2006 Rocky Mountain Audio Fest

Lo and Behold...

Sam Laufer of Laufer Teknik Inc, US importer of German designs Behold, Ascendo and Halcyonics (active isolation devices) had quite some setup which featured the first ever pairing of Ascendo and Behold in the US. Ascendo has shown at numerous CES shows with great success thanks to its former importer Darren Censullo (whose setup, sonic dexterity and attention to detail is second to none). On the other hand, Sam Laufer is a person who though, might be described as a newbie, managed to register some high praise from many I have spoken to in regard to this setup (and of course I too enjoyed the sonics). The top photo shows the Ascendo System M ($45k) strapped by two pair of Behold BPA768 kHz stereo amplifiers ($38,610 ea) used in a bi-amp configuration. Preamplifier is the Behold APU preamplifier ($ 21k to $66K depending on options) which handles everything in the digital domain and samples out 768 kHz of information to eight cascaded dacs per channel (32 in all) located in the amplifiers where conversion to analogue takes place at the last possible stage. Do not mistake this for conventional digital amplification, ICE or Tri-path because it is NOT. It is full Class-A analogue power simply employing the highest level of digital manipulation. Completing the set is Behold's CDP 16/44 CD player ($5,500), which does an outstanding job considering its near the middle of the road price and high grade performance

The German Halcyonics active source isolation platform ($7,500), though grossly expensive, would leave even the most skeptical audiophile speechless if they heard what these do to improve both the Memory Player and Behold amplifiers performance. One thing's certain: unless you can afford them don't try them. They'll leave you penny-less as well (trust me, I've three installed with no intentions of taking them out!). I recently flew out to their offices in Goettingen Germany, and personally witnessed what it took to make these devices work and will report on this trip in one of my later articles on these fascinating products. All I'll say is the Halcyonic innards are built to standards I would have never believed based solely on their exterior (photo right).

The Nova Physics Group Memory transport/player ($10k- $15k transport, depending on options/ $16k - $21k with 32 bit dac and analogue volume control), that I am certain you've heard so much about, received some playing time along with the Behold player as Laufer serves as its NY dealer. My only caveat is how tough will learning to operate its multi-screens become for those who lack computer savvy. Sonically, it is a tour de force in digital playback. Stay tuned for my world exclusive review on this product coming very soon...

Also held in October approximately one week before the RMAF show, Laufer Teknik held its grand opening in its swank Brooklyn Heights Parlour located in downtown Brooklyn, NY. Industry folks, designers and reps were in attendance but they were outnumbered by pure music lovers (photo collage above) who were there taking in the good vibes as well as sights (since the address is adjacent to the Brooklyn Promenade overlooking Manhattan). It's great to have a high-end salon once again in downtown Brooklyn, only a short walking distance from where Innovative Audio once stood.

Meanwhile Back at The Ranch....

I too use the Behold system in my reference setup and though this may sound trite, I think of these super revealing electronics as the beginning of a new age in audio playback when used in conjunction with the Nova Physics Memory player and the Halcyonics active iso-platforms. During Ralf Ballman's visit to the US (his first in 18 years) he did manage to pay me a personal visit and install the worlds first Behold APU192 Room Correction/Crossover ($10k optional card) employing Room Tools designed exclusively for Behold compliments of Ascendo designer Jurgen Schuering. (Visit their website at http://www.room-tools.com/index.php?id=15). Being quite familiar with the Tact Audio room correction system, which I've used for more than 8 years, this however is the first room correction device I've heard that not only rivals the Tact but proved surprisingly preferable on many different fronts. Jurgen Schuering also paid a visit only weeks later to see what this, his first collaboration with Behold, could possibly sound like. No longer using his flagship Ascendo System M loudspeakers did not leave him unimpressed. I'll explain this in my part two Behold review coming shortly but let me say for the record; removing the DALI crossover from the signal path in addition to removing the Tact as, albeit another box, has taken the sound of my system to a place I would have NEVER thought was sonically possible (See my Behold part one review here).