The Triode Corporation (electronics), Acoustic Zen (speakers and cables), TriangleART Turntable room at CES 2015. 26 photos.
Acoustic Zen introduced their new Maestro statement speakers. Triode Corp introduced their new big 212 tube-based amplifiers, which drove the Maestro effortlessly.
[Yes, the setting sun was problematic in some of these rooms. But with temperatures in the mid 60s, it was worth it :-)]
It is funny [or not] when I read the better show reports and how they report on these rooms setup by Acoustic Zen and Triode Corp at all these shows. They point out something like that they heard a slight issue with the sound of a part of one of the tracks they played here. Ah, then this, they imply, can’t be best of show then.
What this really says to the perceptive reader who reads a lot of these things and thinks to themselves a little bit is that, hey, these rooms are such reliable performers, and it is so boring to keep awarding them the accolades they deserve, that they will dig deep down and find something [anything!] wrong so they do not have to put them somewhere on the BOS list yet again. The Lamm rooms experience this same thing.
Show reporters get so bored with seeing the same things each show [most of the gear, the setups, the people… it is all 98% the same from show to show] that they need to mix it up once in awhile and pick someone else as BOS, someone else to talk and rave about. And heaven forbid that they bore the readers [equals less traffic equals less ad revenue] by talking about the same old boring rooms that sound good, that perform well, each show after show after show.
And the speakers are only $18K? And the electronics are actually fairly reasonably priced?? BO-ring. Can’t get any more boring than this. Show reports got to be exciting wiiiild stuff, man…
They played music here. It sounded like music. It did nothing egregiously wrong and got a lot just right. It was immensely enjoyable. Like freaking always.
Well, I guess [and after all I am kind of a show reporter too…] I am also a wee tiny bit bored :-).
Yah, you know, each show it is the same… I can’t ever afford to spend a lot of time here [and this is what sucks about being a show reporter who actually goes to all the rooms (otherwise you have prejudged the show before you even arrive! Having decided what is best by the choice of what rooms you omit even visiting)]. You know I have to go and check out all those other rooms…
*sigh*
[This is a excerpt of a post made during CES 2014. We are doing some of these in order to modernize the website a little].
Acoustic Zen Crescendo II speakers ($18K) driven by Questyle R200 wireless amplifiers and Raysonic CD player.
This was the first room I visited as I started touring the show with my big honking canon camera instead of my nice little light phone camera.
Acoustic Zen usually shows with Triode Corp electronics, but they are ‘taking a break’ in order to show that each sounds quite good without the other [we have photos of the Triode Corp room as well].
One of the more modest systems at the show, the total being in the low $20K’s.
The speakers were bi-amped with two Questyle R200 amps per speaker, each amp costing about $800.
The Questyle amplifiers were connected to the Raysonic CD player, not with cables but by the Questyle wireless transmitter.
The sound was quite good and dynamic, and only rarely and at high volumes could you tell that this was a solidstate system, and a very inexpensive one at that.
This system had exceptional imaging and I think we can say it was the best at the show in this regard [I think I can safely say this because it is rare that I get ‘startled’ by the imaging – but in this room I was. It is not for very note and every instrument, but often enough that it is frequent and noticeable]. Someone I respect heard this system the day after the show at the factory in San Diego, and unprompted said the same thing about the imaging… so if you are ever in San Diego…you can hear for yourself.
Here you see the Crescendo II speaker and the two Questyle amps.
The amps are cinched down because the power cords weigh more than they do and would otherwise tip the amps and pull them off the platform.
As you can see, no interconnect connecting the amps to the CD player, because it is wireless.
The CD player and the Questyle transmitter
The Raysonic CD player
The Questyle T2 Transmitter sending the CD player signal to the amps.
Static display of more Questyle gear.
