RMAF 2010 Show Report

[MiTT]

Tim, I realize that it was not at all possible to do a direct comparison, considering the equipment and music differences, but how did the ReVox tape deck stack up next to the Technics? I lusted after the Revox for a long time, then gave up about 20 years ago.

Pretty much impossible to say under the show conditioners. None of the players, be they Technics, Revox or the UHA modified decks were ever in the same room. So not only were they removed physically, but always paired with different associated electronics and speakers. Wouldn't that be a fun comparison to make though! What caught my eye was that the UHA decks can be controlled via an iPad or iPhone. Unreal.

I do lust for one myself someday. I'm kind of partial; to the look of the J-Corder modified Technics decks, in particular the black Carbon Fiber (sorry Justin; Carbon Fibre) one. And, No Satch, I did not take the plunge on the J-Corder deck. That would have likely cost me at least one and probably both of my testicles.

 

[Gordon Gray]

Saturday get together

Tim,

How did the Saturday PM ML Club member party go?

Gordon

 

[MiTT]

Tim,

How did the Saturday PM ML Club member party go?

Gordon

It didn't Gordon. We figured if you weren't going to be there, why bother!

Actually, it just didn't materialize, so you didn't miss anything. I needed to get out to visit my Father, and since I was doing that I promised my wife I'd have dinner with her. Rich Teer and I had breakfast together on Sunday morning by chance, but other than that I didn't see any of the group. Maybe we can plan better next year.

 

[Audiophiliac]

Audiophiliac; you've been to their factory in Provo haven't you?

Yep, I spent an afternoon with Sean touring HQ, running some errands, during which, he introduced me to Ray Kimber and I was able to listen to his IsoMike setup....amazing!!! Then we went to Sean's home to listen to the Druids in his basement. Great guys at Zu and I love their philosophy on the "hi-fi" industry.

....plus their speakers sound great. :rocker:

I am going to hold out until I can get a deal on some lightly used Omens that were bought on the current $999 intro. special.....I think for $1000 or even their regular $1500, they are going to be tough to beat.

 

[Tj Bassi]

Pretty much impossible to say under the show conditioners. None of the players, be they Technics, Revox or the UHA modified decks were ever in the same room. So not only were they removed physically, but always paired with different associated electronics and speakers. Wouldn't that be a fun comparison to make though! What caught my eye was that the UHA decks can be controlled via an iPad or iPhone. Unreal.

I do lust for one myself someday. I'm kind of partial; to the look of the J-Corder modified Technics decks, in particular the black Carbon Fiber (sorry Justin; Carbon Fibre) one. And, No Satch, I did not take the plunge on the J-Corder deck. That would have likely cost me at least one and probably both of my testicles.

As a big fan of RTR tape, I am glad these decks are making a presence at events like RMAF....more interest in tape machines means the possibility of a wider array of playback media becoming available in the future.

I wanted to point out that while the new tape rigs are certainly cool looking, a big part of their price point seems to be cosmetics, and I don't want anyone who might be considering a foray into RTR to think that only machines at that price level give worthy performance. A basically stock Technics or Otari with a few mods and a good mechanical check can be the start of a nice playback deck. Add an extended response playback head and outboard head amplifier, and you'd have a killer rig, and be within reach of tape nirvana. Now you just have to dig up enough media to play on it.....


Tj

 

[KODG]

Cool

Thanks for the picks1

Kodg

 

[Audioseduction]

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!

What pass amps were those?

 

[Angela]

I think you had the most coverage of the show outside of AudiogoN and that is what they are there for, to cover the show. Nice job!
Not sure if this has been mentioned, but Arnie recorded music being played in every room this year. Quite an undertaking: http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/gallery.pl?blog&1288067646

 

[Joey_V]

Tim,

I'll join you at RMAF in 3 years... we'll go around the rooms together and dual post live.

3 years because it'll take me 2 to get my system up.

