[jtwrace]

I've been going to this show for 10 yrs.  I've always enjoyed it but this year other than the people (yes, I actually like people ) it was a huge disappointment to me.  There were less rooms and most certainly less people (I will confirm this soon). 

I'm thinking this could be my last RMAF for a bit. 

What are your thoughts?

[johnr733]

I spent all day Saturday at the show and made it to almost every room for a quick audition, and also spent about a half hour or so in the CANJAM room.  This year I skipped the TAD room, as I believe we all agree that room is consistently excellent.

I actually didn't find anything in the CANJAM room that I felt justified its price, and I should point out that is always a consideration when I audition as I am a typical middle class consumer and do make a six figure income yearly.  In fact, I rarely upgrade unless something is broken, completely outdated or has made an unforgettable impression on me, (my current loudspeakers are over 15 years old and I have yet to find a good enough "value" to convince me to upgrade them, even from the same manufacturer). I am also not into gimmicks or tweaks and I mention that because it was good to see there were much less at the show this year than previous years. That said, it did appear that the reps put more effort into setup this year and more rooms had better sound overall, BUT there seems to be a trend toward "lifeless" or less engaging output to me.  Clarity was there, but not much pace and very few of the rooms made me move with the music. I'm wondering if this is because many were using only digital sources.

So, the things I found that I believe the common man would consider impressive this year:

Audio Nirvana Loudspeakers - I could not believe a box with two holes in it could possibly be so enjoyable to listen too.  The control, pace and tonality were startling for such an inexpensive ($600) driver.   In the end I returned to this room twice as I was having so much trouble wrapping my mind around sound vs price point of these loudspeakers.  I paid $5200 15 years ago for the speakers I listen too now.

Memory foam earbud replacements - again startling.  I rarely have good things to say about earbuds and don't listen through them often.  I'd rather listen to an audiobook through them than listen to music and lets keep in mind this whole thing is really about the music.  My son recently replaced his earbuds with a set of Shure's that were highly reviewed and rated on the internet.  After break in they still sounded shrill and boring to me, but since he had them with him at the show we decided to play along with the vendor demo. Again, an amazing improvement, a little overpriced ($21.95 for three pair), but in the end I did buy them for my son's Shure's.

Besides this, as mentioned in another post, the Sander's Electrostatics were to me the best sounding loudspeakers at the show, but to truly appreciate them you had to be in the sweet spot.  They are not a practical speaker because you really couldn't invite your audiophile friends over for a listening session and all truly experience them at the same time, but if your the one in the sweet spot, they were absolutely wonderful.  These are my choice this year for best sound of show keeping in mind I did not visit the TAD room.

Disappointments:

Legacy - the new "V" loudspeakers were blah, (and I actually have a lot of respect for there early stuff).  The Aeris speakers also "meh" but I've heard these sound better.  Could be because of the MacIntosh electronics.

Spread Spectrum Technologies - First Son of Ampzilla was more musical, and accurate. You would be better off getting an old one refreshed than buying the new one in my opinion.

Gamut - these loudspeakers have so much potential, but they're dull.  The accuracy is there but listening fatigue enters quite quickly again could be the electronics or setup.  Unfortunately I've never heard them justify their cost any time I've had the opportunity to audition them.

Numerous others with their stupid ways of auditioning there products, too loud, too low, all high end yada, yada, yada. 

Well that's my take on this years RMAF, I'm going back to listening to my Hotel California and James Taylor, (maybe a little Eva Cassidy) albums now  .

[Rocket_Ronny]

Audio Nirvana Loudspeakers - I could not believe a box with two holes in it could possibly be so enjoyable to listen too.  The control, pace and tonality were startling for such an inexpensive ($600) driver.

Do you remember what driver that was, size, and cabinet used? My guess is the Audio Nirvana 'Super 10 ALNICO.

Myself, not a fan of large full rangers due to the adverse affects of imaging. When I compared two Fostex full rangers, 103 - 4" and 167 - 6" I could not live with the 167s even though they had a better soound somewhat. Imaging took a fair hit making images flatter and less 3d.

Didn't know Audio Nervana went to RMAF. Glad to see David still trucking on.


Thanks,

Rocket_Ronny

[ted_b]

Jason,
Let us know how the Aerial 6T's sound (room 1014 I think; Edit: wow just saw pics..looks like nearfield headphone listening ??).  Sorry the show is a semi-dud this year.  I still wish I was there (as you say, to hang with the people). 

