Rocky Mountain Audio Fest 2016 – Day 1

Rocky Mountain Audio Fest 2016 – Day 1 Coverage

Nice set up mark levinson!

VTL TL-2.5i preamplifier

Raven Audio Golden Eagle Who wants a review of this?

Raven Audio tubes,tubes, tubes!

CanJam room

Hsu Research has speakers!

These are a pair of ZU Audio Experience speakers powered by a Peachtree Nova 300 integrated amp/DAC. The Nova features a ESS 9018K2M Sabre DAC, and ICEPower amplification rated at 300 watts into 8ohms and 450 watts into 4 ohms. The Nova 300 retails for $2299.00 The whole setup sounded very appealing.

Some lovely sounds were emanating from these Harbeth model 40.2 loudspeakers. They are a three-way vented design with a claimed response down to 35Hz and look very much like an old-school studio monitor. Powered by VAC electronics and a monumental Ascona Mk2 turntable, the resultant sound quality could be described as effortless.

I always enjoy checking in with Dr. Mark Waldrep of AIX Records. He is a tireless proponent of true high definition audio along with definable and concrete standards of what that means, both in the recording and playback chain. He freely admits to ruffling a few feathers in the audio establishment but the quality of his recordings speak for themselves and I use them regularly when reviewing a piece of audio equipment.

I’m also looking forward to Mark’s upcoming new book: “Music and Audio: A User Guide to Better Sound.”

Legacy Audio always has a fun room at RMAF and this year they had partnered with Raven audio to supply scads of tube power for their various speaker setups. The combination proved most harmonious!

Legacy Audio founder, Bill Dudleston and Bernt Bohmer from Bohmer Audio pose with the Legacy Wavelet preamp/processor/crossover. Both gentlemen collaborated in the design of the Wavelet which features Bohmer’s own room correction system. I have a Wavelet in for review and will be posting my experience with it in the near future.

Legacy Audio was also previewing their new Calibre compact speaker. It features a 4″ Air Motion Tweeter, a 7.5″ midrange driver and a top firing 8″ high excursion woofer. The woofer’s response is coupled with 2 side firing 8″ passive radiators. Powered by Raven tube amplification and controlled with Legacy’s Wavelet preamp/processor, the sound was big, detailed and dynamic, with plenty of bass punch. It was a big room and the Calibre’s sound filled it impressively. MSRP is $5500.00 per pair.

Paid a visit to HiFiMAN and spoke with Dr. Fang Bian about the new Shangri-La electrostatic headphones and amplifier.

Dr. Bian also showed us two new pocket-able digital players, the Super-Mini and the Mega-Mini.

Dropped by the HSU Research room and had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Poh Ser Hsu. He kindly walked us through the introduction of their new coaxial speaker, the CCB-8. He also touched on two updated subwoofer models.

While visiting the OPPO room, Christopher Vick talks to us about the new HA-2SE portable DAC/Headphone amplifier.

Christopher also took some time to show us OPPO’s new Sonica streaming network DAC.

Stopped by the Auralic room were I was introduced to their new Polaris Wireless Streaming Amplifier. It seems like a veritable Swiss Army knife for audio!

Another video with Auralic showing off the guts of the Polaris Wireless Streaming Amplifier.

Kicking off RMAF by talking with Greg Stidsen about some of the new products from NAD. Pictures will follow later on.

Greg Stidsen from NAD Part 2

Got tubes if you want em at Raven Audio!

Let the Madness begin….