The GT Audio Works room was one of the rooms that received recognition for one of the best of show at the Capital AudioFest by Todd Anderson from AV Nirvana.
Congratulations to Peter and his partner Karl at Vu Jade Audio and Greg and Steve at GT Audio Works!
QUOTE:
I’m feeling a tad impatient today, so I’m
flipping the standard script and kicking things off with my favorite find at
CAF 2017. Mind you, the word “best” is loaded with subjectivism and caveats,
especially when it comes to sound. But for my money, GT Audio Works and its magnificent GTA3R Planar/Ribbon
Speakers ($12,000/pair), which were matched with Sound Insight’s dual SI 600
Open Baffle Subwoofers ($17,000), graciously slid into home for the win.
I’ve had the pleasure of knowing GT Audio
Works’ Greg Takes for several years, first meeting him as he demoed his GTA2.5
speakers at CAF several moons ago. Take one look into the man’s eyes and you
can see both audio passion and total sincerity. And take one listen to his
handmade large-panel creations, and you’ll be left stunned with amazement.
Takesh’s six-foot tall GTA3R utilizes a full
range planar driver (72-in x 10-in) and an accompanying ribbon tweeter (72-in x
½-in) to deliver playback from 40Hz – 30kHz with amazing efficiency (92 dB).
And when paired with dual Sound Insight SI 600 open baffle subwoofers (six 12”
drivers each, performance to 16Hz), the system’s articulate punch and depth is
downright ridiculous.
This entire system (speakers and subs) can be
purchased for $29K, making it a relative bargain when compared to its high-end
competition. By my math, the speakers' supporting cast of Pass Labs pre-amps
and monoblocks (not to mention Triode Wire Labs power cords, cables, and
interconnects, an Esoteric K01x SACD player, an Acoustic Signature Triple X
Turntable, and a Vu Jade Audio tubed DAC ) pushed the room’s total system value
just south of $200K. But I wouldn’t be surprised to find that more budget
oriented buyers could purchase the GTA3Rs separately and usher wickedly
beautiful sound into their homes for significantly less.
The GTA3R is built to order, which means the
speaker’s wood and finish are all customizable. Considering that it essentially
looks like a wood framed cloth panel (high quality craftsmanship, mind you),
the speaker is somewhat unremarkable in its appearance. But its sound (oh that AMAZING
sound) is what you’re paying for. And let me tell you, they sound stunningly
beautiful, presenting a massive and highly detailed soundstage that’s
punctuated by serious depth.
And clarity? It’s all there, folks.
Clarity, balance, and natural tonality.
This speaker is, bar none, the best speaker
you’ve never heard, and I challenge anyone to find another $12,000 speaker that
can touch its class.
Bold words? Yes.
But my ears have fallen in love with GT Audio
Work’s creations and this year’s showing at CAF was simply spectacular. Do
yourself a favor: visit Greg Takesh (or his Long Island, NY dealer: Sound Insight High End Audio) for a private demo. And if
you live outside the New York area, read his website’s offer for guests that need to fly to his location
(it takes the notion of rolling out the red carpet to an entirely new level).
Note that the Vu Jade Audio Direct Heated Triode DAC was demonstrated with an Esoteric $27K CD player as the transport in the system. Must have been a good reason for using that DAC in the system. The GT Audio Works Team would also agree that the Vu Jade DAC is something really special. I know that they offer a 14 day in-home trial period.
Here is a link to the report:
https://www.avnirvana.com/threads/capital-audiofest-2017-show-report.1723/
Here is a link to a You Tube video: