RMAF 2017

For those who have been thinking it's time for the people in white coats to carry me away—they actually did. Oxnard, CA-based Dan Wiggins, who spent 25 years in audio development for Sonos, Harman, and lots of other audio brands whose names he keeps to himself, recently decided to follow his passion. A year ago, he founded Periodic Audio, whose BE (Beryllium) in-ear headphones (top price: $299/pair) won a headphone award at the Los Angeles Audio Show.

Not only was the sound good, but the invitation to settle into Periodic Audio's relaxation lounge chairs, which included cellphone chargers, was too good to resist. Never has a visit to the doctor been more fun. One of our "terrorers," the exquisite Ms. Daisy Mae Doven, finds all this snore-worthy—that's what she's doing now, while curled up on the chair next to me as I type—but many an audiophile find Periodic's achievement worthy of accolades.

Dan D'Agostino Master Systems, who snared a RIHPA for their Momentum phono preamp, assembled a striking system in which their DDMAS Progression preamplifier with optional DAC module ($26,500)—if memory serves me right, this won an award at the Los Angeles Audio Show—joined the DDMAS Progression stereo amplifier ($22,000), dCS Rossini player, MartinLogan Renaissance ESL 15A speakers ($25,000/pair), an expensive Stromtank S5000HP AC power source ($39,000) powering the amp and speakers, and a Stromtank S2500 ($19,500) powering the front end. Cabling was by AudioQuest, whose Wild Blue Yonder cabling, I might add, also won an RIHPA award.

For my thoughts on the sound of Dan D'Agostino Master Systems electronics, please see my review of the Progression Mono monoblocks in the October issue of Stereophile. For a taste of eye candy, please gaze above.

Technics was not only out in force on the 11th floor of the Marriott Tower—they were also sounding, really, really good. All thoughts of mass-market mediocrity vanished as I listened to the beautiful timbres, impressive depth, and superb balance from top to bottom of the range on a file ripped from a Tomasz Stanko ECM recording. (Trumpeter Stanko's more recent recordings are available as hi-rez downloads from HDTracks.) Perhaps this system lacked ultimate grace, as well as ultimate bass control. But for a setup in which two racks full of equipment and four speakers were sandwiched into a very small space—forget about proper speaker distance from the rear and side walls—it sounded very, very good.

Bill Voss of Technics was eager to show me the insides of the company's new SB-G90 loudspeaker ($4999.99/pair), which joined the SU-G30 integrated amplifier ($4000) and ST-G30 music server with SSD ($5000). Cabling was Nordost Tyr2 speaker wire, with digital relayed by DLNA. The coaxial speaker's rear-mounted Balance Driver Mounting Architecture (BDMA), labor-intensive layered cabinets, and other efforts to reduce resonance demonstrated impressive dedication to sound quality.

AVM of Germany, whose top-of-the-line monoblocks I praised in my review for Stereophile, has scored a major 30th Anniversary coup. Thanks to the efforts of international sales director Peder Bäckman, AVM is poised to penetrate the US market big-time via a distribution agreement with Music Direct.

Emphasizing the lower end of the price spectrum, AVM showed their new A30 110Wpc class-A/AB integrated amplifier ($2995). Fed by a Mobile Fidelity UltraDeck + turntable with UltraTracker MM cartridge ($1999), and feeding Wharfedale Reva 3 speakers ($1499/pair) via an AudioQuest Niagara 5000 and AQ cabling, the system did a very nice job on a MoFi test pressing of Donald Fagan's Nightfly, and a 45rpm reissue of Direct Straits' Love over Gold.

At other audio shows, either John Atkinson—whose declaration of "superb measured performance" was accompanied by that "gobsmacked" word that he is rumored to have retired—or other members of our team have enthused over the DEQX HDP-5 preamplifier/digital linear phase crossover/frequency & group-delay calibration and room compensation system ($5995). (Say that sentence in one breath, and you will be entered into a contest to win either one of these units or a round-trip to Australia. The decision of the judges is fallible.) Another reviewer on the Stereophile team, Kal Rubinson, wrote of one of the DEQX units, "It made…all music more of a joy to hear."

Now Roon-ready, the DEQX HDP-5 formed a complete, all-DEQX system with brand new DEQX A250x3 three-channel monoblock amplifiers ($2795/pair) and equally brand new DEQX/Legend Acoustics ISR active monitor loudspeakers ($16,995/pair). The speakers are only sold with the above components, and include digital correction filters. Playing 1/2" master tapes, the system's tonality was not my favorite, but that doesn't mean that it didn't live up to its claims to a create a flat time domain between the speaker's range of 100Hz-10kHz.

Having gone ga-ga over the sound of Tekton Design Double Impact monitors ($2000/pair, or $3000 with upgraded paint finish) paired with Parasound electronics, I was eager to hear the sound of Tekton's significantly larger, floorstanding Double Impact ($3000/pair, or more for custom finishes). Alas, by the time I could reach their room, Eric Alexander was rushing to complete packing everything up so he could make his flight home. All I can tell you is that Eric is quite excited about the speaker's claimed flat response from 30Hz-30kHz. Between that and its sound, Tekton's speakers have generated an astounding number of posts on Audiogon. Gotta hear, gotta hear.

After staring at Eric's boxes, and uttering a great big sigh, it was time to bid the 11th floor of the Marriott Tower a fine adieu. Thus did my three packed days of listening at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest come to an end. Not with a bang, but a whimper.