I’ve heard a number of speakers from Switzerland’s Stenheim over the years at shows and my reaction to them, more specifically to the systems they’ve been part of, has been a bit mixed.
I mention this little tidbit to emphasize an important show going fact that has nothing to do with Stenheim speakers—if you think you know what a specific speaker or amp or DAC sounds like based on a few minute listen in a hotel room, you’re kidding yourself. Big time.
The Fidelis Distribution / Audio Skies room at Axpona 2024 paired the Stenheim Alumine 33E speakers with France’s JMF Audio and Greece’s Ideon doing digital front end duties and the sound was sweet, pure, and clear. Are we clear? Crystal.
I’ve reviewed a number of Ideon’s digital products including their Ayazi mk2 DAC & 3R Master Time Black Star reclocker and more recently the EOS DAC where I concluded, “After living with the more upscale EOS for some 3 months and letting it do its thing in a number of systems, I can say with confidence that it inherits Ideon’s supremely transparent house sound coupled with next-level cool clear clarity, superb control, and outstanding dynamic snap!” (I liked it).
This system exhibited all of these qualities while adding delicacy and dance without sounding overly detailed or etched. Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side” shifted my mood and gear as I walked out of Room 480 feeling 1970’s cool and refreshed.
System Details:
JMF Audio HQS 6002 dual-mono power amp: $45,000
JMF Audio PRS 1.5 dual-mono preamp: $39,000
JMF Audio PCD 102 Power line filter: $22,000
JMF Audio SR8 speaker cables: $16,000/2.5M
JMF Audio CM4 XLR interconnect: $5500/1.5M
JMF Audio PCC3 power cable: $5000/1.5M
ictra design Proto AS 3 shelf rack: $35,000
Ideon Audio Epsilon Meta DAC: $49,500
Ideon Audio Absolute Meta Stream: $24,000
Ideon Audio Absolute Time Reclocker: $11,000
Ideon Audio Siren USB Cable: $1990/1.5M
Stenheim Alumine 33E Speakers: $48,000/pair
