This was the same system as shown last year, but the bass / room-interaction problem was a little worse than last year. Which kind of took away from the enjoyment of the incredibly seductive midrange that is the Kharma* 's speakers trademark.

Josh from SonicFlare.com was playing his compilation CD, having Bill Parish play about 30  to 60 seconds of each track (Josh had me do the same thing in our room on the 9th floor, as did Danny Kaey). This is a very efficient way, in my opinion, to get a feel for a system - and as an exhibitor, show reporter and show goer, I like it a lot - though I am not sure I have the guts to ask people to do it in other rooms (there is this whole: you MUST here each song to the very end, even if everyone is sick of it after 8 minutes of drum solos.... I exaggerate but the unwritten rule does seem to exist,. Let's all of us break it together - unless the song is by Pink Floyd. Or Radiohead. Or... :-) ).

Many people liked this room a lot. I wasn't so sure, hearing unevenness in the sound, and then I saw the Meridian CD player. Before we dived off the bridge and took the plunge to became dealers, we had Meridian CD players. We like them. But... we know their flaws. They burned a hole in our head in the Meridian sector and now we just prefer something a little more real, more refined, more musical.

So, when the turntable was playing, and when it wasn't too LOUD, this system was incredibly dexterous and musical and involving and 'uh oh, I was listening to the music and not paying attention to what François and Joe were saying, sorry guys. Oh but they were talking to Steve, anyway. Good. Uh oh, I did it again...'. In this configuration it was one of the best sounds at the show.

Some people worried about the CD player. Me? I am afraid of these speakers, as they have sounded quite strange indeed when I stand in between them taking photos of the equipment racks at various shows.

I know what you all are thinking... "Well, Mike, who, in their right mind, is going to listen to the speakers while standing in between them but gonzo photographers and dogs (cats are too smart)?' You all sound just like Neli.

Yes, the amps are really beautiful and expensive and it sounds like they may be worth the asking price says Steve.

Awesome, So why didn't you tell me this before, Steve? says Mike.

I did says Steve,

Did not, says Mike,

I must of told Neli, says Steve.

Oops, says I

Telling Neli is often like telling me, unless things are told in confidence, but not at shows... apparently. When there is so much going on and we are up to the wee hours playing music and talking audio and in general Having Too Much Fun, well, we consider ourselves lucky to remember our names in the morning as we stumble around trying to open the room by 9 am (that's 9 am! not pm, am!).

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Anyway, they were packing up already by the time I did finally get there, and even the amps had had their wood chassis removed. So, no photos and no listening and no report.

They might be at CES or might not. If they are, I'll try and get there before the last day.

This time I see they have a could of subwoofer? towers with drivers firing several directions.

Anyway, during this listen I did not get the feeling of magic which makes people devote their lives to these speakers. Hopefully I'll get to hear them again, and with my own music, at a show when there is more than a few minutes to spare. Unlike now.