Preparing for the Dallas Southwest Audio Fest 2024

Michael Broughton’s diary of the run-up to the Dallas Southwest Audio Fest (March 15–17, 2024), where he presented music from NativeDSD in collaboration with Locrian Audio. This post collects his nine-part series.

Part 1

Well music lovers, it’s been awhile. Back in 2018 I put together a room For Merging Technologies. I wrote a series of articles for NativeDSD leading up to and during that show that were well received. We have now decided to repeat that successful collaboration.

A Look Back at AXPONA 2018

I will be putting together another group of articles for your reading enjoyment for Locrian Audio out of Dallas, Texas, leading up to and during the Upcoming Dallas SWAF.

Locrian Audio (Basile Theodoropoulos) is the new US distributor for German Physiks Omni Directional speakers.

This is Basile’s first audio show so please let’s give him a warm welcome. If you’re coming to the Dallas SWAF swing by room 1239 and say hi. If you’re in the Dallas area feel free to swing by the Locrian Audio Studio for a listen. That would be well worth your time.

One is immediately struck by the knowledge you have stumbled across something powerful and exotic and delicate in this music. The first few Notes of Lara’s performance causes you to wonder comes next.

Part 2

My first meeting with Basile…

When Basile called me out of the blue several months ago, and asked if I would come to Dallas to help set up his new Studio / Salon / Listening room with his line of German Physiks Speakers, among other lines, I said yes, of course. I have been working with German Physiks speakers for years and used them successfully at many audio shows.

When I arrived at his studio in Dallas I was a bit taken aback. Basile had five different sets of German Physiks speakers on the floor. I had never seen an importer with that wide a variety of German Physiks Speakers, a serious investment. And that in a nutshell describes Basile, very serious about his love of music. Yet one can’t but get caught up by his infectious laugh. He likes to tell audio stories and speak of this industry endlessly like we all do. He is having fun in what he is doing which we all should, easy to sometimes forget isn’t it?

Basile is serious about music and willing to spend the years and effort to walk that awkward, winding, twisty path through the audio industry necessary to search out audio equipment that allows music to flow and be enjoyed.

I know we all have different descriptions and endless opinions we like to use to describe what we are after. Transparent, Musical, Spacious, the list goes on and on.

I spent several days setting up various speaker positions for the stable of German Physiks Speakers, the last being the Unicorns, an app name at first glance I thought. By the time we finished that setup and ran some music through the Unicorns I was tired to say the least. I just wanted to relax and listen to music.

Sometimes, when experiencing something unexpected and perhaps new, at times we can find ourselves at a loss for words. We are not quite sure what to say. That’s what happened with the music coming from the Unicorns. All those terms you music-loving folks, us Audiophiles, like to apply to our favorite audio equipment-start pulling them out and apply them to these speakers.

You know when you have been doing something (some form of work or hobby) for so long for so many years that you can’t help but become, (let’s all be humble about this) and say “skilled” at what you do? I feel that somewhat about what I do in audio. After listening to the Unicorns I felt like I knew nothing, needed to go back to the beginning all those years ago and start over with my perceptions. I remembered telling Basile I felt humbled at what I was listening to. It was so musical I’m not sure what else to say.

But please don’t believe me. All I can recommend is to go listen to them, make up your own mind. If nothing else you will have a great time listening to your favorite music and having a good laugh as you both tell stories of your experiences.

See you at the Dallas SWAF!

Rachel Podger is fine, very fine in this presentation of Vivaldi: Le Quattro Stagioni – The Four Seasons. Her touch of the bow to the strings is so delightful it’s brought an idiotic smile to my face. What she has done here just lifts the heart and distracts one to the point that all you can do is stop whatever your doing and enjoy the music.

Part 3

It’s been an interesting few years as a result of the pandemic and what it left behind. My wife and I lost our home to the Marshall fire in Colorado a couple of years ago. Lost a great deal of our belongings and resources but saved the sound system 🙂 Hey got to have priorities.

