hen, at about 10 p.m., I was leaving Jean Michael Jarre’s concert in Katowice with a crowd of other fans, I was aware that representatives of most of the companies that had had their presentations during this year’s Audio Video Show exhibition had either just got in their fully packed cars and were intending to go home or were still packing. It was Sunday, November 6th, 2016.

Jarre’s concert at the Spodek sports and entertainment arena in Katowice was part of his Electronica concert tour, promoting the double album that earned him our most important award – the GOLD Fingerprint and which is officially going to be given the HF Best Sound 2016 award of the year already at the beginning of December. One may not agree with these decisions, but even if I had ever had any doubts, the abovementioned concert made me forget about them. The French musician looked incredible – I would like to look like that when I am his age – he danced, enjoyed his fans’ reactions and celebrated the performance. It could be seen that, above everything else, he sees himself as a DJ and that dance is an important part of his life, but also that music is the most important thing for him.

The Twentieth

Something that forms the basis for perfectionist audio, the world of hi-fi and high-end was within my reach – something that made the second Audio Video Show exhibition (or the twentieth, if we take the previous editions of the Audio Show into account) such a tremendous success. These are big words, but without any exaggeration. This time, however, I am using them more consciously than ever before (HERE you will find an exclusive interview with Adam Mokrzycki who talks about the reasons for changing the exhibition’s name).

The exhibition was opened with a press conference at the PGE Narodowy Stadium, conducted by Piotr Metz.

Each year we refer to data according to which the exhibition in Warsaw is growing, becoming similar, in terms of the number of visitors and the scale of the event, to the most important point of reference in our domain, i.e. the High End exhibition in Munich, organized in the M.O.C. exhibition halls by the High End Society (you can find our reportage from this year’s edition HERE). It is getting better and better every year, thanks to which the Audio (Video) Show has been the second major audio exhibition in Europe for the last few years.

We have been happy about this, as it is a proof that we have been doing things well and that there is a large group of people in this part of the world who want to listen to music the way the artist has intended for it to be listened to. On the other hand, however, hiding behind the back of someone bigger and stronger used to be comfortable, as it was the High End exhibition that was under fire and we were able to do things our way. Apparently, “our way” has played a major role in giving the twentieth edition of the exhibition completely new quality. Let me explain...

A few words about Munich

The name which suits the event in Munich best is “fair”. While it is used interchangeably with the term “exhibition”, it does not mean the same, as it refers to a place where people do business, above everything else. It is where manufacturers and their distributors from all over the world meet, where (literally) all audio and video journalists go, and where contracts are signed. Of course, the exhibition aspect of the event is extremely important and it is Munich where the majority of important products have their premiere, but it is of equal rank to business, at the most. The business character of the event is clearly noticeable in rooms and corridors, at restaurants and places where one can drink beer – people talk business everywhere.

Thanks to this, Munich is the centre of the audio world – even if the CES exhibition in Las Vegas is larger. This proves to be a blessing for our domain, as without doing business we would wither and shrink, becoming small isolated islands of purist audio for two – three clients per company. Thanks to Munich, our domain is doing better than ever before, contrary to what catastrophists had been saying, seeing a threat to high-end sound in video games, headphones connected to mobile phones and Bluetooth speakers. It has been exactly the opposite: young people want something more thanks to these gadgets.

Warsaw

However, let us get to the point: the exhibition in Warsaw has taken on its own character which makes it unique – different from any other event of this type and, therefore, incredibly attractive. It is an exhibition which is unanimously referred to as “full of music” by journalists, manufacturers and guests from abroad. It clearly differs from the event in Munich, as the AVS is an exhibition rather than a fair, but its distinguishing feature is music.

One might say this is normal, as audio exhibitions aim to popularize equipment that reproduces music and, therefore, music itself. High End exhibitions are just one example of how completely different the reality is. It is because any audio exhibition is created not only by the organizer, exhibitors and journalists, but also people – perhaps even mostly by them. From the point of view of a person who has been to a lot of such events, I can say that people who come to AVS exhibitions are different than anywhere else.

I can justify my opinion not only with my personal experience but also on the basis of conversations with my friends, acquaintances and other people from all over the world who came to Warsaw. They all repeated what I have already mentioned above: people in Poland listen to music, they are curious about music and, most importantly, have good knowledge of music. Most of my interlocutors emphasized our musical competence, saying that they have learnt a lot and that it has given them new energy.

