#rmaf2018

[miy-taww]

[RMAF 2018] Clearaudio

Clearaudio tables are everywhere at shows, and they also had their own listening stations set up with the nifty Concept Active 'table ($2400-$4400 depending on configuration). It marries the popular Concept turntable kit to a phono stage + headphone amp built right into the plinth. I had a brief listen with Sennheiser HD650's on a jazz cut from one of Clearaudio's own pressings, and was impressed with the clarity and punchiness - I found myself tapping my feet the moment I slipped the 'phones on. I recently acquired a set of HD650's and have read much about their need for quality amplification to avoid sounding opaque and flabby, but what I heard from the Active's headphone output had no such issues that I could discern... a very cool setup for the modern 'phile. Also shown, a few other goodies from their static display including the Innovation Compact 'table ($8k) with TT-2 linear tracking tonearm ($10k) and DS Audio DS-W2 optical cartridge ($13k w/equalizer). [view more on Instagram]

[audiobacon]

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A post shared by 🥓 Audio Bacon 🥓 (@audiobacon)

Can't touch MBL's midnight sessions. They know how to party! #mblspeakers #hifi #rmaf2018 (at Rocky Mountain Audio Fest) https://www.instagram.com/p/BoqONT3Dp8w/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=16anmwt4ynuik

[recorddividers]

Are you at Rocky Mountain Audio Fest in Denver this weekend? Check out our friends at Parasound debuting the new Halo P 6 Audio Preamplifier and DAC, with a lil’ help from #thelpblock #parasound #rmaf2018 https://ift.tt/2NsnzOw

[egglestonworks]

Couldn’t figure out why I’ve been humming “Welcome to the jungle” all day! ;))#rmaf2018 https://www.instagram.com/p/Bom6vNYly9M/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1wqxtcgi2nwxz

[miy-taww]

[RMAF 2018] B+W, Rotel, Simaudio

Honestly I’ve never been a B+W fan, but I do like their entry level 6 series bookshelf, and recommended the 606s2 to a classical musician friend who loves them. B+W released an update to that model, the s3 ($800), and I’ll be damned if I didn’t like them better than the flagship 800 D3 powered by Simaudio in another room that costs literally 20x as much. The simple little 606s3 mates a convincing and precise stereo image to a punchy midrange and surprisingly taut and extended bass. In typical B+W fashion there’s some highlighting of the upper midrange that pushes everything a little forward, but I didn’t find it too bothersome, and a better amp than the Rotel receiver here could warm it up. And unlike the fancy diamond tweeters in the 800 series, the metal domes in the 606 don’t try to do anything fancy and are less fatiguing to my ears. A tidy little speaker that should appeal to pop/rock listeners while having enough refinement for more subtle material. [view more on Instagram]

[miy-taww]

[RMAF 2018] Paradigm, Anthem

Canadian outfits Paradigm and Anthem (owned along with MartinLogan by the same holding company) paired products from their flagship lines: the smallest Paradigm Persona speaker, the Persona B ($7k/pair), with the Anthem STR preamp ($4k) and amplifier ($6k). The amp's slick 7" touchscreen screams ultra-modern which would lead one to assume Class D, but no! This is a good old fashion Class AB amplifier with 16 bipolar output devices per channel pumping out 400/600/800wpc into 8/4/2 ohms. The preamp is one of the most sophisticated on the market, boasting digital room correction/bass management and "virtual" inputs that let you match any combination of input and setting to a preset. As an example, you could have a "nightime movie" input that at the touch of a button selects the digital input, reduces the subwoofer output and uses a different EQ curve so you can enjoy a late-night movie without disturbing the neighbors. (They also make an integrated for $4500.) The Persona speakers frankly aren't my favorite - I've now heard the stand-mount B and the bigger 3F, and find them both to be rather hard-sounding and lacking dynamic nuance - but the power from the Anthem gear did sound clean and crisp, and c'mon, those displays are pretty cool. Given the identical price point, a shootout with the Bryston BP-17/4B3 combo I currently have in house might be in order. [view more on Instagram]

[miy-taww]

