AXPONA 2025

[AudioLibertarian]

Any impressions of Albeido speakers from Italy ?

 

[tima]

Love this thanks Ron,

GIP Labs System Info below from Stereophile… ( Note: neither the open baffle or wide range or tweeter were on the GIP website last time I looked)… would even love the baffle alone… just lovely elegant proportions!!

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True Source Audio Distributors debuted the massive G.I.P. Laboratory 4165 field coil horn-loaded loudspeakers at CAF, featuring the Japanese company’s replicas of the original Western Electric 4165 driver. The 70lb G.I.P. 4165 Radiata pine cabinets filled nearly half of the small Hilton room. G.I.P.’s TW 38 tweeter sat atop the large cabinets.

Source gear included: AMG Giro 2 Wood Turntable/9WT tonearm ($17,500), with a Benz Micro SLR Gullwing MC Cartridge ($3500), a ViV Lab Rigid Float Ha-9 tonearm ($4500), a Benz Micro ACE SL Mono Cartridge ($1000), and an AMG Viella Forte Turntable ($32,000) with a Benz Micro LP-S MC Cartridge ($5000). This vinyl goodness fed a tubed G.I.P. Preamp 1 ($39,995) into a 65Wpc Mactone MH120 Amplfier ($13,500), driving the G.I.P. 4165 loudspeakers.

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The G.I.P. 4165 system—a 12” full-range driver running at 8 ohms, 105dB sensitivity—included a tubed G.I.P. Preamp I ($39,995) and 30Wpc G.I.P. 6L6 Mono Amplifiers ($48,000). A Mactone XX440 Preamplifier ($12,500) was on static display. A Box Furniture Co. Isolation Platform ($5995) was also in use.

Now here is a show report with good information and photos.

 

[the sound of Tao]

Now here is a show report with good information and photos.

I do think that some on point well written text with a few stills and supporting video (of a system playing reference music) is still the best mix for communicating audio info and experience (short of actually being there).

 

[abeidrov]

Not a single post about Avantgarde room?! Given the rave reviews of their latest G3 line, they should be stars of every show. Anyone?

 

[bonzo75]

I do think that some on point well written text with a few stills and supporting video (of a system playing reference music) is still the best mix for communicating audio info and experience (short of actually being there).

For a show it is tougher you have to be in a room for a while to find decent sound, if you just walk around you might catch a lot of crap music playing (which is the same on video or in person). In Munich 2019 when I did videos, I had three speakers playing the same track and people over video correctly guessed which was the best sounding of those. I was a video skeptic till that show

 

[PeterA]

Magico M9 at Axpona video. It gets interesting at 11:30:

 

[Porsche]

Magico M9 at Axpona video. It gets interesting at 11:30:

system was underwhelming IMO

 

[Al M.]

system was underwhelming IMO

Regardless of any other reasons for mediocre sound, the ceiling of the room is way too low for such a tall speaker.

 

[Porsche]

Regardless of any other reasons for mediocre sound, the ceiling of the room is way too low for such a tall speaker.

agreed. I think this system comes down to one thing, way to much system for the room etc...I dont care what ones budget is, you design a system around the room 1st, not the budget

 

[sbnx]

Not a single post about Avantgarde room?! Given the rave reviews of their latest G3 line, they should be stars of every show. Anyone?

Here are some pictures of the Avantgarde room and supporting equipment from AXPONA 2025.

The main room was the Avantgarde Mezzo. It was powered by the Phaemation MA2000 with parallel 300B SET. The front end for digital was: Grimm MU1 streamer, MSB Cascade or Wadax Studio. For Analog the Peretuum Ebner 7070, Phasemation EA 550 phono stage, Phasemation CM-1500 preamplifier. HRS Stands. Cables were Transparent Audio.

The Uno's were setup as a static display with the Phasemation SA-1500 integrated amplifier.

