RMAF 2012 Show Report (Rocky Mountain Audio Fest)
Show Coverage By Steven R. Rochlin

  Look at all these people here in Denver for the RMAF 2012 event. Must be something really great going on in the hotel to find such a gathering of avid music lovers.

 

 

Morrow Audio offers a wide variety of affordable cables for audiophiles. Really impressive quality for the money too!

 

In the Kimber Kable room was the KEF Blade speakers being driven by McIntosh gear and of course Kimber Kables throughout. Am still in love with the Kimber Select all silver interconnects and their 8TC copper bi-wire speaker cable is great with the Dunlavy precision phase/time accurate speakers.

 

As we all know, Audio Electronics is part of Cary Audio Design and at the RMAF 2012 they were showing their Constellation preamplifier and the Hercules power amplifier ($1495 and $1895 respectively). Sorry, but no you can not buy them right now. Just wait about two weeks when production goes full steam ahead. They also have a new Lightening DAC planned to cost under $2000 and it will have the usual 192kHz replay and has USB, TosLink and RCA S/PDIF coax. At the show you could get 20% off too!

 

Mytek has their $1600 Stereo192 that handles SACD plus of course 24/192. They also make studio DAC products like clocks, rate converters etc. Good to see more and more pro audio company also catering to audiophiles.

 

The Tweak Studio is a retail store based in Chicago and had a fine section of gear.

 

Here is the famous and International star Richard Beers of THE Show with John Wolf of Classic Audio Reproductions.

 

Elusive Disc were very busy selling CDs, SACD, vinyl, etc.

 

Absolute Vinyl was also busy.

 

MIT had their Oracle MA-X SHD that is their super high definition speaker cable interface ($40,000). The Oracle MA-X Super High Definition Speaker Interface includes the ability to choose to enable F.A.T. in either high definition or super high definition with a simple switch selection. So who wants to be fat, don't we have enough lethargic single audiophiles with a weight problem? Oh, wait, MIT means Fractional Articulation Technology that has interval optimization (the notes within the octave). This is said to improve the natural textures and density of the music.

 

Focal had their Chorus 836W ($4499) per pair. This three-way, three woofers, five driver speaker adopts the W composite sandwich cone. Dynamics and definition are said to be "increased and bring a new dimension to the 'Affordable Luxury' of the Chorus 800 V line". These speakers are made in France, so help them out as a 75% tax rate is really killing their economy.

 

Naim offers an optional high-end audio system for the Bentley. Have tried Porsche, Ferrari and others, and quite frankly the Bentley Continental with AWD is the best all-around grand touring vehicle in the marketplace today. Hmmm, should i trade my daily driver CGT for a newer GTC with Naim system? Hmmm...

 

Ultimate Ears is, to date, my fave IEM and play the drums using them many times a week plus of course 'normal' IEM music listening.

 

Woo Audio had their new, in prototype form, WA7 ($800) tubed headphone amp with 32/192. Inputs are USB analog RCA.

 

Steampunkers unite as the Audeze LCD 3 $1945 headphone. The LCD3 combines leading-edge planar technology with ongoing design input. Audeze uses a proprietary thin-film diaphragm that is housed between a unique super-efficient push-pull magnetic structure. The LCD3 earcups are made of precision-crafted, hand-selected Zebra Wood (Zebrano). The sloped ear pads are made of premium lambskin leather, with specially molded foam to offer the right amount of firmness. Steampunk version may be an available option (at an additional cost of course).

 

New JH Audio have been very busy revising their IEMs and have now fine-tuned their products for accuracy in the phase domain. JH Audio model 16 are ($1149) and the revised version should be arriving to my doorstep soon so look for a follow-up and comparo in the January issue!

 

---> Part 2 of Friday's RMAF 2012 coverage.