Opening of the new ICOS showroom in Paris

[Julot]

I'm opening a new showroom in central Paris (two really, but I'll talk about the smaller one when it's fully equipped) near the Luxembourg garden.

The launch is March 18, and of course every shark is welcome if they are in Paris at that date, or later. PM me for an invitation.

If anyone needs motivation, we have partnered with the nearby Cave du Sénat for drinks.

The big Dedicace (5-way active system with the patented icoshaedric speakers) will be available there for permanent demo. The Antipodes server and the ICOS CD-player will be our source ; I can feel I will need a (very) decent turntable someday and I'm taking every advice in that department. I'm also expecting a visit of the Lumin importer any day now (and I understand he will have advice in the turntable department as well).

And there's a v0 of the new website, on which comments are welcome: jultort.wix.com/icos

 

[Jerome W]

Félicitations !

 

[Julot]

Merci. Feel free to drop by, there will be decent wine.

Here's the view from the window -- I'm very satisfied with it.

 

[Jerome W]

Merci !
I will come with pleasure !

 

[Julot]

Work in progress...

 

[Ritmo]

Congratulations! I'll make sure to stop in the next time I visit Paris.

 

[Julot]

Thanks! Looking forward to it. You can visit us while you visit the latin quarter and the Luxembourg garden ;-)

Took a very long time (setting up the wifi bridge correctly, installing minim server on my Syno, installing the right version of Java to that end, finding out I had all those things to do ; not to mention the year it took the Lumïn importer to finally visit), but at 9pm, I finally got the Lumin to work. I must say my impressions after a few hours are much more favorable than they were at first, where I felt it was like vinyle, but in a bad way (made me sea-sick). Then I'm somewhat disappointed that the DSD performance is so much better than the PCM one on that machine. They could do a better job at PCM. I also found that opening the digital audio output significantly degraded the sound quality. Still, much better right now. Anyway, just my first impressions, the machine stays for a few days and the Antipodes is back tomorrow so there will be face-offs (and use of the Antipodes as NAS...)

On opening day, the menu will include a cheese plater, goose rillettes, saucisson, all to rinse down with Pouilly Fumé or Coteaux du Layon. Not that the music can't be enough, mind you...

 

[Julot]

It went very well -- well, the attendance was much higher than I expected, with many old clients and new curious, so at first I actually struggled to manage everyting at the same time -- door, food, wine, music and conversations. I think many left with sparkles in their eyes. It convinced me of the value:
1/ Of such a non-hifi, yet professionnal setting, with only one offering (or so, since the Lumin was still lying around)
2/ That festive events are a good model to bring in, meet new persons and expose them to some of the good sound (a party is still not the ideal environment for attentive music listening)
3/ Some (locally) famous musicians came and the fact that they were delighted clearly made other interested (and especialy some potential investors).

Anyway, here's the place in its current configuration, waiting for you guys to drop by for hours of music.

I brought the CD-player back and am not regretting it ; I'm still unsure computer audio can actually beat that, especially at the price. Sure it can't stream and I have to get up everytime I want to change the CD, but it sounds very good: singing, natural, rich in detail, balanced...

 

[Albert]

Very nice! I wish I could be there, it looks very relaxing. And those icosahedral speakers look very interesting.

 

[Julot]

Thanks, Albert.

We got two very good reviews for the Antipodes DX in the April issues of the two most influential magazines in France.

Diapason is kinda the French equivalent of Gramophone, focused on classical music with audio pages that are the most influential in the business (which is not to say that they are very influential... definitely much less than they were ten years ago). They compared the Antipodes+ICOS combo to other selected network players and pronounced it "exceptionally neutral and transparent", its "musical sense is remarkable and comes close to the live sound".

Haute-Fidélité is the biggest (bigger, really) hi-fi magazine. They reviewed the DX on its own and found it excellent or exceptional in every department of sound quality:
- bass are realistic in an analog sounding way, while exceptionally natural and precise
- this analog like musicality is prolonged in medium, voices have remarkable foundation, are very authentic and a delight to listen to. The combination of electric and acoustic guitars is easily rendered in its every detail and perfect tone
- treble have both precision and gentleness, they are brilliant. Detail such as the extinction of a cymbal are respected ; there's a lot of air and harmonics, which is very pleasant
- when it comes to dynamics, the DX is so precise that it's the DAC 's dynamic ability you're listening to ; same with attacks of notes
- the perceived image is very different from one track to the next, this holographic rendering has no limit, this exemplary stability is heard in all kinds of music
- same with tonal balance: No effect, no coloration, everything is precise but never aggressive

(I'm translating and paraphrasing)

I'm really bad with those pictures. I swear I did flip them as needed on my computer and they show up normally on it and on my smartphone and tablet. Yet I upload them and that's what they look like:

 

[Julot]

And since those things seem to come in batch, here's another review of the Antipodes DX, from Audiostream, this one in English.

 

[bzr]

I see the pics were taken in NZ too. Everything's upside-down down there.

Congrats on the 2 new ventures, must be cool to be you at the mo. :thumbsup:

 

[Julot]

New layout, I'm actually very pleased with it. A visitor, much smarter than I, suggested it, and it also sounds better.

 

[Julot]

And now, the lounge -- this is the second showroom, in a different location, for the smaller (15k) system. This is a very different experience, as it comes with a TV, large couches and, most importantly, high end pizza and great wines. We're already using it for soccer nights (just watching, not playing), soon for live opera nights. And now people can come and listen and be charged for a glass of Viognier.

Our in-house medium-treble speakers (that look like the big ones, only smaller) are not ready yet, so we're partnering with speaker manufacturer Kelinac in the meantime.

 

[MikeCh]

Nice Julien! Great seating and great pizza and tunes (or football) makes a nice evening.

 

[Julot]

Another review of the Antipodes DX, saying it beats the Aurender and Auralic on SQ
Antipodes Audio DX music server review | DAR

 

[Julot]

The lounge has its Icos speakers. The 2 are a smaller (basket ball sized) version of the 6, with a crossover.

I am always amazed by the difference this shape makes -- truly you can't hear the box and the sound seems to flow freely.

Pizza never sounded that good

 

[Julot]

The new showroom isn't as fancy as the first one overlooking the Luxemburg garden ; but it has much better acoustics, sits 25 comfortably, and has no neighbour.

As usual, everybody welcome, including if you'd like to set up an event of your own.

 

[Julot]

We're organizing a "tapeluck" or "music potluck" this Saturday (Sept 29th, 7-11pm in Paris): participants can bring a music of their choice to present to others, 30' max.

PM or email me if you'd like to take part.

 

[Jerome W]

We're organizing a "tapeluck" or "music potluck" this Saturday (Sept 29th, 7-11pm in Paris): participants can bring a music of their choice to present to others, 30' max.

PM or email me if you'd like to take part.

"This saturday" is August 29th no ??
Too bad I saw this a bit late....