# Sticky  Rocky Mountain Audio Fest (RMAF) 2014 Show Coverage



## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

*Rocky Mountain Audio Fest (RMAF) 2014 Show Coverage*



















​*Reporting from the beautiful Denver Marriott Tech Center for HomeTheaterShack.com, equipment reviewers Dennis Young (Tesseract, left) and Wayne Myers (AudiocRaver, right) are on the scene bringing you highlights from the show.​*
*Index Of Room Reports:*


*Angel City Audio*
*Acoustic Zen*
*AudioKinesis*
*Classic Audio Loudspeakers*
*Dynaudio*
*[*]Electrocompaniet/TIDAL*
*Emerald Physics*
*EMRes Technologies*
*Esoteric/Cabasse*
*Funk Audio*
*GoldenEar* - WM *Wow!* award
*Goldmund*
 *Hawthorne Audio *
*HiFiMAN*
*Home Audio Sound LLC*
*JPS Labs - Abyss Headphones*
*JTR Speakers*
*Lansche Audio*
*Legacy Audio*
*LH Labs*
*Linkwitz Lab* - WM *Wow!* award
*Madisound*
*Merkel Acoustic R&D*
*Nola Speakers*
*oBravo Audio*
*Peachtree Audio*
*Pendulumic*
*PSB Speakers*
*RHA Audio*
*Seaton Sound* - WM *Wow!* award, WM *Most Dynamic Speaker* award
*Sennheiser*
*Spatial Audio* - WM *I Want One!* award
*SVS Sound*
*Tidal Audio*
*TigerFox Sound System*
*Tyler Acoustics*
*Vapor Audio*
 *Volti Audio*
*Von Schweikert Audio*
*Sound Science/King's Audio* - WM *Wow!* award, WM *I Want One!* award
*Zu Audio (with Peachtree report)*
*It is finally here!*

A few highlights from our first afternoon:

Sponsors Angel City Audio and SVSound both have new speaker offerings at the show.​
  ​Audio manufacturer Light Harmonic is developing a power amp that they claim will put _big, expensive monoblock_ performance into a small, affordable form factor. The class A-B amp will have some interesting little tricks up its sleeve. Product name *Keep,* part of the LH Labs *Geek* series.​
Much more to come.

The Rocky Mountain Audio Fest 2014 thread will continue as the open discussion thread.


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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

Another day down, one more to go.

Highlights from yesterday:

From Can Jam:​
$5500 Ear Speakers. Not for everyone, but it was difficult not to drool.​
HiFiMan flagship HE6 model sang nicely, but is to be replaced in 2015.​
RHA in-ears, from across the pond - comfortable and accurate enough that one could easily forget they were in-ears. Hand-polished!​
oBravo cans with AMT tweeters from across the other pond.​
Serious Bluetooth cans for the audiophile who will not be tied down.​
Sennheiser HD600, HD650, HD700, HD800, in normal and differential configs, set up for A-B-C-D-E-F comparison.​
More to come.


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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

Wow, what a weekend. Speaking of "Wow," I have awarded four *Wow!* awards for the rooms that really grabbed me, plus two *I Want One* awards and a *Most Dynamic Speaker* award.

My *Wow!* awards go to:

Linkwitz Lab - Siegfried Linkwitz's speaker designs come in DIY kit form from Madisound - after you buy the plans from Linkwitz for around a hundred bucks plus change - all extremely affordable and easy to build. And they sound phenomenal!
Seaton Sound - Mark's rooms always manage to give me chills. The Catalyst 12C pair did it this year, with assistance from miniDSP and Dirac Live room correction.
KingSound - Their Prince III full-range electrostatic panels made my ears say _"I am home."_ Lyngdorf room correction was assisting. I was so enthralled I forgot to take pictures.
GoldenEar - The Triton One setup was simply awesome.
The *I Want One* awards go to:

KingSound's Prince III electrostatic speakers.
Spacial Audio's Hologram M1 dipole speakers.
And the *Most Dynamic Speaker* award goes to:

Seaton Sound, for note-by-note dynamism that stood out in a field of very dynamic competitors.

Linkwitz, Seaton, KingSound, GoldenEar, Spacial


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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

Miscellaneous photos...

    

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We are headed home today. Individual room reports will come soon.


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## ajinfla (May 10, 2009)

Wayne, thanks for the great work, I owe'd you at least a fix of the title.


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

Oh, boy... what a show! I don't recall any rooms that sounded bad by any means. Of course, some were better than others. I'll start off by showing one of my absolute favorite rooms, the *Classic Audio Loudspeakers/Atma-Sphere/Purist Audio Design/Tri-Planar* exhibit. This room also shows the price of admission to having top notch gear. It's well beyond my means, but am glad I got to experience what they had to offer.

This system portrayed the largest soundstage I've ever experienced from a strictly two channel system. I've heard bigger from multi-channel setups, but this was like sitting second or third row from the front of a real stage. Of particular note were vocals on the various tracks played, most life-like I have come across yet. 

If I could somehow afford this system, and had a room large enough to accommodate it, happiness would be ensured for a long time.

I meant to go back and get me one of those Nipper dogs that were for sale, but with the excitement of the show, I forgot.






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*Wayne's Comments*

There are those who "see a horn and just keep walking." But there are those who have discovered some fine sounding horns, too, and the midrange horn in the Classic Audio Loudspeakers Project T-1.5 is definitely one of them.

Maybe it is the way a horn couples with the room's air that can give it the power to reach out and captivate you without warning. Listening to music on the Project T-1.5 was a very personal experience, like that horn was projected the soul of the music directly into your heart. The wide soundstage and precise imaging delivered a female vocalist who seemed to hover in the air a foot in front of the speaker plane. It felt like she was there to sing for me and me alone.

The Project T-1.5 uses a custom horn design and field coils replaced permanent magnets for all drivers to reduce distortion.


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

The drive home from Denver took us most of the day, we just arrived home a few moments ago. There will be more 2014 RMAF show coverage to come!


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

Jackpot! I hit a *Goldmund* room! First thing I asked upon entering the room, "Is this an all Goldmund system?" Why yes, yes it was. 

I was just passing by, and Goldmund was not one of my intended stops. I wasn't even aware they would be exhibiting. So, I did not get the name of this particular speaker. Looks like Prologue+ on the backside?

I did get a little insight into what makes the system tick. I was already aware that Goldmund has been putting active crossovers and amps in their speakers for years. Now, they also put the DAC inside and transmit the wireless signal from the preamp. Simply plug whatever source you like into the preamp/hub, and listen to the all metal enclosure speakers work their seamless, well integrated magic.







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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

*Linkwitz Lab*

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*LXmini (kit, with DSP, plus pipe and fittings, without amplification): $690 per pair*
*LX521 Constant Directivity Reference Monitor (kit, with DSP, without amplification): $3,058 per pair*
Siegfried Linkwitz has been spreading the good word about audio via his Linkwitz Lab web site since 1999, and has been an audio experimenter and a contributor to the field since the '50s. Part of that good word seems to be _Good sound does not have to cost an arm and a leg._ His innovative speaker designs are sold in kit form along with a purchase of the plans directly from Linkwitz Lab.

His rooms at the last two audio shows I attended for HTS were always crowded, and I had never made it to hear what all the fuss was about. This year I committed to make that room a priority. Some of my thoughts in the past have been along the lines of _How good could they really be?_ Now I know the answer.

To put it simply: very, VERY good!

When I entered the room, there was only one chair empty in the back, and as at shows gone by, I started to leave. But Siegfried's lovely wife Eike directed me to sit, and obediently I did. Luckily the front-center chair opened up a moment later.

