Author Topic: 2023 Pacific Audio Fest (PAF)  (Read 3069 times)

Offline mresseguie

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2023 Pacific Audio Fest (PAF)
« on: June 24, 2023, 08:08:47 AM »
PAF is happening this weekend, and I'm here for the experience.

I arrived at about 2:30 after a hellride on I-5. Portland traffic was F@cked. That delayed us by 45 minutes. Then just north of Nisqually, WA, there was a six-vehicle collision (including a rear-ended State Police cruiser in the pack!) that had northbound traffic backed up for miles.  :duh  :x

I'm afraid I was not well grounded when I got to my first room of the show, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. This was the Spatial Audio/Don Sachs/Lampizator/Anti Cables room on the 13th floor. Wow. Talk about show stopper! Don was inside explaining about all the development efforts and changes along the way. He played a few songs that sounded wonderful. The first song was a Jennifer Warnes track that I'm unfamiliar with (but I'll ask about this morning). It was magical. ["Why magical, Michael?"] Glad you asked. Ya know how you analyze the crap out of music during a show? Well, I do it because I want to know if I like the speakers, amp, preamp, DAC, TT, etc. I want to figure out if I'm happy or irritated with the presentation. Then, I can cross it/them off my list of potential upgrades down the road, or draw stars and smiley faces if I like/love the sound. .....Anyway, after a few seconds of the song, I stopped analyzing. I just sat back and listened and enjoyed...Perhaps this sounds corny, but that's what happened.

As I mentioned, I wasn't grounded yesterday, and took just a single photo of the gear in this room. I'll be there again this morning at 10:00 sharp to snap more close up photos, request familiar tracks, and ask about the Jennifer Warnes song title.

Here's the blurb I posted on AC about the room:

"Can you take a few close-up shots of the amps and preamp and post them here?  Sure! I'll snap more photos this morning. I'm afraid I was too tense from my hell ride up I-5 to be an astute photographer.  :oops:

Did they share the pricing at the show?  I didn't hear anyone declare a definite price, but I'll ask about pricing today.

Also, are they the final production models?  Don did say that there were two (?) more adjustments to be made to the preamp and amps. The first went over my head...(I'll ask for details)...but Don and Lynn felt the sound would benefit from the change. The second change is Don will use a larger cabinet for the mono amps because it's getting crowded inside the current cabinets.

Stay tuned...."


Michael


Daedalus Audio Apollos; Fritz Loudspeakers LS/5-R
SW1X NOS DAC III BAL/SPL; Holo Spring3 KTE
Don Sachs Model 2 preamp
Don Sachs dual mono 300b; Nuprime Evolution STA
Hapa loom
PI Audio UberBUSS, DigiBUSS, Uber-MiniBUS

Offline Nick B

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Re: 2023 Pacific Audio Fest (PAF)
« Reply #1 on: June 24, 2023, 12:59:22 PM »
Thanks, Michael! Looking forward to more comments and pics

Nick
Orchard Starkrimson Ultra amp
Supratek Chardonnay preamp
JMR Voce Grande speakers
Border Patrol SEi dac
Holo Red streamer
Hapa Aero digital coax
WyWires Silver cables
TWL Digital American II p cord
Audio Envy p cords
Roon, Tidal, Qobuz
PI Audio UberBUSS

Offline mresseguie

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Re: 2023 Pacific Audio Fest (PAF)
« Reply #2 on: June 25, 2023, 08:50:26 PM »
I'm exhausted after three days of in your face music and sales pitches. One guy tried to impress me with how expensive all the gear in his room was (as though I ought to be impressed), but all it did was make me want to get the hell out of the room. I don't recall the room number, but it was mostly CH Precision amps, preamps, and DACs.

More pics of Don Sachs gear:

Daedalus Audio Apollos; Fritz Loudspeakers LS/5-R
SW1X NOS DAC III BAL/SPL; Holo Spring3 KTE
Don Sachs Model 2 preamp
Don Sachs dual mono 300b; Nuprime Evolution STA
Hapa loom
PI Audio UberBUSS, DigiBUSS, Uber-MiniBUS

Offline P.I.

