Official 2015 RMAF Picture & Comment Thread - Day 2 ...

Re: Official 2015 RMAF Picture & Comment Thread - Day 2 ...

Mike said:
Why it's important to come back to rooms multiple times. The Kii folks removed a CD transport and DAC and went right from the laptop to the Kii speakers and the difference was not subtle. Sitting listening to Ella Fitzgerald. Her voice is sweet and the stand-up bass is realistic. Cymbals sound real.

And I might add...no use of room treatments either to get this great sound.

The Kii also has adjustability for location in the room. The wonders of digital tech. We couldn't have done this as well in the analog domain.
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Thanks, Mike, for this and the other photos.

What made you go back for a second listen?

Seems like the reception to Kii Three at RMAF is not as positive as at their European debut. For example, Gydotron in Belgium claims to have sold 7 pairs at the launch. Hotel rooms vs conventional demo rooms, perhaps? The European demos used a laptop as a source though, using a camouflaged Grimm controller.

Given their improved potential, how would you rank the Kii Three vs the Zero 1 XD series, or would it be too premature?
 
Flying home this morning. It was a great show! Great meeting all of you sharks out there this week. We got a great bunch of guys, both on the forum and in person!



Some pics of my favorite rooms, not in any particular order:

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DSC02301.JPGDSC02302.JPGDSC02303.JPGDSC02314.JPGDSC02213.JPGDSC02283.JPGDSC02188.JPGDSC02191.JPG
 
Re: Official 2015 RMAF Picture & Comment Thread - Day 2 ...

Mike said:
View attachment 13120

Why it's important to come back to rooms multiple times. The Kii folks removed a CD transport and DAC and went right from the laptop to the Kii speakers and the difference was not subtle. Sitting listening to Ella Fitzgerald. Her voice is sweet and the stand-up bass is realistic. Cymbals sound real.

And I might add...no use of room treatments either to get this great sound.

The Kii also has adjustability for location in the room. The wonders of digital tech. We couldn't have done this as well in the analog domain.

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Click to expand...
How interesting! My pal who got the Goldmund Prologos Mk2 said the improvement from going from a wired digital preamp to a laptop with a dongle was massive! Somehow, wireless blows away wired for these kind of setups.
 
Jack said:
Srajen seems to be taken by the sound of the Apertura speakers. There are reviews for several models at 6 Moons. Their designer worked with both Focal and Goldmund. The cabinet design seems well thought out. Also Mike do the Holograms introduced here and in California seem to be basically the same as the M1 and M2 with just wood frames instead of the more expensive metal framed models sold though dealers? I have been tempted to try the M3 at $1495 as they would be a good match for my MR amp.
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StereoTimes loved them when they were called Tanagra….The Standmounts got a gushing review. Vive La France.
 
A very nice weekend. It was great to meet the Sharks attending the fest. Going to attend the show part of the day then heading home this afternoon.

I will ill list my favs and not so good rooms later today.
 
My blue ribbon for best of show goes to... Soulution. Their amplifiers drove the Magico S7s at the Hyatt, and did an equally astonishing job with the Focals (on the mezzanine at the Marriott). In each case the speaker was effortless commanded with fast and (for me) unprecedented dynamics. Each room took me to a "virtual reality" level of sound experience that I don't get with my mini-monitors powered by my tube amp.

In fact, the Soulutions were so conspicuous that the sound from the Focals was comparable to that of the Magicos. The Magicos were decidedly better in every respect. But the sound quality and music experience were of the same type. I've never heard anything like it. I'm told that the way the Soulutions use negative feedback is the trick, and that it is a very complicated and expensive trick to pull off.

One caveat that I shared with a fellow Shark at the show: The Soulutions' look like my grandparents' window-unit air conditioner, circa 1982.
 
I know folks often have other priorities, but my experience with audio shows is that if you skip the last day or don't spend much time listening that day you are often missing some of the best sound and the best experiences of the show (in large part because the crowds are gone and the systems and rooms are finally tuned "right").
 
Re: Official 2015 RMAF Picture & Comment Thread - Day 2 ...

wisnon said:
How interesting! My pal who got the Goldmund Prologos Mk2 said the improvement from going from a wired digital preamp to a laptop with a dongle was massive! Somehow, wireless blows away wired for these kind of setups.
Click to expand...

In this instance, I suspect that part of the improvement could have been due to the fact that, when they stopped using the CDP + DAC source, the additional DA + AD stages were eliminated too since all analog inputs are digitised.

Afaik, the Kii Three does not have the WISA input enabled yet since the WISA controller is not due till next year.
 
rbbert said:
I know folks often have other priorities, but my experience with audio shows is that if you skip the last day or don't spend much time listening that day you are often missing some of the best sound and the best experiences of the show (in large part because the crowds are gone and the systems and rooms are finally tuned "right").
Click to expand...

Agreed! Another full day for me here today. Lots of rooms to go back to and hear for the second or third time.
 
BayStBroker said:
My blue ribbon for best of show goes to... Soulution. Their amplifiers drove the Magico S7s at the Hyatt, and did an equally astonishing job with the Focals (on the mezzanine at the Marriott). In each case the speaker was effortless commanded with fast and (for me) unprecedented dynamics. Each room took me to a "virtual reality" level of sound experience that I don't get with my mini-monitors powered by my tube amp.

In fact, the Soulutions were so conspicuous that the sound from the Focals was comparable to that of the Magicos. The Magicos were decidedly better in every respect. But the sound quality and music experience were of the same type. I've never heard anything like it. I'm told that the way the Soulutions use negative feedback is the trick, and that it is a very complicated and expensive trick to pull off.

One caveat that I shared with a fellow Shark at the show: The Soulutions' look like my grandparents' window-unit air conditioner, circa 1982.
Click to expand...

Mark, it was great meeting you there this weekend and sharing some great rooms together! Soulution is great gear for sure!
 
Clockwise from closest front left - Dr. John Chait (Doctor by day, Speaker designer by night), Bart Andeer (owner of Resolution Acoustics), Mark Jones (owner of Audio by Mark Jones in Toronto Canada), Allen (SOCFAN12), Tom (MtnHam) and in the back left corner, Mike (RITMO).

Now starting from the back right, Mark (MDP), Mike (Me! Owner of Audioshark and Suncoast Audio), Jock (The Professor), Andy Miles (friend/client of mine), Edward (friend/client of mine), Brent (my good friend and Chief Engineer with VAC Industries).
 
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