[jhm731]

The RIHPA2015 winners are:
 
CD Player: Aesthetix Romulus Signature
 D/A Converter: PS Audio DirectStream
 Music Servers and Computer Based Audio: AURALiC Aries
 Mobile Player: PonoMusic PonoPlayer
 Turntable: VPI Industries Classic Signature
 Pickup Cartridge: Lyra Etna
 Tonearm: VPI Industries JMW-3D
 Phono stage: Rogers High Fidelity PA-1A
 Integrated Amplifier: Devialet Expert 200
 Preamplifier: Audio Research Reference 10
 Stereo Power Amplifier: PS Audio BHK Signature 250
 Mono Power Amplifier: Ayre Acoustics MX-R Twenty
 Bookshelf Loudspeaker: KEF LS50
 Floorstanding Loudspeaker: KEF Blade Two
 Headphones: HiFiMan HE1000
 Headphone Amplification: MOON by Simaudio Neo 430HA
 Power Cable: AudioQuest NRG WEL Signature
 Signal Cable Analogue: Nordost Valhalla 2
 Signal Cable Digital: Atlas Mavros Ultra S/PDIF
 Power Conditioner: IsoTek EVO3 Aquarius
 Racks, Platforms & Supports: Harmonic Resolution Systems RXR Audio Stand
 Best Audiophile Recording (Digital): Chesky Records, David Chesky & Jazz in the New Harmonic: Primal Scream
 Best Audiophile Recording (Analogue): Analogue Productions, Roger Waters: Amused to Death
 Innovation: Master Quality Authenticated MQA
 Value for Money: AudioQuest JitterBug
 Life Time Achievement: Dieter Burmester of Burmester Audiosysteme GmbH
 
http://www.stereophile.com/content/rocky-mountain-international-hifi-press-awards

[newzooreview]

From the Stereophile press release: "Roy Gregory acknowledged that there may have been some discussion about process and results…" 

[Tyson]

From the Stereophile press release: "Roy Gregory acknowledged that there may have been some discussion about process and results…" 

I'll repeat what I said in the show coverage thread when this came up:

"What a bullshit idea.  Awards for DACs and stuff?  There's absolutely no way you can make any comparisons of anything except entire systems, and even with that, the majority of what you hear is the speakers and the room.  Idiocy."

[standub]

Wait can I add one more for this idea. 

[jhm731]

Tyson,

Please keep your foul mouth comments in your own threads.

[sunnydaze]

Tyson,

Please keep your foul mouth comments in your own threads.

Are you really that delicate such that the word BS offends you?          

Threads are for commenting on.  Without comments, they are not threads.

[Early B.]

I'd like to see the criteria the judges used to determine the winners. How did they measure each component against all others during the show?

[Phil A]

I also don't really see how one rate a component in a different room with different electronics and speakers.  Sometimes it is tough enough to swap out a single component in the same system and evaluate it.  It is unfortunate but the state of mainstream audio media is not what it used to be (not that anything supported by advertising was ever totally impartial).  Many moons ago I used to look forward to magazines.  I can't remember the last time I look at a printed magazines.  There are a few websites that do good coverage of shows.

[*Scotty*]

Every time I see a list like this I have the overwhelming urge to sneeze.


Excuse me.
Scotty

[Phil A]

Every time I see a list like this I have the overwhelming urge to sneeze.


Excuse me.
Scotty

Gesundheit

[bacobits1]

And that's why Stereopile is bull feces! 

[bacobits1]

 

[Tyson]

This is part of why, on a personal level, I'm disengaging from audio in general.  With the demise of the local Brick and Mortar stores, our ability to demo gear directly is seriously impeded, and all we are left is opinion pieces on the internet.  Manufacturers understand this and try to build buzz by woo-ing the publications which can write reviews with the implicit understanding that ad dollars will flow.  The publications can also vote on BS awards like this one, building further buzz, re-inforcing the relationship, leading to more sales for the manufacturer and more ad dollars for the publication.  In this game, everyone wins.  Except the customers.

[jtwrace]

This is part of why, on a personal level, I'm disengaging from audio in general.  With the demise of the local Brick and Mortar stores, our ability to demo gear directly is seriously impeded, and all we are left is opinion pieces on the internet.  Manufacturers understand this and try to build buzz by woo-ing the publications which can write reviews with the implicit understanding that ad dollars will flow.  The publications can also vote on BS awards like this one, building further buzz, re-inforcing the relationship, leading to more sales for the manufacturer and more ad dollars for the publication.  In this game, everyone wins.  Except the customers.

