Now, for the final part of the KLIAV 2009 show full report.
AVP Soundcraft, the new Simaudio representitive in town, show cased a full line of the flagship Moon series electronics powering a pair of German Physiks omnidirectional speakers. The sound was highly impressive to say the least. With lightning fast transient response, tight, solid bass and very airy highs, making sound staging very believable and convincing. Too bad the mids were a bit lean for vocals, and the music choice was rather limited to showcase the system's strengths. One of my personal top 3 fav demo.
Over the Simaudio Moon???
A closer look at the German Physiks speaker.
AV World, demonstrated a very tonally balanced, coherent beyond reproach sound, from a system, consisting of the lagendary Mark Levinson electronics and KEF Reference speakers. Cables are all Nordost and a Burmester Sine Wave Reconstruction PLC helps no doubt. These guys know some good, real world music choices too. A mighty fine demo. On static displays are B&K amplifiers and the full line of KEF speakers.
Great synergy from the ML and KEF combo! Noticed the Nordost Valhallas streching across?
The Burmester Perfect Sinewave Regenerator, very potent indeed!
More KEFs on display.
Great synergy from the ML and KEF combo! Noticed the Nordost Valhallas streching across?
The Burmester Perfect Sinewave Regenerator, very potent indeed!
Not to be out done, A&L Audio also had a big demo room on the 4th floor, displaying their newly aquired Dali speaker line and VTL tube amps. Their main demo system consist of a 2 pc PS Audio Perfect Wave memory player, VTL 6.5 Signature pre amp and MB450MKII mono block power amps and a pair of Dali Helikon Euphonia MS5 speakers. The sound was big, powerfull, warm and dynamic. Also on static display were the full lines of Dali speakers and VTL tube amps. PS Audio power products were also featured here.
The latest Dali Euphonia MS5, and VTL tube amps!
PS Audio Perfectwave memory player with VTL 6.5 Signature pre amp.
Dalis in a row.
The ATS Marketing room featured their full range of locally made hifi supports, racks, speaker stands and isolation cone sets.
Wood support?
Or would you prefer acrylic?
The Ayre/TAD Ref 1 demo room, presented by Pioneer, is one of my top 3 fav demos. The sound was highly resolved, transparent and very coherent. Though some others had remarked that for a big system, the sound was rather small scale, but that's my point actually! How many big systems can portray sonic imeadiacy like a smaller system??? I also found that the highs tend to beam at certain frequencies from the speakers, but that's more of a set up issue, I guess. The system is made up of Ayre CX5e CD player, KX-R pre amp and MX-R mono blocks powering the TAD Ref 1 speakers.
AV Designs had some very impresive surround sound AV system on display, probably the best AV display of the show! They had devoted most of the show time for AV demo, which has short changed us stereo dudes a chance to hear the new PMC PB1i speakers powered by full Bryston electronics in it full musical glory. I did get a chance for a private audition and it was impresive. I was so musically awed by the sound, I had forgotten to take the pictures! Sorry James.
The new PMC Fact 8 speakers on silent display, no sound! James tells me this is PMC's new direction for the next generation of speakers.
I missed this Bryston setup, which was in my room just a few days before the show.
The naked Torus Power PLC, it shows that you're not paying for a box full of air!
Next up is the Kondo demo room, displaying the full Kondo Japanese set up. Many remarked that it did heavenly vocals and organically beautifull music. I personally think this set up is more for conoisuers whom are very seriously well endowed!(think $$$...........)
I've heard that you could buy a prestigeous condo in Kuala Lumpur for a full Kondo set price!
More condos, err..... Kondo on display.
The Sooloos Meridian room was show casing more of the user friendly interface in the Sooloos music server, feeding low level signals straight in to a pair of Meridian DSP powered speakers.
The Sooloos Meridian music server, the future of music sources?
Another room featuring music servers is the Norman Audio demo room featuring a pair of Avalon Acoustic NP Evolution Series 1.0 speakers power by an intergrated amp. Crystal cables were on display too.
The Avalon Evolution NP 1.0 speaker.
See the great amount of room treatment efforts by Joamonte?
