CES 2018 • Best of Show
VTL used the CES for the sonic debut of one of its most modestly priced products, the TP-2.5i phono stage ($3750). The system it was part of was a bit more aspiring in price, but no less musically ambitious.
A Brinkmann Spyder turntable with Brinkman 10.5 tonearm ($17,490), RoNt power supply ($4190) and Lyra Etna cartridge ($8995) spun records, while a dCS Rossini CD player and clock ($35,998) handled digital duties. All cables were Nordost Odin 2 or Valhalla 2, with Nordost also handling power distribution. We've heard enough combinations of VTL electronics and Wilson speakers at shows to know that the little VTL phono stage acquitted itself very nicely indeed. There was authority and liquidity galore, along with the standard easygoing nature that made the room a musical oasis. We couldn't help thinking, however, that the Wilson Duette 2s were an especially shrewd choice for inclusion in a demo system. These speakers were designed for use in environments not readily conducive to good sound, and, as the picture shows, they were very close to the wall behind them. Yet, with eyes closed, we would be hard-pressed to identify with most music which Wilson speakers were playing, the Duette 2s delivering a very wide, deep soundstage with obvious bass weight and impressive layering of instruments and voices. This was yet another triumph for these brands, and it
didn't require top-of-the-line products to achieve it. This was the room in which
to sit and listen when you wanted to recalibrate your ears or just relax. |
