SOUTHWEST AUDIOFEST 2024

@ricred1 Ah! Thanks for the correction! They look so mighty alike, in design and shape, even with how the logo is placed beneath. It was a dark room, though I did spend a good 30 min or more listening. 

blisshifi,

It was one of my favorite rooms at the show, so I took a picture of the speakers. 

@yyzsantabarbara one of the things we run into. Is that the give the speakers the credit when most of it is the electronics. 

So... why does TX need 2 audiofests?

Lone Star AudioFest in June, and Southwest Audiofest in March????

Especially, when one is just getting started... with little attraction?

What am I missing?

I enjoyed SWAF. There was a good variety of products/systems showcased. The hotel is a great venue for an audio show with a very spacious lobby, large rooms and fast elevators. The number of attendees was really low. The headwinds being weather, St. Patrick’s Day, probably promotional. I hope they come back next year.

What I thought was interesting the new compact range from Soundlabs. They sound really nice. There was no mid-bass bloat in such a small room.

Voxativ demonstrated the return the Ampeggio. A rare move in audio, the new price is reduced is $14k, much less the old ~$30k. The demo pair was only $6k!

Ayre demoed their separates with a YG Summit Speaker. Big thumbs up.

Songer Audio had a SET powering their S1x speakers along with a Lampizator Poseidon DAC and I think an Innuos Statement. The sound was special. I like speakers without tweeters in a way. The dynamics and tone was quite something. Unfortunately The ’x’ is $45k, instead of $37k. German Physiks with Accuphase was awesome. I would like to hear these speakers in a better room, though. There some upper midrange and bass issues in a number of rooms.

My favorite was probably Daedalus with LTA electronics. I am saving my money. I think Daedalus Apollo 11 may be the best regular, wood-cabinet, multiway dynamic I know. LTA is affordable and was just terrific in tone, resolution...you name it.