Chris Martens' Best of RMAF 2009
Best Sound: Hands down, the Vandersteen 7/ARC system. Other honorable mentions include systems from: Nola /ARC, Avalon/VTL, Nordic Tone/Electrocompaniet, Eficion/Exemplar/Berning, Von Schweikert/Moscode, and Wilson-Benesch/deHavilland.
Greatest Bargain (s): A two-way tie: Salk’s Songtower QWT (quarter-wave transmission line) speaker ($1695-$2495/pair) and Focal’s 30th Anniversary 826W loudspeaker ($3494/pair): both play waaay above their pay grades.
Most Significant Product Introduction: Showing the way of the future, the Legend Tikandi loudspeaker features an all-digital DEQX crossover/DSP box providing preamp, crossover, driver correction, and room/speaker EQ/voicing control functions.
Greatest Technological Breakthrough: Naim’s radical BMR driver from the S-600 Ovator loudspeaker leverages NXT technology (?!?), offering speed, coherency and balanced dispersion from the lower midrange on up.
Best Demo Music: Based on listener interest in my copy of this disc—and on sheer “wow” factors, the award goes to Jen Chapin’s reVisions [Chesky, multichannel SACD].
Most Important Trend: Computer/server-based audio and the concomitant explosion of interest in outboard DACs. Almost everybody is getting in on this game and having a ball doing so.
For added entertainment value, be sure to check out the image gallery that accompanies this blog.
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Comments
At least you didn't ask me to join the Golden Ear club to read your blog, unlike that for the Magico V2 speaker.
BTW I did like the best demo music comment. Its a shame this is n;t covered more at the shows. Sometimes the demo music is the best part of an exhibit!
Marty,
I won't ask you to join either. My Magico V2 blog will be included with the "regular" blogs in a week or so. Hope you enjoy it.
Neil Gader Associate Editor The Absolute Sound
Neil,
I appreciate your reply. I would kindly ask you to approach this subject seriously at your staff meetings at TAS. I can see the attraction of the Guru Club when you are offering, say, special events to meet your editors, or at another gathering that offers something of value, or even a club that may offer retail consideration on purchases. But to read something? Frankly, I think it's offensive and my concern is that it will breed considerable backlash to your otherwise loyal readers such as myself (35+ years). Something for your management to consider, perhaps?
As far as a review of the V2, I certainly appreciate that one man's trash is another man's treasure, but I've heard the speak several times, most recently at an excellent dealership driven by a wide variety of equipment. Frankly, its not my cup of tea at all. At that price, I expect a full range speaker that has sonic weight. Why I found was a thin and somewhat bright speaker (as the Scan-Speak tweeter is typically voiced in all Magico designs) that would be, at least for me, unlistenable without a JL subwoofer to augment the low end. Frankly at that price, it is an embarrassment. One can name 10 speakers for less than half the price that run circles around it for sheer listening pleasure. I am indeed curious to learn your thoughts. But, hey, no pressure man..... :-)
Marty
Marty,
Actually I (TAS) do take your GE comments very seriously and will pass your reply up the food chain. the one area where we have a general disagreement is regarding the cost/pricing of intellectual property–in your words "to read something". The expectation for free content at all times, whether its music, video or merely blog words is b.s. That you consider this particular pricing structure, a la GE, unfair is a reasonable argument where thoughtful minds can differ. Personally I'm willing to pay a reasonable amount for content that interests me whether it's a favorite columnist,a download, a streaming movie, you name it. Tiered pricing is an old concept-the issue is where to station each tier. In this instance, your point is well-taken.
Not about the V2 however.
Neil Gader Associate Editor The Absolute Sound
Neil,
Thanks for your thoughtful reply. I understand your point about IP for content, but it's a blog for goodness sake! What's next, subscriptions for the privilege of reading someone's tweet? But your point is valid. Subscriptions for editorial content are common place. For example, I subscribe to the WSJ because if I didnt, I wouldn't be able to access all the daily editorials on the Op Ed page. It's obviously a sensitive and complex issue and one that I'm glad you will consider appropriately at TAS. As far the V2, well, I guess that's why there's vanilla, strawberry and chocolate! Seriosuly, keep up the good work. I enjoy your writing.
Marty
Marty,
For what it's worth, my Magico blog is now open to all readers.
