The TAVES Show is this Weekend!
Another weekend and another audio trade show…this time in Toronto. I’ve been attending this very well organized show for the past three years and highly recommend it. There are going to lots of rooms full of audio systems in all formats, price ranges, and demographics. Of course, I’ll be in the hallway, just like last year, hawking my latest releases and explaining high-resolution…real high-resolution…to anyone that hasn’t heard my pitch. I’ll be giving a couple of seminars as well…”2014: Is this the Year of High Resolution Audio?”
I’ve noticed a trend in the production of Audiophile Shows…there’s a lot more being presented than just audio equipment and software. The AXPONA Show included a sculpture room and Transcendental Meditation instruction. The Newport Show included exotic cars and cigars. And the TAVES people are including sessions on Bitcoin, Cutting Edge TV Technologies and Electric Cars put on by the Southern Ontario Tesla Owner’s Club. It’s almost as if there’s not enough interesting things to talk about when it comes to high-end audio. I can relate to the inclusion of IMAX history and a field trip to the local IMAX Theater but just where does Bitcoin fit into the mix?
It’ll be a very early morning tomorrow. I’m checked in on a 6:35 Southwest Airlines flight (although I screwed up and am boarding in the middle of the C group…argh!) headed for Midway in Chicago with a second leg to Buffalo. I’m meeting my good friend Todd Garfinkle, owner and chief engineer of MA Recordings. Todd and I go way back to CSU Northridge here in Southern California. We generally show up in the same cities at the same events. So this time we decided to coordinate our plans and share a rental car on the way to an Airbnb place that he and I and two other show vendors are sharing. It’s going to be a party…a Halloween Audiophile Party…at the place. I’m looking forward to it.
I noticed on the TAVES website that Todd and MA are collaborating on a free CD of some of Todd’s recordings. The first 2000 people will get a free CD compilation disc. I’ve got a quite a few of his productions and can appreciate his minimalist approach to making and ensemble performing in a naturally acoustic environment. I haven’t managed to convince him to abandon the DSD format…and I don’t think that I will. I do look forward to talking to him about how he does the post production on his titles given that he uses a KORG DSD recorder (modified by Marcel Croese of Creato Audio in Utrecht, Holland). He’s been at it a long time and has developed a rather unique style of producing great sounding records…even if they are released on CDs.
For those looking for a FREEBIE from AIX Records, please come by the tables and ask about the 18-track iTrax/SPrint Ultra High-Definition Audio Sampler. This sampler was developed in combination with Sprint last summer. It features 18 tracks in a wide variety of genres (from John Gorka to full Symphony Orchestra) recorded at 96 kHz/24-bits and mixed in stereo. I’ll make available a coupon code for TAVES Show attendees that request it. If you haven’t checked out this $11 collection of Real HD-Audio…you definitely will want to check it out.
I’ll try to report on the show as I have time. See you in Toronto.
Hello..I read your articles every chance I get. A real education indeed. I live in Toronto and will be attending your Friday seminar at TAVES. Will make the effort to introduce myself.
Have a safe trip and pack warm clothing.
If you need anything let me know.
Cheers.
David.
4162061899
Digital sound will never feature fidelity unless it will be recorded in decimal form .
I have tested my hearing with a few online sources,& a high end DAC etc. At over 60 years my range is 20-15000hz. As a control ,I tested two nieces. The teenager got 20-16000 & the 12 yr old got 20 -17000. I have read that sounds above our audible range interact with those within, providing ambience. Do you agree with this? After reading one of your articles, I made up a thumbdrive set at 320 kbs ,better MP3. For a vehicle it works well. Ironically ITRAX recordings seem to suffer the most in this format. Might be loudness, or just more to lose-comments?
Why is the new sampler only a stereo mix?
You’ve made a good case for aggressive surround mixes so I’m really surprised this is only stereo.
I’m sure you have your reasons but I’m sad to see the surround mix missing.
Wayne
Because it was done in collaboration with Sprint. I’ll be adding the surround mixes shortly.
I got one of the sampler CD at TAVES on Friday but did not pickup the track list. Would it be possible to post it or email it to me? Many thanks
I don’t have that list…my friend Todd from MA Recordings prepared that sampler. I’ll ask him for a list and see if I can post it.
I too forgot to pick up the track list so I emailed MA Recordings and they replied late last night. Here’s their response:
Thank you for your email and interest in MA.
Here is the track list (Catalog Number 1st/Title/Artist):
Track 1 M089A J. S. Bach Cello Suites Vol 2 #4 Prelude
Track 2 M046A Senhora da Lapa/Maria Ana Bobone
Track 3 M080A Out of Time and Country 
Track 4 M044A Krushevo/Stefanovski-Tadic
Track 5 M041A Staring at the Sun/Peter Epstein Quartet
Track 6 M081A Opening/Mathias Landaeus Trio
Track 7 M070A Llama/Ravid Goldschmidt-Silvia Perez Cruz
Track 8 M075A Le Temple de Gout/Rubato Appassionato
Track 9 M087A J. S. Bach Flute Sonatas/Diana Baroni
Track 10 M084A Nama/Puente Celeste
Track 11 M085A I am Willing/Zhang Ling Ling
Track 12 M088A Resonance/Nima Ben David
Track 13 M050A The Invisible/Peter Epstein Quartet
Track 14 MAJ507 Mozart His Golden Age/Yoko Kanko – Fortepiano
Track 15 M073A J. S. Bach Cello Suites vol 1 #1 Prelude
Track 16 MAJ510 J. S. Bach music on Fortepiano/Yoko Kaneko
CDs from Tracks 1 and 16 are only available at the show, or by email to MA Recordings to the following email address:
marecordings@sbcglobal.net
Best Wishes
Todd Garfinkle
MA Recordings
I talked to Todd about this…glad he responded. I got a copy of the disc…I’m looking forward to hearing it.