Hi Fi Show (Chicago, Palatine, Woodridge: how much, buy, college)

[Irishtom29]

So did anyone go to the big hi-fi show in Rosemont this weekend? Gear from all over the World and IMO the best sound of the show was the speakers made right here in Chicago by Van L Audio up on Western Ave.

[chet everett]

Did you hear the stuff from Wisdom audio? Really impressive. Pricey, but not their most costly setup.

Do you have a turntable? Some very nice not terribly expensive options are available. Do you use digital music? Lots options for high bit rate sound files and outboard DACs. I was at AXPONA Saturday and the mid-show firedrill was annoying. Not much fun paying $13 for parking on top of the $13.50 attendance but mostly a valuable experience. Mike Holm had some terrific stuff and his shop is in Woodridge, I've know him for years.

There were a couple local from Palatine demo'ing their speakers. Tremendous value.

http://www.sonichemisphere.com/Fidelity_One.php

[Jesse69]

I wish I knew about the show... I would have gone. But I doubt Van L Audio had the best speakers. I last stopped by their shop maybe in 2005.

I stopped being a picky audiophile too, and now I rarely go to audiophile shops. Sometimes they push high end gear that sounds like crap. Like one time I heard a high end iPod player but it sounded terrible.

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by Jesse69

I wish I knew about the show... I would have gone. But I doubt Van L Audio had the best speakers. I last stopped by their shop maybe in 2005.

Well taste in speakers is subjective of course, especially since speaker designers don't even agree on what a good speaker should even do, much less make devices that do it. But IMO Van L speakers have improved greatly since 2005, indeed back then they had a trebly tonal balance that gave me the willies. But now, well I advise you to go up and give them another listen. I think they have a natural tone with well balanced deep bass and extended highs. Clarity is excellent and they throw a very wide and deep image; sometimes giving the "over the shoulder" effect with some recordings.

[Jesse69]

How much do their speakers cost and what drivers do they use for the tweeters and mid ranges?

Most of my mid fi equipment is stuff that I bought during college in 1990 to 1992. Like a Rotel RB 850? amp, a Lexicon CP-1, and a Hafler Iris preamp.

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by Jesse69

How much do their speakers cost and what drivers do they use for the tweeters and mid ranges?

Most of my mid fi equipment is stuff that I bought during college in 1990 to 1992. Like a Rotel BB 850? amp, a Lexicon CP-1, and a Hafler Iris preamp.

The best Van L speaker, the Silhouette, is $3500 a pair, a bargain IMO. It's a 2-way with a 6.5" wooden cone woofer in a transmission line and a Scan-Speak dome tweeter. I think he makes the woofer in house. He uses series crossovers rather than parallel types and uses very high quality ribbon inductors.

I've listened to the speaker several times at great length and were I in the market they'd be a no brainer. But I already have excellent speakers that are only 4 years old, I can't justify new ones.

[Jesse69]

Did that Hifi show have a website and will it be there next year?

I can't afford a $3500 speaker; I'd rather put that into a good PC desktop or laptop.

I bought the $80 a pair Best Buy Insignia speakers because they were carbon fiber cone / center soft dome tweeter / ported / sides were curved to cancel internal standing waves speaker. Have 6 of them to run as matched speakers for the Lexicon CP-1 if I wanted to do that. They were the only sets of speakers I could afford to get for 3 pairs matched. I couldn't open them up to upgrade the crossover, though.

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by Jesse69

Did that Hifi show have a website and will it be there next year?

I can't afford a $3500 speaker; I'd rather put that into a good PC desktop or laptop.

I bought the $80 a pair Best Buy Insignia speakers because they were carbon fiber cone / center soft dome tweeter / ported / sides were curved to cancel internal standing waves speaker. Have 6 of them to run as matched speakers for the Lexicon CP-1 if I wanted to do that. They were the only sets of speakers I could afford to get for 3 pairs matched. I couldn't open them up to upgrade the crossover, though.

I think the show will be here next year. Search "Axpona".

Are those the Insignias with the coaxial driver with the dome in the middle? If so there is a great deal of info on the web about modifying them for better sound maybe including how to get into them. This site says you have to remove the front baffle.

http://www.speakerdesign.net/midrang...ia_woofer.html

[Jesse69]

Thanks for the info, and yes, those are the Insignias you described - they were an audiophile's dream come true: cheap high quality speakers with a great design, - they only need to be modded for high end sound. How do I search for modding info on them on the web?

It's funny Best Buy discontinued selling them. I thought they were the best budget buy speakers you can find brand new. So what if they were made in China. When I used to work at International Jensen I guessed the future would be like that. Lots of failed companies at Best Buy too, like Eosone...