THE Show Newport 2013 • Best of Show

Jeff Catalano of High Water Sound has chosen the lines he represents very wisely -- they work together so well that they seem created with each other in mind. Once again, the combination of Cessaro speakers, Tron electronics and a TW-Acustic turntable packed people in for extended and engaged listening -- a real rarity in the listen-and-move-on crunch of an audio show.

Cessaro Chopin speakers ($40,000/pair) displayed unrestrained dynamics and a pure, communicative midrange at the business end of a Tron Discovery GT SE 300B amp ($60,000), a Tron Seven GT line stage ($18,000) providing system control. Separate Tron stereo and mono phono stages were used: Seven GT Phono/Stereo and Stereo/Mono ($18,000 each) respectively. A Pure Sound A-8000 CD player was part of the system, but vinyl spun liberally on the TW-Acustic GTS turntable (around $12,500), a pair of TW-Acustic 10.5 tonearms ($5500 each) holding Miyajima Shilabe stereo ($3000) and Zero mono ($2000) cartridges. Interconnects, speaker cables and power cords were from High Fidelity Cables and TelWire, with a Silent Running Scuttle rack and Ohio Class XL platforms -- more High Water Sound staples -- providing rock-solid system support, especially important for getting the most out of any turntable.

We can't say for sure, but by unofficial eye count, this was among the most popular systems of the show, the room being busy -- if not packed -- during multiple visits.