{"id":41366,"date":"2023-11-11T16:48:29","date_gmt":"2023-11-11T21:48:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tedpublications.com\/fr\/?p=41366"},"modified":"2023-11-17T18:06:19","modified_gmt":"2023-11-17T23:06:19","slug":"2023-toronto-audio-fest-anthonys-take","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tedpublications.com\/fr\/en\/2023-toronto-audio-fest-anthonys-take\/","title":{"rendered":"2023 Toronto Audio Fest \u2013 Anthony\u2019s take"},"content":{"rendered":"

Artist Cloner<\/span>
\n<\/strong>This is a unique brand that brings an entire system made by themselves, from electronics, to loudspeakers, to cabling\u00a0\u2013 even power distribution and cable risers! Meeting you outside the door of their suite is the lovely and welcoming Isabelle<\/strong>, who ushers you inside to a surprisingly excellent sounding room. Featuring their Ether<\/em> 2.5\u00a0floor standing loudspeakers ($21,999) with a stunning stone (actually, a grounded slate mixture) finish, a set of Coleo<\/em> mono blocks ($8,000 each), a tubed Luceo<\/em> preamplifier ($6,999), Pteros<\/em> power distributer ($2,800) and a mix of A\u00a0\/\u00a0C<\/em> tables, interconnects and cable risers, all made by Artist Cloner<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong><\/span>
\nManning the music controls was Artist Cloner<\/strong>\u2019s President and CEO, Silvio Comtois<\/strong>. Sound in the room was excellent and a real argument for Artist Cloner<\/strong>\u2019s design ethos\u00a0\u2013 the entire system voiced to work together and therefore greater than the sum of its parts. On David Garrett<\/strong>\u2019s Dualling Banjos<\/em>, the sound was delightfully peppy and upbeat with a clear top end. Yo-Yo Ma<\/strong> playing a Bach<\/em> cello concerto was achingly beautiful and detailed. One could easily picture Yo-Yo<\/strong>\u2019s bow move across the cello strings right there in the room with us.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2014 \u2022\u2022\u2022 \u2014<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n


