AXPONA, Day 1: A Brief Photo Essay
Behold Luxman’s PDA-191A turntable ( $12,495), which is fitted with the Luxman LMC-5 cartridge ($2,695), in action in the Prosperity room.
AXPONA Day 1 is officially in the books! We’ll have our first full in-depth report up in a day or so, so stay tuned. In the meantime, here are more than a few in-the-room photos to whet your analog whistle, including cool new gear from Luxman, Thorens, Vertere, SAT, and Manley. Details follow in each photo caption.
Luxman head honcho John Pravel (a fellow Buffalonian!) shows the build strength of what goes into the PDA-191A table.
One of the twelve Atlantic 75 LPs—all 180g and at 45pm—that were spun during a listening session in the Prosperity room as hosted by Acoustic Sounds’ Chad Kassem, with Luxman’s John Pravel as the DJ on the spot. My favorites tracks played during this 40-plus-minute session were by Mingus, Phil Collins, CSN, John Prine, and Yes. (More on all this in my followup report.)
The Thorens TD 1600 turntable ($4,399), which was flanked by (off-camera, that is) the Musical Fidelity MX-Vynl phono preamp ($899) and M2Si integrated amp ($1,149).
Stranger Things soundtrack blue swirl vinyl in hand, post-spinning. (Not my hands, BTW.)
The Vertere SD-1 Super Groove turntable, on display in Acoustic Signature’s Schaumburg C listening room.
SAT’s world-beating XD 1 record player system fitted with the CF1-09 tonearm ($307,500) and Lyra Atlas Landa cartridge ($13,195) showed off its pure playback prowess during a listening session in the Euphoria room that included demo tracks by Dave Brubeck Quartet, The Doors, Joan Armatrading, and Blood, Sweat & Tears.
These are a few of my favorite things—some of the vinyl choices on display for SAT table/system demo purposes in the properly named Euphoria room.
The just-cleaned Manley Oasis phono preamp, as ensconced in their Ear Gear Experience booth.
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