I had been listening to the LXmini speakers, and was already impressed. They seemed not to need a carefully-centered listening spot to cast a grand soundstage. The tiny LXmini consists of two drivers, a LF driver mounted at the top of a damped PVC pipe, providing an omnidirectional pattern up to 700 Hz, and a Mid/HF driver facing the listener in front of a smaller section of damped PVC pipe, providing a rear-diffused dipole pattern above 700 Hz. A miniDSP unit provides an active Linkwitz-Riley crossover (yes, Siegfried put the Linkwitz in Linkwitz-Riley) and equalization for the two drivers. Four channels of amplification are required, two per LXmini tower.

Note that the positioning of the two drivers helps create crossover directionality in the acoustical realm. The Linkwitz Lab web site, and undoubtedly the purchased plans as well, give a wealth of theoretical information about the design in a readable style targeting the DIY hobbyist.

How did the LXmini sound? The room easily garnered on of my *Wow!* awards for the show, and I had not even heard the bigger LX521 monitors yet. I started listing descriptors without embellishment, as though the LXmini had as much right of ownership over those descriptors as their designer had over the crossover type named after him:

Virtual Point Source
Full
Even
Flat
Clean
Precise
Unified
Dynamic
Honest
Natural
Humble
In normal listening positions, especially the front-center LP, the room was filled with sound that emanated from space in the most real and natural way possible, creating a huge, deep soundstage with pinpoint imaging wherein those humble, rustic little PVC-mounted speakers completely disappeared - _Don't need to show off visually, 'cause in the audio realm I've got it *nailed.*_ Not intended for high-volume listening, they appeared capable of delivering 80 to 85 dB average listening levels in the medium-sized demo room. Moving closer to one tower allowed one to hear its point-source unity, unsurpassed by any single-full-range or small-two-way design that I have heard, with the soundstage-producing advantage of omni-directionality at LF and dipole characteristics at HF. I am curious what a similar design with crossover at around 200 Hz would perform, putting all of the critical soundstage- and image-producing frequencies into the dipole driver's range, but it is difficult to imagine it sounding significantly better than the LXmini.

LXmini plans cost $105 from Linkwitz Labs. The LXmini materials are available in kit form from Madisound for $525, including the miniDSP unit and program, to which the builder adds PVC pipe and standard fittings, plus 4 channels of amplification. It is a *Wow!* of a DIY project if I ever heard one, attention-getting in its elegant design and arresting in its audio impact.

The LX521 Constant Directivity Reference Monitor, a four-way fully-dipole design, performed much as the LXmini had done, hinting at shared ownership of the list of descriptors above. A dipole bass unit consists of two 10-inch drivers, V-frame mounted in a push-pull baffle. A bridge over the bass unit isolates the mid- and tweeter-baffle from LF vibrations; the mid/tweeter baffle can be aimed independently of the V-frame nestled below it. The LX521 added DEEP bass - the deep booms on Stravinsky's Firebird had shake-your-seat impact - and filled the room with a completely natural soundstage and flawless, pinpoint imaging. The LX521 could pump out much higher volumes and appeared entirely capable of being classified as a reference speaker.

Kit price for all CNC-cut wood pieces, ready to assemble and finish, along with the 12 SEAS drivers and an assembled and tested custom analog signal processor (using a miniDSP unit is also an option) adds up to $3058, a pricier setup to be sure, but one that will please the most particular of audiophiles. DIY-ers: on your marks, get set.....


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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

*Funk Audio*

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*Funk Audio 8.2.P Loudspeaker: $7,205 passive, $9,735 active with amplifier, per pair*
*Funk Audio 21.0 Subwoofer: $6,720 each*
*Funk Audio 0.5kW x4 M1 Power Amplifier with Active Crossover: $3330 each*
We did a lot of noticing and talking about tweeters at RMAF. The less you notice a tweeter, the better. The Funk Audio tweeter stood out in its being unnoticeable.

While listening to the 8.2.P, there were times that the frequencies covered by the large planar tweeter were recessed, very laid back. But when something really _happened_ in that range, like the harmonics of a female voice, it was _right there_ with all the strength that was called for, and with perfect clarity. It was an interesting presentation, almost hiding when not needed, but reminding you at times that it had been there all along in its own very unobtrusive way. I said as much to the designer, who took it as a great compliment, saying he had put a LOT of time into that tweeter.

The soundstage was nice, imaging was somewhat soft but very stable. The huge subwoofer did some serious floor shaking when called upon. It could be felt far down the hall in other rooms.


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

Wayne told me at last year's RMAF that he came across a plasma tweeter or two, and that I should make time to hear one. Well, it took another year, but I made a point to give time to the experience. And I am glad I did. 

Nothing in particular stood out while listening to the *Aaudio Imports/Hartvig/Lansche/Stage III/Thales/Ypsilon* system in the Larkspur room, the sound was very good, just as most other rooms I visited. Nothing, that is, except for the most perfect reproduction of highs I have ever heard. No moving mass, zero, just air being excited in the most natural manner.






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*Wayne's Comments*

If ever there was an invisible tweeter, the plasma tweeter is it. Ducking in this room at the end of the show, I only listened briefly, but the absence of all things tweeterish - except pure, effortless, flawless, sourceless high-frequency vibrations - was conspicuous.

I was a little disappointed - but also completely understanding - that Lansche Audio opted to bring a smaller speaker to the show this year. Last year's imposing model, the No.8.2 (>$250,000 per pair - not a typo!), was a real attention-getter in all that it did NOT do audibly. But the tweeter was what I came to hear, and to my delight I could not hear it at work at all. Specs state a -3 dB rolloff at 150 kHz, a smidge above my hearing limit, but this is high-end audio we are talking about, where super-human perceptions are assumed and products are made to suit.


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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

*Madisound*

 [URL=http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=29889] [/URL] ​
It is always refreshing to visit the Madisound room. Tables were covered with speaker components for the audiophile DIY speaker builder, including parts for the Linkwitz Lab kits mentioned elsewhere, and a couple of finished examples standing by ready to be heard.

I enjoyed the assembled SEAS Exotic bookshelf pair on display, a two-way including a Hypex plate amp with DSP driver tailoring pre-programmed by SEAS. Cabinet design was by Tyler Acoustics of Owensboro, KY, where one can obtain plans, parts, or finished enclosures, even with exotic woods and finishes. The sound was very even and nicely balanced. The 35mm soft dome tweeters were _easy,_ very natural.


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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

*SVS Sound*



  

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*Prime Tower: $499.99 each*
*Prime Bookshelf: $249.99 each*
*Prime Center: $349.99 each*
*Prime Satellite: $134.99 each*
SVS Sound introduced their Prime series of speakers at RMAF, including Tower, Bookshelf, Center, and Satellite models. With the home theater buyer in mind, the models are all priced individually, not in pairs.

SVS Occupied two adjacent rooms. The home theater demo room ran an action sequence from the movie Drive, including gunshots, roaring engines, crunches, and crashes galore. The surround setup consisted of a pair of the Prime Bookshelves, a Center, several Satellites, and one of their large cylindrical subwoofers. The sound quality had impact when you wanted it and clarity for dialogue and the nuances of quieter scenes. The same system then played parts of a recent-vintage Sting concert and had no trouble delivering the music with an inviting warmth and clarity. Considering an entire Prime Satellite 5.1 surround system, including SVS's 300-watt SB-1000 subwoofer, can be delivered to your door for under $1,000, including shipping, return shipping if you should happen to change your mind, and customer service that is fabled to be second to none, the Prime components pack a lot of bang for the buck.

I also spent time with the Prime Towers in the next room, even comparing them to the $1,000-each SVS Ultra Towers. I suspect that the SVS engineers have been working on the Ultra tweeter over the last year. When I first heard it at RMAF 2013, it presented a high end that seemed carved from steel, not harsh, but definitely _hard_. I heard it again a few months later and it came across with a much softer feel. I am told by an Ultra Tower owner that it was tamed even more when he received his pair earlier this year, and that was my perception when I heard them alongside the Prime pair, still able to punch it out when called upon, while remaining extremely music worthy and unobtrusive. And that is a difficult balance to achieve. Kudos to the SVS team for getting there (if the assumed changes did indeed take place).

