Edit: Adding show coverage here:
American Companies to Watch at RMAF 2016
October once again graces us with her shorter days, longer nights, harvest moons and the country’s largest audio show. The Rocky Mountain Audio Fest “showcases more than 400 brands – from the affordable, to the absurd.” Every show has its share of new, or at least new-to-me brands, and this year my notifications have been pleasantly plinking away as the press releases roll in.
The show runs October 7-9 at the Denver Marriot Tech Center. Details at https://www.audiofest.net
Who are the companies to watch for? Starting with American Made Audio Association Members and moving down, here is a quick rundown of companies to prioritize.
Burwell & Sons Loudspeakers
http://www.burwellspeakers.com
Burwell & Sons will be showing in room 1102. These gorgeous hand-made high-efficiency horn loudspeakers feature vintage components built into modern casework. Beautiful to see and hear.
PS Audio
PS Audio has been on an incredible run lately with their new BHK Preamp and Amplifiers, and innovative DirectStream DAC. RMAF sees the introduction of the DirectStream Memory Player. For those of us with collections of shiny silver discs, PS Audio says the DirectStream will “Breathe new life into your CD collection played through any DAC. Send the raw DSD layer of SACD into your DirectStream or DirectStream Junior DAC so you can hear, for the first time, what’s long been unavailable to external DACs in these high resolution discs.” You can find PS Audio products in 1107, Lobby, and 1023. Of course, you can always find PS Audio P10 power regenerators making up for sagging hotel power in dozens of rooms at any show.
VPI Industries
VPI Industries is intending to show off two new products… with teasers for more. Expect to see the new Prime Signature and Prime Walnut in addition to an array of exciting tables, possibly including the Avenger and Titan.
Other American companies have announced:
Audience will exhibit its top of the line Au24 SX analog cables, Au 24 SE USB cable and Adept Response aR6-TSSOX AC power conditioner.
Bandwidth Audio will show 288 and 22A3 mono tube amplifiers with other products in the development stage – coming soon is the Kaskode One Phono Preamplifier.
Danacables is introducing the top-of-the-line Lazuli Reference headphones cables, designed and hand-crafted in Colorado for the absolute best headphones models: Abyss, Focal Utopia, and HifiMan HE-1000.
Legacy Audio will be in Evergreen Ballroom A at Rocky Mountain Audio Fest to show the new Calibre monitor, a high resolution speaker that “raises the performance bar for what a compact speaker can do.”
Santa Cruz Audio introduces the SC1000 in-ear monitor headphones at the 2016 Rocky Mountain Audio Fest – Evergreen Ballroom EV4
Sonic Studio will be demonstrating their next generation Amarra 4 music player. Software counts as American-made, too!
Wolf Audio Systems, a company dedicated to providing the best-possible digital music playback components will showcase its new top of the line Alpha 2 Red Wolf digital music player
Zesto Audio is announcing their new Andros Tessera phonostage. Téssera means 4 in Greek. This newest product from Zesto Audio is aptly named as it is designed to work with up to 4 different tonearms or turntables.
… and so much more: Acoustic Zen, Audio Research, Nordost, Vandersteen, Wilson, Zu and others always host excellent rooms.
Great job John… Wish I was there too!!! Unfortunately I have to help family in FL. as hurricane Matthew approaches. I look forward to your show report….
Thanks, John