Hello all, I just registered here after attending my first RMAF. Being 63 and living in the quiet town of Taos, NM I don't get on the internet much. Hopefully my impressions of the show will be appreciated.
First off I was on a mission to find a replacement for my Dynaudio C4's. I've had them for around 6-7 years now and have enjoyed my time with them. But ultimately I find myself wishing for more balance and transparency. The Dyn's can feel a bit slow and uninvolving at times, other times they're spectacular.
Friday I tried to visit all the large main floor rooms and the Mezzanine rooms. Below were my notes:
The Venture setup in the Primrose room were spectacular. Incredible scale and dynamics. I felt these were very similar to my C4's but bigger and more refined. For 1/4 the asking price I would love to have them in my room, but for full price I'd want more micro-detail and sparkle on top.
The Launsche setup was also very involving and powerful. Again too rich for my blood, but another speaker I could easily live with at home. These had more midrange details than the Venture I thought.
The Daedalus/Modwright setup was very easy to listen, but too laid back my taste and somewhat dead on top.
I had never considered panels, but the Analysis Audio room made me reconsider. They were fast and transparent with excellent low level details. The price I thought was also in line. I'm not sure if I could live with the small sweet spot, and slightly constrained dynamics.
Those space age looking Cabasse speakers were cool, but sounded to my ears like an experiment and not a finished product. Unrefined and uncontrolled.
On the Mezzanine I honestly didn't find anything that was notable. The Raidho monitors were probably best, but listening was impossible due to the repeated cable swaps they were doing.
All the Focal rooms were to my ears, a mess. To me they more tried to bully you into enjoying the music instead of caressing. The Laufner Teknik's (with those gorgeous tubes) were just awful, sweet spot about the size of nickel and I could hear the panels flapping on bass notes.
Onto Saturday and the tower.
2nd floor highlights were GR/Serenity and Nola. Both had huge soundstage and plenty of low level detail, with a transparent sound. I'm not sure about the open baffle approach though, everything sounded equally big at the cost of pinpoint imaging. Plenty of great value in electronics with the Dodd stuff. Of the two I liked the Nola's better, they were just a bit more refined, the Serenity's at times turning forward and edgy at times.
The Wilson setup had it's moments of spectacular, as it should for the price of everything in there. Lots of things to like in that room, but being out of my range I didn't give it serious thought.
I hadn't heard of Adam Audio, and for the most part enjoyed them but they could be a bit hot on top at times. Big surprise of the 2nd floor was the Audio Physic Aventera's. Overall balanced, transparent, and musically involving. I'd like a bit more scale and dynamics, but an excellent speaker.
I don't remember the model, but the Totem floorstanders I heard (the ones with the funky silver frame around the woofers) were very good for the price. They're a speaker I'll consider when it comes purchase time. Midrange was the star with these, very open and lifelike.
The big MBL's were so much fun, like living inside a bubble of music. Their balance surprised me as well.
The Salk Soundscape speakers were gorgeous and sounded very balanced overall, although a bit slow and thick on bottom. I love the ability to pick my own veneer and look though, worth considering.
KEF LS50 (I think) was a surprisingly good sounding speaker. For such a small speaker it presented good scale, overall balanced with good detail as well. A touch of harshness on top but not a huge problem.
The Vivid/Ayre room was very cool, more vendors should try and do up their room instead of the same look door to door. Sound was very nice as well, on the analytical side but with excellent imaging and balance. Too funky looking though, and a bit loose on bottom.
The Odyssey monitors were excellent, big surprise how well they stacked up to much more expensive speakers. Only downside was a bit of congestion on vocals, but otherwise a fantastic speaker for the price.
... feeling lazy now, just going to type highlights from the other tower 4th and 5th floor.
Honestly I thought the best sounds of the entire show were in this tower.
The Emotiva setup was one of the best bargains I've heard. You don't get that ultimate refined feel for this price, but one of the best bargains I've heard.
