Well, another CES is done, and as I
sit here and think about what I will take away from this year's show, I realize that, even
amongst buildings filled with interesting new audio gear, it's the equipment I've already
encountered and used whose sound impressed me most. As I listened to the Lamm ML3
Signature amps driving Wilson Audio MAXX 2 speakers, I could hear why I use MAXX 2s and
Lamm amplifiers at home. The digital source for this system was also from a maker whose
work I greatly admire -- Kazutoshi Yamada, whose Zanden products appeal to me on a
fundamental level, where my understanding of how live music sounds resides. Zanden Audio's
own room had great sound as well, proving to me that a horn-loaded speaker can enthrall
and not require a great leap of listening faith to do so. The Zanden 5000S DAC and 2000P
transport only proved once again that they are the very best digital gear I've heard.
Zanden Audio electronics and Cessaro horn speakers.
I wish I had some revelations for you -- some unknown amp
or CD player that I could tout, and perhaps even discover. Instead, I can only restate how
much I think of Vladimir Lamm's, Kazutoshi Yamada's and David Wilson's work -- and say how
fortunate we are that it's possible to use all of their products together to a very
fulfilling musical end.
* *
*
"This is the only show I work where I cry." A
woman working the CES told Michael Griffin, head of Essential Sound Products, this after
hearing a Nat "King" Cole cut on the system Michael was demonstrating.
"Well, come back later if you want to hear more,"
Michael replied with a broad smile. It was pretty clear she didn't want to leave.
Expanding the customer base of the audio industry is a
topic of constant discussion, with the emphasis on exposing the mass of young people to
the allure of great musical reproduction -- a worthwhile goal. But interest happens on the
micro level -- one song, one listener at a time. And the catalyst is usually a trusted
acquaintance, an audiophile with a generous spirit and a great-sounding system.
I hereby nominate Michael Griffin to the post of Ambassador
of High End Audio. His friendly demeanor and winning smile make him a natural for the job.
* *
*
Nothing profound here. Just a few pictures of
turntables I spied, including one I have in for review.
The TW-Acustic Raven AC ($11,500) with a pair
of Grahm Phantom tonearms and Dynavector XV-1s cartridges. This 'table was in use in the
Lamm room, which I wrote about yesterday.
The Spiral Groove SG1 ($20,000) with Continuum
tonearm and Lyra cartridge. Allen Perkins assured me that a Spiral Groove tonearm is
imminent.
The Spiral Groove SG2 ($15,000) with
Tri-Planar tonearm and Lyra cartridge. The main differences between the two 'tables? The
SG1 has a four-layer body and weighs an additional 20 pounds.
Last but not least is this turntable from
Kondo with 12" SME tonearm. No price has been set, but I'm guessing it will be steep.
One of the unfulfilled promises of
last year's CES was Vladimir Lamm's ML3 Signature mono amplifier. Oh, it was at CES 2007
all right, but only a single amp, which Vladimir decided to play on the final day of the
show. I listened with rapt attention, waiting for the time when I'd get to hear a pair of
these pricey, two-chassis amps. Well, they're here. The ML3s, which have risen in price to
$139,290 per pair, were driving Wilson Audio MAXX 2 speakers, with both analog (courtesy
of a TW-Acustic Raven AC turntable) and digital (via the extraordinary Zanden 5000S and
2000P DAC and transport) sources. And I better not forget to mention the Silent Running
Audio products in use, including the new Virginia Class platforms for the ML3s.
These amps sounded gorgeous and far more powerful than
their 30-watt rating would suggest. I played a cut I heard last year in mono, a piece with
a bowed bass, and was entranced with the texture and weight in the instrument's lowest
reaches. In the past I've praised Lamm amplifiers for expertly combining truth and beauty,
and the ML3 pushes this notion to a new plateau. Owners of Wilson Audio X-2 speakers,
especially the new Series 2, will want to investigate these amps immediately. The
speakers' high sensitivity and the amps' ravishing sound seem destined to be together.
