Without, of course, wishing in any way, shape, or form for the title of his four seminars, “Just How ‘Absolute’ Is Recorded Sound?,” to be misconstrued as referring to a certain publication based on what I personally consider a dubious concept, Stereophile editor John Atkinson used everything from a drumstick to a cowbell, both sounded “live” and played back on the seminar room’s stereo system, to convey the message: “Nothing is real. How the recording art affects what you think you hear!” As John proceeded to point out that the brain combines information from separate left and right loudspeakers into a single stereo image, my own brain began to repeat the refrain, “30 or so more rooms in the hall, 30 or so more rooms, If one of those rooms should end up uncovered, your ass will be plastered far into the wall.” Hence I vamoosed, and now leave it to John to say more about the content of his seminar.

JA explains: Using the master files for some of my own commercially released recordings, played on a MacBook Pro using Pure Music and either Halide’s HD or the AudioQuest DragonFly USB DACs, I showed that it is a fallacy to assume that “the absolute sound of live music in a real acoustic space” resides in the bits, pits, or grooves, even when such a live event existed. Making recordings is an art, not a science and there may only be a coincidental resemblance between what is presented to the listener and the sound of musicians playing live, even when all concerned with making the recording were trying to be as honest as possible. Even the fundamental decision of what microphone to use moves the recorded sound a long way from reality—I played listeners the recording on the original Stereophile Test CD where the late J. Gordon Holt read an essay from a 1960s essay with a different professional microphone used for each sentence—and it is a naïve reviewer who doesn’t realize this fact.

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As I entered the second floor seminar room, where I awaited the third of four installments of Stereophile editor John Atkinson’s “Just How ‘Absolute’ Is Recorded Sound?”, I happened upon an energetic exchange between Michael Fremer of Stereophile and AnalogPlanet.com (right) and Roy Gregory, UK Editor of TheAudioBeat.com (left). Mikey was keeping it light, but the issue was real: how do you describe the sound of a component or system without telling listeners and readers what kind of sound they should prefer?

As critic Dennis Davis joined in (and enjoyed) the exchange, I thought about how my own preferences for vibrant rather than dry sound leads me to favor certain seats in certain halls over any seat in others, and translates into personal preferences for some loudspeakers, electronics, and cables over others. Even as I state my own biases in reviews, I am aware that some people greatly prefer a laidback system with a dark presentation and a toned down top to one that is far more illuminated and vibrant. Hence, even as I cop to what I like, I strive not to tell anyone that what I like is what they should like.

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In the Nordost/Raidho suite, I was very impressed by the spacious, delicate, detailed sound made from a system comprising Raidho C1.1 standmounted speakers ($20,000/pair, including dedicated stand), a Simaudio CD player, Hegel amplification, Quantum Resonant Technology (QRT) power conditioning, and, of course, Nordost cabling.

Other than its cabinet which is made in China, every component of the very attractive Raidho speaker is manufactured in the company’s Denmark facility. Rather than place emphasis on the cabinet, Raidho decided to concentrate on the parts of a loudspeaker “that really matter,” specifically the drive units and how they interact with one another.

Listening to Johnny Cash’s rendition of Trent Reznor’s “Hurt,” I was moved by the system’s ability to present a space, and then to expand that space—it was like filling a balloon with air or taking a slow, deep breath.

***

For more on Raidho's technology, see Jason Victor Serinus' report on the Raidho 2.1.

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In the big Pikes Peak room, I heard a big, full-bodied sound that gave a gentle sparkle to electric guitars and rich texture to voices.

The system:

Laufer Teknik Memory Player 64 Ultimate digital music player ($27,950), Leonardo Model 8 ribbon-planar loudspeaker ($65,000/pair), Audio Power Labs (“My Tubes Are Bigger Than Yours”) 833TNT monoblock power amplifier ($175,000/pair), Silver Circle Audio Pure Power One 5.0 power conditioner ($5500), and loudspeaker cables, interconnects, and power cords from Klee Acoustics, Kaplan Cable, and Extreme Audio.

