CES And T.H.E. Show 2013

Vandersteen and Aesthetix room

Internals of liquid cooled Vandersteen M7-HPA (High Pass Amplifier)

FURIOUS: Vandersteen at CES

I had a nice chat with Richard Vandersteen as we discussed the evolution of his show systems. He seemed pleased with the direction his rooms had taken over the past few years, noting that room treatment and setup seems to be the most neglected element of show systems. Indeed, few were as carefully laid out as that highlighting the Model 7 ($48K+), which characteristically was full bodied, easeful and richly textured as it was coupled with Ayre electronics. The Aesthetix Io Eclipse Phono Stage with outboard power supply (15.5K) with a Brinkman Balance table and Triplanar arm with Lyra Atlas Cartridge played into the Ayre Calysto Eclipse Line Stage ($17K) with optional volume control ($2.5K) and the Atlas Mono Amps ($16K/pr).  An intriguing new liquid cooled amplifier, the M7-HPA, for “High Pass Amplifier,” complete with fully balanced “floating” (i.e. physically isolated internally on movement absorbing cushions) circuitry, is designed to drive the top end of the Model 7 Speaker; price will be upwards of $30K.

Grabbing an info sheet on the Treo Speaker ($5,995) to make my notes, I didn’t look closely until well after the show when I spied the flat cone woofer which took me back in my memory to a pair of Phase Tech speakers with flat woofer cones which I loved. Knowing Richard, there is some efficacy in the driver to be included in this model. It’s a good thing when a speaker modeled on the Quatro Wood ($10,900+ depending on finish) is available, sans active bass, at a lower price point.

Nola Speakers room

Nola Concert Grand Reference Speakers

FALSE START: Nola at CES

The show had potential to come to a big finish for me as I came at last after four days to the Nola Speakers room. Here was put up a quarter of a million dollar system, but it didn’t sound like a quarter mil. Maybe it was the quarter mile (seeming) distance between the listening seat and the rig that threw things off for me. I kept moving physically closer to engage the speaker and get the sound field to open up wider and more convincingly. The combination of Audio Research Reference CD8 ($9K), Reference 10 Preamplifier ($30K) and Reference 75 Tube Power Amplifier ($9K) didn’t make a strong impression with the Nola Concert Grand Reference Speakers ($197K).

I would like to hear this speaker system in a completely different room, with different electronics. I have heard very engaging Nola setups in the past, including one at RMAF 2011 which was stunning, and suspect that this was a tough situation for Nola. I will withhold judgment until I hear more from this