|
 As
far as I'm concerned, this year's Rocky
Mountain Audio Fest has officially eclipsed
the Consumer Electronics Show held at the
Venetian in Las Vegas as THE PLACE TO BE.
The only existing high-end show that I would
qualify as more attractive and capable of
handling larger audiences is Munich's High
End show (the world's best high-end audio
event). What both the RMAF and Munich High
End shows have in common is that singular
approach to two-channel high-end audio.
Unlike CES. thank God there were no boomy
home theater demos which meant no room
rattling bass coming through your seat from
any adjacent room (showing off yet
another overdone scene from Jurassic Park
while I'm smack-dab in the middle of one of
my favorite Miles Davis ballads). Moreover,
there were no car audio gawkers or
electronic gadgets geeks either. These
trades-show industry folks only help keep
those serpent-like (600-people plus)
taxi-lines you'll encounter in your travels
to and fro...guaranteed!
I am happy to
report, RMAF's singleness of purpose to
dedicated high-end audio fit this audiophile
like a well-tailored suit. Now, yes of
course, I speak from the position of the
"press" and may never fully understand the
value CES holds for manufacturers,
distributors and the like. But everyone I
spoke with a RMAF said they absolutely
"loved it" and agreed this year's RMAF was a
much better venue in terms of access and
rooms, while the rates were also far less
expensive than the rates CES demands.
Personally, I wonder much longer the
high-end show held in the Venetian can
continue on with the beautiful Rocky
Mountain Audio Fest serving as a less
expensive and less stressful worthwhile
alternative.
"This year, says
RMAF's assistant director Marcie Miller, we
had 470 exhibitors in 150 rooms. In addition
to all the usual suspects, we had a fair
number of new exhibitors, which is
gratifying in a tight economy. We had
exhibitors primarily from the US, but also
from Canada, Japan, Germany, the UK,
Denmark, Serbia, Korea, Switzerland,
Austria, Australia, Puerto Rico, Belgium,
Taiwan, Greece and Hong Kong. Truly, we've
become an international show!"
This is the
first time I missed out visiting most of the
rooms due to the fact - this time around -
so many rooms sounded so splendid. I found
myself captivated by systems that totally
caught me off guard. I would attribute this
rise in excellent sounding setups to the
more relaxed environment of the Rocky
Mountain Audio Fest.
The Denver
Marriott Tech Center which played host
to the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest is a large
and yet quaint hotel replete with a
beautiful atrium, pool, health spa, bar and
two restaurants. I checked in on Thursday
(Oct 1st) and didn't once venture outside
until it was time to check-out four days
later (Sunday). The Buffalo burgers and
fries combo got a little stale after about
the third day, but you know what, outside of
perhaps the glorious foods in Istanbul,
nothing else I've had from Germany, Denmark,
Japan or Singapore tasted more appetizing
(and each time I reminded myself of this,
the better those Buffalo burger tasted).
The show
officially opened its doors on Friday (Oct
2nd), so my arrival one day before allowed
me for the first time to get a glimpse of
what extraordinary measures folks go through
to get a show like this up and running. From
the many volunteers that helped with the
signage to the manufacturers, distributors
and dealers who demoed their wares again
this year. I got exhausted just watching
them set-up their space.
 Before
I start my RMAF report, I want to also
personally thank Marjorie Baumert and her
staff of dedicated volunteers whose tireless
work made this show that much more
accommodating and heartfelt especially
considering her late-husband Al Stiefel,
(photo left), passed away in January, was
this events co-founder. I think Al would
have been very proud of this year's turnout
of both industry folk and how surprisingly
excellent many of rooms sounded. Even I, who
had nothing to do with this event, came home
feeling a great sense of optimism for this
industry: A feeling I have personally never
felt after any CES event.
"Audio was
Al's passion, says Marcie Miller and he was
far more visible at the show than Marjorie
was. He loved to visit all the rooms to see
what everyone was showing and to speak that
strange and special language of audiophiles
everywhere. When he died suddenly in
January, we found out that one of his last
gifts to her was to create an advisory board
consisting of Ray Kimber (Kimber Kable), Joe
Reynolds (Nordost), and Roy Gregory
(formerly HiFi+, now w/ Nordost). These
wonderful men stepped up to help Marjorie
sort through her feelings about whether or
not to continue RMAF, and then to help us
devise a strategy for going forward. Then
they stood back and let us run with it. We
have really appreciated their efforts on our
behalf! They have made suggestions,
encouraged new exhibitors to show at RMAF,
and helped us sort out who's who for
seminars and panels."
Stereo
Times editor and tube-aholic Larry Borden
and I both agreed on the
"good-will-towards-all-audiophiles" passions
felt at this year's RMAF.
|
