Some 20-years ago, the VAC amps did something similar under equally unpromising if opposite circumstances. Then, a four-box pre and four mono-blocs driving a pair of 8’ PipeDream speakers in a New York hotel bedroom generated the best sound at that show. Here, they did it again. Big amps, big speakers, a big challenge but a huge success. Clarisys are to be applauded both for the quality of their products and the sheer chutzpah it took to not only take on such a massive challenge, but to pull it off in such spectacular fashion. They might be new kids on the high-end block, but they certainly showed the self-important establishment brands a thing or two: how to do a show, how to do a big system and how to show the public just what’s possible. This was the best big system at the show by a country mile!
And the Duck For Cover Award goes to…
With so many of the perennially over-achieving horn systems (at least as regards this category) mired in mediocrity this year (and with Silbatone debarred by dint of their Lifetime Achievement Award) the field was wide open for new contenders. The Wilson WAMM system put up a strong showing, as did Electrocompaniet/Ø Audio. The smaller Aries Cerat/AudioNec set-up was certainly worthy of mention, while newcomers Aequo Audio had an impressive(ly bad) debut. Paired with a Taiko Extreme server, Playback Designs transport/streamer and DAC and Westminster Labs electronics listening to this system was like listening in a meat locker. Cold as charity and devoid of any spark of life or musical intent, this was just unconnected noise, shorn of its last vestige of harmonic warmth or human agency. Not so much Duck For Cover as Frozen In Place…
But to achieve the glory of full DFC recognition, a system has to be more than just sterile or boring, muddled or badly served by its demonstrators. It needs to be seriously obnoxious on a musical level, while bonus points are gained for inappropriate behaviour. When it came to offensive sound combined with offensive action, Blade Brothers were in a class of their own. Their claim to fame? They build loudspeakers into slices cut from recycled wind turbine blades. Yes – really! Okay, so we kind of get the whole asymmetrical/composite/green thing, but that doesn’t a great speaker make – and in this case it certainly didn’t. With nothing to recommend it musically, the company’s sales strategy seemed to be one of periodically increasing the volume to club-like levels. Housed in an open booth, near the centre of Hall Three, their location created the potential for maximum sonic pollution across the widest possible area. It was a chance that was clearly too good to miss and their enthusiastic embracing of the opportunity leaves them clear winners of this year’s DFC Award. Duck For Cover? More like run for the hills…
Göbel Divin Comtesse with the Wadax Studio Player and Riviera Amps
Göbel can generally be relied on to produce an excellent sounding system and this year was no exception. Building that system around the Wadax Studio Player was obviously a smart move, but this was the first time that I’ve heard the riviera pre and power amps living up to their reputation. In the past I’ve too often found them warm, wooly and lacking rhythmic grip and musical momentum. No such issues here, with clean, quick and wide-open sound that majored on relaxed, unforced clarity and transparency. The presentation was right on it, with excellent articulation, pitch and spatial definition. If you really wanted to hear into the recording, this was the place to do it. Once again, the Studio Player was paired with the Reiki Super Switch, providing a genuinely low-noise feed on streamed material, while CD and SACD replay were excellent. Arguably a more technically correct presentation than a system like the Magico or Rockport ones described below, systems that majored on the ‘why’ that drove the musical performance, this left you in no doubt as to the ‘what’ as well as the ‘how’.
Magico S2, with Wadax, and Pilium Electronics
