John Atkinson

There was full program of seminars and workshops at RMAF, as well as my own <A HREF="http://blog.stereophile.com/rmaf2009/squeezing_the_music/">"Squeezing the Music Till the Bits Squeak</A>," the session featuring <A HREF="http://blog.stereophile.com/rmaf2009/hp_speaks/">Harry Pearson</A>, and Michael Fremer on "<A HREF="http://blog.stereophile.com/rmaf2009/turntable_set-up_done_right/">Turn… Setup</A>," I moderated a panel session, "How to Get the Most Out of Computer-Based Audio," on Saturday afternoon. The A-List panel&#151;(from left to right) Gus Skinas (SACD Center), John Stronczer (Bel Canto Design), J. Gordon Rankin (Wavelength Audio), Charlie Hansen (Ayre Acoustics), record producer Joe Harley, and Chris Connaker (www.computeraudiophile.com)&#151;discussed the best way to use a computer as a legimate source component in a high-end audio system. All concerned felt this was the way forward for the high-end audio industry, particularly with the increasing availability of hi-rez downloads, and it was a shame that the session was limited to an hour.

I listened to <a href="http://www.myspace.com/ducktailss">Ducktails</a&gt;’ <i>Landscapes</i> once&#151<i>once!</i>&#151and was disappointed by its apparent simplicity. I set it aside while many other albums came into my life and piled atop its strange, hot pink cover art.

On Saturday evening, at show's close, Bea and Luke Manley of VTL, with the support of Nordost, hosted a Martini tribute to the recently departed founder of Stereophile, the inimitable J. Gordon Holt. Located outside Nordost's Humboldt Peak room on the Denver Marriott Tech Center's mezzanine, the tribute drew a huge crowd of industry icons.

When I last met Charles Holt in 1991, he was a teenager. But I had no problem recognizing him at RMAF&#151;he looks just like his Dad. And, as you can see in Jason Serinus' photograph, in which Charles is flanked by his girlfriend Melissa and me, Charles is wearing the infamous "<A HREF="http://blog.stereophile.com/stephenmejias/the_finger_button/">finger button</A>," which was Gordon's favorite image of himself.

Tube amp designer Roger Modjeski (Music Reference) toasts Gordon Holt with a Martini.

Restocking the magazines on the <I>Stereophile</I> booth, I saw a familiar face on the booth next door. Audio industry veteran Jim Smith was selling (and autographing) copies of his book <I>Get Better Sound</I>, which is, as the name suggests, about how to get better sound from your system.

Since the demise of of its own Show, <I>Stereophile</I> has been supporting North American audio Shows, which was why you can find us at RMAF in Denver and <A HREF="http://blog.stereophile.com/ssi2009/">SSI in Montreal</A>. Next March, we are partnering with the Axpona Show in Florida, which had a booth at RMAF. The booth was manned, er, personed by two beautiful girls but, of course, when I went back with my camera, they had left for the day.