[Greg P]

This was my first major audio convention/show that I attended.  Ended up going the last minute by myself but had a lot of fun.  I listened to (I estimated) to about 80 - 90 systems at the show somewhere over half.  All of the rooms I made sure I at least gave the system a chance, not one of those guys that walks out in 30 seconds,  so each system got at least one full song.  It made me realize what is the most important component for my musical enjoyment and that is timing.  IMHO I think this should be a priority for everyone who is looking, but to each his own.  Here are the notes of my favorite systems.  I thought there where only a few that were "getting it right" or close to "right".  All of the others seemed to miss the mark to me.


Audio Note Room - This is the first time I heard an all audio note system.  There was just a great sense of timing between notes that gave you a tension and anticipation for the next note. Laid back, yet PRATY, and texturally rich.  The sound presentation as Bob Neil says is detailed yet not analytical.  If Renaud's speak to you telling you  by each word "This is how I feel " with emotion in the midrange,when the audio not speaks it makes you look at the whole performance and asks " How does this make you feel"  for me it was wow, I'm in "the zone" boy, this is involving. Only drawback for me is, no they don't image that well.


Studio Electric/ Modright - I heard two rooms with the Studio Electric Speakers and they both contained modrite gear, but source and equipment were both different, so I believe this is a characteristic of the speakers.  They have a very "round" sound like the main midrange drivers that cover most of the frequencies.  Something about them left a ghost like ambiance you hear from certain tubes like KT88's but more natural.  The speakers seem to put you in a bubble in a very front row position with the performers.  Timing was "right" but different from the Audio Note set up.  Imaging and presence was very good. They are at 8k a pair. If they could come out with a model around 3-4k they would sell a ton of these.


EAR - This room had a lot of balance to it.  It definitely did nothing below above average, yet not one trait stuck out as spectacular above everything else.  Warm, immediate, great imaging. Timing was good, but not at the audio note level, it was almost there. The open baffle speakers that they were introducing give a great sense of presence to the recording/performance (almost a sort of ambiance).  I found myself enjoying this characteristic on other open baffle designs.


J M Reynaud / Blue Circle -  This room had some issue with bass nodes (what room didn't) , but the character of the system shined through.  Expressive and passionate in the midrange(even if center or tipped up a bit here) giving you an interpretation of how the music feels. I can only explain it the the system trys to tell you what each word feels like. The balance was warm, and the timing was just right yet different than the Audio Note.  It really showed its colors with the higher end Blue Circle FtH? hybrid. 


Navison/ ? - I can't remember the name of the speakers there, I believe they started with a "D".  Open baffle design with large 12" woofer, and super tweeter design.  The Navison amps paired with them made a very Large rich sound with that nice ambiance from the open baffle design.  The timing was pretty good, it was almost there, probably just below the EAR.  Imaging was good, yet not up to the Studio Electrics, Apogees, or Kharmas.

Kharma -  The cost not objest Kharma was pretty special.  It had everything going for it except the quite exceptional timing of the Audio Note.  Imaging and Presence was definitely the best anywhere.  Performers had that you are there feel in the sound stage. They did have an unfare advatage by having a bigger room than most.  For 80K a pair they should sound good though.  The smaller cheaper Kharmas were just a scaled down in every area the big brothers were good at. 


Apogee - I believe these were remakes of the originals.  They did a great job of imaging and presence.  There timing was the best of any of the ribbons, or electrostats I heard.  Not really my cup of tea as I miss the roundness of cone speakers, but this was a good room.  Timing was good, again I felt it was close kind of like the EAR room, almost there. 


Joseph/ Manley -  A good synergistic combo that had some of the feel of the Reynauds.  Passionate in the midrange, timing was good, but not as good as the Reynauds.  Definitely rich, snappy,yet enveloping in the midrange.  Imaging was quite good on both the RM7's and the 22's on the Snappers. They had that nice midrange from the seas drivers, a little tipped up but lively.


John Blue/ Trends - This was the budget winner for me.  For $800 you can have a complete system that is musically involving.  The modified trends had me fooled it was tubes the first few moments I walked in.  The speaker could get a little shouty but the midrange was great and involving.  Timing of course was not up to the audio note, but closer than you might think because of the crossover less design.  The speaker, a little larger than a Bose cube, did sound much bigger than its size.


This is just IMHO.  In all fairness I did not hear every system, and each system did not get the same type of music, so that may have lead me to miss one or two.  Personally I don't like the same materials a lot of audiophiles there liked.  Love Rock, Rhythm & Blues, Jazz.  I really got bored with some peoples music and the over play of Dianna Krall. I don't know if some of those there were not good just because of the room?  I don't know, it seems to me that some of the characteristics should shine through even with room problems.

[ted_b]

Moderator,
We have about 4-5 of these "best-of-RMAF" threads going now.  Any way you can combine some of them?

