Tokyo Show 2009

[joel]

Hey Chris,
Yeah, absolutely. Something I took away from this is that carefully set up and played within the limits of the room, most modern kit can sound pretty good. Things generally fall apart only once the volume is cranked up - unless, of course, you're prepared to eq...

 

[ReVoX]

Analogue at Tokyo '09

Any new decks and tonearms on view?

Are Scan Tech the only company showing a new cartridge?

Good photos and text, but please more analogue!

 

[joel]

Taoc

TAOC is the audio brand of Aisin Takaoka a Japanese car component manufacturer from Nagoya, most famous in this part of the world for their high-quality stands and spikes.

These are the F3100 series that use a revelator tweeter with a 180mm pulp woof/mid driver. It seems a pretty well-integrated package. no information is given about the xover. I'd guess around 2kHz.
MC Alain playing some Bach organ sounded pretty good (surprise), although it felt like the little speaker was maybe trying just a little too hard in the LF. Could be tricky to make this speaker work well in a smallish room without EQ (and a sub or three).
Beautifully made, of course. With WBT bining posts, wanky wire throughout and special iron anti resonance something or other (they're big on iron filings are TAOC)

All powered by its very own mini Rack of Acc

 

[aquapiranha]

always said Linn rock.

 

[joel]

DCS, Jeff Rowland, Avalon, Nagra

The man from DCS explains his 5 bits

Secrets-r-us

Jeff's sexy posteriors.

Mini rack of Nagg, er Nagra. Nicee, do try a bit harder with the rack next time, eh.

Avalon Eidolons sounded good. For around the same price as a Nissan GT-R, you'd hope they would. Again volume was kept under control, and note just how far they are from the rear wall in what is a big room. If you've the money, you've probably got the space as well...
Gotta love the cable elevators. Makes the whole thing seem like a hugely expensive train set, which it is, of course.

 

[Purite Audio]

Joel, I haven't seen the top box on the nagra rack before ( mostly heatsink ) new power amp?
Keith.

 

[joel]

Lanche, Marantz, Thorens, Sonus Flabber

Lanche have moved up from the "high-end" show. They no longer have to share. Good news.

Elephant Cock alert!

This little 7Khz resonator was hidden in the room by the Lanche guys. Apparently makes the same kind of difference a 10,000 dollar cable upgrade does. Who am I to argue

when the results are rather good. These speakers rock 'n' roll, though in a very civilized way.

Plasma tweeters are very well integrated, and the sound is seamless.

EMM Labs disc player, Grimm Audio DAC, some other bits and pieces and the excellent Digital Domain power amps.

Just setting off that room node, otherwise reasonable volume in what is a difficult room (Dartzeel / Joesph used to make an awful racket in the same space).
Lanche are really nice guys, have great sound and play some good music. I could have stayed in here all day.


And so onto Marantz:

Marantz and Classé amps in what is one of the larger rooms. Marantz (the M in D&M holdings remember), are importers of Bowers and Wilkins. They were playing a lot of Beatles, which was nice...

This was an extensively treated room with the speakers far away frm any boundaries. The sound was smooth, clean and well-balanced at the lowish SPLs.

Lots and lots of copper on display inside the Marantz. I don't get on too well with the looks, but there's no doubt about the quality.


And so it was I staggered punch-drunk into the Thorens room

A lovely row of TTs, but hang on that tone arm looks suspiciously familiar...

Well, it says Thorens, so that's all right.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the room...

Sonus Flabber was having a really torrid time. Even at low volume the grand aniflabbers.
Look nice, sound rotten (they react very badly with the room). Time to move on...

 

[joel]

Joel, I haven't seen the top box on the nagra rack before ( mostly heatsink ) new power amp?
Keith.

Yes, that's a complete Nagra setup of power / pre / CDP. Very, very cute. Static display only, though.

 

[Johns Naim]

Those speakers look very different to the Snells of old.

I will own a big McIn amp one day - even if only to switch on and look at the lights and meters

Rob, my local dealer down the road by 20 minute walk stocks the big McIn. And at prices more in line with what you are paying for Cambridge Audio. Well, OK, a little more, but many, many thousands below what is being asked for the flat earth axis of evil.

Ever thought of immigrating?

We have luverly weather as well.

Best

Jon...:MILD:

 

[Purite Audio]

Lansche sounded excellent in Munich too, my only slight concern is the tweeters and the pesky strength of the Euro weakness of the pound!
Going back to Nagra, i think that might be a new power amp, perhaps to replace the mpa?
Joel is that building just used for exhibitions? It looks a superb space .
Keith.

 

[murray johnson]

Avalon Eidolons sounded good.

Gotta love the cable elevators. Makes the whole thing seem like a hugely expensive train set, which it is, of course.

It must be an Avalon thing. Branko, at the recent Northants show had the same arrangement going on.

 

[andyoz]

It must be an Avalon thing. Branko, at the recent Northants show had the same arrangement going on.

I just find some of the tweaks absurd. I don't doubt they make a difference but there must be some horribly "sterile" looking listeding rooms out there and does it REALLY get you any closer to the real thing..

Also, the look of those speakers just don't do it for me. They might look better in the flesh though

 

[bottleneck]

I just find some of the tweaks absurd. I don't doubt they make a difference

really?

 

[joel]

EMT, UNICO, EMT, Digital Domain, Cabasse

I've heard Pass speakers sound pretty good in the past, not this year. I blame the "sensei" (as usual)

EMT I thought this was amusing. Badge engineering? It's not even engineering.

Unico turntable. New to me, but apparently not new. I liked the bandaged arm.

Aural Magic Processor. hmm.

Like Lanche, Digital Domain (and no, I'm not going to write that correctly) has graduated from the hi-end show. Generally a good thing, but meant no space for La Sphère this year.

I listened through the rather unfortunately named "Bora" loudspeakers, along with the full DD rig and a PC interface. The Marantz disc spinner is rather passé and little used. The racks are old Yamaha GT (Gigantic and Tremendous) turntable shelves

A new range of lower priced mini separates. Hopefully anyway.

Yet again the sound was OK. Fine in fact. Used within their limits, the speakers are not bad at all, and the amps are dead sexy if a little - lot- pricy. Though not all that pricey compared to some of the bling on display elsewhere.

Fiddling with the source. Sometimes CD just seems a whole lot easier...

 

[andyoz]

really?

Nah, I do doubt they work but don't want to start World War III by saying that.

 

[bottleneck]

I wouldn't worry - even our most ardent tweakers may raise an eyebrow over 'cable elevators'... its up their with shun mook !

Besides, these tweaky arguements seem behind the forum now which is great, they were getting kinda dull

 

[joel]

If people want to elevate their cables and mook their shun, then feel free. I cannot hear any difference whatsoever, but if it makes them happy, well that is what really counts.

 

[andyoz]

I just can't imagine sitting in a room and relaxing with all that shit going on. I like my speakers to merge into the back ground, with nice walnut wood, curves, etc.

I'm just not cut out for this audiophile game.

Can you just post some bloody JBL piccies Joel and get it over and done with?!!?

 

[andyoz]

I wouldn't worry - even our most ardent tweakers may raise an eyebrow over 'cable elevators'... its up their with shun mook !

OK, just googled Shun Mook and really wish I hadn't. The human race is doomed I tell ya....

 

[cooky1257]

OK, just googled Shun Mook and really wish I hadn't. The human race is doomed I tell ya....

If you had half a brain you wouldn't be blocking your ports you'd be using the Ultra diamond resonators-thankfully you have a full brain;-)

Joel, this is great.