TAVES Consumer Electronics Show 2017 Show Report 
Toronto Audio Video Entertainment Show Part 3
TAVES 2017 Show Report By Rick Becker

  Inside was a rig for Everyman. I've praised Neat Acoustics for years and here was not only a wall full of various models, but a system that a vast majority of audiophiles could not only afford, but truly enjoy. The new Neat Iota Xplorer is an additional model in the Iota line, above the Alpha model that won the 2017 WHAT HIFI Award for ‘Best Floorstanding Loudspeaker' in the (roughly) $2000 to $3300 CAD range. The Xplorer features an Air Motion Transformer and 170mm mid-woofer in a sealed infinite baffle section of the speaker. Inside are two downward firing 170mm woofers in an isobaric configuration in the ported lower enclosure to reinforce the bass. I had to look closely to see that the cabinets were dressed in real wood veneer. Standing less than 30" tall it is hard to imagine this British built speaker imposing upon a room, yet they play louder than they look.

The electronics were comprised of a MacBook Pro feeding the PS Audio Stellar Gain Cell DAC ($1699 USD or lower with a trade-in) which is really a preamp/DAC combo that incorporates a headphone jack on the sleek, minimalist faceplate. Amplification was accomplished by the even more minimalist Stellar S300 stereo power amplifier ($1499 USD, again, lower with trade-in). The amp is kind of a hybrid of Class A analog cell and a Class D output stage. It is also unusual in that it is rated at more than twice the power at 4 Ohms (330 wpc) than at it is at 8 Ohms (140 Wpc). It is also stable down to 2 Ohms, so it should drive most any speaker. Not only is it a true balanced amplifier, but it features two sets of binding posts to accommodate bi-wiring or the connection of a pair of subwoofers. I like them better in black, but they are also available in silver. They were quite handsome on the attractive Quadraspire X Reference equipment rack. And let's not forget to mention the Kimber Kables once again, though I didn't note specific models here. Power conditioning was handled by a PS Audio Dectet ($499 USD) that was in keeping with the price of the gear in this system. The music was very respectable, which is definitely praise from someone who loves tube gear and LPs.

Remember my audio buddy, Tom Lathrop at the beginning of this report? We drove up from Rochester, NY, independently, and landed at the front door within minutes of each other. We tend to go our separate ways at shows, but get back together for dinner. After dinner at a nearby restaurant, we returned to our cars to find that we had parked within one space of each other. That's my Hotel Tracker on the right, and his new Hotel Volvo on the left. Saturday morning after breakfast at Tim Horton's we parted ways as he wanted to visit Fort Niagara for a history course he plans to teach. I resumed my show coverage shortly after the opening bell and it was immediately obvious the crowds were going to be more significant on the weekend, which is typical.

Wandering through the open space in the Main Pavillion as I headed to the far corner to resume my coverage of the HiFi Listening Rooms I met Allan Fryman of the Jolt! Gallery as he was working on his computer art. As you can see from the work in the background his art shows elements of the art nouveau style of the late 1800s, early 1900s.

In the far corner of the Main Pavillion was an intensive work area where they seemed to be working on building a merry-go-round. I made a note to return later after work progressed. In the "Old Days" people carried around "boom boxes" on their shoulders. Now they drive around in their "boom-mobile". Note the serious tires for dealing with bitter Canadian winters. Also note the "Love my music, or else!" attitude of this vehicle.

HiFi Rooms F & G were hosted by JVC and Kenwood and were pretty home-theater oriented. I peeked in and saw a movie with young dudes flying through a city on their motorcycles, occasionally touching the pavement. Ah, yes... the "good ol' days" again.

Then, just when I thought I was going to finish the show quickly, I hit HiFi Room E sponsored by Entracte Audio, a Toronto retailer specializing in two-channel audio. This was the room where Gilbert Yeung held court with his Blue Circle solid state gear. I'll start with the small rig on the right side wall as you entered, because that's what was playing the first time I visited this room. Simple, straight-forward and eminently musical. Speakers were the Spendor SP3/1R ($3695, all prices Cdn here), stand mounted and finished in an elegant wood veneer. They were powered by the new Blue Circle 002i Integrated amp that puts out 80 wpc into 8 Ohms, 110 Wpc into 4 Ohms, that starts at $6000 but climbs to $9995, as shown, with optional external power supply with additional micro-farads that brings the total up to a whopping 954,000!, remote volume control and custom chassis colour. And this is supposed to be the "little brother" to the 022i. Bob Neill of Amherst Audio, whom I have visited years ago, suggested the 002i to Gilbert, who is trimming back his lineup in an effort to become semi-retired. With over 50 lbs. between the amp and power supply, this is a very serious piece of gear that doesn't hint at the thought of retirement. They were connected with Blue Circle BC92 Speaker cable at $600 for an 8' pair. The power was filtered with a Blue Circle PLC FX2/6 at $560. (A lot of insider code on the model names here.) I love the wood faceplates of the Blue Circle gear and the knobs are customizable, too, with wood, paint and metal choices.

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