Sunny Components Inc. made a huge impression on me at T.H.E. Show 2019 with their Stenheim/CH Precision/Technics room. But, as I mentioned before, Sunny’s had four exhibit rooms at the show and each one impressed me in a different way. I’ve visited Sunny Components Inc. in Covina on a couple of occasions–there’s a big central room that is dominated by nearly every model of Wilson Audio loudspeakers made. That’s what I think about whenever Sunil Merchant’s name comes up–he’s the guy to visit for one of the best Wilson demos on the West Coast. But it’s clear from this show that Sunny’s is expanding their lines to include a number of very interesting new brands.
The second room for Sunny Components Inc. featured Verity Audio, Jeff Rowland Design Group, Brinkmann, Vandersteen and AudioQuest. I almost felt like I’ve heard this system before–Brinkmann and Vandersteen were showing together at High End 2019 in Munich. There were a few differences–Sunil put together the Vandersteen Quatro loudspeakers ($15,499/pair) with the Vandersteen M5-HPA monoblock amplifiers ($15,800/pair), the Jeff Rowland Corus stereo pre w/PSU ($21,900), the awesome and flexible Jeff Rowland Conductor phono stage ($8500), the Brinkmann Nyquist Mark 2 DAC ($17,995), the Brinkmann Bardo turntable w/ Brinkmann 10.0 tonearm ($11,995) and Lyra Delos cartridge ($1995) and the ubiquitous Audioquest Niagara power conditioners and cabling. This room was a study in dynamic contrasts, with plenty of goosebumps with crescendos and plenty of detail in softer passages.
The third room for Sunny Components Inc., featured a more modest system made up of Bryston, EgglestonWorks and Technics. I saw the red EgglestonWorks Emma EVOs ($5500/pair) that I reviewed for the upcoming Summer Issue of The Occasional, and I thought it might be the very same pair I reviewed, but I was quickly told that this was a brand new pair made for the show. As I discuss in my review, that red is absolutely seductive. I spied a pair of the smaller 2-way bookshelf speakers in the EgglestonWorks EVO line, the Nico ($4250/pair), and I’ve been equally impressed with these as well.
In the last room, Sunny Components Inc. presented a Hegel, Martin Logan and Audience room that sound exceptionally big and detailed–like most Martin Logans, of course–and I was offered a feast of Dire Straits songs. For some reason I wrote down the word “weepy” in my notes–was someone crying at the emotional and powerful delivery? Perhaps. Nevertheless, Sunil Merchant is a high-end audio dealer who always offers a first-class experience for show attendees.
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