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The Commercial Zone => Audio Shows and Events => Rocky Mountain Audio Fest => Topic started by: DaveC113 on 13 Oct 2014, 01:08 am

Title: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: DaveC113 on 13 Oct 2014, 01:08 am
This years RMAF ran smoothly and while it was smaller than last year it's still HUGE. There were tons of great systems on display. The show wasn't quite as grand as last year as the huge, high dollar mega-systems were absent or toned-down but it was still a lot of fun and well worth spending a few days.

I made a test track with 30 second to 1 minute clips of 7 different tracks from Rodrigo Y Gabriella, Hiromi, Thievery Corp, Bonobo, Beats Antique, Infected Mushroom and Billy Joel.

I started with Vapor, and also checked back in on Sunday as well. The setup sounded great with the Antipodes Music Server, Allnic amps and Verastarr cables driving the Vapor Joule Black speakers, which were stunning... the RAAL matched the midrange driver more seamlessly vs the Joule Whites and sounded more cohesive and musical. I think the Black version is overall a better speaker. The bass was just great. Last year was good but this year was a grand slam. They also get special mention for being one of the best values at the show, for under $15k you're getting a top-tier speaker, they could have charged $50k no problem. They handle every genre of music very well and can play loud.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/01-RMAF2014001_zps65a4ba49.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/01-RMAF2014001_zps65a4ba49.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/02-RMAF2014002_zpsf54f8296.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/02-RMAF2014002_zpsf54f8296.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/03-RMAF2014003_zps68f87ce3.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/03-RMAF2014003_zps68f87ce3.jpg.html)


Next up, Legacy. I'm not sure what happened but the bass was really muddy, to the point it made it hard to judge what was going on. They sounded like HUGE speakers, which they are... I've heard Legacy sounding pretty good before and I probably should have checked back but did not.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/05-RMAF2014007_zps146d28da.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/05-RMAF2014007_zps146d28da.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/04-RMAF2014006_zps0a6b142f.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/04-RMAF2014006_zps0a6b142f.jpg.html)


Focal with VAC gear... Awesome, definitely a candidate for best in show. I know some people think they're too hot but I think they are close to perfect.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/06-RMAF2014019_zps86af0613.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/06-RMAF2014019_zps86af0613.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/1-RMAF2014017_zps00821bc6.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/1-RMAF2014017_zps00821bc6.jpg.html)

Zu, they were spinning Vinyl and playing it loud. The speakers sounded really good, they have become more refined over the years.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/07-RMAF2014020_zps2518d2ae.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/07-RMAF2014020_zps2518d2ae.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/08-RMAF2014021_zpsb9364381.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/08-RMAF2014021_zpsb9364381.jpg.html)

Synergistic put on a very interesting demo of a tuning device that changes your perception of sound without actually effecting the sound in the room. It accomplishes this by broadcasting RF in different ways. You can choose different "scenes" on a tablet app, which changes spacial perception of the sound and probably other aspects, but soundstaging and spacial perception were the things I noticed. It's the black tower in the very center of the pic. I honestly have no idea how most of Synergistic stuff works and I'd bet it's beyond 99.99% of us. this makes it's easy to dismiss it... until you actually try it, because it works.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/10-RMAF2014028_zps92cf2d39.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/10-RMAF2014028_zps92cf2d39.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/09-RMAF2014025_zps5ff44ee7.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/09-RMAF2014025_zps5ff44ee7.jpg.html) 
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: DaveC113 on 13 Oct 2014, 01:37 am
Polymer, they sounded great...

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/11-RMAF2014032_zps92e0227e.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/11-RMAF2014032_zps92e0227e.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/12-RMAF2014034_zps242e3dcb.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/12-RMAF2014034_zps242e3dcb.jpg.html)

Deadalus sounded really good this year and the cabinet work was amazing as always. The hardwood cabinets contribute a bit of a feel to the music... It's hard to explain but it sounds good and works as well vs a super-damped cabinet, just a bit of a different presentation. These are big, efficient and very dynamic speakers that are a lot of fun to listen to.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/13-RMAF2014036_zps54ad028b.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/13-RMAF2014036_zps54ad028b.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/14-RMAF2014037_zps76a6ac00.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/14-RMAF2014037_zps76a6ac00.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/15-RMAF2014040_zps1477bcef.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/15-RMAF2014040_zps1477bcef.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/16-RMAF2014042_zps1204d35b.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/16-RMAF2014042_zps1204d35b.jpg.html)




To Be Continued...



Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: DaveC113 on 13 Oct 2014, 05:11 pm
Acoustic Zen, what a nice name.  :green:  Nice speakers, too, the tweeter was a bit on the hot side for my personal tastes but I really enjoyed this system. The big Triode 845 amps are impressive too. It also has a super clean and detailed sound without any edge or harshness that is an attribute of UPOCC silver wiring, which was great... but it does nothing to smooth anything out which made the hot tweeter a bit more noticeable. Overall a very enjoyable system.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/01-RMAF2014043_zps1e04c34c.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/01-RMAF2014043_zps1e04c34c.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/02-RMAF2014044_zpsd377636e.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/02-RMAF2014044_zpsd377636e.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/03-RMAF2014045_zps0697b9a1.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/03-RMAF2014045_zps0697b9a1.jpg.html)


Goldmund. Sound seemed ok but my request to play my test track was declined in a fairly rude manner so it's hard to say. The Goldmund stuff is digital only, if you want to use a TT you must buy a "hub" which converts analog to digital, which is then broadcast wirelessly to the speaker's built-in DAC.

I think this arrangement is a fail. It reminds me of a Bose Lifestyle system, which suffers from the inability to make any changes. I don't know too many audio enthusiasts that are going to be happy with a system that can't be changed and is exclusively digital. People who don't really care that much about audio as a hobby but want good sound might find a system like this a good idea, but the price is FAR too high for a casual consumer. Finally, they are very ugly, I can't imagine anyone wanting this in their living space. I have no idea who the target audience is for a product like this, I'm not sure why they thought this was a good idea.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/04-RMAF2014047_zpsb44dfc34.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/04-RMAF2014047_zpsb44dfc34.jpg.html)



Endeavor E5. Overall great balance in this speaker and it is one of the better systems shown at RMAF this year imo. The big towers provide a large-scale soundstage.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/05-RMAF2014052_zps8c220cef.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/05-RMAF2014052_zps8c220cef.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/06-RMAF2014053_zpsff9bac8d.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/06-RMAF2014053_zpsff9bac8d.jpg.html)



YG, pretty good as always... a neutral choice that is "just right" in a lot of ways. they were playing vinyl and had a decent amount of visitors so I did not ask to play my test track.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/07-RMAF2014056_zps04e8dbe3.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/07-RMAF2014056_zps04e8dbe3.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/08-RMAF2014058_zps705395b0.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/08-RMAF2014058_zps705395b0.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/09-RMAF2014060_zpsd00c26d6.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/09-RMAF2014060_zpsd00c26d6.jpg.html)



Gamut, nice stuff... I wasn't expecting a lot going in but I really liked what I heard. I did not get to play my test track here either...

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/10-RMAF2014063_zps79502b03.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/10-RMAF2014063_zps79502b03.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/11-RMAF2014061_zps68d2921b.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/11-RMAF2014061_zps68d2921b.jpg.html)



Pranafidelity, he was playing a reel-to-reel and a tt, so no test track here either, but I did ask to play it last year and it was awesome. Steve said there were some very minor changes since last year but otherwise the same system. And it is excellent, one of the best at RMAF this year for sure.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/12-RMAF2014065_zpsf30ad05d.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/12-RMAF2014065_zpsf30ad05d.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/13-RMAF2014064_zps155a6e4b.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/13-RMAF2014064_zps155a6e4b.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/14-RMAF2014066_zps039c99e6.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/14-RMAF2014066_zps039c99e6.jpg.html)
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: Wig on 13 Oct 2014, 05:59 pm
Dave,

Do you know what silver wiring Robert (Acoustic Zen) was using? I've never heard their ribbon horn tweeter to be bright since it's a little laid back. Maybe he's using the Silver for more bite, possibly...

Wig :thumb:
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: dpatters on 13 Oct 2014, 06:00 pm
Dave,

Thanks for the coverage and photos!  That pair of Vapor Joule Blacks is my build and will be shipped to me next.  I bought them without ever hearing a Vapor speaker and was just a tad nervous.  Hearing all of the comments on the Vapor room during the show has been really encouraging to say the least and I can't wait to get them in my room. 

I really like the D3 interconnect I got from you a while back!