[barrows]

ted, the Aerials were just OK at best...  I never view show sound as definitive, unless the sound is really good, because I understand how the conditions are often impossible (and I have done show system set up 5 or 6 times now).  So, the Aerials could be great speakers, just in this experience they were completely lack luster.
For me, Vapor Audio Joule Blacks were the clear standout of what I heard.  Albert's VR-55s were impressive from an "audiophile" standpoint (and at the price they should be) but I would want to hear them in a much larger room to really get a realistic idea of what they can really do.

[jtwrace]

Jason,
Let us know how the Aerial 6T's sound (room 1014 I think; Edit: wow just saw pics..looks like nearfield headphone listening ??).  Sorry the show is a semi-dud this year.  I still wish I was there (as you say, to hang with the people).

Yes, they were OK.  However, I've heard the Aerial many times before at my local dealer and they always sounded very nice.  Great company too. 


Yes, you didn't miss anything other than the people I'm afraid.  Good news is that you have CES coming up!  Do you do Axpona usually? 

[ted_b]

Barrows/Jason,
Thanks.  I heard them at last year's CES (or was it Axpona) and then again at a dear friend's home, and in both cases they had me enthralled (especially set up properly in the home).

Ryan hits another home run; that is great but not a surprise.    I am not a VS fan; dunno, always sound hifi.

Yes, I am at CES and then Axpona will be next (been to the first two Axponas; only 5 hr drive).

[jtwrace]

I am not a VS fan; dunno, always sound hifi.

I'm with ya. 

Yes, I am at CES and then Axpona will be next (been to the first two Axponas; only 5 hr drive).

Cool.  Enjoy CES and maybe I'll see you at Axpona. 

[jhm731]

How was the VAC room?

http://theaudiotraveler.com/2014/10/12/rmaf-2014-vac-versus-the-real-thing/

[jtwrace]

How was the VAC room?

http://theaudiotraveler.com/2014/10/12/rmaf-2014-vac-versus-the-real-thing/

One of my least favorite. 

[gab]

Haven't seen any mention of Linkwitz's room with the LX521 and LX521 Mini.

gab

[WGH]

Haven't seen any mention of Linkwitz's room with the LX521 and LX521 Mini.

gab

Spacious of course but the highs were a little sharp, this was the first time I heard the speakers so it could have been the anything, the room, the design, or the Emotiva amps.

Wayne

[mg8]

I've been going to this show for 10 yrs.  I've always enjoyed it but this year other than the people (yes, I actually like people ) it was a huge disappointment to me.  There were less rooms and most certainly less people (I will confirm this soon). 

I'm thinking this could be my last RMAF for a bit. 

What are your thoughts?

It was my first RMAF and went with a veteran RMAF'er.  I enjoyed the outing and greatly appreciate all of the manufactures and dealers attendance.  The Audioquest seminar on power conditioning and their new preproduction prototype was the standout experience.  There were many opportunities to see the vastness of products, technologies and meet the folks that help make the industry.  I'll keep going back as it is the most convenient of the major shows. 

[roscoeiii]

ted, the Aerials were just OK at best...  I never view show sound as definitive, unless the sound is really good, because I understand how the conditions are often impossible (and I have done show system set up 5 or 6 times now).  So, the Aerials could be great speakers, just in this experience they were completely lack luster.
For me, Vapor Audio Joule Blacks were the clear standout of what I heard.  Albert's VR-55s were impressive from an "audiophile" standpoint (and at the price they should be) but I would want to hear them in a much larger room to really get a realistic idea of what they can really do.

+1 on all that

[WGH]

I didn't take any notes or photos this year, just browsed the halls with a couple of buddies from Tucson. Friday and Saturday's attendance seemed way down, it was real easy to get the center seat. Overall there didn't seem to be much new shown but it's easy to skip a room, somehow we never got to James Romeyn's room to hear the AudioKinesis Dream Maker.

I always start and end at Salk Sound, no surprise there since I have the HT2-TL's. The Exotica is seductive, smooth and well balanced, this could easily be a final speaker purchase for many. One thing I did note was while playing "Keith Don't Go" by Nils Lofgren (I thought that song was banned?) the guitar's attack was not as sharp as it should be, not bad but the RAAL's do it better.

