Toronto Audio Video Entertainment Show (TAVES) 2014 Show Report (page 1)

The Toronto Audio Video Entertainment Show (TAVES) 2014 was held from Friday 2014-10-31 to Sunday 2014-11-02 at the Sheraton Center in downtown Toronto. Spread over four floors of the Sheraton, the show presented video projectors, TVs, cameras, 3D printing, CDs, vinyl and accessories for purchase, and paintings to complement the very healthy serving of high end audio products. The show was well attended and the the overall feel more relaxed than some others I've attended.

Most of the audio systems on demonstration were set up in hotel rooms, with the associated acoustic compromises that entails. However some systems overcame these constraints to produce really fine sound. The most common sources were vinyl and high resolution digital audio. A feature of the show was the dominance of high resolution digital sources and vinyl in the demonstration systems. Also notable was the high proportion of systems using Solid Tech racks.

The Serious Music show report provides a few pictures and brief comments on some of the products and systems to give a flavour of the show.

The Arcam FMJ two-channel components were on active display in a large, untreated room, driving the Revel Ultima Studio 2 speakers. The system consisted of the CDS27 SACD/CD/Network streaming player, the D33 DAC, the C49 preamp and a pair of P49 power amplifiers. The system give a good account of itself providing a dynamic sound with good imaging and soundstaging.

The new Arcam Solo bar and Solo sub were on static display. This interesting pair is designed to work as a home theatre sound bar as well as an on-wall stereo speaker.

The Bowhead is a Canadian speaker manufacturer. The system comprise the Bowhead alpha five seven speakers and electronics from Blue Circle.

The alpha five seven features 9 drivers and 9 power amplifiers in each speaker. The 7 front-firing drivers are 5" polypropylene full range units, each driven by its own 150W class D amplifier. The top 3 are used for the high frequencies while the lower 4 cover the midrange. On the back of the speaker are two 8" aluminium subwoofers which supply the bass, each driven by a 250W class D amplifier. The drivers are housed in a sealed bamboo cabinet with the amplifiers and analog crossover located in the circular base.

The system sounded quite good, dynamic and full range with deep bass and good integration throughout the frequency range.

SVS Ultra Tower and Prime Tower with Emotiva electronics

SVS Prime Tower and Ultra Tower

Pure Audio Project Trio15TB open baffle speaker

Rear of Pure Audio Project Trio15TB open baffle speaker

Reference 3A Grand Veena BE speakers, Pure Audio Project Trio15TB speakers, Jungson JA10 preamp and JA200 monoblock power amps, and Psvane tube preamp and power amps

MBL Corona system

R2R Audio 15″ full range active speaker

Rear of R2R Audio 15″ full range active speaker

Neat Motive SX1 driven by Naim electronics

Tannoy Canterbuty Gold Reference speaker

Tannoy Canterbury Gold Reference speakers with the Kronos turntable and Tenor amplification and

Tannoy Canterbuty Gold Reference speaker

Tenor amps and Kronos turntable

Gershman Grende Avant Garde speakers driven by Pass Labs amps with the PS Audio Direct Stream DAC and the Berkeley Alpha DAC Reference Series and Entreq Tellus ground boxes

Berkely, Pass Labs and PS Audio electronics

Kudos X3 speakers driven by Norma elctronics

Kudos X3 speakers

Norma REVO IPA-140 integrated amplifier

Bowhead alpha five seven loudspeaker driven by Blue Circle electronics

Bowhead alpha five seven loudspeaker

Rear view of Bowhead alpha five seven loudspeaker showing 8″ subwoofers

Prototype of Woo Audio W8 portable tube headphone amp

Woo Audio WA-234 mono-block headphone and speaker amplifier with Abyss AB-1266 headphones

Audio Note J/D speakers driven by Audio Note electronics

AudioNote TT Two Deluxe turntable with Arm Three V2 tonearm and IQ3 cartridge, CDT One/II CD transport, DAC2.1x Signature DAC and OTO SE Phon Signature phono integrated amplifier

Arcam Solo bar and Solo sub

Revel Ultima Studio 2 speakers driven by Arcam CDS27 SACD/CD/Nework streaming player, D33 DAC, C49 preamplifier and a pair of A49 power amplifiers

Arcam A39 and A49 integrated amplifiers

Entrance to TAVES 2014

Art on display in the registration area

Tidal Audio Contriva G2 speakers drive by Reimyo electronics

Wilson Audio Sasha Series 2 speakers driven by Dan D’Agostino Momentum amps

Dan D’Agostino Momentum preamp

Dan D’Agostino Momentum monoblock amps

Rear of the Wilson Audio Sasha Series 2 speaker

Wilson Audio Sasha Series 2 speaker

Estelon X Diamond driven by Ayre electronics

Brinkman Balance turntable, Burmester 100 phono preamplifer and Accuphase CD player with Estelon XB speaker

Estelon X Diamond

Sony 4K VPL GTZ1 ultra short throw projector

Lawrence Audio Cello, Violin and Mandolin speakers

Lawrence Audio Violin and Mandolin speakers

Naim Statement NAC S1 pream and NAP S1 mon power amps driving Focal Grande Utopia EM speakers

Naim Statement NAC S1 preamp and NAP S1 mono power amps driving the Focal Grande Utopia EM speakers

Raidho D-2 speakers with Audia Flight, Bel Canto Design, Jeff Rowland, Sutherland, and Dr. Feikert Analogue electronics

Audia Flight CD One M CD player, Bel Cando Design electronics, Dr. Feikert Analogue Firebird turntable, Jeff Rowland Continuum integrated amp, Sutherland Phonblock phone stage, Jeff Rowland Model 625 Stereo power amp