this year there was in
February the second edition of the Gran Galà dell'Alta Fedeltà
in Padova while in November there was already the third edition (2011
the revenge edition!), because the organization (the italian label
Fonè, i.e. Giulio Cesare Ricci) decided to shift it from
February to November. Here you can find a short report only of some
of the systems presented.
Mrs
Fonè near her limited-edition Japan-pressed vinyls.
Attilio
Caccamo of Tektron-Italia
is the new italian distributor of the KR tubes.
Audio
Selection had a lot of Furutech and Mundorf parts.
Lumen-White
turntable and speakers (more than 100kE to buy both) with Ayon CD
player and amplifier on a Taoc stand.
HiFi
4 Music is the new distributor of Shun Mook products. The Nagra
phono preamp was “enhanced” by a Shun Mook record
clam (visible back and sold at 2850 Euro) and by a
Shun-Mook diamond feet (in front, sold at 690 Euro the set of
three). The set of 3 mpingo discs costs 290 Euro. Hurry up!
The
expensive Lumen-White Mystere turntable has the plate suspended
on air by a large compressor.
The
expensive MSB – VAC – Tidal system was sounding good,
but the total price was also very high.
The
VAC preamp and power amp was used to amplify “liquid”
music converted by the top DAC from the MSB.
Diapason
speakers driven by a full Luxman chain powered by Faber's Cables
power cords.
The
Burmester system used FA speakers and Scheu turntable.
The
Scheu turntable used a Koetsu cartidge.
Pass
electronics and ProAC speakers with a ribbon tweeter.
Classic
Tannoy concentric speaker with Mc Intosh electronics.
Studer
tape player or Playback SACD player with Lamm LL2 and ML1.1 were
driving the new Avalon Trascendent.
Pierre
Boulduc (Audiophile Sound editor) was very happy to listen master
tapes in the Acustica Applicata room.
Lamm
ML 1.1 monoblock.
Naim
sources and Klimo amps.
Cantico
speakers with all Nagra electronics.
Nagra
tape, DAC, preamp and solid state amp (60+60W).
Accuphase
electronics and Ars Aures speakers for a fast but pleasant sound.
The
sicilian-made Ars Aures Midi Sensorial.
The
Cessaro speaker and Zanden electronics won easily my best of the
show award, but, please, don't tell me the total cost!
A
close view of the Cessaro Affascinante speaker, costing 50kE...
The
Zanden preamp, integrated CD player, external DAC and 300B power
amp are fantastic, even if the set up was not very good.
Of
course I have bought even some food for my soul... I thanks in
particular the guys from Codaex (Milano) for their suggestions.
The same day, just before to
visit the Gran Galà, we went to the studio of Faber's Cables
in Due Carrare.
The
first system that we listened was all solid state, with Chord
DAC, Audia Flight preamp and Yba power amp. Of course, I
preferred the last system -all tube- with the Adagio DIY DAC and
Gamma Audio preamp and 300B-based power amp.
The
Adagio DAC is based on the Philips TDA1541 crown.
The
Chord DAC 64 on an Ikea board.
The
wondeful Krell KPS 20t on 3 Daruma feet.
The main reason for this
visit was to hear his new speakers, that replaced the Reference 3A
stand-mounted monitor.
The
Raidho Ayra C1 has a ribbon tweeter and a ceramic woofer. The
stand is extremely light.
One
of the best products made by Faber's Cable is surely his FaberSix
power distributor, here in its XL version...
The
back shows that it is not possible to do the biwiring. Even so
the sound was incredibly detailed, but also with very solid bass.
Another
important aspect pf the Faber system is the attention to control
vibrations: here you can see the Acappella Fondato Silenzio board
under the power amplifier.
Alltogether, the sound that
we heared in the Faber's studio was more coherent and rigorous than
all the other heart at the Gran Galà!