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Re: 2023 Pacific Audio Fest (PAF)
« Reply #3 on: June 25, 2023, 09:12:24 PM »
I'm exhausted after three days of in your face music and sales pitches. One guy tried to impress me with how expensive all the gear in his room was (as though I ought to be impressed), but all it did was make me want to get the hell out of the room. I don't recall the room number, but it was mostly CH Precision amps, preamps, and DACs.

More pics of Don Sachs gear:
:thumb:

Eschew the hype monsters!  Trust your ears, intellect and judgement!

Oh, wait.  It's you.  You will.  :D
"A man with an experience is never at the mercy of a man with an argument." - Hilmar von Campe

Offline Nick B

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Re: 2023 Pacific Audio Fest (PAF)
« Reply #4 on: June 26, 2023, 12:21:23 AM »
I'm exhausted after three days of in your face music and sales pitches. One guy tried to impress me with how expensive all the gear in his room was (as though I ought to be impressed), but all it did was make me want to get the hell out of the room. I don't recall the room number, but it was mostly CH Precision amps, preamps, and DACs.

More pics of Don Sachs gear:

Thanks, Michael, and nice pics. Don makes great stuff. I'd enjoy hearing his new 300b amp some day.
Orchard Starkrimson Ultra amp
Supratek Chardonnay preamp
JMR Voce Grande speakers
Border Patrol SEi dac
Holo Red streamer
Hapa Aero digital coax
WyWires Silver cables
TWL Digital American II p cord
Audio Envy p cords
Roon, Tidal, Qobuz
PI Audio UberBUSS

Online Folsom

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Re: 2023 Pacific Audio Fest (PAF)
« Reply #5 on: June 26, 2023, 10:27:08 AM »
To me being able to relax is most key for listening. If I go into a meditative state that's good for me, even if it means I don't fully absorb the music in the conscious way for a few moments. It doesn't mean it isn't engaging. It just means I'm hearing the music, not the stereo.

Offline P.I.

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Re: 2023 Pacific Audio Fest (PAF)
« Reply #6 on: June 26, 2023, 11:31:25 AM »
To me being able to relax is most key for listening. If I go into a meditative state that's good for me, even if it means I don't fully absorb the music in the conscious way for a few moments. It doesn't mean it isn't engaging. It just means I'm hearing the music, not the stereo.
Absolutely! 👍🏼
"A man with an experience is never at the mercy of a man with an argument." - Hilmar von Campe

Offline mresseguie

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Re: 2023 Pacific Audio Fest (PAF)
« Reply #7 on: June 26, 2023, 11:46:51 PM »
To me being able to relax is most key for listening. If I go into a meditative state that's good for me, even if it means I don't fully absorb the music in the conscious way for a few moments. It doesn't mean it isn't engaging. It just means I'm hearing the music, not the stereo.

I hear you, Jeremy. I often do this while my wife talks and talks and....but she gets upset with me and insists I'm actually sleeping. I tell her I'm listening to every word she says. Then, she asks if I'm listening between snores or during snores.  :rofl:
Daedalus Audio Apollos; Fritz Loudspeakers LS/5-R
SW1X NOS DAC III BAL/SPL; Holo Spring3 KTE
Don Sachs Model 2 preamp
Don Sachs dual mono 300b; Nuprime Evolution STA
Hapa loom
PI Audio UberBUSS, DigiBUSS, Uber-MiniBUS

Offline P.I.

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  • Silence is that blackness beneath the music
    • P.I. audio group, LLC
Re: 2023 Pacific Audio Fest (PAF)
« Reply #8 on: June 27, 2023, 06:13:14 PM »
To me being able to relax is most key for listening. If I go into a meditative state that's good for me, even if it means I don't fully absorb the music in the conscious way for a few moments. It doesn't mean it isn't engaging. It just means I'm hearing the music, not the stereo.

I hear you, Jeremy. I often do this while my wife talks and talks and....but she gets upset with me and insists I'm actually sleeping. I tell her I'm listening to every word she says. Then, she asks if I'm listening between snores or during snores.  :rofl:
Oh, how I remember!  :thumb:
"A man with an experience is never at the mercy of a man with an argument." - Hilmar von Campe