First of all, I’d like to point out that, though I probably should have, I did not take this picture. This picture was taken by VPI’s young Mathew Weisfeld, who is way cooler than me.

Now, the turntable is VPI’s Traveler, which I review in our November issue. What turntable, you ask? That turntable there—the one behind the girl in the red glasses. (The red glasses, she told me, weren’t hers, but instead belonged to Music Hall’s Leland Leard. But that’s another story.)

Her name is Jessica, and she works for Vapor Audio, makers of beautifully finished loudspeakers. Jessica’s dad is the owner, and Jessica hopes to take on a larger role with the company, specifically in manufacturing—though she’s learned much about crossover design, Jessica’s most interested in veneers. This last fact isn’t all that surprising, considering that the Vapor Audio loudspeakers boasted some of the most distinct finishes I saw at the show.

The 2012 Rocky Mountain Audio Fest was Jessica’s first hi-fi show—she had a great time, as did all of the young people I saw here in Denver—and she’s looking forward to January’s Consumer Electronics Show.

“I hate Las Vegas,” I told her.

“I only like to visit,” she said.