Ljubljana Hi-Fi Show 2008 reportage and Visiting Nel Audio:

(20081005)

Dear audio friends,

this year the Ljubljana Hi-Fi Show was in a “minor tone” than the previous years. I have missed at least four companies, in particular Nel Audio, Pear Audio, Hajdiniak and Canyon Audio (the last has probably closed its audio activity). Also, Kuzma chose only a static exposition (no sound at all) while in the Vklop rooms there weren't the usual multimillionair systems. Probably the international crisis has reached also the audio market, at least in Slovenia.

Since we know that Nel Audio was not at the Show, I and four friends managed a visit in his studio, before to go to the exhibition. That was good, because the sound that we experienced there was probably better than in any room of the Show. So the first part of this report is devoted to that visit.

During my review of the Kronzilla, Nel Audio replaced it with two EAR509 monoblocks, using a Push-Pull of PL509 pentodes for 100 W of output power.	Faber found the time to play some Hi-End Vodoo with his visit cards (faberized) and four ebony buttons.	We also “faberized” all the Nel Audio system with Reference Faber's Cables.
Faber and Znort putting the “magic” cards above the main transformers (but not on the CD player!).	At the end we auditioned the Kronzilla SD instead of the EARs 509 and the result was much more involving, with better bass response.	Two ebony buttons put on the front corners of the Reference 3a Suprema Corian speakers. Apparently, the soundstage improved!

The Nel Audio system was the following (with sale price): CD player Burmester 001 (on sell for 6.5 kE), ModWright SLW9.0SE line preamp (~2.5 kE), Ear509 monoblocks and Kronzilla SD power amp (the last on sell for only 3.5 kE) and Reference 3a Suprema Corian speakers (on sell for 5 kE). Cables were Acoustic Zen and Dueland. We auditioned it and it was producing a good sound. Then Faber started to play his tricks. First he put his “modified” visit cards above the main transformers and the majority of us had the feeling of a larger soundstage. Then he replaced all the cables with its new reference production. I had a clear feeling that there were much more informations than before, more resolution and better extremes. Then he put two afro ebony buttons on the front corners of the speakers and also Nel Audio, who was in the near room, had the immediate feeling of a larger and more focused soundstage. We were impressed by this simple trick and I would like to have 4 of these buttons (made by an audio guru in Palermo, Sicily) to test in my own system. Lastly, we replaced the EARs509 with the Kronzilla SD that I have brought back after two weeks of review and everyone had to admit that it was far better in any parameters. Only one of us said that the EARs had more shining treble, but, speaking in general terms, the Kronzilla was better also for him. I don't know if without the Faber's cables and tricks we wold be able to appreciate such a big difference among the two power amps. Finally we moved to the M-Hotel, were the LJ Show was going on.

The first big room was the Kuzma one, where there were no music but only a static exhibition.

The Stabi XL with 4 motors and 4 tonearms: Stogi S, the tangential Air Line and the new 4Point.	The Stogi 4Point (5.4 kE) has just got a wonderful review by Roy Gregory in “Hi-Fi+”.
The 4Point has two separate reservoirs for horizontal and vertical damping: this time also Mikey Fremer will be happy!	Now Kuzma sells all the Furutech products, including the vinyl demagnetizer and this nice “Disc Flattener”. Of course, prices are very high, but they said that will consider the idea to do a “service”. If the flattening of a LP will be a fraction of the LP original price than will evaluate the opportunity to travel up to Kranj with our bent vinyls...

Vklop has an expensive system (Burmester top + Gryphon speakers) as static exposition, while the sounding systems (Burmester, Sonus Faber) were of human prices.

I can't say that this all Burmester system wasn't playing well, but the feeling was of hypertech sound, as opposite to a natural sound.	Only static exposition for these beasts.
The nice to see Pathos amp and Cd player.	The new Naim digital source, which is considered quite promising.

The underground rooms:

The Unison-Opera big room was showing the new Callas speakers, but the sound was not completely satisfying.	The new Callas has two tweeters on the front side and other three on the back side!
Problems for this promising slovenian speaker maker (Gallus) since there was a lot of distorsion coming out. I don't know if it was due to the crossover or to the “tired” PrimaLuna power amps, but surely not to the Esoteric CD player!	Even the Nordost Valalla was not able to solve the situation.

The Unison-Opera big room was showing the new Callas speakers, but the sound was not completely satisfying.

The new Callas has two tweeters on the front side and other three on the back side!

Problems for this promising slovenian speaker maker (Gallus) since there was a lot of distorsion coming out. I don't know if it was due to the crossover or to the “tired” PrimaLuna power amps, but surely not to the Esoteric CD player!

Even the Nordost Valalla was not able to solve the situation.

The upstairs rooms:

TheMirko Smolic room was potentially very good but we have heard some problems (more on the highs). Since it was the same with the Audio Aereo Cd player or with the Smolic turntable it was not due to the source. Smolic told us that the Ayon speakers were not already break-in.	The nice handmade Smolic turntable with Omega tonearms and Benz cartridge.	Nice Nat Se2Se
The Ayon monitors, which are considered very well, was probably not yet break-in.	Son Et Image (Zagreb) was using french hi-end (Metronome CD player and YBA amp) to drive the small Audio Epilog. We have tried a fast comparison among their reference Yorma signal cable and a top Faber and I have to admit that the sweden was apparently better, but we didn't let the Faber to warm a few minutes before to listen it.	The croatian Audio Epilog small speakers were able to sound well in this small room.
Slovenian TRM made tube amplifiers for each taste.	Two years ago I wrote about the 3-way bookshelf Black Master. Now they had the “Signature” version and the sound was probably the most well balanced of the whole Show. Accuphase DP67 CD player and Plinius amp...	The ALB Black Master Signature with champagne aluminium front panel would be a prefect match with my Conrad-Johnson system! The 17cm kevlar woofer is inside. Price is above 3 kE, sensitivity 89 dB and impedance 6 Ohm.
Two digital sources from Stello and Eximus with Sony CD-Pro2 mechanics.	The Isotek demo was very convincing about the quality of their AC main power filters. We also asked to try a reference Faber power cord directly from the wall plug to the CD player and the Isotek guy comment on the result was just “Wow!”	Isotek to clean the AC power and Ampion speakers.

Of course there were also the possibility to buy CDs and vinyls at “better than in Italy prices”, from Intek, Kuzma and Jazz & Blues Records.

Even if the slovenian Hi-Fi seems to suffer the international crisis the “Piazza Italia” gostilna is still making very good soups for tired audiophilers!

Hope to see you the next year!