Feedback from the 2025 Florida International Audio Show

[Triode Pete]

Some early feed back from the show...

From Soundstage Global... https://www.soundstageglobal.com/in...-volti-audio-speakers-for-the-king-of-england

Florida International Audio Expo 2025 - Tampa, USA

Florida International Audio Expo 2025: Volti Audio—Speakers for the King of England

Details
Written by: Jason Thorpe
Category: Florida International Audio Expo 2025
Created: 23 February 2025

That’s a whole lot of very expensive wood, I thought to myself as I walked into the Volti Audio room and took note of the large, sumptuous New Vittora loudspeaker system—an update of the company’s original Vittora—which was making its world debut here at the Florida International Audio Expo.

“What kind of veneer is that?” I asked Greg Roberts, owner of Volti Audio, as I took a seat and started to listen.

“It’s padauk,” he responded. That African hardwood is not cheap. It’s beautiful—so lovely that I could see these majestic speakers in the corners of a Windsor Palace ballroom.

Taking a look at a bare cabinet without drivers just outside the room, I noted that the walls were made from multiple layers of high-quality plywood, so I guessed that these are quite heavy.

“Yup, they’re about 250 pounds,” Roberts responded when I asked.

As I settled in, Roberts was playing music that would fit in that Windsor Palace ballroom. Massive brass, massed strings, all sorts of royal-sounding music that’s far above my pay grade. Still, it sounded dynamic and alive, with the kind of jump factor you’d expect from a huge speaker with a sensitivity of 104dB.

The New Vittora system is comprised of two three-way horn speakers, each loaded up with one 15″ woofer, a 2″ midrange, and a 1″ horn tweeter. Also included for the price of $50,000 (in USD) are two 12″ subwoofers, referred to by Roberts as ELF speakers, which kick in from 50Hz down, which is the natural rolloff point of the main speakers. Those subs are powered by an also-included ELF amplifier and equalizer.

For the show, Volti Audio was using one 18 ELF sub, as it better fit in the fairly small room. The amplifier was a Cary Audio SLI-80HS tube integrated fed by an Innuos ZENith music server and Mojo Audio Mystique X SE DAC. Cables were via Triode Wire Labs.

The enclosures of both the New Vittora and the ELF subs are made from birch ply. The curved sections are laid up from the raw sheet ply which is glued and formed by hand. Wall thickness is well over 1″. Roberts estimated that it takes about 400 hours to build each pair of speakers.

Switching over to something a peasant such as I would enjoy, Roberts threw on Charles Mingus playing a version of “Better Git It in Your Soul,” and man, do these things boogie. Appropriately sized, rich-sounding jazz snapped out of the New Vittoras. Switching over to Jill Scott, whom I don’t know well, singing some really nice groove-oriented soul, I didn’t hear even a single hint of horn coloration. The New Vittora is an exceptionally neutral speaker.

Forcing a trip back north of the border, I asked Roberts to play “Fight” by the Tragically Hip. Large horn speakers seem to attract a demographic that’s about ten years older than me, and the chaps in the room didn’t seem to like the Hip, but that’s cool by me. I try to play this track in every room I evaluate, partly because I know it, but also because I’m a bit of a button pusher. And the Hip needs more exposure.

It sounded great through the New Vittoras. Gord Downie’s voice leapt out, snappy quick, rich as all get-out. Again, no horn coloration! Tight, rich bass down to the bottom of Johnny Fay’s kick drum. Even at seriously loud volumes, it was clean, clean, clean. It sounded live. I’ve always regretted never seeing the Hip in a small venue, but now I feel that I have, thanks to these wonderful speakers.

Jason Thorpe
Senior Editor, SoundStage!

Thanks Jason!

 

[mxk116]

Thanks for the report. I never made it to this room which apparently was my loss. I will make it a point to visit the Volti Audio room (# 588) at AXPONA 2025.

 

[Triode Pete]

A great YouTube video synopsis of our fantastic sounding Room 227 with BorderPatrol, Innuos, Living Voice & yours truly...

Part Time Audiophile's writer, podcaster & reviewer Brian Hunter interviewed Guru Gary Dews from BorderPatrol Audio Electronics...

