Robert Harley's "Best Of" Rocky Mountain
Best Sound
The room of The Lotus Group, featuring the new Granada loudspeaker, bewitched me with its complete sense of ease and “un-hi-fi” sound. Other great sounds included the revolutionary Vandersteen Model 7, the Focal Grande Utopia and Maestro Utopia in the Audio Unlimited room, the Electrocompaniet Nordic Tone loudspeaker, the Wilson Sasha, Joseph Audio Pearl II driven by Bel Canto electronics and front-end, and the YG Acoustics Anat Reference in the GTT room driven by Soulution electronics.
Greatest Bargain
Frank Van Alstine has been making super-affordable high-performance gear for decades, but he might have outdone himself with the UltraValve, a 30Wpc stereo all-tube amplifier for just $1695.
Most Significant Product Introduction
Although not its official introduction, the Wilson Sasha was new to me at RMAF, and I thought it represented a major leap in performance for Wilson.
Greatest Technological Breakthrough
The Behold Gentle G192 “integrated amplifier” redefines the category with its combination of innovative technologies, upgradable architecture, DSP room correction, ability to drive bi-amped speakers with its four amplifier channels and integral active crossover, PCM-to-PWM conversion, and a host of other advanced features.
Best Demo Music
Garth Leerer of Musical Surroundings put on a master class in show demonstration with his exquisite flow of CDs and LPs in the Audio Unlimited room. The Clearaudio turntable, MBL amplification, Runing Springs Audio power conditioning, Tara cable, and Focal Grande Utopia loudspeakers sounded fabulous, and Garth’s tasteful musical selections kept me glued to the listening seat.
Most Important Trend
The return of the DAC. After the proliferation of DACs in the early 1990s, the category languished. Now with new digital sources such as music servers, the world needs high-quality outboard DACs again—prepare for an avalanche.
Comments
Agreed Robert. I also liked the Nola Grand Reference room with ARC reference electronics. The Pearl II speakers were terrific. Also interesting was the Zu Essence driven by Peachtree Audio integrated. The Merlin-Cardas-Audio Aero-Joule Electra room was also terrific has it has been for past two years.
I found the sound better this year than the prior two. They put on a great show.
I was blown away by the Vandersteen 7's and the Joseph Audio Pearl as well.
I didn't get to hear the Nolas, the Avalons, and Zu and I really regret it (ran out of time).
I was also very impressed with the GR Research room - the $2500 speaker kit with the Dodd electronics sounded amazing.
Robert, I too heard the Vandersteen Model 7 & the Focal Grande Utopia and Maestro Utopia, wonderful. I visited the Ayon Audio room - they were showing the Ayon Triton amp and the Ayon CD-5 a tube dac, tube preamp, tube cd player. They were showing the Lumenwhite Artisan speakers as well and I can tell you that this was the most remarkable sound of the show. The soundstage was engaging, emotional, the speakers seemed to vanish, there was just the most engaging glorious music!
Return of the DAC? Where did it go? Most that I know have been using one for years....and with the proliferation of Music Servers (Computer Audio), there are even more choices than ever out there today, and have been for a few years--the just didn't cost THOUSANDS of dollars, so maybe you didn't notice.
TD
T
There's no need for DACs to be megabucks. Most use standard off the shelf parts.
What music did Garth Leerer play?
You include "Best Demo Music" in your summary but don't tell us anything about what the selections were. So what, for example, was used in the Audio Unlimited room? Others?
Any one hear the Orca room with Raven Bard speakers and Bakoon amplifiers I thought they was somthing very speacial about the sound in that room
Will try my best from memory - don't have all cuts, catalog #s and excuse spelling errors
Ray Brown "Soular Energy" LP re-issue
Michel Portal " Good By Pork Pie Hat" from "Minneapolis We Insist" CD #017 796-2
Gary Kerr "Adagio Albioni" King Super Analogue LP
Robert Plant/Allison Krauss "Please read this Letter" from "Raising Sand" CD
Santana 1st cut, side 1, "Abraxas" LP reissue
Rodrigo & Garbriela "Stairway to Heaven" CD (Robert Harley's)
Paul Simon "Diamonds on the Sole of Her Shoes" 12" EP from "Graceland"
Son De La Frontera "Cal" CD World Village #468069
Tracy Chapman "Baby can I Hold You" 12" EP from her 1st album
Michael Hedges "Aerial Boundaries" LP re-issue
Bill Evans "Live in Montreaux" LP re-issue
Mariza "Terra D'Agua" from "Fado em mim" CD TSQD9026
It is never a set list, just what works at the moment.
How would you compare the Van Alstine Ultravalve,to the Audio Space 3.1 (300B) Amplifier,Sonically?
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