Best Speakers at RMAF 2011...?


What speakers impressed you at RMAF 2011 and why?
Anything underwhelming, despite the hype?

I found the following to be very intriguing and impressive.
- In no particular order:

1) Magico Q1
2) Totem Element (Fire)
3) Avalon Idea
4) Totem Hawk? (Hegel Room)
5) Evolution Acoustics MM Micro One
6) Joseph Speakers, Perspective

These speakers seemed to have a very good mix of macro and micro dynamics, bass response, articulation, musicality, sound stage and a seemingly limitless high frequency range.

At $2k, the Evolution Acoustics may be a bargain of the bunch.

Appreciate your thoughts...!
optimus

Showing 4 responses by charles1dad

The Fletcher-Haynes "Heirloom"
This is a rear horn loaded design using an 8 inch Fostex full range driver. The natural tone,transparency and dynamics were truly superb. This was the most impressive speaker at the show IMHO. At 4700 USD I thought it sounded much better than all of the ultra priced speakers I heard at the show, just wonderful.
Forgot to mention the Kaiser 'Kawero' speaker in the Concert Fidelity room.This was very good and natural in it`s presentation.
The fact that keith preferred the Chalice to the Tidal amplifiers is a very relavant point(though granted just one person`s opinion). Presumably who would know the speaker`a needs better than the builders themselves, so the Tidal amp would be designed to mate idealy with the stablemate speaker.
I heard this tidal system last week at RMAF it included the preos preamp, good but not outstanding(show/room conditions?).

I`ve also heard the Tidal-Ypsilon combo at CES 2010, it was impressive, very natural. The VAC 450 Statement compared to The Chalice Grail driving Tidal speakers would be very interesting to say the least. Those Grails weigh 150 pounds per side for a reason(lots of ultra heavy duty chokes and transformers.
In fact I`d go out of my way for that showdown.