Welcome back to our coverage of AXPONA 2024, I would like to especially thank Vera-Fi Audio, manufacturer of fine loudspeakers and clever accessories much of which comprises my reference system, for kindly sponsoring our coverage.
American Sound/Avantgarde Acoustic/dCS/Phasemation/Pure Fidelity
Angie Lisi of American Sound is the queen of analog so it is no surprise that the sound in her rooms was spectacular despite overpowering the tiny rooms the massive horn speakers were allotted. The main system debuted the Avantgarde Acoustic Mezzo G3 Loudspeakers ($119,000/pr), driven by a pair of Phasemation MA-5000 Monoblock Tube Amplifiers ($148,000). On the front end was a Pure Fidelity The Encore mk2 ($7,495) with a GLANZ Tonearm and an Analog Relax Cartridge, a dCS Vivaldi Apex Streaming DAC ($46,500) with a dCS Vivaldi Clock ($21,000) and a dCS Vivaldi Upsampler ($27,000), through a Phasemation CM-2200 Controller ($27,500) and a Phasemation EA-2000 Tube Phono Amplifier ($50,000).
Margules/Raidho Acoustics/Scansonic HD/VIABLUE/Tönnen/RSX/AV Luxury International
As usual, the sound of the Margules rooms were a treat for me especially with the new Margules Orpheo Century Overture Stand Mount Speakers ($19,900/pr), though the Raidho Acoustics X2T Loudspeakers ($15,500/pr) were fantastic in their own way. The system driving the two speaker systems was a Margules U280 30th Anniversary Edition Amplifier ($12,000), Margules SF220 Preamplifier ($8,000), and their new Margules MS1 Music Server/Streamer ($3,500), with VIABLUE and RSX cables and accessories, and Tönnen Acoustic room treatment.
In the smaller room, they were running a Margules I240 integrated amplifier ($7,000) and a second MS1 with a pair of Scansonic HD Q10 Loudspeakers ($19,000/pr). For those who love the Raidho sound but can’t live with the rare aire pricing, Scansonic HD offers the same designs and technologies at a more consumer-friendly price range.
MACO/Madly Audio/Hear This/Trafomatic Audio/VIABLUE/Tönnen
Open Baffle Loudspeakers are all the rage now and the MACO MACARIA in Granite ($12,932) appears to be the pinnacle of the art in both sound and appearance. These were driven by a Trafomatic Audio EOS+ Power Amplifier ($10,900) and a Trafomatic Audio LARA two chassis Preamplifier ($11,100) source by a Grimm Audio MU2 Streamer ($18,100) with a Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC ($13,500) using VIABLUE cabling and Tönnen sound treatment.
Quintessence Audio Ltd./Boulder/Clearaudio/dCS/Innuos/Sonus Faber/Transparent/Critical Mass Systems
The award for the most impressive turntable goes to Quintessence Audio Ltd. and their $300,000 Clearaudio Statement Turntable Black Lacquer fitted with a $17,500 Clearaudio Goldfinger Statement MC Cartridge. Of course, the only digital setup to match that would be the dCS Vivaldi Apex Streaming DAC ($46,500) with a dCS Vivaldi Clock ($21,000) and a dCS Vivaldi Upsampler ($27,000) fed by an Innuos Statement with Next Gen PSU ($25,000) and Innuos PhoenixNet ($4,349). The Boulder amplification consisted of a Boulder 2108 Phono Preamp ($62,000), Boulder 3010 Preamp ($158,000), and a pair of Boulder 2150 Monobloc Power Amps ($128,000/pr), all of this to drive a pair of Sonus Faber Aida Mk II Loudspeakers ($140,000/pr) using $192,960 worth of Transparent Magnum Opus and XL cables. At $70,875 even the Critical Mass Systems Maxuum-Ultra Equipment Racks and Isolation deserves mention.
