California Audio Show - Aug. 3-5, 2012

[blessingx]

http://www.caaudioshow.com/

Anyone in the area going?

[mikeymad]

hmmmmm

[Dusty Chalk]

Yes, no, wait, nowhere near California. No.

[blessingx]

So far

Yes: 1

No: 1

Hmmmmm: 1

[ironbut]

I guess I shoulda looked for this thread since I planned on going.

As it turned out, I ran into blessingx a couple of times which was cool.

There were a few really great sounding rooms (Bob Hodas Acoustic Analysis, Win Analog, the Magico room with the smaller monitors, deHaviland room with Sonist speakers) but there were also some truly dreadful sounding ones this year as well.

I attended a seminar with the guys from Reference Recording and my pal Paul Stubblebine. It was pretty interesting but a few hitches in the logistics made it much longer than it should have been.

Overall, I had a great time. Most of the music that was playing was fantastic (I only had to walk out on one room which was playing one of those useless drum demos) and I learned a thing or two.

[mikeymad]

thanks for the update - I should have just went yesterday - been many years since my last audio show...

[blessingx]

Yeah, great bumping into you also. Unfortunately, I had a pretty abbreviated visit. Overall good time, though both in exhibitors and vistors it seemed a significant step down from last year. Interestingly less vinyl also and for those with tables only one was using it when I visited (Zu, their only source).

The MBL Radialstrahlers** sounded so dead on with one track, so dead on the next. Still curious to hear more. Zu Essences were intriguing with Steve Earle sons newest LP, but I had very limited listening and The Police just sounded like The Police (hint: not a fan). Was pretty surprised at the bang for buck from the $650 pair (I think show price) Martin Logan LX16s bookshelves** and new Motion 20s ($750 each) floorstanders. Ribbon tweeters. High point was the Win Audio room (photo below). Those monoblocks were stunning in every respect. Wish I remembered the pyramid speakers they were paired with. Largest disappointment was the KEF Blades, but again I only heard two songs and may not have been in the sweet spot.

Also joined BAAS and picked up some Blue Coast music. Poor mans adventures at this kinda show.

** Both played those silly drum demos.

EDIT: I should mention the Sony SS-AR1s, like last year, sounded pretty incredible if you like 'big sounds.'

EDIT2: Not that I could tell much by the show setup, but the Music First Audio Passive Magnetic Preamp was interesting.

Edited August 6, 2012 by blessingx

[Dusty Chalk]

The MBL Radialstrahlers** ...

Want.

[ironbut]

Glad you liked those Win amps too Ric. I've never heard an 833 amp I didn't love. But, seeing that they are both in the $100k neighborhood, it could be the attention to detail and the other trappings of all out designs.

I can see doing some 'sparimentin' with a pair of 833's one of these days.

I listened to another high voltage amp that wasn't too bad. A push pull 845 with another 845 for the driver from Triode. Didn't knock me out like the Win 833 though.

BTW those speakers they were using are from Florence Audio. Never heard of um and couldn't find anything from a bit of web searching. It looks like they were the same speakers that they used at RMAF in 2010 so they could be a "pair of a kind" that are owned by someone in the company or sum-thin.