Guangzhou Show IV Headphones Accesories Cayin Aavik Borresen Raidho Engstrom Synaestec Tannoy JBL

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Guangzhou Hi End Show (AV Fair), Part IV (of V)

Editor: 1) As the show was big, this shall be a multi-part effort; 2) If you first come to this page, I'd urge you to first read Part I for Basic Info.

Note: Since this is going to have many parts, I have given it a new tag, Show report - Guangzhou 2023. Click to view Parts I, II and III, and V (this last one is a very personal Overview, Summary and Postscript).

Some of the equipment have featured in the Shenzhen Audio Show that I reported on. This is relevant here: Although I did not do the China Hotel segment of this GZ show and missed some big rooms, many of the brands can be found in my coverage of the SZ show (e.g., Raido, CH Precision, Analog Source, Line Magnetic, Hanowa, Eizz, Pilium, Simaudio, Scansonic, rossofiorentino, Hegel, Gold Note, Franco Serblin, Prima Luna, Audes, Audio Analogue, Quested, Mymei, Ologe, Triangle, and more).

Coverage of the show follows no particular logic. As before, I’m going to grade the sound. Best is simply Bold Black, in a category by themselves. Others are shaded: Very good is Green; Good is Yellow; and Average is Red. Believe me, I'm very lenient! More so towards others than myself!

Cancan! Earphones, Amps and DAPs Galore These photos do not do justice to the HUGE amount of space allotted to headphones, headphone amps and DAPs of all kinds and makes. Unlike in HK, here you could really sit down in relative comfort and audition hundreds of them! And many young people are doing just that. Although I don't use personal audio much I still applaud the dedication. As one who has used desktop in the past (I used Audioengine. Micromega etc, among many others) I still have an interest, even if I don't now have a proper desktop. Boy, that pair of Genelec are real cute! The last pic shows the crazily over-built Cayin 300B headphone amp (using 4x obscure 22V filament half-wave rectifiers, 2 for the 6SN7s and 2 for the 300Bs) next to a stack of their own Streamer and DAC. I think the can was HiFi Man. This is the only setup I sat down and listened to briefly, because it's my friend Andy's brainchild. Sound was good but I was in hit and run mode.

German Physiks In this larger room, the pair used was actually smaller than the pair in the SZ show. Sound was less big and more controlled with the full GP electronics.

Wilson Benesch Hyperion OK, but I think WB can sound better (even if it's not my fav).

Unison Research Acoustic Signature Unison Research always delivers warm musical sound, but I'm not so sure about their own "horn" loudspeaker that looks like a glorified garbage can. German Acoustic Signature makes nice looking (and sounding) but very expensive TTs, though I tend to confuse the name with somewhat "cheaper" compatriot Acoustic Solid (also fine sounding). I heard the TT, mercifully, as I detest Accustic Arts products (CDP in this case), to me epitome of why German Fi can often be so bad. This blog chronicled an instance where my iPod and Wadia iTransport just killed an expensive AA Transport (yes, owner sold the set). Too bad the mini Olympus was not in play.

Burmester Tidal Well, Burmester is another of my pet peeves. A very pretentious company. I hate that owner, guitar musician thing. Oh ya? Artifical sound and ridiculous price. Top pic shows Burmester within its own toxic ecosystem (with artificial Siltech cables). Lower pic in another room, better sound with Tidal (and Inakustik cables) though I ain't crazy about that brand either.

KR Playback Design ATC These are on stage in the (not so) mini-theater. The KR preamp is the same one in the SZ show (last row, using 2x 45 tubes). The Kronzilla was just on display. Large ATC speakers were used. Given the environment, sound was credible.

D'Agostino Raidho Transrotor Major polluters! I just wish companies would not just carve a huge piece of aluminum for "beauty"!

Borresen Aavik The Danish Duo always in tandem (previously also when Borresen was with Raidho). Note the "cross" on top of Aavik is like a rotated monochrome Norwegian flag, no? I talked to the Aavik Norwegian fellow. We both approve of the large LED, visible from pretty far away. I took a pic of the track playing, pop stuff that I kinda like. Try it! 

Lansche Engstrom Synaestec This was a huge room. Gigantic Lansche was bi-amped with Swedish Engstrom tube monsters and German Synaestec (the 2 black cubes). Upgraded from yellow due to effort.

Cabinet Manufacturer DIY your own Vivid or whatever!

Soundtraps Not entirely sure what it was. Some kind of engineering to eliminate unwanted sound and interference. I wanted to ask questions but just could not get the chance. Many interested people!

Tannoy Esoteric Finally, after so many years of waiting for Dah Cheong to come up with some more competent sound than the misery they delivered year after year in HK shows (where they often used mediocre Chario instead), the Tannoy Canterbury was not bad at all! Important to note that they represent Esoteric now rather than Accuphase, and that made all the difference (yes, I shall take the former over the latter any day). Mind you, if you search Google, my Canterbury entries in this blog would come up as often as others. They have finally done Tannoy justice. Upgraded from green. What a surprise!

Alcons I'd have loved to seriously audition these. Many Chinese equivalents at the show.

JBL Harman Mark Levinson As usual, as in HK, they delivered atrocious sound. I've no confidence at all in current Harman controlled Mark Levinson. I know the Everest 6x000 very well, and it could sound very good. Not here. Trash electronics. The smaller room was better but affected by adjacent home cinema.

This is ending the Report on a Sour Note! Next, in Part V, a Postscript of sort, I shall give you my thoughts on state of the audio in China and the World, from my perspective. Stay on!