Amir RMAF 2015 Picture Thread: Part 3

amirm

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amirm

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Shout out to our local boys at Vanatoo. Super affordable powered loudspeakers. They don't play really loud but sound very nice otherwise. Run by audiophiles, they too knew what to play and was another diagonal room setup with good sound (together with Joseph audio)



 

amirm

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I tell you, it is hard to find better sound than the KEF LS50 at this price range. Yes, the tonal balance is unique (British?) but very enjoyable


As I noted in my daily report though, the system sounded very dull with this tube amp:


The cure was a solid state amp.

 

amirm

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The most grand demo was in a huge hall, playing direct to digital qual recordings through four of these Martinlogan speakers:










This is a wide shot showing the full setup:





The system played loud, really loud despite the huge space it was in. But proof point that without good music to your liking, none of this matters, well, none of it mattered :). I was bored and walked out. Hardly anyone was there listening when I arrived, nor when I left. I vote it the most wasted system at the show.
 

amirm

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This Legacy system was also put in a large hall. THey were packing things up and left this system playing by itself:



I wish I could get their playlist. These speakers played with unbelievable authority when it came to bass. Large number of massive woofers were put in really good use. The large hall all but eliminated the bass resonances and with ample power, the system sounded really good.






 

amirm

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Thanks to information here as to the only booth to be playing reel-to-reel I had tremendous fun listening to the system at Paranafidelity:



THe technics 1500 deck was unmodified and was playing using stock electronics:


I wish I could remember the principal designer/demo person's name. This was a guy that really enjoyed music with great personality. In each iteration he would change the plugs in the loudspeaker and back dials to match the music playing. I could sit there for hours and have this guy play music for me.

I asked to hear the tape and boy did I hear the tape. It was a classical recording from 1960s with incredible dynamics and resolution. Sadly, and I mean really sadly when I asked him the name of the tape, he said it was a secret recording he had borrowed and was not for sale :(. Would pay $500 for that tape in a heartbeat. It was that good. Fortunately he played it for good while and we all had a grin you could not wipe from our faces afterward :).

Next he played a CD which was yet another killer demo. I asked what track that was, and he almost give me reason to strangle him: "oh, it is a CD-R playlist I put together." But before I could jump on him, he said, "oh wait, I have the CD box:"



As the label says it is Gary Karr on Bass and Harmon Lewis on Organ. The strings felt like they were connected to your heart at one end. Quite moving for this newbie classical listener.






Here is his system list and some of his LP collection:


Puts a smile on my face thinking about the fun time I had there. This is how you do demos guys even with modest systems.
 

amirm

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Another dealer demo:


These Devialet Phantom are fun little speakers. You can watch the two woofers move in and out. They are just too plasticy for my taste and the sound, at least what they were playing, was not audiophile grade:
 

audio.bill

Well-Known Member
May 27, 2013
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Thanks to information here as to the only booth to be playing reel-to-reel I had tremendous fun listening to the system at Paranafidelity:

I wish I could remember the principal designer/demo person's name. This was a guy that really enjoyed music with great personality. In each iteration he would change the plugs in the loudspeaker and back dials to match the music playing. I could sit there for hours and have this guy play music for me.
If you're referring to the designer/owner of PranaFidelity his name is Steven Norber.
 

Bruce B

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Apr 25, 2010
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www.pugetsoundstudios.com


I was confused about what was being shown here. Bruce, what was your part?


This is the set up that I use in the studio for all my archival/restoration work... Abyss headphones, Cavalli Liquid Gold Pre and Golden Gate DAC. I also provided all the files that were played in the room.
 

amirm

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Ah, now I understand. With no one explaining anything there when I went, it was hard to know what the suite was about.
 

wisnon

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So Amir did you listen to Puget setup?

Also with the Phantoms, didnt you think the stands are too low. Plus, what music did you listen to on them? I found them much more 'phile grade than I expected. More 'phile than Bose. loL
 

amirm

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Apr 2, 2010
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Seattle, WA
So Amir did you listen to Puget setup?
No I did not. As I mentioned in one of the posts, I won't wear the same headphone as hundreds of other people have.

Also with the Phantoms, didnt you think the stands are too low. Plus, what music did you listen to on them? I found them much more 'phile grade than I expected. More 'phile than Bose. loL
Well they were definitely more audiophile than Bose :). They were playing their own music, some modern music and not taking requests. They had them on a pedestal so I did not hear them on the floor:

 

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