The Rosso Fiorentino (spelling) speakers in the Avatar room were very nice, great emotional connection here. Smooth but not sacraficing detail and transparency. These are on my list to consider.
The Evolution Acoustic mini monitor was very enjoyable, if leaning a bit too much toward analytical. Bass was a bit flubby, but another excellent value.
Zellaton was a company I've not heard of, but their speakers were very impressive. Excellent imaging and transparency, a bit dull on top but otherwise glorious. Ultimately too expensive, but still impressive.
5th floor held many surprises for me!
The Sanders panel setup was excellent, and the price was another pleasant surprise. Another speaker that I'll consider.
The Estelon Xb was incredible. Everything about that speaker is what I'm looking for, except I would like a bit more heft to the mid-bass. Gorgeous speakers though and incredible micro-detail and transparency.
I've heard YG speakers a few times before and never really cared for them, too hi-fi sounding. But on the 5th floor they sounded as good as I've ever heard them. Here they were a sound I could live with, if a dealer gave me a nice discount :)
The bending wave Goebel speakers were also quite nice. Midrange and upper end was spectacular, but let down a bit by a much slower bottom end. Could be the room though, and a very cool looking speaker I thought.
And that brings me to my last mention, I saved the best for last. I'd never heard of Vapor Audio, they're a small custom builder based in St Louis. But after finding out about them mid-day Satuurday, I spent hours going back and forth between their two rooms. I got to hear all 5 of their models (consulting notes), Jewel Black, Cirrus Black, Cirrus White, Arcus, and Aurora. I was just amazed at how all 5 models could be so coherent, so fast and transparent sounding while using such different constructions and components. What I found most surprising is how their speakers could show more low level detail than I've ever heard without every being forward or harsh. The Jewel Black I can easily see replacing my C4's. Honestly I think my mind is made up, the Vapor speakers made the whole trip worthwhile and will likely be my next speaker ... I just have to decide which one! With the price being lower than I expected to spend, I can see myself finally setting up that 2nd system as well.
First off I was on a mission to find a replacement for my Dynaudio C4's. I've had them for around 6-7 years now and have enjoyed my time with them. But ultimately I find myself wishing for more balance and transparency. The Dyn's can feel a bit slow and uninvolving at times, other times they're spectacular.
Friday I tried to visit all the large main floor rooms and the Mezzanine rooms. Below were my notes:
The Venture setup in the Primrose room were spectacular. Incredible scale and dynamics. I felt these were very similar to my C4's but bigger and more refined. For 1/4 the asking price I would love to have them in my room, but for full price I'd want more micro-detail and sparkle on top.
The Launsche setup was also very involving and powerful. Again too rich for my blood, but another speaker I could easily live with at home. These had more midrange details than the Venture I thought.
The Daedalus/Modwright setup was very easy to listen, but too laid back my taste and somewhat dead on top.
I had never considered panels, but the Analysis Audio room made me reconsider. They were fast and transparent with excellent low level details. The price I thought was also in line. I'm not sure if I could live with the small sweet spot, and slightly constrained dynamics.
Those space age looking Cabasse speakers were cool, but sounded to my ears like an experiment and not a finished product. Unrefined and uncontrolled.
On the Mezzanine I honestly didn't find anything that was notable. The Raidho monitors were probably best, but listening was impossible due to the repeated cable swaps they were doing.
All the Focal rooms were to my ears, a mess. To me they more tried to bully you into enjoying the music instead of caressing. The Laufner Teknik's (with those gorgeous tubes) were just awful, sweet spot about the size of nickel and I could hear the panels flapping on bass notes.
Onto Saturday and the tower.
2nd floor highlights were GR/Serenity and Nola. Both had huge soundstage and plenty of low level detail, with a transparent sound. I'm not sure about the open baffle approach though, everything sounded equally big at the cost of pinpoint imaging. Plenty of great value in electronics with the Dodd stuff. Of the two I liked the Nola's better, they were just a bit more refined, the Serenity's at times turning forward and edgy at times.
