Genesis Room at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest 2011

[garylkoh]

This year, we are yet again going to be the anti-mainstream room - with interesting stuff to be unveiled.



The loudspeakers are the brand new Genesis 7f. Large enough to deliver real music in the room, but not too large to require lots of bass traps, acoustic treatment, etc. The emphasis will be on a musical system that can be used in a realistically-sized room. A minimum of room treatment is going to be used to show how much soundstage, imaging and bass development can be achieved in a real-world family room.

They will be driven by a prototype of a new monoblock power amplifier. I have not finalized on the specifications yet, but these can develop over 1,000W into the nominal impedance of the G7f. (Have to be careful with the volume knob on the preamp!!)

The preamp is going to be the brand new SMc Audio VRE-1C Virtual Reality Engine. The legendary Steve McCormack will also be in attendance in the room.

Analog front end is the Funk Firm Saffire II with the new FxR III tonearm. This might be the first time it has ever been demo'ed in the US.

The phono-stage is the Burmester Ph100. Digital duties are handled by the M2Tech Young 32-bit/384kHz DAC and my home-brewed music server. All cables will be my Absolute Fidelity Interfaces and the equipment rack is by Kosmic.us.

The Equipment List:
Genesis 7.2f (MSRP $9,000)
Genesis Statement Monoblock Amplifiers prototypes (MSRP $t.b.d.)
SMc Audio VRE-1C prototypes (MSRP $t.b.d.)
Burmester Ph100 (MSRP $24,000)
The Funk Firm Saffire II + FXR II (MSRP $7,300)
M2Tech Young (MSRP $1,900)
Absolute Fidelity Interface Cables (MSRP $3,000 2m loudspeaker; $1,800 1m interconnect; $1,800 1.5m power)
Kosmic 5-tier Equipment Rack (MSRP $7,000)

 

[Steve Williams]

best of luck Gary

some interesting gear

 

[Ron Party]

Very, very nice, Gary. Best of luck to you for a great show.

 

[Gregadd]

The emphasis will be on a musical system that can be used in a realistically-sized room. A minimum of room treatment is going to be used to show how much soundstage, imaging and bass development can be achieved in a real-world family room[Emphasis supplied].

That's some family. Hope you sell a couple.

 

[garylkoh]

Thanks guys. I appreciate all the suggestions for demo music - I've managed to get quite a number of the suggestions, so hope that some of you will come and hang out.

 

[MylesBAstor]

Thanks guys. I appreciate all the suggestions for demo music - I've managed to get quite a number of the suggestions, so hope that some of you will come and hang out.

Bring a tape machine and will bring some tasty tunes

 

[JackD201]

Have a great show Gary, wish I could be there to cheer you on!

 

[naturephoto1]

Gary,

Have a great show and hope that it is most successful. Sorry I couldn't attend.

Rich

 

[fas42]

They will be driven by a prototype of a new monoblock power amplifier. I have not finalized on the specifications yet, but these can develop over 1,000W into the nominal impedance of the G7f. (Have to be careful with the volume knob on the preamp!!)

Hey, no fair, Gary!! You tryin' to steal my thunder, eh??

Frank

 

[MylesBAstor]

They will be driven by a prototype of a new monoblock power amplifier. I have not finalized on the specifications yet, but these can develop over 1,000W into the nominal impedance of the G7f. (Have to be careful with the volume knob on the preamp!!)

Man your neighbors are going to luv you

 

[garylkoh]

Man your neighbors are going to luv you

The additional power's not to deliver LOUD, it's to deliver dynamics and ease. I'm usually the one blasted by the neighbors.....

Frank, I'm not stealing your thunder. I think that higher and higher power gets exponentially harder and harder to do right. Going from 360W to 1,000W was far, far, far harder than going from 180W to 360W. You promised 2.4kW.... so if you achieve it, you'll still be far, far ahead of anyone else.

 

[fas42]

The additional power's not to deliver LOUD, it's to deliver dynamics and ease. I'm usually the one blasted by the neighbors.....

Thanks, Gary. As you say, the additional power is really about headroom, especially for relatively inefficient speakers that have virtues in other areas ...

Fran

 

[MylesBAstor]

The additional power's not to deliver LOUD, it's to deliver dynamics and ease. I'm usually the one blasted by the neighbors.....

C'mon Gary, you're not the least bit tempted? Revenge is sweet

 

[garylkoh]

C'mon Gary, you're not the least bit tempted? Revenge is sweet

Nope, because no one wins. I'll just shut my door. I think that most exhibitors play too loud to try to impress but end up alienating listeners and making their own ears ring. I have to stay in that room for at least 8 hours a day for 3 days. My hearing is precious to me

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

Those speakers look very nice, Gary. It's good to see a high-end manufacturer offering a smaller speaker, not as a compromise, but as the appropriate choice for an appropriately-sized room. What is the driver compliment? Are the subs active?

Tim

 

[garylkoh]

Thanks, Tim.

None of our speakers are compromises. I spent as much time on the design of the G7f as I did on the G2jr. The tweeter is identical to the tweeter used in the $245,000 G1, and the crossover uses the same components. The sub is also active, and has the same servo-circuit, and the quality of the driver is the same. In fact, the 8" woofer is identical to the one used in the G2.2.

Add it two more solid titanium-cone mid/woofers plus a rear-tweeter and you have a 4-way semi-active full-range loudspeaker.

I wanted to launch the G2jr at RMAF, but unfortunately it is too large for the room we have and none of the larger rooms have been available for years.

 

[Gregadd]

I think that most exhibitors play too loud to try to impress but end up alienating listeners and making their own ears ring.

I have attended many shows. The most frequent complaint-too loud! A complaint often accompanied by advice to avoid the room altogether. This complaint easily trumps unfortunate music choices eg. extended drum solos.

 

[garylkoh]

This complaint easily trumps unfortunate music choices eg. extended drum solos.

Yeah, I try not do do that either. On the other hand, I have this extended bass solo by Avishai Cohen......

Greg, thanks for the demo CD you sent - I'll play it. Track 1 is FABULOUS, but neither Soundhound nor Shazam could identify it. I'll need to buy my own copy if I'm going to keep it. It's just something about me. Unfortunately, the quality is likely to get lost in the ambient noise coming from my neighboring rooms because of the huge dynamic range..... but I'm going to try playing it anyway.

 

[Gregadd]

You're welcome Gary Please play no.2 Low Down.

 

[garylkoh]

Yeah! That's good too. I already have that album by Boz Scaggs.