Don
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: jonbee on 13 Oct 2014, 06:06 pm
That pair of Vapor Joule Blacks is my build and will be shipped to me next. 
Get a good disinfecting solution to use to wipe all the drool off them.
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: DaveC113 on 13 Oct 2014, 06:27 pm
Get a good disinfecting solution to use to wipe all the drool off them.

No doubt, they are some of the prettiest speakers at the show as well as some of the best sounding.

Wig, I'm pretty sure the AZ cables are UPOCC silver, and I also use all UPOCC conductors as well so the sound was recognizable to me. It is a very clear and detailed conductor with no harshness, but it won't smooth anything out either, which is a good thing IMO. The speakers weren't bright in a bad way, I think they are excellent speakers.

Don, good to hear it and I am absolutely sure you will be very happy with the Joule Blacks.  :thumb:
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: Big Red Machine on 13 Oct 2014, 06:33 pm
Get a good disinfecting solution to use to wipe all the drool off them.

I carvd my initials in them, sorry; didn't know they were claimed already! :oops:
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: DaveC113 on 13 Oct 2014, 07:24 pm
Linkwitz LX521... They are competent.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/01-RMAF2014067_zps374441ca.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/01-RMAF2014067_zps374441ca.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/02-RMAF2014072_zps323f67d1.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/02-RMAF2014072_zps323f67d1.jpg.html)


AK with another good showing, these speakers handled everything really well. They have a more laid back and relaxed sound while retaining high levels of resolution, not a typical HiFi sound. While I like a bit more forward presentation I'm sure a lot of people will love them for not frying their eardrums with aggressive highs. These speakers also image and soundstage really well, the LCS arrangement creates depth and spaciousness in a unique way, and it works really well. Overall I really enjoyed hearing these speakers.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/03-RMAF2014073_zps7e2cfd6c.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/03-RMAF2014073_zps7e2cfd6c.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/04-RMAF2014074_zps23bc10f8.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/04-RMAF2014074_zps23bc10f8.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/05-RMAF2014076_zpsf6bd2d5d.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/05-RMAF2014076_zpsf6bd2d5d.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/06-RMAF2014077_zps8212ce13.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/06-RMAF2014077_zps8212ce13.jpg.html)


Salk Exoticas, this is a new flavor and honestly reminded me a lot of the kind of presentation the AK speakers above have. I was not expecting that, but it is what I heard. The Exotica drivers use Alnico magnest and the overall presentation is laid back and relaxed... it takes your ears a minute to adjust to the non-"HiFi" sound these produce, but once you do all the fine detail and frequency extension is there. These speakers are easy to listen to and extremely non-fatiguing. Good job for sure!

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/09-RMAF2014082_zps7f932b2a.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/09-RMAF2014082_zps7f932b2a.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/07-RMAF2014079_zpsf8f7e657.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/07-RMAF2014079_zpsf8f7e657.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/08-RMAF2014080_zps05914ca2.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/08-RMAF2014080_zps05914ca2.jpg.html)


Sonist, these combine high efficiency with ribbon tweeters and are a great alternative in the high efficiency niche. They remind me of mgalusha's speaker in the Tweak Geek room, but I liked Mike's speakers a bit better. Nevertheless, these are good sounding speakers.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/10-RMAF2014083_zps12104ab0.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/10-RMAF2014083_zps12104ab0.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/11-RMAF2014084_zpsc7811be2.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/11-RMAF2014084_zpsc7811be2.jpg.html)


Next up was Kingsound with full range electrostats. They have a more laid-back sound vs something like Sanders and sounded nice. They couldn't handle some of the crazy bass passages on the Infected Mushroom track, which to be fair are extremely demanding and highlight issues with low frequency reproduction, which the Kings do suffer from. they weren't playing extremely loud, but I heard a "whack!" from the drivers bottoming out. The rest of the tracks has no issues.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/14-RMAF2014089_zps14eaa451.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/14-RMAF2014089_zps14eaa451.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/15-RMAF2014090_zpsa2a03599.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/15-RMAF2014090_zpsa2a03599.jpg.html)



Someone help me, I forgot which speaker these are!  :oops:  (Induction Dynamics, thanks Maceo23)  In any case, I really liked them... they did a great job and sounded well balanced. I though there was a lot of too hot and also too laid back for my personal tastes, a few speakers got the balance right and these were one of them.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/12-RMAF2014086_zps1deae9ac.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/12-RMAF2014086_zps1deae9ac.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/13-RMAF2014088_zpse0bcbeb7.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/13-RMAF2014088_zpse0bcbeb7.jpg.html)



