Called into play at RMAF was the Eficion F250 ($9250/pair), an 8 ohm impedance model with 90dB sensitivity and a frequency range of 30Hz–35kHz. Its more modestly sized woofer and air-motion-transformer tweeter are better suited to a standard hotel room than the larger, deeper reaching F300.
Underneath the speakers were the Stillpoints stainless steel SS Ultra isolators ($225 each, or $1800 for all eight). Stillpoints also supplied the four-shelf, 20" wide ESS 26-20-4 isolation rack ($9555). The rest of the equipment included the Artemis Labs SA01 turntable ($7800) and TA-1 tonearm ($3500); Miyajima Lab Shilabe cartridge ($2800); Exemplar Audio WMTS XPH-1 phono preamp ($5995), Blue Ray multi-player ($2500), and WMTS XP-2 two-chassis preamp ($15,000); David Berning Quadrature Z mono amplifiers ($33,350, presumably for the pair); and exemplar Audio IC portals ($2800/1m pair), Power Portals ($1400/6'), and Speaker Portals ($2800/6' pair).
The sound was very clean, crisp, open, alive, and natural-sounding. It invited you to sit down and listen for extended periods of time. If I didn't do that, it's because I not only had a huge number of rooms to cover, but also have the privilege of listening to the F-300 and Stillpoints at home. Here’s hoping other show attendees were able to give this excellent sounding room the time it deserved.
