At every show, I seem to end up with one room in particular that I call my “Audio Oasis” room. This is a room that I visit a number of times to reset and recalibrate my state of mind. Despite what many audio enthusiasts would think, moving from room to room gathering info and trying to get a good grip on the sonics of a display while under the pressure of a deadline can, at times, be nerve-wracking.
I find that after an hour or two of running the halls I need a break to reset my frame of mind. I know each exhibitor has spent a large amount of time and money setting up, so I want to give them a fair shake in terms of my conclusions about the sound in their room. Hence, the need for an audio oasis.
I usually pick a room that provides a relaxed vibe both with the personnel in the room and the overall sonics of that room’s components. At the Florida Audio Expo, my audio oasis was the Musical Surroundings/Sweet Home Audio room. It could not have filled the bill better for me.
Garth Leerer, president of Musical Surroundings, and his guys are always a pleasure to be around, and they always lead with music quality. They are genuine audio enthusiasts and their enthusiasm is readily apparent. I also got to say hello to the newest guy on their team, Ken Bowers, a 25+ year industry veteran who will be helping with North American sales and support.
The System
The setup in the room was modest, but I have to say it was delightful. As you can see from the picture above, it started with the Magnepan .7 speakers ( $1,400/pr) powered by a 100 watt Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum III Integrated tube amp ($2,995). The source was an AMG Giro Turntable with a 9WT tonearm and an outboard power supply ($14,250).
Tracing the vinyl grooves was the DS Audio E1 Optical Phono Cartridge System which is the cartridge and the matching phono stage ($2,750).
An Audio Oasis
The first time I sat down to listen in this room I had one of those “Ahhh” moments. Things just seemed right. Like Nelson Pass said about his excellent SIT-3 amp, “You just want to listen to MUSIC all night long.” That’s the feeling I had in this room. It had a huge open soundstage with a beautiful midrange and substantial bass. Most of all, the sound was inviting and involving.
Upon each subsequent visit, I could feel my tension and blood pressure going down the minute I sat down. My mind would turn to listening to whatever was being played. As I listened, I became interested in the music, and I wanted to listen longer.
Hey, I can’t think of a better compliment to give to an audio display. This room was my audio oasis indeed. Well done, Guys!!
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