Temporairement, cet article anglophone est affiché sur le site Web francophone.
Temporarily, this article in English is displayed on the French Web page.
Tri-Cell Enterprises Inc. (Tri-Cell) is one of Canada’s leading distributors of the finest international audio brands. Over more than 35 years, Vince Scalzitti, the company’s owner, has curated a selection of brands based on their musical performance, quality, and superior value. Presently, the company distributes more than 50 internationally manufactured audio brands to an expansive list of audio dealers across Canada.
Given the number of brands and products that Tri-Cell supplies to its dealers with their varying price level, Tri-Cell has just recently opened the doors of their all-new Tri-Cell Dealer Showroom. The prime objective being to support their dealers with a suitable venue to demonstrate a broader selection of products. I had the privilege of receiving an invitation to visit this new showroom, in October. The Showroom is in Woodbridge, Ontario, just west of Highway 400 between Highway 7 and the 407. Vince himself provided me with a guided tour, that included many familiar brands but also several brands that were all-together new to me. One thing is for sure, as Vince and his team have scoured the international audio waters looking for the best products, what they have pulled together are what Tri-Cell considers to be – the very best in both value and performance.
With that, let me take you on this photo tour of the Tri-Cell Dealer Showroom:
The big room / System A: Front-End:
Here we have the Audiovector R 8 Arreté in a gorgeous Italian Walnut Burl Piano finish well mated to a Soulution 311 stereo amplifier with a very robust 120 wpc @ 8Ω on tap, all while under the finessed control of an Aesthetix Calypso Eclipse linestage.
Digital Source:
The new Antipodes Audio Oladra digital music server – player – reclocker, paired to a Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC Reference Series 3.
Analog Source:
Reed MUSE 1C turntable in Karelian birch with Reed 3P 10.5” tonearm, and BENZ Micro Swiss Ebony cartridge playing through an Aesthetix Rhea Eclipse all-tube phono stage.
Loom and Stands:
Full suite of Synergistic Research loom, including Galileo Discovery speaker and power cables, along with Atmosphere SX power cables. Power conditioning is handled through a PowerCell SX, accompanied by a Galileo SX Ground Block and to dress it up the cables sit atop Carbon Performance Elevators. The components sit on Synergistic Research – Tranquility Base Carbon and Carbon XL to address both mechanical and airborne vibrations.
Room Treatment:
On the front wall is an RD Acoustics, from Czech Republic, Hybrid Acoustic Diffuser that provides additional clarity and instrument separation as well as serving a most decorative statement piece of wall art that is most complementary to any listening environment.
On the side walls, acoustic panels from RW Acoustics, a Slovenian acoustic treatment manufacturer. These sound absorption panels are not only purposeful in treating rooms but also as decorative and artistic pieces as they can be ordered with a variety of standard and custom images.
Enclaves & Nooks:
Just outside the doors of the large listening room of the Showroom, the space opens to a series of enclaves and a couple nooks that serve as a welcome to those who enter the front doors. I’ll now show you what these spaces have to offer:
System B: Front-End
The Odeon Audio Helix loudspeakers in a succulent Walnut root veneer, from Germany, sit on the first wall driven by a Western Electric 91E Integrated Amplifier, a single-ended 300B vacuum tube design.
Analog Source:
An Acoustic Solid, Solid Classic Wood turntable with (Sorane SA-1.2) and a Dynavector DV10X5MKII High Output cartridge, playing through a LAB 12 Melto1 tube MC/MM phono amplifier. LAB 12 is a brand that comes from Greece and offers a full selection of tube-based amplification choices, as well as Cardas Audio cables.
Digital Source:
This system also showcases products from the Romanian company, Audiobyte, including their Hydra Vox – DAC and Headphone Amp; Hydra Hub – reclocker, upsampler, converter, USB interface, digital preamplifier and network streamer and; Hydra Zap – dedicated low noise microprocessor-controlled power supply.
Loom and Stands:
The setup of this system includes a ROGOZ audio component stand and Cardas cables.
Treatments:
The diffraction panels set behind and above this system are from the Polish room treatment company: ‘acoustic manufacture’. The company offering a plethora of products in 30 standard colours but also custom finished to a colour of choice.
Mid-Floor (Cube Audio):
Sitting on static display are three models (Nenuphar v2 – 10”; Jazzon – 10” and Nenuphar Mini v2 – 8”). of Cube Audio single high-sensitivity loudspeakers, from Poland.
System C – Front-End:
Across on another wall is a system that features the Audio Physic Cardeas loudspeakers, from Germany, powered by the American-based, ModWright Instruments KWH-225i Hybrid Integrated amplifier that internally pairs a tube preamplifier with a solid-state power amplifier.
Analog Source:
An Acoustic Solid 113 Bubinga turntable with (Sorane TA-1) and a Gold Note Vasari MM cartridge running through a ModWright Instruments PH 9.0X Phono Stage with its outboard power supply.
Digital Source:
The digital source here is a lovely looking DAC/pre-amp/headphone amp/streamer and even phono amp, which is called the D10 from a company named COS Engineering. The form is very austere and reminiscent of a German or perhaps Scandinavian origin; however, if you might guess either of those you would be wrong. Rather, COS Engineering originates from Taiwan, which makes the brand even more interesting and worth exploring.
Also, here is the full line-up of product offerings from Swiss manufacturer, MERASON. Seen are the Merason DAC1, along with the Merason frerot DAC and its matching upgraded separate Merason pow1 power supply.
Loom and Stands:
Cables in the system are from Cardas Audio and the stand as displayed is from ROGOZ Audio.
Treatments:
Diffraction panel by ‘acoustic manufacture’.
