There was a vast collection of high-end audio products and systems on display and demonstration at High End 2023 and hifi deluxe 2023. This is a selection of what was on show, along with some impressions of what I heard.

Alsyvox Raffaello

Alsyvox is a Spanish manufacturer of full-range ribbon speakers. On demonstration were the top of the line Alsyvox Raffaello speakers, driven by Lampizator and Pilium electronics, including the Pilium Hercules monoblock amplifiers. The Raffaello provided the effortless, full-range sound which I recognise from my first encounter with the Alsyvox Botticelli at hifi deluxe 2018. The Rafaello’s double woofer panels delivered bass that was percussive when required, but also deep and textured. Despite the size, and particularly the width of the Raffaellos, they disappeared completely. Yeilding a wide, 3-D soundstage with excellent imaging. They provided some of the best sound I heard at High End 2023.

Bayz Counterpoint

Bayz Audio demonstrated their flagship Counterpoint radial speakers at hifi deluxe 2023. The Counterpoint was driven by a VAC Sigma 170i integrated amplifier, sourced by and Esoteric N-05XD network DAC preamplifier. This was my first experience of Bayz speakers, and I was very impressed. The midrange and the presentation of female vocals was most lifelike, and the imaging was superb. There was an ease in their presentation of the music, though I didn’t get a sense of the full scale when listening to an orchestral selection. This may have been a constraint of the room, which was not large. I certainly look forward to hearing these again in a larger room to get a fuller sense of what they have to offer.

Clarysis Auditorium

The Clarysis Auditorium was another of the excellent planar speakers I heard at High End 2023. The Auditorium is the largest of the three models produced by Clarysis. These speakers are a reincarnation and evolution of the fabled Apogee ribbon speakers. The Auditorium was coupled with electronics from Soulution, including the 727 preamplifier and 701 monoblock power amplifiers.

I listened to a range of selections, including Kashmir from Vanessa Fernandez’s When the Levee Breaks, Clark Terry&Co on Alternate One from the Alternate Blues or a recording on vinyl of Hugh Masekela’s Stimela from the album Hope. Whatever to music, the Auditoriums delivered with power and grace, immersing me in glorious sound. This was one of the finest systems I heard at High End 2023.

DALI Epikore 11

DALI launched the Epikore 11 speakers at High End 2023 to celebrate it’s 40th anniversary. They have trickled down several of the advancements developed for their flagship Kore into a more affordable and manageable speaker, positioned between the Kore and the Epicon series. Featuring four 8″ woofers, a 6½” midrange and the latest incarnation of DALI’s signature hybrid tweeter, the Epikore 11 stands about 5 ft tall. On demo at High End 2023, it was driven by the NADs top of the line amplification, the Masters M66 streaming DAC-preamplifier, which also had its debut at High End 2023, and a pair of Masters M23 amplifiers.

The Epikore 11s were highly resolved, with all details and nuances presented to the listener, not analytically, but as integral aspects of a very lifelike sound, emanating from a vast soundstage. Music just flowed easily from the system with no sense of grain or artifice. The bass was taut and lithe, but with all the depth and power you could want. All the music played, whether Natalie Merchants vocals floating over the kick drum and snare pulse of San Andreas Fault on her Live in Concert album, to the heartfelt emotion of Eva Cassidy’s Bridge Over Troubled Water from Live at Blues Alley, to the full-range, textured sound and percussive drive of The Ozone Percussion Group’s Jazz Variants from their album La Bamba, the Epikore 11 delivered elegantly, and with effortless power. Truly excellent sound.

DALI iO-12

The iO-12 was another of DALI’s 40th anniversary releases. It’s the new flagship of DALI’s iO Bluetooth headphone series. In addition to Bluetooth, the iO-12 also accepts a USB input up to 24/96, and it also works as a passive headphone via a minijack input. At the show it was demonstrated both via Bluetooth and in passive mode, wired to a Bluesound Node X.

Whether wired or via Bluetooth, the iO-12 delivered excellent sound, at least the equal of the other fine headphones on demo at the show. I certainly look forward to hearing more of these lovely headphone, and assessing them with more familiar components.

Diptyque Reference and B.audio

The Diptyque Reference was another of the excellent ribbon speakers on show at High End 2023.  It was driven by the B.audio B.amp mono amplifiers, sourced by the B.dpr EX DAC/preamplifier/streamer/server.  Also on display was B.audio’s Alpha One streaming integrated amplifier, which was introduced at the show.

The References disappeared completely, leaving a wide, deep soundstage with great imaging.  Harry Belafonte’s  Halleluja I Love Her So from Belafonte Sings the Blues was wonderfully delivered.

Estelon

Estelon launched the Aura, the most affordable speaker in its range, at High End 2023. It was powered by amplification from Sim Audio, the Moon Moon 740P preamplifier and 860A v2 monoblock amplifiers with DCS sources, the Rossini CD/SACD transport and Rossini Apex DAC with Rossini Master Clock.

Also on demonstration was the Estelon XB Diamond MKII at high End 2023. The accompanying electronics were from Innuos, the Statement Server and Phoenix NET network switch, a dCS Rossini APEX DAC and amplification from Pilium. Power conditioning was from IsoTek.

Both Estelon systems sounded outstanding, and while the XB Diamond MKII excelled the less expensive Aura, the latter was definitely not embarassed by the comparison.

Ferrum Wandla

The Wandla is the new DAC/preamp from Ferrum Audio. I auditioned it with a pair of Meze Elite headphones in an all-Ferrum system in which it drove the OOR headphone amplifier, both components being powered by the Hypsos power supply. The Wandla was highly engaging and musical and drew me into the music. It also surprised, revealing unfamiliar new levels of detail and nuance on very well-known selections. I very much look forward to having a more extended experience of this excellent, affordable, reference-level DAC.

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