Third Floor Part 2: The Toronto Audiofest 2024 Show
Enjoying great tunes on the third floor.
Toronto Audiofest 2024 Show Report By Rick Becker

354  Audionation
This was a fun entry-level room with a serious turntable – the Michell Gyro SE ($9k) complete with tonearm and cartridge on silent display when I visited. The new Ruark 610 Music Console, an all-in-one unit ($2199) was teamed up with the Ruark Sabre-R bookshelf speakers ($1299) with bass down to 55 Hz. The Class D amp in the 610 puts out 75 Wpc. A built-in DAC handles up to 32-bit/384kHz resolution. There is a subwoofer output, FM tuner, built-in phono stage, Wi-Fi streaming and connectivity for more streaming services than I knew existed. More importantly, it has an IEC AC power inlet to let you use high-quality power cords. While this may look like a lifestyle rig it seems to have been thought out for more serious listening.

On a table by the window, there were additional, more basic units for less serious listening. I remember their speakers from back in the 1990s; they've come a long way since then.

356  Atelier Audio / Sonic Artistry
Sonic Artistry is a Toronto-based retailer that works by appointment only and has been around for over 30 years. They put together another very fine-sounding room this year with a bit of a French theme. The Diptyque DP 140 planar magnetic speakers ($20k) from France sounded quite good as they usually do at the Canadian shows. It wasn't clear if these were the new Mk II version.

They were driven by Kora CSA 1120 Class A monoblocks ($60k) from France which were sitting on attractive Massif solid wood amp stands that matched the equipment rack. Massif products are custom-made locally in Ontario and also make attractive cable lifters and gorgeous record weights.

In addition to the damping provided by the Massif solid wood rack, which was equipped with Nordost Sort FUT footers, Seismion Reactio 2 active isolation bases ($12k USD, each) were used under each component. I noticed Nordost QPoint resonance synchronizers under the Grimm Audio MU2 ($23,675) which is an analog preamp, DAC, streamer, Roon Core, and has 8TB of storage. It was active, but I'm not sure which capacity it served in this rig, however. Below it was a Kora DAC 140 ($12,500) that seemed to be inactive, and further below was a Kora TB200 Integrated amp ($15,790) that was also dark when I visited. On the bottom shelf was a Nordost QBase power distribution center with 10 outlets ($21,600). In front of the rack was a Synergistic Research Black Box which is another type of resonator that is frequently seen at shows. A second Black Box was also seen in the right front corner of the room.

On a smaller rack to the right of the Massif rack were some smaller pieces from Nordost and a pair of Ferrum HYPSOS linear/switching variable hybrid power systems that are said to be a very effective enhancement for DACs in particular, though they work with many components capable of utilizing an external DC power supply. ($1195 USD) .

358  Tri-Cell Enterprises
Walking into the first of two Tri-Cell rooms, I was delighted to hear Kharma speakers in Canada for the first time in a very long while. I used Kharma Ceramique speakers for many years and admired the sound of the newer generation on several occasions at Capital Audiofest. In the States, their presence has been spotty for quite a while.

On the top left of the HRS EXRD-1942 3V silver rack ($15,675) was a Playback Designs MPS-6 Edelweiss SACD/CD player with Stream X2 ($29,200). Beside it was a TW Acoustic Raven GT2 turntable ($9,400) with a Synergistic Research UEF Record Mat ($395) and a Raven 9.5" tonearm ($3,365) fitted with a Dynavector DV XX-2A low output MC cartridge ($2500). I also noticed three Synergistic Research HFT tuning bullets across the front edge of the top shelf.

On the middle shelf was a Trilogy 903 preamp with an HRS damping plate on top (left) and a Moonriver 404 Reference integrated amplifier ($6,400), also with an HRS damping plate which was inactive.

On the bottom shelf was an Ediscreation Bach music server 2T ($15,500) with an HRS damping plate (left) and Moonriver 505 hybrid phono preamplifier ($6,400) from Sweden with incredible controls for four turntables with MM and MC and even an EQ curve for 78 rpm records. I wish I could have heard the analog rig here.

Out in front of the stand were the Trilogy 994 monoblocks on an HRS stand. Cabling was a combination of Cardas Clear Beyond and Clear. On the floor to the left of the rack was a CAD (Computer Audio Designs) Ground Control GC 3.1 ($7,500) with what might have been a power supply for the Ediscreation music server beside it in the rack. I also noticed the use of Cardas Douglas Fir cable risers.

The Kharma speaker was the Galileo 3.0 ($110k) in Piano Black / Macassar finish. It is the least expensive model in the Exquisite Series which lies above the Elegance series. It is a 2.5-way with 91dB/W/m efficiency and rated at 6 Ohms with a minimum of 4 Ohm impedance. It features a 1" diamond concave tweeter and a pair of Kharma Omega 7" drivers. Those blue drivers, btw, are the result of blue spotlights not seen in the photos.

The small blue doobies just below the tweeter and on the sides, top (and back) of the speakers were the Synergistic Research HFT speaker kit ($399/speaker) which was updated last summer. While it is of modest size, I know from my own earlier generation Kharma that it will play loud in much larger rooms than this. While this room sounded quite good, the Tri-Cell room next door would be even better.

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