[virtue]

Duke,
I was most impressed with the speakers I heard today.  They had an open and airy sound and really great range that seemed to flow effortlessly.  I'm not the most critical listener but first impressions are usually correct and you really hit it out of the park.  Fantastic stuff and good luck to you and your team.
Very best,
Seth

[markc2]

Yes, the Audio Kinesis room, when he had the amp from Experience Audio, that for me was some of the best sound at the show.  . Those speakers were able to bring out the music, can't ask for more.

Mark

[Norris Wilson]

Yes,

Duke's speakers sounded great to me as well.  His designs from the least expensive to the top always reflect Duke the person, and his design talents.

We really enjoyed seeing you Duke, listening to one of your latest creations.

You really are a Prince Sir.

Norris and Diana Wilson

[TRADERXFAN]

Which model of speakers were they? 

[jtwrace]

I really hope I'm able to make to RMAF this year.  These speakers are really intriguing. 

Lori and Duke always make the speakers sound better.     Great peeps!!!

[Jeffrey Jackson]

Hey Guys...

I wanted to jump in and give Duke some well deserved props and clear up the amp questions....

The amp is a breadboard of mine I just threw in the truck last minute.  This is how I begin the design of my custom work.  After talking with the client to set the general sonic goals, I design the circuit on paper.  Then I throw lots of clip leads around until I get the sound close to what I want, then I build a formal chassis and tweak a bit more.  What you guys were listening to was an early german directly heated triode directly coupled to a Heintz and Kaufman transmitting tube for outputs.  So just a two stage amp.  My company is Experience Music, Inc.

and Duke.. what can I say, I have always wanted to meet him as his forum persona is so genuine, but at larger shows I am always tethered to my room and he is tethered to his, so we have never met!  When I wandered down to his room he told me about Richard Gray not being able to make it (what a shame as I had brought a type 50 amp for my room, and that is what Richard makes as well.  We would have talked for hours and hours.) I told him I had a true breadboard amp he could borrow if he really wanted some tubes.  To his credit, he was very accepting of the sonic improvement, no matter the looks. 

I think it worked out quite well for both of us.  I got many compliments on the improvement, and Duke's speakers were very transparent, easily showing the differences. 

I think we all need to support the LSAF format.  It was $99 a night for a sleeping room and an exhibit room.  There were no exhibitor fees at all.  For those prices, I want to see more DIY'ers showing off and showing up us manufacturers!

I hope that helps.

Peace,
Jeffrey

[panomaniac]

I didn't spend much time in Duke's room - but I didn't have to.  Great sounding speakers.  Duke does such good work.  Everything I've heard that he's built, I like.

This system was a little more "clear" to my ear then previous efforts.  He obviously just keeps on getting better.

[Duke]

Well finally I'm back from my road trip and have some time to catch up.  After the show I visited my parents, with the hope of moving my step-father (a retired Marine aviator) home from the nursing home he's been in for a few weeks.  That ended up not working out.

Anyway, I greatly appreciate all the encouragement and support from show attendees, especially including fellow industry members.  My apologies for not getting around to other rooms - I was solo in the room, as my wife couldn't make it and Richard Gray was unable to attend and share the room with me at the last minute.

I'm not sure why DDS didn't show up and display horns in my room, but the last time I talked to Rusty he was sick so I suspect that played a part.

Seth, thank you VERY MUCH for bringing your amazing little amps to my room there towards the end!  You helped nail down a sale for me - the buyer said that he'd now heard my speaker on three very different amps.  I am VERY excited to be using the Virtue Audio One.2 integrated amp in my demo system - it punches way, way, above its weight class. 

http://store.virtueaudio.com/product-p/vrtu-ia-vatwo.2-pbf-1.htm

Michael, from Virtue's website it looks like you had a hand in developing the amp, and it's just amazing for either the size or the price.   I have wanted to be able to recommend a really high-end affordable amplifier to go with my speakers, and now I can.

Jeffrey, thank you so much for allowing me to use your incredible breadboarded amp in my system.  My room traffic was very high the whole time your amp was in play, topping out at fifteen people for a while there and probably averaging around ten or so.  I don't think my room traffic has ever been that high even at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest, and I certainly hope it helped you out as well.

http://www.hifiheroin.blogspot.com/

For most of the show I had Uriah Daily's little "Lighter Note" light-dependent-resistor-based passive preamp hooked up first to the power amp section of my NAD, and later to Jeffrey's amp.  I ended up placing an order for the kit, which is a screaming bargain at $170 not including the case. 

http://www.buildanamp.com/Lighter-Note-Kit-ALL-YOU-NEED-Backordered-til-June-30th-LighterNote-KIT.htm

My show pair of Rhythm Prisms were delivered to their new owner a couple of hours after the show, and another order was placed by someone whose opening line to me was "I don't like horn speakers, but...".  I consider that a very high compliment, as one of the primary challenges is to take advantage of the things a horn does well without the speaker sounding like a horn.  I was apprehensive before the show because, while I try to be very critical of my own work in the design stage, there's always the possibilty that I'm hearing through rose-colored glasses and overlooking a significant coloration.  Since neither the horn nor woofer I'm working with are ideal (such doesn't exist at this price point), I had to make several judgment calls in the course of "voicing" the speaker.  Very gratifying to hear your encouraging remarks here and at the show.

