[jsalk]

Just announced...

We will be joining Gingko Audio, Lampizator, Dana Cables and Wells Audio in the Monroe Room at the Capital Audiofest, August 28 - 30.



http://www.capitalaudiofest.com/

We're looking forward to a fun show.  See you there!

- Jim

[woodsyi]

Is Wells bringing their integrated or are you gong without pre?  I assume you are using your server into La(m)pi Dac.

What speaker lineup?  No AVA?

EDIT:  I see your are using the Big 7 volume control.  What power amp?

[jsalk]

Is Wells bringing their integrated or are you gong without pre?  I assume you are using your server into La(m)pi Dac.

What speaker lineup?  No AVA?

EDIT:  I see your are using the Big 7 volume control.  What power amp?

These guys (Gingko, Lampizator, Wells) invited us to supply speakers for the Newport Audio show in May and we had a great time.  We had no firm plans to attend the Capital Audiofest but, at the last minute, we agreed to join them again for this show.

I imagine we will have a similar setup to the one we had at Newport.  At that show, our StreamPlayer was used as a source fed to the Lampi which also served as a preamp.  The amplifier was a Wells Innamarata with cables by Dana Cable.  The Exotica 3's finished out the setup.

The Monroe room is fairly large, so we will most likely bring the Exotica 3's, SoundScape 8's and perhaps another model or two.  We may even bring a prototype of a potential new model (although that has not been decided yet).

- Jim

[woodsyi]

Sounds good.  I am glad you are coming back.  I hope the new venue works out better for you guys.

See you.

[Mudslide]

We may even bring a prototype of a potential new model (although that has not been decided yet).

- Jim

I think you ought to bring them out here to prototype heaven.     We'll even hand carry them up the driveway!   

Wow 'em at the show, Jim.

[DTB300]

Excellent news....

[tonyptony]

Hmm, now I'm second guessing not taking a drive down for at least one day. I was going to pass since I'm already booked for RMAF, but a chance to see Jim and possibly a new idea of his is always worth considering.

[DMurphy]

Hmm, now I'm second guessing not taking a drive down for at least one day. I was going to pass since I'm already booked for RMAF, but a chance to see Jim and possibly a new idea of his is always worth considering.

And you'll get to meet me.   But come anyway. 

[woodsyi]

The Exoticas really wowed me this year.  I made Jim upload a DSD file (DFF 64) of The Girl from Ipanema that I brought and play it on the Big Lampi7 on Sunday.  I couldn't believe the whole weekend went without anybody wanting to listen to the DSD capability of the Big 7 DAC. 

It really was just exquisite -- Astrud sounded so innocent and vulnerable, João exuded smoothness and Getz was "the Sound."   I felt like I was the bell that resonated and amplified the notes from the vibrating reed on Getz' tenor sax.  For a moment, I was the sax.  I felt the tingles on my skin.  It was so visceral and palpable.  Kudos to Exoticas, Wells amp, Lampizator, Dana wires and Gingko stands that got me there.   

[Berto]

The Exoticas really wowed me this year.  I made Jim upload a DSD file (DFF 64) of The Girl from Ipanema that I brought and play it on the Big Lampi7 on Sunday.  I couldn't believe the whole weekend went without anybody wanting to listen to the DSD capability of the Big 7 DAC. 

It really was just exquisite -- Astrud sounded so innocent and vulnerable, João exuded smoothness and Getz was "the Sound."   I felt like I was the bell that resonated and amplified the notes from the vibrating reed on Getz' tenor sax.  For a moment, I was the sax.  I felt the tingles on my skin.  It was so visceral and palpable.  Kudos to Exoticas, Wells amp, Lampizator, wires and stands that got me there.   

Awesome woodsyi. I wish I could of heard it in the big room we had at CapFest. We did have a VERY similar system in Newport Cali show, and the sound was captivating and dynamic.

 Curiously what version of "THe Girl From Ipanema" are you talking about?

[Phil A]

I didn't get to hear DSD but they sounded great - not to mention how beautiful they were

[woodsyi]

Awesome woodsyi. I wish I could of heard it in the big room we had at CapFest. We did have a VERY similar system in Newport Cali show, and the sound was captivating and dynamic.