The Prime tweeter comes close to being worthy of the same praise, if still retaining a slightly firm edge in its voicing. But this is easily forgivable at the price point. Playing my test tracks, string picks and strums were lively, and vocals were smooth and airy. I enjoyed them enough to ask for a pair for a full upcoming review.

My perception of the Prime series was that they are not ashamed to be seen or heard, and welcome the chance to be compared to any other speaker in their class that is made to deliver impactful cinema and/or beautiful music on demand.

   

   

   

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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

*LH Labs*

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Project KEEP

LH Labs, a division of Light Harmonic, makers of the GEEK OUT Class-A USB DAC/Headphone Amp series and Da Vinci DAC series, introduced a small group to a concept power amplifier they are developing. If you look at the two photos above, it is intended to deliver high-end monoblock performance - like one might find in a large, heavy floor-sitting unit pictured in the first photo - in a smaller, more WAF-friendly form factor - possibly looking like the small stacked power supply and power amp units pictured in the second photo.

The group was shown and allowed to hear a prototype of the forward-thinking KEEP amplifier, a fully-balanced 120 W Class-A/AB amp, which will have 3 bias points for the complementary-device output stage, automatically switched among as program levels demand. The idea is that the high-bias-current setting, with its high heat production, is rarely needed by most program material, so why waste power, heat up the output devices and room, and drive a large, heavy package with huge heat sinks, just to be always ready for an event that rarely occurs? The result will be super low distortion with super low heat dissipation - in normal use. Innovative specsmanship and test methods will need to be defined, too. The minimalist approach will also feature ultra-wide bandwidth and an ultra-low noise floor.

I liked the idea, as did the group as a whole: Monoblock performance in a tiny package for under $1,000 (my guess, actual price TBD). LH Labs, a small company "dedicated to creating affordable high-resolution audio," embraces crowdsourcing and "crowdfunding as a platform for product development and launch." Innovators at all levels, I like them more and more.

Keep your eyes on LH Labs, these guys are out-of-the-box thinkers who aim to deliver "the most advanced music amplification system ever developed." Project KEEP. I will be watching LH Labs for sure!


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

The *Peachtree Audio/Zu Audio* room was the most fun room for me at the 2014 RMAF show. Especially at night, with the DJ's spinning records until 1 AM, the crowd gathered to listen, dance, socialize and enjoy the great sounds.

Vinyl sources only, driven by the powerful Peachtree Audio 220 SE integrated amplifier, the high efficiency Zu Audio Druid towers combined with the Undertone subwoofer pair were a formidable music machine. The speakers were placed w-i-d-e and the resulting soundstage was h-u-g-e, with the Druids filling in the 18 ft. space between the speakers with ease. The volume level the exhibitors chose was just perfect, not too loud or too little.

The sound was not the most detailed, did not have the most accurate imaging or soundstage. What it did have was a warm, rough, raw, toe tapping sound that was completely addictive. I sat and listened in the sweet spot several times times over a two day period, and each time I had to peel myself up unwillingly out of the chair. Sometimes I gave the chair up to another show goer, encouraging them to sit, just to watch their reaction as they got a really good listen at to how well the system was able to convey the emotion found on the records the DJ's were spinning. Such fun!

I really do not know how to define it other than to say it was the best party system I've ever heard. The mood in the room seemed to suggest that is exactly what this system was designed for.






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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

The *Angel City Audio (ACA)/M&G Audio/Melody Valve/Skogrand Cables/Jupiter Condenser* room debuted the latest ACA loudspeaker creation, the Seraphim.

The Seraphim loudspeakers were very popular, with the prototype selling within a few hours of the show's start. The MTMM trapezoidal tower features a narrow baffle, deep cabinet, SEAS tweeter and custom woofers.

When listening, I perceived an intimate soundstage, medium sized, as was the room and distance between the speakers, but extending slightly beyond the edges of the left and right of the speakers. Images were diffuse and large, and the Seraphim unraveled the complex NIN hi-rez tracks I heard with ease. Most impressive, and I asked to hear more.

The Melody Pure Black 101 remote controlled tube preamplifier and behemoth Melody MN 845 monoblock power amplifiers provided plenty of grunt and were as beautiful to look at as they were to listen through. 







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*Wayne's Comments*

Dennis led me to this room as I was getting started, and it was a great way to get into the show. The Seraphim were attention-getting speakers, and the first notes I made were that they were _set up properly_ and that I could listen to them for a long time.

Last year I had noticed how many rooms seemed to not receive proper attention to careful setup. This year the opposite seemed to be true, and the Angel City Audio room was the first of many wonderful rooms that benefited from the TLC of careful speaker setup and some room treatment.

The Seraphim projected a great soundstage with excellent imaging. They were very transparent, disappearing altogether in the room. The soundstage extended back from the speakers far beyond the front wall of the room. The nature of their sound was very detailed and whole, with a dynamic _snap_ that I liked. The acoustic version of _Hotel California_ was played and almost sold the Seraphim on the spot. Upper-mids and highs simply sang out - a celebration - extra-present but not over-emphasized.

The imaging was not perfect, not quite pinpoint, but was very good, very solid and stable. Tonality was perfect on female vocals, orchestra, brass, acoustic guitar, and a triangle strike was truthfully and sharply defined. Toward the end of our listen, an orchestra strike illustrated the dynamic punch of the Seraphim, BAM and then GONE so completely it was as though the sound had been sucked from the room.

The new Seraphim did not have an official price yet. I told Hugh that it felt like we had been listening to $10,000 per pair speakers. He said he had heard that number several times already.

What a great way to kick off an audio show.


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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

*Sound Science/King's Audio*

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*King's Audio Kingsound Prince III Full-Range Electrostatic Speaker: $9,995 per pair*
Sound Science/King's Audio

I can not knowingly walk past an electrostatic speaker without stopping to give it a listen. When I saw the tall Prince III electrostatics by King's Audio in the Sound Science room, I was drawn to them. Thirty seconds after I sat down to listen, my ears said, "I am home."

The Prince III electrostatics easily got a *Wow!* and an *I want one!* from me. They had been set up with care, including judicious room treatment, and benefited from Lyngdorf room correction. At AXPONA last spring, every room I had heard that made use of room correction had an odd, unnatural feel about the sound presentation. At RMAF 2014, the two rooms I entered using room correction both sounded completely natural and at ease. I credit both excellent technology and carefully executed setup mic patterns by technicians who knew what they were doing and made sure the result was sonically true-to-life. It is almost not fair that speakers must be set up mere mortals who do not always get things _just right_ (self included), but that is reality. All we can do as listeners is report what we witness and do our best to assign the credit where it is due, dividing it between the technology and the people who put set it up to unleash upon us. In this case, speakers, upstream equipment, room, and room correction were all in perfect harmony, no doubt largely a result of careful attention to detail by the folks from Sound Science.

The Prince III electrostatics projected a soundstage that stretched well beyond the confines of the room. imaging was pinpoint perfect, and the big panels completely disappeared in the soundfield. The presentation as open, airy, snappy-fast, and just plain _clean._ I do not mind a speaker that is a little on the bright side if that brightness sounds extremely clean and displays very smooth frequency response. The high end of the Prince III did both.

On the Broken Bells _Perfect World_ test track, the centered kick drum had the most concentrated punch of any speakers I heard at the show. Another track that put imaging to the test was was _Pulse,_ by Todd Rundgren. I only used the ending with sampled xylophone, every note mixed to its own spot in space. The Prince III were once again best at the show in terms of defining each note clearly, precisely, and with impact. The Prince III electrostatics simply were not there, but the music certainly was, as near-perfect as I heard it during the weekend.

