AXPONA 2013 - Chicago

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #140 on:** 12 Mar 2013, 09:35 pm »

Videos .... http://www.youtube.com/results?filters=week&search_query=axpona&lclk=week

roscoeiii · « **Reply #141 on:** 13 Mar 2013, 02:18 am »

Quote from: pslate on 12 Mar 2013, 08:46 pm

I second Neekomax's comment here on Ratso's insight, I've heard enough Krall for a year! I am another M1 owner in Chicago. I'll buy you both a beer if Neeko's in town. I just moved about 2 tenths of a mile from Hopleaf

An audiophile 0.2 mi from the Hopleaf? I think i have a new best friend

StevensSound · « **Reply #142 on:** 14 Mar 2013, 12:19 am »

I agree- the Legacy room was my favorite as well! Did you hear the new Aeris there?
They're incredible sounding. I really enjoy the Focus, and the Aeris is a definite step up. Whisper still trumps it with it's imaging ability though.
The Legacy finishes are stunning- even better in person than in pics

Quote from: martyo on 11 Mar 2013, 09:14 am

Specifically wanted to hear the Legacy, Von Schweikert, Tyler, Daedalus, and of course AVA/SALKrooms, and a few, Vapor, HAL, and Mytec just because of the chatter on AC. The Legacy room was our favorite.

neekomax · « **Reply #143 on:** 14 Mar 2013, 12:29 am »

Quote from: pslate on 12 Mar 2013, 08:46 pm

I second Neekomax's comment here on Ratso's insight, I've heard enough Krall for a year! I am another M1 owner in Chicago. I'll buy you both a beer if Neeko's in town. I just moved about 2 tenths of a mile from Hopleaf

You're on, mate.

AJinFLA · « **Reply #144 on:** 14 Mar 2013, 12:52 am »

Quote from: pslate on 12 Mar 2013, 08:46 pm

I second Neekomax's comment here on Ratso's insight, I've heard enough Krall for a year!

Hah.
Ok, 2 furthest outlier tracks for the weekend brought by attendees and played in room:
Massive Attack - don't recall the song name, but I was having 90's raves flashbacks (not to mention I thought the woofers were going to blow).
And...."The Good the Bad and the Ugly" theme song. Yup.

Must have been a remaster, as the SQ wasn't horribly bad!

cheers,

AJ

neekomax · « **Reply #145 on:** 14 Mar 2013, 01:10 am »

Quote from: AJinFLA on 14 Mar 2013, 12:52 am

Hah.
Ok, 2 furthest outlier tracks for the weekend brought by attendees and played in room:
Massive Attack - don't recall the song name, but I was having 90's raves flashbacks (not to mention I thought the woofers were going to blow).
And...."The Good the Bad and the Ugly" theme song. Yup.
Must have been a remaster, as the SQ wasn't horribly bad!

cheers,

AJ

Ennio Morricone, that's some classic shit. Doesn't show off much below 60 Hz, though. *whistles: ooweooweoooo wah wah wah*

martyo · « **Reply #146 on:** 14 Mar 2013, 01:33 am »

Quote from: StevensSound on 14 Mar 2013, 12:19 am

I agree- the Legacy room was my favorite as well! Did you hear the new Aeris there?
They're incredible sounding. I really enjoy the Focus, and the Aeris is a definite step up. Whisper still trumps it with it's imaging ability though.
The Legacy finishes are stunning- even better in person than in pics

Yes, the Aeris were all we heard. Musical, to the max for me, rich, full, content. Real nice finishes too.

AJinFLA · « **Reply #147 on:** 14 Mar 2013, 03:02 am »

Quote from: neekomax on 14 Mar 2013, 01:10 am

Ennio Morricone, that's some classic shit. Doesn't show off much below 60 Hz, though. *whistles: ooweooweoooo wah wah wah*

And the Massive Attack was pretty much 60hz and below. *whomp whomp whomp whomp whomp whomp*

Vapor Audio · « **Reply #148 on:** 14 Mar 2013, 03:15 am »

Quote from: AJinFLA on 14 Mar 2013, 03:02 am

And the Massive Attack was pretty much 60hz and below. *whomp whomp whomp whomp whomp whomp*

Sounds like "Angel". Massive Attack has a lot better tracks, "Flat of the Blade" is an interesting one.

Pete Schumacher · « **Reply #149 on:** 14 Mar 2013, 04:16 am »

Don't forget Psyche . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xD4N0749e2w

TitaniumTroy · « **Reply #150 on:** 14 Mar 2013, 02:28 pm »

I also brought The Good, the Bad, and The Ugly in a remaster, plus Tron Legacy, Telarc's Star Trek disc' (Wrath of Kahn is my fav) and some Brazilian jazz by Ana Caram, from a Chesky CD.

Sonic Hemisphere · « **Reply #151 on:** 15 Mar 2013, 03:25 pm »

We were there.

Great show!

jamesgarvin · « **Reply #152 on:** 17 Mar 2013, 07:57 pm »

I have finally downloaded shots from the Axpona 2013 show, with comments. First, I thought the sound at the show was better than at other shows I have attended. Second, I like the practice of not putting two demonstration rooms next to each other. It really eliminates the cross audio pollution from room to room. Third, music servers have clearly taken over for compact disc, and run a not-so-distant second to vinyl. While I think this is beneficial to demonstrators, I wonder if it helps attendees. Vinyl is a pain to lug around a show, and the days of being able to play a disc of familiar music in a room is declining.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/68620057@N05/sets/72157632973931011/

studiotech · « **Reply #153 on:** 17 Mar 2013, 08:07 pm »

Thanks for those James. Is the photo of a monitor with a vertical ribbon and a small super tweeter something from AJ?

