Music Matters 2016

A night that proved the Music does Matter.

We invited fans of music everywhere to join us as we opened a time capsule to the greatest era in music: now! The nights brought a multitude of presentations, spanning topics from speaker engineering to the ever-expanding frontier of digital media. But most importantly, there was music! You didn’t have to be an audiophile or a collector, just someone who loves music!  “The Music Matters” had something for you. 

Our Ardmore store hosted the first of two nights. The furniture was exchanged for tables full of hors d’oeuvres and beverages, the vacuum tubes were warmed, and the TVs were turned off as tunes became the focus. The presentations were diverse. Representatives from Audioquest offered an in-depth look at digital music technology, including Roon software and MQA encoding. Our own Ken Zelin provided  insight into the engineering behind speakers and offered some tips on speaker placement and what “Out of phase” means.

In our music room, SVS had their newest offering in subwoofers and surround sound, highlighting the basic components of subwoofer design and demonstrating the fullness a subwoofer can add to a traditional stereo music system. Several lucky guests got to go home with a variety of prize giveaways from brands like Definitive Technology, Totem Acoustic, Audioquest, SVS, and more!

At our Montgomeryville location, we did it all again. Ken Zelin was back at it, and so were the guys from Audioquest, SVS and the rest of the gang. Reps from Totem Acoustic and Prima Luna regaled guests with the beautiful sound Totem speakers and real vacuum tubes can provide.

Sony offered a chance for guests to listen to digital music recorded at different quality levels and hear the sonic differences in compressed files and high resolution audio on their new flagship headphones and walkmans. They also demonstrated the process of recording digital files off of a turntable, bringing the dynamic sound of vinyl into the convenience of high-quality digital music!

Adam Domurad, one of our in house gurus, crossed over eras and genres to present a tingling, chill-inducing experience for listeners. He spent the evening discussing and demonstrating  music provided by 4 different systems.  A turntable,  CD player, a streaming service such as Tidal and Deezer and high resolution from our own in house server.    

The nights had plenty to offer for listeners of any age or background. We explored not only technology and engineering, but also shared new experiences with people who are just beginning their adventures in music. Adam Domurad said “Almost everyone that I played…Vivaldi Four Seasons Winter [for] got goosebumps and, for some of them, it was the first time they had listened to classical music.”

The event was made possible by generous contributions of time, energy, and some great prizes from our staff and our partners. To attend future events, get in-depth first looks at our products, or just get a quick lesson in setting up a system of your own, follow our Facebook page or subscribe to our YouTube channel!

Check out some of the playlists from the night (with a few special requests):

Black Cow
Steely Dan
Aja

Vivaldi – Concerto for Violin and Strings in F Minor, Op.8, No.4, R.297 “L’inverno”: 1. Allegro non Molto
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
The Four Seasons

Can’t We Be Friends?
Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald
Ella & Louis, Unforgettable Tunes

Nice and Warm
Tab Benoit//Nice and Warm

Thank You
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin II

Tin Tin Deo
Oscar Peterson
Perfect Peterson

The Way You Look Tonight
Faith Hill and Tony Bennett
Duets II

At Last
Cyndi Lauper
At Last

Holst - The Planets, op. 32: 4. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity
Zubin Mehta, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra
Decca Sound: The Analogue Years 1969-1980

Firestone
Kygo, Conrad Sewell
Cloud Nine

Photos from the event