A&L Audio Station's main room had full range of Dali speaker and sub woofers on display.
They also had Unison Research turn table? Kinda looks like it has Clearaudio DNA.
One of the main A&L demo systems is PS Audio Perfectwave memory player, pre/power combo by VTL and Dali Helikon MKII speakers.
The PS Audio Perfectwave memory player, VTL 6.5 pre amp, all powered by PS Audio Power Plant Premier re generator.
VTL MB450 Signature mono block tube power amp.
The other A&L system on demo is Focus Audio Maestro 2.5 and Unison Research tube pre/power combo.
The golden allure of tubes!
I could really get use to these Unison Research babies in my room.
This year AV World has only a small, entry level system on display, but I thought the sound was promising despite the budget price tags. They also had an AV show theater going on too.
The Cambridge Audio components made a fine partnership with the Mordaunt-Short speakers.
On static display were AV World's newly acquired brand, Atlantic Technologies speakers.
The big bad Swedish Statement room had one of the finest AV system going on inside. The system uses ADAM Tensor speaker range, including the flagship Alpha seen here. The Vivitek projector used gave surprisingly good visual results.
The Vitus power amp for center chanel.
Top of the range Denon Blu-ray player and surround processor amp is used along with the Bladelius Grandel multi chanel power amp. In all honesty, this is the only AV system which came close to rivaling the superb AV Designs home theater install.
Maxx Audio-Visual demoed the full SVS Sound sub woofer and speaker range plus future new products. Like the soon to be launched B&O ICE Powered 7.1 multi chanel amp. You can read about it later in my 10 Qs for Ron Stimpson article later.
The SVS Sound PC-13 Ultra sub woofer.
The big D&M Holding's room showcased some of Denon's latest products which includes this budget turn table. Even the big boys are cashing in on the vinyl revival!
This year Denon also celebrates 100th Anniversary! Congratulations for reaching centennial status.
The ATS room features all the hifi furniture, racks and tweak cones that they manufacture.
Racks every where!
Center Circle Audio displays the latest Soneteer hard disk music server system as seen here.
Modwright Instruments hybrid design power amp on display.
Raidho C-2 speakers and Eggleston Works Dianne on display. Stay tune for my 10 Qs article with Jim Thompson to find out more about the Dianne story. It's certainly interesting to say the least!
The Pathos Endorfin CD player fronting Parasound JC series pre/power amp combo powering a pair of Eggleston Works Andra 3 speakers. This system sounded a little raw on Friday morning, but after Jim worked his magic on the Andra speakers positioning, the sound opened up and became highly fluid. By Saturday, it was one of the most improved sounding systems in the show.
Other than the usual superb HT install(I could not take pictures of that as it was dark), the AV designs room this year featured my reference PMC Fact 8 doing home theater duties with Bryston electronics.
AV Designs were also promoting their new Oxygen cable brand. This is a high sonic performance and value for money cable offering. Cable construction is first rate despite the budget prices.
The main Flagship AV room featured JBL Everest and Mark Levinson 512 tower mono blocks, which are the current Harman Group flagship products.
Turn tables every where! Even Simon Audio has em! This Almarri turn table set is probably the analog bargain of the show, packaged with an Audio Technica AT95E cartridge and an MM phono stage, priced at RM$1.2k only! Surprisingly, it's not China, but Canadian made too.
Other than the Pass Labs, KEF Reference combo system, Perfect Hifi also had the Wilson Sasha speaker on demo. The Wison Sasha is a love it or hate it speakers, no in between, based on post show comments. Some will like it's high dynamics and bass slam capabilities, while others complain about it's ear piercing highs! The Wilson was powered by the ARC Reference Anniversary pre amp and Goldmund power amps.
This DCS Pucini can double up as PC music streamer too. It's used to sourced the above mentioned Wilson Sasha system.
The full range of Sonus Faber speakers on static display.
Other ARC tube amps on display.
The main CMY big rig, which many seemed to be disappointed with the overall sound performance. This system had all Naim amplification and Proac Carbon Pro 8 speakers.
The system also had a Clearaudio Master Reference turn table and...............
A stack of Wadia Series 9 components as sources. This is also where Franck Tchang and Robert Suchy did their work shop activities. Which may explain why the system is not well set up for most of the time.
JV Concept room had the full range Golden Sound products on display, including tube pre/power amps and.....
A pair of floor standing speakers. All USA designed and China made.
Golden Sound also specialises in audio tweakery products, like cones, cables and resonators.With this final part, I end our KLIAV 2010 show reports.
See ya all again next year.
By the way, many regular readers indicated that they liked the KLIAV 2010 show babes coverage, as it gave them a bit of a time out for eye candy and to rest their ears.
BIG E,
ReplyDeleteGood covering report for the KLIAV show, i've spended my precious Saturday in the show as i'm all the way from Sabah, it's kinda exciting show this year, read from a few major net forum about the poor system set up by CMY Clearaudio Master reference system, all is negative feedback to their system, but to me i have an extremely different thought, here is my point of view about them.
As what i can see from the last 3 years KLIAV Show, CMY shown aggressively expend from year to year, superb usher system in 2008, voted best dynaudio & jeff rowland system in 2009 in hifi-unlimited, very infomative & full of fun during the ASI Resonator talk, almost full line of mouth drooling Clearaudio TT in aesthetic display this year, i'm feel impressed even i'm not TT kaki.
The most important thing is i can feel their sincere spiritual interest into the business. why i say so ?
