RMAF 2016 Show Report
Rocky Mountain International Audio Fest & CanJam 2016
Part 5 By Steven R. Rochlin

  If you love tech talk then there's no doubt a stop at Wavelength Audio's room is a must. Professor Gordon Rankin is always a great resource for deep knowledge when it comes to USB interfaces, DACs, and digital audio in general. While many know him for vacuum tube USB DACs, years before offering those he specialized in triode tube amps. From monoblocks to stereo amps, Wavelength Audio is one of the most longstanding high-end audio companies that make truly outstanding products. Since there are some many types, with options offered, check out his site for details. BTW, while gear has come and gone here over the past decades, the oldest vacuum tube amps still here are Gordon's Cardinal X-1 300B-based monoblocks. Love 'em!

Within the center of the above pic is USB DAC's Cosecant HS USB DAC that employs a 6GM8/ECC86 vacuum tube, with transformer output that in balanced yet the analog output is single-ended RCA, and provides upgradeable DAC modules as technology marches on.

AURALiC's new Polaris (from $3799 on up) wireless streaming amplifier provides an eye-tingling 17 input channels comprising streaming, digital and analog sources. The internal DAC, incorporates AURALiC's Flexible Filters and Femto Master Clock. Add in support for quad-rate DSD and PCM up to 32-bit/384kHz and we have a winner!  The stereo amplifier produces 120 Watts per channel @ 8 Ohms (180Wpc @ 4 Ohms) to drive virtually any sane speaker plus you get their Lightning Streaming Platform. What is that you ask. Lightning Streaming is industry's first streaming solution that supports Quad-Rate DSD, PCM up to 32-bit/384kHz through Wi-Fi network. Lightning Streaming offers several innovative and unique features such as Gapless Playback, On-Device Playlist, Memory Cache and Bit-Perfect Multi-Room functions. Two stereo pairs of analog channels can be configured as a phono stage input or a line stage input or pre-amplifier output through the product settings menu. Remember those 17 digital inputs? Digital inputs include AES/EBU XLR, S/PDIF coaxial, TosLink optical, plus a USB connection to a computer working as a standalone USB DAC. When purchasing POLARIS from a dealer or directly from AURALiC, you can specify a 1TB SSD for internal music storage as an option at extra cost, turning POLARIS into a fully functioning music server. AURALiC's Polaris gets my vote for Most Versitle Digital / Amp Product at RMAF 2016.

Abyss headphones seemed to be everywhere at RMAF 2016. Besides having a booth at CanJam and being used by many exhibitors, they also had a room within the main section of the hotel. Good thing too, as having a room meant a quieter space to critically listen to tunes. You could bring your own files or portable audio player, or use one of the many they had available. And yes, the Abyss planar magnetic headphones sound incredible! If you have any doubt, rest assured they earned this year's Enjoy the Music.com Blue Note Award too.

Like one of those great happening popular night clubs where there's a line at the door, yeah, the KEF room was like that. Perhaps they need to hire a guy with a red velvet rope, (humor) and a bouncer when people start to fight for the sweet spot seat! KEF's LS50 and Blade speakers both use KEF's highly desirable Uni-Q driver array for the midrange with centrally-located tweeter. The floorstanding Blade adds a few woofers to really RTFO. Even a lowly reviewer guy like me had trouble getting the sweet spot seat and i eventually gave up trying. Am never one to pull that 'self0important review' BS, which also tends to piss off those who have patiently waited for their chance at the prized center chair. Besides, i have a pair of LS50 here and heard the Blades at many shows over the years and know for a fact they are incredible! Who cares what i think, as other 'zines have given KEF many awards, so listen to those others guys... which i agree with BTW. Go check out the KEF speakers, you'll be happy you did.

And so finally this brings us to Well Audio, Aurum Cantus, and DanaCable within Audiophile Direct's exhibit room here at RMAF 2016 in Denver. This revisiting of their room yielded benefits as the system had speedy fast highs, excellent imaging. You may recall my previous RMAF 2016 coverage of this room in Part 2, and it just keeps getting better here. Truly impressive sound and easily earns my Best Sounds At RMAF 2016 Show Award. So remember kids, the very last day of a show is also usually the best day to seriously listen too.

Meze Headphones displayed their popular Meze 99 Classics in all three variations, Walnut Gold, Walnut Silver, and Maple Silver. But besides the classics, Meze Headphones presented the newly released Meze 11 Neo and Meze 12 Classics in-ear monitors. The Meze 12 Classics takes the Classics series further, with a shell being made with a synergy of real walnut wood and aluminum. The housing holds their specially-made titanium coated 8mm mylar driver. A copper clad aluminum voice coil makes the 12 Classics a fast to response IEM with a tight sound. Meze Headphones also showcased an almost final version of the soon to be released Meze 99 Neo, a new variation of the Meze 99 Classics that will come with black ABS earcups.

It's A RMAF Wrap Folks!
That wraps up my RMAF 2016 show report. Spanning 11 pages featuring over 80 photos, am sure you got a tasty flave of the sweet sounds heard during the show. i'd like to give enormous props to Marjorie and everyone who organized and arranged RMAF 2016 in Denver. Even with the many challenges due to the unfinished hotel refurb, RMAF rocked it! Many thanks for taking the time to read my humble report and as always, in the end what really matters is that you...

Enjoy the Music,

Steven R. Rochlin

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