2017 Melbourne International HiFi Show
The 2017 Melbourne International HiFi Show was held at the Pullman Mercure Hotel at Albert Park from November 3-5. I travelled from Sydney to help out with our industry partners SGR Audio who had a strong presence in three separate rooms.
The main feature was a state-of-the-art stereo system built around the newly updated SGR Audio CX4F Mk2 4-way active loudspeakers driven by the MSB Technology Reference DAC with optional constant impedance resistor ladder passive volume control; both products making their public debut in Australia.
Also shown for the first time was the new range of equipment racks from SGR Audio. The elegantly modular Signature Series Model III makes SGR Audio's formidable engineering capabilities accessible to a much wider audience with a new lower price point while the Model V is a refresh of the current Signature equipment rack with the familiar modular frame now machined entirely from aluminium; opening up a range of stunning new surface finish options. Elegantly curved constrained-layer damped shelves with acrylic polymer inlays now sit atop SGR’s second generation load-rated silicone-based damping elements.
For vinyl playing duties a Brinkmann Audio Bardo electromagnetic direct-drive turntable with 10.5 tonearm and Acoustical Systems archon medium-output moving coil cartridge was connected to a Brinkmann Audio Edison phono preamplifier which uses a combination of bipolar transistors and selected new old-stock (NOS) Telefunken vacuum tubes.
This system elicited hundreds of positive comments over the course of the Show's three days with many visitors returning multiple times and staying for extended periods to bathe in the lifelike music reproduction. We were thrilled to receive a highly commended award in the best sound category from members of the Australian hi-fi and technology press as well as StereoNET’s own review team. I was also honoured to receive a highly commended award for best demonstration for my enthusiastic work in the SGR Audio room.