The very refined Vitus Audio electronics, the high end aura is certainly there!
Look at your RM1.2 millions worth of high end audio.
And lastly but surely, here are the following results of our Readers Choice for Best Show Demo.
The latest Dali Euphonia MS5, and VTL tube amps! PS Audio Perfectwave memory player with VTL 6.5 Signature pre amp.
Dalis in a row.The ATS Marketing room featured their full range of locally made hifi supports, racks, speaker stands and isolation cone sets.
Wood support?
Or would you prefer acrylic?The Ayre/TAD Ref 1 demo room, presented by Pioneer, is one of my top 3 fav demos. The sound was highly resolved, transparent and very coherent. Though some others had remarked that for a big system, the sound was rather small scale, but that's my point actually! How many big systems can portray sonic imeadiacy like a smaller system??? I also found that the highs tend to beam at certain frequencies from the speakers, but that's more of a set up issue, I guess. The system is made up of Ayre CX5e CD player, KX-R pre amp and MX-R mono blocks powering the TAD Ref 1 speakers.
AV Designs had some very impresive surround sound AV system on display, probably the best AV display of the show! They had devoted most of the show time for AV demo, which has short changed us stereo dudes a chance to hear the new PMC PB1i speakers powered by full Bryston electronics in it full musical glory. I did get a chance for a private audition and it was impresive. I was so musically awed by the sound, I had forgotten to take the pictures! Sorry James.
The new PMC Fact 8 speakers on silent display, no sound! James tells me this is PMC's new direction for the next generation of speakers. I missed this Bryston setup, which was in my room just a few days before the show.
The naked Torus Power PLC, it shows that you're not paying for a box full of air!Next up is the Kondo demo room, displaying the full Kondo Japanese set up. Many remarked that it did heavenly vocals and organically beautifull music. I personally think this set up is more for conoisuers whom are very seriously well endowed!(think $$$...........)
More condos, err..... Kondo on display.The Sooloos Meridian room was show casing more of the user friendly interface in the Sooloos music server, feeding low level signals straight in to a pair of Meridian DSP powered speakers.
The Sooloos Meridian music server, the future of music sources?Another room featuring music servers is the Norman Audio demo room featuring a pair of Avalon Acoustic NP Evolution Series 1.0 speakers power by an intergrated amp. Crystal cables were on display too.
The Avalon Evolution NP 1.0 speaker.The jewel like Crystal cable, for the feminist in an audiophile?
Auralex sound treatment products made it's KLIAV debut courtesy of Acoustic Innovations.
Lastly, my personal top 3 fav demo at the KLIAV is also the most expensive, the Swedish Statement main demo on the 4th floor, cost a whopping RM$1.2 million! The sound is understated, refined and highly transparent. It's strength is more in micro dynamism rather than macro dynamism. Most say that I had eye-fi ed rather than hifi ed. But my point is, irregardless of price, it's still the single most impressive system on display(I am talking sound wise!) Most have failled to factor in the point of diminishing returns at this level of high end audio. Frankly, the sonic diference between an RM$500k system and of those costing more than a million is somtimes not that much either! Never expect to double the returns for the double of your $$$ investments, well at least that's the way it is with high end audio. Anyway, this is where the big boys play! This system had plenty of room treatment help from our dear friend Joamonte, whom spent more than 3 sleepness nights tweaking the system.
Lastly, my personal top 3 fav demo at the KLIAV is also the most expensive, the Swedish Statement main demo on the 4th floor, cost a whopping RM$1.2 million! The sound is understated, refined and highly transparent. It's strength is more in micro dynamism rather than macro dynamism. Most say that I had eye-fi ed rather than hifi ed. But my point is, irregardless of price, it's still the single most impressive system on display(I am talking sound wise!) Most have failled to factor in the point of diminishing returns at this level of high end audio. Frankly, the sonic diference between an RM$500k system and of those costing more than a million is somtimes not that much either! Never expect to double the returns for the double of your $$$ investments, well at least that's the way it is with high end audio. Anyway, this is where the big boys play! This system had plenty of room treatment help from our dear friend Joamonte, whom spent more than 3 sleepness nights tweaking the system.
