maxg Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 Well I am back from the first day of the high end show in Athens with a few pics to accompany the update. Show is good - probably better than last year although there is a much larger share of things going to HT (God knows why - they have their own show which was last month). I didnt take too many pics but a few that might be of interest are: Lots of little Klipsches all in a row. A pair of silly JBL's - big sound, huge actually - but nothing that leaves you wanting more. A speaker for those with more $$ than sense (or cents!!) A very silly pair of 55 wpc monoblocks (class A of course). A mere 14,000 Euro to you for the pair (about $18,000). I dont think they will drive the JBL's though. Now that is a bit more like it. There is still only one Khorn - even with its rather smooth sound of the latest incarnation (a subject I was discussing with Arco from this forum also at the show). He doesnt like the change and I do - ah well - cant please everyone. Another pair of Tsakiridis amps - 300B this time lest mine eyes decive me - starting to look rather cool aint they - this one in a natty black costume. And not to be outdone in silly season here is Tsakiridis version of silly tube amps. 100 wpc class A!!! About the size and weight of a shire horse (similar colour too). Price a rather more palatable 2,500 euros (around $3000) although I am not sure if that is the normal price or a special price to me - so dont quote it to anyone. You can also just see his new speakers. Sound is prety good too - single driver - 98 db/w/m - 45-18000 @ -3dB and around $1000. Yes - I know - another Tsakiridis - what can I say - I like the guy and his products. This is his new integrated amp - again a little less than $1000. Lat Tsakiridis pic - I promise. Lots of his amps - he has totally lost control of his product range if you ask me - but they are all starting to look smart in the new livery... Well that will do for now - there was lots more there - some nice - some not - but that will be for a later report. Hoping to get back there tomorrow and will try to remember my camera!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 Very nice, Max! I love pictures... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Robinson Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 Max, wow, great shots. Thanks for posting. Man, that guy must buy KT88's by the gross. At least he can keep his house warm in the winter (while the utility meter spins!) ... Thanks again. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicholtl Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 Man oh man, I've never been to a full-fledged audio show...actually, I've never been to an audio show period...but this makes me want to attend one more than anything. Those tube amps look sick as hell, and is it just me or do those monolithic JBL's resemble Grand Utopias? And were those none other than the 200lbs Krell Master Series amps driving them?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 Max, Great pics! Great commentary too. How did those silly 100 watt Class A monos sound? $3k ain't that bad if they sound as good as they look odd/interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 ---------------- On 11/20/2004 3:11:12 PM garymd wrote: $3k ain't that bad if they sound as good as they look odd/interesting. ---------------- Probably $3000 each. ? Or not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 Max, great shots, thanks, BTW, do you own a pair of the Tsardikis amps? They look real nice, and are priced well. Are they sold in the states? Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 Ditto to all the great shots, Max. I'm also pleased to see Klipsch has an international acceptance as apparent in the Athens CES. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted November 20, 2004 Author Share Posted November 20, 2004 Well thanks all for the kind words. A few updates and questions answered: 1. The loony Tsakiridis amps are priced at around $3000 for the pair!! A bargain without doubt - subject to their sounding good - I dont know I have never heard them only seen them - many times. Tsakiridis amps are not formally sold in the US - there is no distributor. If anyone is of a mind to, however, we could fix that issue - just shoot me an email and I will see what I can setup. Yes I do own a Tsakiridis amp - the powerhouse (or the ugly duckling of the range now that he had gone all cool brushed metal and left behind the musical coffin look). 2. Good spot on the GRAND Utopias - I am steadily losing my mind - not JBL of coure - silly me. 3 What you see here is a tiny fraction of what is in the show - I just didnt get my camera out often enough. Other things of interest. The biggest of the home theatre setups was a Klipsch setup. Calling it a home theatre is a bit of a misnormer if you ask me - full sized cinema would better describe the thing. Lots of bang boom and over your head action. Tony's room is next to the Klipsch room and at least as big but he has 4 systems in there playing in rotation. The most impressive sonically is the Martin Logan home threate - which does double duty as a 2 channel demo as well - using a big Bryston amp - very big Bryston actually - huge - sleeps 4 - that kind of Bryston - has its own zip code - you get the idea. Aside from that - literally as it happens is a 2 channel setup running some big new Tannoys (14,000 Euro - about $18,000). Again a big bryston driving them and a shock turntable. Shock turntable - would you believe Marantz!! Yup they are coming out with a high(ish) end turntable. Rumour at the show is that it has been designed for them by Clearaudio