Interesting - that seems to come up a lot - “the process”. I frankly don’t find myself thinking about it much at all, as I’m not terribly anal about it, and I’ve been doing it since I was a kid, and so it is completely second nature to me. I fully understand the differences in the process compared to digital, and why someone could either never get behind the “work” involved, or became disenchanted with it when given the convenience of digital.
But it has become increasingly clear to me (or at least increasingly I am of the opinion) that a lot of folks have simply never heard good vinyl on a good rig. Because if they really care about “music sounding like music”, so to speak - it is as “real” and visceral as it gets. People easily chat over the top of digital, get bored and tap another selection - great vinyl often stops conversation and causes people to get happy expressions on their faces and move involuntarily.
A lasting image in my mind from the end of Mikey’s presentation when people were walking out - there was a woman who had been seated during the whole thing who walked up to Mikey and said, “Thank you So Much…that was AWESOME”. The look on her face was indescribable. But let’s just say that, in that moment I fell in love with her. Pretty sure she’s taken, guys ; )
Side note - never saw as many women at Axpona as I did yesterday at RMAF✊🏻
If you think that’s a lot - you should see the rooms just in the local neighborhood of the PS room at RMAF. I’m sure PS would be willing to work with you on the price… ; )
And it certainly does not require $100k for vinyl magic to happen.
Ignoring Frank’s advice, “Saveyourmoneydon’tgototheshow”…I’m off again to the Las Vegas of the Rockies. I’ll try to remember to grab some snaps of the “lobby” which is Flintstones-Inspired Kitsch on a Grand Scale. Feel like they should be playing “Viva Rock Vegas” with live band dressed in animal skins pounding on turtle shells and so on ; )
Vinyl has that effect on a lot of people, especially if it is presented on a reasonably good system. I’d say digital has come a long way, but to my ears vinyl just is more natural. Probably just a peronal bias.
@wakethetown
If I understand your question correctly the PSA demo with Michael Fremer was a VPI HW40 and a Lyra Kleos into a PSA Stellar phono stage. 'd say there were quite a few VPI HW4o turntables in play at RMAF. Five if a counted correctly, which is quite a few for a shw of this size. I’d be guessing Mattt Weifield placed them or partnered with the corresponding dealer(s).
Gus and Connie Skinas outside the PS room after just having spun his recent PS DSD recording of a solo piece from Daniel Rodriguez of Elephant Revival. Such nice folks🤠
Did anyone get a feel for how Michael Fremer thought about the Stellar Phono? I know he probably was not familiar with any of the equipment, save for the VPI table, but it’s worth a shot …
Just came back from RMAF. I thought the AN3’s sounded fantastic. The soundstage, dynamics, the tone, the bass sounded just right. Much better than last year’s set-up in which the bass on those Infinitys was too boomy in that room for my taste. I’ve listened to @Paul 's IRS Vs and although they sound fantastic I found them a little claustrophobic. Their soundstage is way behind their front panels, which is great if not for the fact my brain wants a line of sight to the place the sounds seems to emanate from (I listen with my eyes open and like to imagine where the source is, and for that I need a visual reference). The IRS Vs are so huge they block this line of sight and it bugs me. Since no sound seems to come from them I want to move them out of the way. The AN3s do not have this problem. They really sounded super. And I think these are just a) unfinished and b) entry-level model?
They were the best speakers I heard. Runner-ups were the Zu Audio Druids and Salk 9.5 with Schitt audio.
One immediately recognizes by the arguments used and by the kind of blinkeredness, when someone never (or not for a long time) seriously heard or compared great digital with great vinyl playback. I think this is valid in both directions and as well for less experienced as also otherwise highly experienced folks. Differentiating the nearly always better masterings on vinyl from the pure concept differences is an additional challenge.
