Leia aqui o relato da visita da Exaudio ao Norte
Porto woke up last weekend wrapped in the weather that defines its November soul: humid, grey, and veiled in a mist that seems to guard old secrets. As I arrived at The Yeatman, the hotel perched on the hillside of Vila Nova de Gaia, overlooking the Douro River and the historic riverside of Porto, it was clear the weekend ahead would be special.
The Yeatman carries a uniquely romantic, almost cinematic quality: every corner, every fold of light, both amplifies and shelters whatever happens within its walls. And it was precisely this atmosphere that set the tone when Exaudio brought another high-end audio showcase to the North of Portugal: an event that managed to be both exclusive and warmly inviting.
Room One: ATC / Bricasti / Audio Note
Entering the first room, that particular tension settled in. The kind you feel only when confronted with one of Britain’s most iconic loudspeaker manufacturers: ATC. In front of me stood a system built around the ATC SCM40A active loudspeakers, freshly unboxed, still warming up, yet already revealing what they are capable of: neutrality, transparency, control; open treble; clean, articulate, full-bodied midrange; bass on its way to the firmness they will ultimately deliver after break-in; and a soundstage both illuminated and coherent. Travelling with them was the ATC subwoofer, the C1.
The Bricasti M20 preamplifier added a welcome layer of refinement. On the digital side, the Bricasti M3 DAC (whose full review I will publish in the coming days) echoed that same refinement, the Audio Note CDT Two/II transport contributed its organic character, while the T3x Lumin streamer, a brand now officially represented in Portugal by the event organiser, provided structure, silence, and a sense of spatial order that completed a highly competent and mature digital front end.
In the analogue domain, the EMT 928 turntable, paired with the EMT 128 phono stage, the brand’s JSM Pure Black cartridge, and the Thales Simplicity II tonearm, established a true sanctuary of presence, texture, and realism, a welcome reunion after having covered their Portuguese debut in detail some months ago.
Room Two: the TAD / Avid / Lumin Perspective
The second room presented a system with a markedly different philosophy: the Avid Acutus Dark Iron turntable, Pulsare II phono stage and a Shelter Harmony cartridge on the analogue side; and on the digital side, the U2 Lumin streamer feeding the TAD D1000 SACD player/DAC. Amplification came from the TAD C1000 preamplifier and M1000 stereo power amplifier, driving the TAD E1Tx floorstanders, a full Japanese chain that delivered a muscular, controlled, incisive sonic signature.
It immediately transported me back to my previous analysis of this system, reinforced by insights from Shinji Tarutani, TAD’s president, in an exclusive interview with MoustachesToys.
And the sound? Precise, fast, transparent, with tremendous dynamic authority, extended and airy highs, and a stable, three-dimensional soundstage. It was particularly interesting to revisit this platform, this time driven by the Lumin U2 streamer, whose presentation reinforced the clarity, coherence, and spatial organisation that define TAD’s engineering philosophy.
One major difference from previous encounters with this system was, quite simply, the room, although the complete implementation of ZenSati’s Zorro cable line may also have contributed to the increased transparency between components. In terms of my personal preference, and personal taste is always part of the equation, I leaned toward the character of the first room, though I readily acknowledge the superior refinement on display here.
1812: Streaming vs. SACD
One of the event’s highlights was the listening session of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, first via my preferred format, streaming through Qobuz Connect; then via SACD on the very same system. And there’s no polite way to put it: the physical format crushed it.
More depth, more texture, more microdynamics: more information, therefore more truth.
Across the full spectrum, the orchestral power revealed details, contrasts, and layers of depth on SACD that simply did not manifest with equal clarity in the streaming version.
A Presence That Matters
Those who follow my work know that, whether in Porto, Lisbon, Viseu, or the most remote corners of Portugal, ever since I began documenting what I hear and experience in the world of high-end audio, I have been the only portuguese audio publication consistently present at such events, regardless of distance.
This time, however, luck intervened: The Yeatman is just 20 km from my place.
The result? I was able to attend every single day, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, allowing me to form a far more complete and nuanced view of the systems, their variations, and those fleeting sonic moments that only reveal themselves over time.
Even so, it is important to recognise, and applaud, HiFiClube’s decision to travel north to cover the event as well. In Portugal, a small country with even smaller structural support for those who tirelessly report on high-end audio, such presences genuinely matter.
And perhaps this helps explain why certain media brands have earned a distinctly privileged place in the hearts of Portuguese audiophiles: not merely through passion for their craft, but because they consistently show a willingness to travel, to be present, to engage wherever great sound is being played and discussed.
Loyalty — the human kind — is built exactly this way.
Leaving The Yeatman With a Clear Truth
High-end audio is not just about technology.
Not just about specifications.
Not even about the big names.
It’s about atmosphere.
It’s about context.
It’s the sum of passion, rigour, and genuine shared experience.
At The Yeatman, everything seemed to sound like music.
Maybe it was magic.
Or maybe that’s simply the North of Portugal doing what it does best: welcoming you in.
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