The gong-shaped thing in the center of the system is HighEnd Novum’s Premium Passive Multivocal Resonator (PMR), reviewed by Sam Tellig in our May 2012 issue. According to Sam, the PMR added vibrancy to his system.

It was too dark in Pikes Peak for me to tell.

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John Atkinson insisted that this cowbell had something to do with his daily seminar on recorded sound, but I suspect that he, like most people at RMAF, was just having a good time.
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Merlin Music Systems’ Bobby Palkovic is having a better time than ever, and you could tell by the sound in his room, which was remarkably tuneful, engaging—neither too forward nor too laidback—and, most of all, fun.

“I like to take things to an end, and now I’ve gotten to a point where I’m beyond happy,” Palkovic said of his Master VSM loudspeaker ($13,600/pair), which are now wired with Cardas Clear cable.

Adding to Palkovic’s pleasure is his new relationship with digital music: He was sending signals from a MacBook Pro, running iTunes via Pure Music, to Wavelength’s Cosecant DAC—a process with which he’s become increasing familiar and increasingly fond. Driving the speakers was an Ars Sonum Grand Filarmonia integrated amp. Cardas Clear cables, interconnects, and power cords tied things together.

As I listened to the music, which was also marked by impressive dynamic range and had voices that seemed to be right there in the room with us, I understood why Palkovic was so happy.

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Ann Arbor, Michigan’s Paragon Sight & Sound put together another high-performance, cost-no-object system: Wilson Audio MAXX Series 3 loudspeakers ($69,500/pair); Doshi Audio (“Audio Products for Music Lovers”) Alaap v3.0 NAB tape preamp ($10,995), Alaap v3.0 line stage ($14,995), Alaap v2.1 phono stage ($10,995), and Jhor 160 monoblock power amplifier ($28,995/pair); SME 20/3 turntable ($15,500 with SME’s Series V tonearm) and Koetsu Urushi Vermillion cartridge ($5850); and Transparent Audio cables. The gear was supported by Harmonic Resolutions Systems racks. I didn’t listen to any digital while I was in the room, but digital was being handled by a Wadia S7i CD player and a Playback Designs MPD-5 Reference DAC.

The Doshi Audio equipment was relatively new to me. The Jhor 160 monoblock is rated to deliver 160W into 6 ohms; it uses KT120 output tubes and a 26-lb custom output transformer built by Sowter. The handsome Alaap tubed line stage has four inputs and a 31-position transformer volume control.

Wilson’s MAXX 3 seemed pleased. I thought the sound was a bit bottom-heavy at times, but with a very fine midrange and clean, delicate highs. Even at very high volumes and during complex passages of music, the amps had no problem driving the big MAXX 3s, the system showing off stable imaging and producing no signs of distortion.

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I loved the pure, clean sound and sense of touch and bloom that came with Ben Webster’s tenor sax on “Stars Fell on Alabama” from Billie Holiday’s great Songs for Distingué Lovers. And, in “A Foggy Day,” Lady Day’s voice was as rich and true as can be.

Later, I noted fine snap and brassy pluck to the sound of acoustic guitars during “Chuck E.’s in Love,” the opening track to Rickie Lee Jones’ self-titled debut, an album that people often love or hate.

One female listener was surprised by the sound: “This system takes the whine out of Rickie Lee Jones’ voice!”

“Is that good or bad?” someone asked.

“Good for me,” she responded.

And then there was the great sense of space around Jones’ voice, which somehow made it easier to appreciate the wistfulness of “On Saturday Afternoons in 1963.”

Good for me, too, I thought.

The system: TAD Compact Reference CR1 loudspeakers ($42,000/pair) driven by a GamuT D200 power amplifier ($6000) and Zesto Audio Leto tubed linestage ($7500); Merrill Williams Audio REAL 101 turntable ($7200), fitted with a Tri-Planar tonearm and Dynavector XX2 Mk.II phono cartridge; Zesto Audio Andros PS1 tubed phono stage ($4300); WyWires cables, interconnects, and power cords; Steve Blinn Designs equipment rack; and Acoustimac room treatments.

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