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LSAF 2013 Official Show Report Discussion Thread

11K views 34 replies 9 participants last post by  tesseract 
#1 ·
LSAF 2013 Official Show Report by Joe Alexander of HTS


May 4th - Hello from Dallas / Fort Worth!

A few rooms were setting up and playing yesterday, but the big day is today. Sonnie and I met up and visited three rooms last night, and we will be going full tilt today! Later in the evening yesterday, we met up with Dennis (tesseract) and then went out to dinner...


 
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#2 ·
I am amazed how many of the displays are using tube amps. Makes me want to try a couple monoblocks on my 2ch system. But Alas, a person really needs to :spend: a fair bit to get anything decent.
As usual a great job on letting us see what you saw Joe :T
 
#3 ·
Tony - it seems most 2 channel setups I have seen actually use tube amps. Axpona was the same way. I am not an amp knowledgeable person, but I think the general concensus is that tubes provide cleaner, warmer sound.

There were a couple tube amps at LSAF that I thought were priced for someone starting out that sounded very good...
 
#7 ·
I am looking at tube amps myself. I plan on picking up an OPPO BDP-105 to use as a preamp for a tube amp(s) powering a two channel setup.

The one thing I was not expecting at this show was to be wowed all that much by what I was hearing. Clearly I was wrong. There were a LOT of great sounding systems there that sounded awesome! I could have left with any number of them and been wowed.

Another thing I learned is that the passion for two channel audio is very VERY alive and well. I gained much more appreciation for just simply listening... and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I never thought I could really just sit for hours on end and do nothing but listen... but I did... and it was truly enlightening.

I am anxious and excited to try some various two channel setups.

The exhibitors and other folks attending were truly fabulous. It was a blessing to meet so many enthusiasts with a serious passion for great sound.

Of course it was a true pleasure to meet Joe and Dennis from HTS and spend some quality time with them.

Some of my favorite time was not only listening, but having dinner with everyone... a real treat to say the least.

I am looking forward to the next show. :T
 
#8 ·
Very well said Sonnie. I was there two years back and missed out on last years event. This years I had an impression that the turnout was much better organized and that there we a lot more visitors attending the show, many rooms were bustling with activity, some rooms were so busy that I had to go two or three times just to get a seat and listen to the system.

We also are looking forward to next years event, we sure will be attending again with a different system of course! :D
 
#14 ·
If you have been following along, I have completed the official show reports.

Some of my final thoughts:

- LSAF had a completely different feel to it than Axpona did. At Axpona, I really felt it was - best analogy I can think of - like a business transaction. LSAF felt like a speaker GTG - everyone just coming together to enjoy themselves and listening to some great setups. Kudos to Wayne for a great event.

- LSAF had a nice mix of DIY kits and fully built equipment.

- I really need to get a playlist together to take along to the next show - on the plus side, I was exposed to several artists that I was not familiar with that should make it much easier to put together a varied list.

- The exhibitors that attend LSAF are a great bunch - going out to dinner with the crew on Friday night was a real treat.

- Pictures turned out a little darker than I would have wished - still working on taking decent pictures so hopefully you will all bear with me. :)

- Having a couple other HTSers at the show made it much more comfortable for me personally - and we were able to bounce thoughts off one another.


I am still working on the overall process for reporting on shows moving forward so please let me know what you like about the show report, and what you would like to see in future show reports.

Any questions, comments, or thoughts, fire away!
 
#20 ·
...snip...

- Pictures turned out a little darker than I would have wished - still working on taking decent pictures so hopefully you will all bear with me. :)

Any questions, comments, or thoughts, fire away!
If possible, take a tripod. Shoot one pic with a flash and one without. This gives you options on which one you want to work with. Also, software like Paint Shop Pro or PhotoShop will help a great deal wtih post production. GAMMA correction works better than adjusting the brightness for making a presentable picture.
 
#15 ·
LSAF 2013 was such a blast, hoping I can make it next year. Stayed up bouncing from room to room until 3-4 am each night, listening to some really high end systems and a lot of new (to me) music, as well as a few old favorites. I'll post some pics in this thread, as time and this debilitating cold I recently developed allows.


The OddWatt room had some very cool, singularly designed minimal stage (only 2) low to zero (adjustable) negative feedback amps, with a very nice turntable rig that gave little indication we were listen to analog vinyl.


Loudspeaker Audio equipment Subwoofer Electronic device Electronic instrument


Electronics Electronic instrument Gramophone record Record player Technology



The Sim Sonics room had Martin Logan Electromotion ESL pair, DIY passive/pre with remote controlled autoformer attenuation, and a DIY Nelson Pass First Watt F4 amplifier. Phono pre was from Artemis Labs


Furniture Room Audio equipment Property Chest of drawers


Technology



Brines Audio room. Smooth, cohesive sounding single driver crossoverless speakers.


