Amir RMAF 2015 Picture Thread: Part 1

[amirm]

As you say, they talked about Amazon and direct sales. It would be hard to get the interest of traditional dealers at those price points. The Pioneer line died for the same reason. Doing a demo, paying salesman commission, etc. doesn't make sense for a $279 speaker. I suspect they will come up with higher end speaker possibly at CES to go with the pricier electronics and then go through traditional sales channel.

I can ask my friend Chris for more detail if there is interest.

 

[TheMadMilkman]

If you don't mind asking, I would like to know.

I'm in the market for speakers, want to spend under $2k, and prefer to buy new. I don't like to spend that much money without an audition, but with a good enough return policy (absolutely necessary for direct sales), I'd be willing to give their next line a shot. The debut doesn't strike me as quite enough speaker for what I'm wanting, although I'd consider buying the bookshelves as a holdover, if necessary.

I'm very much looking forward to seeing what Elac brings to CES.

 

[amirm]

Will do.

 

[Keith_W]

What on earth is this thing? It's obviously a turntable, but there's no platter. And what are those spiky looking things? They look like torture devices to scratch your vinyl!

(edit) Oh, I just saw the "liquid" and "vacuum" button ... it's a vinyl cleaner? Strange design ... I wonder how it cleans vinyl without splashing water all over the place.

 

[Bobvin]

What on earth is this thing? It's obviously a turntable, but there's no platter. And what are those spiky looking things? They look like torture devices to scratch your vinyl!

(edit) Oh, I just saw the "liquid" and "vacuum" button ... it's a vinyl cleaner? Strange design ... I wonder how it cleans vinyl without splashing water all over the place.

Looks like maybe a ClearAudio cleaner, their prior unit cleaned both sides at once. Pumps put some liquid to the brushes, other brushes and vacuum take it off. I never thought the B side would get the same treatment as the A side, maybe better (?) as gravity puled detritus down into the fluid! Nifty looking cleaner, add an ultrasonic and you've cleaned and scrubbed about as much as I imagine you'd ever want to.

 

[Steve williams]

Looks like maybe a ClearAudio cleaner, their prior unit cleaned both sides at once. Pumps put some liquid to the brushes, other brushes and vacuum take it off. I never thought the B side would get the same treatment as the A side, maybe better (?) as gravity puled detritus down into the fluid! Nifty looking cleaner, add an ultrasonic and you've cleaned and scrubbed about as much as I imagine you'd ever want to.

It is indeed Clear Audio

 

[microstrip]

It is indeed Clear Audio

Yes, it is a ClearAudio Double Matrix Professional Sonic. Considered by many people as one of the best existing LP cleaning machines - it cleans the two faces in both directions and vibrates. Fully automatic or manual cleaning for perfectionists. Besides it is reported as being almost noise free - something I doubt when I see it includes vacuum cleaning! Price in Europe is around 3500 euros. It is on my "product I should test and perhaps own" list.

 

[Steve williams]

Oh

I am sorry to say this Nola was one of the loudspeakers that gave me the impression of everything these days being very bright. They played them loud which I very much like. But not when it is so bright and crisp.

http://www.carnival.com/itinerary/7-day-mexican-riviera-cruise/los-angeles/miracle/7-days/mrf/?numGuests=2&destination=mexico&dest=M&datFrom=022016&datTo=022016&embkCode=LAX

These flat cables were in many places. What brand are they and are they really good?

I saw quite a few loudspeakers with open back drivers. To my surprise they did not sound phasey and such.

The flat cable in the Nola room is the king's ransom of Odin cable that Carl uses

 

[Frank750]

Yes, it is a ClearAudio Double Matrix Professional Sonic. Considered by many people as one of the best existing LP cleaning machines - it cleans the two faces in both directions and vibrates. Fully automatic or manual cleaning for perfectionists. Besides it is reported as being almost noise free - something I doubt when I see it includes vacuum cleaning! Price in Europe is around 3500 euros. It is on my "product I should test and perhaps own" list.

I have the model prior to the addition of the ultrasonic feature. It is not noise free, the vacuum is quite loud. It does a good job on both sides of the record with little fuss. Looks identical to the one pictured except for the blue LEDs. I'd like to see how the ultrasonics work though.

 

[rockitman]

Nice coverage and photo execution Amir.

 

[slowGEEZR]

I have the model prior to the addition of the ultrasonic feature. It is not noise free, the vacuum is quite loud. It does a good job on both sides of the record with little fuss. Looks identical to the one pictured except for the blue LEDs. I'd like to see how the ultrasonics work though.

I read about this cleaner a few months ago. There are also some YouTube videos on it. If I recall correctly, it is not ultrasonic, but uses a lower frequency, as they (Clearaudio) didn't like the ultrasonic for some reason.

 

[slowGEEZR]

Thanks for the show coverage, Amir. I know it takes a lot of work.

 

[BruceD]

Kudos for taking the trouble to post the Pics for us greatly appreciated

Grateful thanks,

BruceD

 

[Vapor1]

Great pictures Amir, having done show coverage myself in years past, I understand just how much work is involved. And we're glad you noticed something special going on in the Vapor/LampizatOr room

 

[amirm]

Thank you for the kind words. I make a terrible blogger so seeing the positive remarks, gives me the motivation to keep doing the bit that I am doing.

 

[LenWhite]

One of my top 5 or so systems at the show, the YQ and Rowland electronics. These guys have really stepped up the look of their electronics. I always find that wavy shiny front to be distracting. But the newer versions seem less so. Or else I am imagining it .

These kind of displays help break up that shiny look:

Had a nice chat with them in the room next door. Wasteful but fascinating to see these things start as a block of aluminum and get machined out. The reason being to reduce resonance. What was left by the way, was hugely heavy! Nothing like what you imagine from aluminum.

Did I say I like these displays? Loved the myriads of inputs including HDMI!

I think you're imagining amirm. This was one of two rooms I heard with the YG Acoustics Sonja 1.2. This room sounded VG but when I was there the music was a bit tame to gage the system well. But the GTT Audio room with Audionet mono bi amped YG's playing vinyl definitely had to be in the top 5 at the show.

 

[LenWhite]

Thanks for the report Amir. You bring up a true issue about the air conditioners in the rooms. The AC units in the rooms are an obstacle for a good show environment. They should definitely be turned off when the system is playing...it amazes me that any exhibitor leaves the AC running during demos.

The room listening to Eleanor McEvoy w/o A/C was almost intolerable.

 

[LenWhite]

One of my top choices for best sound at RMAF 2015. Factory room for YG. I received a personal reception followed by lunch with Yoav, the company founder and designer. Great people. Great sound. I could sit there for hours and enjoy the great sound and hospitality.

Fantastic demo track which I need to buy. Anytime you see one of these shots, it means beautiful audiophile music was played:

This was arguably the best sound at the show - despite the room being overwhelmed at times, the sound was palpable. Thanks for capturing one of the demos amir.

 

[amirm]

The room listening to Eleanor McEvoy w/o A/C was almost intolerable.

Yes, it was hard to decide which was worse: AC whaling or hot, humid and stinky rooms without it!

 

[amirm]

This was arguably the best sound at the show - despite the room being overwhelmed at times, the sound was palpable. Thanks for capturing one of the demos amir.

My pleasure. Good to know I was not imagining good sound there . And yes, the Rowland room was too quiet and below the performance of this one.

You did remind me to get that Fink Album. Could not find a high-res download so ordered a cheap CD version from UK.