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Due to a new SEAS mid/woofer, Penaudio's new Rebel 3 is substantially heavier than its predecessor, the Rebel 2. Apart from the expensive Excel motor system, the driver is the same as in the acclaimed Charisma. The bass resonance is now 5 cycles lower. With the Almarro A318B integrated and an Ayre CD-player, the compact Rebel 3 (€1,395/pr) offered fine and sweet yet detailed sound with classy bass performance.
Better known for its mini monitors, Aurelia surprised show visitors with its tall but still reasonably sized Graphica line source. This two-way speaker houses six 5.25" woofers and three 1" textile domes. HF reproduction is controlled by the Cylinder Source Radiator, a waveguide whose purpose it is to form a uniform sound field with the mid/woofers without certain limitations of for example ribbon tweeters. The sound made much
sense. It was nicely balanced, not colored and well separated from the cabinets. A pair costs €3,990, the big XO export model €5,990.

In addition to those mentioned above, at least a half dozen other Finnish speaker manufacturers (Genelec, OR, Chorus, Weckström, Profel etc.) participated. The speakers on the left are made by the flame birch expert Harrin Kaiutin and those on the right by another wood specialist, WW-Speakers.

As to other interesting items of the show, the expert of 3-D room calibration and digital amps Danish Lyngdorf had assembled a massive system at the heart of which was their Millennium Mk IV digital amp, a CD-1 player and the RP-1 processor for room calibration. The huge dipole speakers were from Polish ESA, a three-way flagship model called the Revolution No. 9 at €27.000/pr.

The coolest-looking system award was handed over by this one-man jury to a system consisting of snow-white Marten Design Form speakers together with sky-blue McIntosh electronics. Synergy at many levels.

Everything But The Box is a Bulgarian manufacturer who makes speakers that look special and sound engrossing as did the Pluto F speaker together with Sugden Bijou electronics.

These Grundig omnidirectional Audiorama speakers come from the 1970s as did everything else in the room by Classic Audio. It was good to see this speaker in its original shape since Grundig will relaunch this model in 2009 and who knows what a hit product it will become then.

The importer of Accustic Arts had invested in interior design intending to demonstrate how even a heavy-duty high-end system can cohabit with designer furniture and cozy couches. The massive power amp in the middle is Accustic Art's Amp II, with speakers by Wilson Benesch.

Lots of turntables were around - SMEs, Avids, Projects and such.

One of the them was called Swan. It's a hybrid construct of a Scheu Diamond deck, a Roksan Nima tonearm and a Linn Klyde MC cart. The Diamond was powered by a KingRex SLAP! battery power supply. Swan is a brainchild of the local Linn importer and the price for the whole package is €4,400.

As in previous years, DIY hobbyists had their own room to provide info on their latest creations. Club members Pirkka Ruishalme and Mika Kankainen took most the photos in this report. Thanks guys.