And this Sunday, just when I thought I was done being dragged, I get this mad call from an out-of-breath Jason Victor Serinus, saying, "Herb! Get your ass up to room 1125 (the Parasound-Tekton room). The sound is amazing, and you must listen to this speaker. Hurry up!"
I arrived…
With those succinct words, Herb Reichert aptly summarizes the special spirit that is Rocky Mountain Audio Fest. There may be US shows with greater attendance, but there is a special energy about the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest that sets it apart from the rest, and keeps exhibitors and dedicated audiophiles returning year after year.
Thus was it fitting that, at the end of the Rocky Mountain International HiFi Press Awards (RIHPA) on the first night of the show, Gabi Rijnveld of Crystal Cable (left above) presented show organizer…
The issue kicks off with an examination of the reviewer's role, while on the music side of things, Robert Baird comes to grips with the reissue of the Rolling…
While cities like New York, Detroit, and Philly all get more press for their jazz history and connections, Pittsburgh has a rich history as the birthplace of many notable swing and bebop jazz players. Bassist Ray Brown…
In writing reviews for Stereophile, I face a challenge. Whether I'm evaluating an audio component, a recording, or a live performance, I'm confronted by the fact that, when all is said and done, no one fully understands why or how the sound of a particular component, composition, or artist can affect us as powerfully as so many…
Why the move? Suave Kajko, President of TAVES, cites several reasons: the venue wanted to literally double the price for the large rooms; the Best Western hotel was the source of many complaints from exhibitors, and, in any case, is scheduled for demolition, and the show was bursting at the seams in…
That answer always surprises, and sometimes disappoints: "You listen to MP3s?"
The response is moderately tempered when I add that I use good in-ear monitors (IEMs)—either Westone ES50s (ca $995) or Jerry Harvey Audio Laylas (ca $2725), both with eartips made from molds of my ear canals.
Those multiple-balanced-armature IEMs perform incredibly well, and the custom eartips make seals that are measurably better at rejecting noise than the noise-canceling, over-ear phones worn by Bose-fanboy…
Setup
For every reason I hate iTunes, I loved the A&ultima SP1000's Android-based operating system. An hour with the SP1000 made me…
Description: Portable music player. Apps include: WiFi (802.11 b/g/n, 2.4GHz), Bluetooth v.4.1 (A2DP, AVRCP, aptX HD), Tidal, Groovers+, Parametric EQ, 256GB internal memory, microSD card slot (256GB), 5" touchscreen (1280x720). Compatible file formats: AAC, AIFF, ALAC, APE, DFF, DSF, FLAC, MP3, OOG, WAV, WMA. Compatible sample rates: up to 384kHz, DSD256. Compatible bit depths: 8–32. Outputs: headphone/optical (3.5mm jack), balanced (2.5mm, only 4-pole supported). Frequency response: 20Hz–20kHz, ±0.062dB, unbalanced. Maximum output: 2.2V RMS/balanced 3.9V RMS.…
Digital Sources: Simaudio Moon Evolution 780D streaming DAC, Wolf Audio Systems The Cub server.
Amplification: Marantz AV8801 preamplifier-processor & SR6011 A/V receiver.
Headphones: AKG AK701, Audeze LCDi4, Jerry Harvey Audio Layla, Westone E50.
Loudspeakers: Pioneer SP-FS52, REL T-7 subwoofer.—Michael Fremer