High End 2019 • Best of Show

Vandersteen, Brinkmann and Harmonic Resolution Systems (HRS) teamed up once again in their usual largish room and produced some of the finest sound at the High End show. The system was not small, but small enough that most audiophiles would not need to buy a new house to accommodate it. It was not affordable in any sense of the word, but it was within the realm of imagination of many audiophiles. It ticked all of the sonic boxes, helped in part by an excellent collection of vinyl and the hiring of a DJ skilled at pulling great tunes from the stack and efficiently queuing up LPs.

Vandersteen Model Seven Mk II speakers ($63,999 per pair), Sub-Nine subwoofers ($18,900 each) and System Nine Bedrock Bases ($10,000 each) transmitted the music. HRS supplied the racking, consisting of a VXR 1921-2T2TC-080-B rack system consisting of three VXRs ($33,789 each) tied together with a pair of VXR 21” brace inserts ($2695 the pair) and fitted out with six M3X2-1921 isolation bases ($2295 each). Additional isolation bases supported equipment on the floor. AudioQuest supplied all cabling and two Niagara 7000 power conditioners ($7,999 each). Brinkmann Audio supplied everything else, including the 33rd Anniversary Edition of the Balance 2 turntable with two 12.1 tonearms (price with a single tonearm, $64,900) running now-discontinued Brinkmann EMT-Ti cartridges, Brinkmann Mono power amplifiers ($19,990 the pair), a Marconi MK II preamplifier ($13,990), an Edison Mk II phono stage ($13,990) and a Nyquist Mk II streaming DAC ($17,990).

Well over a quarter million dollars, hardly chump change, but to quote William Golding (from The Princess Bride), “Who says life is fair? Where is that written?” On the one hand, no matter what anyone says, sound this good will not come for a fraction of the price. On the other hand, there were plenty of systems at the show using speakers costing multiples of this entire system's price, and they could not match the sound in this room. Chalk it up in part to expert setup. The exhibitors brought their own sound treatment, which was hidden behind handsome panels. Several LPs left nothing on the table -- there was great bass, soundstaging and tonal accuracy.