Emerald Physics speakers sounded very good this year, smooth and well balanced. The tweeter is mounted coax behind the dust cap of the midbass driver.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/16-RMAF2014091_zps1e158d36.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/16-RMAF2014091_zps1e158d36.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/17-RMAF2014092_zps9d8131e8.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/17-RMAF2014092_zps9d8131e8.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/18-RMAF2014093_zps21d63532.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/18-RMAF2014093_zps21d63532.jpg.html)

Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: gab on 13 Oct 2014, 07:59 pm
Linkwitz Orions... I've heard them before, they are competent.

quote]

Actually they are LX521s not Orions FWIW
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: Art_Chicago on 13 Oct 2014, 08:05 pm
"Next up was Kingsound with full range electrostats. They have a more laid-back sound vs something like Sanders and sounded nice. They couldn't handle some of the crazy bass passages on the Infected Mushroom track, which to be fair are extremely demanding and highlight issues with low frequency reproduction, which the Kings do suffer from. they weren't playing extremely loud, but I heard a "whack!" from the drivers bottoming out. The rest of the tracks has no issues."

FWIW, that is exactly what my impression was at Axpona'13.  Not sure if these are the same speakers, but they did not reproduce  bass with a good dynamic range.
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: DaveC113 on 13 Oct 2014, 08:09 pm

Actually they are LX521s not Orions FWIW

Thanks! will edit...
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: sfox7076 on 13 Oct 2014, 08:36 pm
What do you mean by "non-' hifi'" sound in the few places you make that reference?
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: DaveC113 on 13 Oct 2014, 08:55 pm
What do you mean by "non-' hifi'" sound in the few places you make that reference?

Most modern HiFi is characterized by the best modern drivers, such as the ScanSpeak beryllium tweeter that was omnipresent this year, their Revelator woofers, Accuton ceramic drivers and some others. The result tends to be very detailed but some find the highs aggressive, and many of these designs also have great bass response so it gives the impression of "boom and sizzle" and some feel the midrange suffers. Vintage systems tended to be more rolled off at the frequency extremes which emphasize the midrange frequencies more...  this isn't necessarily the case with speakers that don't sound like mainstream modern HiFi, but for example the Salk Exotica and Audiokenisis Zephrins aren't deficient in the frequency extremes but they also aren't as emphasized in their presentation which give them a more relaxed presentation.

Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: sfox7076 on 13 Oct 2014, 09:00 pm
Thanks for the explanation.
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: barrows on 13 Oct 2014, 09:08 pm
Dave,

Thanks for the coverage and photos!  That pair of Vapor Joule Blacks is my build and will be shipped to me next.  I bought them without ever hearing a Vapor speaker and was just a tad nervous.  Hearing all of the comments on the Vapor room during the show has been really encouraging to say the least and I can't wait to get them in my room. 

I really like the D3 interconnect I got from you a while back!

Don

Don, you are going to be very happy, they are some of the best speakers I have ever heard, can scale to any kind of music, just amazing.  I really have heard nothing, at any price, which would challenge these speakers in a real world way.  They make music.  Please post your impressions once you have had some time to settle them in as I would love to hear how they work for you.
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: Maceo23 on 13 Oct 2014, 09:11 pm
Those mystery speakers look like Induction Dynamics.
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: DaveC113 on 13 Oct 2014, 11:10 pm
Those mystery speakers look like Induction Dynamics.

YES! Thanks  :thumb:
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: Stercom on 14 Oct 2014, 01:19 am
Dave, great job! Thanks for the pics and the descriptions. Really got a flavor of what these systems must have sounded like this weekend! (You really should have been walking around with a pair of your D4s in your hand daring people to swap them out, probably wouldn't have gone over too well but......  8))
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: DaveC113 on 14 Oct 2014, 01:31 am
Dave, great job! Thanks for the pics and the descriptions. Really got a flavor of what these systems must have sounded like this weekend! (You really should have been walking around with a pair of your D4s in your hand daring people to swap them out, probably wouldn't have gone over too well but......  8))

Thanks! There's more to come...

Yeah, most rooms had a cable vendor that probably paid to be there, I did not ask.  One room asked me to bring a few things to try, it went very well but we were up really late Friday night.  :green:



Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: Peter J on 14 Oct 2014, 01:50 am
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=106846)

How cool is that! A grill that's literally a grill. Stick it on the fire when camping to cook your hotdogs! Gotta love the utility of it...
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: jtwrace on 14 Oct 2014, 01:52 am
Yep, and $32k!
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: Peter J on 14 Oct 2014, 02:00 am
Yep, and $32k!