Loudspeaker Audio equipment Computer speaker Studio monitor Subwoofer
 
#16 ·
The Advanced Home Theater Systems room, with Evolution Acoustics MMMicroOne Monitors and BMC CS2 amp. Really smooth sound, love that folded AMT.


Room Recording studio Studio Audio equipment Studio monitor


Electronic device Technology Audio equipment Electronics Lcd projector



Stereo Clarity LA-50 Speakers & all in one HTPC with a 7 channel amplifier. Realistic sized images and satisfying bass.


Room Technology Electronic device Furniture Television


Loudspeaker Audio equipment Sound box Subwoofer Computer speaker


Electronics Cd player Technology Electronic device Dvd player
 
#17 ·
I spent the largest portion of my evenings enjoying the Affirm Audio/KR Audio/Emia/Inner Urban/Black Man Brew room. Lots of music, old and new via vinyl and computer files. Excellent home brews, eclectic sounds and an affable group of guys made this room the most fun for me and my gal.

The MAXXHORN Lumination speakers use Feastrex drivers, rear-loaded into a full-range tractrix horns. This single driver speaker was very efficient, with the Edgarhorn subwoofer filling in the bottom octaves nicely. We danced and played high SPL tunes until the wee hours of the morning. Thanks for the hospitality, guys!


Room Floor


Loudspeaker Audio equipment Computer speaker Plywood Wood


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I spent a large portion of my daytime here in the Bamberg Audio room, talking with owner Phil Bamberg and learning more about the importance of phase coherency, an attribute that I personally find appealing in a well designed speaker.

The Series 5 TMW disappeared like no other speaker I have ever heard, leaving only the performers on a well placed soundstage in front of me. Bass from the Rythmik amp/woofer/passive radiator towers was deep, clean and powerful.


Loudspeaker Audio equipment Room Subwoofer Studio monitor


Loudspeaker Sound box Subwoofer Audio equipment Studio monitor
 
#18 ·
Wayne Parham's Pi Speakers room displayed my kinda sounds. Efficient constant directivity speakers backed by flanking subwoofers. Clean, powerful and effortless. Lots of fun watching videos, it was hard to get into this room, so many people stopped by to give a listen and to hang out and chat with the very friendly Mr. Parham.


Four Pi loudspeaker with optional B&C DE250 compression driver and JBL 2226 woofer.


Loudspeaker Electronics Subwoofer Audio equipment Computer speaker


Room Audio equipment Loudspeaker Furniture Media


Loudspeaker Subwoofer Electronics Audio equipment Sound box



Three Pi Subwoofer with Selectronic ProFet amplifier.


Subwoofer Loudspeaker Sound box Audio equipment Studio monitor


Electronic instrument Electronic device Technology Audio equipment
 
#23 ·
Good pictures Dennis! :T
Thanks, Joe! More to come...

I did not get the opportunity to make it to the room with the ML ESLs - what were your thoughts on the setup?
I liked it, but didn't get a chance to sit in the sweet spot for a good listen. I should have went back, it's been 20 years or so since I've laid ears on ML's. :doh:
 
#24 ·
The Soundfield Audio had two pairs of loudspeakers available for audition and while the smaller pair (a floorstanding variation on the Monitor 2) sounded great with clear, powerful highs from it's horn loaded ribbon, it was the venerable 1812 Overture that I spent most of my time with. Source was computer files, powered by Audio Electronics from Cary Audio and cabled by MG Audio Design.

The 1812 Overture is a rare bird, like many of AJ's speakers are. The upper module is a bipole configuration, with a rear mounted high quality full range driver. The forward firing drivers are point source, with the compression tweeter located within the voice coil of the woofer to maintain time and phase alignment. The upper cabinet is stand mounted upon the dipole woofer cabinet, which uses an 18" driver. The 1812 Overture was able to fill this large conference room with ease, sound was smooth and relaxed, yet powerful. I can imagine it would have no difficulties at all with normal sized listening rooms.

While this design is eminently musical, it would also be very useful for home theater systems. Centrally located images remained centered, even when standing at extreme left or right angles... you had to actually break the plane of the speaker baffle, or stand right over one speaker to break the stereo illusion!



Audio equipment Loudspeaker Room Electronics Floor


Loudspeaker Subwoofer Audio equipment Sound box Electronics


Electronics Electronic instrument Audio equipment Technology Table
 
#33 ·
I am surprise how many high end speakers are "open baffle" (I think thats the correct terminology) I have little knowledge as to how these work but I am assuming they are very dependent on the room and the wall behind it.
 
#35 ·
The Fred Dieckmann OB speakers, with the entire chain including the DAC being DIY, imaged like crazy! One of the very best sounding rooms there.

Tony, you are correct, OB speakers are very room dependent. But they also have strong nulls to the sides of the speakers, so first reflections are minimized greatly.
 
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