#rmaf2018

Clearaudio tables are everywhere at shows, and they also had their own listening stations set up with the nifty Concept Active 'table ($2400-$4400 depending on configuration). It marries the popular Concept turntable kit to a phono stage + headphone amp built right into the plinth. I had a brief listen with Sennheiser HD650's on a jazz cut from one of Clearaudio's own pressings, and was impressed with the clarity and punchiness - I found myself tapping my feet the moment I slipped the 'phones on. I recently acquired a set of HD650's and have read much about their need for quality amplification to avoid sounding opaque and flabby, but what I heard from the Active's headphone output had no such issues that I could discern... a very cool setup for the modern 'phile. Also shown, a few other goodies from their static display including the Innovation Compact 'table ($8k) with TT-2 linear tracking tonearm ($10k) and DS Audio DS-W2 optical cartridge ($13k w/equalizer). [view more on Instagram]

Honestly I’ve never been a B+W fan, but I do like their entry level 6 series bookshelf, and recommended the 606s2 to a classical musician friend who loves them. B+W released an update to that model, the s3 ($800), and I’ll be damned if I didn’t like them better than the flagship 800 D3 powered by Simaudio in another room that costs literally 20x as much. The simple little 606s3 mates a convincing and precise stereo image to a punchy midrange and surprisingly taut and extended bass. In typical B+W fashion there’s some highlighting of the upper midrange that pushes everything a little forward, but I didn’t find it too bothersome, and a better amp than the Rotel receiver here could warm it up. And unlike the fancy diamond tweeters in the 800 series, the metal domes in the 606 don’t try to do anything fancy and are less fatiguing to my ears. A tidy little speaker that should appeal to pop/rock listeners while having enough refinement for more subtle material. [view more on Instagram]

Canadian outfits Paradigm and Anthem (owned along with MartinLogan by the same holding company) paired products from their flagship lines: the smallest Paradigm Persona speaker, the Persona B ($7k/pair), with the Anthem STR preamp ($4k) and amplifier ($6k). The amp's slick 7" touchscreen screams ultra-modern which would lead one to assume Class D, but no! This is a good old fashion Class AB amplifier with 16 bipolar output devices per channel pumping out 400/600/800wpc into 8/4/2 ohms. The preamp is one of the most sophisticated on the market, boasting digital room correction/bass management and "virtual" inputs that let you match any combination of input and setting to a preset. As an example, you could have a "nightime movie" input that at the touch of a button selects the digital input, reduces the subwoofer output and uses a different EQ curve so you can enjoy a late-night movie without disturbing the neighbors. (They also make an integrated for $4500.) The Persona speakers frankly aren't my favorite - I've now heard the stand-mount B and the bigger 3F, and find them both to be rather hard-sounding and lacking dynamic nuance - but the power from the Anthem gear did sound clean and crisp, and c'mon, those displays are pretty cool. Given the identical price point, a shootout with the Bryston BP-17/4B3 combo I currently have in house might be in order. [view more on Instagram]

And finally, there was PranaFidelity... I made this my very last stop of day 1 after MGD raved about their room @ AXPONA. PranaFidelity proprietor Steven Norber, formerly of Edge Electronics where he designed some of the finest solid state amps I've ever heard (I still miss that Edge G6), brought along a bunch of fun selections from his vinyl collection, and the crowded room had a chill and convivial vibe. As at AXPONA, the system consisted of his Bhava monitors ($4,950, stands $700), purna/ca balanced preamp w/phono ($9,950) and Hypex nCore-based purna/ma power amp ($8950), this time with a Pure Fidelity Eclipse 'table + Acoustic Signature TA-1000 arm ($4,495) and Benz Micro MC cartridge ($3,995). And the sound was everything Marty promised it would be.... huge, transparent and full of life, with the woofers pounding out powerful, driving bass lines. The treble is quick and clean with just the right amount of sizzle and the speaker can image a baritone voice like no one’s business, with great body and presence. Female vocals were just about perfect too, with realistic body and rasp. The ability of the system to project a big yet focused soundfield was first rate, but more importantly, it was just downright fun to listen to. Steven is also one of the funniest, nicest people you'll ever meet, always cracking wry jokes and relating colorful stories. One of my very favorite rooms - this is what hifi is all about. [view more on Instagram]

