(All prices are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated.)

Maybe the earth-toned, smoke-spewing phallus standing in the back of the room had something to do with it, but as I listened to the system in the Acora Acoustics/Audio Excellence room, I felt a deep connection to my species—more specifically, to ancient human tradition. No doubt a lot of that feeling had to do with the music I was listening to at the time—Gary Karr’s Adagio d’Albinoni—but it also certainly had a lot to do with how the Acora system was able to preserve and convey to me the emotional core of this mournful masterpiece. And is there any earthly material more ancient, perhaps even ritualistic, than granite? That is what the Acora Acoustics SRC-1 speakers ($36,000) are made of.

Of course, it wasn’t just the speakers that were responsible for my existential state of mind. It was also the Acora’s associated equipment, including a German-made Transrotor Massimo turntable ($14,875) with Transrotor SME arm ($5450) and Dynavector DRT XV-1t cartridge ($9800); a Dan D’Agostino Progression preamplifier ($35,000) and a matching pair of 550W M550 monoblocs ($64,125/pair). Also there but not playing were an Innuos Zenith Mklll network player ($6200) and an MSB Discrete DAC with its Premier Powerbase power supply ($26,230 for both).

The Acora sounded much bigger than its size. It was almost horn-like in its expressiveness—in how it projected sound across the large room and effortlessly filled the air with tone and lively energy. The recesses of the cavernous soundstage seemed to be laid bare, and as I peered inside, I got the sense that I was staring into something much bigger than myself. It was a profound moment.

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