AXPONA 2023 - Show Report & Awards - Best of the New

Best of the New

Here I embark on an exploration of rooms teeming with innovation and intrigue. These spaces house a diverse array of cutting-edge products, each boasting unique features and capabilities that are sure to pique the interest of even the most discerning audiophiles. Whether it's a fresh design that breaks the mold or a groundbreaking technology that reshapes the way we experience sound, this is where the exciting developments in the world of audio come to life.

Eminent Technology Plasmatronic Speaker + Plasmatronics Hill Type 1 Plasma Tweeter

Now, I've seen some strange speakers throughout the years, but his one takes the cake. Here we have a Plasmatronic Hill Type 1 Plasma tweeter paired with the Eminent Technology LFT-8 (with the tweeter disconnected). The first thing I noticed was the giant helium tank at the center of the room. Supposedly this needs to be refilled once for every 300 hours of listening. The second thing I noticed were the tiny purple and pink flames in a cage. Bizarre indeed. I was curious enough to do some digging.

History

Plasmatronics, founded by former Air Force Weapons Laboratory scientist Dr. Alan E. Hill, introduced an innovative plasma speaker design at the 1978 Winter Consumer Electronics Show. The product combined a conventional dynamic loudspeaker with an integrated amplifier for low frequencies, and a near-massless plasma speaker as a tweeter. To prevent ozone and nitrogen oxides emissions, the system utilized helium from a tank located at the back of the unit. This unique design was praised for accurate sound reproduction, but faced drawbacks such as high cost and the need to handle heavy compressed helium cylinders periodically.

The plasma speaker technology he developed took around a decade to bring to market. The speaker works by modulating the temperature of a thin sheath, which causes acoustic waves to be launched. Helium is necessary for the speaker's operation due to its high ionization energy and exceptional thermal properties, which contribute to low distortion.

How does it work?

The Plasmatronic speaker technology uses helium to produce sound through a process that is both complex and fascinating. When the plasma speaker is in operation, helium gas is bled into the system, helping to stabilize the frequency and facilitate the formation of plasma. The plasma serves as a near-massless driver, directly exciting air molecules without any moving parts, which leads to a remarkably accurate sound reproduction.

To understand how this technology works, consider an analogy involving a trampoline. In this analogy, the trampoline represents the plasma sheath, while the person jumping on it represents the energy being modulated. As the person jumps, the trampoline stretches and rebounds, launching the jumper into the air. Similarly, when the energy is modulated within the plasma speaker, the sheath's temperature shifts, launching acoustic waves that ultimately produce sound. The helium gas, with its high ionization energy and excellent thermal properties, acts as a supportive medium that ensures the trampoline remains stable and flexible, allowing for precise and undistorted sound production.

Well how did it sound? I thought it was very smooth, liquid, and full-bodied but the tone was a bit more on the cooler, gray side of the spectrum. The volume was a bit low so it came off a bit polite and laid back but I'll have to give it a deeper listen in future shows. Nevertheless, it's some interesting and head-turning technology.

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Finley Audio

Usually, one exceptional person starts an audio company. Finley Audio emanates from the iterated and refined vision of four dedicated friends who barnstormed audio shows and built their personal components, from cables through speakers. 

Over several years, Michael, Dan, Chris, and Billy carefully examined exceptional yet highly expensive cables. They saw that by selling Internet Direct, they could deliver world-class interconnects, speaker and power cables at lower prices and higher quality through attention to detail, geometry, and sound engineering design. As they worked, they also saw value-engineering opportunities and launched the lower-cost Stratus series of cables. 

Perhaps their integrity shows best through their $785 Cirrus USB interconnect because there is no Stratus version. They simply found that a lower-cost USB cable wasn't noticeably better than one off-the-shelf. 

The Serhan Swift Mu2 MKII speakers

The Serhan Swift Mu2 Mk II speaker boasts a sleek design available in both high-quality matt black and matt white finishes. This model is more than just an aesthetic upgrade, with significant improvements to the cabinet, woofer, tweeter, and crossover. The speaker incorporates custom-manufactured constrained layer damping material by Les Davis Audio, resulting in flatter response, smoother roll-off, and lower distortion.

The multi-layer cabinet construction features additional layers of varying materials, selected for composition and thickness to reduce cabinet noise, energy storage, and coloration. Bracing has also been strengthened. The speaker's bass and treble crossovers are kept separate, hand-wired point-to-point, and silver-soldered on 5mm thick high-density substrates, minimizing unwanted noise and distortion.

The Serhan Swift mu2 Mk II uses premium ScanSpeak Revelator series drivers, which are also found in high-end speakers from companies like Wilson Audio and Sonus faber. The speaker employs a high-order crossover for steeper slopes, optimizing the drive units' performance. Cardas brand terminals, made of high-purity copper with rhodium plating, ensure superior, reliable, and long-lasting connections.

Each pair of mu2 Mk II speakers is carefully crafted under the supervision of Chief Loudspeaker Designer Brad Serhan and Engineering Director Morris Swift, taking three days from start to finish. Both Brad and Morris sign each unit after final testing.

