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Details: Written by: Doug Schneider; Category: Features; Created: 11 May 2013

Amphion's Anssi Hyvönen brings an interesting topic of discussion to every event in which he and his company participate. For High End 2013, the topic was studio-quality sound for the home for a reasonable price and without much inconvenience.

Details: Written by: Doug Schneider; Category: Features; Created: 10 May 2013

Last week KEF surprised everyone by jumping into the headphone market with the introduction of the M500 on-ear cans and M200 in-ear monitors. But is it any surprise? Hardly. This is the fastest-growing segment of hi-fi right now, so with speaker companies such as B&W, Focal, and Paradigm offering 'phones of their own, the folks at KEF probably thought they should too.

Details: Written by: Jeff Fritz; Category: Features; Created: 10 May 2013

In "Part 1" and "Part 2" of this series of articles, I highlighted why it can be important for loudspeaker companies to make their own drivers. One reason is that, as a loudspeaker manufacturer matures, their capabilities grow, and showcasing that newfound growth can be important for the brand. From a more technical perspective, some loudspeaker designers naturally want to control the entire engineering process so that the final products are more wholly their own. These are extremely valid reasons either alone or in concert with one another.

Details: Written by: Administrator; Category: Photos; Created: 10 May 2013

Companies featured in gallery below: Dynaudio, Grimm Audio, Sonus Faber, Wadia, Octave Audio, T+A, Audio Research, Crystal Cable, Penaudio, Apoll Acoustics, Gato Audio, Kaiser Acoustics, Auris Audio, Aurelia

Details: Written by: Administrator; Category: Photos; Created: 10 May 2013

Candid photos at High End 2013 (taken May 9-10)

Details: Written by: Jeff Fritz; Category: Features; Created: 10 May 2013

Yesterday I examined the question that I know has been burning in your mind: does it matter if a loudspeaker company makes its own drivers? I answered in the affirmative, using the new Sonus Faber Olympicas as an example of why it can be important. And to whom. In Sonus Faber's case, it shows that the loudspeaker company has reached a certain level of maturity in their engineering and has improved their overall technical and logistical capabilities. In other words, they can really make a loudspeaker line. Make as in make.

Details: Written by: Administrator; Category: Photos; Created: 09 May 2013

Companies featured in gallery below: Gryphon Audio Designs, KEF, Nordost, AudioQuest, PMC, Tidal Audio, Audio Physic, Devialet, Simaudio, Naim Audio, Avantgarde Acoustic, Gauder Akustik, Soulution, Constellation Audio

Details: Written by: Doug Schneider; Category: Features; Created: 09 May 2013

Devialet's Manuel de la Fuente opened the company's May 9 press conference with some important remarks, but probably the most important for me was this one: "What is the future for our industry if everything simply keeps on getting more expensive?"

Details: Written by: Jeff Fritz; Category: Features; Created: 09 May 2013

The subject of making your own drivers comes up at shows. The loudspeaker companies that are doing it themselves like to brag about it, while those that don't . . . well, they don't tend to mention it. To the consumer, as far as I can tell, it doesn't really seem to matter all that much. But should it?

Details: Written by: Administrator; Category: Photos; Created: 24 March 2013

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

Details: Written by: Doug Schneider; Category: Features; Created: 24 March 2013

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.

Details: Written by: Administrator; Category: Photos; Created: 24 March 2013

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.

Details: Written by: Jason Thorpe; Category: Features; Created: 23 March 2013

There were a few systems on display that genuinely retailed for less than $5000. Here are three of the standouts.

Details: Written by: Jason Thorpe; Category: Features; Created: 23 March 2013

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?

Details: Written by: Jason Thorpe; Category: Features; Created: 23 March 2013

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.

Details: Written by: Jason Thorpe; Category: Features; Created: 23 March 2013

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.

Details: Written by: Doug Schneider; Category: Features; Created: 23 March 2013

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.

Details: Written by: Administrator; Category: Photos; Created: 23 March 2013

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).

Details: Written by: Jason Thorpe; Category: Features; Created: 22 March 2013

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.

Details: Written by: Jason Thorpe; Category: Features; Created: 22 March 2013

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.