Paris Audio Video Show 2023

[Short38]

Good to see how the 1% live

 

[Descartes]

Sonus Faber / McIntosh​

View attachment 324060View attachment 324061
Sonus Faber Stradivari

View attachment 324062
View attachment 324063View attachment 324064
McIntosh C12000 Preamplifier, C12000 Controler, MCD12000 SACD Player and MC611 Power Amplifiers

View attachment 324065
Sonus Faber Homage : Garneri G5, Serafino G2 and Amati G5

View attachment 324066
Sonus Faber Lumina I

View attachment 324067View attachment 324068
Sonus Faber Duetto Active/Wireless Speakers

Focal / Naim​

View attachment 324069
View attachment 324070
Focal Maestro Utopia Evo

View attachment 324071View attachment 324072
Naim NAC 332 Preamplifier, NSS 333 Streamer, NAP 350 Power Amplifiers and NPX 300 Power Supplies

View attachment 324073
Naim Nait 50 Integrated Amplifier

View attachment 324074
Focal Trio6 ST6, Solo6 ST6 Monitors, and Clear Professional Headphones

ATC / Chord Electronics​

View attachment 324075View attachment 324077
ATC SMC20, SCM40, and SCM50

View attachment 324079
Chord Dave DAC and Chord Ultima Integrated Amplifier

View attachment 324080View attachment 324081
Chord Ultima 3 Power Amplifier

Diptyque Audio / Atoll Electronique​

View attachment 324082View attachment 324083
Dyptique Audio dp160 MKII and dp140 MKII

View attachment 324084
Atoll ST300 Signature Streamer, PR400 Signature Preamplifier, and AM400 Signature Power Amplifier

Gryphon Audio​

View attachment 324085
View attachment 324086
The Gryphon EOS 2

View attachment 324087
The Gryphon Diablo 333 Power Amplifier

View attachment 324088
Brinkmann Audio Taurus Turntable

Cabasse​

View attachment 324090
View attachment 324091View attachment 324092
Cabasse The Pearl Pelegrina and The Pearl

View attachment 324093
Cabasse Murano, Rialto, and Abyss Streamer/Amplifier

View attachment 324097
Cabasse La Sphère

Atohm​

View attachment 324094
View attachment 324095
Atohm GT1 HD, GT2 HD, and GT3 HD

View attachment 324096
Atohm RS700 DSP Power Amplifier

2/5​

Thank you so much this must have been so much fun! The quality of the cabinets in some of these speakers are gorgeous! If only they sounded as good as they look!

 

[Mikycoud]

Your photographs are arguably the finest group of HiFi pictures I have ever seen. Unbelievably beautifully shot. I don't know how you do it.

I don't agree! There are a couple of pictures up there, where I can spot a few specs of dust. Come on dude, how are is it to carry (and use!) microfiber fabric (chamoisine Monsieur) huh?
Kidding of course, when you know how hard it is to shoot in those conditions (low level and mixed temperature lighting sources, constant crowd movement, average camera , multitude of funky textures with specular reflections all over the place etc etc), well, you know that our vintage friend here must have spent a lot of time and effort on this, so congrats to you for this great report!

 

[Sokel]

It's a pity hORNS didn't had their big boys there (Uniwersum MK 4) ,I would really like to see them in their true perspective.

Thanks for the pictures!

 

[BDWoody]

Your photographs are arguably the finest group of HiFi pictures I have ever seen. Unbelievably beautifully shot. I don't know how you do it.

What an amazing window into the show. Thank you so much for posting.

I couldn't agree more.

What a feast for the eyes. Very nicely done @VintageFlanker .

 

[boXem]

Your photographs are arguably the finest group of HiFi pictures I have ever seen. Unbelievably beautifully shot. I don't know how you do it.

What an amazing window into the show. Thank you so much for posting.

Having spent half of the day waiting for @VintageFlanker to finish his pictures, I can testify that there is a bit of work behind this superb result. And seeing the pictures makes me wonder if we were actually at the same place and time. That is really amazing.

