Wayne Carter and I ran The Vintage Lounge at T.H.E. Show in Las Vegas (Total Hifi Experience)
The Vintage Lounge Steals the Spotlight at T.H.E. Show Las Vegas
By James Plumb & Wayne Carter
At this year’s T.H.E. Show in Las Vegas, where cutting‑edge audio technology dominated the halls, one room stood apart by looking back.
The Vintage Lounge, curated by James Plumb and Wayne Carter, offered attendees a rare opportunity to experience the heritage, innovation, and unmistakable charm of classic audio engineering. As the team put it, the room was dedicated to showcasing “some of the greats and the firsts” of vintage audio electronics.
A Studio Icon Returns: The JBL 4430
The centerpiece of The Vintage Lounge was a pair of JBL 4430 studio monitors—one of the longest‑running studio monitor models ever produced, with an 18‑year manufacturing span. These large, imposing two‑way monitors are revered for their ability to deliver striking realism, a quality that made them a staple in studios throughout the 1980s and early ’90s. As noted in the document, “many recordings made from 1981 to the mid ninety’s were produced and mixed on a set of these monitors,” and the pair used at the show came directly from a working studio.
Analog Sources: A Journey Through Time
Vinyl Playback
For turntable duties, the team selected a Kenwood KD‑500 paired with a Black Widow tonearm, Denon AU‑320 step‑up transformer, and Ortofon MC‑20 cartridge. While not the most extravagant setup of its era, it represented a clever engineering effort to compete with higher‑priced systems. Its presence at the show evoked nostalgia for attendees who grew up with “radio, turntables, and eight tracks.”
Cassette Revival: The Nakamichi RX‑202
One of the most talked‑about components in the room was the Nakamichi RX‑202 auto‑reverse cassette deck. Unlike conventional auto‑reverse decks that relying on dual playback heads, Nakamichi engineered UDAR—Uni‑Directional Auto Reverse—a mechanical system physically flipping the cassette 180 degrees while keeping the playback head stationary. This innovation ensured consistent alignment and superior sound quality.
Visitors were stunned to learn the rich, dynamic playback they heard was coming from a cassette deck. As the document recounts, many responded with: “I thought cassette decks always sounded flat and with lots of hiss.”
Digital Excellence: The Modified Denon DCD‑3000
Representing the 1990s, the Denon DCD‑3000 CD player—enhanced with Steve Sank modifications—served as the primary digital source. With stacked DACs, an upgraded power supply, with a shortened signal path-, provided the unit with performance rivaling far more expensive players of its time. The robust build and original $1,000 price tag positioned it as a serious contender within the high‑end market. At T.H.E. Show , it became the most frequently used source simply due to the convenience of transporting CDs compared to vinyl and cassettes.
Amplification: A Curated Collection
Shipping constraints meant only a select group of amplifiers and preamps could be displayed but, the lineup remained impressive.
James Plumb contributed:
- Counterpoint SA‑5.1
- Music Reference RM‑5
- Precision Fidelity C7A
- Electron Kinetics Eagle 2
- The Oak Box Amplifier
- A highly modified Dynaco ST‑70 (one of twelve in the U.S.)
- Music Reference RM‑10 MKIII
- Music Reference RM‑200
- Audio Research D‑40
Wayne Carter contributed:
- JBL 4430 monitors
- Falcon Acoustics LS3/5a
- Moscode Minuet
- Kenwood turntable
- Tandberg cassette deck
- Marantz 7T
- Denon step‑up transformer
- Vintage MIT RCA cables
- Vintage AudioQuest speaker wire
Murphy’s Law Meets Vintage Audio
Despite thorough pre‑show testing, a few components arrived with unexpected issues—an unavoidable reality of transporting vintage gear. The Counterpoint preamp lost filament supply to both its line and phono stages, and the Music Reference RM‑5 arrived with one channel out. Fortunately, the RM‑5 was repaired on the final day, and its performance of our system with it replacing the Moscode preamp “blew us away” . The RM-5 in combination with the Denon CD player step us up to a completely new level.
Show Highlights: Three Amplifiers Rise Above
Across three days of listening sessions, three amplifiers emerged as clear standouts:
1. The Oak Box Amplifier
A solid‑state design conceived in 1979 by Russ Sherwood, The Oak Box became the star of the room. Attendees described it as “airy and realistic like a tube amp only cleaner and better bass.” One young listener remarked that after waiting years for his own amplifier to be built, this one “opened my ears to an extent I could not believe.”
2. The Modified Dynaco ST‑70
Featuring regulated output tube bias, regulated screens and regulated B+ on the front end tubes , and optimized for 6550 output tubes, this heavily upgraded classic stunned listeners with its bass control and extended highs—qualities few associate with a vintage ST‑70.
3. Music Reference RM‑10 MKIII
A compact tube amplifier using a 12AX7 and two EL84s per channel, the RM‑10 MKIII delivered remarkable clarity and musicality, aided by solid‑state rectification.
A Sunday Surprise: The RM‑5 Transforms the Room
On the final morning, the repaired Music Reference RM‑5 preamplifier was reintroduced into the system—and the effect was transformative. As described in the document, “Soundstage was broader and higher… midrange went to pure liquid palpability… and the bass was even more taut and extended.” Patrons who had visited earlier returned to confirm the improvement, many leaving astonished at the elevated musical experience.
A Special Thanks
The Vintage Lounge team expressed deep gratitude to those who supported the exhibit:
- Dan Fanny (AHT) – for the Dynaco ST‑70
- Rush Sherwood (Electron Kinetics / Eagle Audio) – for The Oak Box amplifier
- Mahina Kim – for the Falcon Acoustics LS3/5a
- Anthony Campitelli – For the Music Reference RM-10 MKIII
We also thanked the many friends and colleagues who provided food, drinks, emergency tubes, interconnects, and even bathroom breaks.
The Falcon LS3/5a Finale
On request a few times , Wayne and I connected the Falcon Acoustics LS3/5a speakers on throughout the event weekend . Despite their compact size, they filled the 900‑square‑foot room with astonishing clarity and presence. Several attendees assumed the JBL 4430s were playing as they walked into the room. These attendees were shocked to discover that the Falcons alone were producing the sound. Many of these attendees had a reality check only after putting their ears on the JBL tweeters [they] totally realized it was only the Falcon Acoustics.
A Weekend to Remember
The Vintage Lounge succeeded in its mission: to remind listeners while audio technology continues to evolve, the craftsmanship and innovation of vintage equipment remain timeless. From reel‑to‑reel nostalgia to cutting‑edge solid‑state and tube designs of decades past, the room offered a rare and moving listening experience-one raising goosebumps and sparking memories in celebration of the enduring magic of music reproduce well.
