It's always a fun time hanging with Omega's Louis Chochos, Vinnie Rossi from Red Wine Audio and Tom Hills of Hudson Audio. Along for the ride this year was Noel Nolan, owner and head bottle washer of Skylan Stands. As at RMAF 05, these colorful characters demoed a completely battery-powered system including the Eurolabs turntable. No funky AC problems to contend with here. Louis introduced his new floorstanding Super 3 XRS which is basically a bigger version of the Super 3 stand mounter [presently for review with Jeff Day - Ed]. At a mere US$850/pr, these are one heck of a bargain and sounded like loads of fun. Also seeing lots of action was Omega's Superhemp sitting on Skylan stands of course.


Jeff Beck sounded great blasting from these puppies - a guitar lover's speaker if there ever was one. The Superhemps are all about tone and they have got it in spades based on what I heard. I know my colleague Gary Beard at Positive Feedback was impressed big time with the hemps. Check out his review. Vinnie had his new Signature 30 prototype amp on hand. It features an OEM Tripath board based on the TK2051 chip set and DACT CT2 stepped attenuator volume control. As per usual, Vinnie has fully tricked out the innards with premium parts. Playing time between charges will be over 12 hours. Most of the digital playback I heard in this room was provided by a Red Wine Audio modified iPod in lossless mode. Along with his own line of affordable cabling, Hudson Audio's Tom Hills imports fj Loudspeakers (rather unfortunate initials don't you think? Sort of like MF or DB), Lehmann phono stages, Eurolab turntables and Moerch tonearms [fj stands "for Johanna", similar to the ModWright preamp initials - Ed].


Bryston's James Tanner showcased a pair of 7B SST (CDN$3,795) monoblocks with a pair of Mirage's new OMD series Omnipolar floorstanders. On static display was the BP26 preamp (CDN$3,695) with outboard power supply, the massive 1,200-watt 28B SST monos ($TBA), B100 SST integrated (CDN$3,895) and a Torus A120-HFB-A5AB Balanced Power Conditioner (CDN$10,250) built around a humongous 100-amp toroid! This particular model requires connection to both poles of your AC panel and special NEMA outlets just like household washers and dryers. Check out the nasty power cable James is holding. Like Manley Labs, Bryston is heavily involved in the pro audio field which no doubt contributes to their stellar customer service record, no BS engineering and build quality. Each new generation of Bryston gear, now in its SST iteration, has impressed me with improved performance. While I have been lured away by the warm glow of vacuum tubes, I have fond memories of my Bryston B60 and have continued to follow Bryston's products. If you prefer the zero-maintenance hassle-free ease and sound of solid state, do check out Bryston. I'm particularly impressed with the B100 SST integrated. It's the proverbial Swiss Army knife of integrateds. It is essentially the 2B SST and BP 26 squeezed into the same chassis with optional remote (CDN$500), DAC (CDN$1,200) and MM phono section (CDN$500). All you'd need is a suitable transport and/or turntable, a pair of speakers and you're set. Oh yeah, there's a 20-year warranty too. My only suggestion? Add an USB input to the DAC for computer-based music systems.


GutWire displayed their wide range of cables including three new bulk cables. The larger blue covered cable, the B-12 (CDN$30/ft), is aimed at the DIY AC cable market and features oxygen-free copper conductors, a braided shield and PE spacers to minimize crosstalk. The other two are speaker cables rated for in-wall use. Also on display was an updated version of the MaxCon power conditioner, the larger MaxCon Extreme and a cool little accessory for those big heavy power cables that inevitably hang at an uncomfortable angle from the average wall outlet. The appropriately named "The Lock" fits over your outlet box and firmly holds your big nasty heavy duty power cables sans droop. Cool. Speaking of big nasty power cables, I shall be reporting on GutWire's statement X Clef SQ power cable (CDN$3,399) as well as the B-12 DIY cable. Of all the power cables I have sampled over the last few years, the GutWires have remained favorites. With few exceptions, they impress big time in terms of noise rejection/reduction, clarity, weight, dynamics and sheer listening ease. Perhaps not to all tastes and systems but for me in my system, they work wonderfully.