Each of the Prince III electrostatics consisted of seven panels, each of them with a small tweeter section and a larger mid-woofer section side by side. At one point I did see mid-woofer panels flexing quite a bit with deep low-frequency content, which bothered me a bit, but I heard no ill effects from it. No doubt a subwoofer and appropriate crossover could relieve the electrostatic panels from those excursions if one desired. The response to this idea by Neal Van Berg, owner of Sound Science: "The sound of true Electrostatic Bass would be hard to replace with conventional woofs." No argument. As I said, I heard no ill effects, no holding back or bottoming out or "fuzzing out" as a result. Perhaps this is a good example of the wisdom in not trying fix something where nothing is broken.

Witnessing the performance of the Prince III electrostatics was a high point for me at the show. I did not make it into any of the super-expensive rooms, yet it seemed like I had not missed anything. Thank you Sound Science.


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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

*Spatial Audio*

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*Spatial Audio Hologram M1 Speaker: $4,000 per pair*
Spatial Audio

When I hear someone make a claim like, "Box speakers are finally obsolete," my reaction is that marketing hype can state pretty much anything. Then again, it is hard to argue with real results.

I was initially drawn to the Spatial Audio Hologram M1 speakers by their shape, a 36" high by 20" wide rectangle with grill material revealing a pair of 15" drivers, the surface leaning back to point up at the listening position. The M1 is a dipole design, two-way, with two 15-inch mid/woofers and a 800-Hz-and-up compression tweeter concentric with the upper 15-incher. The soundstage and imaging were excellent - the soundstage was simply HUGE, and image clarity was razor sharp. Frequency response was exceptionally smooth and natural. I commented that I could not hear the tweeter at work at all. Clayton Shaw, the designer, was proud of his work on the custom 1.75 inch compression tweeter, with its soft polymer surround and ferrofluid damping. The result was an extremely life-like upper-mid and high end.

The more I listened, the more impressed I was by the M1 pair. I ended up adding them to my *I Want One!* list., one of two items at the show to earn that award. They _almost_ completely disappeared in the room, were exceptionally clean and natural.

I asked Clayton to crank them up, and they delivered higher volumes effortlessly, with a sense of supreme control over all aspects of the sound. And they went and deep into the bass range. The design is entirely passive, requiring no DSP or active crossover, which is not a huge deal to me either way, but the sense of unified integration was particularly enthralling for an all-passive design (dipoles seem to often need a DSP boost of some kind to get all components working together _just right)._

The dynamic range was also noteworthy. Clayton talked about his preference for high-efficiency designs, that they are better at giving the same response and sonic qualities at all volumes as a result of lower power dissipation and heat build-up and of greater amplifier headroom availability.

Years ago I looked askance at dipoles and and panel speakers as unnecessary oddities. It is speakers like the Hologram 1 that swayed me to the other side. *I want one!* Make that a pair.


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

*The Core Audio Technology/ Hawthorne Audio * system really hit my hot button. 

The $15k Hawthorne Audio Rainier speakers use a folded ribbon AMT driver loaded into... get this... a dipole waveguide. Why isn't this concept more popular? The waveguide is made of cultured marble and holds directivity down to an amazing 350 Hz, allowing the pattern controlled AMT to handle the specular duties while handing off modal duties to the open baffle woofers. What a great idea! Sensitivity is stated as an extremely high 102 dB, with bass augmented by separate dual "Augie" woofers. The extremely stiff baffles are strengthen by a rear mounted support pole that can be filled with sand or shot.

A Kryptos Music Sever S1 and Merging Technologies HAPI Preamp AD/DA handled the sources, with active crossovers and processing by DEQX and JRiver, feeding the Kratos MK III Direct Digital amplifiers. A fully digital signal path all the way up to the speaker cones.

Playing Chris Jones "Darlin' Cory", the bass was weighty, but lacked any excess bloat. Surprising, too, were the male vocals, lacking any sense of chestiness at all. Very commendable from a system with such prodigious low frequency output.

The ubiquitous show demo song of late, Nils Lofgren's "Keith Don't Go", was loud, yet smooth, with the micro dynamic sounds of fingers on strings easily perceptible amongst the macro dynamic attacks as the piece picked up tempo and then settled again. Soundstage and imaging were superb as is expected from a well thought out dipole design.

Darrel and Diana Hawthorne were very friendly, answering all my questions fully and eager to demonstrate this wonderful system. This room was one of my Top 5 favorite exhibits of the 2014 RMAF.






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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

*JTR Speakers*

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*Noesis 215RT Reference Tower: $3,499 each*
JTR Speakers

The purpose of the JTR room, with its imposing pair of Noesis 215RT speakers (two 15-in woofers plus a horn-loaded compression mid/tweeter in a Reference Tower), was to show that the JTR powerhouse speakers, made primarily for home theater use and capable of reaching eardrum-ripping SPLs over 130 dB, could hold their own just fine as 2-channel speakers, too. And they did.

The soundstage and imaging were not quite as refined and focused as I recalled them being with the Noesis 215RT pair back in April at AXPONA, but were very good all the same. They revealed inner detail very nicely without any obvious frequency response peaks designed to do that. A trumpet, with its breath and lip sounds, was very complete and intimately presented. 

Upper-mid and high-frequency response was very smooth, with one little area of emphasis that showed up on certain vocal tracks. In talking with HTS member Michael Boeker, who helped set up the room, there was a small amount of manual EQ applied, just the right amount for my taste. The 215RT were allowed to be themselves, but restrained from misbehaving.

With the Broken Bells track, _Perfect World,_ that emphasis stood out slightly on the male vocals. It was barely noticeable, not worthy of a complaint. The compression driver was almost as smooth as most of the specialty tweeters at the show. Imaging was nicely concentrated, and there was no trouble at all in delivering punchy dynamics where they were called for. Leave it to a set of 15-inch woofers to deliver scary amounts of solid bass when you need it.

The mids and highs were never harsh. On some tracks the soundstage stretched out much farther than one would expect from speakers like this. The sampled xylophone notes on _Pulse_ were very precise and punchy, and the 215RT tied for second best speaker in this regard at the show.

Very impressive. The home theater enthusiast who chooses a pair of Noesis 215RT mains to double as two-channel speakers will be very happy with the outcome.


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

The Listen Up/Bluesound/PSB/NAD room featured the unveiling of Paul Barton's latest gem, the Imagine T3, and what an debut it was. The Lenbrook Group NAD/PSB system had me extending my stay well past the time I try to allot myself for individual rooms. Many people vied for the listening chair, so I took photos while waiting for my turn in the "driver's seat".

First song up was from a Chesky Gold Series recording, Tchaikovsky: "Concerto in D for Violin & Orchestra. Strings were rendered so sweetly, complex passages unraveled and laid out, each instrument placed properly and clearly audible. Already, I could tell I might be planted in this chair for a while.

Bryan Bromberg "Portrait of Jaco" showed the Imagine T3 capable of reproducing the subtlety of the upright bass instrument while retaining the power.

Moving on to an unknown artist, a piece with electric bass and percussion, which cemented my first impression of the system's ability to play loudly while maintaining composure. Each string pluck/slap and every percussive hit remained distinct and separate with no blurring.

Another recording, played for us by Mr. Barton himself, was of an electric guitar playing though an old Leslie Cabinet. The slow swirl of the Leslie was mesmerizing, it actually sounded like the sound was being thrown around in a circle, with the accompanying trumpet playing from dead center. Very cool!

The NAD electronics did a great job of amplifying the signal without seeming to add any character or limitations of their own, and were perfect companions for the speakers. The Imagine T3 uses a fairly complicated 5-way transitional crossover, with a titanium dome tweeter, 5 1/4" midrange in it's own enclosure, and triple 7" woofers, also in their own enclosures. Starting with a 100 Hz crossover for the bottom woofer, the Butterworth 18 dB/octave filters cascade, allowing the next woofer up to play to 250 Hz, with the top woofer rolling off at 500Hz. The midrange handles frequencies to 1800 Hz, where it hands off to the tweeter with a phase and amplitude correct Linkwitz-Riley 4th order slope. In room sensitivity is rated at 91 dB.