The smaller room was a very simple system. Front end was the Grimm MU2 (Streamer/DAC/Preamp). A pair of Transparent XLR's and the Avantgarde Zero iTron. We also had the Prepetuum Ebner 1010 turntable and the phasemation EA-350 phono preamplifier.

There were several Synthesis tube amplifiers on static display.

 

[PeterA]

agreed. I think this system comes down to one thing, way to much system for the room etc...I dont care what ones budget is, you design a system around the room 1st, not the budget

What I find interesting is that Magico may have lifted what seemed like a prohibition of all videos of the M9 playing music being released to the public.

I thought the low frequency information on that track starting at 11:30 was pretty well articulated and nuanced. My criticism has always been the requirement for massive power because the speakers are so inefficient.

 

[Rhapsody]

What I find interesting is that Magico may have lifted what seemed like a prohibition of all videos of the M9 playing music being released to the public.

I thought the low frequency information on that track starting at 11:30 was pretty well articulated and nuanced. My criticism has always been the requirement for massive power because the speakers are so inefficient.

M9's are 94db efficient, Inefficient? I drive my M7s (92db efficient) with 50 Watt Kondo Kaguras with no issue.

 

[Ricky64]

I heard the M9's on Saturday afternoon. They sounded outstanding at that time.

 

[Ricky64]

Not a single post about Avantgarde room?! Given the rave reviews of their latest G3 line, they should be stars of every show. Anyone?

The Avantegarde room was sounding extremely good when I heard it.

 

[wil]

Magico M9 at Axpona video. It gets interesting at 11:30:

Endless BS Audiophile sound effects Muzak.
If this is the kind of low hanging fruit exhibitors have to resort to in order to make their systems sound OK, I really don’t see the purpose of these shows.

 

[PeterA]

Endless BS Audiophile sound effects Muzak.

I went to a Magico room at RMAF in 2010. They had a playlist and would not deviate from it. Requests from the audience were flatly denied.

 

[Ricky64]

Two consecutive London Grammar songs, Hey Now (yes, a gratuitous bass song), but another that had Hannah with a smaller tighter central vocal focus, less synth heavy and nice spatial cues around. OCD Mikey was in the room complaining about the lack of acoustic music. Fair. I think at such ambitious pricing and touted magnificence, criticism becomes louder. Again, fair, but it was an impressive demo during my visit.

 

[Ron Resnick]

At AXPONA 2025 I interview Ilias Koutromanos, Chief Commercial Officer, Estelon.

Ilias discusses the sonic philosophy, the design priorities and the technical details of the Extreme Mk. II, and previews future Estelon products. Aldo Filippelli, CEO of Luxury Audio Group, the U.S. Distributor for Estelon, steps in to discuss crossover design and baffle design.

Please kindly "like" this video and please subscribe to the WhatsBestForum YouTube channel!

 

[treitz3]

I went to a Magico room at RMAF in 2010. They had a playlist and would not deviate from it. Requests from the audience were flatly denied.

One thing that drives me buckin' fonkers about Magico. Their playlist at the last show I was at was a singer and perhaps one string instrument. One cannot judge a system with something so relatively easy to play. I left after the denial, because I felt like I was wasting my time there.

Tom

 

[Al M.]

I went to a Magico room at RMAF in 2010. They had a playlist and would not deviate from it. Requests from the audience were flatly denied.

When I was in the PranaFidelity room at T.H.E. Show in SoCal in 2023 I could throw any music at the speakers that I wanted. I brought and played my own CDs, from Black Sabbath over piano sonatas to string quartets to jazz to challenging orchestral music (e.g., Rite of Spring) and so on. In effect, I could thoroughly test-drive the speakers. In the end I bought a pair.

I would never be a buying customer at a show demo with a fixed playlist. Exhibitors are delusional if they think they can accomplish anything that way.

But then, Steven Norber from PranaFidelity is known for consistently having good setups at shows. If other exhibitors have to play easy music in order not have their systems fall apart, that's their problem.