And you get two of them!
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: ltr317 on 14 Oct 2014, 02:23 am
Thanks Dave for the great coverage!
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: ltr317 on 14 Oct 2014, 02:23 am
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=106846)

How cool is that! A grill that's literally a grill. Stick it on the fire when camping to cook your hotdogs! Gotta love the utility of it...

 :lol:
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: DaveC113 on 14 Oct 2014, 02:35 pm
German Physiks omnidirectional speakers. I appreciate omnis but couldn't see having a pair myself, these are pretty nice speakers though.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/01-RMAF2014094_zps71dedf32.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/01-RMAF2014094_zps71dedf32.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/02-RMAF2014096_zps63622a5b.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/02-RMAF2014096_zps63622a5b.jpg.html)


Tub's... Not sure about that apostrophe or this system. Way too rolled off on the frequency extremes for me. Single drivers did not make a good case for their existence at this show. All my favorites did not show up and the ones that did are not even close imo. The quality of modern drivers and multi-way designs is getting really good and not many single drivers can keep up. edit... these look like coax, which makes the shortcomings even worse.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/03-RMAF2014098_zps876b0867.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/03-RMAF2014098_zps876b0867.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/04-RMAF2014099_zpsea02427c.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/04-RMAF2014099_zpsea02427c.jpg.html)


Audio Nervana, more extended than tub's but still not what I would call good. The price is reasonable though. The big drivers are Neodymium 15" drivers with a whizzer. The whole speaker would be something like $1600 I think... Part of the sound may be the gear used, it wasn't very high quality and I saw zip-line speaker cable. I appreciate value but the associated equipment was just cheap and didn't help make this a good sounding system.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/05-RMAF2014100_zps0b58576f.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/05-RMAF2014100_zps0b58576f.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/06-RMAF2014101_zps2a5b0522.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/06-RMAF2014101_zps2a5b0522.jpg.html)


Devore, I liked these guys... I didn't get to hear the Orangutangs but the Gibbons were nice.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/07-RMAF2014106_zpsbc9c3928.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/07-RMAF2014106_zpsbc9c3928.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/08-RMAF2014108_zps10120c24.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/08-RMAF2014108_zps10120c24.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/09-RMAF2014109_zpsc07f0ad9.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/09-RMAF2014109_zpsc07f0ad9.jpg.html)


Existence Speakers from Finland... IMO the best single drivers at the show using Tang Band bamboo cone drivers. They had a laid-back presentation that was enjoyable.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/10-RMAF2014110_zps35849465.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/10-RMAF2014110_zps35849465.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/11-RMAF2014111_zpsc26f216d.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/11-RMAF2014111_zpsc26f216d.jpg.html)



Odyssey, these guys learned to setup a room better than most a long time ago and have enjoyed good sound for years, consistently being one of the best in show. This year was somehow even better, the speaker setup was a little different from previous years and it worked great. If Odyssey would make a larger speaker with a bigger woofer they could take over the audio world. As-is the Kismet reference monitors are some of the best small speakers in the world, and they can play loud, but they don't have the surface area to have the grip and impact of a big driver in the lower frequencies.

The value for the money is off-the-charts here! If you are considering buying a whole system, the price of this vs the rest is going to make you really stop and think that you can spend multiples of the price of the Odyssey gear and end up with a a system that isn't as good. And you get a speaker that uses ScanSpeak beryllium tweeters that retail for $500 each and revelator midbass units. There were speakers at this show that cost 10x the price and use the same tweeter. This tweeter was also almost omnipresent and Odyssey has been using it for years now.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/13-RMAF2014113_zps5f88f595.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/13-RMAF2014113_zps5f88f595.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/12-RMAF2014112_zpsa99f73fa.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/12-RMAF2014112_zpsa99f73fa.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/14-RMAF2014114_zps4546627c.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/14-RMAF2014114_zps4546627c.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/15-RMAF2014115_zps58896e0f.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/15-RMAF2014115_zps58896e0f.jpg.html)
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: DaveC113 on 14 Oct 2014, 02:59 pm
Vaughn, I kind of like these... overall I like Vaughn speakers and the plasma tweeter sounds great. Very few get a great result using the Accuton drivers though, they have a peak and can sound mechanical rather than musical. There was also a noticeable discontinuity between the Accuton mid and the built-in subwoofers. This system was still above average though...

