So how did the Blumenhofer/Takatsuki/Sforzato system sound? Color me impressed! ... The Blumenhofer Genuin FS2 loudspeakers responded perfectly to the handful of single-ended triode watts supplied by the Takatsuki TA-S01 amplifier; the sound was, quite simply, sublime, and at no volume level did the system ever seem underpowered.

When played quite loudly, the system never lost its composure‚ not with Mighty Sam McClain, not with High-Strung Dmitri Shostakovich.

I heard sultry vocals and liquid, effortless impacts. This gear screamed for a larger listening space, but when the crowds and noise died down, a more normal listening volume showcased a seductive grace and finesse with the usual audiophile listening fare.

Most exciting audio discoveries: Two firms share this honor - The Orlando, Florida-based Alex Sound Technology distributor/retailer and the Blink Audio team. The former’s pairing of the Blumenhofer Genuin FS-2 Mk.2 floor-standers with the lovely Takatsuki 300B integrated amplifier (8 Watts per channel at $29K) gifted extraordinarily lively, vivid, immersive sound that genuinely excited. Welcome back, Blumenhofer.

Distributor Alex Sound Technology had a room with an interesting array of brands that I had never come across before. ... The whole system sounded very musical and dynamic. A fun and unique assortment of gear.

I tend to be pre-biased against horn designs…they’ve just never been my favorites. That said, this was an exception. They offered wide dispersion and smooth sound that left me wanting to hear more.