2017 California Audio Show in Oakland, CA - Partial Review


Hi Everyone!

Got to go to the show in Oakland. My first stop was to talk to the ASC guys. I like their uber-pricey products and thought they'd give me some good pointers. Unfortunately I really did not like the rooms which were heavily treated. This kind of surprised me. The best sounding rooms had only a pair or two of bass traps.

Also, Pass Labs was very much present in these rooms, so I can't tell completely whether what I heard was ASC/Pass or my own sinus issues. You are free to call me tin eared, but I'd rather you answered with rooms you really liked instead. :)

The universal characteristics of these over-treated rooms was single-note bass and a broad mid-range suck-out. Unlike the best treated rooms, where the bass really opens up and appears to have infinite reserves and speed, these just seemed to hit one note powerfully. And the same note in various rooms.

The best sounding rooms (and I did not go to all of them) were the Vienna acoustics, Soundlabs and Fritz room, and one more room that was selling speakers based on the Linkwitz designs.

Fritz also got some off-the-record praise from a pair of beautiful and accomplished recording artists I ran into at the Blue Coast table. They thought they were pretty nice given the prices. I concur.

The best headphone sound I ever heard at a show came from the Woo Audio display by Audio Visions SF. They had a 2-piece headphone amp for around $4k. FAR too much for me, but wow, what sound. Now they have the new, $8k model. I did not listen to it. I mean, I want to, but in the end I almost never listen to headphones anymore.

Also, Napa Audio / Visual Art speakers was there. I heard the art panel speakers gimmicky, but honestly I though they were not bad considering the restrictions they were under. Perfectly find for installations when you have zero floor space to give. Also, they should have safes hidden behind them.

If you went, let me know your thoughts.
erik_squires
Re: Napa/Visual Arts

I thought that they were decent.

I mean, not the best speakers I’ve ever heard, but for the application, and tonal balance, really quite good. I wouldn’t run screaming from a room playing music on them. Also didn’t get any imaging or detail. I did note a couple of recording types listening for a while. Both African Americans, one in a Baseball kind of hip hop outfit. Saw them later but they were busy talking to Cookie at Blue Coast so didn’t get their input. They seemed really nice, but they were deep in recording stuff.  They seemed to be enjoying themselves sitting in the sweet spot. Maybe WAF was important to them??

I ran into the only 2 female audiophiles and musicians at the entire show. :) They thought the center-all-in one was pretty poor sounding.

I have to say, the rooms all pretty much sounded awful. I could not wait to get home and clean my ears with my own system. Tonally, however, the Napa/Visual arts and Vienna rooms were the best I heard.

Best,

E
hi @passet02 ,

Vienna and Fritz Audio. My two female audiophiles also praised Fritz.

Best,

E
Erik,
I live in Sacramento and completely forgot about the show!  Where are you located?  I'd like to meet up with you sometime.  Mark
Hi Mark!

I only learned about it from Fritz's posting. :) I thought the show was dead.

I'm in Tiburon.

Best,

E