Rmaf 2014

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MiTT

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Hard to believe that RMAF 2014 starts tomorrow! I'm more stoked this year than I have been for a few as there are a few items I've yet to hear that I know will be at the show. I've got my camera batteries charging and will probably get back to what I did a few years ago and post my impressions "real time" and follow up by inserting pictures later. Should be a good show, although I already know I'm going to have to miss Sunday due to some work commitments. More to come here tomorrow...
 
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Constellation Audio and Raidho

The Raidho D1 speakers driven by all Constellation electronics were quite impressive. I'd read reviews of these speakers, but this was the first time I'd given them a serious listen. Good dynamics and a great top end.
 

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Cypher Labs/Coffman

This collaboration between Cypher Labs and Coffman called the Prautes is just plain eye candy in the flesh and every bit as awesome sounding as it looks. It's main function is as a headphone amp of course, but it also functions as a pre amp and low output power amp. Fantastic looking and sounding at $3500.
 

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iFi Micro and Tri-Art Audio

This Tri-Art Audio turntable was on static display, but the bamboo construction was eye catching to say the least. The iFi stack consisted of the iDSD DAC, iUSB Power and iCAN headphone amp driving some Senheiser HD 590 headphones.
 

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Woo Audio

Woo Audio was demonstrating their new tube power supply for the WA7d Fireflies amp, but I was very intrigued with the unnamed prototype of a tube based "portable" head amp. It includes a 32 bit/192 DAC in the package. Targeting around a $1600.00 price point.
 

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Sounds good, Keep it comin' Tim, don't forget pics of you and any of the other M/L forum members you run across !

weather is a little damp here in the SW corner of Colorado today.
 
oppo

OPPO was showing their very versatile HA-1 DAC /headphone amp that supports PCM up to the 348 range as well as up to double DSD ($1199.00), along with their very nice sounding Planar Magnetic PM-2 headphones (also $1199.00).

Also on display was their very fine sounding and amazingly small HA-2 portable DAC/headphone amp sporting a similar feature set to it's big brother. This was an amazing bit of sleek industrial design and I loved the use of materials in the brushed aluminum and stitched leather. Price and availability TBD.
 

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exaSound

exaSound was demonstrating their $3600.00 e28 8 channel DSD DAC in a system that consisted of nothing more than the DAC, a 5 channel Bryston amp and 5 Magnaplanar 1.7 speakers. Source was aMac Air. Listening to both King Crimson as well as The Beatles in multi-channel mixes was stunning.
 

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YG/Kronos/Audionet

This system playing the most current Lyn Stanley album on the Kronos table sounded fantastic. The system consisted of the Audionet PAM G2 phono stage ($16.8K), Pre G2 preamp ($23.35K), DNC Streaming DAC ($10.1K), and MAX mono blocks ($30.5K). Source was the new Kronos Sparta turntable($21.5K) using the new Helena 10.5" Tonearm ($6.5K). I didn't catch which cartridge was mounted. Cabling was all Kubala Sosna with the power cords running $1800 each and the interconnects and speaker cable running approximately $6K/meter. The YG Acoustics Hailey loudspeakers are $42,800.00.

I happened to be sitting next to Lyn as the album was playing and her comment was that it was only one of two systems she had heard it on that really did it justice.
 

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PS Audio

PS Audio was of course showing their Direct Stream DAC running off a Mac Mini via USB going through an Aesthetix pre-amp and some prototype PS Audio Class A amps feeding a pair of Infinity Beta speakers. Arni Nudell and Bascome King were both in the room while I was there listening to the Reference Records version of the Rutter "Requiem".

That's Lyn Stanley talking with Paul McGowen Owner of PS Audio) in the one photo. The gentleman in the baseball cap is Arnie Nudell - designer of the Infinity speakers, shown chatting with renowned tube circuit designer Bascome King.
 

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Raven Audio

The Raven Audio room featured a slew of their tubed electronics mated to some Burwell & Sons horns made entirely of wood. These Mother of Burl speakers sell for $80k the pair! The Raven electronics sounded fine, but looked amazing. I'd like to hear them with some different speakers.
 

