Paul Seydor on THE Show Newport Beach
The Sanders electrostatic loudspeakers.
Best entry‑level product: Martin Logan EM‑ESL ($2000/pr.)
Best moderate‑priced product: Townshend Rock 7 turntable ($3250)
Best overall sound: Sanders Model 10C driven by Sanders electronics
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Comments
Mr. Harley, is there a place where all of Mr. Seydors reviews are archived?
BTW, I enjoyed the panel at Newport. Thank you.
Mr. McBain: if you find out, please let me know!
One thing my show blog perhaps obfuscated is that in noting the three best orchestral presentations I heard at THE Show, I by no means intended to suggest that the Gradient room was third in line behind the Sony and Wilson/McGrath rooms. The "third" meant the third only in order of discussion: all three rooms had their salient points. If pressed to the wall to choose, it would probably be the Sony for all around, but the Gradient had the best overall tonal balance for an orchestral, not least owing to its DSP bass equalization that gave it the best bass response I heard in Newport that weekend.
Mr. Seydor:
I agree 100% on the Sanders room. Superb products from a real smart and dedicated designer. This is the second time I have heard this set up. Really marvelous.
I enjoy your reviews and I was impressed with your comments in Newport.
Can you say what you have coming down the pike?
QB
Thanks, QB, for your generous remarks on my reviews. Already finished and in the pipeline are reviews of Ray Samuels 71B balanced headphone amplifier (outstanding, albeit of very specialized application) and the Okki Nokki record vacuum (also superb). In progress the latest version of the SME 20 table, the 20/3, James Bongiorno's new Ampzilla monoblocks and Ambrosia preamp, and an Ortofon pickup.
Excellent! I am looking forwards to them all.
I also find the diversity of your endeavors very interesting.. My brother in law is also in the film business.
It would be really great if there was an online archive for all reviews done at TAS like Stereophile has put together.
FYI, i am pretty sure the Sanders big speaker is my next...once I have a room that can accomodate it. I would love to know how it sounds with
tubes.
Correction: I mistakenly assumed that Tim Ryan's Gradient room was using bass DSP. In fact, this was not the case, all that Tim was demonstrating was the complete Gradient system including Gradient's electronics for the woofer towers, which means that the bass response I was so enthusiastic about--by a good margin the best I heard at the show--is all the more impressive! I am delighted my colleague Robert Greene will be reviewing this new Gradient setup--not least because I'll get to hear it in a domestic setting--as it is one of the best I've ever heard.
Oh wow, that is very interesting. I know Tim, he is local. He really knows his stuff and very personable. He has, how shall I put it, the gift of gab as well.
He picks his products well.
I am very surprised he used no DSP in that room for as you said, it sounded great.
I went to most of the rooms at the show for three days, start to finish. I guess I am not on the same page as many in this post. I thought the Sanders room in wine terms "drank like an Australian Shiraz". It was a little big, forward, and flabby for my likings. I felt like I was blown out of the room and into the hallways with loose out of proportion base each time I went in. I guess this line is not my cup of tea.
Mattkat7
I am from Southern California and I attended the show organized by Orange County and Los Angeles Audio Society, I saw a lot of models and decided to buy the Sony SS AR1 system because it seemed to be the best option available. I heard that Sony is using payroll services to achieve better training & development skills for their employees, this is great as this helps to achieve better results.