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With another RMAF in the books, the last one at the Marriott Tech Center, the show goes out with a bang. Next year, the show is moving to a much bigger facility and much closer to the airport. The rooms this year were exceptionally good sounding (much better than the small ones at Axpona). Although traffic wasn’t as heavy as in past years, the rooms stole the show.
Without further ado, here are my best of show:
MBL 101e Mk2 with MBL Noble Electronics.
I have never been to a show where I considered it a perfect, 10/10 room, until now. I returned to this room four separate times and could not find fault in anything. Bass was 10/10, top end was 10/10, imaging was 12/10, musicality was 10/10, etc. What did I learn from this room? The new WireWorld Electra (all copper) cables are a much better matching in my opinion than the all silver cables they’ve used in the past and I need to step up my game! Up until now, I felt the MBL’s in my room had surpassed any of the times I heard the 101’s at the show. Not any more. I have some work to do! As I said, this to me, was perfection.
Magico M3’s with MSB Select II
A first for this pairing at a show and boy, was it a good one. The musicality in this room was a hot as the room was itself. Those Class A amps from MSB sure do throw off some heat! That aside, this room oozed musicality and natural sound. There was nothing aggressive or forward at all. This was a system you could listen to all day (with a little more AC!). An awesome pairing I hope we see a lot more of. This is the pairing in my store and I know it’s a good one!
Verity Audio Monsalvat with Verity Audio Electronics
What’s not to like (other than perhaps the price)? This system was an all out assault on reproducing music. It was engaging, never fatiguing, perfectly balanced. This was one of those systems that you will remember for a very long time - and definitely one that forms a reference in ones mind.
Gryphon Panthon with Gryphon Antilleon Evo and new Gryphon Zena Preamp
Three times I went into this room, they were playing R2R. These were Master tapes from a Russian company I believe. The system produced a rich, liquid sound which seemed to extend far beyond the outside of the speakers. It was three dimensional and had such attack and dynamics. This was a complete Gryphon system that would could pack up, take home and live happily ever after.
Avantgarde Uno Fino XD
I have long wanted a horn speaker that would work in a smaller room (like 10 x 11). Avantgarde has answered my wishes with the Uno Fino XD. Not requiring a long throw (maybe 4 feet), these speakers with their new porting system sounded excellent and the drivers blended seamlessly. The Phasemation 300b tube amps rounded out the complete picture of what these amazing speakers are capable of.
Alsyvox with Audio Concepts Electronics
Where’s the subs I asked? There are no subs the designer responded. For those looking for the perfect electrostatic speaker, this is it. This speaker had no flaws - at all. Relatively efficient, dynamic, completely disappearing and at a level far beyond what I heard with Maggie 30.7’s. Sadly, the price is also far beyond the Maggie 30.7’s at about $87,000/pair.
Harbeth 40.2 with Vinnie Rossi LIO electronics
This was one of those rooms you could sit and listen all day and never get fatigued. Vinnie had them dialed in and his new DHT Preamp sounded terrific. You also won’t meet a friendlier bunch than these guys!
DynAudio Confidence 20’s
These new standmounts from DynAudio played HUGE! Musically engaging and refreshing to see a soft dome tweeter once again. The fit and finish was superb. Rumored to be pricing around $12-15K depending on finish.
Honorable Mention:
VAC with Von Schweikert speakers — This room sounded great, but was hard for me to properly assess. It was always packed! I guess that’s a good sign. The new VAC integrated certainly makes a statement.
Sonus Faber Aida 2.0 with Audio Research - I went to this room three times and they were always playing crummy music. Like, really bad music. Again, I love this pairing, so very hard to assess the three times I was there. I heard from others who caught the room when it was playing good music, that it sounded great.
The new little Sonus Faber Speakers (I forget the name).
Tidal speakers with Bracasti electronics (or Tidal electronics in the other room).
These sounded awesome with or without the sub!
Without further ado, here are my best of show:
MBL 101e Mk2 with MBL Noble Electronics.
I have never been to a show where I considered it a perfect, 10/10 room, until now. I returned to this room four separate times and could not find fault in anything. Bass was 10/10, top end was 10/10, imaging was 12/10, musicality was 10/10, etc. What did I learn from this room? The new WireWorld Electra (all copper) cables are a much better matching in my opinion than the all silver cables they’ve used in the past and I need to step up my game! Up until now, I felt the MBL’s in my room had surpassed any of the times I heard the 101’s at the show. Not any more. I have some work to do! As I said, this to me, was perfection.
Magico M3’s with MSB Select II
A first for this pairing at a show and boy, was it a good one. The musicality in this room was a hot as the room was itself. Those Class A amps from MSB sure do throw off some heat! That aside, this room oozed musicality and natural sound. There was nothing aggressive or forward at all. This was a system you could listen to all day (with a little more AC!). An awesome pairing I hope we see a lot more of. This is the pairing in my store and I know it’s a good one!
Verity Audio Monsalvat with Verity Audio Electronics
What’s not to like (other than perhaps the price)? This system was an all out assault on reproducing music. It was engaging, never fatiguing, perfectly balanced. This was one of those systems that you will remember for a very long time - and definitely one that forms a reference in ones mind.
Gryphon Panthon with Gryphon Antilleon Evo and new Gryphon Zena Preamp
Three times I went into this room, they were playing R2R. These were Master tapes from a Russian company I believe. The system produced a rich, liquid sound which seemed to extend far beyond the outside of the speakers. It was three dimensional and had such attack and dynamics. This was a complete Gryphon system that would could pack up, take home and live happily ever after.
Avantgarde Uno Fino XD
I have long wanted a horn speaker that would work in a smaller room (like 10 x 11). Avantgarde has answered my wishes with the Uno Fino XD. Not requiring a long throw (maybe 4 feet), these speakers with their new porting system sounded excellent and the drivers blended seamlessly. The Phasemation 300b tube amps rounded out the complete picture of what these amazing speakers are capable of.
Alsyvox with Audio Concepts Electronics
Where’s the subs I asked? There are no subs the designer responded. For those looking for the perfect electrostatic speaker, this is it. This speaker had no flaws - at all. Relatively efficient, dynamic, completely disappearing and at a level far beyond what I heard with Maggie 30.7’s. Sadly, the price is also far beyond the Maggie 30.7’s at about $87,000/pair.
Harbeth 40.2 with Vinnie Rossi LIO electronics
This was one of those rooms you could sit and listen all day and never get fatigued. Vinnie had them dialed in and his new DHT Preamp sounded terrific. You also won’t meet a friendlier bunch than these guys!
DynAudio Confidence 20’s
These new standmounts from DynAudio played HUGE! Musically engaging and refreshing to see a soft dome tweeter once again. The fit and finish was superb. Rumored to be pricing around $12-15K depending on finish.
Honorable Mention:
VAC with Von Schweikert speakers — This room sounded great, but was hard for me to properly assess. It was always packed! I guess that’s a good sign. The new VAC integrated certainly makes a statement.
Sonus Faber Aida 2.0 with Audio Research - I went to this room three times and they were always playing crummy music. Like, really bad music. Again, I love this pairing, so very hard to assess the three times I was there. I heard from others who caught the room when it was playing good music, that it sounded great.
The new little Sonus Faber Speakers (I forget the name).
Tidal speakers with Bracasti electronics (or Tidal electronics in the other room).
These sounded awesome with or without the sub!