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TriAngle Art

Without question, one of the most massive turntables I've ever encountered. Too bad there weren't any cartridges in either tone arm when I was in the room. The slightly smaller silver table to the left was playing some Stevie Ray Vaughn quite well however. Electronics were by NAT. I have no idea what the speakers were, but they sounded quite good even though they completely overpowered the room at times. Found out later that the speakers are VMPS and sold for $17K when new, but they are now out of business.
 

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Nagra/Stenheim

Swiss precision at it's finest, the fit and finish of these components is just staggering. Components were the Nagra HD DAC with MPS Battery Power Supply ($27.25K), feeding the Nagra VPA 845 mono blocks ($29.35K). Source was a Mac Air. The speakers were the Stenheim Alumine Monitors ($15.98K) sitting atop the Stenheim Alumine Woofer Sections ($29.75K).

The sound was engaging without being overblown. Very sophisticated.
 

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Bricasti/Tidal

I haven't listened to Tidal speakers for a number of years, and had yet to hear the Bricasti DAC that many rave about. The M1 DAC was directly driving a pair of their M28 amplifiers feeding a pair of Tidal Audio Deal 4 speakers. Listening to a Channel Classics recording of Tchaikovsky symphonic works it did sound quite good, although it didn' bowl me over initially. As the dynamics of the piece came into play however I can understand why these pieces get such positive press.
 

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Enigma Acoustics

I'd seen ads for these electrostatic super tweeters for awhile and in this room they were featured as part of the Mythology M1 system (paired with the full range monitors as shown), the system runs about $15K. The soundstage was absolutely huge and I was actually stunned by the frequency extension at both extremes. Expensive, but it was amazing how much quality sound was coming out of them. Being partnered with the Light Harmonic DaVinci DAC and Ayre electronics didn't hurt, but these were quite impressive with every type of music I heard them with.
 

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Esoteric/Cabasse

This room featured the all new full top of the line Esoteric Grandioso family of P1 Transport, dual mono D-1 DACs, G-01 Clock, C1 pre-amp and M-1 monoblocks driving the Cabasse Baltic speakers. Everything was situated on Grand Prix Audio Monaco racks, which are among my favorites as I've been looking at them recently - but horribly pricy at about $1500.00 per shelf! No pricing on the components posted anywhere, but I'm certain it's one of those "if you have to ask - you can't afford it" type systems. It did sound outstanding though.
 

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AURALiC

Obviously a room I'd be familiar with since I have all AURALiC electronics myself, this was however my first upportunity to listen to the Aries streamer paired with the Vega DAC, Taurus Pre and Merak monoblocks here driving the Y G Acoustics Carmel speakers. Listening to Hugh Masakela streamed via WiFi to the Aries at 96k reaffirmed why I took the plunge on this gear, but also has me jonesing for the Aries so that I can take the computer out of the music room. The YG Carmels did a great job as well. This was the first time I'd really heard these speakers and I'd have to say that as far as small floor standers go they may be among the best I've heard. The price tag is pretty steep at $18K, but boy did they fill the room with an intoxicating sound. Fun stuff!
 

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Clearaudio/Aesthetix/Focal

Always a highlight room for me is local Denver dealer Apex Audio, featuring a system with a Clearaudio analog front end for analog, Aesthetix digital via the Romulus SACD Player/DAC and Atlas monoblocks powering the Big Focal Stella Utopia EM's. This was not a subtle system and on some orchestral music by Mahler it was capable of blowing my hair back. Not to say it wasn't capable of some absolutely sublime moments as well, this setup didn't disappoint.
 

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Luxman/Mola/Eclipse

Though I'm very familiar with Luxman having owned some of their gear many years ago, I was not familiar with the Mola pre-amp and power amps here, nor the Eclipse speakers and massive subwoofers mated to them. This room was one where I was just immersed in the sound. Tons of Synergistic tuning devices and of course their cables lashing everything together. I really liked this room, and some really great music by Doug McLoud kept me planted for awhile.
 

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