If you’ve ever attended a CES where you just got tired
of listening, you’re not alone. But sometimes, even when you think that listener
fatigue is just too strong to allow you to enjoy any audio system, something comes
along that feels like the Nestea Plunge. That happened to us on Thursday, just before the
close of the show, and it was most welcome.
Canada’s Focus Audio teamed up with Denmark’s Vitus Audio to offer just what
we needed: perfectly natural sound. The Focus Audio Master 2.5 speakers ($17,300/pair)
were fed by a Vitus Audio SS-010 integrated amplifier and SCD-010 CD player (each priced
somewhere between $12,000 and $15,000) to great effect. All of this was strung together
with Vitus Audio’s own cabling; a Foundation Audio rack capped this most-excellent
mid-sized system. We could not help but just slump back in the couch and immerse ourselves
in the Wailin’ Jennys track we heard at least 15 times during the previous three
days. Bass was deep and smooth, while the vocals just washed over the room without any
hint of brashness.
This was the definition of enjoyable sound, and on a system
that would be domestically acceptable in most situations. OK, acceptable only if
you like big, black speakers. Anyway, we can almost guarantee that the sound we heard
would make you forget about such considerations. It was that good. [www.vitusaudio.com] [www.focusaudio.com]
