New York Audio & AV Show 2012
Report By Steven R. Rochlin

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  It is the final day of the New York Audio & AV Show, so let us get right to the goodies shall we. But before we pass 'GO' and collect $200, due to some time constraints as I had to drive home and post my coverage.... this means little time for hellos and goodbyes. Anywho... First up is the Scaena speakers that were being driven by the conrad-johnson ART tube amplifiers. Front end duties were the amazing Kronos turntable with it's innovative two identical high mass platters -- one above the other rotating in opposite directions -- was used for vinyl replay. Also used was the

 

Verity Audio model Amadis speakers and VAC Statement 450S amplifier ($30,000 and $39,000 respectively) were delivering really smooth, clean sound at the New York Audio & AV Show. Must admit, those VAC amplifiers always seem to deliver the goods. Of course the Verity Audio speakers excellent in greatness too.

 

Cool stuff in the VPI room with their Classic 4 turntable ($10,000), the new VPI Traveler and VAS Industries model Citation Sound-1 stereo control center. What caught my eye is how the VAS tubed unit has controls like my old Dynakit tube preamplifier as it has the usual multiple inputs yet also has a phonostage that has many adjustment. This unit allows users to control Roll-Off and Turnover plus has six positions including MC-High, MC-Low, MM, CD, Aux and Tuner. The Blend control acts as crossfeed in Blend position or third channel gain control in Stereo mode. Tube compliment is four 12AX7 and five 12AT7 while overall frequency response is from 5 Hz to 80 kHz.

 

The Audio Note system, with a variety of tube amplification, of course a turntable, the usual (for Audio Note, which means darn good) tubed phonostage and much more. Seen here is the Audio Note E/LX Lexus Signature speakers ($19,000) that have an external crossover filled with high-end quality Audio Note parts. Driver compliment is a 1" soft dome tweeter and 8" midrange/woofer. These highly efficiency speakers benefit from AN copper foil caps and Lexus cable. Frequency response is from effective 18 Hz to 23 kHz (-6dB)... and yes I still own the Audio Note AN-J/SPx speakers for those curious, which are perhaps now 20 years young and still delivering great music. This system had all the amazing Audio Note traits and word on the street is some big print magazine editor spent quite a bit of time enjoying this room.

 

Todd Garfinkle of M•A Recording is seen here holding his Voices disc that features various vocal tracks. Am sure you are familiar with M•A Recording, and if not you really need to check out their great music, which is recorded to very high-end standards.

 

Original Quad speakers were being driven by the Miyajima 2010 OTL stereo amplifier that can be switched to mono ($10,000 each) in the Robyatt Audio room. It is always great to see Robin Wyatt, whose wife I sold my Nixie tubed watch to because he wanted my watch after seeing me wear it at a show. So she contacted me, we made a deal and the rest is HIStory as his wife gave it to him for him birthday. He is a very lucky man! Naturally OTL amplification and Quad speakers are like a duck to water and play very well together. I recall tapping my toes as the music played, so guess I enjoyed the music.

 

As this show was held in New York City, i did find time to have a truly magnificent meal at The Pierre, then walked through Central Park to enjoy a nice cigar. This was followed by a visit to Greenwich Village for shopping. Whilst I virtually never post pics of myself, and no it is not me wearing the long tail tux and top hat from Friday (see other magazines for those photos), here is me chillin' out (above) having a nice cigarillo. My photos from a few hours of fun and play in New York City are below.

 

 

 

 

Street musicians in Greenwich Village. 

 

Time Square on a Saturday night at 11pm. And on that note, thanks for reading my show report and as always, in the end what really matters is that you...

Enjoy the Music (When it comes down to reality, and it's fine with me 'cause I've let it slide... I'm from New York. Concrete jungle where dreams are made of...),

Steven R. Rochlin

 

 

 

 

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