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Capitol Audio Fest and the New York Audio a trend is emmerging


Just returned from the Capital Audio Fest Last week and the New York Audio Show this week.

Very few systems at either shows sounded great there were a few memorable setups.

I saw two distinct trends one was to setup up a system with really expensive everything no matter if that was a realistic pairing and the other was to setup affordable based systems that were well matched in price.

For example: at the Capitol Audio Fest, a pair of new Focal Kanta bookshelves at $6k a pair was put together with a Naim Uniti Nova, a $7.5k integrated amp/dac/streamer with inexpensive Wireworld cabling, about a $15k system that sounded fantastic.

At the New York Audio Show, Golden Ear’s Sandy Gross, was playing the Triton Reference a $8,5k set of speakers with a $3k Peachtree integrated amplifier, this system was a little soft to my ears but was still very musical. We have been kind of fans of the Golden Ear for years especially for Home Theater so were intrigued to hear them sound quite decent vs a few other demos where they sounded either way to peaky or just plain bloated and dull.

Compare these two excellent pairings vs at the New York Audio Show a set of the new Magico A3 at $10k with a $14k AVM amp but with Nordost Valahalla 2 speaker cable at $11k and a Nordost Vallhalla interconnects $8k and power cables $5k which then pushed the somewhat affordable pairing of the A3 and AVM amplifier at $24k to a system close to $60k! 

Magico A3                           $10k
AVM int                                $14k
Nordost Vall speaker Cable $11k
Nordost Vall interconnect    $  8K
Nordost Val power cable     $  5k
Nordost Power cond            ?
Source components             ?
  
                            total           ?

 I just don’t understand the logic of that pairing when the Magico A3 is being heralded as the most exciting $10k speaker a somewhat reachable price for many aspiring audiophiles and then paring the speakers with $40-50k plus worth of electronics and cabling.

As both an audiophile and a retailer we have always tried to recommend intelligent pairings your thoughts?

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ
128x128audiotroy
rodge827's avatar
rodge827
620 posts
 
Perhaps the show organizers should hand out blindfolds and lead perspective buyers from room to room. That way one wouldn't know how much the system costs or looks like, etc. We have these amazing listening devices attached on each side of our heads, and should be the only sense used to assess sound quality!

My 2c
spoutmouzert
75 posts
 
Overall i was a little disappointed with the show.  For me bargain of the day was the definite technology monitors, star of the show was the sonner speakers (again), and i also enjoyed the large dynaudio speakers with tube amps.  Oh and the immense horn set up was very impressive, plus you got free tea!  Left feeling a little flat (mind you my car was vandalized at the wkd so that had something to do with it!).  Cheers
james_edward
119 posts
 
I also enjoyed the Sonner speakers paired with the Luxman class A Integrated.
audiosens
236 posts
 
erk_squires
Yes you are right, I have heard 100K+, that sound so bad, compare of 2,000$, it was like a Ferrari jacked on block for repair :(

mbroadus
12 posts
 
@audiotroy - you’re correct, it was Command Performance from Fairfax, VA setting up the Naim Audio Uniti Atom with Focal speakers at the Capital Audio Show.  I was in CP the Saturday before buying a pair of Focal Aria 906 bookshelf speakers, Wireworld Omega 8 cables and test driving the Uniti Atom.  After further research, I really want the Uniti Star and Dynaudio Special 40s.
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