From sunny Italy comes a new integrated, the Riviera AIC-10.  With a world class headphone amp, and tube pre/hybrid amp of 10 watts, it's one of the most gorgeous I've heard.  Like the first time many of us watched Sophia Loren on the big screen, this Italian will seduce and intoxicate. 
At first I was a bit skeptical of the wattage rating, yet it can drive most anything I've tried...makes the big DeVore X's and Vandersteen Treos sing.  And stellar with the DeVore Orangutan series, and even my beloved lil Falcons.  
  Like the turntables/cartridges the Haven is now demoing, the integrateds now here are all at the top of the heap, and the Riviera is certainly a contender.  Schedule an appointment for a listen.  But be warned, this AIC-10 is addictive.   
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  For the birdwatcher, I've had all sorts of woodpeckers this year at the feeders.  You name it, they've been here.  My bird books and binoculars have been getting a beating this season. 
So now, we have a woodpecker even in house (no, not in barn...I actually do have a barn, you can't miss it as you pull up, unlike some who merely have a tool shed masquerading as barn...sorry, bad inside joke ).   
  All right, all Sunday morning coffee snark aside, I'd like to introduce THE Woodpecker, the Dr. Feickert Analog Woodpecker
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  Flyover, you say? Well, it looks like we've become more than that around these parts....it's like Dorothy always says, it was right here in our own back yards all along....

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/2018-axpona-show-report-analog-sources/

Best of Show:
Best Sound (cost no object)
Audionet (Stern, Heisenberg, PAM G2 Phono w/EPX power supply), Air Tight Opus-1, Kronos, YG Sonja XV Jr., Kubala Sosna Realization and XPander played excellent music in a space one could have in a home environment.

Best Sound (for the money)
While I didn’t get to explore this category as much as I’d have preferred, Stereo Haven’s room 630 withWell Tempered Labs ’table/cartridge, Line Magnetic, Box Furniture, Isotek, Auditorium, and Falcon Acoustics produced good sound.​

and as always, it was beginning to sound best on Day 3..by Sunday afternoon it was glorious, even more flesh on the bone, and then the snows came and that was that....get the heck out of Dodge.

I'd like to thank Team Haven, who helped make all this possible:  Mike Pranka, of Well Tempered Lab and Dynavector USA, Jonathan Halpern, of Tone Imports, my friends Tony Fafoglia, local guitar legend and gunslinger, and the brothers from another Swiss father, Daryl and David, of Centralia, IL, 
and mostly all those who came by and relished the "modest" system.  I was most pleased also with so many industry people coming in Sunday and smiling and tapping their toes.  High praise, indeed. And I would like to thank Mark Freed, the Axpona coordinator, and the gals of Axpona, Jordan and Kim, who were very kind to this dealer newbie. 

Please come and see me, as many are doing from far above Chicago, to the west past Kansas City, from the east beyond Memphis and Nashville and Indy, and from the south.  The Haven is very easy to get to, there are hotel accommodations close by.  I will foot the bill for anyone who overnights and makes a purchase. I will deliver and setup for most of you, within reason. 

I wasn't going to mention this, yet it keeps coming to mind, so here goes. I'd also like to thank all the women who came into the room, and there were quite a few, and not just with their mates.  And no surprise, one individual knew the whole story of the Falcon LS3/5A and the exacting standards Falcon insisted on when making this 70's BBC exact replica, way more so than her seasoned yet uninformed counterparts. It was also refreshing to see so many younger attendees, who definitely got what we were doing.  So, more women and youngsters over here, if you please. 

And as always, keep your stylus clean and your records cleaner. 
Thanks to all !
​Charlie

  Much fun was had at the show, something always good comes from going to a hifi show- new acquaintances, hearing or seeing a new piece of gear for the first time, a funny insider gaff or joke.
So for this show one of my favorite moments was when Michael Fremer visited the room with his video camera.  I was told he might come to check out the new vinyl gear that was showing, in this case the newest version of the Well Tempered Lab Simplex, the Mk2, with the Well Tempered Lab Kauri MC cartridge, or the Line Magnetic LP33 mm/mc phono stage.
  I turned the table on Michael just a bit, and surprised him with asking for his signature on his comedy record. The look on his face was priceless, yet he graciously agreed to the signature, not without some kvetching, which made it all the more memorable.  Thank you, Michael!
​

  Here's a very nice article that just came out from the Part-Time Audiophile, an online publication. Much thanks to Rafe Arnott, editor and chief.  

https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2018/04/20/axpona-2018-stereo-haven-lives-up-to-its-name/

​

  As some of you have already spotted, I'll be doing a dealer room at this year's Axpona in conjunction with distributors Mike Pranka of Well Tempered Lab/Dynavector and Jonathan Halpern of Tone Imports.  I've already had lots of emails about what I'll be showing.  My chosen gear for my first time headlining a room will be the Falcon LS3/5a's, various Line Magnetic gear, the new WTL Simplex Mk2 turntable/arm, and a bit of Leben.  All cabling will be Auditorium, rack by Box Furniture Co.  There will be a few nationwide debuts here, namely the LM LP33 mm/mc phono stage, (love it!),  of course the new Mk2 version of the WTL Simplex (simply stunning!), the WTL Kauri mc cartridge, (a beaut at $2k) and the LM34 EL34 replacement of the venerable 211.   There will be no digital, this is a vinyl only demo, so bring your records!  I'm bringing nothing of overlap from any dealers in the area.  We may switch out one day and use the new Mk4 version of the Dynavector P75 w Dynavector 20xL, a deadly combo. 
  So come one, come all!  It will be nice to meet you out of towners and put a face to your voice or email.  There may even be a few show specials.  

  It's finally come to pass, there is a change in the LM line up.  Models are being discontinued for equivalent models with refined circuitry and upgraded parts.  The first is already here, the LM34 replacing the LM211.  Sound is more transparent, more power.  The venerable 518 is being replaced by a lesser 845 type, we think, yet who knows, it may be much better, at $3995, and a premium version at $7495.  The 508 is being replaced by the 805, going from 45w to 48, and there will be other changes soon.  So who knows, what we've heard with the LM34 I would imagine all models will be significantly better. I keep telling people, do not sneer at certain Chinese products.  Many have left here in tears doing product comparisons.  There's a reason that many are trading in all sorts of brands for it - quality music making at very reasonable prices.  And again, these are not grey market goods that you spot from those online Chinese sites.  Those have the wrong voltage, and will eventually burn up with voltage regulators, you will not have a US warranty, no parts, no service.  Look at the warning on the Line Magnetic site. 
  Looking forward to what else Line Magnetic is up to.   I will obviously be having trade-ins of older models for sale, and most of my demos of the ones being replaced.  So stay tuned or drop me a line.  Excitement is in the air!