Toronto Audiofest 2023 Show Report
Part 5... Lobby Level And Lower Level
Show Report By Rick Becker

Balmoral  Corby's Audio, Baetis Audio, And Saturn Audio Ltd.
Corby's Audio and Baetis Audio were seen up on the second floor with the tall Coherent Audio stacked towers. On the lower level, the room was shared with Rene Evans and his Saturn Audio electronics along with Alta speakers in rotation with a large Coherent Model 18 speaker ($18,200).

This Tektron Neptune integrated amp with 20 Wpc ($24k) caught my eye.

The Triangle Art Anubis turntable ($25,200) with the accompanying Crystal controller ($6800), Apollo Onyx Stone Body cartridge ($12,600), and Kuzma 4-Point 14 tonearm ($19,200) were clearly too heavy for my wall-mounted shelf. A Tom Evans Mastergroove Phono stage ($24k) was in the rack.

I met Joe Makkerh from Baetis Audio who had four different models of his highly acclaimed music and media servers on display with their features prominently listed.

Rene Evans of Saturn Audio proudly featured his 401 MM / MC Phono Stage ($4500), 201 DAC ($2800), 701 Integrated Amplifier with 90 Wpc @ 8 Ohms ($6500), and 103C Mk II powerline filter ($2800). The rig that was playing when I was there was the Triangle front end with the Tektron amp driving the Coherent speakers, which sounded very good.

Rene was excited to learn I was interested in a new Sbooster power supply that had just been developed for the Bluesound Node streamer. I'm not into streaming, but the company thinks that Node is their most intuitive streamer to date. It sounds just like something I need — a streamer for dummies, something that might lure me away from my large LP collection. The trick was to develop a new DC input and PC board to replace the AC input and the internal power supply. Rene showed me how to make the conversion and I'm hoping to have one to review this winter. Rene claims the addition of the Sbooster brings the Bluesound Node up to the level of $7k streamers currently on the market. I've got the tools and the curiosity.

Best Of Show
My Best Of Toronto Audiofest 2023 Awards is coming soon, so be sure to check back for this prestigious Awards

---> Onward to the Toronto Audiofest 2023 Blue Note Awards.

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