Lone Star Audio Fest 2012 Show Report
Report By John Semrad

  The Zu Audio speakers were driven by a precious little Transcendental Sound T-16 OTL amplifier that uses eight 6S19π Soviet pass tubes in parallel per side.

 

In the Crescendo Systems room there was again a huge pair of electrostatic speakers. These low-distortion panels are essentially hand-made to order and use a metallized plastic film diaphragm and comparatively low bias voltage.

 

Bob Brines makes the trek to Dallas every year and again had some unique full-range designs on hand as well as a large open back subwoofer.

 

More good sound was to be had in Hugh Nguyen's Angel City Audio room. The ACA Trinity speakers were powered by Melody AN300B integrated amplifiers.

 

The Melody amps are well designed and beautifully made. Also on display was the Melody Pure Black 101 tube preamplifier.

 

Soundfield Audio demonstrated some very good sounding speakers, their Monitor 1 which utilizes the new KEF Uni-Q driver. The low end was provided by a pair of dipole push-pull woofers.

Another familiar face was Oddwatt Audio and their very affordable system that had a pair of Martin Logan Preface speakers driven by a pair of Oddblock monoblocks. All of their electronics are available as kits.

 

Also on display was the Forewatt Series I preamplifier kit. More fodder for the ever growing DIY crowd.

 

Wayne Parham is the force behind LSAF and brings his Pi Speakers every year. They are medium-sized boxes sporting horn-loaded mid-range drivers and tweeters and large paper-cone woofers.

 

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