[RMAF 2018] PranaFidelity

And finally, there was PranaFidelity... I made this my very last stop of day 1 after MGD raved about their room @ AXPONA. PranaFidelity proprietor Steven Norber, formerly of Edge Electronics where he designed some of the finest solid state amps I've ever heard (I still miss that Edge G6), brought along a bunch of fun selections from his vinyl collection, and the crowded room had a chill and convivial vibe. As at AXPONA, the system consisted of his Bhava monitors ($4,950, stands $700), purna/ca balanced preamp w/phono ($9,950) and Hypex nCore-based purna/ma power amp ($8950), this time with a Pure Fidelity Eclipse 'table + Acoustic Signature TA-1000 arm ($4,495) and Benz Micro MC cartridge ($3,995). And the sound was everything Marty promised it would be.... huge, transparent and full of life, with the woofers pounding out powerful, driving bass lines. The treble is quick and clean with just the right amount of sizzle and the speaker can image a baritone voice like no one’s business, with great body and presence. Female vocals were just about perfect too, with realistic body and rasp. The ability of the system to project a big yet focused soundfield was first rate, but more importantly, it was just downright fun to listen to. Steven is also one of the funniest, nicest people you'll ever meet, always cracking wry jokes and relating colorful stories. One of my very favorite rooms - this is what hifi is all about. [view more on Instagram]

[miy-taww]

[RMAF 2018] Sonus faber, McIntosh

It’s been over 3 months since the show, but some of the best rooms left a lasting impression. Sonus faber was one of them with their debut of the Electa Amator III ($10k with matching stands) marking the company’s 35th anniversary. The sound had SF’s trademark richness and soul, with staggering bass impact and extension - so much so that many listeners assumed the large Gravis VI subwoofer ($7k) was always on (many times, it was not). What was so impressive was not just how the elegant little speakers energized the room down to their 40Hz lower bound, but how they did it with great texture and tone while maintaining midrange purity, as amply demonstrated by tracks featuring female vocals serenely floating above thumping bass lines. My wife and I auditioned a cut from a recording we know inside out - Brahms Symphony No. 2/Rattle/Berlin Phil - and it perfectly rode the line between realism and romanticism, bringing out all the lyricism and passion of the playing with proper instrumental tone, timbre and balance. The McIntosh MA8000 integrated provided plenty of clean power, but I suspect the speaker is capable of even more with a more transparent and incisive front-end. This was reference-quality musicality and one of my very favorite rooms at the show, much more so than the majority of mega-buck rooms. I want this speaker. [view more on Instagram]

[miy-taww]

[RMAF 2018] Jeff Rowland Design Group

I had a lovely chat with industry legend Jeff Rowland, who was proudly exhibiting his new Conductor modular phono stage ($8,500-$13,600 depending on configuration). It’s available with up to 4 completely independent stereo stages in both MM and MC flavor, for those lucky analog fanatics out there running multiple ‘tables, arms and/or cartridges. (Apparently this is a thing.) Also new were the diminutive Capri+ preamp ($7800) and HA 60 amplifier ($4000) which can drive both speakers and headphones. Mr. Rowland and I geeked out a bit on the history of his designs and circuit particulars like his use of small-signal transformers for both input and output coupling. Rowland was the first high-end marque I can recall to embrace Jensen's high-performance transformers, e.g. in the Coherence preamplifier from the '90s; they've since switched to Lundahl's excellent units (also used in my PS Audio DirectStream DAC where I think they sound superb), and Mr. Rowland said they're now Lundahl's biggest OEM customer. Rowland continues to employ Class D topologies in their smaller amps, and switching power supplies throughout the line make even the higher-powered Class A/B models relatively svelte. The trademark diamond-cut faceplates are a real pain to photograph properly, even more so when they're constantly moving on display turntables, so the pics don’t do them justice - they are really stunning and elegant, audio jewelry in the best sense. I unfortunately didn't get around to their listening room, but one could be forgiven for buying them on looks alone. [view more on Instagram]

[miy-taww]

[RMAF 2018] Bryston, Straightwire

While we're on a Canadian roll... how could we forget @bryston_ltd? They had a very cool setup featuring their Middle T active speaker ($6420), powered by an array of 3B Cubed ($5k) and 2.5B Cubed ($4k) amps with their BAX-1 DSP crossover ($3495) with BDA-3 DAC ($3495), all wired up with Straightwire cables. It was a big, clean, dynamic sound with great bass - a little on the forward side, but I could also hear the subtle warmth and tonal solidity I’ve come to appreciate in the 4B Cubed currently in my system (review any day now). Those seeking a highly nuanced or dimensional sound may want to look elsewhere, but it was exceedingly clean and honest - you can hear the “gimme the signal like it is” pro-audio heritage, and it loved to be cranked up... classic rock sounded great. [view more on Instagram]

