Axpona 2024 who is going and why?

[AudioLibertarian]

Hi everyone,

In case anyone here is interested, I'm playing live to custom backing tracks in the darTZeel room (room 1210). It's at 11 am and 2 pm. The system is darTZeel integrated amp and Stenheim Alumine 3SE speakers (we had the 2.5 yesterday but I think they are switching back to the 3SE today). The system sounds very good to my ears.

I will have R2R tapes, vinyl and CDs for my album "Vintage". I will also be playing test pressings of the upcoming record "Heart" and introducing my new label, Analog Tone Factory.

I will also play some music in the Nordost/Stenheim room (Schaumburg F) at 12.30 pm. I thought that room sounded great when I checked it out yesterday (they have big VTL amps and Stenheim Reference speakers).

Come say hi if you're around!

Jerome Sabbagh

P.S: I also want to put in a good word for John Devore's room, which sounded fantastic, I thought. He's playing great music all day and the latest Orangutan speakers sound great. He's playing 78 RPM records at different times during the day and if you haven't heard that, it's really worth it. Some of the most engaging sound of the show for me. It's in 646.

I concur that Devore's new Bronze speakers were just sublime sounding. And yes, his selection of musical treasures made his room an oasis for when I needed to escape the usual hi-fi dreck that was being played in most rooms. I was not in a market for new speakers, but after hearing the new Bronze model I am now strongly considering adding these to my speakers arsenal.

 

[AudioLibertarian]

Jeffrey Catalano's HIGH WATER SOUND room was also a standout for both its excellent if slightly bass heavy (due to room's size) sonics and musical treasures he brings and plays in his room. Highly recommended!

 

[Jerome Sabbagh]

Jeffrey Catalano's HIGH WATER SOUND room was also a standout for both its excellent if slightly bass heavy (due to room's size) sonics and musical treasures he brings and plays in his room. Highly recommended!

I agree!

 

[Elliot G.]

I personally want to thank everyone that stopped by our room and introduced themselves. We enjoyed sharing our passion for music and the system we worked so hard on to get a great result in a very challenging environment.
Thank you:
Brandon Lauer of Wadax and a set up guru
Jonathan Halpern of Riviera Audio Labs
Trevor Doyle of Massif Designs
John Marrero of Front Row Theater
Our Team came through in the clutch
See you down the road either in Munich or our next US event at Capital Audio
Thank you again
Elliot

 

[Elliot G.]

the system

 

[mxk116]

the system

Returned 3x and confirmed this room as one of my favorites of the show. Scale and musical drive second to none. And the terrific music didn’t hurt either. Bravo to all who contributed to the effort.

 

[AudioHR]

the system

Looking forward to hearing this system or one like it at the Munich Show!

That looks to be an interesting and flexible acoustic treatment.

 

[Lee]

It was such a great show!

I’m writing a detailed report for Positive Feedback but these were some standout rooms and gear for me:

Devore Orangutan Bronze (so musical and natural)
Quintessence Alexx V, Relentless, Vivaldi, Clearaudio (incredible dynamics, detail, and musicality)
T+A Audio (amazing!)
Acora Acoustics but now with Shane’s SAT XD1 and Lyra Atlas Lambda (Duke Ellington’s Masterpieces was breathtaking!)
Stenheim Ultimate room with VTL, dCS, and Nordost
Luxman Magico
Gobel, Rivian, Wadax
Synergistic Research, Estelon, JMF
Magico new S3s, Pilium, dCS
Joseph Audio and Nick Doshi
Zesto Audio and Tidal
Artisan Fidelity
Morel $2K speakers
Borreson C1 and Axxess integrated
The big Estelons (Aldo really had the room acoustics figured this time)
Quintessence Aida and Boulder
Fern & Roby with Weiss Helios DAC and Black Cat Cables (this room surprised me, very musical)
Vivid Audio headphone amp
The new Analog High Fidelity tape pre

 

[jmpsmash]

the system

Nice touch on the red chairs.

I went on Fri and Sun. Sun sound seems to be better. The imaging, sound stage, clarity and tonality is spot on. One of the better system out there.

 

[Elliot G.]

Nice touch on the red chairs.

I went on Fri and Sun. Sun sound seems to be better. The imaging, sound stage, clarity and tonality is spot on. One of the better system out there.

i’m
glad you got the symbolism

 

[Lee]

I would al

Nice touch on the red chairs.

