High End Reproduction is back

Thanks @syntax for sharing your impressions and those great photos. Thanks to Audiogon I learnt of Acoustical Systems and am the proud owner of their SMARTactor alignment tools. I also have their Axiom tonearm and Paladian cartridge, and thanks to a member of Audiogon one of their limited edition Omnigon phono preamps. I think their gear is first class.  All I now need is one of those APOLYT turnatables and a bigger apartment to accommodate it!

I do hope that just like with the Axiom where a cheaper little brother Aquilar was later produced, that one day a little brother of the APOLYT will arrive. That I would really love to hear. The APOLYT is a statement product to showcase and formulate what the designer can do, cost no object. Bring on Baby APOLYT!

I am not up to date with the Phonostage, it has tubes inside but I do not know much details. I guess it is a combination with transistor and tubes. Very quiet definitely (dead silent) and is able to reproduce all sonic nuances without sounding dead and boring.
But, when I am honest, something different really fascinated me, his endeavor to offer something serious for a good price to the discriminated audiophile with limited budget.
There is a MM Cartridge for MSRP 1000 Euros which became one of his bestsellers without any advertisement for it.
And a real killer Turntable below 10k. He found it is Asia, imports it and offers it now with a few serious mods.
- it is a copy from Micro Seiki 5000 in aluminum
BUT
with excellent bearing, platter isolation (no ringing or similar), worldwide Power Suppy, active speed regulation (33.333 / 45.000) and read my lips:
This unit passes the test with the Sutherline Timeline (99% fail this test, other units show some digits in their display but in real life they are still running wrong). While playing of course (needle in the groove). The speed is spot on!
I was so fascinated from this "done right unit" that I bought one. Mainly because I was so floored from the fact, that it is possible to do something really serious for small money when someone knows what is responsible for what...Runs now with Axiom Arm (and FR-64s, FR-66s) + Lyra Olympos SL...Pics from it are now in my Audiogon System. That good it is.
Some time ago I wrote some experiences with those overrated Turntables "beyond Ultimate" and called it "The kiss of Death".
This unit let each one bite the dust with demanding records. And some more of course.

Anyway
now it is possible to get something serious for the discriminated audiophile without the usual spending an Arm and a Leg.
- Smartractor for Adjustment
- new developed 1K MM-Cartridge for a wide range of Phonostages
and this Turntable.

This is the real sensation for me right now.

I wouldn't pay a nickel for his products.  I purchased a $600 Arche headshell and entered a service call requesting a tiny set screw that had stripped.  No reply. 

the test with the Sutherline Timeline

sorry

Correct is: Sutherland Timeline



Something different

One of the very best Sound at Show with digital Playback was
from a Vitus Audio combination driving small (more or less, but room & WAF friendly) Marten Speakers (from Sweden I think).
A top match, even for longer listening sessions :-)

Magico
As painful as usual
Living Voice
nice female voice with Engstrom electronics, never heard a demo with more than one singer and a guitar or piano. One million bucks don’t need more