CAS 2019

[ryanosaur]

The California Audio Show opens today. This will be my first experience at such an event. Hope the Dogs and Ponys are all dolled up properly! Can't wait to touch my first $100K Speaker!

Can't wait to touch my first $100K Cable, either!

Pics or it didn't happen!

 

[Swerd]

Jim Salk says he'll be there:

Yes, I will be there in person. We will be showing the SS9.5's along with Mike McGary's SA1 tube amp, Exogal's Comet DAC and cables from Anticables. Should be a fun show. The gear was shipped to the show in advance and I'll be in SF Wednesday evening. Looking forward to meeting our SF-area friends and making new ones!​

Purists get alarmed when speaker makers like Salk team up with such others, but I don't. They share the costs of display rooms at these shows. Because Salk speakers tend to increase the crowd numbers, those other amp, cable, and DAC makers all want to ride on his coat tails. Jim gets to be picky, and within reason, I think he might take the highest bidders.

Make an effort to see him. He'll be happy to talk.

 

[ryanosaur]

His post back on the Phil thread on that other site saying he would be there is the last reason I needed to go! Looking forward to meeting him, and Rick Craig.
Pass Labs was supposed to be there but came off the exhibitor list fairly recently. Not that I necessarily envisioned myself becoming an owner anytime soon, but intrigued by their gear none-the-less.

 

[Swerd]

I've met Rick Craig in the past. His speaker designs are good, but he's very thin-skinned or insecure about himself, I can't tell which. When I spoke with him, I apparently provoked him because I wore a Salk t-shirt. So, if you see him, don't mention what speakers you own.

 

[ryanosaur]

I've met Rick Craig in the past. His speaker designs are good, but he's very thin-skinned or insecure about himself, I can't tell which. When I spoke with him, I apparently provoked him because I wore a Salk t-shirt. So, if you see him, don't mention what speakers you own.

He knows. My saga when Jim said he had to look at the costing sent me on a tailspin. I talked to Rick about his Illuminoso kit as a back up if the Phils 3s fell through. *shrugs
I'm still very intrigued by those speakers! 'Would love to redesign the cabinet a bit, but other than that, those are possibly the closest thing to full range at the cost!
The only other thing that really interested me are the Troels Graveson designs!

Either way... not the way to test your skills on a first time build!!!

 

[slipperybidness]

The California Audio Show opens today. This will be my first experience at such an event. Hope the Dogs and Ponys are all dolled up properly! Can't wait to touch my first $100K Speaker!

Can't wait to touch my first $100K Cable, either!

Pics or it didn't happen!

Yeah, the biggest eye opener for me when I attended RMAF is the proliferation of snake oil and "cable magic". I just roll my eyes and walk away.

I also "liked" the guy that explained to me that his record cleaning machine has now made it affordable for the common man, and priced at "only" $800.

There is something to be said about going towards the afternoon on the final day, you may be able to scoop up deals for demo gear that the reps don't feel like packing and shipping home.

And yeah, Vandersteen wasn't a very welcoming person to me, gave me a look like I was wasting his time b/c I couldn't possibly afford his speakers.

 

[Swerd]

Yeah, the biggest eye opener for me when I attended RMAF is the proliferation of snake oil and "cable magic". I just roll my eyes and walk away.

You definitely meet "all kinds" at these audio shows, and the vendors depend on it. I quickly learned I would never convince any of them that they shouldn't believe in magic. Now I only pay attention to those few who don't.

The best fun I had was following Dennis Murphy around to see & hear the other speakers in the show. He could quickly (within seconds) hear and describe in words what most of those speakers did wrong. In private, his most snarky comments were when we heard those extremely large & high priced horn loaded speakers – the kind that were sold with those flea-powered 1 to 3 watt tube amps.

Occasionally there were a few speakers where he only listened and didn't say much. Those were the good ones. If the designer was around, he'd get engaged in a half hour long conversation with him.

 

[slipperybidness]

You definitely meet "all kinds" at these audio shows, and the vendors depend on it. I quickly learned I would never convince any of them that they shouldn't believe in magic. Now I only pay attention to those few who don't.

The best fun I had was following Dennis Murphy around to see & hear the other speakers in the show. He could quickly (within seconds) hear and describe in words what most of those speakers did wrong. In private, his most snarky comments were when we heard those extremely large & high priced horn loaded speakers – the kind that were sold with those flea-powered 1 to 3 watt tube amps.

Occasionally there were a few speakers where he only listened and didn't say much. Those were the good ones. If the designer was around, he'd get engaged in a half hour long conversation with him.

Yeah, Dennis is a class act, never denouncing his competition in public.

But, certainly he catches onto the flaws for speakers.

I picked up his demo set of (Alexis) Philharmonitors from one of the DC shows several years ago. I didn't attend, but he didn't sell them at the show, so I scooped them up.

 

[PENG]

Too bad they don't do it any where near Toronto.

 

[Swerd]

Too bad they don't do it any where near Toronto.

I think that makes for a good question. Why are there no audio shows in Canada?

Are there barriers to temporarily importing so much audio gear from the USA? Or are there too many sensible Canadians and a distinct lack of audiophiles with more money than sense?

