by Rafe Arnott
Austin HiFi‘s room at Newport was an interesting one for me.
First off, it was packed the whole time I was there and I had to play musical chairs for about 15 minutes to get a seat in the sweet spot, as the Tocaro Model 42E loudspeakers ($14,000 US pair) and Crimson CS 710 pre-amplifier with MC and MM phono stages ($7,000 US) and CS 640E-III mono blocks ($6,000 for two pair) were impressing the hell out of everyone and no one gave a shit what my Show badge said. Reviewer or not, I could sit when they were damn well ready to move their asses on up and out.
Records were spinning on a gorgeous and competent Linn Sondek LP12/Ittok LV II tonearm (vintage) with a Reson Lexe MC cart ($2,600 US) and digital files were pumping through the beautiful Resolution Audio Cantata Music Centre ($6,495 US). Cables were all Crimson.
These speakers don’t produce a sound that I can easily classify, as they don’t sound like anything else really… if I had to describe them I’d say the sound was very coherent, in-the-room, smooth and deep, with very sweet and natural highs. String instruments in particular sounded incredibly convincing. And the thing is these Tocaros use laser-cut wood for the tweeter membrane.
Yes, laser-cut wood. Not a typo.
They’re also 99 dB efficient, have no crossover and can be bi-amped if you wish (they were here). If you search around, it seems Crimson are a natural pairing with the Tocaros, and since this was my first exposure to the two, I just went with it.
It might serve you well to just go with it too. If you’re near Austin, look up Creston Funk at Austin HiFi. He’ll hook you up.
Tocaro loudspeaker, not for the weak of heart.
They’re not! They’re for those that seek the sound of music, not HiFi. I’ve been through my fair share of gear, these are a resting spot.