 

[alekz]

Append: As someone else mentioned later in this thread, the Rowland electronics really do pair well with Avalon. Regarding the clear cylindrical contraptions in the corners of the room - I'm only guessing some sort of room tuning devices based upon their placement. Anybody seen anything like them before?

These transparent funny looking plastic pillars are tunable bass-traps from Acustica Applicata called Polifemo: http://www.acusticaapplicata.com/polifemo.php?lang=eng Effectively a tunable Helmholz resonator.

 

[tsv_1]

Wow... just viewing this thread now... trying to catch up on a lot of good stuff and this is absolute candy.

Really wonderful job Tim and thanks so much for this phenominal thread!

 

[onedof]

Correction

The bearing is self centering with machined tolerances of .0005" total runoff. It really is a beautiful piece to set your eyes on, and the designer says that he will build virtually any turntable you want depending on your budget.[/I]

Dear MiTT, I thank you for your interest. The machining tolerances are smaller, than .0005 in. But this is not a point. The point is that the total runoff on the edge of the 12 in diameter platter of an assembled rotating turntable (up and down, back and forth, left and right) is better than .0005 in. Such runoff is at least 20 time better than that of any, no matter how expensive turntable. That is why the sound is profoundly different, hopefully better. The reason for no response of the needle to the knocking on the wood is the thick film lubrication in all directions. There are no balls, rollers, oil or air pumping. Just symmetric hydrodynamic forces centering platter in all direction automatically. Such bearings sometimes are used in the rocket engines at much higher speeds: 100 to 1000 meters/second. The speed in the platter bearing is only ~.1 meter/second, thousand times smaller. This is why it was so expensive to develop such bearing. There is virtually no runoff, no precession of a platter, no bearing whip, no wobbling. Closed loop controlled motor is necessary to start and maintain rotation with steadiness and precession. Speed error is .0000001 per one rotation. I hope, my explanation makes it clearer.

 

[onedof]

Dear MiTT, I thank you for your interest. The machining tolerances are smaller, than .0005 in. But this is not a point. The point is that the total runoff on the edge of the 12 in diameter platter of an assembled rotating turntable (up and down, back and forth, left and right) is better than .0005 in. Such runoff is at least 20 time better than that of any, no matter how expensive turntable. That is why the sound is profoundly different, hopefully better. The reason for no response of the needle to the knocking on the wood is the thick film lubrication in all directions. There are no balls, rollers, oil or air pumping. Just symmetric hydrodynamic forces centering platter in all direction automatically. Such bearings sometimes are used in the rocket engines at much higher speeds: 100 to 1000 meters/second. The speed in the platter bearing is only ~.1 meter/second, thousand times smaller. This is why it was so expensive to develop such bearing. There is virtually no runoff, no precession of a platter, no bearing whip, no wobbling. Closed loop controlled motor is necessary to start and maintain rotation with steadiness and precession. Speed error is .0000001 per one rotation. I hope, my explanation makes it clearer.

 

[Sambob2]

As a big fan of RTR tape, I am glad these decks are making a presence at events like RMAF....more interest in tape machines means the possibility of a wider array of playback media becoming available in the future.

I wanted to point out that while the new tape rigs are certainly cool looking, a big part of their price point seems to be cosmetics, and I don't want anyone who might be considering a foray into RTR to think that only machines at that price level give worthy performance. A basically stock Technics or Otari with a few mods and a good mechanical check can be the start of a nice playback deck. Add an extended response playback head and outboard head amplifier, and you'd have a killer rig, and be within reach of tape nirvana. Now you just have to dig up enough media to play on it.....


Tj

TJ,
I'm with you on this one too! Just cued up the TEAC and spun a few reels, it is an awesome experience and I also would like to see it come back as well. Like you said we just need the (pre-recorded tape) media to start showing up again.

To the OP,
Thanks again for posting this topic and providing all of the incredible coverage and photographs for all of us to enjoy! A lot of it has inspired me to hop on the upgrade path again!

Sam