 

[Pogre]

I've never been to an audio event. I think I'd like to go check out something like this, but man... I'm half afraid I'll come home and suddenly hate my speakers.

 

[ryanosaur]

Well, I made it out alive! Barely.
...and with my credit intact! Whew!

There are some cool things I’ll share when I get home and have a chance to sort through things.

I’ll say in advance that the gentlemen that drew out to this did not disappoint!
Rick and Selah Audio had a little 4-way tower that impressed with good sound in that little room they stuffed him into. Crossing at 200, 1200-1500(sorry lost that detail) and 4000.... I don’t know the drivers yet, but it’s a design he built specifically for the show!
Jim Salk brought the 9.5s. All I can do is paraphrase a quote from Heathers: “F’ me gently with a chainsaw!” Wow. D@mn. Jumpin’ Jesus on a pogo stick! There is a sound I love and it has 2 names: Dennis Murphy and Jim Salk. He set up NO room treatments. Frankly, this was the best sound in the show.

One last note: a custom one-of-a-kind 3-way speaker using all Accuton drivers in an all aluminum enclosure: is nice!
WANT!

 

[Swerd]

He set up NO room treatments.

Jim has done this before. There may have been no visible room treatments, but rest assured, he arranged and rearranged that room until it sounded right. And he learned what music to avoid playing in that room.

One last note: a custom one-of-a-kind 3-way speaker using all Accuton drivers in an all aluminum enclosure: is nice!
WANT!

That sounds like an audio-show statement speaker. Few, if any, will be sold.

With three Accuton drivers and an all-aluminum enclosure, will it require two 2nd mortgages, or merely one?

 

[davidscott]

I've never been to an audio event. I think I'd like to go check out something like this, but man... I'm half afraid I'll come home and suddenly hate my speakers.

I've never been to an Audio show either. I envy you guys. Have fun and provide some pics!

 

[Russdawg1]

Man, I wanted to go so bad. Didn’t work out unfortunately. Maybe I’ll catch it next year.

 

[ryanosaur]

Ok, I finally have a moment, but how to start?
First, the show seemed on the small side to me, and I got the impression that some didn’t show up. Pass Labs was one I was hoping would be there, for example.
Regardless, good and bad, gimmick or Gotta Get, there was some cool stuff.
I think I will post my worst in show first.

Lesson 1: if you are exhibiting, be in the flippin room! Don’t let the DAC rep say, “I’ve never heard of these guys before.”

@ $29,000 per pair, I give you the Unisinger UIA-2/Platinum.

Horrible room layout aside, the bass was so bloated and awful that nothing else about the speaker even approached making sense.
I listened to two tracks and left.

For more info:
https://www.dagogo.com/unisinger-uia-2-series-platinum-loudspeakers-review/
http://www.unisingerusa.com/platinum.html

Sent from a handheld device using a silly little app.

 

[lovinthehd]

Salk teaming up with

Jim Salk says he'll be there:

Yes, I will be there in person. We will be showing the SS9.5's along with Mike McGary's SA1 tube amp, Exogal's Comet DAC and cables from Anticables. Should be a fun show. The gear was shipped to the show in advance and I'll be in SF Wednesday evening. Looking forward to meeting our SF-area friends and making new ones!​

Purists get alarmed when speaker makers like Salk team up with such others, but I don't. They share the costs of display rooms at these shows. Because Salk speakers tend to increase the crowd numbers, those other amp, cable, and DAC makers all want to ride on his coat tails. Jim gets to be picky, and within reason, I think he might take the highest bidders.

Make an effort to see him. He'll be happy to talk.

I hope so, otherwise that's somewhat disturbing.

 

[shadyJ]

Salk teaming up with


I hope so, otherwise that's somewhat disturbing.

You would like the way Dr. Hsu runs his rooms when he is at shows. He uses a mid-level Onkyo AVR with literal lamp wire to power his speakers. He won't say so, but he is totally trolling the high-end nonsense crowd at these shows. And his room always sounds great.

 

[lovinthehd]

You would like the way Dr. Hsu runs his rooms when he is at shows. He uses a mid-level Onkyo AVR with literal lamp wire to power his speakers. He won't say so, but he is totally trolling the high-end nonsense crowd at these shows. And his room always sounds great.

Yes, am aware even tho never attended.....one reason I admire Dr Hsu so much....the hi end nonsense crowd needs it for sure.

 

[Verdinut]

I think that makes for a good question. Why are there no audio shows in Canada?

Every Spring, there is a show in Montreal. I heard that there were some in Toronto as well.

I went to many shows in Montreal. Back in the 1960's and 1970's, there were annual shows taking place at the Mount-Royal Hotel which was later demolished and replaced by condos. Then, you could meet manufacturer's reps with whom you could discuss. Since I was interested in the Altec Lansing speakers at the time, I was able to talk with their reps who came from Anaheim. In the 1970's they had at least a sales office in the Toronto area and I have a good recollection of our meetings.

Nowadays, most of the reps are store owners and some of them don't even know much about electronics or speaker building. They are either bullshitters trying to sell their snake oil, or remind me of a BB clerk. Times have changed.