SWAF 2024 Show Report Part 2
Featuring Songer Audio, Raven Audio, Avantgarde Acoustic, Ayre Acoustics, LampizatOr, Stromtank, Phasemation, and more!
Southwest Audio Fest 2024 Show Report By Paul Schumann

  Seeing that Songer Audio made the trip to the Southwest Audio Fest 20924 show, they demonstrated their wonderful loudspeakers was a real treat! In the room were the S1x field-coil speakers ($45,000) powered by a Trafomatic Rhapsody integrated amplifier ($19,000). Front-end duties were performed by Innuos Statement Music Server and Streamer ($18,900) and a LampizatOr Poseidon DAC ($25,000).

Power was supplied by Stromtank S-2500 Quantum ($30,000). The SX1x speakers feature the new V4 Nova driver. It has redesigned steel geometry milled from ultra-low carbon steel, and the field coil pole piece is made from permendur, a hard-to-find high-flux alloy sourced from Germany.

Additionally, the voice coils are cryogenically processed to improve conductivity and a new copper phase plug is now being used to increase the heat dissipation to the motor. As expected, the sound in this room was amazing; detailed, but never fatiguing. My hat goes off to Ken Songer for such an amazing achievement in single-driver design.

Raven Audio was one of the companies that represented Texas in the inaugural SWAF 2024. In their room, they had new versions of their Nighthawk ($3495), Blackhawk ($4495), and Osprey ($5695) integrated amplifiers. Also on display were their Corvus Reference Monitors ($9500) and Raptor speakers ($7500). Everything was hooked up using their interconnects, power chords, and speaker cables. 

This was a very popular room and I was able to spend some time early on the last day of the show listening to what Raven had to offer. No matter what configuration or music I heard, everything sounded very musical.

The Vibrant Hi-Fi room featured the striking Avantgarde Acoustic Duo GT speakers ($87,000) paired with Phasemation MA-1500 300B monoblocks ($32,800) and a Phasemation CM-2200 Control Meister ($27,500). The source was the T+A SD3100 HV Reference Streaming DAC ($36,390) paired with an Antipodes K50 Music Streamer ($19,000). Several Computer Audio Design ground control units and Argento Organic Reference 2 cabling were used all around.

This system delivered the goods when it came to nuance and drama. It was my first encounter with Avantgarde Acoustic horns, and I was impressed!

The Ayre Acoustics room was demonstrating YG Acoustic Summit speakers ($25,000) with Ayre Acoustics electronics. The Ayre Acoustics equipment consisted of CX-8 NET CD player ($6450), VX-8 Stereo Power Amp ($6800), and a KX-8 Preamp ($6400).

It was all connected using Cardas cabling. A great room and glad to see them here at the show.

Part 3 coming soon, as I'll delve deeper into my Southwest Audio Fest 2024 show coverage.

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