Bringing this all together resulted in the most dynamic cone/dome speaker I have ever heard, barring 10 times and 20 times more expensive Wilson Audio and Focal loudspeakers, the dynamic impact rivaling high efficiency horn speakers. An emotional connection was made with each song played for me, and with the NAD/PSB system it was very easy to put aside the fact that I was listening to machines. The experience is etched into my mind.






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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

*RHA Audio*

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*RHA Audio T10i High fidelity, Noise Isolating In-Ear Headphone with Remote and Microphone: $200 each*
RHA Audio

Trying the T10i In-Ear Headphones from RHA Audio was one of the first experiences I have had with an in-ear headphone which was entirely positive. On other occasions I have found myself having reactions like:

Not too bad.
Better than that _other_ ones I tried awhile back.
There are only one or two _minor_ annoyances.
I might be able to stand these.
But none of these phrases applied to the T10i. The only _slight_ negative with the experience was that something about the shape of my left ear makes it more difficult to get the left ear-piece seated properly than the right, which can hardly be held against the in-ear device itself. Being right-handed does not help the "seating" situation, either.

First thoughts:

This is an in-ear device that I could really enjoy listening with, without feeling like I had to put up with it.
The bass goes deep, and is smooth, not boosted.
Very comfortable.
Good balance, there is real _imaging_ going on.
Noise isolation was fair, but should improve with trial and selection of the best-fitting ear tips. My ear canals are large, so the stock size is usually too loose a fit for me. An over-the-ear hook, reminiscent of the pro devices that musicians use on-stage, was comfortable and helped hold the T10i in place. These could even be used in bed comfortably, I could like on my side reading or watching the tele without the bulk of normal headphones getting in the way. The carrying case that comes with the metal-injection-molded, hand-polished stainless steel T10i holds seven different ear tip type/size variations. Three pairs of Tuning Filters accommodate flat, adjusted bass, and adjusted treble frequency response profiles. I did not try either of the filter sets, the stock _flat_ sound was quite well-balanced.

The T10i comes with remote, mic, and 4-conductor plug for iPhone. Model T10 has a 3-conductor plug.

Even for airline travel, I have gravitated toward conventional headphone use because of the seemingly inevitable annoyances of in-ear devices I have tried or owned in the past. The T10i from RHA could be the device to change my habits.

A full review of the T10i will be forthcoming for Home Theater Shack.


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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

*Pendulemic*


*Pendulemic Stance S1 Bluetooth Wireless Headphone: $200 each*
Pendulemic

BlueTooth® technology has its place, and has managed to squeeze its way into all kinds of devices. It is not been thought of for high-end audio quality, though, until now.

BlueTooth® 4.0 with the aptX® codec bringing us the ability to handle 44.1/16 audio uncompressed, true CD quality in a portable Bluetooth device, with a 30 hour battery life? Okay, you have my attention, I am interested. And I was told that the phones themselves were designed by Chunbeng Quek, who has designed a number of headphone models for Sennheiser.

Features:

Use it wireless or wired.
30 Hours wireless playback via rechargeable battery + AAA Backup.
CD-quality wireless sound.
BlueTooth® 4.0 aptX codec.
Easy auto pairing.
Range up to 50ft.
Built-in phone control.
Over-ear design.
They did sound good, _very_ good. I am used to a $200 headphone being a full-sized around-the-ear design, but the Stance S1 was made to be highly portable. It comes with a nice, durable case for throwing in your backpack, looks tough enough for real portable use, even studio use. It had a very smooth, even frequency response and a clean sound. It had real possibility. I will be receiving a pair to review in the near future. Bluetooth? Was not sure it would ever be a part of my system. I am starting to visualize that possibility.


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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

*Dynaudio*

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*Dynaudio Xeo 4 Compact Loudspeaker: $2,500 per pair*
*Dynaudio Xeo 6 Floorstanding Loudspeaker: $4,350 per pair*
*Dynaudio Xeo Hub: $365 each*
*Dynaudio Xeo Link: $220 each*
*Dynaudio Xeo Extender: $220 each*
Dynaudio

Dynaudio is another speaker maker I cannot pass up. The new Xeo 4, a compact two-way model, sounded big enough to make me think it was the tall Xeo 6 standing beside it. The first time I read about Dynaudio prices, I found it hard to believe a two-way compact speaker could command that much respect. Then I heard them. Now they have my respect. I do not know how they do it, how they get that kind of sound out of a small design, but they do. No doubt many other speaker makers listen to Dynaudios and say, "That is not fair." To quote a fellow HTS member, "Boo hoo!"

To make it even more unfair, Dynaudio has developed their own lossless wireless technology to transmit at up to 24/96 (no upsampling) from their hub to their speakers wherever they are placed in the room. Get that, no wires! My wife would love them. Using wifi frequencies to do this, three frequencies can be chosen among so they can avoid computer wifi traffic in situations like RMAF.

The bigger Xeo 6 had no problem simply disappearing in the sound field. What a delightful experience to witness. And their dome tweeters - Dynaudio makes all their own drivers - are simply _great,_ smooth, transparent, and easy to listen through.

Every time I start to write about Dynaudio speakers, I have to do an objectivity check. Have I fallen victim to some sort of spell involving the Dynaudio mystique? The answer is always the same: _Maybe a little,_ but they are terrific speakers all the same. The Xeo 4 and 6 models certainly fit that description.


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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

*Sennheiser*

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*Sennheiser HD 600 Headphone: $400 each*
*Sennheiser HD 650 Headphone: $500 each*
*Sennheiser HD 700 Headphone: $750 each*
*Sennheiser HD 800 Headphone: $1,500 each*
*Sennheiser HDVD 800 Fully-Differential Headphone Amplifier: $2,000 each*
Sennehiser

The Sennheiser table, first one facing the entrance into the Can Jam room, had its own way of saying, "Thinking about headphones? Think Sennheiser first." That is what I do. While there are many good models of headphones out there, it is hard to beat Sennheiser when it comes to first-rate dynamic transducer headphones.

They had provided a lineup of their top headphones, two each of the HD 700 and HD 800, one driven with a normal cable link and the other driven by their HDVD 800 fully differential amplifier through differential cables, and one each of the HD 600 and HD 650.

I have reported elsewhere that in a comparison between my HD 600 and a HD 650 set, the HD 650 had a very subdued high end compared to the HD 600. Upon asking about this, I was informed that the HD 650 design had been updated and was now closer to the HD 600 profile. That is indeed what I heard sitting at their table, and I will amend my comments disparaging the HD 650 design as inferior to simply state it is a slightly different profile, not as flat as the HD 600 profile , but with a little scoop out of the high end to keep it from being harsh. I am also told the HD 650 transducer has lower distortion than the HD 600. Therefore, the place of this HD 650 in the lineup now makes more sense. I still prefer the HD 600.

It was my first chance to hear the HD 700, which I hope to review in the near future, along with the flagship HD 800. The HD 700 sounded fantastic, very worthy of its place near the top of Sennheiser's commanding lineup. The HD 800, as one would expect, are magnificent headphones. It is not difficult to see you why some have dubbed it the best headphone in the world.


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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

*JPS Labs*


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*JPS Labs Model AB-1266 Abyss Headphones: $5,500 each*
JPS Labs

If you are going to spend $5,500 on a pair of headphones, they had better be something special. The Abyss headphones did indeed sound special. Special worth $5,500? Above the $500 mark, it gets a little hard to determine those differences when you are talking about high-end headphones. Above $2,000, it become somewhat like choosing between different super-expensive monoblock amplifiers. Just what is it you are getting for those additional thousands of dollars? Do you really want to know?