I actually agree with you 100%.   

[schw06]

This is part of why, on a personal level, I'm disengaging from audio in general.  With the demise of the local Brick and Mortar stores, our ability to demo gear directly is seriously impeded, and all we are left is opinion pieces on the internet.  Manufacturers understand this and try to build buzz by woo-ing the publications which can write reviews with the implicit understanding that ad dollars will flow.  The publications can also vote on BS awards like this one, building further buzz, re-inforcing the relationship, leading to more sales for the manufacturer and more ad dollars for the publication.  In this game, everyone wins.  Except the customers.

Bing Bing Bing...A voice of reason in this hobby from an industry that has gotten seriously derailed. Consumers are getting bamboozled and fleeced by the dishonesty of the reviewers(not all), publications, manufacturers, and shills. It's so hard to wade through all the information and have a clue what's actually true. Tyson and Pez's refreshingly honest approach will be missed. Declaring such things like the best Power Cable is AudioQuest NRG WEL Signature...Are you F'ing serious? How on earth could you possibly make that distinction?

[DaveC113]

This is part of why, on a personal level, I'm disengaging from audio in general.  With the demise of the local Brick and Mortar stores, our ability to demo gear directly is seriously impeded, and all we are left is opinion pieces on the internet.  Manufacturers understand this and try to build buzz by woo-ing the publications which can write reviews with the implicit understanding that ad dollars will flow.  The publications can also vote on BS awards like this one, building further buzz, re-inforcing the relationship, leading to more sales for the manufacturer and more ad dollars for the publication.  In this game, everyone wins.  Except the customers.

Hard to disagree there. Unfortunately, is it's really hard to direct market... no matter how good your products are. Consumers rarely believe a direct-marketed product from a company that spends very little on advertising and has no middle man markup can compete with the big names.

Also, this isn't exactly unique to audio... it's the way things work these days across many different industries and many are even worse.

Do you have any ideas for solutions to this problem?  Personally, you could spend more time on DIY...

[Bemopti123]

This is part of why, on a personal level, I'm disengaging from audio in general.  With the demise of the local Brick and Mortar stores, our ability to demo gear directly is seriously impeded, and all we are left is opinion pieces on the internet.  Manufacturers understand this and try to build buzz by woo-ing the publications which can write reviews with the implicit understanding that ad dollars will flow.  The publications can also vote on BS awards like this one, building further buzz, re-inforcing the relationship, leading to more sales for the manufacturer and more ad dollars for the publication.  In this game, everyone wins.  Except the customers.

To add further fuel to the fire, why do I have to question even the opinion of fellow internet audio communities when they discuss and shower praises on the next giant killers.  I have seen too many to even bother to count.  Invariably, these wares, be it esoteric, usually on the affordable end, to me sound like the audio equivalent to .99 cent store items in comparison to more established brands.

I also blame the complacency of many entrenched manufacturers that need to push the envelope of their traditional catalogue of audio products by justifying obscene $$$$$ by, what is to me, adding very little to justify these prices. 

PS:  I am also to blame for fueling the fire of sometimes these audio unicorns that pop out in internet audio communities.  Participated in the rush of a couple of these things and threw the towel. 

PS2:  This might be the reason why some audioheads have vintage systems that they acquire used, and upkeep rather than joining the cult of the latest and greatest.  They have been around long enough to fall into this circuit. 

 

[Tyson]

I also bought the best speakers I heard after 10 years of RMAF (for my personal preferences), built the best amp I've heard (First Watt BA-3), and had a custom headphone/preamp built for me that I've never heard bettered.  Same with my speaker wire and cables - built them myself and have not heard better.  And at this point I no longer see any area where my system can be substantially improved.  Going to RMAF all these years simply re-inforces that opinion. 

Now all my money goes to a novel place that it's never been before - a savings account.

[jtwrace]

Maybe Pez & Tyson should start an online review publication called "The Honest Audiophile".  That will most certainly weed through the people that have some balls. 

[goskers]

Hard to disagree there. Unfortunately, is it's really hard to direct market... no matter how good your products are. Consumers rarely believe a direct-marketed product from a company that spends very little on advertising and has no middle man markup can compete with the big names.

Also, this isn't exactly unique to audio... it's the way things work these days across many different industries and many are even worse.

Do you have any ideas for solutions to this problem?  Personally, you could spend more time on DIY...

Audio is unique in that there are no standards which are agreed upon.  Until this happens the marri-go-round is going to continue.  For every person that wants scientific based standards there are just as many that believe we all hear differently.