Confused

Nudging this back on topic, I found this "shopping list" on line: 1 Børresen M6 Loudspeakers, Pair $ 550,000.00 1 Aavik C-880 $ 70,000.00 1 Aavik P-880 $ 70,000.00 1 Aavik D-580 $ 25,200.00 1 Aavik S-580 $ 25,200.00 1 Ansuz Gold SignatureMainz8 Power Distributor $ 64,000.00 1 Ansuz Gold SignaturePowerSwitch $ 23,000.00 1 Ansuz Gold SignaturePowerBox DC power for active cables $ 23,000.00 8 Ansuz Gold SignatureMainz Power Cables $ 68,000.00 1 Ansuz Gold SignatureDigitalz BNC $ 27,000.00 2 Ansuz Gold SignatureDigitalz LAN Cables $ 12,400.00 2 Ansuz Gold SignatureSignalz Analog Cables, Pair $ 51,000.00 1 Ansuz Gold SignatureSpeaker Cables, Pair 5Meter $ 162,000.00 2 Ansuz 3-shelf Titanium Racks $ 53,100.00 20 Ansuz Z2S Darkz Resonance Control $ 4,000.00 10 Ansuz T2S Darkz Cable Lifters Resonance Control $ 1,700.00 13 Ansuz Signature Sortz RF Noise Control RCA, BNC $ 1,600.00 5 Ansuz Signature Sortz RF Noise Control USB, LAN $ 2,100.00 Total $1,944,700 So if I sold my entire system, I think I would raise enough cash for the power switch, and maybe a power cable or two. I am not one to make big noises about "overpriced audiophile bling", or any such griping, but this one does challenge my thoughts. Does anyone want this or think it is ok for something this expensive to exist? And then there is the thought of those 4.5" drivers. I think that for $2 million, I would like at least 6" units. $1.94 million? I have to wonder if they have sold any, if if this is some kind of halo project to gain interest in the "more affordable" products?

Noting your fondness for DSOM, and that there is a total eclipse in the US today, this affords the possibility to listen to DSOM whilst actually observing the DSOM in the sky.

Inspired by the post above, and for a bit of fun, here are some of the tracks that were played at Audio Show Deluxe 2024. Next two were played on the Muons: These two on the Borresen M6’s Some others: And finally, an honourable mention to the little tune below. This was one of the tracks played on the Dali Epikore 11's. The rep in the Dali room was explaining how Dali speakers present a very easy load for the amplifier, which in turn offers excellent driver control, and hence results in exceptional dynamics in the sound. To demonstrate the same, they played the track below, a track the rep referred to as the "driver destroyer". Did the Epikore 11's exhibit superb dynamics with this track? Yes they did, as it happens, so this one worked as planned. (although the very visible drivers did look like they were about to be destroyed)

@botrytis - I think you and I visit shows for very similar reasons. Even at the very small Audio Show Deluxe I bumped into a couple of people that I know. The world of "refined hifi" seems to be a remarkably small one sometimes. As for DSOM, it is probably as popular in the UK as it is anywhere on the planet. It is number 7 in the UK all time best selling album chart. I probably visit two shows each year, yet I cannot recall a single time I have heard DSOM played. Is it really that bad in the US? If I am honest, I would fully welcome hearing DSOM played at a show. If nothing else it would serve as a familiar reference. At Audio Show Deluxe the vast majority of music played was unfamiliar to me. Which is fine as it goes, but useless as a reference. When I am listening to a system that I think sounds good, I have a habit of using the Shazam app on my 'phone to capture what is playing. I can then play the same when I get home. Very often I find myself surprised at how good the same sounds at home. I guess it is not unreasonable to expect those demonstrating kit to select tracks that sound reasonable.

Enjoy! I note that Audio Group Denmark / Borresen are listed as exhibitors at AXPONA, so you might need to clear the balance on your credit card too.

