The Chicago Audio Society is dedicated to helping its members achieve maximum enjoyment of music through home high fidelity audio reproduction. The Society meets throughout the year to demonstrate, discuss and enjoy the best in music and audio.

Saturday, July 28th, 2024   2:00 - 5:00 PM
John Brunner and Dan Melson will be supplying a number of budget-priced Chinese HiFi audiophile component designs incorporating the latest chip amp technology from TI and Infineon along with tubes.
Additional Details

Recent Meetings

September 28, 2024
  • Our September, 2024 meeting was held at Unitel Technologies in Mt. Prospect and was hosted by CAS members John Brunner, Dan Melson and Steve Merryweather.  The meeting was a listening session devoted to the latest developments in Chinese budget-priced HiFi. John Brunner and Dan Melson supplied a number of budget-priced Chinese HiFi audiophile component designs incorporating the latest chip amp technology from TI and Infineon along with tubes. Steve Merryweather provided hboth a 10" and 12" woofer version of his Stonyette loudspeakers for the demo system.  Demoed at the meeting were the Muse TDA1543x4 DAC (used at June meeting), Douk M100 136W Mini Bluetooth 5.0 Class D 2 channel HiFi Power Amplifier/USB/DAC, Aiyima T5 Hybrid Integrated Amp w/Phono, Aiyima T9 Hybrid Integrated Amp/Pre/DAC, Reisong A10 Single-ended Tube Integrated Amp & Fosi V3 Amplifier.  All of these inexpensive amps provided some astoundingly great sound for the money.
July 14, 2024
  • Our July, 2024 meeting was hosted by new CAS member John Lutkowski​ at his North Barrington home​.  His system featured Wilson Audio Sabrina speakers, an Audio Research Ref 75SE Tube amp, BAT VK-80 Preamp, BAT VK-P80 Phono Stage, a VPI HW-40 Anniversary Turntable with a VPI JMW-12 Tonearm/Hana Umami Red Cartridge, 4 Reel-Reel Decks compatible with all reel tape formats, and much more.
June 23, 2024
  • Our June, 2024 meeting welcomed back Stephen Merryweather with his original design "Stonyette" open baffle loudspeakers. These were previewed at our November, 2023 meeting in a smaller room.  Stephen returned with his finalized design.
March 17, 2024
  • Our March, 2024 meeting was a demo of the new Grandinote Mach 8 XL full-range crossoverless Loudspeakers and Solo Integrated Amplifier with DAC and Streamer.  It was held at the home of CAS member Manuele Narduzzi, who is now a dealer for Grandinote.
February 18, 2024
  • Our February, 2024 meeting was a demo of the new SOTA high-end direct drive turntable, the Orion with Shroeder CB tonearm and ZYX Cartridge, including Eclipse Package, Usher UA-50 Loudspeakers and Doshi tube electronics consisting of a Stereo amp, Phonostage and Preamp.  There was also a SOta Quasar turntable on hand.  The meeting was hosted and presented by Christian Griego, President/Director of Development and Marketing of SOTA Turntables, who also presented at our November, 2023 meeting.
November 12, 2023
  • Our November, 2023 meeting was set to be a demo of the new SOTA Quasar Turntable with Rega RB330 Tonearm with a Hana EL MC cartridge and a SOTA Pyxi Phono Preamp presented by Christian Griego, President/Director of Development and Marketing of SOTA Turntables.  Unfortunately, the Quasar Turntable that Christian brought had not gone through it's full burn-in time and was exhibiting speed problems.  Fortunately, Christian brought a backup turntable, a SOTA Cosmos Turntable with a Jelco JT850S MkII tonearm fitted with an Ortofon Black MM cartridge.  The system featured Steve Merryweather's vintage RCA Horns with LC-1A speaker drivers, John's 12-watt 2A3 tube mono-block amps built on a Magnavox chassis with a Conrad-Johnson PV6 tube preamp.
October 29, 2023
  • Our October, 2023 meeting was a demo of the brand new Geshelli Labs DAC, just released a few weeks ago using the latest AKM4499EX + AK4191 dual chipset.  It is likely the first separate component DAC introduced outside of China using the latest AKM4499EX + AK4191 dual chipset. The system featured Steve Merryweather's late 40s RCA Horns, John's tube electronics including a Dynaco tube Preamp, dual Dynaco Dynakit MkII mono Power Amps and John's 8-chip NOS DAC with a regulated tube power supply.
August 27, 2023
  • Our August, 2023 meeting was hosted by CAS member Jeff Kenton at his home.  He demoed his system which included a number of new additions.
June 25, 2023
  • Our June, 2023 meeting was hosted by CAS member Perry Marshall at his home.  He demoed three Open Baffle (“Dipole”) speaker designs that he designed and built using Live Edge wood on three separate systems.  His “Live Edge Birch Dipoles” were featured on the January 2021 cover of AudioXpress magazine.
May 21, 2023
  • Our May, 2023 meeting featured the new Orchard Audio Pecan Pi+ DAC/Streamer available directly from AXPONA for this meeting. Orchard Audio has been known for their GaN technology amplifiers and now streamers.  The Pecan Pi+ is built on a new AKM dual DAC chipset that has been highly anticipated.   John Brunner arranged to have John Lumley Refernce tube amps and preamp to power the system and Steve Merryweather supplied the speakers for the meeting. 
March 26, 2023
  • Our March, 2023 meeting featured a Ampex 354 REEL-TO-REEL, ALTEC & RCA speakers from Steve Merryweather.  John Brunner supplied the elctronics and Steve Merryweather supplied the speakers for the meeting. John demoed a classic tube Ampex 354 reel-to-reel analog tape player. Steve Merryweather supplied some of his handbuilt horn speaker cabinets featuring classic drivers from Altec and RCA. The preamp was a Conrad Johnson PV6, a Magnavox CDB 460 CD player and tube amps of John's design. The WiFi signal in the listening room was not strong enough, so we were unable to stream music using the Schitt Audio Yggdrasil OG DAC.

