maxg Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 Just finished with the Athens High End show for another year. This year was a bit different as I went in a semi-formal role as a representative of the Audiophile Club of Athens. Had to review 10 systems - oh the agony. Had to talk to manufacturers from all over - including one that was rather special. Had to sit through demos on all sorts of kit - and even a cable demonstration (Nordost) that was - er - clever. I am at work now - so no access to all the photos but I will be posting shots and stories over the coming days. This is just a taster of things to come - to give an idea of the hellish weekend: Avantgarde Trios with the big Avantgarde subwoofers / bass bins / dog kennels - a stack of 3 of them in an enormous room - bascially stadium sound - a real stretch to think of these as anything to do with home audio IMHO.New toys from Clearaudio including mag-lev drive, magnetic suspension, the Statement Turntable (100,000 Euros - say $120,000 or a bit more) - and the technology behind it that will filter down to more normal products, new tables, new arms and a meeting with one of the directors.Long, long chat (supposedly an interview) with Simon Yorke (of Simon Yorke Designs - very special turntables!)- and a listening session with his TT - chatted about his new one that is coming out next year alongside man's role in the galaxy, death, drink, drugs, life, marriage, kids, work, play, life in Spain, the future, the past and beer (definitely my kind of manufacturer).Reviews of Lamms, Wilsons, ATC's, other new Avantgarde speakers and French horn loaded speakers that cost about an eighth of the price and blew them away, Zingalis, Klipsch (ever heard of them?)- Heresy 3, KHorn old and aniversary, RF lot thereof - say models 1 to 2507, Vyger's new TT, a bunch of amazing CD players that cost 20,000 euros and lots of other stuff I forgot about including everything from interconnects to amps. It is going to take me several days to sift through all of the notes and photos and whatnot - but stuff that will make your eyes pop out of your head - believe me!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwinr Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 Thanks. I'll look forward to your posts, Max. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Lindsey Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 Wow! As far as I know we have no such show here in Orlando... but it seems like there are conventions for everything else. Try finding a place that sells a turntable around here. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonzp Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 Just finished with the Athens High End show for another year. This year was a bit different as I went in a semi-formal role as a representative of the Audiophile Club of Athens. Had to review 10 systems - oh the agony. Had to talk to manufacturers from all over - including one that was rather special.Did Craig make it to Greece? Had to sit through demos on all sorts of kit - and even a cable demonstration (Nordost) that was - er - clever. I am at work now - so no access to all the photos but I will be posting shots and stories over the coming days. This is just a taster of things to come - to give an idea of the hellish weekend: Avantgarde Trios with the big Avantgarde subwoofers / bass bins / dog kennels - a stack of 3 of them in an enormous room - bascially stadium sound - a real stretch to think of these as anything to do with home audio IMHO. New toys from Clearaudio including mag-lev drive, magnetic suspension, the Statement Turntable (100,000 Euros - say $120,000 or a bit more) - and the technology behind it that will filter down to more normal products, new tables, new arms and a meeting with one of the directors. Long, long chat (supposedly an interview) with Simon Yorke (of Simon Yorke Designs - very special turntables!)- and a listening session with his TT - chatted about his new one that is coming out next year alongside man's role in the galaxy, death, drink, drugs, life, marriage, kids, work, play, life in Spain, the future, the past and beer (definitely my kind of manufacturer). Reviews of Lamms, Wilsons, ATC's, other new Avantgarde speakers and French horn loaded speakers that cost about an eighth of the price and blew them away, Zingalis, Klipsch (ever heard of them?)- Heresy 3, KHorn old and aniversary, RF lot thereof - say models 1 to 2507, Vyger's new TT, a bunch of amazing CD players that cost 20,000 euros and lots of other stuff I forgot about including everything from interconnects to amps. It is going to take me several days to sift through all of the notes and photos and whatnot - but stuff that will make your eyes pop out of your head - believe me!!! Honestly, can't wait to read your post and see your pictures Max. The fellow that I purchased my K-Horns from replaced them with Avantgarde 2 ways. They are very nice speakers. Were the Accopello horn's there with the plasma tweeter? Those were probably the nicest sounding speakers that I have ever heard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben. Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 I wouldn't want a French Horn loaded speaker. Think of the valve oil you'd go through - plus the agonizing over the right mouthpiece and maintaining your embouchure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 OK - photos start here - this will take sometime - I have made them as small as possible for those with slow connections - hopefully I have not overdone it and you can still see them. CAV systems - chinese - good bass, reasonable highs - no mids - very popular - not that cheap anymore - go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 This was a nice system - but weird - the thing with all the bumps is an amp. About 25 items in this room from different manufacturers - all that I did not know well - except for the ZYX Airy 3 - photo of that to follow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 ZYX Airy 3 - feel free to comment on my amazing photography skills that lets me do this sort of thing whilst balancing on one foot so as not to step on an amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 Wilson sophias / Audio research. Strangest of all the reviews - appalling with Rock, dreadful with Jazz / blues - staggeringly good with large scale classical - absolutely no idea why..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 The Brinkman room with Amphion Xenon speakers (who? Exactly). Anyway - about $35,000 worth. Good sonically- very even scores across 3 reviewers and 7 categories - you could do a lot worse..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 Close up of the Brinkman cartridge - both feet on the ground this time. Model EMT Ti or something - about $2,700 or so. Oh you didn't know Brinkman did cartridges? Me either. Nice sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 Spendor speakers with Hegel CD player and amp. Never heard of Hegel - Norwegian Audiophilia for you - huh huh - impressed? Bleeding Norway - I ask you. Quite nice sound actually - and definitely worth a prize as the most straightforward system at the show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 Zingali Speakers - model 215. Driven by Unison Research stuff - next post probably. Best highs and mids I have ever heard in a speaker - that wooden horn is to die for - worst bass - flopping about like viagra had never been invented - I can fart the 1812 more realistically than this speaker was playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 Hmm - the Zingalis are bigger than they looked in the previous picture - the half person in the foreground is quite a distance in front of them- they are taller than most men. Anyway - these are the brilliantly arranged amps driving these speakers. Cleverly mixed up so that no-one, including the salesman, had any idea what was playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 Great - the forum is running like a slug in treacle - this may take some time.....lots more to post. Anyway - more speakers than you can stick a shake at. The French horn loaded speakers are all the ones between the tumorous Avantgarde refridgerators. Avantgardes are $60,000 give or take. French speakers - $9,000. (Bare in mind a KHorn, new, over here costs $20,000) Avantgardes sounded thin - actually true in every room - the French ones ROCKED!!!! Best sound in the show for me - more on those later. Silly amplification in the middle of it all and each item weigthed in around $23-25,000 (amp, pre-amp, CD player...) Would make an excellent bedroom system dont you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 Lamm M12 reference amp, Lamm L2 reference pre-amp, Verity Parsifal Ovation speakers, Lamm LP2 phono stage. You do not want to know the pricing. Sonically perfect - as in scores very well - but no emotion. Emotion removed by some seriously clever use of electronics. Look at it this way - the quality of sound was right up there with the best we heard at the show - but no-one I know wants one - and it is not the money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 Cute little practical TT they had in the Lamm room - a Horning Hybrid Sat1 - name as ungainly as the table. Brewer Dynamic arm - Koetsu something cartridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 I think these are more spendors being overdriven by some very clever and very expensive amps - 80 wpc all class A - sorry - forgot the write the name down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 Roksan TT from the Spendor room above - I think those amps are QED's. Lovely little table - and cheap as chips in this company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 Avantgarde's bedroom system (equivalent to the Bose unit) - possibly slightly larger. Fabulously practical Subwoofer / room insulation / space occupier / kennel combination. Cute little horn loaded speakers. You REALLY REALLY do not want to know the price. Again - thin sound to my ears - big though.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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