See the great amount of room treatment efforts by Joamonte?
The very refined Vitus Audio electronics, the high end aura is certainly there!
Look at your RM1.2 millions worth of high end audio.And lastly but surely, here are the following results of our Readers Choice for Best Show Demo.
1st place, total of 4 votes = Swedish Statement, featuring Marten Design Coltrane Supreme & Vitus Audio electronics. (Panzer, 1 vote)
Joint 2nd place, total of 3 votes each =
a) CMY, Dynaudio Confidence C4 & Jeff Rowland electronics with Acoustic System accesories.
b) CMY, ProAc & Naim electronics with RGPC power supply.
c) Kondo, full Kondo system.
d) Ong Radio, full McIntosh system. (Hifikaki, 1 vote)
Joint 3rd place, total of 2 votes each =
a) Rave System, Wilson Benesch C-60 & Gryphon plus Weiss electronics.
b) Norman Audio/Hi Way Laser, ATC SCM50A & Ayre electronics.
c) Audionote, full Audionote system. (Hifikaki, 1 vote)
d) Pioneer, TAD Ref 1 & Ayre electronics. (Panzer, 1 vote)
Others that made the survey with 1 vote each =
a) Tropical Audio, Harbeth & Quad electronics.
b) Centre Circle Audio, Amphion, Pathos and Esoteric, with JPS cables.
c) AV Designs, PMC & Bryston electronics.
d) AV World, KEF Reference & Mark Levinson electronics with Burmester power supply.
e) CMY, Dynaudio Confidence C1 & Jeff Rowland electronics with Siltech cables. (Hifikaki, 1 vote)
f) AVP Soundcraft, German Physiks & Simaudio electronics. (Panzer, 1 vote)
g) A&L Audio, Focus Audio FS88 & Densen electronics.
All tallies are taken from those votes presented by our readers, taken from an earlier survey. Also tallied in to account is Hifikaki's and my own top 3 fav demo choice.
Hifikaki's top 3 fav demo choice:
1) Audionote, full Audionote system.
2) Ong Radio, full Mcintosh system.
3) CMY, Dynaudio Confidence C1 & Jeff Rowland electronics with Siltech cables.
Panzer's top 3 fav demo choice:
1) Swedish Statement, Coltrane Supreme & Vitus Audio electronics.
2) Pioneer, TAD Ref 1 & Ayre electronics.
3) AVP Soundcraft, German Physics & Simaudio electronics.
Congrats to all the those exhibitors mentioned above, your extra care in setting up efforts have made a strong imppression on the KLIAV 2009 show goers and our readers. My special congrats to the Swedish Statement team for an extra ordinary strong showing.
In summary, I thought the show would be a subdued affair, with the economic crisis in full swing and wanning stereo interest, as indicated by demographics. But as the show ended, most dealers actually reported higher interest, with more quality enquiries than before, which indicates a healthier stereo market. We can only speculate the show attendence traffic, once 3 DOTS Events, the show's organizers release their statistics.
Once again, I throughly enjoyed the show.
Here's looking forward to another KLIAV show next year!
12 comments:
great!!! as i thought. congratulations!
I quote "our dear friend Joamonte",
can the reviewers be more objective...and remove all hints of partiality ;-p
Please mention votes from whom so as to be fair (reviewers vs others)
I only counted 2 outsiders who voted Marten in this thread
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=15183108&postID=1273901217063514918
Somehow previous URL was truncated.
Should be
http://desirableaudio.blogspot.com/2009/07/
kliav-2009-top-3-favourite-demos.html
Only see 2 out of 19 inputs (from both readers/reviewers) that voted for Marten
I also checkted that the header read as Reader's choice and not Reviewer's choice ;-)
Just in case I made a embarassing mistake :)
Thanks for the praise , I sure many of the systems in the show is not even performing to 50% of their best during the demo,including the Swedish Statement room,I have the chance to heard in midnight alone where it sound best, very big different from day time , I can't enjoy my system anymore after back from the show, after experience to Supreme system sound when it at it's best...
