RMAF 2008 - Your impressions,...

'You are correct. Our room at the RMAF featured the Playback Design and other gear most folks have never heard. We did have a few people who came to our room and asked us to play their CD's. Most sounded just like you said. "like shit" '

I think a system is shit if the cd's sound like shit.IMHO.

Anyone hear the dCS Scarlatti digital source at RMAF?

Digital can make any system sound like Sh-t. =8^)

The Playback CDP was the only one that sounded good at RMAF IMHO.

Jim,

Why no TT in your room? Sounds Real Audio with digital sounds fake good. Your name would sound better with a TT set up.

Regarding Apogee.

Just to clarify new Apogee speakers were not exhibited at rmaf for several reasons, the main ones being that all new product is exclusively made to order for specific clients, as we are in the unusual position of having many restored to better than new original speakers to offer throughout the installer network. These represent extreme value, sound per dollar.

Yes - new speakers are made, to order only.

Releasing new product at a show is saying "look at me!!!" - and involves large investment in a show sales stock you actually believe you will sell. This can be risky. Many well known and well intended companies have been in the unfortunate problem of taking home all or most of what they invested in building believing they would sell over the weekend, not to be. We didn't. Thank GOD for that in these uncertain times!

TSW Rich's demonstration as an installer was primarily to demonstrate to existing Apogee owners the benefits of re-investing in currently owned speakers, and just how well such meticulously rebuilt speakers compete against current new products offered in 2008 by other manufacturers. Feedback suggests this was achieved. Our company ethics are against waste and for solutions, and the made-to-order and restoration work adequately fills our time!

Lastly, the speaker design that we considered showing at the show is called ENCORE. In these unusual times it was considered that time would be better spent continuing to refine and develop this to be even better, so release will be delayed.

Take care - Graz

Glory

Regarding Vinyl in our room. On Thursday, set up day, Kara Chaffee, of deHavilland fame, and I were really sweating. Trying to get the room to sound terrific. I brought three sets of speakers with the intention that we would play all three. We had two pair of amplifiers, the GM-70's and the new 50A's, and planned to play both. Vinyl would have pushed me over the top.. which wouldn't be that hard to do.

Kara in who's ears I trust, was joking about the look of the Playback Design, and not saying much about the sound. On Sunday however she was telling most listeners what a big part of the sound that player was and hoping to have one to take to the CES Show. She is not easy to win over, nor should anyone else be.

Understand that she did not immediately jump to that conclusion. Her electronics are nothing if not musical and the MPS-5 added to that.

I am running on here but in a nut shell I didn't want to ruin my David Bowie and Bob Dylan records.