Being an audiophile is a solo endeavour for many, yet most are nonplussed by this. In fact, many seem to revel in the singularity being one affords. This is another aspect of my personality which places me diametrically opposite so many audiophiles; I like to listen to music with friends, not to gear by myself.
While the pandemic has made being an audiophile easier than ever for most who identify by this stripe, it has robbed me of one of my most cherished past times. I can no longer invite friends over for beer and spin LPs. Instead, I sip lager and text photos of albums delivered to my door (with alarming regularity) to my close circle of friends, who in return – or unprompted – do the same to me. It’s not a replacement for the act of physically sharing space and listening to music, but it’s all we have right now.
I, like so many others, was looking forward to attending audio shows in Chicago, Munich and elsewhere this year, but they were of course cancelled – along with other audio festivals and hi-fi trade shows – and I miss that hustle and camaraderie which accompanies them. I also miss the unique window on technology offered by hundreds of distributors and manufacturers exposing their latest wares; an opportunity to ascertain the state of the art. So when Igor Kivritsky called me up and asked if I’d be interested in covering an audio show as the only participant present, I sat back and said… “Yes.”
The Vancouver Virtual Audio Festival is here to bring the experience of a real Hi-Fi Show into your living room. We have curated a selection of high performance systems which, in their own way, bring you closer to the music.
Our friend and respected audio reviewer, Rafe Arnott from Resistor Mag, has listened to, photographed and chronicled each system. Please join Rafe as he takes you on a spin through our Virtual Audio Festival. – Igor Kivritsky, Hi-fi Centre
Start you virtual show coverage HERE.
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