One of the more impressive systems I heard two years ago in Montreal was back again this year. Aurum Acoustics's Derrick Moss all the way from Conception Bay/Newfoundland (love that name) showed off a slightly refined version of his synergistic Integris system. The crossover-less speakers are driven by a hybrid 6-channel amp with Bryston solid-state power for the woofers and 300B magic handling the mid and high frequency drivers. All crossover circuitry is placed prior to the amp section. Custom Cardas cabling, system rack and Integris CDP single chassis preamp/CD player complete the picture. While expensive to guys like me, this circa $50,000 package was utterly transparent, dynamic and completely effortless. Even on an overly compressed CD such as Matt Mays' self-titled album, the magic shone through. I was especially impressed with the smaller, more room-friendly speakers compared to the larger ones from two years ago. I wasn't the only one impressed as Soundstage's Doug Schneider and UHF Magazine have already claimed dibs for review samples. Even if fifty large is out of your price range, you owe it to yourself to hear this system if you can. Considering the horrible dimensions of the room, Derrick managed to avoid most room-related nasties by setting up the speakers at a 15-25 degree angle and placing chairs for nearfield listening. While $50,000 systems are a little out of my comfort zone, I urge my fellow moonies to request a set for review. "Paging Mr. Potis, killer system in aisle twelve"...


I don't know how they do it but Rogue Audio offers a killer-sounding tube pre/power package retailing at an indecent US$995 and US$1395 respectively. And they're made in the US and not Asia. Rogue either employs slave labor in their Pennsylvania digs or they have squeezed their margin to Kraft Dinner levels to offer these beauties at such low prices. Room treatments were via Echobusters' products. I can vouch for their effectiveness as I own a set. Now that I've had them for several months, I have become increasingly sensitive to the deleterious effects of untreated rooms. Their effect is not unlike time/phase coherent or single driver speakers. Once you get used to them, they're difficult if not impossible to live without. Speakers were Eggleston Works Fontaine II (US$5,500). I heard this system at HE2005 and I was as impressed now as I was last year. Congratulations to Rogue for lowering the entrance fee to tubes and for keeping things domestic.


Squeezed in Music Direct's extremely crowded room was not only a quickly moving stack of vinyl (the SACDs and CDs were basically ignored) but a wicked little setup tucked against the window. A pair of Mobile Fidelity OML-1 monitors (US$999) were mated to a Valve Audio Exclame 100 integrated (US$1695) with Avid Diva turntable (US$2500 sans tonearm), Dynavector 10x5 (US$380) and Dynavector P75 phono stage (US$595). Ooooh, Mr. Avid Man, gimme one of those tables, please. The Exclame is a hybrid design with a single 6922 dual triode mated to four Mosfet transistors. Too bad there wasn't anywhere to sit down and listen for a spell. Just a suggestion for next year, guys: get a bigger room. It was positively jammed in there with vinyl-crazed audioheads like yours truly raiding the bins for black gold. Everything was nicely discounted too. I managed to save a few bucks buying here rather than locally or via mail.


Audiopathic displayed lots of Manley Labs, Jeff Rowland, Focal, VAC, Redpoint and Escalante in several rooms. One room featured stand-mounted Focal speakers and Jeff Rowland amplification. Maybe it was the room but the sound was just like every other JM Labs/Focal speaker I've heard to date: detailed, bright and emotionally cold. I can hear that tweeter a mile away. I much preferred the Escalante speakers on display next door mated with Manley's Snapper monoblocks and dCS front end. Against the back wall resided a wee system with the Stingray integrated and Totem Rainmaker loudspeakers. The Stingray has been recently updated with the binding posts relocated to the side of the chassis rather than on the top deck. Tape loop, recording out, sub out and UL/triode switching are now standard issue.


LaHave Audio and Omtec are two audio firms I have never heard of but should be wider known based on the sound in this room. LaHave showcased a unique wedge-shaped single-driver floorstander called the Wedge of course, and with amplification by Omtec, which I believe is a German outfit. While I was only in this room for a brief spell, it was one of my favorites of the show. You can't beat the sheer transparency and palpability of a good single-driver speaker. I didn't have time for a chat with the rep and a follow up e-mail went unanswered. Wish I could tell you more but take a peek at this website for further info. I know Dave from Queens loved this room and it was probably the only decent thing he experienced in Montreal that weekend. Poor Dave.


While checking out new equipment is loads of fun, discovering new music is just as exciting. With their slogan "Music Made Not Manufactured", Mirrored Nature is a new audiophile classical label located just north of Toronto. Using SOTA equipment and minimalist recording techniques, Mirrored Nature's first three releases are now out on hybrid SACD - Tchaikovsky's Piano Trio in A minor Op.50 plus two discs of chamber works by Beethoven and Franck. Producer Joseph Patterson and cellist Nata Belkin had a display set up with several headphone listening stations for showgoers to sample all three discs. After a brief listen and a big thumbs up from yours truly, Joseph graciously gave me the trio of discs. I've had a couple of weeks now to hear all three releases and while I am not familiar enough with these pieces to comment on the interpretations, I can state that they are extremely well recorded and a pleasure to listen to. The way I see it, there can never be too many record companies and I wish Mirrored Nature the best of success. If any of these works are of interest and you crave first rate sound -- especially if you're into SACD -- do check them out. You can hear samples online.