RMAF 2018 – Photo Tour & Coverage

Gayle Sanders Eikon ($25,000) – Even more impressive from the last time I heard them at AXPONA 2018 – they are the best high-end active speakers I’ve heard so far (that includes the Kii Three). Gayle Sanders is, in my opinion, the most forward-thinking designer out there. He knows how to innovate – and disrupt. The included Eikontrol unit is the “brains” behind the system – including inputs, source selection, driver-level-amplification, DSP, and room correction duties. Playing with the Eikontrol app, it’s amazing how much better the room sounded when applying the DSP, even by ear. No distortion and no sense of anything being artificial – just musical. It got me contemplating about the future of high-end audio. I have no problem saying that this Eikon system sounded much better than systems over five times its price throughout the show. With its Wavelet technology, the room becomes more of a non-issue – and I was convinced. Allowing control of time coherence and amp/woofer interactions in the digital domain is simply compelling. I only tweak with components and cables because, in order to get the sound I want, I have to do it. With a system like this…I could leave all that behind – at a fraction of the cost. I could stop listening to cables and just enjoy the music. 🙂

The Eikontrol – The brains of the active Gayle Sanders Eikon system.

EIKON Audio – Actives kinda make sense…as long as you tune digitally without artifacts…

Classé Audio is back! Thank you, Sound United. The Delta Mono monaural amplifiers ($10,500 each) have new circuit designs – working in pure Class A for the first 30 watts. 300 watts @ 8 ohms or 600 watts @ 4 ohms. The Delta Stereo is capable of 250 watts at 8 ohms. Biopolar output transistors are no longer use at the output stage. These amplifiers have lateral MOSFETS. Great speed, resolution, and dynamic impact in this system.

Classé Delta Pre preamplifier and DAC ($9,500). Pretty pretty.

Gershman Acoustics POSH ($129,000) – Best of Show at AXPONA 2018. VAC Statement 450S amplifier ($46,000), Master Preamp with Phono ($40,000), VPI turntable. Nordost cables. Still amazing.

The Gershman Acoustics Grand Avant Garde ($13,000/pr)

Gershman Acoustics Grand Studio ($6,599) – This is some heavy duty stuff. Designed and tuned by true audiophiles.