They explained that in different ways, but most often they mentioned the unique musical culture of our country, referring to Chopin and the International Chopin Piano Competition in the first place. However, many also talked about modern music, i.e. Penderecki, Kilar, Górecki, Anderszewski, Zimmerman, Komeda and Stańko.

So, the atmosphere at the exhibition in Warsaw was incredibly good. To prove it, let me quote a conversation between Doug Schneider representing the SoundStage Global portal and Ken Kessler, the editor of “Hi-Fi News &RR”, overheard by chance (we were simply drinking beer nearby):
Doug: Hey, are you coming next year?
Ken: Of course, naturally!
Doug: Warsaw rules, doesn’t it?
Ken: It’s really cool, I’ll be there for sure!

The atmosphere that is so full of energy, enthusiasm and zest makes Warsaw the place to visit for people who want to be up to date. The AVS may likely become as influential as the exhibition in Munich, but in a different way. Warsaw is where more relaxed and free aspects of audio are more emphasized. Without the necessity to apply any rigid business protocol, manufacturers and journalists can pay their attention to music and, no matter how tricky it may sound – to audio equipment. So, Warsaw is a place for meetings that are more friendly and personal. As a result, stronger bonds are created between people.

Seasoned high-end audio experts will not find a single sound here that will surprise them in any way – this is simply impossible. However, they can find presentations that will interest them for other reasons. Other visitors will see and listen to devices that they have only read about and meet their creators who they have only heard about, which means gaining invaluable experience.

The best of the best

However, since such an exhibition is a kind of a “beauty contest”, everyone asks me which devices produced the best sound and what I liked most, after the event comes to an end. I never know how to answer such questions, since it is just an exhibition and it does not enable us to test the full capability of any device. Exhibitors put a lot of work and effort into their presentations, not to mention money, which they deserve our respect for. However, physics is physics and what we can hear in a hotel room or even at a bigger conference hall, is just an approximation of what we may hear at home..

However, it is the abovementioned approximation that makes us pay for tickets and want to attend the exhibition. According to tradition and in harmony with myself, below I give you some examples of presentations that were worth focusing on, as I want to draw your attention to the companies, products and people that, in my opinion, most successfully dealt with the obstacles. The presentation is divided into three parts and you will find over 120 photographs in the gallery below. I did not go everywhere or visit all the rooms, but it was completely impossible.

However, what comes first is something that probably everyone has been waiting for: awards. I have divided them into two groups – the first one is the Best of the Best in absolute categories. It not only refers to sound, but also to the cognitive value of the winners. The other one is mostly a clearly subjective choice of the most interesting presentations that we have given the Best Sound Audio Video Show 2016 award to. There are more of them than last year, which reflects the scale of the event and my refusal to remove someone from the list just because it is too long. If necessary, please blame me for everything!

EVENT

JACEK GAWŁOWSKI: „MASTER (RE)MASTER”
Ayon Audio, Lumen White, Siltech
Organizers: Nautilus, Ayon Audio, “High Fidelity”

I had been wondering whether this was not too strong self-promotion, but only for a while. I think that everyone who attended the “Master (Re)Master” meeting with Jacek Gawłowski, with me as the chairman, learnt something new. The Krakow Sonic Society presentation (#106) attracted a lot of interesting people who were officially able to listen to Polish Jazz compositions from high-resolution files (both 24/88.2 and 24/174.4) for the first time. The system included the new Ayon Audio S-10 file player, the Conquistador preamp and the latest Lumen White speakers.

After the presentation, Jacek answered questions, explained things, talked about his Bauta speakers, etc.

THE BEATLES, MAGICAL MISTERY TOUR
Chord Electronics, Cabasse, Cardas, Rogoz Audio, Studer
Organizer: Voice

This is the system in which we listened to a copy of the analog master tape of the Magical Mystery Tour by The Beatles, with a new version of the Cabasse Le Sphère CTA speakers in the foreground, a digital crossover, as well as Chord Electronics equipment and the Studer A807 tape recorder in the foreground. The presentation was organized by the Voice company, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The tape that we listened to was used to press LP discs in Jugoton. The presentation was conducted by Piotr Metz and Tomasz Zeliszewski.

Tomasz Zeliszewski, a member of the Polish band Budka Suflera and the owner of the tape, pressing the “Play” button. Before he did that, he shared his personal experience of listening to the master tape, and the discoveries and emotions that resulted from it.

Please note that both of the presentations mentioned above are going to be described in a separate article.