It’s been over 3 months since the show, but some of the best rooms left a lasting impression. Sonus faber was one of them with their debut of the Electa Amator III ($10k with matching stands) marking the company’s 35th anniversary. The sound had SF’s trademark richness and soul, with staggering bass impact and extension - so much so that many listeners assumed the large Gravis VI subwoofer ($7k) was always on (many times, it was not). What was so impressive was not just how the elegant little speakers energized the room down to their 40Hz lower bound, but how they did it with great texture and tone while maintaining midrange purity, as amply demonstrated by tracks featuring female vocals serenely floating above thumping bass lines. My wife and I auditioned a cut from a recording we know inside out - Brahms Symphony No. 2/Rattle/Berlin Phil - and it perfectly rode the line between realism and romanticism, bringing out all the lyricism and passion of the playing with proper instrumental tone, timbre and balance. The McIntosh MA8000 integrated provided plenty of clean power, but I suspect the speaker is capable of even more with a more transparent and incisive front-end. This was reference-quality musicality and one of my very favorite rooms at the show, much more so than the majority of mega-buck rooms. I want this speaker. [view more on Instagram]

I had a lovely chat with industry legend Jeff Rowland, who was proudly exhibiting his new Conductor modular phono stage ($8,500-$13,600 depending on configuration). It’s available with up to 4 completely independent stereo stages in both MM and MC flavor, for those lucky analog fanatics out there running multiple ‘tables, arms and/or cartridges. (Apparently this is a thing.) Also new were the diminutive Capri+ preamp ($7800) and HA 60 amplifier ($4000) which can drive both speakers and headphones. Mr. Rowland and I geeked out a bit on the history of his designs and circuit particulars like his use of small-signal transformers for both input and output coupling. Rowland was the first high-end marque I can recall to embrace Jensen's high-performance transformers, e.g. in the Coherence preamplifier from the '90s; they've since switched to Lundahl's excellent units (also used in my PS Audio DirectStream DAC where I think they sound superb), and Mr. Rowland said they're now Lundahl's biggest OEM customer. Rowland continues to employ Class D topologies in their smaller amps, and switching power supplies throughout the line make even the higher-powered Class A/B models relatively svelte. The trademark diamond-cut faceplates are a real pain to photograph properly, even more so when they're constantly moving on display turntables, so the pics don’t do them justice - they are really stunning and elegant, audio jewelry in the best sense. I unfortunately didn't get around to their listening room, but one could be forgiven for buying them on looks alone. [view more on Instagram]

Cambridge Audio previewed their loaded Alva TT turntable kit ($1700 I believe, due out next year). It sports direct drive, a Rega-built tonearm, high output MC cartridge, built-in phono stage, and Bluetooth aptX HD (wait, what?) which can wirelessly transmit vinyl tunes at 24bit 48kHz resolution. When I first walked in the room I wasn't aware of the source and assumed it was digital - pitch stability and punchiness were notable, with none of the flabbiness of mediocre analog playback. On the flip side it didn't have the typical sweetness of pure analog, but it did work flawlessly streaming to their Edge NQ preamp/network player ($4k) and what appeared to be a pair of Edge W stereo amplifiers ($3k) bi-amping B&W 803D speakers ($17k). Cambridge has long been known for their high-value gear, but the flagship Edge line is an all-out attack on the high-end to commemorate their 50th anniversary. The sound was a fine example of what I've come to expect from Cambridge - speed and rhythm, crisp articulation and strong drive - but with a higher level of transparency and insight. Frankly I'm not a fan of the B&W speakers employed - every time I hear the 800 series there’s a hardness and lack of warmth that bugs me - but the electronics sounded more than capable, looked very slick and are priced extremely fairly. [view more on Instagram]

Vanatoo is a name I hadn’t heard before, but apparently the Seattle-based firm has been making waves the last few years with their small powered speakers like the Transparent Zero ($360). What really caught my ear though was a pre-production sample of their Transparent One Encore ($600, $500 pre-order pricing). An updated version of their Transparent One, it combines aluminum drivers with a 60 watt Class D amplifier and 24-bit DSP processing to provide neutral response with bass down to around 50Hz. A range of digital and analog inputs as well as Bluetooth connectivity make it a cinch to operate. I was pretty blown away with how balanced and dynamic they sounded - it handled the scale of a symphony orchestra with remarkable control, and there was a level of refinement and musical engagement reminiscent of a separates rig costing thousands more. There were quite a few powered speakers in this price range but the Vanatoo was the one that got me most excited as a real hi-fi contender, something that I’d heartily recommend to friends looking for truly good sonics with minimal fuss and budget - it sounds like the real deal. The Encore is slated for release in January and I’ll definitely try to get my hands on a pair for review. [view more on Instagram]