Other:
Also sitting on stand-by eager for delivering listening pleasure are a number of other Audio Physic loudspeaker models:
The models seen, listed from far left to near right are: Tempo; Classic 8; Classic 15 and; in Rosewood High Gloss – the MIDEX.
As well, you might note the bottom edge of those lovely pictures on the wall – those are not ordinary artistic prints but rather, acoustic panels from Slovakia, by RW Acoustics.
System D: Front-end
Joseph Audio Pearl 20/20 Graphene loudspeakers sit in one of the enclaves driven by a set of Danish Alluxity Mono One amplifiers that deliver 500 wpc @ 4Ω, and controlled by a ModWright Instruments tube-hybrid LS100 preamplifier.
Digital Source:
The digital source is comprised of a Playback Designs MPS-8 SACD/CD Player/fully-differential discrete DAC, as well as an Antipodes Audio K22 server-player-reclocker paired to a Berkeley Audio Design – Alpha DAC 3.
Loom and Stands:
This system is positioned atop of a ROGOZ Audio stand with Cardas Audio cables in place.
Treatments:
A mid-sized diffuser panel courtesy of ‘audio manufacture’ sits behind and just above the system.
System E:
Sitting in another enclave within the main area of the Showroom is the Harbeth loudspeaker line-up paired to a LAB 12 amplification, including: the Pre1 full tube preamplifier (top right) with a Suara – Class A parallel tube power amplifier (mid-right).
Analog Source:
The turntable is a Gold Note Giglio, with matching tonearm and a Gold Note Donatello MC Gold cartridge. This turntable was mated with a LAB 12 Melto2 – fully adjustable phono preamplifier (mid-left).
Digital Source:
Serving the bits up to this system is a LAB 12 DAC1 reference – non-oversampling DAC with tube output (bottom-right). As well, an Antipodes Audio S30 server-player with the S60 outboard power supply can be seen on the bottom shelf (left).
Loom and Stands:
The components sit on an HRS SXR-1921-3T3 stand and is wired up with a combination of Synergistic Research Foundation cables and Cardas Audio cables, with power conditioning through a Synergistic Research PowerCell 12 UEF SE.
Treatments:
The large diffuser panel mounted on the wall behind this system is by RD Acoustics, like the one that was seen in System A.
NOOK 1 (Gold Note):
System F – Front-End:
Left and right, flanking the system sits the Gold Note A6 EVO II loudspeakers, that are driven by P-1000 MKII Deluxe preamplifier and PA-1175 MKII power amplifier combination (bottom shelf).
Analog Source:
Mediterraneo turntable with Machiavelli MKII Gold cartridge and external PST-10 power supply paired with the Gold Note flagship PH-1000 Phono Stage. Also on display are the PH-10 phono stage and PSU-10 external power supply.
Digital Source:
Gold Note CD-1000 MKII Deluxe CD player or DS-10 Plus Streaming DAC.
Loom and Stands:
Cardas Audio cables connect this system, which sits on a ROGOZ stand.
HALLWAY (Odeon and Audel):
Sitting in the hallway beneath artistic print RW Acoustic panels (also seen in the background) are a line up of the Odeon Audio loudspeakers from Germany (left of column) and then Audel loudspeakers, of Italy (right of column). You can just make out on the floor, the stacked ply CNC construction of the Audel loudspeakers.
NOOK 2 (FEZZ Audio / UNISON Research / CAD):
System G:
Within another small room / nook, is a FEZZ Audio Titania Republika Integrated amplifier driving Odeon Audio loudspeakers.
Digital Source:
Unison Research, Unico Series – CD DUE player paired to a CAD (Computer Audio Design) 1543 MKII DAC.
Stands and Loom:
An HRS EXR-1921-4V Stand sits beneath the components, while cables are Synergistic Research and Cards Audio.
Corner:
Sitting in one corner is a couple pairs of Audel loudspeakers – the Art Versions of the Nika mk2 (left) and Magika mk2 (right).
Mid-Size Room: System H
Here, we have a system that combines the Vivid Audio Kaya 45 3-way and 4-driver loudspeakers with Vinnie Rossi amplification, including: BRAMA Preamplifier and Stereo Power Amplifier and, as an alternative power source: Zesto Audio – Leto Ultra II Preamplifier and Bia 200 Select Stereo 100 Watt Power Amplifier.
Analog Source:
Transrotor Alto TMD into a Zesto Audio Andros Deluxe II Tube Phonostage, Leto Ultra II Tube Preamplifier & BIA 200 Select Tube Power Amplifier
Digital Source:
Sitting in the back left-corner of the room are the Playback Designs MPD-8 Dream DAC and Antipodes Audio K50 server-player-reclocker; while, sitting static on the top shelf of the rack sits a Transrotor Massimo TMD turntable.
Loom and Stands:
The cabling for this system is by Cardas Audio and the racks shown are both from HRS MXR-1921-3V and MXR-1921-4V Burl Maple.
Power Accessories:
Not only in this room but through out the Showroom, the wall power outlet plugs are all by Synergistic Research –The Purple UEF Duplex is shown, accepting the Cardas Audio power cables.
Conclusion
I will close off by saying that I expect that this Tri-Cell Dealer Showroom will surely be a great support to dealers, allowing them to see themselves and introduce their clients to models and brands that they presently may not be able to house. Tri-Cell has assembled an amazing collection of audio treasures within their new Dealer Showroom that allows full demonstration and exploration of many of their brands and products offerings. We wish Tri-Cell and their dealers all the very best!
I’ll leave you with one more example – a Skyscraper Diffusor, from ‘acoustic manufacture’. Cheers.
