All prices in Canadian dollars.
If the AudioNec Evo 3 speakers ($125,000/pair) in the top photo look familiar, it’s no accident. They’re from the same company that made the Evo 1 speakers in my last Luna Cables / Thöress report. But this time, they have three more modules, so the Evo 3 is much taller than the Evo 1.
This was a high-level sounding system. It should be because of the exclusivity of its components. These included a Nagra Reference Anniversary turntable ($232,500) with a Nagra Reference MC cartridge ($24,500). Also, a tube, class-A Nagra HD phono stage ($115,000), a 333Wpc dual-mono Gryphon Audio Diablo 333 integrated amplifier ($34,280), Computer Audio Design GC 1.1 and GC 3.1 ground controls ($3100 and $7500, respectively), Modulum Audio Arkitek Series racks (from $7075), Stillpoints Aperture ll panels and stands ($1300 and $975), along with myriad cables from Luna Cables’ Rouge series (various prices).
Bliss Acoustics is a labor of love for Dragan Reljic, a lifelong audiophile and music lover. His home-based business is located in an area referred to as “The Glebe”, situated near The National Historic Site and the Rideau Canal. His mission is to provide one-of-a-kind, personal experiences while representing some of the finest audio brands on the market. His collection of beautifully crafted, impeccably designed, analog and digital components includes both well-established and up-and-coming brands that share one commonality: changing the landscape of the musical experience.
Also demoed but not in use when I visited: a Nagra lV-S/QGB analog recorder ($37,550), an Aurender N20 network player ($17,500), and a Playback Designs MPS-8 SACD player/DAC ($33,750).
Is there anything I can say that won’t be too obvious? This system produced some of the most sophisticated and compelling sound at the show. It had gorgeous tone, grand scale, and waves of fine detail. It also had tonal purity, musical grace, and an atmospheric, harmonic fullness. This sound was easy to sink into and hard to break out of.