Here's a few of my comments:
1) Do you guys think is cheap to accommodation 2 products principal from oversea ?
2) Show constructed material, i'm in wood & carpentry business for more than 2 decade, they easily invest more than 6k only into the well made display cabinet, they are not a major player like SONY, PANA etc which can spend huge money for the roadshow almost every weekend, tell me which other excibitor don't mind to do that, if other excibitor can do what CMY does, i'm really looking forward to the KLIAV 2011 with long necked.
3) Strictly on promote of the product & provide infomations by the product principal to the visitor only, no hard sale, no pressure, product 1st, money later.
4) Good interactive in between John & Chan (boss & employee), Really like a team. i don't think i will have any problem for their after sales service if 1 day i become their customer.
I don't really care about the sound system quality after all i can't afford it anyway, so no point to declare statement that is not a good system or lousy setup, like Frank Chang said: I don't have your ear !. Be fair to them & appreciate what the effort they have done, a part of the few brands like pro ac they had been carry for so long, from usher, wadia, dynaudio, metronome, frank chang resonator, jeff rowland to clearaudio, i have to salute them to make the hifi market getting more & more choice to the customer.
I admire their courage & passion in the business, they are the most RESPECTABLE dealer / excibitor to me.
Just my two cents.
Sam,
ReplyDeleteI am glad you tokk the trouble to come all the way to attend the KLIAV show.
From your post, I must congratulate you for being a sophisticated and very mature thinking audiophile. It takes a lot of good attitude and patience in life to form your conclusion.
I couldn't agree more. I just wish more people would see things that way.
I personally find CMY to be some of the friendliest hifi dealers in town. They are new to the analog thing, but I am sure with time, they will improve their game.
Hi, I missed the KLIAV due to job commitment. But this is made up by reading your great coverage of the show. I can't help but notice the absence of Audio Image and their products i.e. Soulution pre/power amps and Magico speakers. What's up?
ReplyDeleteHi Sam,
ReplyDeleteWell said.
But we must also thank all the other exhibitors as well for their support. Without them there would be no show for us to attend.
I agree with you that the CMY folks were quite pleasant. I came in late Sunday afternoon when, I am sure, everyone must've been so tired. But the CMY manager whom I spoke with about the Clearaudio Innovation table was ever so polite and willing to answer all my queries. He had a genuine smile too. One can always tell by looking at the eyes.
Thanks also to the HiFi Unlimited team for their untiring reports. I believe they have managed to cover most of the noteworthy rooms without bias or prejudice.
I have a few comments of my own :
1) The organisers could not have chosen a worse location than the Starhill Marriot. It was right smack in the busiest shopping and tourist area in the city and the weekend traffic was a real killer. Finding a place to park your wheels was next to impossible. I think the organisers wanted to catch as many pedestrian walk-ins as possible. But I think they also managed to cheese off some real audiophiles as well.
I would think that the Putrajaya Marriot would have been a better choice. Audiophiles don't mind the extra distance especially if it is very accessible.
2) Almost all the rooms were playing way too loud. There was always the ubiquitous, piercing treble to bleed your ears. I had high expectations of the TAD room after reading your reports, but I got me a full-faced, heart-stopping frontal assault with bass to shake the very foundations of the hotel. I regret I didn't get to hear what you guys heard but I do believe that the TAD system would've been quite pleasant if they had been a little judicious with the spls.
3) Two rooms were outstanding to me : The first one I came across was the Audiomatic room which displayed Vitus electronics driving Marten Getz speakers. Though these speakers were not run-in yet, when played at sane levels, they portrayed great detail with wonderful body. Bass was both agile and palpable. And of course, Eugene was his usual affable self.
4) The other room which impressed me, displayed Bladelius electronics with Amphion speakers. Ingram Washington had so much presence in that room. And all this with just a pair of stand-mounted speakers which did not cost an arm and a leg.
5) The free drinking water outside of the restroom on the ground floor was very much appreciated indeed.
6)The restrooms were surprisingly clean, dry and sweet-smelling. I said surprising because I know ( and you know ) that Malaysians can't shoot straight and they don't know how to flush.
7) My sincere appreciation to the organisers for successfully harnessing the support of the exhibitors to put up a great show. I think we are all aware that there had been better shows in KL previously, before the economic meltdown of recent times. That is why, all the more reason, that we must thank the organisers with genuine appreciation for their superhuman effort during these difficult, recovery years.
Lastly, a request to the HiFi Unlimited team. Hey guys, I dont think there is a law which forbids you to occasionally include yourselves in the photos which you publish. We would like to know you better or at least recognise the people who are putting Malaysian hifi on the map. Don't be shy le. But not too often also for laughing out loud.
cheerio.
Drubb, Joseph,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind words. The KLIAV show was tiring for us. But we felt the need to cover the show comprehensively for not everyone could make it to the show.
Like Drubb, I found most rooms playing too loud for my liking. I normally request to reduce the volume, unless there are others in the crowd objects. Perhaps the "loudness" war has also spilled over in to the Malaysian hifi scene?
A particular dealer got pretty upset when I asked to reduce the volume, because he thought I did not like the sound! I tried to explain but he still thought I did not like the sound.
The organisers, 3 DOT Events recognised our efforts last year, and gave us free unlimited access to the show this year.
As usual, we hope for a better show mext year.
Joseph,
ReplyDeleteFYI, Audio Image did not partcipate in the show, along with a few other dealers.