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Beautiful Simplicity! A McIntosh and MIT Cables System Review
| Permalink | Systems $10k-$20k | Posted by Sean Fowler on Mar 02 '10
RMAF 07: Salagar $7999 Super Speakers
One of my new favorite speakers at the show comes from the new kid on the block, Salagar Speakers. Their Symphony S210 monitors, at $7999, sounded so good, they're taking home the SonicFlare Superstar award for top Precise-type room.
Other than the funky shape, the Salagar S210s feature a bevy of technology. First of all, they're powered with double 200 watt ICEpower modules nestled inside the jellybean enclosures and mated directly to the drivers. Additionally, the speakers feature an "active digital crossover/controller" called X-ACT. X-ACT processes inbound signals at 24bits/96KHz and digitally splits the signal between the 1" tweeter and 10" woofer. X-ACT also features simple room correction controls for tweaking the bass.
The speaker construction and build quality is first rate. Color options are as wide as the rainbow and you can, if you dare, order the front baffles dressed up in leather, 24k gold or mother-of-pearl.
The rest of the system included only the E.A.R. Acute CD player ($5500) with integrated volume control. This system, with just a source and speakers, is as simple as they come and the sound was excellent in part because of the simplicity. Everything is made to work together harmoniously, and the sound was fast and powerful with all the Precise-type qualities but with a touch of warmth. Really great stuff.
Almost as interesting as the speakers is the company behind it. Salagar showed with a double room and I had a chance to speak to both the designers, the marketing man and a variety of other people in the company. Salagar isn't a mom-and-pop operation, but a strong company run by some very intelligent and savvy gents. Keep an eye out for these guys as they quickly expand their product line.
COMMENTS (1) | Permalink | RMAF 07 , Show Superstars , Shows and Expos , Speakers $5k-10k , Systems , Systems $10k-$20k | Posted by Josh Ray on Nov 06 '07
RMAF 07: RL Acoustic + Opera $19k Super System
RL Acoustique partnered with Opera Consonance for an absolutely fantastic Emotional-style room. So good, in fact, their $19,200 system gets my vote for the top Emotional system at the show. The sound was warm and smooth like a world-class Emotional system should be. But the RL Lamhorns ($9500/pair) were also amazingly fast without a lot of the bizarre frequency anomalies that typically turn people away from single driver speakers.
The new Consonance Mini Droplet CD Player ($2500) includes integrated volume and remote while their monoblock amps are the Consonance Cyber 300B ($7200/pair). If you've never seen any of the Cyber series amps up close, just know they're absolutely gorgeous. For the style conscious, the Droplet/Cyber combo is an instant conversation starter (the good kind of conversation).
TECH TALK
The RL Acoustique Lamhorns champion the AER MK-1 driver. German AER has made a name for itself in DIY circles as the better-than-Lowther alternative, offering multiple magnet configurations and, interestingly, a field-coil driver. The Opera Cyber amps feature 300B tubes in Single Ended Parallel configuration. The entire Cyber line offers different amps for many flavors of the best tubes out there: 845/211, 300B (in SET, parallel and push/pull configs), and EL34.
| Permalink | Amplifiers $6k to 10k , Disc players $2 to $5k , RMAF 07 , Show Superstars , Shows and Expos , Speakers $5k-10k , Systems , Systems $10k-$20k | Posted by Josh Ray on Oct 31 '07
RMAF 07: Studio Electric T3 Super System $15k
Studio Electric is finally breaking into the big time. After showing a variety of wild, quasi-prototype speakers at past shows, Studio Electric’s new $7900 T3 speakers are primed for hip hi-fi fans everywhere. The T3s feature Studio Electric’s signature diving bell driver enclosure with a new bass system. These speakers are a lot smaller than the pictures let on and, as you can tell, are conversation starters. With all the audiophiles fondling these speakers, it’s amazing the inch-thick layer of grubby fingerprints didn’t show up on camera.
Sonically, the speakers are part of the Precise group. Studio Electric began making speakers for studio recording and the pedigree is obvious in their sound. Paired with Studio Electric’s $6500 Electrodyne amplifier and a Benchmark USB DAC-1 (with integrated volume), the system was super clear and powerful. When I played my demo track, the Studio Electric and Benchmark guys applauded. Yeah, these are some hip dudes. The system handled all the dynamics, bass and attack of my brutal CD while offering a nice touch of warmth and smoothness. People who typically don’t like Precise gear will find themselves gravitating to the Studio Electric system.
TECH TALK
The main tech feature is, of course, the big silver sphere’s 6.5” wide-band driver. The driver crosses over to the tweeter around 4kHz, higher than typical speakers. The 8” woofer comes into play at 50Hz and goes down to 25Hz. The unique Electrodyne amp is a hybrid affair with NOS Siemens tubes for the gain stage and solid state “English mosfets” for 275 watts of power and, as far as I can tell, a very pure, clean sound with a touch of warmth and smoothness. The Benchmark is the latest version of their famous DAC-1. Now with USB inputs and silver chassis, the Benchmark paired with a laptop make for a KISS front end. More and more speaker companies are demoing with Benchmark DACs sans preamps for amazing results — the best preamp, after all, is no preamp.
Permalink | | Posted to RMAF 07 | Shows and Expos | Speakers $5k-10k | Systems | Systems $10k-$20k
RMAF 07: Joseph & Manley $4550 and $11k Systems
Joseph of perennial favorite Joseph Audio is one guy who knows what's up. When talking about the SonicFlare hi-fi 2.0 mission, he was instantly hip to the idea of complete system packages. Since he's always showing with Manley Labs equipment, he said these Joseph + Manley rigs were no-brainer choices for anyone looking for instant system synergy.
Joseph's sensation were the Joseph $2300 RM7XL monitors with the Manley's $2250 Stingray. The RM7s are now in "XL" status which adds more of the good Joseph sound. At $4550, this is one wicked system for anyone new to super-fi -- synergy, warmth, power, bass, everything you could ask for. Quintessential Vivd-type sonics.
On display in the big room were the new RM25XL speakers running Manley monoblocks and a Bel Canto preamp. Roughly $11k for the system, this had all the same sonic flavor as the little rig but just more -- more bass, more warmth, more intensity. After running through my entire demo CD, we listened to vinyl on the world's only production strain gauge cartridge. Wild tech and amazing sound. $6k gets you the cartridge and custom phono preamp.
Permalink | | Posted to Amplifiers $1k to 3k | Amplifiers $3k to 6k | RMAF 07 | Speakers $2k-5k | Systems $1000-$5000 | Systems $10k-$20k