[MaxCast]

Moderator,
We have about 4-5 of these "best-of-RMAF" threads going now.  Any way you can combine some of them?

Hi Ted, not sure the best way to do this other than combining them into one and not sure how the original posters would feel about that.  The best thing for posters to do is to add onto an existing thread.  I'm sure the op's wouldn't mind.

We are kicking around the idea of an events circle.  Need a facilitator.  See thread:
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=46149.0

Of course we would still have event threads in other circles as I'm sure AC mfgs would like to utilize their own circles.

[smargo]

Moderator,
We have about 4-5 of these "best-of-RMAF" threads going now.  Any way you can combine some of them?

Who cares? - let there be 50 threads from the show. - Once in a while there doesn't have to be order - its fun going to the different threads anyway.


smargo

[flintstone]

Moderator,
We have about 4-5 of these "best-of-RMAF" threads going now.  Any way you can combine some of them?

Who cares? - let there be 50 threads from the show. - Once in a while there doesn't have to be order - its fun going to the different threads anyway.


smargo

I agree, who cares how many threads get posted?

Most of the other threads are regarding products that are pushed at this forum anyway, we read about them every day of the week.

It's good to hear about a wider range of products for a change.


Dave

[carusoracer]

Nice write up Greg P!

I have not heard Audio Note gear will need to do some research.
I have always wanted to hear the Karma gear myself

Best speakers I have heard were MBL at a dealer showroom. I know how hard it is for many speakers to shine in a small hotel room...

[JoshK]

Its funny how everyone hears things differently.  I read elsewhere where one person's pick for worst sound of show, describing it as utterly awful, was MBL and I've read here a couple people find it the best.  Not picking on anything anyone says, but it goes to show the variability of what people admire. 

[Kevin Haskins]

Its funny how everyone hears things differently.  I read elsewhere where one person's pick for worst sound of show, describing it as utterly awful, was MBL and I've read here a couple people find it the best.  Not picking on anything anyone says, but it goes to show the variability of what people admire. 

Its fairly typical.   If you expect to see a consensus your going to be disappointed.    I come away from most of these shows and read the show reports and wonder if the person writing was in the same room as I.    Part of it is that vendors make improvements or changes to the system during the show and maybe they where hearing something different from when I visited the room.

There is a skill/art of doing good shows.   Some experienced vendors have it down.    For me it was always hit or miss.    Sometimes I managed to get the room sounding good, othertimes it sounded like ass.    Your often trying to show a new product so there are real complications to getting the system synergy thing down at an audio show.    Its a tough gig..

[ted_b]

Moderator,
We have about 4-5 of these "best-of-RMAF" threads going now.  Any way you can combine some of them?

Hi Ted, not sure the best way to do this other than combining them into one and not sure how the original posters would feel about that.  The best thing for posters to do is to add onto an existing thread.  I'm sure the op's wouldn't mind.

We are kicking around the idea of an events circle.  Need a facilitator.  See thread:
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=46149.0

Of course we would still have event threads in other circles as I'm sure AC mfgs would like to utilize their own circles.

Guys, my "combine them?" post wasn't meant as a put-down or to in any way stop others from creating new threads....it was simply a clearinghouse idea to help reduce clutter.  I have no problem reading all of them....I was at RMAF, I can follow these easily....it was for the rest who are trying to get a taste of what us AC'ers though the show; and yes, a Trade Show Circle would be great.   Thx

[Rick Craig]

Its funny how everyone hears things differently.  I read elsewhere where one person's pick for worst sound of show, describing it as utterly awful, was MBL and I've read here a couple people find it the best.  Not picking on anything anyone says, but it goes to show the variability of what people admire. 

Sometimes the problem is the source material and not the system. I was in the Pioneer/TAD room listening to one of their demo tracks and it was pretty good. The next track was brought in by a well-known reviewer from a popular magazine. It was so bad I left the room. 

[smargo]

Sometimes the problem is the source material and not the system. I was in the Pioneer/TAD room listening to one of their demo tracks and it was pretty good. The next track was brought in by a well-known reviewer from a popular magazine. It was so bad I left the room. 

Rick:

You are so right on with that statement - its funny a good recording sounds good almost on anything - Im just saying i think some gear is so over-rated.

regards
smargo

[Rick Craig]

Sometimes the problem is the source material and not the system. I was in the Pioneer/TAD room listening to one of their demo tracks and it was pretty good. The next track was brought in by a well-known reviewer from a popular magazine. It was so bad I left the room. 

Rick:

You are so right on with that statement - its funny a good recording sounds good almost on anything - Im just saying i think some gear is so over-rated.

regards
smargo

I agree, it seems that sound quality often doesn't increase when the selling price heads upward. Great recordings that challenge the system will weed out the bad from the good.