RMAF 2010 Show Report

MiTT · Oct 15, 2010

Hard to believe it's here already! I've just dropped some coin on music and now starting to listen to systems. Thought I'd try post sort of real time - stream of conciousness style via the iPad. I'll come back and add photos and additional notes later

Sitting in the Meitner room right now listening to multiple channel DSD on Pass amps and some high end Sony speakers through the new Meitner CDSA player and their new DCC2 SE pre amp. Very nice!

churchill · Oct 15, 2010

It must be the Pass amplification that makes it sound so good!

MiTT · Oct 15, 2010

Bel Canto & TAD

They were playing the Reference Records version of Coplands "Fanfare For the Common Man" followed by a some Christy Baron on Chesky. The best way to describe the sound was BIG.

MiTT · Oct 15, 2010

Peachtree Audio

Pretty much all of the Peachtree Audio stuff looks to have iPod docks included now. I was very intrigued with the new iDAC because it can handle native hi Rez files through the Sabre chipsets. Boz Skaggs sounded very good through some Sonus Faber speakers in this room.

Append: Price on the iDac is a paltry $900. Looks like a winner and sounded like one too!

MiTT · Oct 15, 2010

Pathos & Micromega

Gorgeous new stuff from Pathos. I've always been a big fan of their ID, but this seems like another new direction from them. The Fairfield Four running through the Micromega streaming audio player and Focal speakers in this room sound very full bodied.

MiTT · Oct 15, 2010

Esoteric

Esoteric was playing Eva Cassidy on VINYL in their room! Not that they don't have their usual plethora of digital gear on hand, but it was interesting to see them running a VPI Scout TT

MiTT · Oct 15, 2010

Analysis Audio

I always look forward to the Analysis room every year, being a planar guy and all. This year they're showing a smaller speaker (the Omega) driven by some Aryan Audio mono block Class D looking amps feed by a VPI classic turntable or a Meitner single box player. They sounded great, but I don't know if they actually sounded $20K great. Playing some Brubeck right now the DO have very well integrated bass though with plenty of extension.

Append: sorry for the dark photo of the equipment, had a couple beers, fumble fingers on the camera. Also in retrospect, yeah they really did sound great, it's just a drag you have to pay 20 Large to get this kind of sound

MiTT · Oct 15, 2010

Acapella & Einstein

Another room that I look forward to every year. - something about that plasma tweeter that just captures my attention.

The speakers on display this year are smaller than the ones Acapella has shown in years past and I have to say it's much more successful. WOW this room sounds good.

They're playing a female jazz vocalist with nothing but an upright bass and some percussion backing her doing a cover of "Blackbird" and it sounds simply awesome. Very successful. Just found out the artist was Renee Marie from her "Vertigo" release on the MaxJazz label The speaker is the Violincello and they sell for $80K a pair.

Append: The CD I'd mentioned actually belonged to a gentleman sitting in front of me. Apparently it's only available online at MaxJazz.com. I'm going to look for it and recommend it highly based on the track I heard at the show. Again, sorry for the dark picture of the equipment, using beer again as an excuse for my lack of photographic skill.

MiTT · Oct 15, 2010

Venture Acoustics & FM Acoustics

I have to admit that I'm not familiar with Venture Acoustics, but these speakers did sound quite amazing. Last year this room feature YG Acoustic Anats and it sounded great then too. The common denominator being the FM Acoustics electronics. Music was the Rolling Stones "Love in Vain" from "Beggars Banquet".

Append: So the speakers were the Venture Classic Signature Reference III's and despite the incredibly redundant name they really did sound quite good. BTW, I'm using an app on the iPad called SoundHound to help me identify artists and songs and I completely and unhesitantly recommend this app. Play a song, press a button on the app and in about 30 seconds it tells you who the artist is, what album the song is from, prints out the lyrics and even includes a music video if one is available. The sad thing is that I didn't know that the track I'd mentioned above was the Rolling Stones, but I'll tell you what, now I'm gonna go check it out. Oh, and SoundHound will even let you download the song directly into iTunes if it's available. Pretty slick, killer app!

