FSI Expo 2008
Le Festival Son et Image de Montreal 2008 Show Report

Report By Rick Becker -- Page 6

  Like Zorro and the Lone Ranger, Naim wears a black mask. Pink just wouldn't cut it in high-end audio at this level. This makes it difficult for reviewers to spot innovation and new models. But this year it was easy. A black turntable graced the rack! Closer inspection revealed it to be an Avid Sequel with a twist, or rather, a slide on the arm mount that allowed for a Naim Aro tonearm (originally designed for Linn's LP12) to be mounted on the Sequel. It also allows for VTA adjustment, provides an arm rest, and provides overhang adjustment.

The other innovation was more difficult to spot. New Air-PLUG connectors for Naim cables, which use a DIN-type connector, provide strain relief and a spring load that protects the wire connection from compression when the cable is being inserted into the chassis. Other design elements include a reduction in the amount of metal in the connector and technology to prohibit vibrations in the cable from being transmitted to the chassis. Similar technology is now incorporated in their power cables as well. While the requirement of using Naim's proprietary cables to connect their equipment may seem like a severe limitation to fervent cable swappers, it can also protect you from making the costly mistake of purchasing an expensive cable that degrades the sound. Attention to vibration isolation continues on the inside with the circuit boards, and outside with the component furniture specifically sized for Naim components. My host also pointed out the new Super Line mc phono stage with a signal/noise ratio of -83dB that is a step up from the standard Stage Line model. The price for the new model had not been set, but a figure near $3500 may be correct. Naim's floorstanding loudspeakers here, like others in their line-up are designed to sound best when placed close to the front wall as I have reported in past years. This is a feature that is often neglected, but very significant in many real world applications.

Just as with the Thiel loudspeakers, I was very pleasantly re-acquainted with Martin Logan loudspeakers driven here by Cambridge Audio electronics with electricity conditioned by Richard Gray's Power Company. Cambridge has received some very good press coverage lately and one of my local shops has taken on the line. But my home town presentation doesn't begin to compete with the set-up here by Brosseau Audio-Video. Some jazz with an organ playing caught my attention and I asked them to play some cuts from my compilation CD. This was certainly the finest music I've ever heard from Martin Logan and the feat was accomplished with relatively modest electronics. The loudspeaker was probably their new Spire model and I particularly noticed the tight and tuneful bass from its sealed enclosure. I grabbed a photo of the Cambridge Azure 840C CD player which looked deceptively simple for the quality of sound I heard coming from it.

Next door, in a room that seemed to be sponsored by Nordost was another fine sounding room with Avalon loudspeakers driven by some older, but still handsome Burmeister electronics. Nordost cables and their Thor power conditioner rounded out the system. Most intriguing, however, was a pair of the new Ayra C-1 loudspeakers by Raidho with dedicated stands, pictured here on silent display. Coming from Denmark, not only was the design quite interesting, the fit and finish of the burled walnut cabinet was outstanding. Their website boasts of frequency response from 50Hz to 50kHz with the ribbon tweeter, 89dB efficiency and a minimum impedance of 6 Ohms. This is a loudspeaker I wish I had heard.

A pair of Sonus Faber Cremona M (for Modified) has taken on the visual aesthetic of the Amati Anniversario from the top Homage line, undoubtedly at a more affordable price. The music here, what I could hear of it, sounded quite promising driven by a rack full of Ayre electronics. But the ambient conversations were loud and annoying so I moved on.

The VMax room was a cross between a big city street level retailer and a garage sale. There was stuff everywhere — mostly on tables — and conversations rather than music dominated. I could hardly turn around in there. Toward the back of the room was a small rig with a pair of Triangle's newest loudspeakers set up with a listening distance of about five feet to the only chair in the room. Pitiful, but in a way, I loved it. After many moments of frustration, I almost left when the host finally finished his conversation and I asked what was new and what was hot. There were three all-in-one boxes, one in silver by Audio Analogue, their hybrid Enigma, was from Italy. Another, in black, the Carat, was from France, and a third, Aura Note, in chrome, was from Seoul, South Korea. $1995, take your pick! For someone who aspires for the high-end, but requires space saving efficiency and high style, any of these looked like they could do the trick.

For those who want to get into LP playback again, a Thorens has just come out with their new Mini that includes tonearm, cartridge, dust cover and two speed belt drive for under $400. Like I always say, for pet owners, a turntable with a dust cover is just the thing for dusty environments or those with cats. By the way, it is not much bigger than the LP itself. Say, isn't that Ry Cooder and Bob Dylan on the LP jackets in the room?