Enjoy,
Pete

 

[Triode Pete]

Some great feedback by Steven Rochlin, Founder of EnjoyThe Music.com... https://www.enjoythemusic.com/Flori...udio_Vittora_Loudspeaker_System_FIAE_2025.htm

Volti Audio Unveils Their New Vittora Hornspeaker System At FIAE 2025
True full frequency sound quality with enormous SPL potential.
Florida International Audio Expo 2025 Show Report By Steven R. Rochlin

It's always a joy chatting with the cool dudes from Volti Audio and love their wood cabinet finishing work. Greg Roberts of Volti Audio wants Enjoy the Music.com fans to know that "The original Vittora, first offered in 2011, has undergone a four-year transformation and now showcases the finest work I’ve achieved to date as both a designer and builder." Each loudspeaker is truly handcrafted, meticulously, with a fanatic eye towards every detail.

They are painstakingly engineered with high-precision and exquisite construction to produce a fully effortless sound from only a few Watts. While some loudspeakers need hundreds of Watts, the new Vittora horn loudspeaker system with an impressive 104dB/W/m sensitivity means they are 10x to perhaps 100x more efficient than other loudspeaker designs!

The Volti Audio Vittora horn speakers being officially launched at the Florida International Audio Expo 2025 were being fed by the Innuos ZENith music server (2TB $6,699) and Mojo Audio Mystique SE DAC ($8,499). Cables were by the highly respected Triode Wire Labs. The sound was truly effortless, nothing was holding back the tremendous dynamic swings that are within the music we all love.

Deep bass, extended and smooth highs, and a midrange so seductive it could lead to musical romance and magical memories. For the spec folks, the Vittora is 104dB/W/m sensitive, but you already knew that, yet did you know the frequency response is from a deep 25Hz to 20kHz. The new Vittora hornspeaker system includes two main Vittora loudspeakers, two ELF12, two ELFamp, and one ELFpre ($50,000).

Thanks, Steven!

 

[Alrainbow]

You know I've them at shows a good sounding system , and they look so good it takes away of the great sound . I never ask how much any system costs until I've heard them a couple of times at a show .
$50k for a complete system looking that good and sounding good too is a bargain today no doubt .
I think he is smart to have a complete system sold .

 

[BruceD]

I think he is smart to have a complete system sold .

Indeed they always sound good and he is very personable --he loves to show his prowess on the horn as well--!

BruceD

 

[Steve williams]

Some great feedback by Steven Rochlin, Founder of EnjoyThe Music.com... https://www.enjoythemusic.com/Flori...udio_Vittora_Loudspeaker_System_FIAE_2025.htm

Volti Audio Unveils Their New Vittora Hornspeaker System At FIAE 2025
True full frequency sound quality with enormous SPL potential.
Florida International Audio Expo 2025 Show Report By Steven R. Rochlin

It's always a joy chatting with the cool dudes from Volti Audio and love their wood cabinet finishing work. Greg Roberts of Volti Audio wants Enjoy the Music.com fans to know that "The original Vittora, first offered in 2011, has undergone a four-year transformation and now showcases the finest work I’ve achieved to date as both a designer and builder." Each loudspeaker is truly handcrafted, meticulously, with a fanatic eye towards every detail.

They are painstakingly engineered with high-precision and exquisite construction to produce a fully effortless sound from only a few Watts. While some loudspeakers need hundreds of Watts, the new Vittora horn loudspeaker system with an impressive 104dB/W/m sensitivity means they are 10x to perhaps 100x more efficient than other loudspeaker designs!

The Volti Audio Vittora horn speakers being officially launched at the Florida International Audio Expo 2025 were being fed by the Innuos ZENith music server (2TB $6,699) and Mojo Audio Mystique SE DAC ($8,499). Cables were by the highly respected Triode Wire Labs. The sound was truly effortless, nothing was holding back the tremendous dynamic swings that are within the music we all love.

Deep bass, extended and smooth highs, and a midrange so seductive it could lead to musical romance and magical memories. For the spec folks, the Vittora is 104dB/W/m sensitive, but you already knew that, yet did you know the frequency response is from a deep 25Hz to 20kHz. The new Vittora hornspeaker system includes two main Vittora loudspeakers, two ELF12, two ELFamp, and one ELFpre ($50,000).

Thanks, Steven!

Congrats as always Pete. I do enjoy watching your accolades and how your cable performs so well with the big boys

 

[Triode Pete]

Congrats as always Pete. I do enjoy watching your accolades and how your cable performs so well with the big boys

Thanks, Steve!!!

