RMAF 2010

Dynaudio’s Mike Manousselis pulled me into his room with the familiar sounds of the XX. On display here were T+A’s more affordable R-Series components, less flashy than the V-Series, but no less elegant: G1260 R turntable ($3250 with tonearm; $3600 with arm and cartridge; $4300 with built-in phono), PA1260 R integrated amplifier ($5000), CD1260 R CD player ($3800), and MP1260 R DAC streaming client ($4200, providing internet radio, two USB inputs, and wired or wireless streaming abilities).

Speakers here were also a treat: The Special Twenty-Five has been reissued in a limited-edition run of just 75 pairs, celebrating the 15th anniversary of Dynaudio North America. They are available only in a Bordeaux finish and cost $5750/pair.

Manousselis also had some of my favorite music of the show: Sufjan Stevens, Panda Bear, The Knife, The XX—all on vinyl. We ended by listening to a couple of tracks from a fine reissue of the Smashing Pumpkins seminal Siamese Dream (on orange cream-colored vinyl!). We listened to “Today,” and I was immediately in high school, riding in the back seat of Kim’s old car, Stephanie in the front smoking a Marlboro. But the guitars never sounded this good back then—even the loud, distorted sections ringing with clarity and outstanding impact, the bass maintaining its drive and pull, the clean guitars singing sweetly.