What to see at audio electronics show

[django1]

I'm going to the Montreal electronics show (Festival son et image). Here is a link to the products that will be there. http://www.salonsonimage.com/en/tech...marques_EN.php Any advice on what I absolutely must see/hear? There is so much stuff for one visit it's kind of daunting. I'm a bang for the buck x-ls encore type of guy, anything I should look out for?

Thanks

[Hugh]

Bryston.

[SomeCiscoGuy]

I'm going to the Montreal electronics show (Festival son et image). Here is a link to the products that will be there. http://www.salonsonimage.com/en/tech...marques_EN.php Any advice on what I absolutely must see/hear? There is so much stuff for one visit it's kind of daunting. I'm a bang for the buck x-ls encore type of guy, anything I should look out for?

Thanks

Booth babes...:jiggy:

[Jason]

Bryston would be high on my list, as would the high end Anthem stuff. I love that D2.

Also perhaps KEF...especially if they have their new flagship, I'd like to hear/see those.

[droht]

I'd recommend checking out KingRex/John Blue and Usher. Pretty good value quotient for some of their stuff.

I'd want to spend time at Xindak, Signal Path (ERA speakers), Manley, and Mark and Daniel.

Should be an awesome show.

[Jason]

I noticed Rotel is on the list. Anybody know anything about their new ICE amps? I've always wanted their 1090 beast...sadly discontinued now

[woofersus]

Well, it may not fit your "bang for the buck" category as well, but having long been a fan of ADAM studio monitors and related equipment, I've been dying to hear their home audio products that were recently introduced. I think their cheapest stuff is in Onix reference territory, but as an "all ribbons all the time" speaker maker they'd be at lest a little unique in a room full of lookalikes. Worth at least a cursory listen in my book.

[SnowmaNick]

I'd look at era, fun speakers and they sound surprisingly good. If Dave Solomon is there he is a blast to talk to and his enthusiasm is infectious. Price to performance I think the D5's are great.

I'd also check out Bryston, Anthem, Focal/JM Lab, Dynaudio (if they are showing the Sapphire you are in for a treat, way out of a budget price range but awesome speakers), RAAL for a treat, KEF is they are showing the Muons (just to look at that much chrome, plus they sound nice :applause:), Sonus Faber to see some of the worlds prettiest looking speakers in person, Classe/B&W (most likely they will be shown together and probably B&W/Rotel will be there as a combo), Usher and Fostex.

That looks like a pretty darn good list of exhibitors so tons to choose from, take some comfy shoes and take lots of pics for us if you don't mind.

Have fun.

[Jason]

I would personally skip the kef's, heard their flagships 5-6yrs ago and would have rather had xls's, actually I think I would have rather had ****.... YES SERIOUSLY, they were that bad

what day are you thinking of going? never been to Montréal looks like its about a 10hr drive for me

Wow, didn't know that. I've only heard low-fi KEF stuff that's at the chain B&M stores.

I gotta say, I've been reading a bit about these ICE amps. Seems like they are the 'in' thing now, and I would be checking out those Rotel mono's.

[django1]

what day are you thinking of going? never been to Montréal looks like its about a 10hr drive for me

Friday. Meet you around 4:30 in the lobby. I'll be wearing my Django hat..:)

I went last year. It's at a Sheraton hotel, up to the eighth floor in the rooms. Cozy... Some companies have large meeting rooms and some are just hotel rooms with all the furniture gone...

[lngbruno]

If I were going I would want to spend quality time auditioning:
Adam, Audio Physic, Avalon, Ayre, Chord, Dynaudio, Elac, Pioneer Spkrs, HRS, Manley, Moon, PMC, ProAc, RAAL, Sonus Faber, Spendor, Usher, Verity Audio, and V-Flex Gamma Audio.

Have a great time,
Lou

[rumonkey2]

Should be a good time no matter what...

....but selfishly, I would like you to check out Zindak, seeing as how MLS mentioned AV123 being a distributor.....:eyebrows:

[Sandbagger]

not going to make it, just got home from the red wings game... and really really should take care of a few things. Plus I really dont want to drive the bravada up there, and havent called and put insurance back on the M3 yet

[django1]

If I were going I would want to spend quality time auditioning:
Adam, Audio Physic, Avalon, Ayre, Chord, Dynaudio, Elac, Pioneer Spkrs, HRS, Manley, Moon, PMC, ProAc, RAAL, Sonus Faber, Spendor, Usher, Verity Audio, and V-Flex Gamma Audio.

Have a great time,
Lou

The buddy I'm going with picked up some old (we say vintage now ) Spendor speakers and a Quad amp from a client of his ( the guy was going to give all this to him, my buddy felt guilty and gave him $300). Very impressive speakers. They don't look like much but they sound pretty well perfect to me. They still make them:

[django1]

Edit: "I copied this to the Montreal audio show report"

Enjoyed my time at the audio show (no booth babes though).

Straight to the point
Best of show . I really liked these: Green Gem http://www.gemmeaudio.com/page2/page8/page8.html. Only 50k$ and they are nice enough to customize the finish. That's the tiny monitors and the big console thingy with the 15 inch woofers. Btw they were powered by a new 50w Kingrex amp...


These little Adam monitors were stupendous. I believe it's the HM2

It probably didn't hurt that they were being fed by this


The most surprising and the one we listened to the longest was in the Tube Magic Canada(!) room (they actually have "Tube Magic Canada" written across the amp in BIG letters:ufo:http://www.tubemagiccanada.ca/ They were two dorky Chinese guys, the amps were kinda ugly and they had some huge, old beat up KEFs. The sound was incredible


Oh, here is what I think was the biggest letdown of the show. Focal Utopias. They put on a big do and I expected to be blown away. Each of these speakers weighs 657lbs and cost 80k$ for the pair. Astounding bass but, strangely, imo, unmusical.

These sounded good too but wouldn't fit my decor. I'll have to pass...


By and large there wasn't a lot there that I could afford and I came away fairly content with my little bang for the buck system consisting of x-ls encores a 707 dac and a Bill and Dweekie t-amp...

One thing I noticed is that I'd rather listen to good music on a bad system, than bad music on a good system:scratchchin:...

Also, I'm embarrassed to say that we walked by 3 strip clubs (twice) to get to the audio show and didn't go in...