and it does look a little like the baby Clearaudio unit - the Emotion - but posher. As it looks like it will be priced at something around 1500 Euro (you figure out the $ for crying out loud - it is 1.3 to the Euro). Anyway point is that the clearaudio sells for about 1000 euro so either it has got to be a lot better or you have to be nuts to buy it - not to mention that Scouts start around that price. Also in there was a smaller 2 channel setup running a Marantz SACD layer through some baby Tannoy's and a home cinema for small rooms with a baby flat screen thing. After Tony cam Sony - poetically enough. Sony's home cinema / SACD setup was atrocious as ever with a surround sound as convincing as "the cheque is in the post", but outside the room they were running an HDTV demo on a massice panel display (LCD I guess but it could be plasma - I dont really know the difference). Best picture I have ever seen but expensive apparently. Also there, the Clearaudio Master Reference TT (14,000 euro). Damn that is one seriously drop ead gorgeous piece of kit that sounds as good as it looks - I need our business to take off a little bit more so I can afford it and the ensuing divorse. On a more positive note the Maximum Solution looks almost identical to it but a bit smaller and that is only 8000 Euro - almost reasonale in this heady company. I am going to ger the Solution for my birhday and upgracde to the master solution over the next 2 generations or so. Other intersting bits (is this getting too long) include Hiel speakers (that might be Heil...or hail...or not). Anyway they play classical about as well as any speaker I ever heard. I was listening to them and chatting to this guy who didnt speak any Greek and it turns out they are his speakers - he owns the company - nice guy too - with some huge and silly headphones that sound staggeringly good. We spent about an hour chatting about classical music and turntables and speakers and all that - I even gave him an idea for his headphones that might change the world - or not - he has promised to let me know. You want more of this stuff???? (BTW - I am typing from the armchair with a somewhat clanky wireless keyboard and mouse squinting at the TV which I cannot read in edit mode as the text is too small - apologies for typos and missed errors - t'aint easy from here!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underhanded Penguin Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 Max, the speakers in pic 2 are JM Lab Grande Utopia Be's and not JBLs. They are somewhere upwards from $80,000 USD for a pair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted November 20, 2004 Author Share Posted November 20, 2004 You talented antaretic bird you - correct - I refered to it in my post immediately preceding yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 ---------------- On 11/20/2004 6:45:58 PM Underhanded Penguin wrote: Max, the speakers in pic 2 are JM Lab Grande Utopia Be's and not JBLs. They are somewhere upwards from $80,000 USD for a pair. ---------------- Is that all? http://www.stereophile.com/loudspeakerreviews/921/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilbert Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 Thanks for the pic's and commentary Max, very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underhanded Penguin Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 My bad. I should read the entire thread before posting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssh Posted November 21, 2004 Share Posted November 21, 2004 Thanks, Max. Looks like fun. Lotta glass there. SSH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmikid Posted November 21, 2004 Share Posted November 21, 2004 Thanks Max, great pics! Does your Greek friend have a website, even if not in English? Wanna see more Tim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmytwo Posted November 21, 2004 Share Posted November 21, 2004 Max - nice post.. You encouraged me to wander down to the Marriott today to have a look. While all the tube amps, speakers, turntables et al, were really something to look at and hear the thing that blew me away was the cabling that these systems were hooked up to. The cables themselves were great to look at. Function and art I guess?? A lot different to what I've got everything hooked up with (mogami). I did happen to get a Klipsch price list from the dealer there. I just jumped on the net and compared some of the prices at goodguys (US). Man, have you guys in the US got good!! I'm depressed now - I need a trip to the states with a coupla suitcases big enuf to fit a pair of rf-7s. Another thing - I also thought that some of the locally manufactured (greek)stuff was as good if not better than some of the more well known top end products. cheers 4 now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dflip Posted November 21, 2004 Share Posted November 21, 2004 This should get you to the site. It lists his products and prices as of March 2004. http://www.tsakiridis-devices.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted November 22, 2004 Author Share Posted November 22, 2004 Jimmytwo, I wouldnt worry too much about the price list for Klipsch stuff - discounts are commonplace enough to make the difference between US pricing and Greek pricing for new stuff much smaller. In fact if you were to factor in the travel and costs it is cheaper to buy (new) here than go there. Of course a 2nd hand pair of mint Khorns for less than $2000 cant be matched. Nice to see others getting to our show - more to follow in a separate post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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