RMAF Best of Show? - $10K NOLA “KO” destroys most regardless of price

[Steve Williams]

I only heard the Maestro Utopia / Clearaudio room on Sunday and agree that it sounded better than the same dealer's "big room". The digital file server definitely sounded better than LP's in that room; in most rooms I had no real preference for analog vs. digital (except when the LP's were noisy, which again a surprising number were).

That Maestro Utopia is good competition for the Wilson Alexia; quite a different sonic character but both nice.

Robert

I completely agree with you here. The Maestro was terrific

 

[sMckee]

No bass?

No way the Clearaudio Goldfinger Statement cartridge on that turntable had no bass, unless it was defective. Also know that Musical Surroundings would have caught the issue.
I subscribe to the no bass on the LP you heard theory.
I have a Clearaudio Stradivari cartridge and it has thunderous bass when called for.

 

[MylesBAstor]

No way the Clearaudio Goldfinger Statement cartridge on that turntable had no bass, unless it was defective. Also know that Musical Surroundings would have caught the issue.
I subscribe to the no bass on the LP you heard theory.
I have a Clearaudio Stradivari cartridge and it has thunderous bass when called for.

The Goldfinger v2 in the Gershman Acoustics room was a knockout. For whatever the reason, there was none of the typical Clearaudio hyperdetail and leanness. The G v.2 just sounded like music. There was plenty of bass there.

 

[Lee]

The Goldfinger v2 in the Gershman Acoustics room was a knockout. For whatever the reason, there was none of the typical Clearaudio hyperdetail and leanness. The G v.2 just sounded like music. There was plenty of bass there.

I agree 100%.

 

[caesar]

The Goldfinger v2 in the Gershman Acoustics room was a knockout. For whatever the reason, there was none of the typical Clearaudio hyperdetail and leanness. The G v.2 just sounded like music. There was plenty of bass there.

Was that the room with VAC? If so I agree!! I only heard about 2 minutes of it, as the show was closing down, but Clapton on that ClearAudio table sounded like he was IN THE ROOM! Unfortunately, I did not have time to listen to it with my own music, and I'm still bummed about not being able to explore that room.

 

[JackD201]

The Goldfinger v2 in the Gershman Acoustics room was a knockout. For whatever the reason, there was none of the typical Clearaudio hyperdetail and leanness. The G v.2 just sounded like music. There was plenty of bass there.

The Suchy bros have gone warmer the last few years. Come a long way from the "hammer heads" and the original "fingers".

 

[MylesBAstor]

Was that the room with VAC? If so I agree!! I only heard about 2 minutes of it, as the show was closing down, but Clapton on that ClearAudio table sounded like he was IN THE ROOM! Unfortunately, I did not have time to listen to it with my own music, and I'm still bummed about not being able to explore that room.

Yes.

 

[rbbert]

Yes.

With the Black Swan or the new Idol? I had a blast in the Black Swan room listening to both vinyl and CD, and was sorely tempted to buy the show speakers for $30k delivered.

 

[MylesBAstor]

With the Black Swan or the new Idol? I had a blast in the Black Swan room listening to both vinyl and CD, and was sorely tempted to buy the show speakers for $30k delivered.

Black Swan.

But did you get a chance to hear their new $3000 speaker? Was very good.

 

[flez007]

With the Black Swan or the new Idol? I had a blast in the Black Swan room listening to both vinyl and CD, and was sorely tempted to buy the show speakers for $30k delivered.

wow - 30K and you are out for shopping! many options out there besides this good speaker.

 

[flez007]

Black Swan.

But did you get a chance to hear their new $3000 speaker? Was very good.

I did, and liked them a lot!

 

[rbbert]

wow - 30K and you are out for shopping! many options out there besides this good speaker.

Well, yeah, that's the biggest reason I didn't buy it. OTOH, that's more than 1/3 off, and when a speaker sounds that good at a show you can be pretty sure it can sound at least that good set up at home.

The other reservation I had was how important were the VAC amps in the room's sound.

 

[rbbert]

I did, and liked them a lot!

ditto

 

[MylesBAstor]

Well, yeah, that's the biggest reason I didn't buy it. OTOH, that's more than 1/3 off, and when a speaker sounds that good at a show you can be pretty sure it can sound at least that good set up at home.

The other reservation I had was how important were the VAC amps in the room's sound.

Think the VAC electronics had a lot to do with the sound. Just ask DEV