Greg

Sonic Hemisphere · « **Reply #154 on:** 17 Mar 2013, 08:12 pm »

Hi,

Only because we see that we got mentioned in this thread as having one of the best sounding systems at Axpona I thought I should share.

#1 rule we always listen to the customer, and they are always correct!

Its funny because we had both Sony and Holm audio in our room a few times and it was interesting as they thought our system sounded too good for the price.

Many manufactures mentioned we might just have the best sound and were getting tips on the room and our components.

Also, whats interesting not to hype it anymore, but several of the press were writing down the best sounding rooms and #1 on the list was Sony, #2 Sonic Hemisphere. We had some great reviews and met some great people.

We were very proud of that.

I will say this and they are a great speaker, but there is not a single thing in the Sony speaker that has anything to do with Sony just as everybody else has to source components from elsewhere. They were great guys and it was a great show, I just hope I can get Yamaha to put their name on my speaker and we can go head to head!

We do build a similar in design cabinet to Sonys with a nearly 3" thick baffle and very similar European drivers are used along with tuning.

Efficiency is also almost identical. As well as the frequency response.

Just to make sure next time we are not too close in best of show we decided to do updates removing the nearly 1.5 square foot of crossover boards out of our Port chamber all together getting better airflow, and of course better vibration control as well as we updated a few crossover components in the 3 way to mirror the tone everybody loved out of our Monitor versions.

If you are in the Chicago area please come give us another listen, you truly get great value with nothing but top notch sound quality and design.

Thanks again

Dave
Sonic <][> Hemisphere
www.sonichemisphere.com

ted_b · « **Reply #155 on:** 17 Mar 2013, 08:18 pm »

James, Great photos!! Gang, if you right click you can get them enlarged and see very good details.

Studiotech, here is AJ's (addtl ambience tweeter on back, separately driven, unhooked for AXPONA), with the amazing MGAudio Planus III speaker cables:

and no offense to AJ, but these are the ones I'd steal (and MUST buy with my first lottery check)...sounds like James is on the same page

It's frankly amazing that they sound so good at EVERY show I've ever heard them at. At AXPONA, with the jazz RTR tape, they reached a new level.

Vapor Audio · « **Reply #156 on:** 17 Mar 2013, 08:33 pm »

Quote from: jamesgarvin on 17 Mar 2013, 07:57 pm

I have finally downloaded shots from the Axpona 2013 show, with comments. First, I thought the sound at the show was better than at other shows I have attended. Second, I like the practice of not putting two demonstration rooms next to each other. It really eliminates the cross audio pollution from room to room. Third, music servers have clearly taken over for compact disc, and run a not-so-distant second to vinyl. While I think this is beneficial to demonstrators, I wonder if it helps attendees. Vinyl is a pain to lug around a show, and the days of being able to play a disc of familiar music in a room is declining.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/68620057@N05/sets/72157632973931011/

Great pictures James! Probably some of the best pictures I've seen from the show ... but am I just missing them in your gallery, or did you not make it to the Vapor Audio room?

stlrman · « **Reply #157 on:** 17 Mar 2013, 08:35 pm »

Awesome job James!!! Fantastic photos and short meaningful reviews.
Better than most pro web reviews!!

Vapor Audio · « **Reply #158 on:** 17 Mar 2013, 08:43 pm »

Quote from: stlrman on 17 Mar 2013, 08:35 pm

Awesome job James!!! Fantastic photos and short meaningful reviews.
Better than most pro web reviews!!

You can say that again! The 'pro' reviews have been rather weak ...

The most extensive coverage I've seen so far has been by Joe over at HT Shack - http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/forum-announcements-news/66134-axpona-2013-official-show-report-joe-alexander-hts.html

I miss Pez and Tyson's coverage

jackman · « **Reply #159 on:** 17 Mar 2013, 08:56 pm »

Quote from: RSB on 12 Mar 2013, 03:33 am

I was there Saturday only. It was my first audio show. Brought a friend that was a civilian... He was surprised that audiophiles still used tubes and vinyl records.... We were in the Holm room and a Nordost rep was doing an A/B demo of their power strip, comparing it to a common power strip. The difference was pretty obvious to most everyone in the room. And to my friend also.
I was surprised to say the least.

I am from the Chicago area and have been to Holm. I'd like to go see them again and hear the Joseph Audio Pulsars which I missed at the show. I was impressed by the Selah Tempesta's, thought they had a great sound stage. They were being driven by SS electronics, but I wondered if they would be nice with tubes, sound wise. I am merely speculating, as I am just learning.

Jackman, did you introduce yourself to me at the Salk or possibly the Modwright room? If so, it was nice to make your acquaintance.

All in all, I enjoyed the show, and my only complaint is that I didn't have more time. I'd love to go again next year, if it is held in Chicago.

Randy

Hi Randy,
It was nice to meet you! Also, you missed a great sounding speaker in the Joseph Audio Pulsar. They sounded very large and were by far the best sounding small monitors I heard at the show. Too expensive for my budget but they left me impressed. That room, the Channel D room, was one of my favorites.

There were so many good sounding rooms, it was hard to pick a favorite. Some rooms didn't do it for me, but I've since heard several people rave about these rooms. It just goes to show that we all have different tastes! I was not impressed by the Orion speakers (the Nightingale room next door sounded better to me), the Janzens, the Harbeth speakers, the Tidals, and the big Audio Classics (I think that's the name). Several people have declared these their favorites! I also loved the Sony speakers in the Mytek room but didn't like the bigger model in the Holm room.

The show illustrated that you really have to hear things for yourself. We all have different opinions on what sounds good or real. Also, giant speakers in a small room, even if they are a highly regarded design, might not be a good thing.

Cheers

Jack

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AXPONA 2013 - Chicago