The Abyss headphones are different from conventional headphones in a number of ways. They are not meant to rest against the ears, are actually suspended and spaced a fraction of an inch away from each ear. The bracket which hold them in place, resting on top of the head, can be adjusted so they are positioned slightly forward of the ears while aiming directly at them, almost like loudspeakers. As a result, you can get a real speaker-like soundstage, although without the benefits of room reflections.

The transducer technology is magnetic planar. They are well constructed, and they are big. No excuses are made for the size. You will not throw these into a backpack to haul to school or the office. You will not take them on a flight or for a jog. They will be plugged into an expensive amplifier at a special listening station, perhaps even in a special room of your house. 

They are a good-sounding device, no doubt about it. I guess the question in mind for me was, would they equal the listening experience of a $5500 pair of speakers properly set up and amplified, but with the benefits of headphones, the ability to transport that listening experience to any chair or sofa in the house, even outside perhaps, while sipping one's favorite drink on the veranda? They might, it would take an extended evaluation to determine if that could be so. As the JPS Labs team is not looking for more reviews at this time, or, to be more accurate, they were not interested in having Home Theater Shack review them, I will not have that opportunity. For a few months anyway. That is OK. I have already started my todo list for AXPONA next April, and will give them a complete review on the premises.


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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

*Tidal Audio*

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*Tidal Audio Piano Cera: $24,000 per pair*
Tidal Audio

This is Tidal Audio's entry level speaker, the Piano Cera. I liked its ceramic tweeter, which, when combined with a slightly forward voicing, had the effect of beckoning one to listen without ever being harsh.

The Piano Cera reaches DEEP to deliver solid base. When asked to play loud, however, they had a tendency to hold back. They might have been under-powered for what I was expecting of them. Tidal Audio does not exude a "Time to rock, let's crank it UP!" vibe. But simple, honest, clean - these things they did well.

Their products area hand-made in Germany with exquisite precision from the finest components. The beauty of their enclosures was second to none.


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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

*Acoustic Zen*

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*Acoustic Zen Crescendo: $18,000 per pair*
Acoustic Zen

At AXPONA in April I reported that the Acoustic Zen Crescendo was one of the most _together,_ speakers at that show, totally at peace with the music, its environment, and the listener. I spend a few minutes with the Crescendo at RMAF to verify that its performance and delivery were as impeccable as I remembered from April. They were.


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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

*EMRes Technologies*

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EMRes Technologies

EMRes Technologies develops technologies for licensing in products by other manufacturers. They were showing two experimental projects they have been working on.

Their medium-sized bookshelf speaker enclosure - with a completely unique shape due to the nature of what was inside - packed a 6-foot long Nautilus spiral horn for rear-loading of a 2.5-inch full-range driver into an incredibly small volume. The spiral was 3-D printed, so it presented no imperfect, approximated angles like a folded horn would do. Its exponential opening finished the coupling to the room and helped deliver the rest of the powerful and smooth bass from the modest driver and enclosure. With their driver of choice, they were experiencing efficiency in the neighborhood of 98 dB.

Bass response was very smooth and natural, with no artificially-tuned peak to compensate for the lack of a lowest end.

A tiny boombox-sized enclosure contained a three-foot-long Nautilus spiral rear port for its driver, and also managed to kick out an impressive amount of bass for its size.

Their Rev 33 Headphone Cleaner, for lack of a better term, was an entirely passive in-cable device that worked to improve the clarity of headphones. Also experimental, it had been tested by musicians on stage to reduce ear fatigue and improve the clarity of their in-ear monitors while performing.


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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

*HiFiMan*


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*HiFiMan HE-560 Headphone: $900 each*
*HiFiMan HE-6 Headphone: $1,200 each*
HiFiMan

HiFiMan makes planar-magnetic headphones. I experienced their new HE-560 phones, noting that the mid- and high-end had a very clear, open sound. But I also tried on the HE-6 flagship model, and it was easy to hear that its high-end was very refined. In asking if I could review the HE-6, I was informed that it was about to be replaced. We shall patiently awaiting said replacement, and hope to be able to review it for HTS.


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

I've known Mark for a few years, now, he always brings his A game when demonstrating his gear. This time was no exception. Even in light of short set up time in a small hotel room, *The Seaton Sound, Inc./MiniDSP/Dirac Live* room was literally a showstopper. 

The main attraction was the Catalyst 12C loudspeaker in Black Maple finish. Capable of a 19-20,000 Hz +/-3 dB range, with 10 Hz in room possible, the Master of the Deep needed none of his famous subwoofers on stage for this 2 channel system. Supported by the new MiniDSP DDRC-22DA w/UMIK-1 microphone and Dirac Live room correction software, the sound was dialed in to a "T".

Heavyweight sound that packed the punch of a champion, I watched a guy jump right out of his chair when one demo song started to play! Mark gave a quick on/off comparison of Dirac Live. I noticed that when on, the room seemed to disappear and I was transported to a much larger space. Reverb and hall sound really came through. A convincing example of the control that the DDRC-22DA gives the user over the listening room.














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*Wayne's Comments*

I have learned to never miss an opportunity to hear Mark's room at a show like this. It always ends up being a special experience in some unexpected way.

A pair of Catalyst 12C powered (2000 w per enclosure) full-range loudspeakers were set up two-channel style. Mark had chosen miniDSP with Dirac Live room correction to support the configuration.

I am neither proponent nor antagonist when it comes to speaker equalization or room correction. When it is done well, involving the right technology and implementation approach, the result can be completely invisible, as I witnessed in three different rooms at RMAF. In other words, the result was so natural that there was no sonic evidence of EQ or room correction taking place, except, of course, that the speakers in question sounded truer and more accurate.

I jotted in my notebook that the soundstage was GREAT (with double under-line), a break-down-the-walls soundstage with super-tight image clarity. And what gave me a special thrill in this case was the dynamic nature of the sound. Every note stood out with an impact of its own. Every sound in the sound field was being presented by way of special delivery. This does not happen by accident.

Mark talked about the Dirac Live mic setup pattern that he used, and it was clear that a thoughtful approach had been employed. I have seen him at work and he knows how to make speaker and room work together. The room earned one of my four *Wow!* Awards, and my single *Most Dynamic Speaker* award for the show.


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

The TigerFox Sound System is a room within a room, it's intent is to allow the speaker to perform it's best by providing an ideal acoustical environment, while reducing sound outside of the enclosure so as not to disturb others.

I found the experience bizarre, with sounds coming at me from all sides, but especially from the rear. I was told it is a great way to get surround sound out of 2 channels, and it certainly did project a surround soundfield, but not in a way that multi-channel is normally mixed. It did make the speakers "disappear", none of the sound could be perceived as coming from the two monitors used in the display.






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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

*Legacy Audio*

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*Legacy Audio V Speaker with Wavelet Processor: Price TBA*
Legacy

Legacy Audio's new model V is a technological tour de force. It comes with their new Wavelet processor, including onboard preamp, a four-way crossover with time alignment, complete speaker and room resonance correction (by Bohmer Audio), and a high-end DAC with apodizing ability (to eliminate pre-ringing). Frequency response smoothness was awesome and clarity was impeccable. My first experience with Legacy was at AXPONA back in April. Now I can not pass their room without hearing what they have to offer.

The Legacy "sound" is not at all shy about including a high end that is a little bit in your face, and by that I mean _flat._ Legacy sets the pace for giving you a high end that is so smooth and so clean that you don't mind it slapping you around a little bit. I often wonder if the trend in some circles toward a high end that gradually droops from 1 kHz on up, following some _expert's_ idea of an _ideal target curve,_ is a result of listeners trying to avoid annoying peaks and distortions in lesser-quality speakers. The Legacy V keeps it all flat and clean and perfectly timed, and it sounds just wonderful to me, as fresh as mountain spring water.