Some pictures: The Boyer room with little and large Kroma speakers Kroma Atelier Macbeth speaker (it is very shiny) £1 Million stereo: Dali Epikore 11 speakers KEF Muon (also quite shiny) and a link to more: https://www.hifipig.com/audio-show-deluxe-2024-report/

Well, not exactly blind testing speakers, but I hope understand my meaning if you take the time to read this little tail. A couple of weeks ago a friend and myself visited Audio Show Deluxe in the UK. The show is located in a rather nice hotel, not far from Sliverstone race track. (parking at the hotel in the morning, you can hear race cars on morning practice in the distance) It is a fairly small show, and was previously branded as the National Audio Show. More recently this has been changed to Audio Show Deluxe. I guess that National Audio Show did not really work, as the UK has at least two other hifi shows that are far larger. The change to Audio Show Deluxe came with a remit to the exhibitors to bring and showcase “the best of the best” of whatever they have to offer. So you could call it the crazy money audio show, the overpriced bling show, or be kind and take it at face value as an opportunity to experience some of the “better” kit that is out there. Note that the unnecessary in English “e” at the end of deluxe is derived from the French “de luxe”, this indicating that the properly posh kit will be there. Anyway, enough waffle. The venue is only an hour or so drive for me, so a visit seemed like a nice way to spend some time on an otherwise dull, cold, and wet Sunday. There were some great sounding systems there. In fact, to my ears all of the systems were good, especially considering the limitations of setting up for a couple of days in random hotel rooms. Stopping for fuel and a coffee on the way home, the conversation inevitably came around to “which room did you think sounded best?” I mentioned that I was particularly impressed with the Audio Group Denmark room. An incredibly natural sound, great soundstage, a very competent system. From where I was sat in the room, the speakers visually were “dead on” for my line of vision. The speakers were Borresen M6’s, which are very narrow, and the drivers quite small. So I did wonder what the system might sound like with more challenging or bass heavy material. This is always the limitation of listening at a show, having an unfamiliar room, and often unfamiliar music. Chatting to my friend I mentioned that I wondered about the ultimate low frequency performance and “slam” of the speakers,. OK there are six drivers, but they did look small. (checking at home later, they are 6 x 4.5” drivers) At that time, I had never heard of Borresen speakers, but I liked the sound. Worth checking out further I thought. I also found myself wondering what they cost. They looked good, but not particularly special. If you placed them next to the KEF Muon’s that were being demonstrated in another room they would perhaps look a little outclassed. The Muons would not be to everyone’s taste I am sure, but if nothing else they do look expensive, which they are of course. I was kind of wondering if the Borresen speakers might be in the kind of price range that I might consider for purchase, but I suspected that they might be a little too pricey, £40 to £60k or something crazy like that. But I was thinking that if they were reasonably affordable, I might try to check them out further. My friend said that they too liked the Audio Group Denmark room, but thought that the Boyer Audio room was better. The Boyer room had the Kroma Atelier Matilde speakers, but when we were there, they were running the smaller stand mount Kroma Atelier Macbeth speakers. I too thought that the Boyer room had a great sound. On first listen, I was not quite sure which speakers were actually playing, the little stand mounts or the much larger floor standers. This alone says something for the performance of the little Macbeth speakers. We both liked the Muons, and we both thought that the Dali room was particularly impressive. So no real disagreements between me and my friend, just some slight differences in preferences. In the following week, I was looking at a show report online. It was then that I discovered that the Kroma Atelier Macbeth speakers retail for £24k in the UK. Well, a little expensive for two-way floor stand speakers maybe, but OK, they were very good. Also, before visiting the show, I had not even heard of Borresen speakers. Reading the show report, I discovered that the speakers alone are Euro 500,000, and the entire system come in at well over £1 million. How much!? OK, it was a great sounding system, but so were other systems at the show. I mean, I also really liked the Dali room, the Epikore 11 speakers were superb. (£40K) Nothing, and I mean nothing, gave me any impression that the kit in the Audio Group Denmark was quite that expensive. OK, as I mentioned before, there are limitations to what you can glean at an audio show, so maybe there is some reason the £1 million asking price could be justified for someone who could afford it? It eluded me though , that is for sure. So there you have it, an accidental speaker blind test. From this I have leant that I would be just has happy with some cheap and cheerful Dali Epikore 11 speakers versus the Borresen M6’s with it’s fancy amps. I could then use the £900k saved for something else, a house to put them in perhaps, with a Ferrari 296 GTB in the garage.

This will not be everyone's cup of tea, as we say here in England. Although perhaps worth something as a combination of rock energy combined with utter craziness. I shall post something more melodic tomorrow.

As an Apple Music curiosity, the NL link works fine in the UK.

On a more serious note. I managed to have a listen to the Apple Music version of this. To my ears, I would say that this is a fine example of just how good some 70's era recording can be.

Yes, they look like a miserable bunch. They are my people.