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/16-RMAF2014116_zps7035516a.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/16-RMAF2014116_zps7035516a.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/17-RMAF2014117_zps1d517637.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/17-RMAF2014117_zps1d517637.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/18-RMAF2014118_zps25a2ee27.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/18-RMAF2014118_zps25a2ee27.jpg.html)


I didn't think these were Daedalus speakers because they only have ONE of each driver!  :P   Scottdazzle was running this room and it sounded great, I really like the Daedalus sound and the smaller Daedalus speakers deliver it despite the shortage of drivers  :) ...these are big sounding speakers with a lot of dynamics, and a beautiful tone with exciting sound from the amazing hardwood cabinets.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/19-RMAF2014120_zps74b4a879.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/19-RMAF2014120_zps74b4a879.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/20-RMAF2014121_zps303f7c68.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/20-RMAF2014121_zps303f7c68.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/21-RMAF2014123_zps7e9c17b5.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/21-RMAF2014123_zps7e9c17b5.jpg.html)



Monitor Audio, I heard the ones with the ribbon tweeters but didn't play my test track, they sounded alright.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/22-RMAF2014124_zps42f23982.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/22-RMAF2014124_zps42f23982.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/23-RMAF2014126_zpsb0e4fc12.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/23-RMAF2014126_zpsb0e4fc12.jpg.html)


The Hegel room playing Magico S3s, this was a very nice sounding room and makes a good case for Hegel gear, which is not super-expensive either.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/24-RMAF2014127_zpsc41080ff.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/24-RMAF2014127_zpsc41080ff.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/25-RMAF2014128_zpsf9138358.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/25-RMAF2014128_zpsf9138358.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/26-RMAF2014129_zps32af59c4.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/26-RMAF2014129_zps32af59c4.jpg.html)


Electrocompaniet / Tidal music streaming, this room was setup for casual conversation about the new Tidal music streaming offering, which streams lossless music is FLAC format. I got to try the app and I selected a track to play, which highlighted how good the system in this room really was, this room had A LOT of potential but there was no seating appropriate for actually listening to music. If I can make one suggestion it would be to get a larger room and play music in the back and set up the bar-style table near the door...


(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/29-RMAF2014132_zpse749fbd0.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/29-RMAF2014132_zpse749fbd0.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/28-RMAF2014131_zpsd4b51033.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/28-RMAF2014131_zpsd4b51033.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/27-RMAF2014130_zps4b056efa.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/27-RMAF2014130_zps4b056efa.jpg.html)


Voice Box speakers and Unison Research amps... The speakers were pretty impressive for the size but are also made in China for $2500.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/30-RMAF2014133_zps2ab218d2.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/30-RMAF2014133_zps2ab218d2.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/31-RMAF2014134_zpse2307cb8.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/31-RMAF2014134_zpse2307cb8.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/32-RMAF2014135_zpse5106212.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/32-RMAF2014135_zpse5106212.jpg.html)

Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: DaveC113 on 14 Oct 2014, 04:57 pm
Opera speakers, nice system...

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/01-RMAF2014136_zps1bbde02d.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/01-RMAF2014136_zps1bbde02d.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/02-RMAF2014137_zpsfbc0b86a.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/02-RMAF2014137_zpsfbc0b86a.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/03-RMAF2014138_zps3b3b6062.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/03-RMAF2014138_zps3b3b6062.jpg.html)


Raidho and Constellation, sounded pretty good but Raidho speakers seem overpriced...

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/04-RMAF2014139_zpsbe3e5d84.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/04-RMAF2014139_zpsbe3e5d84.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/05-RMAF2014140_zps4831330e.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/05-RMAF2014140_zps4831330e.jpg.html)


2 Sony Rooms, the big speakers with a Pass amp, the bookshelf speakers with the Sony amp, both rooms have the excellent HAP-Z1ES music server. They announced an exciting upgrade to the firmware, the USB port will be able to accept a hard drive that is NOT formatted especially for the Sony, so a friend can bring their hard drive over, plug it in to the Sony's USB port and play music, the lengthy transfer process is no longer required for outboard hard drives!

The Sony speakers sounded really good but are not inexpensive...