Since I was not asked my opinion on the show, I will give it:
- Munich is the show for the 1%, this one is for the 5%. In fact some actually affordable (for westerners) stuff was demoed (Octavio in example)
- I enjoyed the SF Duetto demo because it was done by one of the engineers having developed the product. We could ask technical questions and have honest answers. Really refreshing.
- not too many bad demos, but no amazing ones either

 

[eddantes]

Anyone else want to see this on a Klippel? My initial reaction - "probably creates more problems than it solves".
From the website:

"The MonoWaveguide is the master technology of the Manufacture. Tessiture wants listeners to be as close as possible to the instrument, to the sound it emits, the vibration it produces and the emotion it evokes.

To do this, we have developed the MonoWaveguide, which is a passive technology for acoustic coherence. Protected by a European Patent, this tool improves the physical impedance of the various loudspeakers it covers. A loudspeaker category uses one waveguide per loudspeaker. We made the opposite choice of using a waveguide for all drivers. After a necessary readjustment of the channels between them to balance the sound, the sound diffusion allowed by the geometry and the related impedance, brings us closer to the sound reality of musical instruments. This fluidity is reflected in listening and significantly improves the sound signal. This also makes it possible to extend the sound spectrum, especially for the bass, offering the listener a wider spectrum and therefore a more realistic listening experience.

The MonoWaveguide, resulting from a morpho-acoustic work also studied from an architectural viewpoint by Kirwan Lelièvre, is a strong identity element. With its uniquely designed geometry, it can combine both sound enhancement and artistic object, offering top-notch products for its users."

 

[VintageFlanker]

Having spent half of the day waiting for @VintageFlanker to finish his pictures, I can testify that there is a bit of work behind this superb result.

Sorry mate, it is typically the kind of situation when I'm losing the track of time... Hope it has been bearable for you.
Anyway, it was great to finally meet you there IRL, after all these years!

Anyone else want to see this on a Klippel? My initial reaction - "probably creates more problems than it solves".

Probably does. I did not have enough time to properly listen to it. It was playing when I shot this, but I honestly didn't pay attention.

To do this, we have developed the MonoWaveguide, which is a passive technology for acoustic coherence. Protected by a European Patent

Well, "at least" that part is true (I've already seen companies lying about either imaginary, or rejected Patents). Here is the patent, BTW:

 

[Galliardist]

So no cables lifters in sight this year and less amps on the ground... which is good, things are improving.

Cheers for all the audio pr0n though @VintageFlanker, very professional shots.


JSmith

Relatively few turntables as well!

 

[Java Lu]

Thanks for your effort.
Nice pictures...!
Because of your visual, I have dream to set Perlisten and Nad purifi amplifier lol.
Also I wonder MA's new multiple driver. Looks very interesting

Mr KongKong, I will let you know that this dream is coming true at my house. I have ordered a pair of Perlisten S7t Limited Edition few month ago. And has been debating if I should go with NAD Purifi or something more traditional. Just now, seeing this picture, a NAD M23 has been ordered
You are welcome to come and aduit if intrested, although I am probabbly very far away from you.
Pure Villa, Luzhi Town, Suzhou provence, CHINA.

Very frustrating since the Perlisten weren't playing the time I was in the room...

I tho gave a short listen at the regular S7t (also with M23 amps) last year and they sounded very good, indeed.

Thanks for the TIP good sir!

 

[kongkong]

Mr KongKong, I will let you know that this dream is coming true at my house. I have ordered a pair of Perlisten S7t Limited Edition few month ago. And has been debating if I should go with NAD Purifi or something more traditional. Just now, seeing this picture, a NAD M23 has been ordered
You are welcome to come and aduit if intrested, although I am probabbly very far away from you.
Pure Villa, Luzhi Town, Suzhou provence, CHINA.

Thanks for the TIP good sir!

Oneday, if I go to trip China ...I will remember lol. Thx

 

[computer-audiophile]

Great photos, thanks for sharing. I view it with the same fascination and sometimes disgust that I feel when I see images of haute couture fashion shows in the relevant glossy magazines. While I am also into technology and design, and even have some fashion consciousness, all of this is far removed from my everyday life and doesn't really resonate with me.

 

[VintageFlanker]

Relatively few turntables as well!

Pretty sure that @JSmith was joking (were you?). Obviously, what you do see here is only a selection of mine, and could barely represent 50% of the products presented there.

I have ordered a pair of Perlisten S7t Limited Edition few month ago. And has been debating if I should go with NAD Purifi or something more traditional. Just now, seeing this picture, a NAD M23 has been ordered

Thanks for the TIP good sir!