Sub and bass sections are powered with 1400 watts of internal power, and the two channels per speaker requiring user amplification are 98 dB/watt efficient, very easy to drive. Does all that DSP for basic operation bother you? Get over it. Today's top DSP technology is as high-end as anything else you can call high-end in audio, and in the Wavelet processor is just plain invisible, except for its positive effects.

The Legacy V system was supported by:

(2) CODA 15.5 Amplifiers - $10,000 ea
Ayon Audio CD-07 Player
Wireworld Cables












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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

I've been wanting to lay ears on Cabasse speakers for a while, so I ducked into the *Esoteric/Cabasse* room for that opportunity. Backed by ne plus ultra electronics, I was informed that this system debuts the Grandioso C1 linestage preamp. This was not a planned stop, so I didn't get specifics on the rest of the gear.

A little warm in the midbass, but without giving a sense of bloat. Deep and wide was the soundstage, with very good dynamics which belies the size of the point source Cabasse 3-way loudspeakers. 














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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

*Von Schweikert Audio*

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*Von Schweikert Unifield II Mk-3: $12,000 per pair*
Von Schweikert Audio

Von Schweikert Unifield II Mk-3 is a three-way compact speaker consisting of woofer and concentric mid/tweeter. The soundstage was nice, image clarity a bit soft, a pinpoint source appearing about the size of a beach ball. But then some people prefer a bigger softer image.

The concentric mid/tweeter design created a very unified upper frequency range. Overall, the frequency response had a bit of a characteristic contour, free of any annoying peaks, but definitely containing its own voicing. The Unified II Mk-3 reached into inter detail very effectively.

Von Schweikert Audio has done interesting research into sound reproduction over the years. I look forward to hearing some of their bigger speakers.


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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

*oBravo Audio*

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*oBravo Audio HAMT-1 Headphone: $2,000 each*
*oBravo Audio HAMT-2 Headphone: $1,500 each*
*oBravo Audio HAMT-3 Headphone: $1,000 each*
oBravo Audio

The oBravo Audio headphones combined a neodymium dynamic driver with an Air Motion Tweeter (AMT), a true two-way headphone design. I am a real AMT tweeter fan, and the clarity and smoothness characteristic of an AMT was in evidence in all three models. All the things that are hard about the upper-mid and high-frequency response in headphones, the HAMT series seemed to get right.

Moving successively from the HAMT-3 to the -2 and then -1, it was clear that the tonality was more controlled and refined at each step. Craftsmanship was incredible, it made me think of riding in a Rolls Royce (I never have) with hand-stitched leather and polished fine wood everywhere. They are truly beautiful headphones.


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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

*Nola Speakers*

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*Nola Studio Grand Reference Gold Speaker: $19,800 per pair*
Nola Speakers

The Nola Studio Grand Reference Gold, was rocking to Rush's Tom Sawyer as I walked into the room. They projected a very open, transparent sound worthy of being called a reference speaker.


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

The *Tyler Acoustics* Taylo Dream Console! Lots of fun for a den or patio.






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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

I ducked into the *Home Audio Sound LLC* room to listen to Harman's best. The Everest gave good account of it's self. Never harsh, but I did not get to hear it LOUD like I would have liked, and there was conversation going on in the room, so I had to move on. I sure would like a pair of those Mark Levinson amps.














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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

The *Listen Up/GoldenEar* room had it going on, showcasing this latest creation from the mind of Sandy Gross, the Triton One.

I've heard almost all of the GoldenEar speakers at a local hifi hut, and find it amazing they can bring all of these different drivers together to sound as one. I've played the trumpet (and most of the other brass horns, too, when I was younger) and Hugh Masekela: "The Coal Train" played through the Triton One portrayed that instrument as real as any other speaker I have heard. No added warmth, not cold, nor sterile, the Triton One just tells the truth.

Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio: "Misty" was a piece that really brought out the best of this system's capabilities. During the solo upright bass intro, you could hear the fingers on the strings well enough to almost envision fingers plucking away. Piano (an instrument my mother insisted I take lessons on), probably the most difficult of all instruments to reproduce, was almost perfect. Again as good as anything I've ever laid ears on. 

While this was a music only system, I have no doubt the dynamic Triton One would be very comfortable in a home theater system as well. Definitely one of my favorite exhibits of the show. 






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*Wayne's Comments*

I have heard so much about GoldenEar in the laast year that I had visiting their room as top priority on my RMAF _Gotta Get There_ list. The pair of Triton 1 speakers was set up along with carefully-placed absorptive panels in the room, and company president Sandy Gross was on hand to answer questions.

Wow! I wrote the word 3 times in my notes. The soundstage was simply gargantuan, with image clarity as sharp and precise as any at the show. The disappearing act performed by the Triton 1 was so complete that you could be blindfolded and never never guess their location sonically. I noted more than once how effective the room treatment was to help accomplish this.

_Attention to detail,_ everything about room and speakers said it. And the tweeters? Throughout the show I was listening for and to tweeters. It was as though the Triton 1 speakers had none, and the treble frequencies were conjured into the air by some other means. The high-velocity folded-motion tweeter was exceptionally transparent.

Getting ready to spend $5,000 on a pair of speakers? If you buy something else, be sure you avoid any and all contact with a Triton 1 afterward, or you will probably just cry.

I was able to listen to a number of my test tracks, and for most of them simply wrote the word [/i]perfect.[/i] That is how good everything sounded through the Triton 1.


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

If you attended the 2014 RMAF and did not stop by the *Vapor Audio/Antipodes/Allnic Audio/Verastarr/Running Springs/GIK Acoustic* exhibit, then you missed a big part of what these shows are about. Those that did not attended RMAF, this is one big reason why you would want to!

The system, anchored solidly by Vapor Audio Joule Black loudspeakers, gave one of the best performances of the show, as has become the norm for exhibits from this manufacturer.

Random tracks of music were played, the Antipodes DX media server controlled by Vapor owner Ryan Scott's mobile phone, with the signal passed to the Allnic D5000 DHT DAC and Allnic T2000 integrated amp. Verastarr cabling tethered the juice while the Running Springs Dimitri Power Conditioner kept tabs on the electrical power. The cumulative effect was balanced and ultra smooth, with correctly sized images playing on a life sized stage. A simple description of the sound, with all the attributes that a great sound system should deliver, yes? But it is the trademark Vapor Audio all-day-long listening smoothness that tends to keep one planted in their seat, putting off chores and sleep, that differentiates their loudspeakers from the crowd. 

The Joule's RAAL 140-15D Amorphous Core ribbons and 7" custom Audio Technology midranges are kept within their comfort zones by a single cap and coil. The Audio Technology 10C77 loaded into 10:1 Tapering Transmission line bass cabinets can be tuned to individual rooms by the addition of newly introduced room compensation networks. Insisting that looks match the sound, Vapor Audio refuses to make an ugly speaker. Absolutely gorgeous cabinets, with bomb shelter solid stacked ply construction and proprietary damping treatment, ensuring the enclosures add no sound of their own.

Displayed to the side of the room were the new Tuonare. Striking design with Vapor Audio DNA, this is their first loudspeaker for retail dealerships. 







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*Wayne's Comments*

I gave the Vapor Audio Joule speakers a thorough workout. This was done partly because it was clear that they would stand up to the scrutiny. I have yet to find an area of disappointment worth mentioning in any of the Vapor Audio speakers I have listened to in the last year at three audio shows and in Dennis’s living room.

