AXPONA 2024 coverage sponsored by Vera-Fi Audio Part 7

Welcome back to our coverage of AXPONA 2024, I would like to especially thank Vera-Fi Audio, manufacturer of fine loudspeakers and clever accessories for kindly sponsoring our coverage.

DALI/NAD

If you know AXPONA, you know it can be a labyrinth of over 200 rooms spread out over the hotel tower and the ballrooms. For better or worse, DALI and NAD chose to showcase their products in the DALI Studio. I say ‘for better or worse’ because they were located in the hotel lobby near the entrance to the elevators that took you to the upstairs rooms. That is to say, they were impossible to miss. The downside? They were in the noisy hotel lobby area where all the walls were either glass or similarly hard surfaces and in which there were always dozens of people walking and talking. Despite all that, the sound from the EPIKORE 11 ($30,000pr )speakers shone through. Driven by the M66 Preamp DAC ($5,499) and a pair of M23 amps ($3,499ea) and paired with a single SUB K14 F ($2,200) subwoofer, the sound was detailed and refined with plenty of bass despite the enormous room.

FOCAL

French company Focal was on hand with one of the more spectacular demos of the entire show. They were showcasing their relationship with David Morrison’s IsoAcoustics decoupling feet with one of the most significant demos at the show. They had two pairs of the same speaker…one with spikes and one with IsoAcooustic Gaia’s. The listener was free to switch back and forth between the two and hear the soundstage open up and collapse every time they switched. On the strength of a similar demo I’d heard in the past, I bought the GAIA’s and have never looked back.

In the same room, they were playing their Aria Evo speakers with Mobile Fidelity electronics (M23si Integrated Amp $$1,149 and MX-Vinyl $899) fed by a Thorens TD 1600 turntable. I wasn’t able to hear that setup since the main event began…

They had the Grand Utopia EVO’s ($279,000/pr) driven by Naim’s Statement Preamp ($99,000) and Mono Blocs ($99,000ea x 2) and the Naim ND555 Network Player ($22,999). They played a series of orchestral music that made the walls disappear followed by some solo Contra Bass vocals that were delivered with such natural timber. This was clearly one of the highlights of the show.

Clarisys/CAT

Another genuine standout room was hosted by Convergent Audio Technology and Clarisys speakers.

CAT was showing their Legendary SL1 preamp ($99,995) feeding their ‘The Statement’ extreme monoblocks ($249,990/pr). That was being fed by a VPI HW40 turntable ($22,000) with Van Den Hul Crimson ($5000). Power cables were all Essential Sound Products ranging from $4,999 to $27,000) and cabling was done with Black Path Audio Cables.

The speakers were the Clarisys Auditorium Plus at $189,000/pr

The sound was beautiful, musical, and realistic. The image appeared well behind and wider than the speakers and with a height that made you feel like a member of an audience.

I stopped back on the last day of the show to find them demoing the brand new (as in, they arrived after the show began) ‘Piccolo’ speaker with a retail price of just $19,900 and a room-friendly sub-4’ height. The sound from these diminutive speakers was shockingly close to the sound of the much larger brethren.

VAC/Acora

Another undeniably impressive room was put forth by Kevin Hayes of VAC (Valve Amplification Company) and Valerie Cora of Accra Loudspeakers.

The main system consisted of the VRC-1 speakers in a stunning ‘Sunset Fire’ finish. The base finish models sell for $218,000…pricing for other finishes is available upon request. These were driven by VAC Master 300 iQ mono blocs at $42,000ea, a VAC Statement Line Stage ($82,000) and a VAC Statement Phono Stage ($82,000). Analog source was an SAT XD1 turntable ($307,500) with a CVFI-09 arm and Lyra Atlas Lamda cartridge ($13,195). Digital sourcing was handled by an Aurendeer N30SA Reference Network player ($25,000) and a Lampizator Poseidon DAC ($23,000). Cabling was done with Cardas Clear Beyond. All this great gear was resting on Acora granite racks.

What kind of sound do you get for $800,000 before cables and rack? The sublime kind! The bass authority was astounding, especially given the relatively small speaker cabinets…a wonderful benefit of completely inert granite cabinets. The imaging and soundstage were lifelike, wide, and deep. The highs were never fatiguing. It didn’t seem to matter what material was thrown at the system, it all sounded great.

In addition to the ’Main’ system, they were also showing a new design speaker that was lit from inside. It was truly a surreal effect. These involved a mini monitor resting atop a subwoofer base for a mere $85,000/pair.

Holm Audio

After visiting a few of those big rooms, I ventured up into the hotel tower. A few of my favorite rooms included the one by retailer Holm Audio. This simple system included an Ayre QX5 Twenty DAC ($12,000) feeding a Margules SF-0220 Preamp ($8,000), and Magules U-280SC power amp ($12,000) all driving The Sonner Audio Allegro MKII stand mount speakers resting upon the brand new Allegro Reference stands ($16,000 for speakers and stands). The $48,000 total (before cables) is less than several of the individual components in the ‘Big’ rooms.

The sound? Way beyond expectations. This was among the most musical sounding rooms at the show regardless of price. There is something bordering on magical from these small speakers…especially when driven by the excellent Margules tube gear.

I hadn’t heard the Ayre DAC before…but I definitely want to hear more!

Refined Audio

Another retailer presenting a system was Refined Audio from Forest Park, IL. This room included an analog front end consisting of a TW-Acustic GT2 turntable ($12,500) with a Schroeder Reference SQ Tonearm ($9,975) and a Keotsu Rosewood cartridge (discontinued). This was feeding the excellent Pass Labs XP-17 Phono stage ($4,500) and XP-12 Line Stage ($6,100) and, in turn, the First Watt SIT-4 amp ($5,000). The First Watt was driving the Cube Audio Nenuphar Mini speakers. ($12,500)

I have made no secret of the fact that, in the past, I have never been truly impressed by full range driver speakers, but these Cube speakers driven by Pass’s entry electronics may have changed my mind. There was solid bass reproduction without any of the harshness or lack of extension I have experienced in the past. This system produced excellent music in a completely satisfying way.

Von Schweikert/Westminster/Lampizator/Sonore

One of the larger tower suites was occupied by Von Schweikert Speakers showing their VR-55 SE speakers ($85,000) in a stunning silver race-car finish. They were driven by electronics from Westminster Lab. There were 4 of their REI Class A Monobloc amps and 2 dual mono balanced preamps. Those were fed by the Small Green Computer Roon Server ($3,999) and a Signature Rendu SE Streamer from Sonore ($5,350 all feeding the Lampizator Poseidon DAC. Cabling was handled by Masterbuilt Audio.

Sound was tight and deep with excellent texture. Cymbals ran just right and the bass was layered and deep without ever sounding boomy…which is hard to do in a hotel room.

Outstanding sound.

Cinetec

Illinois retailer, Cinetec put together an outstanding room with a diverse group of products. The front end analog consisted of a Pure Fidelity Harmony MKII table ($9,995) and Pure Fidelity Stratos cartridge ($1,995) while the digital was a Roon Nucleus Server ($3,358) feeding a Chard Hugo DAC. Amplification was a combination of the Modwright Analog bridge ($3,900), LS-99 Balanced Preamp ($6,500), and a pair of KWA-99 monobloc amps ($9,000/pr). The speakers were Alta Audio Alec speakers ($8,000/pair)

My notes included ‘organic’, ‘natural’, and ‘authoritative’. I’ll add…’just damn good’.

That concludes our ongoing coverage of AXPONA 2024 thanks to Vera-Fi Audio.