7-10-2017

X-Fi Show 2017
by Maarten van Druten


This is my impression review of the X-Fi show 2017
This year the X-Fi show was bigger then ever, but there was also a big contrast
between the quality of the presentations, some rooms were sounding very good
and had very well tuned sets, but other rooms sounded very, very bad...

Headphones, a lot of retro designs, and wood were the hot items of this X-Fi show
Wood was everywhere:


Nice looking retro design inspired speakers of "Akiko Audio"


Also tubes and wood by "Auris" audio
 

"Club 27" was one of the shows that I personally didn't like so much, I don't like
the sound of (cheap) compression drivers in (expensive) High-End loudspeaker designs...


"Club 27" also uses a lot of wood with professional PA loudspeakers


This is an interesting concept called: "True Blue Box"
https://vintageaudiorepair.nl/truebluebox/

The True-Blue Box is a unique amplifier designed around the revolutionary Axign AX5689 chip.
Due to the digital feedback, this amplifier can correct errors in the transmission substantially in real time.
You could call the T-BB a "power DAC" because it is an integration of a high performance DAC
combined with a Class D amplifier.


another nice sounding set at the X-Fi show, I liked their turntable..


Professional turntable with modular slots?

Retro loudspeakers and big studio monitors are very popular


QUAD still alive thanks to Vintage Audio Repair

Nice to see that "Quad" is still very popular



The original English QUAD is still very popular
and still looking very original and impressive
"Vintage Audio Repair" https://vintageaudiorepair.nl/
can repair and modify your old Quad, if you have any questions you can contact them at:
vintageaudiorepair@gmail.com

The new (Chinese) QUAD tube amp with speakers


Nice to see that STAX is still alive, definitely one of the best headphones of the show
Their electrostatic headphones are also light and comfortable to wear


One of the best sounding rooms at the X-Fi show 2017


Nice dark and cosy, but this set is one of the best sounding sets at the show
"Audiomaat" was presenting the new Harbeth loudspeakers with Croft amplifiers

 

The new Harbeth 30.2 loudspeakers were sounding very good, Audiomaat's room was definitely one of
the best sounding rooms of the show

Audiomaat is famous of the handmade cables, to prevent any interruption Audiomaat
hung the cables in the air away of the devices and other cables, the result was a very
clean and comfortable sound.

But also Audiomaat was using power current (!) and a big transformer to purify the power for their presentation.
The result was a very nice presentation with a very clean sound, so you see it all starts with the
current, it's very important and overlooked by many others...

 

Amazing prototype's by "DAUDIO"

DAUDIO was showing their prototype's of their new mini open baffle monitors with Mundorf AMT tweeter
They look amazing, can't wait to review these beauties!

More info:
 

Best sounding set of the X-Fi Show 2017!

The best sounding set at the X-Fi Show 2017 according to Audio Dandy were the BBC certified studio monitors build by Stirling.

These LS3/5A V2 loudspeakers sound different than the original LS3/5A loudspeakers, but they have more
punch, beter dynamics, deeper bass, I think they just sound more modern, without letting go the benefits of the original relaxed warm English sound, I like it.

Congratulations Rik Stoet, your set was sounding the most musical, and has the most comfortable sound!
 

Definitively the best sounding set at the X-Fi show 2017, people were caming back to this room
all the time

More info about the Stirling LS3/5A V2 loudspeakers (Dutch only)
http://www.rikstoet.nl/index/Blog/Entries/2013/6/15_Stirling_Broadcast_BBC_LS3_5a_v2_is_geweldig!.html


The Stirling loudspeakers were powered by two mono block power amplifiers of 290 watts
of the brand "Nuprime"

Link: http://www.nuprimeaudio.com/product/sta-9/

Also sounding very good

Remarkable were the open baffle creations of Kristoffer Zegers
His newer and smaller CEPHEI 5.05 loudspeakers were sounding very good, well done Kristoffer!

 

More info: http://www.zmi-audio.com/

Maarten van Druten (Audio Dandy)

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