Neil Gader Associate Editor The Absolute Sound
Sadly you missed the JBL Everest speakers in the Kimber room. They should have been best sound.
Follow-on notes:
I just added a price correction in my entry regarding the Salk SongTower QWT speakers, above.
Here's the situation. In their most basic form (satin black finish, standard driver complement) the SongTowers can be had for just $1695/pair. However, as shown at RMAF (gorgeous wood veneers, ribbon tweeters, and main driver baffle plates made of solid aluminum), the SongTowers would sell for $2495/pair. Either way, they're a great value.
--Chris Martens
Chris Martens
Editor, Avguide.com/Playback/The Perfect Vision
I was wondeing which track you used from the Jen Chapin Cd....thanks.
I'll let Chris (a bass player) speak for himself but track one "You Haven't Done Nothin' " is spectacular and I personally love the melody and sentiment of track 5 "Renewable". Just great stuff throughout.
Neil Gader Associate Editor The Absolute Sound
The longer I listen to this album, the more the whole thing grows on me. That said, the three tracks that seemed to draw the most attention at RMAF were track one, "You Haven't Done Nothin'", track two, "Master Blaster (Jammin')", and track eleven, "Big Brother."
One of the coolest aspects of track one is the amazing baritone sax work you'll hear--that, plus the sardonic, cutting edge you'll hear in Chapin's voice. And the bass performances throughout are terrific.
Chris Martens
Editor, Avguide.com/Playback/The Perfect Vision
Here's an email that I sent to Oppo Digital Service.
Dear Oppo Service,
The single-ended RCA outputs and the balanced XLR outputs are in the same relative polarity and the Pure Audio setting aud or using the remote control volume doesn't change the player's output polarity.
Best regards,
George S. Louis
Begin forwarded message:
From: "George S. Louis" <gslouis [at] gslouis [dot] com>
Date: January 25, 2012 9:30:52 PM PST
To: OPPO Service <service [at] oppodigital [dot] com>
Subject: Re: BDP95 Stereo Polarity Result - FW: Audio Polarity
Dear Oppo Service and music-loving audiophiles:
The Oppo BDP-95 would seem to be one of the approximately 8% of CD players that plays approximately 92% of CDs in polarity (absolute polarity) at its single-ended RCA jack and XLR balanced stereo outputs. So it's no wonder that the Oppo gets rave reviews from the high-end audio press and music-loving audiophiles. There are three Stereophile reviews of CD players each of which is one of the approximately 92% of CD players that play approximately 92% of CDs inverted. In each instance the reviewer compared the player under review to a CD player that's one of the approximately 8% of CD players that plays approximately 92% of CDs in polarity. In every case the reviewer reported that he thought the CD player that was used for the comparison sounded more analog like than the CD player he was reviewing. It would seem that reviewers and the music-loving audiophile community aren't preferring particular CD players as much as they're prefer hearing CDs played in absolute polarity rather than in inverted polarity. Thus hearing music in absolute polarity might just be the most important factor in determining the fidelity and musicality of an audio system or at least a CD player.
You may read more about absolute polarity at http://www.absolutepolarity.com.
Best regards,
George S. Louis, Esq., CEO
Digital Systems & Solutions
Perfect Polarity Pundit
Phone: 619-401-9876
On Jan 24, 2012, at 4:02 PM, OPPO Service wrote:
Below is an image to show the polarity test result for both L and R outputs (the audio processing parameters are kept as factory default):
<image003.jpg>
We are using the “Dolby Digital Test DVD”, which contains a special signal for polarity test. According to the user manual, a positive pulse means the polarity is correct. So based on the oscilloscope’s screen snapshot, we can claim that both the L and R outputs on BDP-95’s Stereo terminals have correct polarity.
Please be aware that if you change the polarity for XLR terminals (Setup -> Audio Processing -> XLR Terminal Polarity: Normal/Inversion), the polarity for the above Stereo Outputs is also changed, since both the RCA Stereo and the XLR Stereo are using the same DAC thus the same analog signals. Please ensure that the XLR Polarity is set appropriately.
Best Regards,
Customer Service
OPPO Digital, Inc.
2629B Terminal Blvd.
Mountain View, CA 94043
Service [at] oppodigital [dot] com
Tel: 650-961-1118
Fax: 650-961-1119