[miy-taww]

[RMAF 2018] Artist Cloner, Merging Technologies

Another Canadian speaker outfit that sounds like they know what they're doing is Artist Cloner, a relative newcomer out of Montreal. Their Rebel Reference ($16k with stands) immediately caught my ear with its natural, spontaneous presentation - on a Bossa nova-style number played by jazz trio (piano, string bass, percussion), the tone of the piano's lower register was full and vibrant, the bass was tuneful and rim shots had great pop and crispness. There was an organic speed and incisiveness that reminded me of the beloved Merlin speakers of yesteryear, but with even greater resolution and dynamic verve. It all made sense when designer Sylvio Comtois rattled off some of the design features that basically read like my ideal recipe for a reference monitor: Scanspeak Revelator drivers, series crossover, multi-layer HDF cabinet, super high-quality parts, etc. The series crossover is particularly noteworthy as there are so few manufacturers and designers employing them, for the simple reason that they are incredibly difficult to get right - they require carefully matched drivers with tight tolerances, and there's no easy way to simulate them in software, which means many hours painstakingly tuning the network by hand for desired response. Only a handful of designers like the legendary Bud Fried and more recently Tony Gallo have consistently used them, but when done right they have a wonderfully open and continuous quality with a sense of "rightness" for lack of a better term.

It was driven by an integrated amp of Sylvio's design and a beautiful Merging Technologies digital source. The 3-box system consisted of the NADAC network-capable DAC ($11,500) with POWER external supply and a new CLOCK external clock, both of which are optional upgrades - the NADAC can be run standalone. I’ve heard good things about the DAC and it did not disappoint, having tremendous dynamic punch while sounding effortlessly smooth and natural, with a neutrality befitting Merging's pro-audio roots. It’s also gorgeous and the pic doesn’t do it justice. I want it.

[view more on Instagram]

[miy-taww]

[RMAF 2018] Muraudio, TriangleArt

Winding down to my last few favorite rooms... Muraudio's SP1 hybrid electrostatic speaker ($15k) impressed me with how it combined speed and transparency - classic electrostatic strengths - with body, coherence and dynamics. Four 6.5" aluminum-cone woofers in an over-under arrangement hand off to a mylar panel at 750Hz, an incredibly sensitive part of the musical spectrum and normally a recipe for disaster. And yet, I couldn't hear it at all - it was utterly seamless and transparent while boasting natural warmth. Low brass instruments and piano left hand, some of the toughest tests for any speaker, had lovely density and richness. No doubt the TriangleArt electronics played a big part of this, starting with the massive TA-200M Class A monoblocks ($73k!!) with blinged-out analog/tube front-end (I spaced out on the exact prices after seeing everything in the 5-figure range). Frankly, strolling into the Martin Logan/D'Agostino suite down the hall was a let-down after spending a few minutes with the exceptional Muraudio/TriangleArt system. [view more on Instagram]

[miy-taww]

[RMAF 2018] Ayre Acoustics, Vivid Audio

Ayre's 8-series gear are different combinations of amp, preamp, streaming endpoint or DAC, all sharing common design elements like fully-balanced zero-global-feedback circuitry, ESS Sabre DACs, Roon/Tidal/Qobuz/Spotify compatibility, VGT-based volume control, Diamond output stage taken from the 5-series, and the same basic chassis. For instance, the EX-8 integrated amp ($6k-$8k depending on configuration) can be thought of as a QX-8 DAC/digital hub ($4,450-$5,450) combined with a KX-8 preamp and VX-8 amp. There's also a CX-8 CD player ($5k) available if you still have those disc thingies. Speakers were the Vidid Audio Kaya 45. I own and love the discontinued AX-7e integrated amp and have heard the EX-8 in another system, and based on my brief listen here the transparent and incisive Ayre house sound is alive and well in the 8-series. However both 8-series systems I've heard were decidedly cool in tonal balance and lacking oomph on the bottom end, also areas of weakness for my AX-7e. I was hoping the 8-series would be fuller and more complete-sounding along the lines of the AX-5 Twenty integrated, but I'm not so sure... hopefully I'll get an opportunity to give it a closer listen. [view more on Instagram]

