15 Apr 2006: George Toufexis

By Tony Pothitos

It is always a mystery to me when I walk into a home and find a pair of speakers identical to a pair of speakers someone else had in the past. I say this, or comment on it, because I find it more interesting than hearing a new pair of speakers which I have not heard!!! Especially if the speaker is a high quality speaker.

The listening

This time around, we gathered on a beautiful evening and with no respect to the neighbors or to anyone in the area, so we did what we do best, we listened to music.
Sometimes, just sometimes, when you hear a system play, you can actually identify with it. You can honestly feel or get to understand the owner of a system, from listening to his system itself, as an external limb. Maybe I read too much into a system but in variance with everything else in this world, I believe it is true.

For me, bass that punches you in the stomach is great to have, this means I listen to music which is more bass weighted. Meaning I am a young man with no brains and no musical knowledge for example...

That is exactly what this system tonight did for me. It made me look at the owner George Toufexis in a different way, not bad or good, but it made me realize what this man is. It is like when you describe a person, he has personality, he has charisma, or he is heavy, passionate or dramatic, these exact words, for a lack of our own terminology can be said for a system.

If you read an audio review it lacks this one thing. The owner. I know it sounds a bit off center but I do know that I would not want to hear any of the systems in A.C.A. if it was not accompanied by the owner, his history in the search of his source of HIS sound!

System Description

• Unity Audio Fountainhead sign. MkII speakers, driven by McIntosh MC-162 amplifier and McIntosh C-15 preamplifier
• Analogue source: Michell Gyrodec t/t and a Clearaudio 'Victory' H cartridge (amplified by Rotel RQ 970 BX mod., phono stage) on an SME 309 arm.
• Digital source: Cary 308T Vacuum Tube CDplayer (96/24 HDCD).
• Wiring: Virtual Dynamics David Series for interconnects and XLO 'Ultra' for speaker cables.
• Power cables/Electr. install.: Virtual Dynamics Power Three, David Series, plugged in Dedicated Line + LightSpeed Temporary Power Top 9266 + Audio Agile.

Delivering smooth bass, not over biased, nor under self esteem, the speakers played a unique role in the music listening we had that night at George's home.

The Unity Audio Fountainhead sign. MkII, replacing Forsell Air 30 reference speakers are a true joy when accompanied with the McIntosh C-15 pre and the same companies MC-162 amp.

The Gyrodec and the Cary 308T Vacuum Tube (96/24 HDCD) were responsible for the front end, giving the speakers a momentum, which was neither heavy, strong, nor light, or even someone might say stingy in any frequency response.

The Clearaudio Victory H was something which I would not have chosen but as I mentioned before, we pick what we want to hear, and what we hear is what we are, and since George does not listen to heavy metal, his choice was wise. I would have loved to hear it with his previous cartridge, the Grado, but I guess I was late.
I love that cartridge for its price performance value, and of course its bass!

Finally

//George// has over 2500 albums. A sign of a person who has patience. George is also someone who likes ambiance and extended lows as well (which is hard to find in any system). He has accomplished this with no understatement of what he wanted to. A system which plays music, that does not cost a million bucks and that will play almost everything.

What does that say about George Toufexis? Well, that is for you to guess...

George Toufexis' Member Page