Florida Audio Expo 2020 Show Report
Florida Audio Expo 2020 Show In Tampa, Florida.

Gershman Acoustics, VAC, Exasound, VPI, Nordost... And A Seedie Player?
Report By Steven R. Rochlin

  One of my fave couples to see during shows, and the Florida Audio Expo 2020 is no different, is Eli and Ofra Gershman. As one of the cutest Canadian couples who produce lovely loudspeakers, my Muse / wife Heather and I always enjoy investing time learning about their latest offerings.

During FLAX 2020 Gershman Acoustics was showcasing their new Grand Studio ll floorstanders ($11,900). A pair of high performance 1" coated silk dome tweeters are centrally featured and flanked top/bottom by 8" extensively vented motor woofers. Why the immense care in venting? As any seasoned audiophile / designer knows, besides high heat handling, a lot of Wattage is dissipated by your lower frequency drivers. Basshead car audio buffs know this, too, as if you've ever felt the basket and magnet structure during loud bass SPL events, those bits get very hot! So with Gershman Acoustics' added venting it helps dissipate heat, with the added benefit of helping to eliminate compression plus ensuring quiet long excursions of the cone / voice coil structure.

Being high-end audio, naturally the crossover is hand-built using point-to-point soldering, plus high-quality capacitors and custom designed 99% oxygen-free copper wire. The cabinet is made with very high-end thick high-density board, which is hand polished to shine the multi-layers of lacquer. And yes, very high quality loudspeaker wire biding posts are employed (of course).

Another speaker at FLAX 2020 was their Grand Avant Garde ($14,900, pictured above in red). For amplifier duties, here we have yet another room employing VAC with their Statement 450s ($60,000) and VAC Master Preamplifier ($40,000). DAC duties were filled by the Exasound Playpoint ($8500). Cabling was by Nordost.

OMG, is that a Naim CD player I see in the above pic, how retro! And yes, for analog junkies there was a VPI Signature ($5000) turntable with Audio-Technica cartridge.

Ofra Gershman of Gershman Acoustics and Kevin Hayes of VAC.

My listening notes say that when using the Gershman Acoustics' Grand Avant Garde it was smooth, effortless, and very tight and tuneful bass. Solid imaging too, and ever-so beautiful visually too." Highly recommend you auditioning Gershman Acoustics speakers, and VAC amps, too for that matter. Seems to me many of the best sounding rooms at the Florida Audio Expo 2020 were using VAC.

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