The Latest "Diary of a Mad Exhibitor" Now Online at Positive Feedback Online

My third entry of "Diary of a Mad Exhibitor," focusing on the California Audio Show held last month, is in the new issue of Positive Feedback Online: http://positive-feedback.com/Issue63/cas.htm. Enjoy!

Janet Feder's Songs with Words on LP

"Can you play my record?"

As an exhibitor, I'm used to hearing that at trade shows. Show attendees bring their favorite CDs along and hope they'll have a familiar recording played so they can accurately judge a specific audio system. I've discovered a lot of great music this way, and I've heard some strange stuff as well. This was the first time, however, that the person in question meant "Can you play my record?" as in, you know, the one that I actually recorded, featuring me?

Janet Feder, a singer-songwriter based in Boulder, Colorado, quietly entered our room at the California Audio Show and made the request. In one arm she carried the SACD of her new album, Songs with Words, and in the other she carried the LP. She was game to let us play either format, but I opted for the SACD because the turntable in the room, a Clearaudio Ovation, wasn't quite dialed in yet. (Also, to be perfectly pragmatic, the SACD would require that we used our Unison Research CD player as opposed to someone else's analog rig.)

She played the first track, "Heater," which started off with a collection of seemingly disjointed sounds, beautifully recorded, presented in a huge space between the speakers. Slowly and deliberately these sounds, which were made by a prepared acoustic guitar and a toy piano, congealed into a melody and gained momentum. While I think the other attendees in the room had more mainstream tastes and didn't quite get what she was trying to achieve, they did give her an enthusiastic ovation after the song was over and she graciously grabbed her little disc and went on to the next room. Personally, I was intrigued and wanted to hear the entire album. I made a note to track her down and buy the LP, which I did.

Songs with Words sounds like an ordinary title for an album, but it's far more unusual than that. The sound quality is immense; the album was recorded by 15 microphones that were placed completely around Janet as she performed. Her prepared guitar, which will remind you of Arvo Part's prepared piano works with their slightly alien, percussive tones, was recorded live along with her vocals and piano. She achieves these otherwordly sounds by placing small metal rings--the same as you'd find on a key ring--on the strings as she plays. Other additional effects were added later using "analog plates, reverbs and tape-based manipulations." The liner notes state, in bold type, that "There are no digital effects in this recording." Everything was recorded on the largest SONOMA system in the world--32 tracks of surround sound. That's why Songs with Words sounds so huge and intimate at the same time.

Janet's songs are so unique because they exist in a singular logic that eschews normal melodies, song structures and sounds. Even when she performs a cover, such as "Blowin' in the Wind", or steals a few verses from Nirvana's "Come As You Are" on "Plan to Live," you'll be hard-pressed to identify it until you hear those familiar lyrics. The melodies, keys and tempos come from her and her alone.

You can get Songs with Words directly from Janet's website--the LP is only $20 and includes a DVD with hi-rez files, and the SACD is only $15. I'm definitely happy that Janet Feder walked into my room and asked me to play her record.

The Third Annual California Audio Show

It's nice to take a break from the Texas heat in the middle of the summer to attend an audio trade show somewhere cool, oh like San Francisco perhaps. The Third Annual California Audio Show from Dagogo certainly fit the bill, and we soaked in the cool temps and listened to some outstanding stereo systems. Based on the attendance, I'd say the show was a huge hit--our room was consistently packed. The steady stream of audiophiles in the Cypress I room was undoubtedly due to the US debut of the Kef LS50 nearfield monitor speakers, a remarkable speaker for just $1499 per pair.

While our dealer took several orders in advance for these little gems, I felt a surge of pride when someone bought our Unison Research Simply Italy integrated at the end of the show. Relatively few audiophiles can "hear through" a pair of speakers to recognize the excellence of the amplification that is driving them, but thank goodness a handful of seasoned listeners were able to identify just how well the Simply Italy, as well as the more powerful Unico Seconda hybrid integrated, powered both the LS50s and the larger Kef R700s in the room. Credit is also due for the outstanding Clearaudio Ovation turntable and Talisman cartridge, the Musical Surroundings phono preamp, the Nordost cabling and power management and of course our Unison Research CD Primo CD player. I really like the black faceplates; we've been mostly selling the standard silver.

Our system certainly delivered the goods, but Colleen and I did hear at least one other system that really satisfied. What you see here is the more modest Corona system from mbl, which featured a C31 CD player, C32 power amplifier, C11 preamplifier and Radialstrahler 120 monitor speakers for a total system price of $49,000. That's not chicken feed, but when you're talking about mbl, whose larger individual components generally cost way more than that, it's an amazing system that sounded powerful and detailed--all you could ever want for first-class sound. I could easily live with this system for the rest of my life (as long as I could include the turntable of my choice).

The only downside is the vaguely religious appearance of the small mbl speakers--perhaps this is the perfect system to listen to recordings of Arvo Part, the Mormon Tabernacle choir and Virgil Fox. We were, however, treated to two extraordinary pieces of music--the California Guitar Trio performing "Bohemian Rhapsody" and a German children's choir singing their version of Metallica's "In the End It Doesn't Even Matter." Thanks, Jeremy!

Remember this turntable? It's a working version of the Margules Audio Torna I've been talking about for a couple of years now. Now it's called the Magenta TT-10 and with a modest Rega arm and Elys cartridge it offered a nicely solid sound that will make it a true bargain. I can't wait for the final version!

I also caught up with one of my favorite speakers in the world, the Tannoy Prestige Royal Westminsters, in the Blue Moon Audio room. Powered by mostly Cary amps and sources, these giant speakers are beautiful and delivered a GIANT sound in a GIANT room. When I finally buy that estate in the English countryside, these will be the speakers I purchase.

I also heard excellent sound from the diminutive Magico Q1 monitors driven by Constellation amplification and sources--nearly perfect from about 60 Hz on up--as well as a system featuring the new $200K Wilson Audio Alexandria XLF speakers. Cap it all off with seeing the Ravi Coltrane at Yoshi's in Oakland, and it was definitely a show to remember.

Colleen Cardas Imports at the 3rd Annual California Audio Show

Here's my official press release:

"Colleen Cardas Imports will partner with our San Francisco dealer, Audio Vision SF, at the 3rd Annual Dagogo California Audio Show in San Francisco on August 3-5, 2012. We will be showing the spectacular Unison Research Simply Italy integrated amplifier, fresh from its rave review in the August 2012 issue of Stereophile, in the Cypress II room. We will also have the Unico Secondo hybrid integrated and the Unico CD Primo on display. The event will be held at the Crowne Plaza SFO, 1177 Airport Blvd, Burlingame, CA 94010. Phone: 650-342-9200. See more at http://dagogo.com/View-Article.asp?hArticle=1056."

I haven't been to San Francisco in quite a while, and it will be a pleasure to escape the Texas heat for a week. Plus, it's my birthday (one of the Big Ones, ugh), and I can't think of a better way to spend it than hanging out in SF, eating Zachary's Pizza and even heading out to see Ravi Coltrane at Yoshi's.

Colleen and I will both be in attendance at the show, so come on out and visit and hear some great tunes!