EVENT: Munich HIGH END Show Preview 2/3
May 11, 2023
With one week now to the opening of the world largest High End Audio exhibit, we are delighted to share with you a preview of
- Events, Fibonacci Series
The Bristol Show: Wilson Benesch Curate a Festival of Sound
Wilson Benesch will present the new ACT 3zero loudspeaker from its new reference loudspeaker line, Fibonacci Series. Standing just over 1 meter tall, with dedicated midrange and bass woofers, the ACT 3zero has classical British floorstanding loudspeaker proportions, but it is anything but conventional. The ‘Advanced Composite Technology’ design has evolved through six generations of ACT designs dating back almost 35 years to the British company’s foundation in 1989. Each successive loudspeaker has evolved in an iterative design process around the key fundamental components that form the enclosure – which, since the first design, have been based on advanced composite materials technology.
In 1991 the first ACT pioneered in the use of carbon fibre – nomex composite loudspeaker panels. Wilson Benesch developed the art of carbon composite manufacturing through successive designs, producing the first carbon fibre composite monocoque loudspeaker enclosure in the high end audio industry in 1999. In the process, Wilson Benesch established itself on the global stage as the pioneer and leader in the design and manufacture of high performance carbon fibre composite based audio products. In 2017 the Yorkshire based company announced that it would be part of a €7.4-million pan-European research project entitled ‘SSUCHY’. The key objective of the SSUCHY Project was the development of bio-based composites based on a renewable resource, with applications in the automotive, aerospace and audio sectors. After 4.5 years of R&D, in 2022, Wilson Benesch and its collaborative partners announced the results of the SSUCHY Project. The outcome for Wilson Benesch was the next generation ACT 3zero biocomposite monocoque which utilises sustainably sourced, biobased composite materials in its construction. The new biocomposite monocoque replaced the previous ACT Monocoque, which utilised carbon fibre as its principal material constituent. In the process, Wilson Benesch introduced a new enclosure that is stiffer and better damped than the previous generation enclosure. The Fibonacci Series was born – taking loudspeaker material design, manufacturing and performance into the next generation State-of-the-Art. In FIDELITY Magazine’s review of the new Fibonacci Series, Carsten Barnbeck comments:
Carsten Barnbeck
FIDELITY Magazine, Germany
“SSUCHY gave Wilson Benesch the opportunity to analyse materials, housings and diaphragm surfaces with a fleet of measurement equipment that most mid-sized companies can’t even dream of… This iterative and collaborative approach to cutting edge research allowed an understanding of the materials and the effect of resonant energy and energy transfer at a microscopic level that has never been possible before… the Fibonacci Series isn’t a revolution at all it’s an evolutionary step – but a big one at that”.
Located on the first floor in the conservatory, Wilson Benesch has occupied the same exhibition space within The Bristol Show for almost two decades, inheriting the room in the early 2000s from the now-defunct Tag McLaren Audio. As a global brand, Wilson Benesch has always sought to bring in reference grade components from partners that have been presented with Wilson Benesch around the world. This year Wilson Benesch will curate a system based around award-winning design and manufacturers from Greece, Britain, Poland and the United States.
Ypsilon
Power and pre-amplification will be provided by the Greek brand Ypsilon. The hybrid Aelius II Special Edition Monoblock power amplifiers will partner with the Ypsilon PST-100 Preamplifier. Michael Fremer wrote in Stereophile USA, “The Aelius is yet another spectacular sonic and technological achievement from Ypsilon Electronics. I remain impressed by everything they do”
Computer Audio Design
The digital front end will be provided by British brand Computer Audio Design, with their CAD DAC MKII and CAD CAT Server. Computer Audio Design will also provide ground controls for the system with their CAD GC1 and GC3 components, which was awarded ‘Product of the Year’ by Stereophile, Michael Fremer commenting, “Now that I’ve lived with the CAD [Ground Controls] for another couple of months, I can render my verdict : I can’t live without it.”.
RCM Audio
Providing phono amplification will be the Polish brand RCM Audio. The Wilson Benesch Turntable will partner with the theRIAA MKII Phono stage which has been bestowed with the highest praise from HIFI+ Editor in Chief Alan Sircom, commenting “In all honesty, reviewing something, you know this well is a double-edged sword. I’ve used theRIAA for the best part of a decade, and in its MkII guise, I’ll probably use it for about the same again. Yes, there are some truly lovely sounding phono stages out there, but this one I know backwards and value it for its absolute faithfulness to the intention of both cartridge designer and most importantly, the recording.”
Stage III Concepts
And finally, bringing the system together, Wilson Benesch will utilise Stage III Concepts cables for loudspeaker cabling, power cables and balanced XLRs throughout the system. Based in Portland, Oregon, USA, Stage III Concepts are the first cable designer to offer ‘floating’ silver ribbon conductors with air dielectric technology in interconnect, speaker and power cables. The ultimate dielectric is air – such a cable design is rarely attempted by other manufacturers due to the extreme difficulty and cost of implementation. “Just one Kraken will be enough to alter your sound in startling ways. Single handedly, it can take your system from very good to outstanding.” Marshall Nack, Positive Feedback
Full system architecture
Wilson Benesch A.C.T. 3zero Loudspeakers
Wilson Benesch Turntable
Wilson Benesch IGx Infrasonic Frequency Generator
Wilson Benesch R1 Carbon HIFI Racks
Ypsilon Aelius II Special Edition Monoblock (x2)
Ypsilon PST-100 Preamplifier
CAD 1543 DAC MKII
CAD CAT Server
CAD Ground Control GC1.1
CAD Ground Control GC3.1
RCM Audio TheRIAA Phono Pre-amplifier
Join us for a Festival of Sound in the 1st Floor Conservatory.
Learn More About Our Partnering Brands
Ypsilon & RCM Audio Distributed in the UK by Fi Audio
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