Compared to Toronto earlier this year, Lemay Audio showcased at the Montreal Audio Show a “relatively” more affordable system, under $100,000 compared to $600,000.
That doesn’t mean the system was any less impressive, however.
Quite the opposite. Several reviewers described the Lemay Audio room as one of the best-sounding rooms at the show.
François Lemay showcased his favorite speakers, the KEF Blade 2.
All cabling and power management were handled by products from the German manufacturer In-akustik.
For digital sources, the system featured the Baetis Audio Reference X server and the T+A 8 DSD converter.
The Tenor Audio 175S stereo amplifier powered the speakers.
The entire system rested on Modulum Audio anti-vibration platforms.
On music by Verdi and Handel, the sound was dynamic, impactful, layered, and replete with dramatic tension that swept me along as I held my breath. Captivating! Owner François Lemay told me later that the music was from Tidal, streamed over the hotel’s wi-fi. My jaw dropped.
I thought this room was very well put together, ranking as one of the Best Rooms.
It was a real pleasure to hear the KEF Blade Two for the first time. I’ve heard the larger Blade on a couple of occasions with mixed results. Driven by a superb Tenor power amp, the music here was, well, superb. François Lemay was one of the original people at the start of Tenor years ago. He confided in me that even in a small room he still prefers the larger Blade to the Two, but price is often a factor for people. Nonetheless, I thought this room was very well put together, ranking as one of the Best Rooms. Lemay Audio, Room 2405.
