey Pal, if you get the chance can you check out Cube Audio (single drivers from Poland)?  Been hearing some amazing things about them and the build quality alone looks phenomenal!

They're supposedly showing in two rooms:

• VPE Electrodynamics - Booth: 502

• Refined Audio - Booth: 572

Thanks!!!

Quote:

Nice  [smiley=icqlite16.png]

It’s early but it’s one of my favorite rooms so far.

I checked out the cube audio.  I’ve only heard it in a cabinet but I was impressed.  It has a triple whizzed cone which I haven’t seen before.  Nice mids and highs.  I didn’t feel the need for an additional tweeter.  Probably better than the C10s I am running now at home.

I also went to pure audio project.  The first song I heard I reminded me of the first time I heard them with the voxativ driver.  Pretty thin.  But I think it was more the song because the next track sounded more full.

I actually liked the OBs in the Wathen room more than PAP.  I was a bit biased going in because of the metal baffle but they produced a nice soundstage and both the highs and lows were nice.   Lows were tighter and more controlled than PAP.

Overall lack of soundstage and bass control have been the two killers of most rooms.  Tough in these hotel rooms.

The most impressive large scale setup  so far has been the big PS Audio speakers.  I didn’t bother to even see what they cost but they filled the massive room with very punchy detailed dynamic sound.  Good soundstage to boot.

Another Axpona (aka Patricia Barber-fest) in the books.  I covered a lot of ground.  I only stayed in a room if the music was captivating and/or the sound was good.  

Some notes or rooms:

Vinni Rossi.  I don’t know what he does but he always has good sound.  I don’t even know what speakers he was running but he had a good soundstage and control of the bass.  He also played the best music I heard.

Linkwitz.  Provably spelled that wrong. I’ve always wanted to hear his speakers.  I know he’s passed but they are still building/selling them.  Anyway I liked them even though the bass was way too loud.  It rumbled the room.  

English speakers.  For box speakers I liked Mission, Tannoy and warfdale. I don’t know what it is about them but they just sound smooth and inviting to me.

I tried to hear the cube audio speakers in the open baffle but failed.  Went back 3 times but no dice.  But I liked what I heard in the horn Configuration.

Wathen.  I am probabaly just a biased fan boy but the Decware amps on both speakers effortlessly produced a good soundstage.  I liked the little cube speakers as well.  They had a similar sound signature to the open baffles.  

I went to the other PAP room. I’m not sure what the middle driver was in the trios but again, just not my cup of tea.  Sounded flat and almost muffled.

I picked up a few good tracks but not as many as I wanted to.  I guess years of Shazamming audio show videos has left me with all the audio show standards already in the stable.   I’ll sort though them and post those I think were new/good.

I guess that’s it.  I always come away from Axpona thinking I’ve done well given what I’ve invested.  It’s tough to really tell though given the hotel room limitations.  I have a deep soundstage, pinpoint imaging and great tight bass.  Maybe that is not achievable in a hotel room setting.

Pal,

Sounds like Axpona was a good time and lots to explore.  Like yourself I actively seek out new music to evaluate my system.  

Last week I attended the New York Auto show on press/media day.  I get the pass through my national car club and it’s a great way to explore the show since  it’s not open to the general public on that day.  

Over the years the quality of the show has degraded so each manufacturer have looked for creative ways showcase of vehicles.  Much to my surprise over at  Jeep… they had a full-blown McIntosh System set up for guest to relax and enjoy music.  I have to say that even in a wide open setup with no dedicated room….the sound was very good…it was very detailed and focused…just no big soundstage due to the open space.

Two songs that stood out that I Sound Hounded were Cyrus Chestnut’s “ Grandmama’s Blues” and Chris Jones “ No Sanctuary Here”.  Give them a try in your system.  No Sanctuary Here was my favorite.  

On a separate note… I finally had a few friends over since having my house rebuilt.  They were all blown away with my setup since none of them have ever seen or experienced a tube system.  The ERR’s work well in my room….even though I have yet to tackle room treatment…which I know it needs.  These are Sonos guys…so running Roon and having the video of the artists and song lyrics piped onto my TV was the icing on the cake.  Some haven’t experienced vinyl in over 30 years…so spinning my limited Japanese imports and first pressings was fun and really got them engaged in the music.  

I’ll work on uploading the pics and video clip from the Auto Show.

Dom

For you Tidal people:

https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/212e4695-eabb-4f12-a538-6edb06f4abd8

Very familiar with No Sanctuary Here—on my playlist for 2 years now. I’ll check out your other rec soon—thanks!

It’s funny—what Tom was doing live—I was doing remotely while watching all the YouTube coverage for the past two days and similar to Tom, there were mostly playing songs, that I was already familiar with.

Speaking of coverage, one thing that really annoyed me was the fact that none of the YouTubers (primarily Jays Audio Lab and Audiophile Junkie) seemed to cover the Wathen/Decware room.  I finally found a 12 second clip of the room through another YouTuber (see link below and fast forward to 6 min 20 sec), but he didn’t even know what he was looking at and didn’t even focus on the amp.

https://youtu.be/8vQ8pWnE5jc

99% of the songs on that playlist I didn't have on another playlist yet.

I made fun and called it Patricia Barber-fest.  Good demo music but I bet a dozen or so rooms were playing her stuff.  On one floor I went into three rooms in a row all playing from the same album.  Two were playing the same track.

Some songs I didn't see coming:

Roundabout - Yes.   I didn't even recognize the song when it came on.  The guitar infro was Very captivating on a good system.

I will remember - Toto.  I was never a fan but this track sounded great.

Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton.  The large scale system I heard this on really captured the emotion.

Thanks, I plan to check out these tracks as well as the playlist. For some reason, Patricia Barber is yet to grow on me.  She came highly recommended, but didn’t grab me the way Diana Krall, Melody Gardot, Eva Cassidy or Chantal Chamberland did.

Roger,

Yeah it was impressive.  Talk about great marketing for having this setup at the auto show.  The rep must have been floating around …so I took the opportunity to turn the volume a tad up to help with the background noise. Working on uploading the video clip…it was damn good.  

Dom

By the way Kamran, Steve Guttenberg was there, kooky shirt and all.  I gave him a nod and he nodded back even though he doesn't know me from Adam.  I was hoping maybe he would stop by the room and make a public comment.

Hey Pal, thanks for the notes and take aways on the Cube Audio stuff! The Wathen stuff looks to be excellent as well!

4Krow….My post of the McIntosh system was a sidebar for telling Palomino about songs I heard at the NY Auto Show through the Mac system that was on display.

It was such a great setup that I just wanted to share it.  

Here are the YouTube links of the video clips I took of the Mac system…

https://youtube.com/shorts/Yv-ygfB9DPM?feature=share

https://youtube.com/shorts/hoQgoSKnimg?feature=share

Dom

Man, I'm lovin' this playlist so far, Palomino. Molly Hatchett is playing right now. A song I haven't heard in decades... And suddenly these memories are flooding my brain, of strutting down the halls of my high school with friends at my side, with all the swagger, attitude and freedom of youth. Good stuff!

$30 I think.    Bought my ticket so long ago I do t remember.   Open to the public.  Run amok.

You are welcome.  I wish there was a way to export the song list - or even better - translate a playlist from Tidal to other streaming services.  

Steve Guttenberg published his youtube review of the show.  I was hoping for a tip of the hat to the Wathen room but no such luck.

We did have some overlap in the rooms we liked so that was good to hear.