Audiophile High-End Audio show in Newport Beach: T.H.E. Show - Newport 2016, are you going?*

Er... that sounds hard....to.....resist...

 

Just so you don't get lost/further confused, THE Show at Newport Beach is actually in Irvine, CA. There is no beach.

 

I'll be there showing Audio Note (UK)'s prototype COBRA EL34 integrated with built-in DAC and proto TT3 turntable. Vincent Belanger, cellist extraordinaire, will be making his Newport Beach debut, accompanied by the AN system.

This will be my last California show before hanging up my 15 year Audio Note hat. At most, there will be four more, then, "The, that, the, that, that's all folks!"

 

sounds good...sorry i can't be there.

 

thanks, i appreciate that...will you be at the '17 CES? i might be able to make it, look for the fat guy in black riding around on a electric scooter...

 

cool.

 

I'll be up Saturday as well.

The Audio Note room was on my list to visit.

 

I'm afraid I'll be stuck in the Midwest and "California dreaming" this time 'round.
Have a great time guys!

 

Going for all 3 days and staying at the Hotel. Looking forward to hearing and seeing new gear. A few of my Audio friends will be there on various days (mostly Saturday) and it will be good seeing some familiar faces.

Should be a blast!

 

I'm getting my music-to-purchase list together. Looking forward to perusing the used vinyl. I will also be making my annual Sunday morning trek into Hollywood to see what Amoeba has to offer.

 

I went last year, I plan to check out modwright oppo 105 and Spatial audio M3 Turbo S if they are showing them.

Come a tad early to park ($5) and wait to hit the record room when it opens. Use the stairs for any floors that are adjacent as the elevators are hard to catch. Get a schedule for the talks and music events, worth seeing some live event. Hit the food trucks outside, top notch gourmet truck food.

Pick out a few rooms you want to hear, bring your own tunes on a flash drive or a record you know very well, then you can really audition. Everyone will oblige you in this regard.

Wander and explore, it's really cool...don't try to do everything...you won't have time in one day.

LA and OC Audio group offers some discounts with membership Los Angles & Orange County Audio Society Home Page ». Perhaps a code you can use without a membership, I don't know. Way worth the $20 price, there is something for everyone.

 

Just to be honest, the used selection at the show is way over priced, new is better discounted. Amoeba is fun but be careful, they sell off market fake pressings. I usually leave there a bit disappointed and sick of LA when I leave, it's a zoo.

 

I've been to Amoeba many times. I'm pretty good at spotting the fakes. I usually find some interesting stuff in the used sections.

As for the price of the used vinyl at T.H.E. Show, if I find something I really want I'm willing to spend the extra $ as long as the price isn't crazy.

 

Just so others know, the big named audiophile vinyl sellers do sell new stuff at a good discount. From what I recall cash prices are best and you can get a few new reissues for a decent price...then take them to aroma or two and give them a spin, it's a win win!

 

Still thinking about where to have lunch in the area. Any recommendations?

 

They will have amazing food trucks, you don't have to leave.

 

Uh, how would I find you, Steve? I think we'll need to exchange digits . . .

 

Dave, is this really your last show? Not going to make it up to Vancouver this year? You will miss my pizza!

 

Day one has arrived. Early this morning I took a 20 minute walk from the Hotel Irvine to the IHOP on MacArthur Blvd. and had a breakfast large enough to cover for lunch too. Then I walked back. I've gotta say, these foggy mornings here in Irvine are quite a change from the desert climate of the Vegas valley. I was feeling damp all over by the time I got back to the hotel. Still, I'll take this over the furnace that is the weather back home this weekend.

Regarding T.H.E. Show, for 2016 it was decided to have the reception tables up and running early. So I was able to get my pass this morning without waiting in a long line. Yippee!

My plan of attack for today is to first hit the marketplace area for some new tunes. Both the Cars debut and Santana III MFSL SACDs are on my auto-buy list. The Audio Fidelity compilation SACD that just came out is tempting too. Eastwind Imports proved to be an interesting vendor table last year in that I found one of the best jazz SACDs (The Great Jazz Trio/Live @ Birdland, July 2007) in my collection there. I hope this year provides as interesting a find.

After I've done proper damage to my wallet in the marketplace I'm going to check out the audio rooms on the lower floors. Technics is on the 2nd floor, so I'll definitely be scoping out their new turntable. I'll also stop by the Tweak Studio and Scott Walker Audio rooms on the ground floor. I'll have my camera with me, and I plan on photographing some of the more interesting stuff.

Tomorrow I'll visit the high floors (10th through 14th). ELAC, Hegel, Aurender, AURALiC, Meridian, and Audio Note are rooms of particular interest.

One unfortunate thing has happened is that I forgot my SACD and CDR disks of demo tunes. However, I did bring a 64 gig USB stick of music. So all is not lost.

 

Some news for the Technics fans. Evidently, Technics is going to use the magnesium tonearm on ALL of the new 1200 tables. Not just the first 1200 special edition tables. This info was relayed today during a demonstration at T.H.E. Show.

So, this reduces the differences between the limited edition and the non-limited edition tables to just the numbered plaque and the damping material used in the footers.