Quintessence Audio Ltd./Dan D’Agostino/Clearaudio/dCS/DS Audio/Innuos/Stromtank/Transparent/Critical Mass Systems
Not content with one statement system Quintessence Audio Ltd. had a second room featuring Dan D’Agostino amplification comprised of a pair of Dan D’Agostino Relentless M800 Amplifiers ($195.500/pr), a Dan D’Agostino Relentless Preamp ($149,500), and a Dan D’Agostino Momentum HD Phono Stage ($32,500) driving a pair of Wilson Audio Alexx V Loudspeakers ($157,000/pr). To feed that a Clearaudio Master Jubilee Turntable with Unity 10″ Tonearm ($60,000) was debuted with a Clearaudio Goldfinger Statement MC Cartridge ($17,500) and a second Clearaudio Universal 9″ Tonearm ($6,200) fitted with a DS Audio Grand Master EX Cartridge ($22,500) feeding a DS Audio Grand Master EQ ($45,000), as well as another dCS Vivaldi Apex Streaming DAC ($46,500) with a dCS Vivaldi Clock ($21,000) and a dCS Vivaldi Upsampler ($27,000) and Innuos Statement with Next Gen PSU ($25,000). Power for all of this was provided by a Stromtank S2500 Quantum MK-II Battery Power Supply ($30,000). Cables were once again supplied by Transparent and another Critical Mass Systems rack supported the gear.
Quintessence Audio Ltd./Clearaudio/DS Audio/TANNOY/Western Electric/Transparent/Critical Mass Systems
On the more fun side of things, Quintessence Audio Ltd. set up a space in the hallway with a Western Electric system who boasts a 155 year history and continues to build tubes in the U.S. as well as their new Western Electric 91E Integrated Amplifier ($14,999) which was driving a pair of TANNOY Kensington Speakers ($18,000/pr), with a newly released Clearaudio Signature Turntable with Signature Black Carbon Tonearm ($4,000) sporting a DS Audio E3 Cartridge ($1,375) and DS Audio E3 EQ ($1,375) which is also brand new. As a bonus, a second Clearaudio Master Jubilee Turntable with Unity 10″ Tonearm ($60,000) and Clearaudio Goldfinger Statement MC Cartridge ($17,500) was on display.
Holm Audio/Sonner Audio/Margules/Ayre
Though Lee will cover Holm Audio in more detail I was completely enchanted by the Sonner Audio/Margules setup featuring a pair of Sonner Audio Allegro MKII Loudspeakers ($12,000/pr) in mismatched colors of red and green, driven by a Margules U280 30th Anniversary Amplifier ($12,000) and Margules SF-220 30th Anniversary Edition ($8,000) coupled with an Ayer QX5 Twenty ($12,000).
Consonus Audio/Mytek
Another very unique looking speaker was the Consonus Audio Tide Speaker System ($80,000) which consists of a separate Consonus Audio Tide Submerge Subwoofer and Consonus Audio Tide Breeze Open Baffle Loudspeaker which sits atop via vibration isolating feet. For electronics, they were running a Mytek Empire Streamer DAC ($24,995) through Mytek Empire Amplifiers ($10,000/pr).
Wells Audio/TAD/Cardas Audio/Innuos
Our old friend Jeff Wells was in attendance showing the Wells Audio Cipher Level 2 DAC ($13,000), the Wells Audio Commander Level 1 Preamp ($3,999), and the Wells Audio Innamorata II Power Amplifier($15,000) driving TAD Evolution Two Loudspeakers ($20,500), through a unique Wells Audio Looking Glass II Power Conditioner ($7,500) with Cardas Audio Cable throughout. Digital signal came via an Innuos PhoenixUSB ($4,349) and Innuos ZENith ($6,299). On static display was the new Wells Audio Gruve II DAC which sells for the budget price of only ($1,500).
That concludes part 4 of our ongoing coverage of AXPONA 2024 thanks to Vera-Fi Audio, stay tuned for part 5.
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