It's showtime

Audiophiles and music lovers have until today to catch this year’s Hi-Fi Show at the Mandarin Hotel. Since its inception seven years ago, the show has never failed to provide a fitting venue for the latest audio and video gadgets.

Even those who just want to take a peek at the glitzy, high-end gadgets on display will be rewarded with valuable knowledge about the hobby from people who share the same passion. Each year, it connects the industry with its market enabling it to grow and thrive; in its own small way, the show contributes to the country’s economic development.

The Hi-Fi Show, produced by a team of music lovers headed by Tony de Leon, was born out of the desire of the audiophile community to have a venue where they can trade their wares with one another. The show has become the paramount channel for promoting the growth of the local audio technology scene. I have been attending the show since 2006, and I can attest to the tremendous boost the yearly Hi-Fi Show has given the local DIY industry. The fact that it can compete head-on with pricey high-end audio gadgets is a testament to the show’s influence on the DIY market’s growth. The show has inspired more DIYers to get involved in designing, developing, making, and distributing audio electronics products. Some of their creations are now marketed abroad.

One of the highlights of this year’s show is the competition by the local audio gadgets against the big boys’ high-end gear. While much of the attention is expected to be focused on the flashy product roll-outs, be prepared to be amazed by the sound quality of the all-mono set-up by the Harana Group, and the enthralling sonic of the system of the Flashback Boys anchored on a 1970 solid state receiver as the main amp driving vintage horn speakers. But then again, you may not want to be side-tracked from hearing the CD player that costs a cool million pesos.

Judging from the results of previous Hi-Fi Shows, all notions about the sputtering of the analog market have been to put to rest. More vinyl records and turntables will be on display this time around, proving that the analog renaissance is not just a flash in the pan. Turntables, tone-arms and cartridges — from entry-level to high-end — have been rolled out at this year’s show.

The show has inadvertently created a podium where music lovers and audiophiles can assemble yearly to exchange notes on their chosen hobby. They may disagree in their music preferences, and have different opinions on what good music really is, but it’s the quest for musical nirvana that unites them.

On display at the show are: Audio Visual Drivers Int’l (Phils.) Inc’s Focal speaker lines; Lamm Audio’s will 2-box M1.2 preamp and the 110 watts class A amp and Von Schweikert Audio VR-5 Anniversary Editions speakers; Wilson Audio’s Maxx 3 speakers; Audio Analogue’s the MAESTRO DUECENTO Special Edition; Thorens line of turntables; Sonus Faber and Tim Pavacini Esoteric Audio Creation, EAR 912 preamp, EAR 890 amp; Audio Research’s 83lbs Reference Anniversary preamp; Magnepan’s new MG 1.7 speaker using a new quasi ribbon design; Anthony Gallo’s flagship 5LS; B&W’s top-of-the-line 800 Diamond speakers, SME’s 20/12 with V12 tonearm; Rega’s RS1 bookshelf speakers and high-end CD player, ISI and integrated amp OSIRIS; Audioworld’s Audio Analogue products; Acoustic Dimension’s Hanss Acoustics T-30 Turntable and Electrocompaniet-EMC1 UP CD Player.

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For comments or questions, please e-mail me at audioglow@yahoo.com  or at vphl@hotmail.com. You can also visit www.wiredstate.com  or you can tweet audiofiler at www.twitter.com  for quick answers to your audio concerns.