Toronto Audio Video Entertainment Show (TAVES 2011)
Part 2 Show Report By Rick Becker

This was my first exposure to the Waterfall Audio speakers and they exceeded my expectations. The taller Victoria model ($6000) uses three drivers plus a downward firing passive radiator that can use either a heavier or lighter weight plate to change the bass effect. It sounded quite nice, but I was suspect of the clear cabinet that could require a lot of maintenance to keep it looking pristine. Much more intriguing was the stand mounted Hurricane two-way monitor ($1500) with a glass apron around the shallow enclosure that is available in either black as shown, or white. Etched squares enhance the sides and “Waterfall” is etched on the bottom of the glass surround. A subwoofer mates with the monitors for about $500-$600, and the stands are also extra. It is a design that will visually mate well with slim wide screen TVs and perhaps even as nearfield monitors for a desktop computer system.

You can turn your inner interior designer loose with Bentwood Horns, as long as you have corners in your listening room. These folded horn designs are made to order in a variety of finishes, veneers and even drivers of your choice! The larger The Angel model is $12,699 and uses TAD drivers with a seven foot folded horn design requiring only the 9 watt Spark tube amplifier to drive it. But the smaller one is their more popular model.

Coherent Speakers is a custom designer that presented their Model 12, an unusual floorstanding model that looked to be of a folded horn design with dual concentric mounted drivers near the top for $8500. There was a Unison Research P70 preamp on the floor and a McAlistair tubed integrated amp fired up in the rack. A Unison Research Unico CDE CD player was the source. My notes on this room were sketchy, but one detail that caught my eye was the very nice book matched veneer on the face of the speaker. The music was transparent and dynamic from such an efficient speaker. Unfortunately, I missed the photo op.

Usher's Mini Dancer TWO with DMD diamond tweeter is available in walnut, birch or maple at $6000 and was offered at $4995 as a show special in the AudioScape room. Also on sale was PrimaLuna's Dialogue TWO integrated amplifier, reg. $3595, only $2995 at the show—a sure way to beat the price of admission to the show, plus transportation and a night's stay at the hotel if you don't live too far away. Also on display was the Notingham Analog Studio Ace Spacedeck turntable with 9” Ace Space tonearm, also on sale as a package. The rig sounded quite good with The Wall lp. Dual turntables were also on silent display in this room, and my eye also caught the MiniWatt N3 integrated amplifier that puts out 3.5 wpc Class A, S.E.T. regularly priced at $500, on Show Special for $399.

I've raved about the Gradient speakers shown at the Montreal show for years and here I had a chance to hear their Revolution Active model ($9995) that comes with an amplifier with four channels. The room was sponsored by Simplifi Audio and also featured a wall full of lifestyle speakers that feature built-in room correction technology that I believe I talked about in my Montreal report.

Naim competed for the most simple rig with their SuperUniti almost All-in One box ($5995) powering their Ovator S-400 loudspeaker ($6495 in cherry, ash or black zebrano). The rig was accompanied by the customary Men in Black, and it easily filled the room with music. Oh, wait! Was that an iPad being used as a source?

Burmester's rig included a CD player 001 from their Top Line, an integrated amplifier 082 from their Classic Line, but what was really missing was anything from their new Pure Line, which will be released in January, 2012. The speakers were the ELAC 249 ($6900), also from Germany. Lots of detail to the sound, here, but also very listenable.

Also from Germany was a stack of Acoustic Arts gear including the Power ES amplifier ($4500). Drive 1 Mk II CD transport ($5500), and Tube DAC II Mk II ($8500). A Clearaudio Ovation turntable package ($5500) topped the rack while Joseph Audio's Pulsar monitor completed the chain that was held together with Cardas cabling.

In a second room sponsored by Tri-Cell Enterprises the ASW 410 floorstanding speaker ($4950) was driven by Acoustic Arts electronics, but the turntable here was a Brinkman Bardo on an HRS platform on what appeared to be the most affordable rack from HRS. Turning around I noticed Mike Latvis from HRS and met his lovely wife Jody for the first time. Mike tells me he is about to come out with a 900 gram record weight in about 6 weeks.

In the following room I came across yet another HRS stand. This one, a premium model was finished in walnut veneer to match the veneer on the Bardo Oasis turntable that sat atop the rack. Very elegant. Another Acoustic Arts CD player was on this stack along with what appeared to be a Unico Secondo preamplifier accompanied by Aesthetix Electronics power amp(s). The Chario monitors on dedicated stands were among the most elegant designs at the show.

Click here for TAVES 2011 part 3.