Goldmund room - holographic to the max, speakers completely disappeared, excellent sound too.

Dynaudio - yawn

TAD - too analytical, Zesto amps(?), Andrew Jones' demo with TAD amps a couple of years ago was much better.

Bryston - very nice, the Middle T speakers with Bryston electronics is a combination I could happily live with.

Odyssey - always excellent sound with one of the most affordable high end packages anywhere although the speakers still look like they are made in a garage.

Vapor Audio - the speakers look like audio jewelery and sound like a million bucks, they could cost twice as much and still be a bargain.

Wilson Audio - The Sabrina was a static display, nice box but no drivers. The new stand mount speakers were up against the wall and still have very limited bass so they sounded bright. All the seats were taken and nobody was moving for the Sasha Series 2 demo so didn't get a good listen, something classical (boring) was playing - average age of the listeners: 104.

Von Schweikert - The new 55's are great, switching to Constellation amps is a big step up in quality compared to previous shows.

Daedalus Audio - 2 rooms and always excellent sound but I liked the big ones better.

Nola Studio Grand Reference Gold Speaker - excellent full bodied, spacious sound. Check it out if you can but like all Nola speakers the price is a jaw dropping $19,800. Judge it by it's sound and not by the size of the drivers.

Single driver speakers - there were quite a few but they remind me of a dog that can sing opera, it's amazing to watch but it's still bad opera. (ouch)

Why do Jeff Roland Design Group and Wilson Audio have to be so snooty? And play boring music?

Fritz Speakers wasn't showing this year but Fritz was there prowling the halls, there were Fritz sightings all over RMAF. It was good to catch up with him.

Wayne

[Russell Dawkins]

Do you remember what driver that was, size, and cabinet used? My guess is the Audio Nirvana 'Super 10 ALNICO.
Rocket_Ronny

I'd be curious, too.

[roscoeiii]

It  was the 15" neos. I would have sworn it was a coax. Shockingly good treble.

[DaveC113]

All in all not as good as last year. Maybe because the NY show was 2 weeks before, IDK...  still a ton of cool gear to check out and well worth it... None of the mega-systems were there that were at the show last year either, the speakers and systems shown were scaled down from last year.

The single drivers really didn't make a good case for themselves this year, no Feastrex at all, no Voxative, no Omega or Lamhorn... There were some good ones from AN and the Norwegian guy with the Tang Band based speakers (some one help me!  ) but no real stand outs.

[johnr733]

Do you remember what driver that was, size, and cabinet used? My guess is the Audio Nirvana 'Super 10 ALNICO.

Glad to see David still trucking on.

Thanks,

Rocket_Ronny

I actually went back to the show as my youngest son wanted to hear these, and yes it was David demoing them.  Anyway they were the 15's and the 4's.  My impression of the sound was based on the 15's.  I guessing you and Russell probably disagree with me which in a way is kind of the gist of this whole thread.  We all see something different in the sound.  Example:

WGH - When I walked in to the Salk room they were playing a drum heavy song I didn't recognize, and my initial reaction was "nice deep and controlled bass" so I grabbed the second row middle seat which was still open.  But then the voice entered, and control just fell apart and the combo of the bass and the voice just seemed to turn to mush.  So I think its safe to say that WGH and I are looking for something different in a sound system.

When you attend one of these shows sooner or later you ask yourself "how do some of these companies stay in business?  They sound awful, or there $30 - 50,000 and a $5000 dollar system sounds just as good?"  Well somebody sees something in them even if I can't.

jtwrace -  After attending three shows in a row I started skipping them, but the fact that less attended this year is one reason I enjoyed it more than the show 3 years ago.  And there must be less vendors as there were 7 floors this year.  The first year I went there was 9 floors and very crowded, LOUD, hallways.  Easy to get around this year. Just wish they would open some of the empty rooms so there were bathrooms available on the demo room floors.

[bentconvert]

The single drivers really didn't make a good case for themselves this year, no Feastrex at all, no Voxative, no Omega or Lamhorn... There were some good ones from AN and the Norwegian guy with the Tang Band based speakers (some one help me!  ) but no real stand outs.

I think Pure Audio Project http://www.pureaudioproject.com/open-baffle-speakers/ are the Tang Band based speakers you are referring to.

Steve