Ron's T.H.E. Show Newport 2016 Report
- Thread starter Ron Resnick
- Start date
Steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Baaah Humbug
Dan, do you ever wake up with a smile on your face
Don't read it then Dan but your comments are so out of line. Have another wonderful day Dan
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..well done Ron. Thanks for allowing us midwesterners to enjoy the Newport show vicariously...and for being a gentleman when maligned by a grouchy curmudgeon!
Steve, Had a big smile on my face as I watched the highlights on NBAPlayoff Playback this morning.
Christian, Guess I would be grumpy if my listening room didn’t have any windows. Here my view this morning:
Christian, Guess I would be grumpy if my listening room didn’t have any windows. Here my view this morning:
Steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
That's great news Dan. Gorgeous view. All of us are trying to wonder about your comments when life around you is so beautiful. If anything I give Ron big kudos for telling us in advance he knows nothing about digital and won't report on it. I think that's the noble thing to do.
garylkoh
WBF Technical Expert (Speakers & Audio Equipment)
Thanks, Ron. I was too busy to leave the room, and your report allowed a well-balanced, broad coverage for me to enjoy vicariously visiting with you and Steve!
Kudos to a new reviewer. When did you sign up to Mono and Stereo??? I didn't know - but wouldn't have treated you any different if I did.
Kudos to a new reviewer. When did you sign up to Mono and Stereo??? I didn't know - but wouldn't have treated you any different if I did.
Very nice Dan. No views in my listening room....only a dark abyss of emanating sound.
me neither.
I had a great view of the 4,000 foot high ridge behind my home, then made the 'mistake' of listening to the window inserts installed and found a much more complete soundstage with inserts in, and holes in the soundstage with the view.
no view......but happy listening. I'm 'all-in' on the listening. everyone has their personal priorities.
Thank you, Gary. Matej asked me to join Mono & Stereo in February of this year.
And thank you Marty, Holli82 and Lloyd!
Ron, thank you for taking the time to provide such a thorough report of the Newport Show, complete with great photos. I wasn't able to leave my exhibit room, but reading your report was the next best thing!
Ken
Ken
Now I'm the grumpy one. It's hot and humid here and I see a pic of beautiful northern Maui! What looks like a Kapalua fairway at that! I hate you Dan!
Now I'm the grumpy one. It's hot and humid here and I see a pic of beautiful northern Maui! What looks like a Kapalua fairway at that! I hate you Dan!
Jack, sorry it's not northern Maui or Kapalua (west Maui).
Here's a picture of the course we're playing this afternoon:
Steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Paradise indeed Dan. There was a time I wanted to retire to Maui. In fact I kept a Hawaiian medical license for well over 30 years in case I ever did
Ron, after some thought, here were my favorite rooms at Newport - I used Jason Isbell's latest LP as well as Nils Frahm. No audiophile music allowed! My criteria are soundstage, dynamics, and tone.
Evolution Acoustics/DartZeel - as discussed before, Zep I on tape was just a magical experience. Easily the best "big" room at the Show.
Rockport/Vitus - I still think the Atrias could have used a bit more power, but this was an eminently musical system and less dark than prior years on BAT gear. Relatively inexpensive system compared with the neighbors as well. Ken is a stickler for setup and he succeeded, once again.
Avantgarde/Audiopax - I really enjoy the new XD line and horn dynamics that had a very open sound. This was much more coherent than prior AG efforts. I think re-tubing the amps with some better KT88s (these were stock) would yield a bit more body to an already great package.
Trenner & Friedl/Viva - as Doc and I agreed, by far the best "small" system at the show. The sound was vibrant, vivid, and refreshing. A pair of them with a Viva integrated and Rega TT would be hog heaven for a small room.
Honorable mentions:
Cessaro - to be fair, I didn't spend enough time in here but it sounded great on Jason Isbell. Would have liked to crank up some electronica on it - maybe at RMAF. They aren't pretty speakers, but they do deliver good sonics
YG Acoustics/MSB - best YG room, easily, and related digital that I heard.
Random thoughts:
lots of big analog and RTR...headphone area was small and confusing compared with last year...didn't hear a convincing Class D system I would buy...horns were everywhere (at least a dozen rooms)...skipped Magico/Wilson/Vivid as I've heard all of them many times and wanted to hear some different things...Gamut price/performance doesn't make sense to me nor did the Perfect 8s...but Spatial really outperforms its $$...Acapella sounded very liquid through the mids, but didn't hear any music with bass...Bergmann and Kronos are my favorite looking TTs that are not very similar...
After last year's WBF scuffle in relation to "judging poor sound at a show", I'm not going to post my least favorite rooms.
Evolution Acoustics/DartZeel - as discussed before, Zep I on tape was just a magical experience. Easily the best "big" room at the Show.
Rockport/Vitus - I still think the Atrias could have used a bit more power, but this was an eminently musical system and less dark than prior years on BAT gear. Relatively inexpensive system compared with the neighbors as well. Ken is a stickler for setup and he succeeded, once again.
Avantgarde/Audiopax - I really enjoy the new XD line and horn dynamics that had a very open sound. This was much more coherent than prior AG efforts. I think re-tubing the amps with some better KT88s (these were stock) would yield a bit more body to an already great package.
Trenner & Friedl/Viva - as Doc and I agreed, by far the best "small" system at the show. The sound was vibrant, vivid, and refreshing. A pair of them with a Viva integrated and Rega TT would be hog heaven for a small room.
Honorable mentions:
Cessaro - to be fair, I didn't spend enough time in here but it sounded great on Jason Isbell. Would have liked to crank up some electronica on it - maybe at RMAF. They aren't pretty speakers, but they do deliver good sonics
YG Acoustics/MSB - best YG room, easily, and related digital that I heard.
Random thoughts:
lots of big analog and RTR...headphone area was small and confusing compared with last year...didn't hear a convincing Class D system I would buy...horns were everywhere (at least a dozen rooms)...skipped Magico/Wilson/Vivid as I've heard all of them many times and wanted to hear some different things...Gamut price/performance doesn't make sense to me nor did the Perfect 8s...but Spatial really outperforms its $$...Acapella sounded very liquid through the mids, but didn't hear any music with bass...Bergmann and Kronos are my favorite looking TTs that are not very similar...
After last year's WBF scuffle in relation to "judging poor sound at a show", I'm not going to post my least favorite rooms.
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Keith,
You're right on the money when it comes to the tubes on the Audiopax. As soon as we got back, we swapped for some other KT88s, and the amps got a little more bite. We were also told they'd change considerably with small tubes than the JJs we had.
And that's one of the reasons I can't (personally) deal with tubes The OCD in me would be changing them around many times a day...
You're right on the money when it comes to the tubes on the Audiopax. As soon as we got back, we swapped for some other KT88s, and the amps got a little more bite. We were also told they'd change considerably with small tubes than the JJs we had.
And that's one of the reasons I can't (personally) deal with tubes
The OCD in me would be changing them around many times a day...Similar threads