I went on Fri and Sun. Sun sound seems to be better. The imaging, sound stage, clarity and tonality is spot on. One of the better system out there.

Clarity, timbre, and imaging were really impressive. A truly great room.

It was also great to see Brandon doing his thing again.

 

[Alrainbow]

Anyone have thoughts on the MBL room at axpona 2024 ?

 

[AudioLibertarian]

Anyone have thoughts on the MBL room at axpona 2024 ?

Very good sounding I d say.

 

[Lee]

Anyone have thoughts on the MBL room at axpona 2024 ?

It was very good but not as good as Florida.

 

[jmpsmash]

Anyone have thoughts on the MBL room at axpona 2024 ?

My notes have:

Great depth and holographic but slight boomy bass and lacking some airiness

 

[No Regrets]

I will also play some music in the Nordost/Stenheim room (Schaumburg F) at 12.30 pm.

Hello Jerome,

I had no idea that you were going to be playing there, but I happened to be walking by that room... they had the door open to the room while you were playing. As I was walking by, I thought to myself... that has to be the most realistically and most naturally sounding recording of a tenor sax I've ever heard. It was your sound that pulled me into the room at that moment, only to be surprised that it was actually you playing in front of the system! The speakers and the system were not bad sounding by any means... (I had also listened to the system the day before and thought they did a very nice job) but it was very easy for me to tell the difference in sound between the recorded rhythm section backing you up and the live sound of you playing. Btw, you have a very beautiful tone and I truly enjoyed hearing you play!

Best wishes,
Don

 

[No Regrets]

Jeffrey Catalano's HIGH WATER SOUND room was also a standout for both its excellent if slightly bass heavy (due to room's size) sonics and musical treasures he brings and plays in his room. Highly recommended!

Jeffrey always has some of the greatest and most varied lp's to listen to. This is one of the greatest things I appreciate most about visiting his room at these shows. Although, it always costs me a ton of money, because I end up going on discogs and buying a bunch of new lp's that he has introduced to me via the show that I wouldn't have know about otherwise.

I also love that he generally plays the whole side of the record, not just one track and then onto to something else. He is very much a music lover first and foremost and that comes across at every show.

Always, great music and great sound... he really knows how to put together great systems. The room was very small for those speakers and if you were standing in the back of the room, especially somewhat in the entryway of the room, it tended to get bass loaded back there with some music, but overall he got really great sound.

Jeffrey is a great guy and is always a pleasure to visit with too. A true gentleman in every sense of the word

Best wishes,
Don

 

[No Regrets]

WBF meet up on Friday at the main bar in the Renaissance convention center at 5:30 pm!

I think I may have totally messed this one up....
For some reason, I thought we were meeting at 5PM, not 5:30PM. I had an early dinner at the Public House and was feeling bad because it was taking a little bit longer to eat there than what I had expected. I didn't get to the bar area until 5:15pm. I looked around a few times, and didn't see you there so I figured maybe the meet got cancelled, so I continued on to go check out some more rooms.

I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to meet you all It's my fault for having the times wrong.

I hope you all had a great time at the show and had safe travels back home!
Don

 

[Jerome Sabbagh]

Hello Jerome,

I had no idea that you were going to be playing there, but I happened to be walking by that room... they had the door open to the room while you were playing. As I was walking by, I thought to myself... that has to be the most realistically and most naturally sounding recording of a tenor sax I've ever heard. It was your sound that pulled me into the room at that moment, only to be surprised that it was actually you playing in front of the system! The speakers and the system were not bad sounding by any means... (I had also listened to the system the day before and thought they did a very nice job) but it was very easy for me to tell the difference in sound between the recorded rhythm section backing you up and the live sound of you playing. Btw, you have a very beautiful tone and I truly enjoyed hearing you play!

Best wishes,
Don

Thanks Don! It's a fun experiment. I wasn't supposed to do it in that room initially and we pulled it together somewhat fast. I feel it may have been more convincing as a blend in the darTZeel/Stenheim room upstairs, where we had more time to dial things in (even as I thought the system in both rooms sounded very good). But surely live music is different, as it should be. Thanks for coming by!

 

[davidavdavid]

AXPONA 2024 is over. Nothing left to see here.
We are only victims of the accidents we leave. h/t Billy Joel