Clearaudio put on a demo that looked like I was back at the Louvre. The setting was dark with a lot of accent lighting used to great results showing their extensive product line.

The many different styles, types and levels of turntables would have made most vinyl lovers think they died and went to LP heaven. In the back of the room was a setup that used Clearaudio's own new line of amplifiers that were quite impressive I might add. To put this room together took quite a bit of staff support. So when the day began to wind down, it wasn't unusual to catch them all jamming with hordes of LPs. A wonderful display by a great group of people. 

                                                ____________

Dr. Roland Gauder of Isophon hit the proverbial home run in this, possibly his best, loudspeaker in the Isophon Cassiano ($10,000). Moreover, he paired it with a Thorens TEM 3200 amplifier. That's right, Thorens, a company more known for turntables. Rated at 200 watts per chassis into 8-Ohms, this $15,000 mono design uses a single extremely powerful N-channel MOSFET in each signal path to avoid the notorious hazards of matching issues. Aside from all sorts of other inventive features that you can see at their website (www.thorens.com) you should know this was perhaps one of the most impressive sounds I heard at the show. Last year, Gauder paired with Behold in what I considered easily the best sound at the show. This was not as big, bad, or as expensive a demo room. But it was nearly as impressive believe it or not! The clarity, openness, the sense of space and the smoothness in transients was simply excellent. There's a lot to like in these loudspeakers as well as these exciting new amplifiers coming from Thorens. 

                                              ____________

This little odd looking pro mini-monitor (left) is called Aucos Q-2b from former Audio Physic designer Joachim Gerhard. Though odd, it sounded quite impressive considering its out-of-this world design concept. I should add that the sound of this particular transducer was so impressive in fact, that I was summoned on more than one occasion to this room. Not only to hear this loudspeaker but to also meet its designer Gerhard himself. A very modest gentleman, who I thanked immensely because of my affection for the Audio Physic loudspeakers, the Caldera particular, when I was first bitten by the audio bug.

It was at this moment Gerhard reached into his briefcase and showed me what was up his sleeve with respect to his new company. His new line of reference caliber loudspeaker is called the Sonics Line Passion-S loudspeaker. More information is available from their website at http://www.sonicsonline.de/German/Ger_Passion.htm

                                                 ___________

German distributor Highendwerk showed some serious electronics from Brinkmann Audio that featured their new loudspeakers in the Capra loudspeaker. The only thing I know about this loudspeaker is its use of "Air Motion Transformer" type ribbon driver. Their website doesn't mention these wonderful looking drivers so I am to assume they're brand spanking new. Mr. Brinkmann himself (photo left) did say that these loudspeakers have officially entered the market. You know if this loudspeaker becomes available here in the States, I'll be one of the first to put my bid in. It sounded that impressive the short time spent listening. At a price of around $23,000, I don't think it's priced too extravagantly either.

                                           _____________

At the end of the day nothing could quite compare with the sound of a real instrument. Nothing.