Started yesterday. Runs through tomorrow (Sunday). Small-ish show this year, but lots of attendees. Turnout was impressive when I visited on Friday. The show mood is bright, upbeat and energetic. Big improvement over last year's morose event during the pandemic. Airport Westin, 950 Dixon Road. The new PSB Passif 50 and the new NAD 3050 are a blast together. Great sounding, great looking audio. Lots and lots of highlights. Thomas & Stereo was hitting all the rooms with his entourage and video camera in evidence, so his YT channel will soon feature a report. Same goes for Jay/Soulsik or whatever he goes by these days (who we talk to briefly), and I'm sure he'll be posting a show report on his YT channel shortly as well. If you're in the GTA and you're free, hit the show. Well worth it.
It was also good to be able to hear a wide range of models from Fyne Audio in comparison to quite a few other speakers. Three different rooms were running stuff from Fyne. Some Fyne fans here on SHF, but I haven't had enough time with them. The new phono preamp from Six Acoustics - it'll be released any day now - sounds terrific. Might be the high-end bargain of 2023.
Wow I've heard nothing about this whatsoever looking forward to more feedback and some pics! Visited Toronto way back in 2001 loved it.
Do you have any more info on this? I can't seem to find anything on the Six website other than the ability to customize their existing phono pre with different loading options. Do they have an entirely different and better phono pre coming out?
Hope you get to check out the new DS-10 EVO Line model along with the Lab12 components. Also great to get your opinion of the Unison Research Max 2 if you get the chance of hearing it. Have a great time.
Was there yesterday. Amazing how the bar always keeps moving! Lots to drool over!PMC and Gershwin speakers were fantastic.
Gershman has persisted for many years in evolving the Grand Avantgarde. Every iteration sounds just a bit better than the previous one.
Did they have the "Heritage" or "Retro" line? I don't recall what the nomenclature they've chosen. They look like some of the old Tannoy stuff.
Did anyone check out the Tri-Art room? Reading the write up in Stereophile it looks fascinating and relatively affordable.
Unsurprising that the show didn't hit your radar. Michel Plante and company whi have produced Toronto Audiofest for the past five (?) years do an exemplary job of organization and management, but a somewhat less than effortful job of broad marketing. With most audio shows in North America, it's left to show goers to post about the events either in advance of or during the dates. Rarely do any show producers hit the busiest audio forums (e.g., SHF, obviously, but the other large forums too) to start and maintain a show thread to announce it and promote it and keep it visible near the top of the active topic listings. There seems to be a sense that the vast majority of show visitors will be locals. That's rarely the case. Majority, no doubt. Vast majority? Rarely. Good organization and management makes shows worth visiting. Adding persistent and widely visible marketing makes a well-organized show a much more appealing activity and destination for far more non-locals and locals alike. Together, that significantly impresses exhibitors, attracts exhibitors that are sitting on the fence, and creates more depth and variety for show visitors. The two-channel, home audio business is a relatively small industry. Global it is, without a doubt. But I also think that means the industry is too disconnected from its consumer bases with so much OEM'ing and sourcing from China. I think that also means show-focussed marketing of domestic brands (from the show's national base) along with general show partner brand marketing specific to a particular show has become fundamentally far more important than ever before when it comes to spreading the word about an upcoming show far enough in advance to give more audiophiles a better chance of finding out about a show and and better chance at making time in their schedules to visit a show.
Those Vintage line models are at the show. According to the distributor and a retailer, the designs are undoubtedly influenced by the Tannoy designs because several of the key people who formed Fyne were key people at Tannoy. However, the really wonderful Fyne cabinetry designs reminiscent of the Tannoy models are very much Fyne designs, not Tannoy imitations. In person, the designs and the looks are distinct from Tannoy and very appealing. More important, while I am personally still on the fence about the sound of Fyne's mainstream models, the sound of the Vintage models has me convinced. But, bring money. Lots of money.
Tri-Art Audio is there with all their bamboo-oriented product designs. The company probably now knows more about the creative (and effective) uses of bamboo than any other group in the audio industry anywhere. TriangleArts products (different company altogether) are also at the show.
I rolled through the show today. Sharing some pics / highlights... Monitor Audio Platinum 200 3G driven by a Michi P5/S5 pre/power combo. SPL headphone amp streaming Dylan on Tidal. I bought this Ventures surf/swamp rock record for $6 at the show, and one of the exhibitors offered to throw it on to this luxe all Kuzma turntable setup. It sounded fantastic. Disc was freshly cleaned.
Some of the Tri-Art system mentioned above. Solid state components with tube buffers. Everything (TT, speakers, component cabinets) made of bamboo with a choice of stains.
Audio Arcan outside of Toronto is the Canadian distributor of Icon Audio and Graham Slee. I was very impressed by the Icon Audio tube monoblocks powering those PMC towers. Thinking about one of their phono stages, like the PS2 (tube powered, has a mono switch, and isn't ungodly expensive). I'd never seen a tube that large before. Looks straight out of Dr. Frankenstein's lab. This all Audio Note system really blew me away. I could have stayed in that room for a while. Vinyl Sound was showing off this Gold Note / Accuphase / Harbeth system. I've been interest in the Gold Note PH10 (and its newer and cheaper sibling the PH5). They had the PH10 on display.
Liisong open baffle speakers impressed. Oracle Delphi (Canadian!) turntable. Oracle's Supertramp Breakfast In America anniversary turntable, for some reason. PS Audio juggernaut speakers really impressed. Was also nice to hear a vendor streaming something other than Jazz / Norah Jones / SRV etc. Heretic 612 speakers. 97 db efficient, 2-way coaxial speakers made in Montreal. These were mentioned in the thread regarding Ojas speakers. Powered by a Kinki Studios integrated.
Miles Davis' Kind Of Blue spinning on reel to reel tape. Lush. Sim Audio Moon's Dark Side of the Moon phono stage!? Or Rush for some Cancon. Maybe pair this with the Supertramp turntable? These PMC towers were pretty ridic. I don't think they'd fit in my condo. New NAD anniversary edition integrated paired with the also retro PSB Passif 50. I found the wood veneer on the NAD quite cheap looking and feeling. I think that's about it, photo wise. Wanted to post a bunch for the members who couldn't attend, especially my cousin @Khorn
Didn't see or hear any Lab 12 or Unison Research gear. They had the DS-10 EVO power supply hooked up to the streamer, but the vendor wasn't sure what the upgrades are from the non-EVO version.
@maycontainmultitudes thanks for the very comprehensive and professional photographic spread. You helped bring the show to the many who couldn’t attend. A great asset. Thanks again.
