Down Under Audio Returns!

I feel like I haven't done a trade show in a long time. Perhaps that's because we skipped CES this January, the first time I haven't been in many years. So that makes the last trade show where I exhibited was TAVES in Toronto last October, and since I was helping out the Canadian distributor of Unison Research and Opera, it wasn't the usual ordeal. Of course the last show I really did was the first Down Under Audio at the Newport Show last June, almost a year ago.

And now, in a few days, I'm leaving for Down Under Audio 2 at AXPONA in Chicago!

This time Colleen Cardas Imports is just doing one room for Down Under Audio--room 532. Here we will be featuring both Axisvoicebox and REDGUM Audio from Australia. We are bringing the brand new Axisvoicebox EBS, which stands for Extended Bass System. The EBS system features a pair of large enclosures that contain active woofers. These are designed to be used with the Axisvoicebox S monitors as a full-range system. The massive and powerful EBS costs $4500/pair. With the $2500 Voicebox S, this is an accurate yet authoritative loudspeaker system.

We will also be debuting the new Axisvoicebox FLS ($4000/pair) loudspeakers, which are basically the award-winning Axisvoicebox S in a floor-standing enclosure and mated to an active subwoofer.

REDGUM Audio is bringing products as well--particularly their new Black DAC 8, which has a few very innovative features at a reasonable price, and the entire Black Series of integrated amplifiers. Even the cabling is all REDGUM Audio.

We'll also have Unison Research in a different room--we'll be debuting a brand new Unison Research product there. I'll update you here tomorrow.

In the meantime, AXPONA 2017 will be at the Westin O'Hare outside of Chicago from April 2- to April 23. Please stop by and say hello!

Dave Dobbyn's Harmony House on LP

Just before we exhibited Down Under Audio at the Newport Show last month, someone asked me if I was going to bring some music from Australia and New Zealand to play in the room. I thought yeah, of course, let me see what I got. Hmmm. Here's a couple of Midnight Oil albums, but they're kind of scratchy and the sound quality wasn't that great to start off with. And what happened to all my Split Enz records? Did I lose them in the last custody battle along with all my Liz Phair and Elliot Smith albums? I can't find them anywhere.

So the answer was no, sorry, I won't be playing Down Under music in our Down Under music rooms. (Ian Robinson and Lindy Gerber brought plenty, by the way, and they played it constantly in the Axis VoiceBox/REDGUM Audio room much to my delight.) Fortunately, someone else came through for me back in the other room--Simon Brown, who makes The Wand tonearm from New Zealand. Simon presented me with a gift from his homeland--the latest LP from Dave Dobbyn, a beloved singer-songwriter from Auckland who was a member of bands such as Th' Dudes (in the late '70s) and DD Smash (in the early '80s). When Simon gave me the LP, I almost said something stupid like "Oh, wasn't he in Crowded House?" I'm glad I kept my mouth shut.

I forgot all about Harmony House--things were obviously quite hectic for me at the show--but once I got home I quickly found the LP and gave it a spin. After a perfunctory first listen I found the album likable and Dobbyn's singing heartfelt and passionate, as if he really had something on the line. His wavering and sometimes vulnerable voice has the flickering glow of someone who has been around, taken a beating once or twice, and still wants to finish the song even if the venue is almost empty. There's something in his delivery that reminds me of Graham Parker during the later years in career--he's lacking a bit of the swagger and confidence of the younger version of himself, but the wit, intelligence and sheer talent more than makes up for it.

Simon told me he worried that Dave might be too MOR for me--even though I've been geeking out on Belafonte, Dean Martin and Julie London over the last couple of years. (Perhaps that's because of all the edgy indie rock bands I cover in this blog.) After repeated listens to Harmony House, however, I started peeling back the layers of the onion and found new things to admire--how strong and energetic his backing band is, how the melodies of his songs start to really lodge themselves in the back of your mind and how each song has a firm, unique feel despite the single, unifying force of Dobbyn's voice.

What sticks most with me is the final song, the title track. It's a tune of strange comfort, almost delivered in the style of a slow march, that seems to address the all-too-common feeling of weariness that accompanies thoughtful folks as they head into the home stretch. The sentiments in the song slowly evolve from deep-seated depression into gratitude for small pleasures, finally resulting in the following compromise: It's not so bad, she said/Let's not be sad, she said/Nobody's shooting at us/Nobody. It sounds passive at first but then you start thinking about it, the tinge of irony, a sly take-down of first-world problems.

