Roger Alan Modjeski (RAM) 1951 - 2019

What a wonderful man. I had numerous encounters with him right about the time in 2008 that ARC was up for sale and we talked a lot about how he would run that company. I still can't get the sound of his electrostatic speakers that he demoed for me at his house out of my head. Some of the most enjoyable listening I've had.

Roger was one of my best friends for 30 years. He was logical to the point of pain-in-the-ass and we spent hundreds of hours on the phone when we didn't live in the same town, talking about science and theories and unraveling the universe.  He taught me so much, but if there's one lesson brightest in my mind it's to always ask, "How do you know?" And it's amazing how many answers fail that simplest of tests. 

"Let's find out," he would say.

Roger talks about his design philosophy in this short video from about 8 years ago... https://youtu.be/x5Tr9lDT6fo

Yes I remember he would say let’s work it out! It annoyed him that people would come out with a statement and say it’s true, and only have erroneous evidence for it.

I bought an RM-5 Mk.II and RM-9 Mk.I in 1991. In 1995 I sold the RM-9 and bought 2 RM-9 Mk. II's ( hard-wired Mono ). I had ONE tube fail in 24 years. After 20 years I switched all the tubes out on both amps ( Svetlana El-34 & NOS Amperex 6922's.) , tube-rolling as Art told me Roger coined the term.
Early in 2018 Roger wanted to know if I would be interested in a pair of new amps to DIRECTLY drive my Soundlab Majestic 945's, I said HELL YES. Sadly that will not materialize. After 24 years, I have changed EVERY piece of gear in my system, and STILL not needing to upgrade the RM-9 Mk. II's. Clearaudio Stradivari V2, Kuzma 11" 4-Point, SOTA Millennium, Audible Illusions M3B, Soundlab 945's, Tara Lab cabling. I will play these amps 'till the day I retire from earth.
Never met him in person. My sincere condolences to the family. Roger was a delight....... in every aspect..........