The Gear

The Serhan Swift Mu2 SE "Timber" edition speakers were driven by the Boulder 866 DAC/Integreated amplifier. Small Green Computer's sonicTransport i5 served as the Roon core for seamless music streaming and management. To further enhance the soundstage, Les Davis Audio's vibration control products were employed throughout the setup. Lastly, the Finley Audio Cirrus family of cables and customizable cable risers ensured optimal performance from all equipment involved.

The Sound

They were playing Florence + The Machine's "Dog Days Are Over" when I entered the room. What surprised me the most was the sheer output coming out of those tiny speakers. It was larger, energetic, and dynamic sound. The warmth and presence of Florence Welch's voice immediately captured my attention, as the percussive claps resonated with a pleasing organic quality. I also found myself pleasantly surprised by the punchy impact of the drums.

The mu2 MKII's imaging capabilities allowed for each musical layer to be distinctly audible, giving a sense of depth and space that seemed to defy the speaker's compact size. The treble extension was notable, with cymbal taps ringing true and clear, adding a sparkling presence to the overall sound.

Throughout the song, the fantastic timbre of the instruments and vocals shone through. Overall, I just really enjoyed the perfect balance of high energy and natural sound with these components.

Equipment List

Treatments:

• Les Davis Audio Entropic Vibration Control Blocks - $88
• Les Davis Audio 3D2 Vibration Control Pads - $15
• Les Davis Audio Field Marshall Passive Power Treatments (Prototype) - TBD
• Finley Audio Power Cube (Prototype) - TBD
• Finley Cable Risers - $65

Source:

• Small Green Computer sonic Transporter i5 Roon Music Server - $1,279+
• Small Green Sonore opticalModule Ethernet to Optical Fiber Converter Components - $499+
• Small Green Sonore optical Module Optical Fiber to Ethernet Converter - $499+
• Finley Audio 1m Cirrus Power Cable - $985
• Finley Audio 1m Cirrus RCA/XLR/Phono - $1,285
• Boulder 866 DAC/Integrated Amplifier - $17,000

Speakers:

• Finley Audio 3m Cirrus Speaker Cable - $3,785
• Serhan Swift mμ2 MkII Speakers or - $7,950
• Serhan Swift mμ2 SE Black or White or - $9,950
• Serhan Swift mμ2 SE Timber Speakers - $10,950

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PS Audio

PS Audio probably had the busiest room at the AXPONA this year. Every time I passed by, there were lines extending out the doors. Consequently, I just couldn't get a seat at the sweet spot. Thankfully on Sunday morning, the man himself, Paul McGowan, gave me the golden seat for about 20 minutes!

There weren't many people in the room and so the noise floor was going to be as low as it was going to get. What's even crazier is that they accommodated my request to swap between the aspen FR20 ($18,999) and FR30 ($29,999) for a quick A/B comparison. What a treat!

I grabbed the iPad and selected Alice in Chain's Brother off the MTV Unplugged album and Laufey's Let You Break My Heart Again. Not a lot of people seem to have heard of this talented Icelandic singer-songwriter and musician, but she's has an amazing voice - and I have a feeling her music will show up more in these listening rooms.

As I was wandering around the show, I overheard some attendees mention that the new PS Audio speakers had a little too much harshness in the highs. But when I finally got to experience them for myself, I found the opposite to be true. In fact, the highs were ever gently rolled off, resulting in a very comfortable and non-fatiguing listening experience - but still very open and spacious. I even put on a Paramore live track and was pleasantly surprised at how it wasn't abrasive at all. Maybe system adjustments were made...or people just hear differently.

The overall presentation of the sound was very smooth and sculpted, with performers sounding naturally outlined and placed in a three-dimensional space in the room. It was impressive how every aspect of the music had a strong presence and grounded feel, something usually only achieved with higher end systems. To top it off, the soundstage was large and deep, with perfect localization of performers and their instruments.

PS Audio FR20 vs FR30

What were the subjective differences between the FR20 and FR30? Again - take this with a pound of salt. Although the tonal color of both the FR20 and FR30 were similar (warm/dark-ish gray), I thought the FR30 sounded fuller, more forward, meatier, and also quieter. It just had a more dense, and piston-like, propulsive sound that gave it more of a "wow factor." Bass was more impactful, cleaner, and had the appropriate mass for the voice or instrument being played. Whereas on the FR20, the variant in density was more uniform and not as distinguished. I also felt the FR30 had better delineation and air around the performers. Granted, the FR30 is $11,000 more moola. However, I suspect most will be more than happy with the FR20.

Now, these speakers weren't the last word in low-level textures, ultimate transparency, or had the most expressive highs, but it had that very liquid, wholesome, and musical sound that was very enjoyable to listen to. In other words, it's a sound that doesn't need your full attention to be fully appreciated. Just kick back and relax with favorite glass of whiskey - and enjoy the music. Which I think aligns perfectly with PS Audio's goal with the Aspen loudspeakers.

Time and time again, it's really tough to go wrong with any of PS Audio's offerings. That's why they're one of the most knowledgeable and successful players in the business. I think their "Ask Paul" series is a testament of how much they care about educating everyone in the hobby.

Overall, I thought it was the best this room as ever sounded and had a delightful time listening to the entire PS Audio loom. Thank you again PS Audio for giving me this wonderful opportunity.