Recent Website Changes:

  • The June, July & September 2024 newsletters have been uploaded to the History\Past Newsletters page. 
  • A page for the September, 2024 meeting has been added under History\Past Meetings\2024.  A slideshow of pictures from the meeting has been added to the bottom of the page.
  • A page for the July, 2024 meeting has been added under History\Past Meetings\2024.  A slideshow of pictures from the meeting has been added to the bottom of the page.
  • A page for the June, 2024 meeting has been added under History\Past Meetings\2024.
  • Slideshows of all my pictures from AXPONA 2024 have been added (floors 1-7, 11-12 & 14-16).  They can be found under Events\AXPONA Shows\AXPONA 2024, April 12 - 14
  • The April, 2024 newsletter has been uploaded to the History\Past Newsletters page. 
  • The March, 2024 meeting page has been moved under the History\Past Meetings\2024 tab with a slideshow of pictures from the meeting added, and the March, 2024 newsletter has been uploaded to the History\Past Newsletters page. 
  • The November, 2023 meeting page has been moved under the History\Past Meetings\2023 tab with a slideshow of pictures from the meeting added, and the November, 2023 newsletter has been uploaded to the History\Past Newsletters page.
  • The October, 2023 meeting page has been moved under the History\Past Meetings\2023 tab and the October, 2023 newsletter has been uploaded to the History\Past Newsletters page. 
  • I have meticulously gone through all of our Links pages and removed broken links for companies that no longer exist, and have fixed ones whose web sites have moved.  I have also greatly expanded the list of equipment manufacturers on our Audio Equipment Manufacturers page under the Links tab.  I have given some background info and founding date on most manufacturers if I could find it.  I continue to add companies to the list as time allows. 
  • An error in the date for the May, 2023 meeting has been corrected on it's page.
  • A page for the November, 2020 virtual Zoom meeting with Peter Lederman from Soundsmith has been added under History\Past Meetings\2020.  An audio-only recording of the Zoom meeting provided by Peter has been added to the bottom of the page.
  • A page for the May, 2023 meeting has been added under History\Past Meetings\2023.  A slideshow of pictures from the meeting has been added to the bottom of the page. A link for YouTube audio/video recording shot and posted by Scott Sigman has been added near the bottom of the page.
  • Slide shows of pictures from rooms on floors 14,15 & 16 at the 2023 AXPONA show have been posted.  You can find them under Events\AXPONA Shows\2023.
  • Slide shows of pictures from rooms on floors 7,11 & 12 at the 2023 AXPONA show have been posted.  You can find them under Events\AXPONA Shows\2023.  Floors 14, 15 & 16 to come soon.
  • Slide shows of pictures from rooms on floors 4,5 & 6 at the 2023 AXPONA show have been posted.  You can find them under Events\AXPONA Shows\2023.  More floors to come soon.
  • Slide shows of pictures from rooms on floors 1- 3 at the 2023 AXPONA show have been posted.  You can find them under Events\AXPONA Shows\2023.
  • A slideshow of pictures from the meeting has been added to the bottom of the March, 2023 meeting page.
  • A page for the March, 2023 meeting has been created and can be found under History\Past Meetings\2023\.
  • Newsletters for March, September and December, 2022 and March, 2023 have been uploaded to the web site and are under the History Tab and Past Newsletters.
  • A web page for the December, 2022 CAS meeting with Cinetec Systems has been created.  You can find it here.
  • A web page for the September, 2022 CAS meeting with TigerFox has been created.  You can find it here.
  • Slideshows of pictures from the 2022 AXPONA show have been posted to the web site under Events\AXPONA Shows\AXPONA 2022, April 22 - 24.
  • Newsletter for the August, 2021 meeting has been uploaded to the web site.
  • Our Next Event and Home page have been updated to show the August, 2021 meeting announcement.
  • A slide show of pictures from the June, 2021 meeting at Rick Berta's house has been added to the "Our Next Event" page.
  • Newsletters for the June, 2020 Zoom meeting and the June, 2021 meeting have been uploaded to the web site.
  • The page for the December, 2019 meeting presented by Mirror Audio has been added under the History\Past Meetings\2019 menu along with a slideshow of pictures from the meeting. 
  • The December, 2019 and March, 2020 newsletters have been uploaded to the web site.
  • A slideshow of pictures from the March, 2020 meeting has been added to the March, 2020 page.
  • A slideshow of pictures from the November, 2019 meeting has been added to the November, 2019 page.
  • The page for the November, 2019 meeting has been moved under the History\Past Meetings\2019 Menu Tab.
  • The November, 2019 newsletter has been added to the web site.
  • The page for the September, 2019 meeting has been added to the Past Meetings Menu.
  • A slideshow of pictures from the September, 2019 CAS meting at Toska Audio has been added to the Our Next Event page.
  • The September, 2019 newsletter has been added to the web site.​​