Getting back to relaxed, the system in the Stereo Haven room at Axpona 2026 felt like slipping into an old pair of well worn Levi’s. And I love a pair of old well worn Levi’s.
Another way to say the same thing is I’m not a big fan of aggressive hifi’s. Hifi’s that seemed designed for people who have a hard time paying attention as if they need to be constantly jolted and jostled by the sounds of music like a flurry of arrows slung from speakers. Or so it seems to me.
This system from Edwardsville, Illinois-based dealer Stereo Haven and Dynavector U.S.A (home of Dynavector and Well Tempered Lab in the USA) was the opposite and another vinyl-only rig featuring the very tempting Amadeus 254 GT ‘table from Well Tempered Lab fronted by a pair of the 2.5 way JM Reynaud Orfeo Jubilee Loudspeakers which employ the company’s AST type tweeter (aerostriction) “the aerostriction tweeter pinches the air between its folds and expels it with a very high velocity.”
I didn’t hear any pinch rather just the easy flow of Blue & Sentimental from Ike Quebec featuring the silky smooth guitar grooves of Grant Green all unfussy and fabulous.
The System
Sugden Saphire FBA800 Amplifier: $8500
Jadis JPS 2 Preamplifier: $21,100
Jadis JPS 3 Phono Preamp: $21,900
JM Reynaud Orfeo Jubilee Loudspeakers: $14,500/pair
Well Tempered Lab Amadeus 254 GT Turntable: $8750
Dynavector DRT XV-1t Cartridge: $9750
Lateral Aria 4 Tier Rack: $2600