From the LSAF2010 thread:  "...some of the very best sound at the show. Human voices were so amazingly real, and the whole set up just had a really musical vibe if you will to the whole thing. Was happy to have been lucky enough to have experienced that room."

From the same thread:  "Duke's speakers - he'll need to tell about this new model - were sweet and delicate and lithe on Simon and Garfunkle Live in Central Park and as dynamic, clean and hugely emotional on Hugh Masekela's Stimela as anytime I've heard that tune with the little Lighter Note preamp and, get this, powered by the amplifier in a small NAD integrated.  Seriously, they played both these live recordings like they were made for them with generous sized imagery and space."

From a post on the Virtue Audio forum, referring to the Rhythm Prisms:  "Those were the smoothest horn speakers I have ever heard."

From an e-mail I received from an electronics designer/manufacturer:  "Fantastic sound.  For me I have not heard speakers that were more 'relaxing'.  Honestly they were so damn smooth."

So in that manufacturer's experience anyway, my 2.5 grand horn speaker is the most relaxing (or tied for the most relaxing).   I'm kinda proud of that, as long-term fatigue-free listening is one of my top priorities, and it's not achieved in a horn speaker without a lot of attention being paid to the crossover design.

June 9, 2010 edit:

Here is a photo from my room at Lone Star, taken by and used courtesy of Albert Porter:



Thank you, Albert!

[James Romeyn]

Duke
Sorry to hear the report about your step father.

Congrats for the show, which "sounds" like it was a big success!  The only bad news is that your demo pair of Rhythm Prisms is gone, meaning I'll have to wait till your next pair is up and running at home. 

Please let me know as soon as I can hear them. 

And send a big "Hello" to Lori.

 

[Duke]

Thank you very much, Jim. 

I will be in touch with you soon as I have another pair, but it looks like I will be returning to Louisiana for a funeral this week.

Duke

[S Clark]

Sorry to hear that, Duke.  Was this the step-father? Regardless, sorry for your loss.
On a much more pleasant note, your speakers at the LSAF were soooo musical.  I could be very happy with a pair of them. 

Scott

[Duke]

Hi Scott,

Thank you.  Yes, my step-father passed away this afternoon, so I'm making arrangements to return.

[zybar]

Hi Scott,

Thank you.  Yes, my step-father passed away this afternoon, so I'm making arrangements to return.

Very sorry to hear that Duke.

My condolences to you and your family.

George

[jsaliga]

My condolences Duke.

--Jerome

[satfrat]

Duke, I'd also like to offer my sincere condolences for your family loss. Best wishes for you and your whole family in the coming days.
 
Robin

[ted_b]

I'm so sorry to hear of your step-father's passing, Duke.  Life throws curve balls sometimes, and I wish you and your family the best during these tough times. 

[lonewolfny42]

Sorry to read the news....my condolences to you and your family Duke.


                     Chris

[Duke]

Thank you all for your concern.  My step-father, Stewart Morris, would have been an audiophile if he hadn't been a Scotsman first - meaning that, he hated spending money.  But my "aha" moment about the role of music came from listening to an opera CD with him over a modest system. 

My step-father was never one to show emotion; he always had superb self-control.  He was a warrior by profession and practice, a Marine Corps pilot who flew both helicopters and jets in combat many times, and a judo champion.  One could say he was stoic, logical, honorable, reliable, courageous, practical, and a gentleman - but never emotional.  Far more like Spock than like Kirk.  Anyway, he was also a fan of opera singer Cecelia Bartoli.  I gave him a Cecelia Bartoli CD for Christmas one year, and he and I sat and listened to the disc all the way through on an inexpensive system I had previously given him (had to pretend it was cheaper than it was or he wouldn't have accepted it; Fried Model Q speakers + NAD electroncis).  We sat and listened in stillness to every note.  Afterwards, I saw him quietly wipe a tear from each eye.  This stunned me - I had never seen that side of him before.  Not even a hint of it.  Slowly I realized that music (opera, to be precise) is where this man went to feel his emotions, which were normally off-limits for him.  As I thought about this, it occurred to me that this is how it is for many of us guys - music is where we go to feel our feelings, because we do not allow ourselves to go there in our normal everyday lives.  We are too busy being brave, or practical, or responsible.  In my opinion music is less likely to play this role for women, because they do not repress their emotions with such dedication. 

I think that's part of the reason why the music matters so much to so many of us.

[Don_S]

Duke,


Thank you for that touching and insightful story. As always I am enriched by your sharing.  My condolences to you and your family on your loss.

Don

[mgalusha]

My condolences Duke, sounds like he was a fine man.

all the best, mike