Joking aside we saved enough of the basics to start a new life in the lovely town of Amarillo, Texas. In the end it’s all good, we faired better than a lot of folks so no complaints.

And here I am working another show, this one for Locrian Audio at the Dallas SWAF.

I mentioned previously the articles I wrote for NativeDSD for Axpona 2018. A few of you approached me at that show and mentioned that you enjoyed them.

Well guess what, NativeDSD has decided to collaborate with us in the Locrian Audio room 1239 at the Dallas SWAF.

Sounds good, right? Why, yes it does.

Which brings me to an NativeDSD artist I’m listening to as I write…

Mistery, from The Gabor Varga Jazz Trio, Cool Jazz.

I am transported back to images of the beatnik era where talented artists of all kind would collect in a darkened room to bathe in words and music. Where those soft rhythmic musical notes would hang in the air and sooth the soul.

Cool Jazz, very cool.

Part 4

I am thinking back to 1995. The CES had it’s last show at the Sands in Las Vegas if memory serves. In 1997 the Sands hotel comes down and CES moved to the Alexis Park.

A bunch of us that worked those shows would finish a days work late into the night. Then it was over to the Holy Cow for a meal and a beer. And then back to it early the next morning. Those were brutal days and I wouldn’t trade even one of them.

I remember my first CES wandering the hallways being absolutely flabbergasted at what I was hearing and seeing. I had no idea such miraculous things existed. And there were these very odd people who were designing and building the predecessors of todays Technology.

I remember thinking I have found myself amongst my ilk, my kind. I loved meeting all those interesting personalities, those odd ones.

I bring this up because a few days ago I met, at least over the phone, one of those interesting unusual people that I enjoyed meeting so much back in the day.

His name is Alberto Guerra. He is the mind behind AGD productions. Yes, Gan Fet Gallium Nitride Power MOSFET, Him.

Alberto had been kind enough to send me a pair of the Duets to listen to. Me being picky the way I am ( none of you are right 🙂 ) I noticed that one of the Led lights on the Duet’s was slightly brighter than the other.

Alberto said to remove the front case cover and tell him what wires I saw, he then said just snip the wire next to the pin. Yes I was hesitant, what could go wrong?

So as I’m reaching down to clip the wire he suddenly says in a loud voice BUT DON’T CUT THE RED ONE!! At that point I panicked, the wire cutters slipped out of my hand. I had visions of James Bond or Tom Cruise with the nuclear bomb open in front of them trying to figure out what wire to cut.

We both busted up laughing, trying to catch our breath. Are you laughing? That was funny, right? I’m still laughing. Good story.

Alberto has become one of my favorite people because of this. Im looking forward to meeting him in Dallas.

National Symphony Orchestra. The Kennedy Center Beethoven Symphony No. 9

Wow! What do you say about that. The music just swells up like monstrous waves and then crashes back down and then up again taking you with it. I need a stronger boat cause I want to go along for that ride.

Part 5

Often the best time to put words on paper for me is in the early morning hours, It’s 4am here in Amarillo. All is peaceful all is quiet. I turn on my espresso machine looking forward to that cappuccino and a flakey toasted biscuit with butter. Not a bad way to start the day.

One week to the show Basile of Locrian Audio and I have been on the phone ever more constantly as we get closer to the Dallas show. Success is in the details they say so we go over our lists of things to accomplish over and over.

Yes the demo room at the hotel was reserved months ago. I’m chuckling thinking that could have been embarrassing.

We go through the lists of equipment we will bring: German Physiks speakers check, Accuphase check, EMM Labs check, Thales Turntable and arm check, Ypsilon Electronics check, FM Acoustic cables check, LiveVibe Platforms check.

Basile Likes to laugh which is probably why we get along so well. He tells me his stories, I tell him mine. We joke a lot, We talk about music a lot. What we listen to as individuals is not necessarily best for show conditions where one wants to bring out the best musically from the equipment we demonstrate. This comes naturally but I feel we do owe that to the manufactures providing equipment.

