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Just the pictures I took today, I'll get show reports up later
Beatnik's stuff http://web.me.com/jnr1/Site/Beatniks_Pictures.html
Follow Ups:
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Hey jnr, thank you for posting those photos!Give us a full report when you have a chance!
:)
Edits: 06/05/16
1. I saw more vinyl rigs than in past shows...... At least since vinyl's "demise" in the 1980s. Saw a lot of server based audio as well..... But relatively few CD and SACD rigs.
2. Although the best sounds I've heard have come from relatively expensive gear, the super expensive setups didn't quite get there....
3. One of the best sounds I heard at the show came from a wireless bluetooth device. One of only few products that got the top end right.
4. For the first time, I heard digital correction that sounded decent. But it was on loudspeakers, not rooms.
5. My most common complaint, for a sonic perspective, is making the music sound like "dramatic sound effects", like in home theater. Especially classical recordings....
6. Speaking of home theater, it's seemingly falling out of favor.
7. Heard Brubeck "Time Out" album in three consecutive rooms. Most common album played at the show.
8. Noticed a lot of dynamic compression and "shout" in a lot of systems.
9. The few times I tried auditioning portable audio, the techs setting up the systems had problems getting the systems to work right.
10. I think the weakest link in most non-vinyl based systems is the recordings themselves. I've noticed a lot of people having a hard time deciphering vocalists.
Heard it in the fourth room and had laugh. But even that wasn't the champ -- on the shuttle back to the hotel, Jason Serinus told me that he'd heard the same piece *six* times! Occupational hazard of reviewing, I guess . . .
Edits: 06/06/16 06/06/16
The three days at the show, I think I heard "Time Out" played on roughly ten occasions.
Oddly, didn't hear Pink Floyd "The Wall" once..... That was a track I heard the most at past shows.
Wow. Well, at least I like it, though I'm not sure what good it is for evaluating audio gear!
LOL, I had to laugh, I noticed the triple Brubeck as well. And this raises another question -- why do so many exhibitors display their equipment with soncially mediocre program material? It doesn't matter what the equipment is, it's going to sound awful if the recording does.In some cases, I asked the exhibitor to play an orchestral recording and in many cases a system that had sounded mediocre suddenly sounded decent.
And what is this with dusty or worn-out vinyl? I've heard this at prior shows as well. Some of the recordings had so many ticks and pops that they could have been made by Orville Redenbacher, and, worse, some were worn to the point of distortion.
I noticed the dynamic compression and shout as well. In all fairness, they were driving the equipment harder than it normally would be and dealing with voltage drop, but still, it was a pleasure to hear the occasional system that could handle real dynamics and in more than a few cases, they were overdriving the equipment just because they were playing it too loud, e.g., I was able to tame a screaming ribbon tweeter just by backing off the level to where it should have been in the first place.
I did have a few goosebump moments and heard some cool stuff but the truth is, I heard more bad sound than I do in a typical year! Towards the end yesterday I was so tired of overdriven mini monitors and systems that left me feeling sorry for the guys who designed them that I was finding it hard to be polite.
Biggest disappointment I think was the Alexx, I heard some guys raving about it, and I've seen some other positive mentions. So maybe it was me, but I thought it sounded like it had been designed in 1985 -- not unpleasant sounding and certainly with great dynamics, but colored compared to speakers that use modern driver technology.
On the flip side, I did see some interesting demonstrations, e.g. the little Synergistic Research bass traps and the most convincing surround I've ever heard from a two channel system (also in the Magico room) -- from where I was sitting (front row center, which I learned wasn't the best seat) it sounded like they got about 270 degrees and it wasn't at all tweaky when I moved my head, and I picked up a Dragonfly Red for my computer speakers after hearing what a dramatic improvement it is over my old 1.2. And I heard some other budget gear that I could unhesitatingly recommend to a friend who isn't into audio.
