Companies featured in gallery below: Reference 3A, Focal, Resonessence Labs, Grandinote, Kudos, LEEDH, O2A Cables, GutWire, Madison Audio Lab, Synthesis, Gradient, Tri-Art, DeVore Fidelity, Gala-Solo
Salon Son & Image attracts a large number of exhibitors from all over the world. It's this diverse group of exhibitors that helps to make events such as this one great. So as we've done at previous shows, we photographed a number of people who work for these companies and showcased them in this gallery in recognition of the fine work they do.
On March 22 the SoundStage! Network's publisher, Doug Schneider, moderated a panel discussion focused on the topic of women in audio. Invited to the panel were four women deeply involved in the industry: Anna Popva from Conceptas O2A (Switzerland), Agata Mossop from Lenbrook Industries (Canada), Gabi Rijnveld from Crystal Cable (the Netherlands), and Angie Lisi from American Sound and Angie's Audio Corner (Canada).
The first day of Salon Son & Image is open only to the trade: dealers, distributors, manufacturers, and press. It's so the industry insiders can get together and do their work and not have to worry about interfering with the members of the public when they arrive on the following day.
Companies featured in gallery below: Arteluthe, Advance Acoustic, Aurum, Bryston, Ledoux Acoustics, Tannoy, Simaudio Moon, AIX Recordings, MA Recordings, Octave Audio, Dynaudio, Woo Audio
Did you hear about the new $4.5M Lamborghini supercar? Many did -- the company announced it and it made headlines around the world despite the fact that only a few will ever be built. Obviously, people like to know about expensive stuff just because it's there, not because many can afford it.
There were a few systems on display that genuinely retailed for less than $5000. Here are three of the standouts.
The rules governing the sub-$5000 system challenge weren't exactly clear. Was that $5000 at full retail price, or could it be considered the actual selling price for which retailers were willing to let it go?
Here's a unique idea for high-end audio -- value! The proliferation of cost-no-object systems at audio shows no doubt leaves the average consumer feeling somewhat left out. While featuring monstrous conglomerations of absurdly expensive gear helps to draw a crowd, that same crowd needs to see something affordable that might just work well in a real home. Of course, exhibitors do bring affordable gear with them, but it's usually stuffed in a corner, probably not even hooked up.
Welcome to the 21st century. I left my home in Toronto, heading to Montreal with a five-hour drive ahead of me. That's no big deal, really, as I love long-distance driving; I have a fun, fast car (Subaru STI) and a good stereo system (JL Audio sub, Morel speakers, and US Amps tube-hybrid amplifiers). Part of my pre-drive preparation involved copying over a bunch of high-resolution music files to my Android phone. Once in the car, I hooked the phone up via Bluetooth to my car deck and used the system for a number of tasks. I made phone calls using hands-free access, used the phone's GPS to guide me right to my hotel, and listened to music through the car system.
Several years ago I started dreaming about what I thought a perfect Windows-based laptop of the future would look like -- extremely fast (including boot-up), big screen, super thin, ultra light, durable, and without a traditional hard drive (eventually, they always fail in a bad, bad way). A couple months ago the computer I fantasized about came to life: a Samsung Series 9 ultrabook-type computer with a super-good 15" display, near-instant boot-up, and a solid-state drive. The moment I saw it arrive at the store, I bought it and have had no second thoughts since.
That show conditions are not ideal for the reproduction of recorded sound is not in question. A hotel room is an unknown quantity, and I've seen exhibitors struggle for days to try and optimize the sound of their components. Add a crowd of audiophiles who -- in the best of times -- aren't exactly cognizant of their surroundings, and things can go from bad to worse.
I sit down and listen to DeVore Fidelity speakers every chance I get (read: once a year at the Salon Son & Image show). There's something intensely intimate about the sound of these highly efficient, elegant speakers that makes me feel comfortable and warm.
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