Rocky Mountain Audio Fest 2019

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by bluesaddict, Sep 5, 2019.

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  1. bluesaddict

    bluesaddict High Tech Welder Thread Starter

    Location:
    Loveland, Colorado
  2. J.D.80

    J.D.80 Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York City
    Little did I know when I booked a flight from NYC to Denver to visit my wonderful brother, that it would coincide with RMAF.... I swear it was pure coincidence :) I think it would be down right unethical to be a member of this great forum and not attend at least one day of the festival.
     
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  3. Blowby

    Blowby Static lp

    Location:
    Colorado
    This is my first and planning on going since it’s so close to home. Maybe a three day immersion.
     
    Last edited: Sep 5, 2019
  4. tomd

    tomd Senior Member

    Location:
    Brighton,Colorado
    For the first time since moving to the Denver area 7 years ago NOT going by to this years.Last year was a disappointment for me-and they doubled the one day entrance fee to $20.Someone said if you’re over 55 you can attend at half price but I believe it’s 65 not 55 to get the senior discount.Last year I expected someone from Quobuz (the sponsor of RMAF) to be there answering questions which wasn’t the case and the vendor area was much smaller than the year before.
     
  5. bluesaddict

    bluesaddict High Tech Welder Thread Starter

    Location:
    Loveland, Colorado
    Ya last year was a little disappointing, but I did get a better idea on the speakers I was looking at. Hopefully with the new venue it will be better. The other place was not so good. A friend that had a room last year is shearing a room this year.
     
  6. Blowby

    Blowby Static lp

    Location:
    Colorado
    To pull the wool over our eyes :confused:
     
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  7. Rt66indierock

    Rt66indierock Forum Resident

    Location:
    Phoenix Arizona
    I will be there all three days.
     
  8. bluesaddict

    bluesaddict High Tech Welder Thread Starter

    Location:
    Loveland, Colorado
    Nice. :righton: let us know how the new venue looks.
     
  9. bajaed

    bajaed Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Any reports/reviews/pictures yet?
     
  10. tomd

    tomd Senior Member

    Location:
    Brighton,Colorado
    Someone posted on AC one day parking at the new venue is $29-ouch!!
     
  11. Blowby

    Blowby Static lp

    Location:
    Colorado
    Check the app for parking nearby. Walk a mile or so or take the shuttle to the airport then the Gaylord shuttle to hotel if unable to hike in.
     
  12. Blowby

    Blowby Static lp

    Location:
    Colorado
    Pulled into West side of Event Center and paged the attendant from the ticket kiosk. Said I was here for the Audio Fest and he said they will validate at security. I’ll confirm when that happens.
     
  13. Blowby

    Blowby Static lp

    Location:
    Colorado
    No validation. $18 for the day.
     
  14. Eaglesfan9

    Eaglesfan9 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Huntsville Texas
    Just to clarify on the parking it costs $18 for up to 8 hours and $29 if you go over that time. However the exit gates to the “RMAF” parking were up yesterday afternoon. Maybe the intent is that it is free to attendees. Will be checking that today.
    Meanwhile the new venue is absolutely huge which means that you do a lot more walking between rooms.
    The exhibitors are way down this year. Very disappointed with the lack of some of the main players in the headphone area. No Mr.Speakers, Hifi man, Focal. In the mainstream component area it appears that even some of the players that did show brought less than their top lines of gear. When did you ever go to a Martin Logan room and find anything other than electrostatics? They have mini monitors of some sort. I didn’t stay.
    On the plus side I went to the Vandersteen room and heard a new speaker (variation on the 5 model) which was outstanding plus that room is cabled by audioquest and the engineer from that company(Garth) gave a very informative presentation on power cords and conditioning. It you have any doubt that those things matter then that demo will put you straight.
    As usual the Zu guys were doing their best to remind everyone that “it’s the music stupid”.
    Dirty weekends and Druids churning out Black Sabbath while I was there. The Zu room is where the music lives.
    Lots more to see and hear today and tomorrow plus some Avalanche ale to be drunk in what must be the world’s largest sports bar.
     
    displayname, grbluen, macster and 3 others like this.
  15. Blue Gecko

    Blue Gecko Peace

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    Did you see the new Submission from Zu?
     
  16. Eaglesfan9

    Eaglesfan9 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Huntsville Texas
    Not yesterday but I will be going back there today.
     
  17. Blowby

    Blowby Static lp

    Location:
    Colorado
    Event ends at 6:00 and I was out the gate at 6:30. It was down and $18 on the card. I used the West gate, parking on the back side of the event center (north side). If you used a different gate please let us know. I’ll be back today as well. Thanks.
     