Like the rest of the album, it'll make you think long after you've lifted the needle. This is a smart, honest album. Highly recommended.

Random Photos from Down Under Audio at the Newport Show

Once again I'm trying to keep this blog infused with new content, and life again gets in the way. Down Under Audio at the Newport Show was a success--it was easily the best show ever for Colleen Cardas Imports both business-wise and sound-wise. Now I'm just incredibly busy dealing with the aftermath. Colleen Cardas Imports is now representing three of the Down Under Audio brands--Brigadiers Audio, Les Davis Audio and The Wand. The first two were no surprise to anyone, since I've been promoting the development of these brands over the last year. The third brand was a surprise since Simon Brown, designer of The Wand tonearm, seemed very happy with selling direct in the US. But everyone involved with this show became family, and Colleen Cardas Imports is finally distributing some amazing analog products--and that now includes The Wand.

The photo above was taken by David Robinson, publisher of Positive Feedback Online. I look tired in that photo because I was tired, but also happy I was to pull off this event. Two rooms, seven manufacturers and countless emails later...we did it.

First, the Axis/REDGUM room was a model of simplicity and ease. Ian Robinson and Lindy Gerber of REDGUM had the whole room set up and running in about two hours, and the sound was superb. (John Reilly of Axis had to cancel a week before the show since he was under the weather, but he's feeling much better now.) Room 1011 was an oasis for me--while the room was always full of attendees, Ian and Lindy always keep things organized and running smoothly. They've done a few audio shows before, and it showed.

The photo above was taken by Dave Clark at Positive Feedback Online. A running theme throughout this report will be that I was far too busy to take my own damned photos.



This is also from Dave Clark. It's the best photo I've seen of the entire system in Room 1012: Brigadiers Audio BA2 speakers, PureAudio Control preamplifier, PureAudio Duo 2 power amplifier, PureAudio Vinyl phono pre, MSB digital stack, Audio Union Helix 1 Turntable, two The Wand tonearms with a Hana cartridge on one and my Transfiguration Axia cartridge on the other, Furutech cabling and power management, Quadraspire racks and Rogoz speaker stands.

Close-up of Brad Serhan's Brigadiers Audio BA2 loudspeakers in New Guinea rosewood. Absolutely breathtaking in both sight and sound. I love these speakers. They did so well at the show.

I almost destroyed this beast. Evidently you're not supposed to pick it up once it's been set. I did exactly that because a) they set it on a really flimsy stand that would not hold it up throughout the show and b) I did not read the email that said don't pick it up once it's been set. I dodged a bullet, however, and didn't damage it. And I have to say it's a spectacular turntable that produced some of the most solid and realistic sound I've heard from analog.

Ian Robinson and Lindy Gerber. In Facebook I wrote:

"Thank you so much to Ian Robinson and Lindy Gerber of REDGUM Audio for being so wonderfully self-sufficient and professional throughout the show. They were a true pleasure to work with and constantly amusing me with their quirky and humorous music selections. Just absolutely incredible people and we're proud to represent them."

"Say hello to Simon Brown, the newest member of our family. He makes the modestly priced The Wand tonearm which is so brilliantly designed that it's right at home on a $40,000 turntable. He's the kind of fun, quiet man who makes me want to jump on a plane and fly to New Zealand because it must be an amazing place if he lives there."

"What can I say about Les Davis, a guy from halfway around the world who has so much in common with me musically? He came up with this simple little device that makes music so much more enjoyable and doesn't cost crazy audiophile prices. I'm very glad he burst through Brad's front door with a sheet of his material and a pair of scissors."

"Meeting Gary Morrison in person was a true pleasure, especially after four years of Skyping. Great sense of humor, nice and wry, and utterly approachable even though he is a genius. PureAudio equipment is the stuff of dreams, and it's so gratifying to hang out with the guy with all the talent."

"Brad Serhan, my brother, who is supremely talented and is far too humble to know it, with Morris Swift, the man who believes in him and keeps him focused and also has such an impressive range of knowledge about the industry. Thank you Brigadiers for fighting this battle with me. Also David Allen who's holding down the fort in Sydney."