Broken Bells, _Perfect World,_ the Joule speakers had a very smooth high end. Imaging was very good and the focused kick drum was very punchy.
A Nickel Creek track was presented with a very large soundstage and all the acoustical instruments had a physical presence in the room, as did Mindy's Smith’s voice on _I Know the Reason._ Male and female vocals were especially enjoyable.
The bells and cymbals on Todd Rundgren’s _Compassion_ were very precise and revealed how cleanly and effortlessly the RAAL tweeters extended to well beyond the range of hearing. Tonality overall was very accurate, very even, with a high end perhaps _minutely_ more forward than I was expecting, but not off-putting in the least. The Tower of Power brass section absolutely sizzled on _Fanfare/You Know It,_ and the baritone sax sounded cooler than in person. 
Atoms for Peace, _Before Your Very Eyes,_ the bass was tight, tight. Definition and clarity were excellent.
On Todd Rundgren’s _Pulse,_ the sampled xylophone was punchy and accurate.

Although I have preferred some Vapor Audio speakers over others for the subtlest of reasons, I have never met a Vapor Audio speaker I would not be delighted to own and show off in my listening room. The Joules would be welcome there indeed.


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

I popped in to room 1100 for a quick listen to the latest from Duke LeJeune. The AudioKinesis Zephrin 46 uses the Late Ceiling Splash configuration developed by James Romyen. The Zephrin 46 is a smaller, one piece version of the Dream Maker LCS.







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*Wayne's Comments*

The AudioKinesis room was the first I visited on Saturday, the second day of the show. The Zephriin 46, an MTM design, immediately grabbed my attention because of the very wide, very deep, very natural soundstage it was producing. Like another pair of speakers I reviewed recently, the Zephrin 46 has a set of rear drivers for the purpose of projecting soundstage reflections off the front wall of the room.

The result was a thoroughly enaging soundstage with fairly tight imaging. I heard wider soundstages at RMAF, but the depth and fullness of that from the Zephrin 46 was in a class of its own. Clarity was excellent, The horn-loaded tweeter produced no horn-like sound whatsoever. Lows, mids, and highs all worked together as a single sonic entity, I love the way a good MTM design can accomplish that.

It was easy to tell that the Zephrin 46 had been set up with care. A piano track allowed them to show off each note individually in a very tactile manner. A snare drum had a big, focused punch on each strike.


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

"Truly holographic, best bass I've ever heard, I want these speakers". That is how my notes start off for the *Emerald Physics/Underwood Hifi/Wyred 4 Sound/DSPeaker* room.

The system featured the Emerald Physics EP4.3 open baffle loudspeakers, run by two Wyred 4 Sound EP100.2SE amplifiers, and fed by the MS-1 Server and DAC-2DSD SE. Low end was massaged gently by the DSPeaker Anti-Mode 2.0 Dual Core room correction/preamp. I was shown the before and after room measurement graphs, gently is the correct term here. Very little help was needed, the room response was fantastic to begin with. Unusual for Emerald Physics was the Special Edition passive crossover used in place of the typical active crossover/bi-amp configuration.

Cycling through Daft Punk, The Eagles, James Taylor, Diana Krall, and Alison Krauss, it became clear that this system does all genres well.

Although completely balanced from top to bottom, tonality is nothing special. Not the sweetest highs, no "magical" bloom in the midrange, no pounding subterranean bass. What was special is how lifelike the music was presented to me. 

Imaging was spooky real with the best soundstage layering I've ever experienced. Air between performers gave an excellent sense of left and right, front and back. The realism of a performance taking place in actual Euclidean space recreated so well, it gave a sense of being there, or "there" being brought to me!

Complete system price, minus server and DAC source, is only $6795, and certainly the best bang for buck I've ever experienced. One of my favorite rooms of the show.














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*Wayne's Comments*

The Emerald Physics EP2.7 gave us an excellent imaging and soundstage performance. The soundstage extended far wider than the speaker spacing, and was completely natural. Imaging was very sharp and focused, and completely stable.

The EP2.7 drivers include two large woofers, and a concentric mid/tweeter driver on top. Getting dipoles to behave and deliver solid imaging is not always easy, and subtle design or setup issues can be at fault. No such problems were in evidence with the EP2.7. Imaging was solid and sharp with no transient hick-ups on odd tones. The EP2.7 were among a handful of the speakers at RMAF that delivered the music by way of a sound field as natural as… well, as Mother Nature herself, all with superb clarity and tonality.


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

Jeff Merkel of *Merkel Acoustic Research and Design* is a Home Theater Shack member, and used Room EQ Wizard to dial in his exhibit for the show.

While the DIY speakers did a great job showing off Merkel's experience, the exhibit was mostly about the room, or rather, how to get the best out of a room. Jeff teaches physics and acoustics at the University of Colorado, and does consulting and seminars related to room acoustics.

I came in just as Room EQ Wizard was getting fired up! 






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Here is a video of Jeff explaining room measurement and the benefits of REW.


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

I poked my head in at last year's 2013 RMAF, but the room was packed and I was unable to get more than a few feet inside the door! I made a mental note to stop by this year. The *Volti Audio/BorderPatrol Audio Electronics* exhibit was talked about all over the Denver Marriot Tech Center and considered by most every attendee a "must stop by" room.

The Volti Audio Vittora is a two piece speaker system with external crossover, the top horn handling everything from 400 Hz on up, and the folded horn bass bin providing the foundation from 400Hz down to 50-60Hz, depending on the room. The optional matching sub fills in the bottom octaves. Signal control and amplification were provided by the BorderPatrol Control Unit EXT1 line stage and the 20wpc S20 EXS amplifier. Source was a custom CD turntable and DAC, and if I recall corrwectly, there is no brick wall filtering or oversampling on the DAC.

Greg Roberts asked what kind of music I like to listen to as he queued up Steely Dan "The Things I Miss the Most", which was fine with me. Donald Fagan's voice starts off raspy, working it's way into Fagan's trademark nasality, mid song. The 104 dB sensitivity Volti Vittora loudspeakers allowed small details such as this to shine through. I had to ask if the matching subwoofer was on, the disappearing act was so complete I was unable to locate it's position in the room by ear.

Ellis Marsalis "Have You Met Miss Jones" was wonderfully reproduced, the piano sounding very realistic as it filled the room. The soundstage wasn't huge, as the room was small and seating was against a wall, but images popped up in life size, simulating performers on a crowded stage, appropriate for the small room that we were in. I would LOVE to hear this system in a larger room.














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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

TIDAL has been generating a lot of buzz, lately, and I had the opportunity to get an early taste. 

Listening through the Electrocompaniet electronics and Nordic Tone Model 11 loudspeakers, I was treated to high quality audio/visual streaming that makes me consider getting this service at home. $20/month gets you over 25,000,000 audio tracks and 75,000+ music videos that are just a click away. 

The Nordic Tone Model 1 uses Scan Speak and SEAS drivers, housed in a sand cast aluminum cabinet. Over $1 million (U.S.) in R&D assistance from the Norwegian government helped bring this loudspeaker about. The sound was quite enveloping, I looked around for surrounds, but there were none.







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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

I ducked into Room 577 for a gander of the Triangle Art turntables.







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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

Room 550 was a REAL treat. I got the opportunity to sit in Paul McGowan's chair, the sweet spot right next to Arnie Nudell, and listen to their PS Audio/Infinity gear. The Infinity Beta IRS were Arnie's last creation for Harman/Infinity. 

Wow, I would love to have a pair of these loudspeakers. A top 3 2014 RMAF room, to my ears. 








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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

In Room 9026, I got my first look at the beautiful Dan D'Agostino amplifiers.















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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

The Blanca Peak room had an insanely (for the majority of us) over the top setup. The Focal Grande Utopia EM loudspeakers alone are $195,000.














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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

Right next door was ANOTHER Focal Grande Utopia EM setup from VAC. I have to say that I preferred this system to the other one. Room difference? Gear? Analog source vs. digital? I don't know why for certain, but the Focal tweeter, which I've always found a bit "hot" for my liking, was tamed down considerably in the Maroon Peak Room. 















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