Nice buy ! You have to consider that these NAD Masters and Perlisten speakers are presented together mainly for commercial purposes (not because they "pair well", nor they don't). Just because both brands do have the same importer for French market. Otherwise, any good measuring, and strong enough power amp should do the trick for the S7t.

 

[jeffme]

- Munich is the show for the 1%, this one is for the 5%. In fact some actually affordable (for westerners) stuff was demoed (Octavio in example)
- I enjoyed the SF Duetto demo because it was done by one of the engineers having developed the product. We could ask technical questions and have honest answers. Really refreshing.

Can you share any more details here? I'm very interested in where the SF Duetto / B&W Formation / KEF LS50wii / March Sointuva / Dev. Phantom wireless active market is heading in that price range. Seems like they are wedged in a weird space between Sonos / etc. on the low end and KEF LS60 (pre-fire sale) / Burch / Mesanovic / Dutch / Kii on the high end, so I'm wondering what kind of juice will get squeezed out of that middle.

How did both the Duetto and the Octavio sound? Did either hint at what's next on the roadmap?

 

[boXem]

Can you share any more details here? I'm very interested in where the SF Duetto / B&W Formation / KEF LS50wii / March Sointuva / Dev. Phantom wireless active market is heading in that price range. Seems like they are wedged in a weird space between Sonos / etc. on the low end and KEF LS60 (pre-fire sale) / Burch / Mesanovic / Dutch / Kii on the high end, so I'm wondering what kind of juice will get squeezed out of that middle.

How did both the Duetto and the Octavio sound? Did either hint at what's next on the roadmap?

I avoid giving my listening impressions because they are so subjective that they have no value for anybody else than myself.

Sointuva is passive and you are missing the Buchard actives in your list

 

[ubiq]

Biggest surprise was the Dyptique for me. Very deep extension for the such thin electrostats-like ("isodynamique"). Big soundstage, didn't sound too harsh.

Aaaaah. I had the same feeling 2 years ago with their smaller speaker (dp107), that goes down to 40Hz "only".

Congrats for the pics. Very good ones. BoXem is right : much more pleasing than the reality. And luckily, they don't convey any sound, as the place was often over-noisy, with loud demos overlapping each other...

 

[jeffme]

Sointuva is passive and you are missing the Buchard actives in your list

Ah... good point - got distracted by Sointuva's use of Purifi drivers. As for Burchard, I just got lazy & typed "Burch" - it's there!

 

[jeffme]

I avoid giving my listening impressions because they are so subjective that they have no value for anybody else than myself.

booooo.....

 

[VintageFlanker]

I avoid giving my listening impressions because they are so subjective that they have no value for anybody else than myself.

That's fine, I'll take the risk.

I'm very interested in where the SF Duetto / B&W Formation / KEF LS50wii / March Sointuva / Dev. Phantom wireless active market is heading in that price range

Sointuva are passive. Devialet are not comparable, being marketed for a more mainstream audience. They extend very deep, but they don't sound right at all. LS50W2 are good, but they do not hit very low. Formation, I have no clue, I still need to give them a listen.

Now... the SF Duetto. As @boXem said, it was pleasant to see that the actual designer, who was there for the demo, really knew his stuff. Still, for 4k€, I wasn't that impressed (it's sounded alright, but not amazing). Thing is, at this MSRP Duettos are landing in a tough competition, with actually cheaper Buchardt A500s, that I consider superior, not to mention my actual speakers (A500s Signature Edition) that IMHO are just in another league. By the way, while the A500 SE is sold out, the new Buchardt A10 seems to perform mostly similar, but with less bass extension and SPL.

I would add the Dynaudio Focus 10s to the list, that were demoed at PAVS last year. These really impressed me. Sounded massive, filled the entire room, had smooth highs and very consistent low-end, considering the unique 5.5" woofer in such a small cabinet. Sure, it costs 1k€ more, but I'm sure you can negotiate for less. And, no, theses are not "just" Evoke 10 (that I'm also familiar with) with an internal amp. The active crossover/DSP is doing an amazing job.

In a lower price point, you also have the Cabasse Rialto, that pleased me both times I heard them. They cost about the same, or a bit pricier than the LS50W2, and they deserve consideration.

 

[Purité Audio]

@VintageFlanker did you manage to hear or have an opinion about the Pavillion acoustics speaker with the Babapapa waveguide?
Keith