Sony had a room this year and were showing the same SSAR1 speakers that they show in the IsoMike room [over the last several shows]. The source was Emm Labs and the amps Pass Labs, also similar to the IsoMike room.

A cutaway, empty cabinet view of the Sony SSAR1 loudspeakers

The Perfect8 ‘The Point’ Mk2 loudspeakers

Last year they brought their larger speakers, which were interesting, although there were issues with the cone drivers keeping up with the ribbons. This year, after what were described as significant modifications, the speakers were not as interesting, perhaps because they were driving the system with the Slim Devices, which is perhaps not the best thing to use when trying to demonstrate high quality speakers - although one ’should’ still be able to hear around it…

The Grand Prix Monaco rack had a Zanden CD player and BAlabo electronics.

A Perfect8 ‘The Point’ Mk2 speaker

A Perfect8 ‘The Point’ Mk2 speaker closeup

A Perfect8 ‘The Point’ Mk2 speaker

A Perfect8 ‘The Point’ Mk2 speaker

A Perfect8 ‘The Point’ Mk2 speaker from behind

The Zanden 2000 Premium transport

The Zanden 2000 Premium transport

The Zanden 2000 Premium transport

The Zanden 2000 Premium transport power supply

The BAlaba BC-1 MK II control amplifier

The BAlabo BD-1 DAC

The BAlabo BD-1 DAC from a different angle

The BAlabo BP-1 MK II amplifier

The Slim Devices transporter

The Blue Smoke Entertainment Systems music server

Burnester usually brings a 100% Burmester system to these shows, and this year is no exception.

The Burmester B-100 loudspeaker

The Burmester B-100 loudspeaker

The Burmester B-100 loudspeaker

The Burmester B-100 speaker closeup

The Burmester 089 CD player. Really love how this looks, but hard to photograph.

The Burmester 089 CD player.

The Burmester 089 CD player.

The Burmester 089 CD player.

This is the Burmester 038 power conditioner

The Burmester 911 MK 3 amplifier

The Burmester 111 Musiccenter

On static display, the Burmester B10 loudspeaker

I thought that this year this room finally kicked.

Last year the turntable sounded kind of weird and not as a person might expect. This year there wasn’t any such problem.

I remember thinking that “If I was these guys, I would be very happy with the sound”. It sounded just like I always expected Kondo to sound, albeit at shows [starting at least as far back as the San Tropet the year when Kondosan passed away] they have been trying loser speaker after loser speaker and then prototype speaker and prototype speaker until now, finally, I got to hear them sound good at a show.

I am of the opinion that the better a system is, the longer it takes to understand its strengths and weaknesses - so I can only begin to try and describe a little of the ‘house sound’ here [as an example, I think most of you could go into Best Buy and listen to the systems they have there and start listing all their problems. They are so horrible that they are extremely easy to describe. Conversely, pick up a Stradivarius in a pawn shop and start playing it, it might take one years to find its particular strengths and flaws].

Kondo and Audio Note U.K. do share, still, a basic sonic profile - ANUK having more energy and excitement, Kondo being more relaxed and stately. There is also some overlap between Zanden and Kondo - Kondo having, I think, more harmonic resolution, a little more separation, Zanden adding a little more forceful flow to the music.

The Kondo speakers

A Kondo speaker. They brought these last year as well. 2 years ago they brought the big brother of these speakers.

The Kondo Ongaku integrated amplifier

The Kondo Ongaku integrated amplifier. Yes took a few photos of this.

The Kondo Ongaku integrated amp.

The Kondo Ongaku integrated amp.

The Kondo Ongaku integrated amp from above

A few shots now of the Kondo ‘Ginga’ turntable

The Kondo ‘Ginga’ turntable

The Kondo ‘Ginga’ turntable and IO-M cartridge

The Kondo ‘Ginga’ turntable and IO-M cartridge

A final shot of the turntable.

The Kondo G-70 linestage preamplifier

The Kondo G-1000 linestage preamplifier

The Kondo G-1000 linestage preamplifier [one of these is a prototype. This one I think]

The Kondo KSL DAC

The Kondo GE-1 Phono preamplifier and CFz MC steep-up transformer

Too many people here crowding the system for me to get more photos this year

Zanden Audio showed their gear on a Grand Prix Monaco Silverstone F1 isolation system (equipment rack) and Monaco turntable, speakers were the Wilson Audio Sasha loudspeakers.

I thought this room did not quite have the charm that it has had in previous years. Maybe it was just me, and in any case with the short time I was there I did not have time to pin down exactly what the differences were.

The Grand Prix Audio ‘Monaco’ turntable

Grand Prix Audio’s ‘Monaco’ turntable

The Grand Prix Audio Monaco turntable

The Zanden 2500S CD player

Zanden’s 2500S CD player

The new Zanden 1300 Phono Stage

Zanden’s new 1300 phono stage

The new Zanden 6000 integrated amplifier

A few shots of the Wilson Audio Sasha speakers in lights

The Wilson Audio Sasha speaker in lights

This room was hosting a little get together and no music or video.

On static display were lots of things that I wish I had time to figure out what it all is for

EgglestonWorks was showing their speakers on Boulder gear in this room. Here we see the EgglestonWork Isabel Signature and Rosa Signature loudspeakers

Another shot of the EgglestonWork Isabel Signature and Rosa Signature loudspeakers

the EgglestonWork Isabel Signature and Rosa Signature loudspeakers

The EgglestonWork Isabel Signature and Rosa Signature loudspeakers

The pair of Boulder 1050 amplifiers

The pair of Boulder 1050 amplifiers from above

A Boulder 1050 amplifier closeup and in your face

On static display were the EgglestonWorks Andra II loudspeakers

RBH Sound was showing their loudspeakers on Boulder electronics in this room.

The RBH Sound Status Acoustics 8T loudspeakers

The RBH Sound Status Acoustics 8T loudspeakers

The RBH Sound Status Acoustics 8T loudspeakers

Boulder amplifier

Boulder 1021 CD player

Other RBH Sound loudspeakers on static display

Morel makes speaker drivers and loudspeakers.

New Morel loudspeaker

New Morel loudspeaker

New Morel loudspeaker

Naim CD player and Viola amplifier and preamp

Viola Cadenza preamplifier

Viola Cadenza preamplifier

Static display of lots of Morel speaker drivers