MiTT · Oct 15, 2010

J- Corder

OK, so another favorite room. I'm an admitted tape junkie (hello, my name is Tim and I have a problem) and this just makes me lust for one of their open reel works of art. These things are just beautiful to behold and the sound is intoxicating. Save your coins though, they aren't cheap. Something about watching those reels spin though...

Append: no real comment other than this is pure unadulterated audio porn. Parental warning. That Black one with the carbon fibre has my name on it.

MiTT · Oct 15, 2010

YG Acoustics & Solution

The YG Anat II Reference speakers ($104K) are huge monsters but they almost seem dwarfed by the ABSOLUTELY HUGE Solution 700 mono block amps ($115K). They kind of overpowered the smallish room, but I'd like to come back for another listen. Music was Jerry Garcia "Senore" a song I wasn't familiar with, but I really liked it.

The smaller Kipod's in the next room sounded every bit as good without quite the impact and extension on the low end, but Alison Krause playing "New Favorite" sounded downright seductive. Electronics here were an mbl integrated amp.

Append: SoundHound again on identifying the Jerry Garcia song - awesome app.

Bernard · Oct 15, 2010

Tim, I appreciate the reports. Bernard

MiTT · Oct 15, 2010

Amber Waves

I am still mesmerized by these big 200 watt Class A mono blocks. The xenon gas in the blue glowing tubes is responsible for their color. Speakers were Intuitive Design. Music was the Kodo Drummers and it sounded every bit like you expect these big amps to sound like - powerful, quick and detailed. They weigh in at about 200 lbs each it they will cost you about $2400 each to retube, however, they include a spare set of tubes with the purchase. $60k and a strong back will get you a set of your own.

MiTT · Oct 15, 2010

Melody

Brand new for the show are the Melody MN845 150 W Class A mono blocks. I am very impressed with the workmanship in these amps, they are visually stunning. Show price is $9K, normally they are $12K. They were also showing their $4500 Pure Black pre amp. Fit and finish on these pieces is outstanding.

MiTT · Oct 15, 2010

Walker Audio

Walker was showing their always delicious Black Diamond feeding the new to me Technical Brain electronics. Can't say the name (Technical Brain?)does much for me and the sound through the big TAD loudspeakers wasn't as lifelike as I've heard this table sound in the past playing Stravinski. Something wasn't quite right in this room sonically.

MiTT · Oct 15, 2010

Kaiser & Concert Fidelity & Silicone Arts

Another very good sounding room. The music didn't call attention to itself it just floated effortlessly. Must have something to do with the ribbon tweeters in the Kaiser Kawero speakers ($66K). Beautiful looking cabinets on them too.

What really blew me away though was the desktop system they were showing consisting of the mhi bookshelf loudspeakers with a 2" ribbon tweeter ($650.00 a pair) and the Silicon Arts Micro line electronics consisting of a small case pre amp, power amp and DAC ($1500 each roughly)

MiTT · Oct 15, 2010

Odyssey

Another great sounding bargain, believe it or not, the entire system here costs $5500.00. Consisting of the Lorelei floor standing speakers ($2700.00), the Candela pre amp ($1500.00) and the Khartago mono block amplifiers ($1800.00) it sounded very good for such a low price.

User211 · Oct 15, 2010

Writing impressions down as you're there is a good idea, Tim. Keep it up and looking forward to the pics.

MiTT · Oct 15, 2010

Audio Note & Marten

A rather smallish system for exhibitor Audio Federation (they had a room a few years ago that had a 1 million dollar plus system in it). This years system consisted of the Marten Coltrane speakers driven by the semi legendary Audio Note Ongaku integrated amp ($95,000.00) and the EMM Labs XDS1, all on Harmonic Resolution Systems stands and lashed with Nordost Odin cables. All told, it's still about a $200K system. Both Dire Straits and Radiohead sounded quite detailed, but the bass from these speakers tended to overwhelm the room.

How's them for some groovy 211's though Justin?

MiTT · Oct 15, 2010

Chord and Peak Consult

This Chord gear is very interesting from an industrial design perspective. Didn't care too much for the music in this room and it was WAY too loud.

RMAF 2010 Show Report

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