As I write this I’m realizing that quite a bit of the NativeDSD music I listen to at home is also well suited for the show environment. We are still in the process of selecting tracks from NativeDSD’s catalog to play at the show. It’s a difficult choice, it’s a large catalog and there is so much good stuff there.

Atzko Kohashi and Tony Overwater – A drum Thing

These guys take you through waterfalls of rhythmic tonality on to a small smokey Jazz club that causes you to snap your fingers and bob your head, you can’t help it, it just happens.

Part 6: what we’re listening to

I think We will do something different in this page. We have been listening to a lot of NativeDSD music in order to choose which pieces to play at the show. Not an easy task with all the great choices they have.

In this Article we will show you some of what we are listening to. Go to NativeDSD website for a listen to these recordings.

Then come by the Dallas show if you can and we will try and play it for you. You will be able to hear these choices playing through the German Physiks Unicorn speakers provided by Locrian Audio of Dallas Texas. keeping in mind the shows are very busy. Think of this as a treasure hunt for something special. Sweet right!

• The First at Last [Pure DSD] – Jasper Staps, Rembrandt Frerichs
• When Night Falls – Angelo Verploegen
• Clique! – Patricia Barber
• Mahler Symphony No. 2 – Concertgebouworkest, Daniele Gatti
• Ballads – Ben Webster
• Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 18 – Concertgebouworkest
• Rimsky-Korsakov: Shéhérazade - Noseda (Version #1) – Filarmonica Teatro Regio Torino
• Mozart Requiem – Stockholm Conservatory Orchestra
• Vivaldi: La Stravaganza 12 Violin Concertos – Rachel Podger

Part 7

I am listening to Just Listen Records‘ A Hand Full Of Stories by Angelo Verploegen Quintet as I write this. Wonderful jazz just wonderful. Reminds me of the Freddie Hubbard days. These guys are true masters of their musical craft.

It’s Sunday morning five days to the Dallas show. I have been on the phone with Basile from Locrian Audio discussing the details of the equipment we will be using at the Dallas show. I am very interested in hearing the Emm Labs Da2 V2 Reference Stereo D/A and the NS1 Streamer.

© audioshark.org

It’s been several hours since I had my espresso. I’m experimenting with a light roast rather than my normal medium roast bean, tough to get the right grind unless you have spent the time learning how to dial that grind in. Too coarse, too fine, and things just aren’t right.

Parallels.

The same is true of that magical, three dimensional, palpable, solid, open, spacious, delicate, presentation of Billy Holiday standing right there in front of you, singing just for you.

Guys quit looking for that next expensive piece of audio equipment that is supposed to transform you system but never does. Look for the above. Isn’t that the point of this audio industry?

Look for someone who has years of experience in the audio industry that understands concepts like synergy and can produce the qualities mentioned above in your home or listening space. If they can’t they are just a salesman.

Part 8

Today is Monday, I flew into Dallas to help Basile of Locrian Audio assemble the system we will be using at the show. The day will be fairly relaxed and a lot of fun as we want to test and play around with all the components. Including the Thales Compact II Turntable and the Accuphase AC-6 Moving Coil Cartridge.

Photo © Ramona Huber

Locrian Audio is considering putting together some reviews of the various components we take to the show. What do you think? Maybe even some video reviews for his YouTube channel, let’s see how things come together later on.

The Feenbrothers Play Dave Brubeck. Classic Dave Brubeck tunes with a twist of Feenbrothers, One Microphone Recording and an olive, I’ll take that martini anytime.

Part 9

Today is Tuesday. Three days to the Dallas show. Locrian Audio is finishing up the testing and let’s be truthful playing around like a kid in an acoustic sandbox. The German Physiks Unicorn speakers are truly unique in their musicality. Very transparent and very effortless in their presentation of musical image.

The Ragazze Quartet. This music is warm like laying on the grass during a pleasant summers day. The music swirls around you, This music is playful, lulling one into a state of peace. Something we all need I think.

Read on: the Dallas Southwest Audio Fest 2024 show report.