Edits: 06/06/16
"6. Speaking of home theater, it's seemingly falling out of favor."Pretty interesting. A couple weekends ago I went to a local high end salon with a friend that's shopping for some speakers for an audio-only rig. The last time I was in that store (probably 10 years ago), there were no 2 channel setups at all -- every segregated listening room was home theater. This time? 2 of the 5 rooms were 2 channel only (!), and 1 of the five had home theater equipment, but was set up for 2 channel when I visited.
As well, 10 years ago they had a lone turntable on display in the main lobby. Not operational, didn't even have a cartridge installed. This time? Both the 2-channel rooms had an operational 'table as well as a couple more set up and ready to play in each room. I didn't even think to take any LP's with me...
What's old is new?
Edits: 06/05/16
Interesting... but what kind of wireless bluetooth device? Thx!
"Interesting... but what kind of wireless bluetooth device? Thx!"
The Riva Audio Turbo X. One of only few products at the show that got the top end right.
The product is my "Best Bang for the Buck" co-winner.
nt
Glad I kept the two I presently have!
I would love to hear how it does against other turntables costing the same and especially against others costing way more. I just hope whoever does these reviews uses the same cart/equipment on all the competing 'tables.
I ask the Technics rep why they chose the SL-1200GAE name with all the association as a "DJ table" when they obviously spend a lot of time and effort on upgrades? And they might have done more to differentiate the appearance. Someone else even ask why not the SP-10 Mk 4?
The rep said something about they were able to utilize a number of the dies from the SL-1200 series but I had the sense he agreed with us. He did spend a fair bit of time explaining the changes made to the platter, motor, plinth, support, and arm.
The demo there was useless, but I suspect a better comparison against competitors in the $3-6K range might hold up well.
"You can't know what the "best" is unless you have heard everything, and keep in mind that given individual tastes, there really isn't any such thing." HP
I'm sure it will be trounced the same way as it was back in the 70's and 80's ... :)
Is "high end" TT design so ancient that manufacturers still can't build a:
1. Constant speed motor,
2. Decent LF isolation housing,
3. High quality tonearm bearings
and sell it at a reasonable price which the average person can afford? Four thousand dollars for a product which goes round and round? Are you f-ing serious?!
Orrrr, are audiophiles really gullible and flush with extra money to fuel their obsession?
:)
But it's improved. The even speed is more better constant. The LF isolation is better and it's lower that ever. The tonearm bearings are the best the industry has seen in....60 years.Just listen. Can't you hear the difference?
No?
I think I can....I think.
"I can't compete with the dead" (Buck W. 2010)
"It would take me forever. I don't think I have forever" (Byrd 2015)
Edits: 06/05/16
what you think of those priced north of $100K. ;^)
"You can't know what the "best" is unless you have heard everything, and keep in mind that given individual tastes, there really isn't any such thing." HP
I have always wondered why anyone would spend that kind of money on a turntable, plus the requisite 250K speakers, and six figure preamps, amps, cables... probably north of $500K when all is said and done.
People with this kind of money simply do not have time to listen for extended periods of time... they are too busy doing whatever it is they do to make all that cash.
So, you think...well dude, they buy these mega buck systems to make sure that when they do have a spare moment, they get the best of the best experience.
I will counter with the fact that they simply know how to make money and don't know how to spend it.
Consider that a half million or more system is not sitting in a 3 bed 2 bath ranch... it's in a 10 to 40 million dollar mansion... which if they knew how to spend all that hard earned money would include a music hall where live musicians would play the freaking music. Now that's worth the money...
I would be very interested in opinions from anyone who has actually been able to hear one of these. I am considering buying one if I have a chance. My guess is that they will sell out pretty fast!
I did listen to the new 1200 in a private demo in Ontario, in an all Technics set up- if I recall the phono input was digitized...definitely not a high quality phono amplification
I did not like the sound of the system (with either digital or analog) but was very impressed by the speed stability and build quality, that was simply in a different league than the old 1200 or even the SP-10 Mkii that I have at home.