 

[Triode Pete]

A superb analysis of our room by Marc Phillips, Editor-in-Chief at Part Time Audiophile... https://pt.audio/2025/03/03/living-...patrol-innuos-and-triode-wire-labs-flax-2025/

Living Voice R80 Loudspeakers, BorderPatrol, Innuos and Triode Wire Labs | FLAX 2025
By Marc Phillips
March 3, 2025

At the last show I covered, the 2024 Capital Audiofest, I walked into the Volti Audio room expecting another Three Amigos (BorderPatrol, Volti and Triode Wire Labs) system and noticed the absence of BorderPatrol–Greg Roberts of Volti was showing off his loudspeakers with a Cary Audio integrated and Triode Wire Labs cabling. What I didn’t know at the time was that BorderPatrol was in another room exhibiting with Living Voice R80 loudspeakers from the UK. (Gary Dews of BorderPatrol is also the US distributor for Living Voice.) I missed that room completely, which means I missed out on hearing the fabulous Living Voice R80 loudspeakers (starting at $42,750/pr) at that show.

Even at FLAX 2025, I was still a little confused by the room–the Living Voice R80 loudspeakers were touted as a world debut. Weren’t these the same speakers I’ve heard at least once in Munich? Gary told me yes, it was a mistake and should’ve read “FLAX debut,” but I stopped wondering about it all when I sat down and started listening to this amazing system that consisted of the R80s in their top-of-the-range form–in glossy ebony for $54,250/pr. The rest of the system included the Innuos ZENith Mk3 music server ($6,699 with 2TB of storage), the Innuos Phoenix USB reclocker ($4,349), the BorderPatrol S20EXD power amplifier ($22,500) and, of course, Triode Wire Labs cabling. The other news in the room was BorderPatrol’s newer, larger DAC, although the legendary DAC SE-i (starting at just $1,650) still held court. The new DAC uses the Analog Devices AD1864 resistor ladder chip and a plate follower tube output stage and fully independent power supplies.

This room was intriguing because of the differences it revealed between the fun, vibrant and exciting presentation of the Volti Audio horns and the delicate sweetness of the big Living Voice R80 loudspeakers. It might have been the time of day, but the system played at a lower listening level, especially for a high-end audio show exhibit room. Honestly, I was amazed at the detail and ease of the presentation–I heard it all, and it was a lovely and intoxicating sound. I had the same impression of the Living Voice R80 back in Munich last year–this is a gorgeous and well-crafted loudspeaker, built with care, that focuses on the sheer beauty of the music. I’m glad I didn’t forget to visit this room at FLAX–it was one of the finest sounds at the show. Oh, and don’t worry about Volti Audio–Greg Roberts debuted his New Vittora loudspeakers at FLAX, and that room was a huge success as well.

Thanks, Marc!

 

[Triode Pete]

A great review of the Volti / Triode Wire Labs room by Positive Feedback's Tom Gibbs! https://positive-feedback.com/show-reports/florida-international-audio-expo-2025-1/

Florida International Audio Expo 2025, My Favorite Rooms, Part 1
03-03-2025 | By Tom Gibbs | Issue 138

Volti Audio/Cary/Triode Wire Labs Room

My first stop on Day One of FLAX was the Volti Audio room, where Greg Roberts debuted his New Vittora loudspeaker that updates and redefines the original design in every possible way. The New Vittora's are Greg's statement loudspeaker system, and their imposing visual appeal is second only to their remarkable musicality! Greg's redesign offers the kind of "you are there" realism that sets a new standard for what $50k gets you in a high-efficiency, horn-based loudspeaker. The cabinets are a combination of CNC machining and in-house fabrication; the CNC work is done at a shop local to Greg just outside of Nashville, Tennessee, and he does all the curved panel fabrication at his own workshop. Greg's hand-crafted finishing continues with the application of the buyer's choice of exotic wood veneers to the Baltic birch plywood cabinets. The Vittoras are beautiful to behold, but it's their exhilarating and non-fatiguing sound that quickly draws you in to whatever music happens to be playing.

