RMAF 2008

"This is the last year for the big Sound Labs," Ray Kimber declared. "They're getting too beat up to continue being shipped."

Into the huge space ballroom space that Ray commandeers each year for his amazing IsoMike demos strode I, only to discover 6 pairs of Sound Lab ProStat 922s ($32,000/pair), two pair of excellent Sony SS-AR1 speakers ($20,000/pair), eight Pass Labs X350.5 amps ($15,000 each) arranged in surround array. To this we add the EMM Labs CDSA ($11,500), TSD1 ($11,000), DAC2 ($9500), DAC8 MK IV ($7500), DAC6SE ($13,500); and two GML 9500 Room EQ units ($25,000 each).

Then there was the truckload of Kimber Kables. You know this system couldn't have sounded that good without all those cables and power cables. We heard: Kimber Select KS 1130—3m pair ($4620) and 6m pair ($8580); Kimber Select KS 3038, three 30' pairs ($38,860/pair) and 3 pairs at 6' ($8860/pair); Monocle XL, 12' pair ($1916); a mere 22 Palladian 10 power cords ($1360/each) and I don't know how many Palladian PK 14Gs ($330 each). The total value of the system was $535,288.00, including the computer drive I didn't hear.

What I did hear was the most realistic, full-sized organ sound I ever expect to hear from anything except Cameron Carpenter's virtual organ. (Hear his Telarc release if you haven't already, and prepare for lift off)! Anyone at the show who has never heard this demo owes it to themselves to do so NOW! Hats off to Ray Kimber for his achievement. This system is amazing.