\nCorby\u2019s Audio, Baetis Audio, Saturn Audio<\/span>
\n<\/strong>No visit to the 2023<\/strong> Toronto Audio Fest <\/strong>is complete without a visit to Don Corby<\/strong>\u2019s rooms. When we visited, late on Saturday afternoon, the Saturn Audio\u00a0\/ Baetis Audio<\/strong> room was miraculously empty, which gave us a great opportunity to visit with Ren\u00e9 Evans<\/strong> of Saturn Audio<\/strong>. Ren\u00e9<\/strong> showed us the brand new Sbooster <\/strong>power supply upgrade for the Bluesound<\/strong> Node<\/em> (Saturn Audio<\/strong> is Sbooster<\/strong>\u2019s Canadian distributer) which looked super easy to install (no soldering required). We then listened to a full stack of Saturn Audio<\/strong> components: their 701<\/em> Integrated Amplifier ($6,500), 401<\/em> Phonostage ($4,500) and 201<\/em> DAC ($2,800), all running through their non-current limiting 103C MKII<\/em> Powerline Filter ($2,800).
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong>Sources were a stunning Triangle<\/strong> Art<\/strong> Anubis<\/em> ($25,200) turntable, complete with a Kuzma\u00a04<\/strong> Point\u00a014<\/em> ($19,200) tonearm and a TA<\/strong> Apollo<\/em> Onyx Stone Body<\/em> ($12,600) cartridge. Streaming was handled by a Baetis Audio<\/strong> streamer. Loudspeakers were a set of 91\u00a0dB sensitive Alta Audio <\/strong>Adam<\/em>\u2019s ($22,000) and a set of Coherent<\/strong> Model\u00a018<\/em>\u2019s ($18,200). The 701<\/em> Integrated amplifier by Saturn Audio<\/strong> drove the 4\u00a0Ohm Alta<\/strong> loudspeakers with ease. Sound from the Alta Audio<\/strong> loudspeakers was buttery smooth and holographic, with a wide, deep soundstage, excellent leading-edge fidelity, wonderful micro dynamics and clear extended highs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Along for the ride, but not listened to during our visit was a Tektron<\/strong> Neptune<\/em> ($24,000) integrated amp, Tom Evans<\/strong> Mastergroove<\/em> ($24,000) phono stage and Triangle Art<\/strong> Crystal<\/em> Phono Controller ($6,800). All cables by Allnic<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2014 \u2022\u2022\u2022 \u2014<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Paradigm \/ Anthem
\n<\/strong><\/span>A refreshingly simple set up from the folks at Paradigm<\/strong> and Anthem<\/strong>. Featuring a lovely set of Founder\u00a080F<\/em> ($4,799\u00a0\/\u00a0pair) floor standing loudspeakers driven by the Anthem<\/strong> STR<\/em> integrated amplifier ($5,999) with bass duties enhanced by the XR\u00a011<\/em> subwoofer ($4,999).<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong><\/span>
\nNot afraid to stray from the typical audiophile fare favoured by many rooms, we listened to Make us Stronger<\/em> by Ghost Rider<\/strong> and a track by Bjork<\/strong>. This was an extremely muscular system with deep, powerful yet articulate bass and excellent dynamics. Proof positive that one doesn\u2019t need a complex multi component system to achieve truly excellent sonics. I was particularly taken with the Founder\u00a080<\/em>\u2019s\u00a0\u2013 although diminutive in size, their sound was anything but.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2014 \u2022\u2022\u2022 \u2014<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Erikson Consumer<\/span>
\n<\/strong>Erikson<\/strong> came to the party with 3\u00a0amazing systems across two rooms this year. Their first room featured two systems from Mission<\/strong>, Audiolab<\/strong>, Revel<\/strong> and Arcam<\/strong>. The Mission<\/strong> system totally rocked with a set of Mission<\/strong> 770<\/em>\u2019s ($6,500) looking retro cool, driven by a lovely stack of Audiolab<\/strong> gear: the 9000A<\/em> integrated amp ($3,499), the 9000CDT CD<\/em> transport ($1,749) and the 9000N<\/em> network streamer ($4,449) which allows immediate access to Qobuz<\/strong>, Tidal<\/strong>, Spotify<\/strong>, Airplay\u00a02<\/strong> and other streaming services. On Sara K<\/strong>\u2019s I Can\u2019t Stand the Rain<\/em>, the sounds from this system were thoroughly enjoyable with clean, uncluttered top end, rich, lifelike midrange and a super solid bottom end.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong><\/span>
\nThe second system featured a beautiful set of Revel<\/strong> F228BE<\/em> floor standing loudspeakers ($16,000), driven by an Arcam<\/strong> A25<\/em> integrated amplifier, CDS50 SACD\u00a0\/\u00a0CD<\/em> player ($1,899) and ST5<\/em> streamer ($1,199) with low bass duties handled by a Velodyne<\/strong> DW10<\/em> subwoofer. Playing Livingston Taylor<\/strong>\u2019s wonderful cover of Isn\u2019t She Lovely?<\/em> showed off the system\u2019s flair for immediacy and delicacy, with lifelike images and soundstage.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong><\/span>
\nErikson<\/strong>\u2019s final system featured a set of Spendor<\/strong> Classic<\/em> \u00bd stand mounted loudspeakers ($12,500) on matching stands ($3,000), powered by a Chord<\/strong> Ultima<\/em> integrated amplifier ($15,500) and Cyrus<\/strong> Stream-XR<\/em> streamer ($4,550). A quick listen to Royals<\/em> by Lord<\/strong> rewarded us with truly massive sound in a relatively small room, rich tonality and impressive imaging for such large boxes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2014 \u2022\u2022\u2022 \u2014<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Kennedy Hi-Fi<\/span>
\n<\/strong>Kennedy Hi-Fi<\/strong> brought two interesting systems to the show this year. The first was a Focal<\/strong>\u00a0\/ Naim<\/strong> system featuring two sets of Focal<\/strong> Vestia No.2<\/em> floor standing loudspeakers. Why two sets of the same speaker? Because the focus of the room wasn\u2019t so much about the system, but about the footers. One set of the Focals<\/strong> had a set of Isoacoustic<\/strong> Gaia<\/em> footers installed, and the other set had stock shoes. As the music flowed, a little green sign sitting on the electronics stack lit up to indicate when we were listening to the set of loudspeakers shod with the Gaia<\/strong> footers. The differences between the two systems were easily heard. Even with one\u2019s eyes closed, it was like we were listening to two different systems! More openness, more clarity and cleaner. Everything we listen for sonically was improved: better bass weight and texture, more coherent midrange and clearer, smoother highs.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong>Aside from the Focal<\/strong> speakers, the Naim<\/strong> stack powering the system was a Naim<\/strong> Nait XS\u00a03<\/em> integrated amplifier ($5,200), Nait<\/strong> 5SI<\/em> integrated amplifier ($2,600), and NDX\u00a02<\/em> streaming network player ($11,439).<\/span><\/p>\n

Kennedy<\/strong>\u2019s second room was significantly more high-end. Listening to several tracks through a system powered by an Accuphase<\/strong> A80<\/em> class\u00a0A<\/em> amplifier ($28,000), C2300<\/em> balanced preamp ($15,000), and a Lumin<\/strong> T3<\/em> streamer ($7,500), with power conditioning from PS Audio<\/strong>\u2019s P20<\/em> power conditioner ($14,700), all playing through PS Audio<\/strong>\u2019s Aspen FR20<\/em> floor standing loudspeakers ($26,000) was a sonic treat. Very balanced, with a surprising amount of warmth and detail, gorgeous imaging, and a wide, detailed soundstage. This was one of the very last rooms we visited, and I literally had to tear myself away.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Artist Cloner This is a unique brand that brings an entire system made by themselves, from electronics, to loudspeakers, to cabling\u00a0\u2013 even power distribution and cable risers! Meeting you outside the door of their suite is the lovely and welcoming Isabelle, who ushers you inside to a surprisingly excellent sounding room. Featuring their Ether 2.5\u00a0floor […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":154725,"featured_media":41355,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2723,2707,1359,2725],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41366","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hifi","category-home-theater","category-headline-en","category-whats-new","entry","has-media"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tedpublications.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41366","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tedpublications.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tedpublications.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tedpublications.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/154725"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tedpublications.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41366"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.tedpublications.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41366\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41369,"href":"https:\/\/www.tedpublications.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41366\/revisions\/41369"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tedpublications.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41355"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tedpublications.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41366"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tedpublications.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41366"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tedpublications.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41366"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}