THE PREMIERE OF THE T.LOVE: Muniek Staszczyk, Jacek Gawłowski, Hirek Wrona
Wilson Audio, Dan D’Agostino, MSB, Symposium Acoustics, Synergistic Research
Organizer: Audiofast, ZPAV, Warner Music Poland

The most expensive system at the exhibition, costing 2,000,000 PLN, attracted both visitors, as well as TV crews, celebrities and musicians. Its most important element were the Wilson Audio ALEXX speakers (the successor of the MAXX3), but one can also see the Dan D’Agostino Progression power amplifiers and the MSB Select II DAC worth 90 000 USD in the background.

The official premiere of the T.LOVE album took place in the Audiofast company room. The photo presents Muniek Staszczyk and Jacek Gawłowski (in front of Muniek, a leader, sitting), the album’s co-producer, also responsible for mix and mastering.

YAYUMA AUDIO – ANALOG SIGNAL PROCESSOR
Yayuma Audio, Vitus Audio, Unison Research, hORNS by Auto-Tech
Organizer: Yayuma Audio

Yayuma is a Polish brand new company which now offers one product: an analog signal processor. It operates on the basis of the idea of translating the speed principle of microphone operation into the “language” of loudspeakers. I listened to the device for 15 minutes on Sunday morning, before the exhibition opened, but the presentation (i.e. the explanations and sound) made a great impression on me. The processor opened sound to new information, without making the sound sharper or emphasizing details – there was simply much more of everything. The system included the CD Vitus Audio player, the Unison Research amplifier and the hORNS by Auto-Tech speakers. We are giving the award in advance, but I feel that it might be an important step towards sound perfection.

THE SOUND OF THE EXHIBITION

SENNHEISER ORPHEUS HE-1
Sennheiser, Accuphase
Organizer: Aplauz

A minimalist system worth 300,000 PLN :), including the Orpheus HE-1 headphones and the Accuphase SACD DP-720 player. No other headphone system can so accurately simulate the presence of sound sources in space. Never before had I heard space presented in such a realistic way in headphones. The tone was excellent, but other top-class headphones also perform very well in this respect. The Orpheus HE-1, however, come across as outstanding when it comes to sound freedom and the total disappearance of the headphones. One Sennheiser system has already been purchased by someone from Poland..

CARY AUDIO DMC 600 C
Blumenhofer Acoustics, Cary Audio, Ypsilon
Organizer: Audio System

The source in the system with the Blumenhofer Acoustics speakers was the Cary Audio DMC 600 C player. It is called the Digital Music Center as it has digital inputs, as well as a Bluetooth connection. However, its main role is to play CDs. Amplification was provided by the Ypsilon E 300B power amplifiers, based on two 300B tubes per channel (in the background). The system played very fast and accurately, without tube influences.

WILSON AUDIO YVETTE
Wilson Audio, Dan D’Agostino, dCS, Acoustic Signature, Soundsmith, Symposium Acoustics, Synergistic Research
Organizer: Audiofast

The Wilson Audio Yvette speakers were driven by top-class products: the 1000-watt Dan D’Agostino Progression power amps with the Pre preamp. There were two sources: the dCS Vivaldi 2.0 system (this is the latest software version) and the Acoustic Signature Ascona Mk II turntable with the TA9000 arm and the Soundsmith Hyperion cartridge. As always, the room was a little too small for the Wilson speakers, but the Yvette model handled it really well. It was big sound with swing.

ESA, ANDRZEJ ZAWADA
ESA, Mastersound, Avid
Organizer: ESA

Mr. Andrzej Zawada – dignified and full of enthusiasm, as always – with the ESA speakers. Keeping pace with the times, Mr. Andrzej has prepared an anniversary version of his speakers from the 1990s – the Continuum XXV Anniversary model (on the left). The sound of the system was incredibly coherent and smooth. What I focused on was the sound and not the devices themselves.

ELAC BS403
Elac, NAD
Organizer: Audio Klan

After Mr. Andrew Jones, formerly a constructor for the TAD company, had joined Elac, the firm produced a lot of incredibly interesting products, also including some inexpensive ones. The photo presents the BS403 model in nice natural veneer. Despite loud noise, the speakers, driven by NAD electronics, made a very good impression on me.

VERTERE RG-1 REFERENCE GROOVE
FM Acoustics, Vertere
Organizer: Natural Sound

I also heard excellent sound in the Natural Sound room where they had FM Acoustics speakers and electronics, as well as the Vertere RG-1 Reference Groove turntable. We drank some wine with its constructor, Mr. Touraj Moghaddam, and danced to the music played from a few 12” maxi-singles with music from the 1980s. It is very precise and accurate sound with excellently captured timing.