I am still very curious about demoing it in my own system
I can't remember what I paid for mine that first year of production, $320?
.
Beatnik's stuff http://web.me.com/jnr1/Site/Beatniks_Pictures.html
Sorry if they're a bit desultory! A lot to cover, and larger crowds.
After taking lots of pictures at the show, I've come to the realization that my camera's autofocus was either defective or mis-designed.... Most of the distant shots at the wide end of the zoom were mis-focused.... The pics posted in the posted links here came out a lot better. Most of the pics I'll post will be closeups, in which the camera apparently did fine. The camera also took good narrow zoom pics from distance.
Goes to show later models of products aren't necessarily better. The camera I used for THE Show two years ago was an earlier version of what I used for this current show. (Panasonic Lumix ZS50 vs. ZS30.) The pics were more vivid, and didn't have major focus issues. You'll see this when I post the 2016 pics later this week.
I hadn't originally planned to take any pictures so I didn't bring a real camera. Then ended taking them anyway. Sadly, the shots originally looked a good deal better than they do now. I was looking for a quick way to get online, so I put them up on Google Photos. I knew that it compresses images by default, but had never used it and had no idea how brutal the compression was.
settings on in the camera. You can change it to more vivid etc. As far as the focus, normally if it is close focussing it should be working for the distance. I would check it outside and see how it looks.
iBasso DX100,DX50 DX90. Chord Hugo. HiFiman 901s balanced. RSA Intruder, The Lightning. Fostex TH900 balanced, HE1000, HE-6, 560, 500, JH13 Pro balanced. Lyr2, Audeze. Balanced mostly with Whiplash cables. Photo gallery: www.pbase.com/jamato8
I did take RAW shots to accompany the JPEG..... I might take longer and process the RAW with third party software..... (I only switched to the new camera because it has RAW capability.) Another nasty issue is the JPEG had some major radial distortion..... Makes vinyl LPs look like the center label is way off-center......Today, I tried different autofocus settings, but to no avail.... The camera has some major issue getting the focus right on distant wide zoom (shots taken of full systems/rooms). Even though it otherwise did OK.
Edits: 06/05/16
These shots are from Friday, Saturday's are uploading from my phone as we speak and I'll try to put them up tonight or tomorrow morning.
post more.. thank you!
iBasso DX100,DX50 DX90. Chord Hugo. HiFiman 901s balanced. RSA Intruder, The Lightning. Fostex TH900 balanced, HE1000, HE-6, 560, 500, JH13 Pro balanced. Lyr2, Audeze. Balanced mostly with Whiplash cables. Photo gallery: www.pbase.com/jamato8
Thank You.
It looks like a blue glitter bug of some kind.....but what is it?
I
Beatnik's stuff http://web.me.com/jnr1/Site/Beatniks_Pictures.html
...Metaxes audio is from Melbourne Australia.
Here is the contact information from their webpage:
WORKSHOP
Metaxas Audio Systems
Rosa-Luxembourg Strasse
Berlin 10178
GERMANY
EMAIL :metaxas@netspace.net.au
PHONE :+44 7937 029 312
I guess that they have a set up a shell distribution company in Germany for the EU market. Maybe called Workshop if they check the imported products after shipping before sales. Look at the email address: .au - that's Australia, mate!Phone number is odd; +44 is here in the UK. Possibly the EU agent is British.
Kostas Metaxas has a pretty long history of high end audio equipment production in Oz. In Melbourne to be precise.
Email: metaxas@netspace.net.au
Metaxas Audio Systems
9 Johnston St Ashburton
Melbourne, Victoria 3147
Australia613 99236481 - tel
www.metaxas.com
Edits: 06/05/16 06/05/16
Yes, I noticed the ".au" email, which made it more confusing as they don't list Australia at all on their webpage. Does't really matter--it's a small world these days.
Thanks. Strangest looking piece of audio gear I've ever seen!
Great photos, thanks!
You are a great guy.
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