The 2024 Helsinki HIFI Show differed from the one last year in two respects: there were more visitors this time, and the demo rooms were newly distributed. The total number of visitors was about 4 400, which is not bad for a two-day event of this sort (extrapolate it for four days and its almost 10 000 show goers, ie. half of the Munich total). After all, we’re talking about a rather small country (in many respects) with plus 5 million inhabitants. The new spatial distribution of the rooms meant that the exhibitors that normally are likely to show up in small hotel rooms, now had more space to do themselves justice.

I believe these local Shows have an important role in supplementing the bigger ones in Munich, Warsaw, London, Paris, Milan and what have you. For one thing, they might tell something about a possible regional bias as to the quality of sound. Second, they bring into spotlight combinations of brands not necessarily presented in other Shows. Below’s an illustrative example: Fink Team Borg/Avantgarde Colibri C2 loudspeakers powered with a Pass Labs’ amplifier, and crowned with Bergman’s TT. I’ve seen and heard all of these separately before, but never as this combo. Despite the infamous big room (uneven bass response), when it all fell into place, very nice, relaxing music and sound. –

Dynamic and effortless: Golden Ear & Hegel.

A massive sound: Perlisten ST7 LE, Chord Ultima PRE 3 and Innuous Zenith NEXT-GEN music server.

The Finnish loudspeaker company, Amphion, presented best of two worlds, PRO and home (Krypton). As always, a very consistent and clean performance.

Amphion has shaked recently hands with SPL electronics.

Audiovector’s revitalized Trapeze (a model from 40 years ago) was conspicuously displayed in Munich this spring. But it was here in Helsinki that bestowed a more intimate and hassle-free encounter, this time with Linn electronics. And, Yes, a sympathetic, yet nicely informative sound.

Another McIntosh novelty: C2800 Tube Preamplifier with 16 inputs, two for phono.

Mapitare Electronics had downshifted a little from 2023: the speakers were now the brand new Rosso Fiorentino ARNO 40 picking up the signal from the Pathos hybrid integrated, Norma Audio at the front. A highly civilized and polite performance.

Pass Labs INT-60 integrated driving PMC Active and Passive loudspeakers, dCS Bartok APEC DAC/Streamer in front, diffusors from Akustiikka.com. A first-class sound by all criteria.

JBL S3900 & Arcam electronics. With a proper program material, a kind of fun to listen!

Fyne Audio’s Vintage Fifteen (15 inch concentric driver), Cary’s tube amp, the turntable from Acoustic Signature. A combo that made much sense.

Last time I witnessed a Cary amp at a Hi-Fi Show must have been in the 1990s. The one in Helsinki was the 100 watter SLI-100 with two pairs of KT-150 tetrodes at the output.

Acoustic Signature Double X NEO from the less expensive end of the AS selection.

Here’s a telling example of why it pays to visit these smaller regional H-Fi Shows. Schetl Pathways have been on display here and there in recent years, and so have Soulnote’s electronics, but as far as I’m concerned, never the two together. Turned out to be a happy mix! The sound had, not necessarily better or worse, but a different quality from that of many other rooms: down to earth, down to music. The CD player was Ayon Audio CD-35, the DAC Soulnote D-2 DA, the amp a Soulnote integrated, via Tiglon cables, the latest version of the Schetl Pathways. The analogue source was Transrotor Fat Bob Reference TMD (FMF power supply)/SME IV tonearm/Transrotor Phono 8 MC XLR phono pre.

The ATC 50/LINN room was always crowded when I tried to approach it.

Well postured, well thought out sound from Canton Reference loudspeakers and Audiolab electronics.

… and Thorens TD 124 turntable, 9 inch TP 124 J-shape tonearm wth Ortofon SPU type of head shell.

One of the crowd favourites: Gradient R-5A loudspeaker featuring a cardioid (the ball) mid/tweeter and dipole (2 x 12″) woofer section, driven by Gradient’s own amp/crossover, and QUAD pre. Did well with hard-to-reproduce classic music. This speaker, if any, has an ability to ignore the room: not a minor advantage at Hi-Fi Shows, as all audiophiles know.

This impressive ‘little’ system consisted of new Michi amps (P5, S5, M8), Fischer & Fischer SN270AMT and Klein slate loudspeakers, and Clearaudio’s Innovation turntable. Again, a combination I haven’t even come close to anywhere else! And with very positive results!

Clearaudio’s Innovation turntable sports Clearaudio’s TT5 linear tonearm, optical speed control, a high-torque decoupled DC motor, a precision-machined 70mm-thick platter atop the 15mm-thick stainless steel sub platter, and a ceramic magnetic bearing.

In this room, Sonus faber & Luxman combo was alternating with Marten & Moon Audio. Gives perspective. Pure sound at a high level from both. Different styles.

Maybe not the showiest system in the competition, but still a very competent one: Dynaudio Contour Legacy plus NAD.

The brand new Pro-Ject Signature 12.2 turntable with a MDF main chassis, sandwiched platter, and 12“ S-shape alu, 3-pivot tonearm.

Here’s something that you haven’t seen anywhere else. A pair of Aalto loudspeakers: EVO 9 and EVO 3. Active or passive. Truly serious, thoroughly researched designs with an exemplary bass performance from a 21-inch paper cone woofer (EVO 9), a 10-inch paper cone midrange driver, and a horn-loaded 1-inch compression driver. The claimed frequency response kicks off from 20 Hz while keeping the phase response accurate throughout.

Last but not least. The Hobbyists Club offered a brilliant ear-friendly sound from reel-to-reel tapes (eg. Astia Studio’s master tapes). Revox and Studer tape recorders, Harmonic Audio Labs / Rogue Audio amplification, and Dynaudio’s classic M3 studio monitors. Get real! It will never become better than this.

Classic 250 WPC Rogue Audio Apollo monoblocks.