[miy-taww]

[RMAF 2018] Nola

Nola debuted the Series 2 version of their Metro Grand Reference Gold speaker ($40k). It utilizes a bass reflex bottom end with an open-baffle midrange and ribbon tweeter. The dipole midrange radiation paints an interesting soundscape - slightly diffuse vs. a typical box speaker, but open and enveloping - you can move around in the soundfield and still get a convincing stereo image. The rest of the rig was refreshingly simple - Audio Research CD player, VAC integrated amp, Nordost cables. I had some nits at the frequency extremes - there was bit of lisp on the top end from the ribbon tweeter, and the bass had some bloom and overhang that didn't mesh perfectly with the speed of the midrange - but their room was extremely challenging, essentially being two connected small rooms making up a very long, narrow space. Nola opted for long-wall placement, with the listening position quite close up and speakers wide-set so it favored the extremes of the soundstage over the center. (I later learned that the room had recently been renovated as well, and the acoustics of the new construction made matters worse.) Nevertheless, this was one of the handful of systems that sounded "right" with classical orchestral material. A recent Reference Recordings CD of Beethoven's “Eroica” symphony (Pittsburgh Symphony/Honeck) sounded dynamic and musically alive, with lovely and realistic tonality of both string and woodwinds. I had a nice chat with Nola founder and designer Carl Marchisotto, who described the evolution of their custom drivers made in-house, and why he favors magnesium for the woofers (rigidity and dynamics) vs. treated paper for the midrange (naturalness). He also impressed me with his knowledge of woodwinds instruments and the challenge of reproducing double-reed instruments. (I really wanted my wife, an oboist, to hear it, but alas we didn't have time.) It's a pricey speaker, but I really enjoyed the vibe of the room, speakers and people - unpretentious, sincere and dedicated to the music. One of my favorite rooms of the show. [view more on Instagram]

[miy-taww]

[RMAF 2018] Cambridge Audio

Cambridge Audio previewed their loaded Alva TT turntable kit ($1700 I believe, due out next year). It sports direct drive, a Rega-built tonearm, high output MC cartridge, built-in phono stage, and Bluetooth aptX HD (wait, what?) which can wirelessly transmit vinyl tunes at 24bit 48kHz resolution. When I first walked in the room I wasn't aware of the source and assumed it was digital - pitch stability and punchiness were notable, with none of the flabbiness of mediocre analog playback. On the flip side it didn't have the typical sweetness of pure analog, but it did work flawlessly streaming to their Edge NQ preamp/network player ($4k) and what appeared to be a pair of Edge W stereo amplifiers ($3k) bi-amping B&W 803D speakers ($17k). Cambridge has long been known for their high-value gear, but the flagship Edge line is an all-out attack on the high-end to commemorate their 50th anniversary. The sound was a fine example of what I've come to expect from Cambridge - speed and rhythm, crisp articulation and strong drive - but with a higher level of transparency and insight. Frankly I'm not a fan of the B&W speakers employed - every time I hear the 800 series there’s a hardness and lack of warmth that bugs me - but the electronics sounded more than capable, looked very slick and are priced extremely fairly. [view more on Instagram]

[miy-taww]

[RMAF 2018] Vanatoo

Vanatoo is a name I hadn’t heard before, but apparently the Seattle-based firm has been making waves the last few years with their small powered speakers like the Transparent Zero ($360). What really caught my ear though was a pre-production sample of their Transparent One Encore ($600, $500 pre-order pricing). An updated version of their Transparent One, it combines aluminum drivers with a 60 watt Class D amplifier and 24-bit DSP processing to provide neutral response with bass down to around 50Hz. A range of digital and analog inputs as well as Bluetooth connectivity make it a cinch to operate. I was pretty blown away with how balanced and dynamic they sounded - it handled the scale of a symphony orchestra with remarkable control, and there was a level of refinement and musical engagement reminiscent of a separates rig costing thousands more. There were quite a few powered speakers in this price range but the Vanatoo was the one that got me most excited as a real hi-fi contender, something that I’d heartily recommend to friends looking for truly good sonics with minimal fuss and budget - it sounds like the real deal. The Encore is slated for release in January and I’ll definitely try to get my hands on a pair for review. [view more on Instagram]