Rocky Mountain Audio Fest 2009

[slowGEEZR]

Transrotor, Focal, Accuphase, Tara labs,...

This room had a very real sounding system. Tara labs cables, Accuphase CD player (sorry, didn't get model #), Focal Scala Utopia speakers ($29K), Airtight ATM-3 monos (55wpc triodes - $17K) and a Transrotor Dark Star turntable ($5300 includes arm!). Emmylou Harris' voice sounded beautiful and realistic singing from the album Red Dirt Line. Next they played the Cowboy Junkies', "Sweet Jane" and it also was great. I really liked the turntable; it seemed like a lot for the money when compared to some of the more ridiculously priced tables. I've also added a stock photo of it that I found on the net.

 

[slowGEEZR]

Real quality of sound that you are almost not believe your..

Check out the posters. Classic!

Here's a closer view...

 

[MiTT]

Bamburg

I haven't been able to post in this thread for a few day (friggin'work!), but the rest of the gang has been posting some awesome stuff. Makes me realize just how many great sounding rooms I missed this year.

One I didn't miss was Bamberg Audio. These guys were new to me, but the sound was worth noting, playing Herbie Hancock and Corrine Baily Rae doing "I wish I had a River" from Herbies Grammy winnning "River Sessions" album. Supporting electronics were the "they seem to be everywhere" Modwright gear along with Running Springs power conditioning. The Series V speakers shown here go fo $8300.00.

 

[MiTT]

Daedulus Audio

This room's been coverd by the other guys a bit, I'll just add that I used to not be much of a fan of these speakers, but they have grown on me. They've always been works of art as far as the use of materials and the fit and finish, but finally the sonics are catching up. This room featured the AMR CD player that Steve was impressed with, as well as the omnipresent Modwright electronics. The speakers are Deadulus's top of the line Ulysses at $10,950.00

 

[MiTT]

Artemis/Schroeder

I have always liked the sounds and the look of the Artemis Labs gear. You really need to see them in person, pictures can't do the jewel like casework and overall package justice. The Schroder tonearms mounted on the Dr Feikert (I believe) tables are likewise a thing or real engineering art. I have no idea which speakers were in use here, all I know is that Glen Gould playing the "Goldberg Variations" sounded amazing.

Correction: I was was WAY off base on the turntables shown here. These are Artemis turntables developed and designed by Schroder. My appologies on the original misinformation.

 

[MiTT]

Al Stieffel Legacy Room

Last year I had the opportunity to talk to Al Stieffel several times by phone and e-mail prior to the show when I was trying to set up some MLC related events. Couldn't be a more pleasant person and true audio junkie. Al was a planar guy for a lot of years (owned Maggies, but liked Logans too). He was probably the driving force behind the Colorado Audio Society and the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest was his brainchild. Unfortunately Al passed away last January. The Colorado Audio Society and RMAF have decided to have an Al Stieffel Legacy Room at all the future shows in his honor. This years room reflected Al's tastes in the smaller grass roots companies that were selected for display. The Carnegie Acoustics Grande Lux AS1 (for Al Stieffel) speakers were brand new for the show ($22,900.00). The rest of the equipment consisted of an EMM Labs SACD player ($9,995.00), AMR CD-77 Redbook CD player ($8,500.00), AMR PH-77 phono stage ($11,459), Dr. Feickert Twin turntable and tonearm, Bella Extreme Purity pre-amp ($8,870.00), McAlister Audio M-170 amplifiers ($2,850.00 ea.) with a Synergistics Research Tesla Power Cell ($4,000.00) and cables from TEO Audio ($30,000). While the sound wasn't "Best of Show" calibre, it certainly wasn't chopped liver either. How do they make those amps for $2850.00?