 Curiously what version of "THe Girl From Ipanema" are you talking about?

It's the first track on this one.

[jsalk]

Well, we're finally back in the shop...

As is always the case, this show was great fun, providing an opportunity to meet old friends and make new ones.

The room this year was larger than we have had in the past and was quite a challenge.  All of the walls were set up as whiteboards, so the surfaces were very reflective and needed to be tamed.  We spent about three hours on set-up day just moving speakers around and using whatever we could to cut down on reflections.  Vinh and Norm from Gingko Audio (Dana Cables) worked tirelessly until we were able to get the speakers to do a disappearing act.  They then helped isolate and kill reflection points.

There were four folding tables with skirting in the room.  We needed some absorption on the rear walls and Norm suggested setting one of the tables back there.  Then Vinh suggested putting another one on top of that one.  It worked surprisingly well.  And the center image was so good, quite a few people assumed there were speakers under the table skirts.  More than one person felt the need to look under the skirting to make sure there weren't any.

I think we had some very good synergy going in that room and many people commented that it was the best our speakers ever sounded in a show setting.  I would tend to agree.

Our StreamPlayer served up music files (mostly Redbook PCM) and fed them to a Lampizator Big7 DAC which also acted as a preamp.  It fed a Wells Audio Innomarata amp that drove both Exotica 3's and SoundScape 8's (mostly the former).  Dana cables and interconnects rounded out the line-up. The result was very compelling (in my biased opinion) and we received a lot of rave comments over the week-end. All in all, it was a very enjoyable experience.

Thanks to everyone who visited our room.  Much appreciated.

See you next time...

- Jim

[klaus@odyssey]

Jim / Mary,

Had a lot of fun in your room...pretty damn great.....and it was really nice to hang out with you guys again.....

Klaus

[jsalk]

Many people asked about the white prototype speakers we brought to the show. 

We are constantly working on new projects.  Some work out.  Some don't.

A few years ago, I received an email from a gentleman who spelled out his criteria for a 3-way with a budget of around $3000.  He said he had listened to scores of speakers but couldn't find what he was looking for and asked if I could help.  I told him that the reason he couldn't find his dream speaker is that it didn't exist.

When RAAL recently offered us a smaller, lower-cost ribbon tweeter, we thought we'd give the concept a try.  We've been working on this project for about 6 months now and it seemed like it was getting close.  So we packed up the prototypes and brought them along so that Dennis Murphy and I could evaluate them in a neutral setting.  We played them at the end of the day on both Friday and Saturday.

The reactions were quite positive with a couple people wanting to place orders right then and there.  But neither Dennis nor I were satisfied.  So we declined to take the orders and opted instead to take them back and continue refining the design. We just didn't feel comfortable putting our name on them at this point in time.

Will we ever release this design?  Who knows.  We will when, and if, it is ready.  But it isn't quite there yet and there is no guarantee it will ever get there.  So time will tell.

If we do complete it to our satisfaction, I will post the design here and we can have some fun coming up with a name.  Until then, stay tuned...

- Jim

[jsalk]

Jim / Mary,

Had a lot of fun in your room...pretty damn great.....and it was really nice to hang out with you guys again.....

Klaus

Klaus -

Always a pleasure spending time with the "King of Staging."  No one sets up a room as great looking as your's. 

See you at the next show!

- Jim

[sfox7076]

I couldn't make the show, but most of that rig is in my living room.  The only difference are my amps and preamp...  What tubes were used in the Big 7?

[jsalk]

I couldn't make the show, but most of that rig is in my living room.  The only difference are my amps and preamp...  What tubes were used in the Big 7?

Shawn -

They were the Sylvania 6A3's you sent me to try before the Newport show.  They sounded spectacular!  And to think you have at least two other tubes you feel are even better!

- Jim

[KLH007]

Jim and Mary, Just a great sounding room, I also think your best yet at CAF. Look for my report soon at EnjoyTheMusic.com.

[jsalk]

Jim and Mary, Just a great sounding room, I also think your best yet at CAF. Look for my report soon at EnjoyTheMusic.com.

Thanks very much for the kind comments.  Much appreciated.

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/Capital_Audiofest_2015/Part1b.htm

See you at future shows!

- Jim