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/06-RMAF2014141_zps7c327ec3.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/06-RMAF2014141_zps7c327ec3.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/07-RMAF2014143_zps7997fffe.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/07-RMAF2014143_zps7997fffe.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/08-RMAF2014144_zpsbe43a210.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/08-RMAF2014144_zpsbe43a210.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/09-RMAF2014145_zps57531d48.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/09-RMAF2014145_zps57531d48.jpg.html)


Esoteric/Cabasse... Sounded ok, I can't believe how many chassis Esoteric can use to make up a system!

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/10-RMAF2014147_zpsbe1707b7.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/10-RMAF2014147_zpsbe1707b7.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/11-RMAF2014149_zps5b049cad.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/11-RMAF2014149_zps5b049cad.jpg.html)


I got to the Tweak Geek room right before the show was over so I did not ask to play my test track, but the system sounded great, which is to be expected from a set of speakers built by mgalusha, who also built a similar set of speakers with a 15" woofer and separate subs for himself that seriously rock. His speakers excell in dynamics... they can scare women and make children cry. :icon_twisted:   I'm also partial to the directionality of the speakers and the AMT tweeter is clear and detailed without being harsh or edgy. Good job, and a very nice system here.

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/12-RMAF2014150_zpsaaf910e4.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/12-RMAF2014150_zpsaaf910e4.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/13-RMAF2014152_zpsa44e985f.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/13-RMAF2014152_zpsa44e985f.jpg.html)

(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/davec113/RMAF%202014/14-RMAF2014153_zpsa5dd02d3.jpg) (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/davec113/media/RMAF%202014/14-RMAF2014153_zpsa5dd02d3.jpg.html)


And you know what I forgot to take pics of? Room 549 with the Von Schweikert VR-55s, which I felt were in contention for best of show. I was in this room more than most as I got to try a couple of my products after hours on Friday. I really enjoyed hanging out with Albert and the crew and I was more than happy with the results, but that's a topic for a different day... I'd just like to say thanks for the opportunity and it was great fun.  :thumb:

This is the end of my RMAF 2014 report, thanks for checking out my pics and brief impressions of the rooms I visited.  :)
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: ltr317 on 14 Oct 2014, 05:40 pm
Those Vaughns look like the result of a Diyer's project after eating "magic" mushrooms. 

Thanks again Dave, for the extended coverage.  Since I couldn't attend this year, I live vicariously through your and Pez' yeoman efforts. 

Cheers,
Paul
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: Vapor Audio on 15 Oct 2014, 04:26 am

I made a test track with 30 second to 1 minute clips of 7 different tracks from Rodrigo Y Gabriella, Hiromi, Thievery Corp, Bonobo, Beats Antique, Infected Mushroom and Billy Joel.

I started with Vapor, and also checked back in on Sunday as well. The setup sounded great with the Antipodes Music Server, Allnic amps and Verastarr cables driving the Vapor Joule Black speakers, which were stunning... the RAAL matched the midrange driver more seamlessly vs the Joule Whites and sounded more cohesive and musical. I think the Black version is overall a better speaker. The bass was just great. Last year was good but this year was a grand slam. They also get special mention for being one of the best values at the show, for under $15k you're getting a top-tier speaker, they could have charged $50k no problem. They handle every genre of music very well and can play loud.


Hey Dave, good to see you again this year.  I don't know where I was, but I missed you playing your cuts.  I would have enjoyed hearing what you put together for this year since our musical tastes are so similar, although I'd replace the Billy Joel with some NIN  :wink:

I'd like to note a couple things about the White vs Black comparison if I could.  First off, the White we showed at RMAF last year was only a first revision crossover.  The final ended up being significantly more in balance, and inline with our 'house' sound.  What we had at the show was a bit lean with too much midrange.  But there are differences in the final implementation of White and Black.  As I tell people all the time, we don't have a philosophy when voicing a speaker.  We don't target crossover points, we don't insist on certain crossover slopes or topologies, we build it and let the drivers tell us what they want ... not the other way around.  With the White, the Accuton midrange just isn't nearly as extended as the AudioTech midrange in the Black.  Since the Accuton isn't as extended, there is much more phase shift in the 2000hz range and 2nd order acoustic slopes just won't work.  With the Black, the AT midrange is literally flat to 15khz, so there's no phase shift around the crossover, and it lined up perfectly for LR2 slopes.  The crossover on the Black tweeter for instance is just one capacitor, whereas on the White it's 2 caps and an inductor. 