 

[MiTT]

Wilson/Audio Research

A few others have already posted on this room, so I'll just follow on. I've never been much of a Wilson fan. It's not that I hate them, I just never got very excited about them, particularly the Watt/Puppy series. They were always detailed and open. They image well and had extension at both frequency extreems, but they never made me want to spend time with them just listening to music. That has changed. Maybe it was the partnering with the always wonderful Audio Research gear, but the new Wilson Sasha's were nothing short of intoxicating in my book! I didn't hear the Audio Research CD-8 because when I was in the room they had a Linn LP-12 fitted with a Lyra Skala feeding the new Ref 5 pre-amp through a Ref Phono 2 phono stage. I believe the amp was a Ref 110, but I'm not sure (anybody know?). This room had weight and authority. Maybe it was the performance or the pressing, but they were playing a Harmonia Mundi recording of some Mozart chamber orchestra pieces that sounded like Beethoven. The presence was nothing short of powerful. I was very pleasantly suprised.

 

[MiTT]

Audio Note UK

The thing I really liked about this Audio Note room was that it was made up entirely of their "entry level" gear (or "kit", right Justin?), but the sound was far from what I'd call entry level. Sources were either the CDT Zero II Transport ($2475.00) feeding the DAC 0.1X DAC ($1650.00) or the Q3 Cartridge ($1200.00) mounted to the Arm Three ($1925.00) on the AN-TT One turntable ($1375.00). The Zero Valve Integrated Amp did the heavy lifting; such as it was at 8wpc ($2000.00), and it drove the AN/E Spe HE loudspeakers ($7600.00). All cabling was Audio Note as well. Let's put it this way, all of the electronics shown on that lovely Rix Rax Hoodoo equipment rack (I want one of these BAD - someday), combined total less than the rack itself ($8000.00). I spent a pretty long time in this room, with the standout cut being a VERY lifelike and dynamic rendition of Louis Armstrongs "St. James Infrimary" on a Classic 45 RPM pressing that I'm very familiar with.

 

[MiTT]

Audio Note II

So here's the thing about audio shows, whether it's the room set up, or the music someone is playing (and it was utter crap in this room I'm afraid to say), or the synergy of the system or the phase of the moon, sometimes things sound great and sometimes, well, not so great. This second Audio Note room had all of their big boy stuff (sorry, I didn't take any notes), but it didn't sound nearly as good to me as the previous "low end" room. Go figure. The amps are certainly pretty to look at though. I'd like to hear them in a different context.

 

[MiTT]

Concensus Audio

I haven't heard of either Concensus Audio's loudspeakers nor the partnering Valvert electronics prior to this years show. The larger models here are the Conspiricy's ($41,700) and the smaller ones are the Lightnings ($18,750). The electronics featured a Valvert Soulshine pre-amp ($5290.00) and their new 50W Class A A 3.5 monoblocks ($4900.00/pr.). The sound was good, but frankly for $42K, there was better to be had for a fraction of the price. I'd like to hear those amps in a different system though

 

[MiTT]

LSA Group

Another loudspeaker that was new to me was the LSA Group's $2599.00 Statement shown here (stands add an additional $379/pr.). These were VERY good sounding mini monitors for the money. It was partnered with LSA's Hybrid Integrated amp ($5000.00). I listened long enough to hear the Fairfield Four's "Noah" as well as Chris Botti's version of "What'll I do". If I were looking for a small pair of monitors that didn't sound small at all, these would be high on my list.

 

[amey01]

RE: Wilson/ARC

A few others have already posted on this room, so I'll just follow on. I've never been much of a Wilson fan. It's not that I hate them, I just never got very excited about them, particularly the Watt/Puppy series. They were always detailed and open. They image well and had extension at both frequency extreems, but they never made me want to spend time with them just listening to music. That has changed. Maybe it was the partnering with the always wonderful Audio Research gear, but the new Wilson Sasha's were nothing short of intoxicating in my book! I didn't hear the Audio Research CD-8 because when I was in the room they had a Linn LP-12 fitted with a Lyra Skala feeding the new Ref 5 pre-amp through a Ref Phono 2 phono stage. I believe the amp was a Ref 110, but I'm not sure (anybody know?). This room had weight and authority. Maybe it was the performance or the pressing, but they were playing a Harmonia Mundi recording of some Mozart chamber orchestra pieces that sounded like Beethoven. The presence was nothing short of powerful. I was very pleasantly suprised.

