While I would be lying if I were to say that I wasn’t a little disappointed that D’Agostino didn’t bring the new Relentless Monos to THE Show in Irvine, it was still very refreshing to hear two pairs of their M400 Momentum series all firing in harmony. Surprisingly enough, it was also the first time I’ve ever seen the gorgeous aluminum and copper chassis in black as well.
Providing the front end to the YG Acoustics-backed rig was the popular Japan-based Technics brand, specifically the new reference SL-1000R turntable (~$20k). The original announcement for the table and the SP-10R deck ($10k) was released closer to CES this year, but the new high end groove seeker has been continuing to make the rounds ever since.
YG Acoustics brought their Sonja XV Jr. loudspeakers which are constructed of airplane-grade double wall aluminum. That kind of material use doesn’t come cheap, as the retail price of this junior is $189,600. But if you can afford such luxuries in this life there are also some acoustic perks as well to the new design. NA Sales manager Adrienne Alterman brought us up to speed at the show. “The billet dome tweeter is a combination of the benefits of a metal tweeter using an aluminum bracing and a soft dome. The final result manages to avoid the sharpness of a full metal dome tweeter but still delivers the detailed impact of it. By using the aluminum bracing behind the soft dome tweeter, you get the best of both worlds – the soft dome still brings it’s warmth in through the music. All YG Acoustic speakers are upgradeable and expandable. So if you want a higher end option in a couple years you buy another module and add on. Everything here is made in Colorado, the two towers on the left and right are actually bass modules – the drivers machined out of a block of aluminum in house.”
The grand sum of all this was indeed a well spoken argument for high tag hifi in a big room. Big sound and plenty of shove to wake you up in the morning, the entire package worked well together and worked the room that was usually packed full most of the day on Friday. It was a show highlight for me, and don’t let the smaller size of the event sway the weight of the sonic achievements that day – the system sounded well rounded, impactful and nuanced. Well done.
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