The danger with giving people that much information about specifics of the design is that they'll take it an form inaccurate opinions.  One being LR2 slopes and the other being LR4 isn't a reason to choose one over the other.  And the Black being more musical is exactly the point, that's the whole reason we do the Black/White thing, to let people pick their poison  :)

Thanks to you and all the other AC'ers who have provided show coverage.  As is the case with ever show, you all just plain kick everybody else's butts!  At this point there's more coverage on AC alone than the entire rest of the internet combined.  It's guys like you who help provide value for us doing the shows! 
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: Vapor Audio on 15 Oct 2014, 04:34 am
BTW, since you covered the Electrocompaniet room ... somebody told me an interesting tidbit of info at the show.  I don't know for sure that it's true, but based on who it came from I believe it is. 

Apparently the Norwegian Government gave them a grant in the 7 figure range for them to develop those loudspeakers!!!  I don't know exactly I'd build after a multi-million cash infusion, but there's a picture in my head and it's pretty impressive  :P
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: paul79 on 15 Oct 2014, 04:38 am
Nicely done Dave!

For those that don't know Dave, I can personally vouch for this mans ears. They are almost as good as mine ;)

Again, thanks for this....
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: Occam on 15 Oct 2014, 05:23 am

(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=106985)

Details on Mike Galusha speakers and anciliaries in Tweek Geek Room
http://localhifishop.com/tweek-geek-rmaf-2014-creating-unforgettable-audio-experience/
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: BobRex on 15 Oct 2014, 12:38 pm
I'm glad that Mike's speakers are getting some notice, but I gotta ask:  Who in their right mind develops a web site with a background fading from light blue to black and BLACK TEXT!?!?!?!?!?! :duh:  You can only read the verdammte text in the bottom 3 inches of the screen, after that, notta.  The background may be cool (yeesh), but it's worthless with text based data.
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: Big Red Machine on 15 Oct 2014, 12:51 pm
BTW, since you covered the Electrocompaniet room ... somebody told me an interesting tidbit of info at the show.  I don't know for sure that it's true, but based on who it came from I believe it is. 

Apparently the Norwegian Government gave them a grant in the 7 figure range for them to develop those loudspeakers!!!  I don't know exactly I'd build after a multi-million cash infusion, but there's a picture in my head and it's pretty impressive  :P

True statement, came right from the EC sales manager's mouth.  Being in R&D for years, I can appreciate the work and how nice to get government funding for this exploration.  Most of the monies were toward composites, adhesives, and assembly methods to make a very inert cabinet structure.  They did not give money to design a speaker per se as the technology went toward aerospace, etc. applications.
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: DaveC113 on 15 Oct 2014, 02:51 pm
Those EC speakers have sand-cast aluminum cabinets. A lot of effort went into those speakers, would have been nice if they arranged the room to allow for critical listening.
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: Vapor Audio on 15 Oct 2014, 03:23 pm
True statement, came right from the EC sales manager's mouth.  Being in R&D for years, I can appreciate the work and how nice to get government funding for this exploration.  Most of the monies were toward composites, adhesives, and assembly methods to make a very inert cabinet structure.  They did not give money to design a speaker per se as the technology went toward aerospace, etc. applications.

... and for the company vacation in Fiji to discuss how to use pre-existing technologies like sand-casting  :wink:
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: Big Red Machine on 15 Oct 2014, 04:08 pm
... and for the company vacation in Fiji to discuss how to use pre-existing technologies like sand-casting  :wink:

May I carry your bags, sir? :thumb:
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: standub on 15 Oct 2014, 10:35 pm
Funny part is i've always liked the Electrocompaniet room, till this year when is was just ok. :scratch:
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: beowulf on 23 Oct 2014, 06:50 pm
Hi Dave, thanks for posting this great report, it sounded like a lot of fun.  So what were you favorite price-no-object speakers vs. favorite reasonably-priced (aka poor-man's speakers :lol:)?
Title: Re: DaveC's 2014 RMAF Photos and Reviews
Post by: DaveC113 on 25 Oct 2014, 03:40 pm
Hi Dave, thanks for posting this great report, it sounded like a lot of fun.  So what were you favorite price-no-object speakers vs. favorite reasonably-priced (aka poor-man's speakers :lol:)?



Price no object I'd say the Von Schweikert VR55 and TAD Compact Reference. Budget is a repeat of last year, Odyssey and Pranafidelity. Not sure where the Vapor Joule Blacks fit in, but they deserve a mention too.