The New Vittora's were powered by an SLI-80 tube integrated from Cary Audio, a push-pull ultralinear, Pure Class AB design that's comfortable handling a variety of output tube types. The one Greg had on hand featured a quad of KT88 power tubes, and was switchable between triode and ultralinear operation; it powered Volti's new 104 dB/watt beauties to absolute perfection. Greg's digital source featured an Innuos ZENith server that fed its signal to a Mojo Audio Mystique DAC. All system cables were from Triode Wire Labs, and "Triode" Pete Grzybowski was even present during my demonstration. Greg and I had a lengthy chat about the value of good cables; in the Volti Audio room, the hotel electrical outlet where his system was connected didn't even have a plate cover! You could clearly see how shoddy the wiring was; despite that, it's still surprising how great AC cables (like those from Triode Wire Labs!) really do make a difference and anchor your system's sound quality. Both Greg and Pete are among the most endearing and knowledgeable people in all of high end audio, and the partnership of their loudspeaker and cable technology helps create some of the most refined sound you'll ever encounter.

One of the standout selections Greg played for me while I was in the room was from jazz tenor saxophonist Illinois Jacquet, from a mid-1950's Verve Clef label album. He's one of the unsung sax masters of the era, and the sound was presented by the New Vittoras with immediacy and near-perfect tone. Playback of this track on Greg's system offered such incredible realism, it honestly felt like Illinois Jacquet's mellifluous horn was actually in the room with me! When a track that's close to seventy years old provides you with a goosebump moment like this, that's impressive, and the system synergy and gorgeous sound of Greg's room was definitely one of my FLAX highlights!

Thanks, Tom!

 

[Alrainbow]

Heard them a few times at shows looks great
As sounded great , cost sounds great for it's a complete system.

 

[Triode Pete]

Some fantastic feedback from Stereophile's Ken Micallef... https://www.stereophile.com/content...ed-borderpatrol-living-voice-triode-wire-labs

Dynamic Sound Unleashed: BorderPatrol, Living Voice, Triode Wire Labs
Ken Micallef | Mar 3, 2025

Gary Dews of BorderPatrol Audio Electronics and Pete Grzybowski of Triode Wire Labs presented a system that played with fantastic dynamics and equally impressive resolution.
The system began with Dews’ new DAC, which uses an Analog Devices AD1965 resistor ladder (R-2R) chip, and offers non-oversampling and no digital filtering, 32-bit/384kHz via USB, 24-bit/192kHz via S/PDIF, a tube output stage, a tube-rectified choke input filter digital power supply to the digital electronics, Jupiter coupling caps, and a tube-rectified choke input filter power supply for the tube output stage. No price yet, with an official US debut set for late 2025.

1s and 0s were transmitted through an Innuos ZENith MK3 2TB Music Server ($6699). An Innuos Phoenix USB Reclocker ($4349) also played a role.

Further system details included a BorderPatrol S20EXD power amplifier ($22,500), a 16Wpc, 300B amp featuring inter-stage phase-splitter/driver transformers, point-to-point wiring, and choke input filtered power supplies.

Also new at FLAX the Living Voice R80 OBX loudspeaker ($42,750/pair), a two-way, ported MTM loudspeaker (92dB/W at 6 ohms) featuring Ellipticore Drive Unit technology from Scanspeak. Available with both internal (IBX) or external (OBX) crossovers. The FLAX pair were finished in Glossy Ebony ($54,250/pair).

“Triode” Pete’s cabling consisted of The Obsession NCF power cords ($1499), High Power Digital American II power cords ($749), Digital American II power cords ($549), Spirit II RCA interconnects ($399), Passion USB digital cables($329), and American biwire speaker cables ($1099).

I asked Pete to play something orchestral to which he responded by streaming Eiji Oue conducting Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances. As resolving as Dews’ previous DAC, with a rounder sound and improved tonal balance, the system danced and stormed, soared high and swooned low, leaving me a squishy puddle of emotion and excitation. I mustered enough energy to get off the floor and stumbled down the hall to my next audio appointment.

Thanks, Ken!

