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AXPONA 2011 Atlanta reports/thoughts?

This was my first show......I really enjoyed checking out all the gear. I was really impressed with the sound in the Scaena room as well as the MBL room.
I know this has been probably been discussed before, but someone really needs to tell all these sponsors, distributors, and people to LIGHTEN UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There were times that I didn't even feel welcome in certain rooms. In this economy, if I want to listen to one of my tunes on a $60,000 pair of loudspeakers, you should damn well roll out the red carpet. I understand "screening" tracks so no one plays gangster rap or 2 Live Crew or something that's offensive, but don't give me the third degree about whether or not my song will make your speakers sound good. Thoughts?
audioguy3107
dfrigovt
38 posts
 
I have to say that I didn't find too much snobbishness in any of the rooms. I thought the folks in the MBL room were very friendly. They were playing live Peter Gabriel when I was in there. It was pretty incredible. They even asked what I wanted to hear next. All in all, I thought it was a pretty nice show. Agree with Meadowman, the ML stuff was a bit over the top. Anybody like the Adams loudspeakers?
audioguy3107 OP
40 posts
 
We were in the MBL room as well during the Gabriel song! I thought the heavy metal track they played a couple of songs later was a little overpowering, but hey, you couldn't argue with the dynamics, that's for sure. My wife and I both listened to the big Adams with our own music. I'm sure the room was probably too small for them to open up, but I didn't particularly like them, I thought they sounded a little harsh to my ears, especially when I found out they retailed for $31000.

Meadowman: Am I right in seeing that the ML speakers are $100G a pair? If so, I'll keep my Avalons thank you very much.
rockadanny
1,226 posts
 
Anyone hear the little Napa Acoustics system (CDP, integrated, small bookshelf speakers)? I meant to check it out but ran out of time.
dfrigovt
38 posts
 
I guess that I missed the Carnegie room. What model were they showing? Agree about the Soundsmith stuff - pretty sweet sounding.
jdoris
972 posts
 
I'm with Audioguy on the attitude thing. Lots of good kit out there, and easy to avoid jerks. Last year at RMAF, someone high up -- very high up -- in Van Alstine abruptly and rudely took my music off in the middle of a song, after one of the people there had agreed to let me play a couple of tracks. (My selections were well recorded, and got complements all day.) Needless to say, I'd not buy anything from AVA, even for pennies on the dollar. Unfortunately, the behavior there also meant I could not properly audition Jim Salk's speakers, in which I was very interested.

In contrast, owner-designers at places like Zu, Fritzspeakers, Selah, Daedalus, and Spectron were courteous and nice, and I'll continue to consider and recommend them.

John
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