Report from Rocky Mountain AudioFest

Drubin, the Proclaim speakers were my standouts when I went to NYC audio show in May...cool idea that you wonder why more speakers dont have that feature.

Rao Audio just launched their company on the first day of the show. VERY nice sounding room in my opinion, for what it's worth. What did other attendees think of Rao Audio?
Was anyone else as impressed as I was with their room?

Just back home to Seattle from three days there with my friend, Peter. Had a great time overall, and it got better from day two as I had more enthusiasm hearing a greater number of better sounding rooms. There were still plenty of compromised rooms, but I guess I didn't let them damp my enthusiasm as much. The highlight for me was in meeting some great folks there. Peter and I shared a van to the airport and a nice conversation with Arnie, one of the founders of Audiogon, who was very responsive to some of our constructive criticisms of recent directions the site has taken and left us with hope that some things may change in the near future. Got to spend some more time with Albert, who is as fine and fun a person, and as much a gentleman as one might imagine from his contributions here. Too many nice conversations and great folks to recount.

As far as the exhibitors, we somehow managed to save the best for last, though certainly not intentionally. In second place for me was the Daedalus / Art Audio system. At the top of my list, was the last room we listened in literally shutting the room down as we lingered for as many cuts we could get them to play. The MBL room playing their larger speakers was truly breathtaking. Utterly astounding and the closest to the illusion of live music in the room from virtually any corner of the room. Effortless. I'm glad we took it in last as it would have made everything else a bit of a disappointment in comparison.

There are a few more rooms I enjoyed listening to, among them, in no particular order, some of the memorable ones for me from today were:

A.R.T. Loudspeakers from Scotland
Proclaim speakers
Blue Circle
Studio Electric Speakers and Amp
Atmasphere
Modwright
Quicksilver (back again)
Vanderstein/Ayre (back again)

Overall for the weekend (we did not get a chance to listen in every room...not even close), top 5 for me:

1. MBL
2. Daedalus / Art Audio
3. Proclaim / Red Rock Audio
4.(Roger) Sanders / Innersound
5. Pioneer / Bel Canto

I had a great time, but I think this will last me another ten years or so before I need to try it out again. I look forward to reading other's impressions.

Marco

I thought the Wilson Maxx sounded spacious and real. Does anybody find the Sophia 2 and Watt Puppy 8 boxed in? I came to the RMAF expecting great things from Wilson Audio all around, walked away with such extreme difference of opinion for the Maxx versus Sophia and Watt Puppy. I think both Watt Puppy and Maxx were driven by BAT, while Sophia by Levinson 436.

Yipean-I didn't stay long enough In the Apogee room to really have as long a listen that I would have liked. Way to much to hear, but long enough to know I liked them very much.Thank you for telling me what model It was also as the room was very dark with just a light behind the speaker. Nice. Friday Is a very short day only 6 hours of listening! I would dearly love to spend the whole 3 days, maybe next year. Judging from the threads there were loads of rooms that I missed that had great sounding gear(boo). Still It Is a great way to spend 6 hours as It Is a truly great show for the money and with guys/gals that actually wanna talk hi-fi.Had a great chat with Duke from here and also Mr Tyler to name a few. Trouble Is also when one starts chatting, that eats up valuable listening time. I don't know If anyone noticed how many rooms seem to have speakers that were around the 7-9k mark. Anyone else notice or was It just me?
I was also glad that the hotel put up signs for us to use the stairs to get to other floors, which was good as last year there were no signs and It was a calculated gamble to use the stairs and I was not sure about being able to get back on the floors without walking down to the fire exit on the ground floor. The MBL room that people say sounded good I thought It was to bright, maybe the speakers were to close to the listening seats?, If my memory serves me correctly.
I didn't think music was being played to loudly generally. Needless to say after all I heard I shant be rushing out to change my current speakers for speakers that will surely cost lotsa moolah, although the Maxx's were sure nice, now where can I get 26k from hmm....(relax dear I am only kidding). I can't remember If the nice chap In the Maxx room told me the cd player was $40k or that the amps and cd player were, does anyone know the prices please? Roll on 2008!