 

[Triode Pete]

A superb review of the Triode Wire Labs / BorderPatrol room by Positive Feedback's Tom Gibbs! https://positive-feedback.com/show-reports/florida-international-audio-expo-2025-1/

Florida International Audio Expo 2025, My Favorite Rooms
03-03-2025 | By Tom Gibbs | Issue 138

Border Patrol/Living Voice/Triode Wire Labs Room

I had an early appointment on Sunday for a private showing of Gary Dews' Border Patrol room; I've heard his tube amplifiers and DAC many times (though predominantly in Volti Audio systems), and the richness his tube electronics impart to almost any loudspeaker and system has always been stunningly superb. His FLAX room featured the top-of-line S20EXD parallel single-ended amplifier, which sported a quad of Western Electric 300B tubes, a pair of tube rectified external power supplies, and the optional volume control. There was no preamplifier; the amp directly drove a pair of UK-made Living Voice R80 OBX loudspeakers that were making their FLAX debut. The room also featured the prototype for Gary's new DAC, the Border Patrol DAC SE-i, which will get its official release later this year. An Innuos ZENith Mk III server provided the music flow to the new DAC; their Phoenix reclocker was also in the digital playback chain. A full loom of cables from Pete Grzybowski and Triode Wire Labs populated the system—never underestimate the importance of great cables and their contribution to system synergy!

A random guy was in the room when I arrived, and he questioned Gary about the lack of a preamplifier or remote control for the system; Gary's response was that a single input on the amp was all that was necessary to play great music. If you needed to change the volume, you'd have to get out of your chair to adjust it! The guy seemed unimpressed, and quickly exited the room. As he was leaving, another gentleman arrived, and Pete proceeded to announce "Look, Gary, Ken's here!" Ken sat down directly beside me, took out a notebook, and proceeded to ask a series of questions about the loudspeakers and equipment, then made a few requests, listened to a few tunes, wrote down some notes, and just as quickly exited the room. At that point, my own demo actually began.

Listening to the Living Voice R80 OBX loudspeakers in the system was, in a word, intoxicating, and I instantaneously developed an emotional connection with the music playing across them. Their pinpoint imaging was simply astounding, and they painted a picture of the performance that stretched beyond and behind the boundaries of the loudspeakers. A standout selection was a delicate but heavily percussive track Triode Pete played from a 1961 Shelly Manne album, which was a showcase for the strengths of this system. On this system, the R80 OBX loudspeakers transported me back in time, and I could visualize the performers captured in a very real space with uncanny accuracy. And as the system blew through a series of jazz, big band, and vocal tracks, I also found myself quite taken by the stunning visual impression their gorgeous, glossy ebony cabinets made on me.

"Triode" Pete Grzybowski managed the music selections being sent to the Border Patrol SE-i DAC and was always quick to offer a refreshing beverage!

By the way, "Ken" who had been in the room was none other than Ken Micallef of Stereophile; I was hoping to run into him at the show and finally meet him in person. He'd been sitting right beside me during a large chunk of my time in the room and I didn't even know it! That's how immersive and musically involving this system was—I was so caught up in the music, I completely lost consciousness of my surroundings!

Thanks again, Tom!!!

 

[Triode Pete]

A brief YouTube video of our room by The Audiophile Junkie...

Jose, aka Dr. Vinyl, kind of dominants the conversation since he was excited to be taking on the "Living Voice" loudspeaker line-up...

Cheers,
Pete

 

[Triode Pete]

A Best of Show podcast from Part Time Audiophile's, The Occasional Podcast... Both Marc Phillips and Brian Hunter talking about the Three Amigos. About the 29 minute mark for those interested...

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podca...and-best-of-show/id1332323668?i=1000696328243

Cheers,
Pete

 

[Triode Pete]

A Best Sound at Show Award, by Part Time Audiophile's Editor-in-Chief Marc Phillips... https://pt.audio/2025/03/07/best-sound-at-flax-2025-flax-2025/

Best Sound at FLAX 2025 | FLAX 2025
By Marc Phillips
March 7, 2025

Living Voice, BorderPatrol, Triode Wire Labs and Innuos

Even though I reviewed a pair of Living Voice speakers back when I was still new to PT.Audio, it seems like I only get to hear them in the wonderful LV room at the Munich show. Gary Dews of BorderPatrol has been the distributor for Living Voice for years, and he’s been demonstrating the fabulous R80 speakers since late last year. At first I spent too much time comparing the sound of this familiar BorderPatrol/Triode Wire Labs/Innuos system with the Volti Audio system I usually cover at the shows. Considering that the Volti Audio room at FLAX 2025 also delivered great sound, I’d say it’s mostly a matter of preference. In this room, however, I heard a sweetness and delicacy that reminded me of that this system was indeed drive by 300B tubes, and after a few tracks I felt positively relaxed and in a much better mood.

Thanks, Marc!

 

[Ron Resnick]

Congratulations!