Rocky Mountain Audio Fest, 2018 – Preview

by | Oct 6, 2018 | Component Reviews, Special Features | 0 comments

This upcoming weekend is the annual Rocky Mountain Audio Fest, being held in Denver, Colorado.  This is quite the event to attend, with over 400 companies represented, covering the full spectrum of state of the art components.

Audiophile Audition is quite pleased to have one Ric Mancuso attend this event.  Ric has been a long-time friend of the site; he enjoys writing—recreationally and professionally; he is quite the avid Audio Enthusiast.  Ric is joining the staff of writers at AudAud, with his observations and insights to the ever moving world of audio hardware and system components.  When the RMAF draws to a close, he will fill us in on the highlights, along with many of the details.

For more information about RMAF:

Logo Rocky Mountain Audio Festival

And for more info about Ric, please read his following letter of introduction!


Dot Dot Dot. . . (Yes, three dot journalism present)

Hey, who ‘Am I?  It’s cool to be invited to contribute as a staff writer and special projects reporter for the Audiophile Audition web magazine. It’s a real honor to be on the roll call.

Ric Mancuso reporting on Ric Mancuso, new staff writer for the Audiophile Audition. Let’s treat me as if I were an audio component up for review.

I’m fairly transparent, and image well. My soundstage is excellent, having done radio shows over the years for large and small stations. My taste in music is an A+ and possess more than a competent knowledge of many genres of music. I’m a musician and know how instruments should sound.  I have done special projects for a recording label and know the professional aspects of how it’s done and done well! Grammy Good!

Over the years I’ve worked in several capacities and with many associations in the Audio Industry, running the gamut, from cables, speakers, electronics and accessories. Also beating my chest for High End advocacy internationally. . .

My audio sensibilities tilt to the good to great value for the money audio components, even vintage gear.  I love really good cheap eats and also appreciate the exceptional palate bomb $$$$ meal! Oh, and let’s follow it up with worthy wine pairings from $-$$$$. People always ask me, “Are you a good cook?” I say,” I just cook with good ingredients.”  This is similar the way I view good audio systems.  Look at NAD, for example, I have an original NAD 3020, and it is an amazingly great value, even in today’s market compared to way more $$$$ modern units.  It’s like a Julia Child’s recipe for a French omelet.  Can’t be beat and simply done.

First assignment: Rocky Mountain Audio Festival takes place in the Denver Tech-Center. October 5th through October 7th.

How Can I Miss You, When You Won’t Go Away?

Recall the song from Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks? Well, it’s been a few years since I have attended an audio show. My ears have rested and my audio pallet has been cleansed of past observances and judgment. Forgetting is renewal to some degree?  It’s like returning to the golf course after a long layoff, you play better, because you have forgotten all your mistakes and bad habits! Then you start thinking and not being in the moment, oops, Fore!!

I do miss being away from my passionate and demanding partner.  She is called High End Audio.  I will be coming into the show with fresh eyes and ears submitting to becoming, vulnerable, impressionable, gullible and swayed by her good looks and charm, All the while, being human and channeling the late Harvey Gizmo Rosenberg. Harvey used to call me frequently, telling me about his modifications to the Spica Angelus he owned. I was running the company for a couple of years with John Bau under the Parasound flag.  Harvey said he had run tension wires attached to the speakers to the ceiling rafters and down to the basement to isolate any room vibrations!  Miss him greatly.

Looking at the show with new lenses and ears, I will be looking for trends and innovative technologies along with tried and true proven ones too. There is a seminar on the lineage of the LS3/5A speakers, with being able to hear various vintages of them! The rather new Falcon offerings from the UK, will be present to compare. Being a steadfast die hard with that design, I will be looking for Ken Kessler in the wings to chat about his experience.  I think he owns two pairs already?

A must check out will be, The Blue Sound products.  Familial ties to NAD and Lenbrook Americas in Canada. I will be investigating the RMAF show’s entry-level rock climb from low to mid price selections.  Always must have an entry level good value system to show what the benchmarks can be at the strata’s.

I don’t have a drone to follow me around at the show; however, I do have really good radar to sense what sounds good from twenty paces.

Tune in for my RMAF show recap upon my return.

Good listening and Toe Tap!

—Ric Mancuso

 

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