Stephen Mejias

I was impressed by the looks and sound of PMC’s new Fact 3 monitor ($9500/pair). PMC’s Ian Verdugo explained that the company gave the model the “deluxe audiophile treatment,” with a completely new design and modified transmission line. Shown in an attractive Tiger Ebony finish, the Fact 3 uses two 5.5” SEAS mid/woofers and a 0.75” Sonomex soft-dome, ferro-fluid cooled tweeter. On the speaker’s brushed anodized rear panel, users will find two switches for adjusting the high frequency and bass response.

Aperion Audio introduced their new Verus Grand line of speakers: the Verus Grand Tower ($1798/pair), Verus Grand bookshelf ($598/pair), and Verus Grand center channel ($699), all with very nicely finished, curved cabinets in attractive high-gloss cherry or piano black lacquer.

Products making their debut at the 2010 RMAF from Philip O’Hanlon’s On a Higher Note: The interesting LaSource SACD player/preamp/DAC from Audioaero ($44,000), Vivid G2 Giya loudspeaker ($50,000/pair), and Brinkmann 9.6 tonearm ($4000), Brinkmann Pi cartridge ($2700), and Brinkmann Edison tube phono stage ($12,900).

I followed my visit to the <a href="http://blog.stereophile.com/rmaf2010/physical_sound_from_kaiser_gte_aud… Acustica</a> room with a stop in a room occupied by Tidal Audio, dCS, and Argento Audio.

Perhaps the very prettiest gear of all I saw at RMAF was in the room occupied by Kaiser Acoustics, GTE Audio, and Fono Acustica. This was also the most </i>physical</i> sound I heard at the show; this system, more than any other I heard at RMAF, seemed to bring the musicians and instruments into the room with really impressive body and force.

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Judging by my complete lack of notes on the room occupied by Silver Circle Audio, Sutherland Engineering, and Tyler Acoustics&#151a VPI Scoutmaster turntable was spinning tunes, with amplification from Plinius driving the speakers&#151I would have to say that I didn’t do much listening in here. I mean, I <i>heard</i> music, but I was too busy enjoying my conversation with Silver Circle’s David Stanard, and I was too impressed by the <i>appearance</i> of the gear. From the cabinetry of the Tyler Acoustics Decade D1 loudspeakers to the <a href="http://blog.stereophile.com/rmaf2010/hefty_ac_cords/">hefty AC cords</a> coming from the Silver Circle Pure Power One 5.0’s rear panel to the <a href="http://blog.stereophile.com/rmaf2010/made_in_the_usa_enjoyed_everywhere… circuitry</a> of the Sutherland Engineering 20/20 phono preamp (review to come from Brian Damkroger), to the equipment rack&#151handmade by Stanard in one afternoon&#151everything was handsome and personal and showed obvious fine craftsmanship.