STEREOMOJO SPECIAL DUAL REPORT
Part 6
Triode is company that makes tube products in Japan, and makes them very well. Our publisher used their 300B amp as an SET reference, they're that good - at a very reasonable prices. This is Triode's new TRV845SE that puts out 20 wpc pure class A and sells for $6,000. That's a little pricier than most Triode amps, but distributor Santy Oropel Of Twinaudio.com explains, "Yes it is more than usual, but the transformers weigh 60 pounds all by themselves and are hand wound, plus the parts are upgraded as well to a very high level."
What he didn't say is that a major part of the problem is that the US dollar is in the toilet which makes imported gear much more expensive for Americans. Several companies didn't even want to quote firm prices on their new products because of that factor.
Raysonic, amid a light show of blue LED's, showed their impressive CD228 2-box CD player ($4200) and Reference 23 monoblocks using a gaggle of KT88 output tubes ($9990).
The integrated amp on the right is the new SP-500 Integrated Tube Amplifier with 7591A EHx 8,12AU7 x 4 tubes.
Output power: 70w x 2 channels.
World's smallest electrostats by KS audio.
Sonist showed their new smaller-than-the Concerto 3 ,the Recital 3 (on the right) features a 6" woofer, ribbon tweeter in an integral waveguide in the solid poplar front baffle, tapered sidewalls, 93dB sensitivity, 8 ohms, with frequency response from 45Hz - 40kHz, as well as Goertz Alpha Core copper foil inductors, Audience Auricaps, Black Hole 5 cabinet damping, Cardas Tri Eutectic lead-free solder, Audience Auric hookup wire, Cardas gold-plated solid copper binding posts, Cardas jumpers, bi-wireable and bi-ampable, and adjustable floor spikes. Whew!
Do you watch "the Price is Right" gameshow? If you go to the show, you might win a pair of Sonist speakers! Randy Bankert, Mr. Sonist, tells us he's giving away a pair on the show.
We can say we wouldn't mind winning a pair, the Sonist's are one of the true bargains in audio, especially since they are so friendly to low powered and less expensive amps.
On the other extreme, if you have one of these.....
Just hand it to these guys for this system, but don't expect any change.
That's right - a million dollar system.
Swedish speaker maker Perfect8 was playing this 2-channel system (not even surround) which included a pair of Perfect8 Forces with 3 powered subwoofers and two extra super tweeters and a whole bunch of $$$$ cables and other accessories. We didn't ask about the amps, but then, if you have to ask......
And no, we didn't ask to review them.....
Wait. How did it sound? Great. But it wasn't the Best Sound at Show.
In fact, the Best Sound at Show wasn't at CES. It was at The home Entertainment Show in the Flamingo.
How's that for a tease?
It wasn't these megabuck speakers from Kondo, either, driven by several hundred thousand dollars of electronics.
Not the $239,000 Grand Masters or whatever they called them by Hansen.
Can you guess who makes these?
Hint: They're called the Orangutans.
What speaker maker names his speakers after monkeys?
John Devote of course. He was a joy to talk to. He appears to have a real passion for music, audio and his speakers.
And yes, they sounded good, even though they weren't quite a finished product. At a comfy 95dv sensitivity, they include a 1" silk-dome tweeter and a 10" paper woofer for $8,000. Maybe.
Pretty cool, Stereomojo. Take me to your Best of Show Awards!