The real piece de resistance in the VMAX room was the new Triangle Antal Ex loudspeaker ($2895) through which I only heard some unfamiliar music. They were driven by an equally unfamiliar Hegel CD player and integrated amplifier. The rig hinted at the qualities for which others and I have praised Triangles. On the way out I spotted JPS Labs cables and a couple of really neat retro-looking table radios for $399. The Tangent Cinque CD-Radio, and the Tangent Quattro Radio-Internet. It certainly is a changing world, and this room was a real trip through it — frustrating and a lot of fun at the same time!

Doubling back for the third time to the PS Audio room was a Good News/Bad News experience. The Bad News was that the drapes were open and I could see for the first time that very real snow was falling outside. Those who have read my Montreal reports over the years will know the basis for my trepidation. The Good News was that Paul McGowan had finally arrived from Colorado, albeit with his own weather. We have corresponded over the past few years and I have reviewed their Soloist in-wall power conditioner, his Coal to Coltrane DVD, and most recently, their Quintessence Power Center. In fact, the review went on line in the exact same hour that the PS Audio Newsletter announced that it was being discontinued! Paul told me that at the close-out price the three month supply of remaining stock sold out in two days — and a lot of people were disappointed, including his European distributors. His next monthly newsletter announced that it was being reinstated at a lower price. I thanked him and assured him that my check for the review sample was already in the mail. It was really fun to finally meet him in person and watch him converse with owners of PS equipment. He is really a very fine communicator and becoming an ambassador for our industry. 

The rig in the PS Audio room was filled with the expected quality components known for high value that have been out a while, now, plus a mock-up of the hotly anticipated transport that might possibly be ready for the Rocky Mountain show in the fall. There was a turntable that I didn't recognize, and loudspeakers that I did, but the loudspeakers were not terribly remarkable. None of this mattered to me. The fun was in meeting the man behind it all. If you've read the reviews, you know his stuff is good, and I'm now all the more eager to get a chance to review some more of it.

Dropping back down to the larger rooms, I encountered the Sumiko room about which John Marks had warned me. It was every bit as good as he claimed. The hot babe in the room was clearly The Music, which is the chosen name for Vienna Acoustics new flagship loudspeaker ($25,000), borrowed, so they say, from a Klimt painting. There was a print of Gustav Klimt's Kiss next to the left loudspeaker, but I didn't see any relation to the loudspeaker. The Kiss is a rather digital image. The Music is not. I have no question about the loudspeaker. It is first class all the way with some breakthrough design elements. Ignore for a moment that it is a beautiful loudspeaker (available in sapele and gloss black or all gloss black) and one must understand the driver in the upper angled cabinet. Notice that its surface is flat with radiating ribs. This is important but too involved for this report. Notice also that the center of this driver is the tweeter, coaxially mounted for point source effect. This combined driver plays from 150Hz on up.

A tiny muRata super-tweeter is mounted in the large lower cabinet just above the three woofers. The upper cabinet can be pivoted to affect the mids and highs at the listening position. This allows you to place the entire loudspeaker for optimum bass response, and then dial in the music by angling the upper cabinet. Notice the loudspeakers are placed on the long wall of the room. This rig worked exceptionally well, being one of the very Best Rooms at the show. The supporting cast included Audio Research CD 7 CD player, REF 3 preamplifier and PH 7 phono stage, which seemed unusual since Sumiko does not distribute Audio Research. The do distribute SME, REL and Primare, which explained the SME 20/12 turntable ($30,000), REL B 1 subwoofer ($3750) and the Primare A32 stereo power amplifier ($5595) that as John pointed out, was the real sleeper of the rig, playing way above its price point. I concur, and will buy him a beer for the tip. Come to think of it, I don't remember actually seeing a REL in the room and a close examination of my photos and video does not turn one up. The Music is rated down to 22Hz, so maybe they left it on the truck.

In a room that was supposed to be showing Kharma loudspeakers I found the Avalon Acoustics Eidolon being powered by Tenor monoblocks putting out 350 wpc ($90,000/pr). A stereo version is also available at 175 wpc ($49,000). The Tenors seemed to be driven directly from an Audio Aero Capitole CD/SACD player. The music here was first class, to be sure. The Kharmas, I learned had suffered an accident, due to no fault of their own. This was doubly disappointing since it meant Kharma importer Bill Parish did not come up to Montreal for the show. I certainly missed seeing him again.

 

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