  18. Eaglesfan9

    Eaglesfan9 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Huntsville Texas
    Not sure which gate I used but came in on 64th street and made a left. The RMAF area was straight ahead. I actually left at 5pm yesterday so they may have closed the barrier later.
    Sorry to not be able to be more helpful.
     
    grbluen likes this.
  19. clhboa

    clhboa Forum Resident

    I wanted to go but my work schedule won't permit. Wanted to see the Sweetvinyl Sugarcube in person.
     
  20. Fruff76

    Fruff76 L100 Classic - Fan Club President

    “Someone said if you’re over 55 you can attend at half price but I believe it’s 65 not 55 to get the seniordiscount.“

    Cool, so everyone will get in half price.
     
  21. Nesto719

    Nesto719 Active Member

    Location:
    Colorado
    Ahh man, I thought they did RMAF in October
     
  22. Eaglesfan9

    Eaglesfan9 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Huntsville Texas
    Saturday at RMAF.
    I decided to try to go to see some of the highly touted products early when they might be less busy. Pitched up at the Raidho room at 10am sharp. They were demoing the new TD2.2 speakers driven by top of the line Moon amps and preamp. Turntable was a VPI 40th anniversary edition and a Van Den Hull black crimson cartridge. Without being familiar with that Turntable or cartridge I have to say that the system sounded stunning. The bass was deep but was not overpowering while there was no hardness at the top end. Not sure that I would buy these speakers (at $46000 it’s not an issue for a retired guy anyway). There was a bit too much “slam” for my taste but no denying the top quality sound and presentation.The 2 Danish guys who were running the room didn’t have many records unfortunately and after about half an hour of the usual audiophile dross I left.
    Next up was the Falcon acoustics speakers driven by BAT electronics and a Dr Feikert Turntable with a top of the line My Sonic Labs cartridge. Very relaxed sound that I could have listened to all day. You just never tired of it.
    Heard some new music in that room by a guy called (just) Fink. Apparently he came in off of Brighton beach where he was effectively a busker. Sounded good. Also a new out of the shrink wrap copy of Blood on the Tracks which sounded very nice. I guess this was the MOFI room. Loved those Falcon speakers ($16,500) which would be welcome in my house anytime.

    Onward to listen to the Rockport speakers driven by CH electronics and a turntable that looked like a picnic box (never did identify it)
    After listening to most of the “Aja” album (very good indeed) we were changing records to Led Zep 2 when a very prominent member of the audio press showed up and asked immediately if the record was an “RL” version (it had just started playing by then). The guy running the room was not sure. After listening to “Whole lotta love” our analogue expert told us that it was not the RL version because said version would have sounded “twice as good”. The record came off and (you guessed it) there was “RL” in the deadwax. Much backtracking and talk of the phonostage being digital. Much amusement from the rest of us.
    Next stop was the Vinni Rossi room where they were showing off a new intergrated amp with Ohm speakers and an Innuos statement music server. I have been a fan of the Vinni Rossi line since hearing the mono blocks at last year’s show. The sound was detailed and seemed to be coming from about 50 feet behind the speakers.
    Program material was all but unlistenable unfortunately so I left after 20 minutes or so. Those electronics are very special. In only I could win the lottery. Sigh.
    After a quick visit to a room playing very expensive looking Classe delta mono blocks through Magico speakers (I personally find the Magico line very tough to listen to for more than about 10 minutes, especially with “The Wall” again) I was ready to move on.
    Following a revisit to the headfi area where not much had changed from Friday and a revisit with my buddies at the Zu room (the music room) it was time to look for something completely different.
    The speakers were Audio Solutions Virtuoso Ms. Vitus electronics and United home audio reel to reel tape player. Loud but brilliant I thought. Playing “Back in the high life again” Winwood’s voice was unlike I had ever heard it before. That track was stunning to say the least. Next up “Romeo and Juliette” by Dire Straights. Sing along time.I spent a very happy hour in that room. It’s the music not the gear of course, although that system was very fine. Would have liked to have heard it in a smaller room at lower volume.
    Exhausted, I walked back to the car (at least half a mile) and managed to get out of the car park through the broken gate (maybe some angry audiophile had driven through it when it was down). One last chance to see the rest of the show.
     
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  23. Eaglesfan9

    Eaglesfan9 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Huntsville Texas
    I went back to the Zu room Saturday but they didn’t have the Submission. They were more interested in promoting a new DAC that they have developed. Speakers were still Dirty Weekends and Druids.
     
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  24. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    nice report! falcon acoustics speakers at $16K? wow! i thought they only made small monitors.
    surprised vinnie rossie didn't bring his new line of speakers like he did at axpona. he is certainly very good at speaker placement and sound stage creation as always. as for program material i suggested to him a few years ago that it could be improved greatly but apparently no change. i would be happy to be his show program material consultant :)
     
  25. Achn2b

    Achn2b Forum Resident

    Location:
    N. Conway, NH
    Fremer?
     
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