The sixth annual Rocky Mountain Audio Fest had already closed when I finally had the time to stop by Reference Recordings’ booth to check out their latest mouth-watering HRx high-resolution master WAV file DVD-Rs. There I encountered Demian Martin, who, together with Ray Burnham, has produced the Auraliti (pronounced Aurality) disc player ($800).
One of my best sounds at RMAF was the room organized by Colorado dealer Audio Unlimited featuring the Emperor speakers from Canadian manufacturer Hansen Audio that had so impressed Jason Serinus at the 2008 RMAF. The three-way speakers were driven by Accuphase monoblocks sitting on Critical Mass Systems platforms, with the front end based on a Trans-Rotor turntable. I was drawn into the room by the full-range sound of Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall" and didn't leave for quite a while. Wes Phillips said it best in his CES 2009 coverage of the Emperor: "the music had me melting in my chair."
There was full program of seminars and workshops at RMAF, as well as my own <A HREF="http://blog.stereophile.com/rmaf2009/squeezing_the_music/">"Squeezing the Music Till the Bits Squeak</A>," the session featuring <A HREF="http://blog.stereophile.com/rmaf2009/hp_speaks/">Harry Pearson</A>, and Michael Fremer on "<A HREF="http://blog.stereophile.com/rmaf2009/turntable_set-up_done_right/">Turn… Setup</A>," I moderated a panel session, "How to Get the Most Out of Computer-Based Audio," on Saturday afternoon. The A-List panel—(from left to right) Gus Skinas (SACD Center), John Stronczer (Bel Canto Design), J. Gordon Rankin (Wavelength Audio), Charlie Hansen (Ayre Acoustics), record producer Joe Harley, and Chris Connaker (www.computeraudiophile.com)—discussed the best way to use a computer as a legimate source component in a high-end audio system. All concerned felt this was the way forward for the high-end audio industry, particularly with the increasing availability of hi-rez downloads, and it was a shame that the session was limited to an hour.
I listened to <a href="http://www.myspace.com/ducktailss">Ducktails</a>’ <i>Landscapes</i> once—<i>once!</i>—and was disappointed by its apparent simplicity. I set it aside while many other albums came into my life and piled atop its strange, hot pink cover art.
Bob O'Neill sold advertising for <I>Stereophile</I> in the early 1980s and also contributed record reviews to the magazine. He became a firm friend of J. Gordon Holt's and gave a moving eulogy honoring Gordon's memory at RMAF.
When I last met Charles Holt in 1991, he was a teenager. But I had no problem recognizing him at RMAF—he looks just like his Dad. And, as you can see in Jason Serinus' photograph, in which Charles is flanked by his girlfriend Melissa and me, Charles is wearing the infamous "<A HREF="http://blog.stereophile.com/stephenmejias/the_finger_button/">finger button</A>," which was Gordon's favorite image of himself.
Tube amp designer Roger Modjeski (Music Reference) toasts Gordon Holt with a Martini.
Bea Lam's Martini party in honor of J. Gordon Holt—that's Bea at the right of the photo— concluded with a solo violin recital to remind partygoers what high-end audio is all about.
Restocking the magazines on the <I>Stereophile</I> booth, I saw a familiar face on the booth next door. Audio industry veteran Jim Smith was selling (and autographing) copies of his book <I>Get Better Sound</I>, which is, as the name suggests, about how to get better sound from your system.