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RMAF 2011

April Music, Eximus, Stello, Verastarr

Stephen Mejias Oct 19, 2011

April Music presented the new Eximus DP1 DAC-preamplifier ($2995), which offers six digital inputs, including USB 2.0; two analog inputs, including a front-panel Aux; three analog outputs, including a front-panel headphone jack; and supports resolutions up to 24-bit/192kHz.

RMAF 2011

Joseph Audio, Bel Canto, WideaLab, Cardas, Amy Winehouse, Peggy Lee

Stephen Mejias Oct 19, 2011

I’ve grown used to hearing good sound in rooms occupied by Joseph Audio loudspeakers and this was no exception. We had a toe-tapping, hip-shaking, good time in here. The system was locked in a deep and heavy groove, sounding dynamic, fun, lively, and totally listenable.

Yes, listenable. You’d think that everything at a hi-fi show would be listenable, but you'd be surprised.

Anyway. The system:

RMAF 2011

Angel City Audio & Melody Valve HiFi

Stephen Mejias Oct 19, 2011

Angel City Audio built a system comprising their Trinity loudspeaker ($6999/pair), Melody Pure Black 101 preamplifier ($4499), and Melody M835 monoblock power amplifiers ($5899/pair), along with an Onix XCD50 CD player and Melody cables and interconnects.

RMAF 2011

Sutherland, Vandersteen, Arcici, EnKlein

Stephen Mejias Oct 19, 2011

Ron Sutherland was extremely excited about his versatile, new preamplifier.

“Want to know what it’s called?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“The N1.”

“Oh.”

“Get it?”

“What?”

“N1!”

“Hmm?”

“It’s all-in-one!”

RMAF 2011

Gold Sound Loves You

Stephen Mejias Oct 19, 2011

It was around this point of the show that I started to feel weak and dizzy, overwhelmed by the size of RMAF and disappointed by the lack of truly affordable gear. Thank goodness for Gold Sound. The Colorado dealer had pieced together not one, not two, but five affordable, audiophile systems priced under $5000.

RMAF 2011

Resonessence Labs and Westlake Audio

Stephen Mejias Oct 19, 2011

There was a lot of buzz over the new high-performance, highly versatile Invicta DAC/preamp ($3395) from Resonessence Labs. The Invicta handles all resolutions up to 24-bit/192kHz from all of its inputs, including asynchronous USB 2.0.

RMAF 2011

Audio Physic, Acoustic Signature, Trigon, Nordost

Stephen Mejias Oct 19, 2011

In the room presented by Audio Physic, Acoustic Signature, and Trigon, music was sweet and nuanced, played at low volumes, but nevertheless involving and deeply enjoyable. I admired the subtlety of touch, richness of texture, and ease of flow. We listened to a few minutes of One Foot in the Gutter, a live, 1960s recording by the Dave Bailey Sextet, and I swear I could hear the joy and humor in the band’s playing.

RMAF 2011

The Funk Firm’s FXR II tonearm

Stephen Mejias Oct 19, 2011

Riding the Acoustic Signature Storm ($7500) was the new FXR II tonearm ($1995) by the Funk Firm. Super cool.

RMAF 2011

Totem’s Element Series

Stephen Mejias Oct 19, 2011

Totem was showing their new Element Series of loudspeakers. Both the stand-mounted Fire ($6000/pair) and floorstanding Earth ($9000/pair) use Totem’s 7-inch Torrent hand-assembled driver and employ no crossover parts in the woofer section.

RMAF 2011

The Rogers High Fidelity EHF-100

Stephen Mejias Oct 19, 2011

Sound Representation’s affable Jon Zimmer introduced me to the Rogers High Fidelity EHF-100 integrated amplifier ($6000), which was driving a pair of Totem Element Fire loudspeakers.