HEGEL RÖST
Hegel, Xavian
Organizer: CAMAX & Premium Sound

A new distribution company – Camax – made its debut during the AVS 2016. It has made a strong entry into the market with the excellent Hegel brand. At the exhibition, they mainly demonstrated the Röst, an integrated amplifier with a streamer. The presented speakers are the Xavian Stella model. It is an example of how beautiful sound can be obtained in a minimalist system.

DYNAUDIO CONTOUR 20
Dynaudio, Accuphase, Octave, Transrotor, ZYX, Siltech, Base
Organizer: Nautilus

One of the rooms with the best sound at the exhibition, with the Dynaudio Contour 20 speakers. The system was set up according to assumptions that guide me during tests, i.e. the electronics – here: the Octave HP700 preamp, the Octave RE230 power preamps and the SACD Accuphase DP/DC950 player (a test in January 2017) is many times more expensive than the speakers. I listened to a few recordings, but I liked the Yuri Tashiro Piano Trio Digital Explosion LP best. It is a rarity – digitally recorded music which sounds as if played from the master tape. The new ZYX C-1000 Carbon cartridge with a carbon fiber cantilever hugely contributed to the success. Bravo!

EQUILIBRUM BLACK ORCHID
Equilibrum, Naim, Enerr
Organizer: Audiothlon & Media4Home

The Black Orchid speakers, created by the Polish company Equilibrium, were driven by Naim electronics and the combination was excellent! The Enerr company provided power supply and the whole system was set up by the Audiothlon & Media4Home company. To tell the truth, it was one of the best presentations of Naim electronics in recent years, even though the central figure of the system were the Equilibrium speakers.

PYLON AUDIO OPAL 23
Pylon Audio, Fezz Audio
Organizer: Pylon Audio, Fezz Audio

The Pylon Audio Opal 23 speakers cost only 2200 PLN/pair! Together with the Fezz Audio Silver Luna amplifier, they produced really nice sound. To be honest, I could have selected the Emerald Touched by High Fidelity speakers to be given this award, but it seems to me that obtaining such good sound from speakers as inexpensive as the Opal 23 is even a greater achievement.

AUDIONET PLANCK
YG Acoustic, Audionet, Townshend Audio
Organizer: CORE trendts

One of the best-sounding (as for a hotel room) systems of the exhibition, consisting of products that we have tested: the YG Acoustic Carmel 2 speakers and the CD Audionet Planck player (both tested in HF), accompanied by a Watt amplifier and an Ampere power supply. Mr. Kerry St. James, the head of sales for YG Acoustics, who had set up the speakers at my home before the test, told me at the exhibition that he needs to visit me more frequently to make more album compilations to be played during exhibitions – he left my home with several “must have” titles…

MONITOR AUDIO BRONZE 6
Monitor Audio, Cambridge Audio, The Chord Company
Organizer: Audio Center Poland

A stylish, minimalist, clean and nice system with components that produce good sound – it is simply the system prepared by the Audio Center Poland company, consisting of: the CXN file transport, the CXC CD transport and the CXA-80 integrated amplifier – all from Cambridge Audio, as well as the Monitor Audio Bronze 6 speakers and The Chord Company cables.

AVATAR AUDIO HOLOPHONY MODEL DWA
Avatar Audio, ReVox
Organizer: Avatar Audio

The Avatar Audio company always prepares interesting presentations, but this year something really “worked out” as the sound was exceptionally beautiful. The wonderful, warm sound was obtained both thanks to an analog copy of a master tape played from a ReVox reel-to-reel tape recorder and the Holophony Model Dwa speakers (a test in HF) – here an improved version created on the basis of our test – “mission completed!”

THRAX AUDIO LYRA + BASSUS
Thrax Audio, Döhmann, CEC, Furutech, RCM Audio
Organizer: RCM

The Thrax Audio Lyra speakers (a test in HF) were presented with their dedicated Bassus subwoofer in Munich, but it was Warsaw where we saw their version for production that not only sounds but also looks good. The speakers, driven by the Thrax Audio Teres amplifiers, performed extremely well, aided by the sources: the D/A CEC TL0 3.0+DA0 3.0 transport and converter (a test in HF) and the Döhmann Helix 1 turntable (a test in HF).

At the end, I would like to thank all our readers, greet those that I had the opportunity to meet and those who did not dare to talk to me :) See you next year!