I found all the Stenheim speakers Tipped up treble and bloated in the bass. None were impressive at all. The Gobel/Wadax room is always disappointing as there is so much money there and some of the smaller systems sound way better than this room. People seem to get all goo-goo eyed about the expensive equipment - I went in Friday/Saturday/Sunday to see if the room was busy and it never was. Vienna Acoustics room sounded really nice. It is great to see them back.
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if you asked Elliot in the Gobel/Wadax/Riviera room, he would be the first to tell you that the room is a major problem. with windows all along the left side and alcoves everywhere it is impossible to get right, so even with taking 3-4 times the effort to try and mitigate that it’s still a problem for any high energy music. he tried to change rooms, but likely he will not do Axpona in the future with that room. OTOH if you heard more small group or quieter music in that room it did have tonality and textures superior to other rooms i heard at the show. so i respect your comments that it had issues, but hearing music that the room could do it was superb. if you read my comments they were very limited, and i made a point of explaining that many/most rooms had limitations to what type of music would work. the room is the thing. and gear can only operate with what a room allows it to do. you are correct that when people see the $$$$’s involved they expect that overcomes the room....but stuff does not work that way. everyone loved the same gear at Capital Audio Fest with exactly the same gear and much less effort......as that room worked. if you want to hear a room with Wadax that works perfectly you are welcome to visit me here in the Seattle area. i promise to make zero excuses. my room is fully sorted out. no one, and i mean no one, realizes more what a room can do or not do.....and then what room tuning can contribute. super duper gear can only take a great room further, not fix a problem room. |
Sometimes I shake my head how they set up systems at Axpona. Many times expensive systems don’t even sound musical and involving. Yet they sound good. This year axpona after I listened to Borensen c1 monitor on the first floor? It became my reference. I like that system a lot very fast , good bass and amazing slam, palpability ,musical for my taste I love it. The one system that almost equal it is the Raidho and Margules combo.I don’t know if Mikelavingne listen to both system.Also Andrew Jones regardless of price? You know you will hear music music in his room. |
@mikelavigne I have setup rooms in hotels as I belonged to a group of audio people who used to have their own little convention. THAT IS AN EXCUSE. Sorry, if I can setup a decent room at a hotel, then anyone should be able to. After all, that IS what these people do. Then why were there also amazing sounding rooms with very little treatments? Their room has sounded bad every single AXPONA they have been at. Maybe get a different room? Sorry, that is lame excuse and not something I take seriously. That tells me all I need to know about presenter. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity. |