I love that last pic - good laugh in the face of audiophile nuttery!

All the cables lifted meticulously off the ground, then in that last pic the cable touches the ground!, running right alongside a power cable for the amp! HAHA.

 

[FISH_MAN]

for the low freq we listen at it really does not matter where the speaker wire lay.

 

[MiTT]

for the low freq we listen at it really does not matter where the speaker wire lay.

Come again???

 

[MiTT]

I love that last pic - good laugh in the face of audiophile nuttery!

All the cables lifted meticulously off the ground, then in that last pic the cable touches the ground!, running right alongside a power cable for the amp! HAHA.

Those were both power cables, one for the amp (the one that was lifted) and the other for a lamp that was on the floor behind the amp.

 

[tonepub]

A few others have already posted on this room, so I'll just follow on. I've never been much of a Wilson fan. It's not that I hate them, I just never got very excited about them, particularly the Watt/Puppy series. They were always detailed and open. They image well and had extension at both frequency extreems, but they never made me want to spend time with them just listening to music. That has changed. Maybe it was the partnering with the always wonderful Audio Research gear, but the new Wilson Sasha's were nothing short of intoxicating in my book! I didn't hear the Audio Research CD-8 because when I was in the room they had a Linn LP-12 fitted with a Lyra Skala feeding the new Ref 5 pre-amp through a Ref Phono 2 phono stage. I believe the amp was a Ref 110, but I'm not sure (anybody know?). This room had weight and authority. Maybe it was the performance or the pressing, but they were playing a Harmonia Mundi recording of some Mozart chamber orchestra pieces that sounded like Beethoven. The presence was nothing short of powerful. I was very pleasantly suprised.

The key to that system was the Lyra Skala/LP-12 (very musical compared to the Wilson sound) and Shunyata's new Aurora cables. I've got em in my system and they are fantastic! Very revealing without being harsh. Best cable I've heard yet in my system. The Newest ARC is very neutral, too.

 

[MiTT]

PS Audio

Another room that others have commented on already, wherein the new Perfect Wave Transport and DAC were pressed into service feeding a set of Focal Audio speakers. I too noticed the use of Martin Logan subs in the room. Were I looking for a new digital front end I'd be giving these a serious listen. This was a very popular room, always a lot of folks in it and Mr. Paul McGowan always available for questions.

 

[MiTT]

Berning/Exemplar

I didn't take many notes in the room featuring the David Berning electronics and Exemplar speakers. I recall it sounding good, but I don't have a lasting impression a week on.The table in this room was in many of the other rooms and damned if I can remember if it was a DPS or a Dr. Feickert Woodpecker. Anybody else remember?

Another Correction: The turntable in this room was yet again the Artemis turntable designed and developed by Schroder. Sorry for the misinformation in the original post.

 

[MiTT]

Tri/Acoustic Zen

I don't know what it is about the Tri gear, but I'm naturally attracted to it. Maybe that red paint has a Zen quality to it, especially when paired with those Acoustic Zen speakers. I liked this room a lot playing a mix of Kodo drum music and jazz when I was there. The 845 based amp was a thing of beauty ($6000.00) combined with their TRV-CD4SE CD player ($2200.00) and TRV-4SE limited edition pre-amp ($2800.00), but the thing that caught my eye on the way out of the room was the TRV-84HD 3wpc Class A single ended headphone/integrated amp ($1550.00). I need some really efficient little horns and this thing for the office!

 

[RichTeer]

Let's put it this way, all of the electronics shown on that lovely Rix Rax Hoodoo equipment rack (I want one of these BAD - someday), combined total less than the rack itself ($8000.00).

Intersting little tid bit: Rick (of Rix Rax fame) live in Vernon, the town north of where I live.