I also wrote the following for John Reilly: "Thanks also to John Reilly of Axis VoiceBox, who was under the weather and could not travel to Newport. But in many ways he had the best show because dealers took all our pairs away! See you soon, mate...get well so we can eat more Malaysian food!"

And for my friends at Furutech: "Finally, much love to everyone at Furutech. Cables and power management often get lost behind the scenes, but Furutech has supported our hi-fi shows for years and we owe a big chunk of our success to their extraordinary products. Thanks to Graeme and Frank in Japan and Scot Markwell herein the US."

Les Davis Audio, now open for business!

Brad, Morris, Gary and I in the hallway outside the room, catching our breath.

Doing my part with the social marketing.

Colleen and I stayed up late one night and designed this. It turned out better than we expected!

Once the show was over, I took everyone on a tour of my homeland. Simon, Les, Gary and Brad hanging out with me on the Huntington Beach pier.

We were all coffee-deprived during the show. GOOD coffee, that is. That's Gary, Brad, Lindy and Ian enjoying some nice gourmet coffee made from a French press in some hoity-toity south county strip mall.

Brad and I after dumping off the show gear at Blackbird Audio. That's why I'm all sweaty.

Dan Muzquiz and Brad. Dan was a huge part of our success at Down Under Audio. He's the guy who stored and organized all the gear for us. That was vital to our plan since we moved to New York and I could no longer just stick everything in a truck and head on down.

This is how we left Dan's showroom. Sorry, Dan! We love ya buddy!

After the show, we took everyone to Riverside to visit Leif Swanson and Damon Von Schweikert of Von Schweikert/Endeavor Audio. Leif and Damon have actually been important allies for us in the high-end audio industry--we've shared a room with Leif in the past and he loves the sound of PureAudio amplification with Endeavor Audio loudspeakers. I'll return the favor by saying that the Von Schweikert/Constellation room at the Newport Show was absolutely incredible. Mind-blowing sound. Killer realism. Sound so good I may have wet my pants a little.

Damon (at far left) and Leif (behind the lens) were generous hosts and took us for a tour of their factory and then out to lunch. Having everyone get together like this underlines one thing--many of us in the industry actually support each other even though we may be competitors. We know we're all in this together, and that's how we make this industry grow.

Anyway, I may post some more photos in the coming weeks. Even after two weeks I'm still a bit exhausted. But Down Under Audio was definitely worth a year of my life. In fact, we're already talking about doing it again next year!

The Wand Tonearm at the 2016 Newport Show

I'm proud to announce that we will be using The Wand Tonearm as part of our Down Under Audio exhibit rooms at the 2016 Newport Show which will be held in Southern California from June 3-5. The Wand Tonearm comes from New Zealand and is designed by Simon Brown of Design Build Listen Audio Components. Simon and his tonearm received the highest recommendation from fellow Kiwi Gary Morrison of PureAudio--one of the brands we represent at Colleen Cardas Imports. That says a lot, since Gary's amplifiers are among the finest I've heard and feature amazing engineering and design.

The Wand Tonearm is a unipivot that is available in 9.5", 10.3" and 12" lengths. It's designed to work with most cartridges and most turntables--everything from the Technics SL1200 to a Linn LP12 to more exotic turntables (hint, hint). It's considered an ideal match with the Denon 103 (one of my favorites) and the Ortofon 2M line, but it can also be used with expensive cartridges such as Lyra, Dynavector and even my beloved Transfiguration. Its distinctive extra-thick carbon fiber arm tube was designed for maximum rigidity and is much stiffer than more traditional arms.

The most amazing aspect of The Wand Tonearm is its cost. Simon sells the basic Classic model direct from the website, and the Plus version through retailers. The price of the 9.5" Classic arms starts at just NZ$705, which as of this writing is just under $500. You'll have to pay for shipping from New Zealand, and you may have to spend a little extra on a custom armboard, but you'll still be paying less than a grand for an extremely well-made tonearm that has been garnering some impressive reviews and awards.

You can see and hear The Wand Tonearm in Room 1012 at the Newport Show. For more details on the show, check out the website.