The Wilson setup had it's moments of spectacular, as it should for the price of everything in there. Lots of things to like in that room, but being out of my range I didn't give it serious thought.
I hadn't heard of Adam Audio, and for the most part enjoyed them but they could be a bit hot on top at times. Big surprise of the 2nd floor was the Audio Physic Aventera's. Overall balanced, transparent, and musically involving. I'd like a bit more scale and dynamics, but an excellent speaker.
I don't remember the model, but the Totem floorstanders I heard (the ones with the funky silver frame around the woofers) were very good for the price. They're a speaker I'll consider when it comes purchase time. Midrange was the star with these, very open and lifelike.
The big MBL's were so much fun, like living inside a bubble of music. Their balance surprised me as well.
The Salk Soundscape speakers were gorgeous and sounded very balanced overall, although a bit slow and thick on bottom. I love the ability to pick my own veneer and look though, worth considering.
KEF LS50 (I think) was a surprisingly good sounding speaker. For such a small speaker it presented good scale, overall balanced with good detail as well. A touch of harshness on top but not a huge problem.
The Vivid/Ayre room was very cool, more vendors should try and do up their room instead of the same look door to door. Sound was very nice as well, on the analytical side but with excellent imaging and balance. Too funky looking though, and a bit loose on bottom.
The Odyssey monitors were excellent, big surprise how well they stacked up to much more expensive speakers. Only downside was a bit of congestion on vocals, but otherwise a fantastic speaker for the price.
... feeling lazy now, just going to type highlights from the other tower 4th and 5th floor.
Honestly I thought the best sounds of the entire show were in this tower.
The Emotiva setup was one of the best bargains I've heard. You don't get that ultimate refined feel for this price, but one of the best bargains I've heard.
The Rosso Fiorentino (spelling) speakers in the Avatar room were very nice, great emotional connection here. Smooth but not sacraficing detail and transparency. These are on my list to consider.
The Evolution Acoustic mini monitor was very enjoyable, if leaning a bit too much toward analytical. Bass was a bit flubby, but another excellent value.
Zellaton was a company I've not heard of, but their speakers were very impressive. Excellent imaging and transparency, a bit dull on top but otherwise glorious. Ultimately too expensive, but still impressive.
5th floor held many surprises for me!
The Sanders panel setup was excellent, and the price was another pleasant surprise. Another speaker that I'll consider.
The Estelon Xb was incredible. Everything about that speaker is what I'm looking for, except I would like a bit more heft to the mid-bass. Gorgeous speakers though and incredible micro-detail and transparency.
I've heard YG speakers a few times before and never really cared for them, too hi-fi sounding. But on the 5th floor they sounded as good as I've ever heard them. Here they were a sound I could live with, if a dealer gave me a nice discount :)
The bending wave Goebel speakers were also quite nice. Midrange and upper end was spectacular, but let down a bit by a much slower bottom end. Could be the room though, and a very cool looking speaker I thought.
And that brings me to my last mention, I saved the best for last. I'd never heard of Vapor Audio, they're a small custom builder based in St Louis. But after finding out about them mid-day Satuurday, I spent hours going back and forth between their two rooms. I got to hear all 5 of their models (consulting notes), Jewel Black, Cirrus Black, Cirrus White, Arcus, and Aurora. I was just amazed at how all 5 models could be so coherent, so fast and transparent sounding while using such different constructions and components. What I found most surprising is how their speakers could show more low level detail than I've ever heard without every being forward or harsh. The Jewel Black I can easily see replacing my C4's. Honestly I think my mind is made up, the Vapor speakers made the whole trip worthwhile and will likely be my next speaker ... I just have to decide which one! With the price being lower than I expected to spend, I can see myself finally setting up that 2nd system as well.