RMAF 2008 - Your impressions,...


I know there's still few hours to go but I was wondering what my fellow Audiogoners think of RMAF 2008. What equipment left great impression, even what was a bit of a let down...As for me, it was my first year and my time was very limited, but I have to point out Emerald Physics for their CS1 and CS2, which are great speakers, selling for much less (esp. CS2) than you would think. They sound a bit different than what most of us are used to due to their unique design. Unfortunately their need for two amps make it little difficult to integrate them in my system, otherwise they'd be on top of my list. I also have to mention AV123 and GR-Research whose X-static speakers must be one of the best bargains on the market (I know, we all have heard it before...), anybody looking for a $1000 dollar speakers (and even much more) need to give these a listen.
branislav
A lot has happened in 20-years Tbg. Digital is finally maturing, with upsampling strategies and hard drive server-based systems. I haven't done hard drive yet, but I will within the next year or so. Playback Designs will soon have a separate DAC and ADC. I expect to use the ADC to convert my D2D LPs to digital and move my high rez digital to a server with terabytes of storage. The next generation of HDs will likely close the gap.

I've got CD, SACD, DVD-A and analog and find that they're finally converging in quality.

Dave
Dave, I just can't believe that the only cd players worth their weight are ones that cost $10,000+ and that there are only three that make the grade. If your ears say so then, that's ok by me. I just know, to my ears there a plenty of much much cheaper cd players that sound excellent, the Arcam T192 for Instance.
I would love to hear your player if only to drool over a cd player that is for me unobtainable.
I have heard one of the UK's most respected hi-fi reviewers personal system on more than one occasion and I must say it brought tears to a glass eye.

Gawdbless,

Out of curiosity - What were the components in this system?
Shadorne; I have mentioned this before in other posts, the speakers since 1989 have been Impulse H1's made by the Same chap that makes the Aspara Acoustic speakers, the H1's have been (I believe) been modified a number of times over the years, but remain constant with the addition recently of the Townsend Ribbon tweeter, and two small Rel Q subs, all the other ancillaries I have no clue as to what was plugged it was like a treasure trove of exotica, and down to earth stuff also. I can only attest to quality of sound I was hearing whether it be any cd played or vinyl, simply music. In my old system I used to blame the cd's for sounding terrible, then as I said I heard this system and what it could do with cd's, I changed my point of view that if a cd sounds bad then its the speakers or other items in the chain. Only my view, but I have heard with my own ears.
I would wager (If I were a gambling man) that his systm with a middle of the road cd player like the Arcam 192T versus
say the VA Mahlers with a 10,000+ player this would be no contest, I have heard the Mahlers and they for instance are not in the same league H1's, to my ageing ears, all IMHO, naturally.
Interestingly Shardorne your Speakers cost $14,500 and your cd player cost $480, whereas Dcstep's Speakers cost $3,500 and his cd player cost $15,000. Two diverse schools of thought there in heading for hi-fi nirvana.

For the record, my CD/SACD player costs $10,000. You've got the speakers' cost about right.

Dave