Like or don't like the sound is one thing, but I really appreciate all HiFi distributor that spend their money, time and effort to set up those flagship system that most of us might unable to afford or not willing to buy....compare to the getting worse and worse Singapore HiFi Show , this show is like a audiophile heaven, even Mr Vitus of Denmark Vitus design told us he enjoy the show ,and most of the sound is consider good compare to CES...
Hotbird,
Too bad you didn't come over to the show,if not, maybe you might able to give us your "objective" comment on the best sound of the show....but IMHO this voting thing is just gather of all "partiality" personal opinion,different visitor listen in different time, and all have different definition of "good sound"..... do you really need to be so mean? LOL!
Joamonte
I actually visited the 2009 Munich hifi show where the same Marten setup was demo-ed albight in an small hotel called Fleming Hotel (this was the small side show that Srajan of 6moons intentionally missed out as it was not part of the main Munich show). I can assure you I have heard the Marten setup, and at the same time listened to an Einstein+Acappella setup at the same venue. I much preferred the Einstein setup. Perhaps they should invite Joamonte to Munich next time to set up theirs....;-)
so what is writers' best choice?
Hotbird,
Like everyone else, I try to be impartial as best as can be. But we all have our favourite brands of hifi, food, girl friends and even friends. We are all only human after all.
So Are you suggesting that just because Joamonte, whom is a personal friend of mine, so happens to render his services to Swedish Statement, therefore is not allowed to win in this poll?
Do remember that with my 1 vote, I could not have made any diference, if 3 other people did not share my enthusiam for the big Swedish Statement sound.
And please take the time to look and count the various votes on the said thread clearly again, I counted 3 times before I posted the results just to be sure.
I re-counted 2 more times after you have hinted that I may have rigged the vote count so that the "in your view" undeserving winner, could win.
To be fair, it doesn't make a diference to me which exhibitor wins this poll. I may be friendly to half the dealers exhibiting and may not have known others prior to the show, and still do not know some of many whom exhibited.
I must make clear that neither myself nor Hifikaki voted on any exhibitors based on friendship. It's all based on what we heard, and our personal preference.
Just incase you did not noticed, both me and Hifikaki do not even share or agree on a single exhibitor vote of top 3 fav demo. Does that mean we are accusing each other is wrong?
Like I've always said, it's o.k. to not agree with my taste of hifi and music. It is through such diversity, we thrive.
Lastly, for the sake of transparency and at the request of Glenn Chin, I have modified the table to indicate Panzer's and Hifikaki's votes, so that there shall be no further confusion arrising from the poll.
I'll also state that all votes tallied are final after today's recount. No further disputes nor accusations of vote rigging will be entertained.
Have a good day!
Thanks for updating the table, so at least from a pure standpoint of only readers' choice, readers can know there are actually a 4 best show demo tie for the show (sans all the reviewer's votes). That's the transparency I am hoping for, as it is now very clear where some of the other votes came from. Frankly I never accused anybody of rigging, but on the basis of fairness and literal accuracy, would have thought that a readers' choice pick should be purely reader-driven. Then even it's really just 4 different readers who posted that Marten's room was the best, and not 3, I would not have brought forth my controversial views. Again thanks for the clarification of what had happened.
All,
To be frank I don't think it is that important who gets first place. What is important is that we enjoy ourselves.
This is the first AV show that I have stayed for more than 2 hours. In other years, I just went in and out in 1.5 hours. Most of the time was spend on scouring the cds on sale. This time I could not find any outstanding cds though. Maybe next year.
It's good to know that the KLAV show has improved by leaps and bounds, judging by what many has said. I was at the show a few years ago and wasn't impressed, spending more time scouring for delicacies along Jalan Imbi ;-).
There are 2 more hifi shows concurrently this weekend, 1 held in HK, the other in Taiwan. Some of my Malaysian friends are heading up north for the HK show, while I know another heading for the TW show.
hotbird,
I appologise if I seem a little irritated by your request for transparency and accountability to the poll results.
I think I owe it to our readers.
Once again, thanks for the suggestion.
Ken,
I think you are so right this time. It really doesn't matter which demo won. At the end of the day, all those whom attended the KLIAV should have fun. That's all that matters.
I know I had fun!
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