Here’s my second post on rooms that have to be mentioned from RMAF. While reflecting back on the great sound of these rooms, I’m missing my own system since we are on vacation without a sound system in tow. So, somehow being sans music makes the memories of these systems even sweeter.
High Water Sound Room
Jeff Catalano of High Water Sound is one of my favorite people in audio. Why? Well, because he loves music of all genres and because he always has some great music I have not heard before. Finally, I appreciate Jeff because he knows what music sounds like and is capable of putting together systems that sound like music. Jeff was one of only two people who I asked if they had brought the LP of Gillian Welch’s “The Harrow & The Harvest.” I got so into the album that I didn’t get a decent picture, and I apologize.
As I have come to expect, his room produced some best sound of the show. He brought to Denver the newest version of one of my favorite speakers, the Cessaro Horn Acoustics Wagner, a spherical-horn-loaded two-way at $65,000. They were being driven by the TRON Electric SE300BI integrated amplifier for $18,000 and their Convergence MC phonostage at $2,850. He was also debuting the Holbo air-bearing turntable system selling for $7,500 that was mounted with a Miyajima Saboten MC cartridge.
The Holbo turntable is a linear-tracking air bearing turntable and tonearm. Years ago I owned a Maplenoll turntable, which was one of the best sounding turntables of its time. The only problems were the noise of the air pump and keeping it adjusted. I can assure you that the pump on the Holbo turntable is quiet. It was sitting on the floor just behind the speakers, and I couldn’t hear it at all.
This turntable was very impressive in this system. I’m use to hearing Jeff’s systems at shows with the AW-Acoustic turntable and tonearms that cost nearly three times what the Holbo does. I didn’t notice any difference in the quality of the music despite the price difference. I expect I would with direct comparisons, but the Holbo turntable really made beautiful music in this room.
The system had rich, big tones without being overly warm. The sound had musical authority. and more than enough resolution to sound like real music and to provided realistic scale, size, air and space. The dynamics and power of the bass were uncanny in a room this small. My only regret about this room was that I couldn’t spend hours in it just letting Jeff spin tunes for us to listen to.
Let me wrap up on this room by sharing an interesting antidote. I mentioned above getting to listen to the whole side 1 of the Gillian Welch LP. Well, the reason for this was that there was a couple sitting in front of me listening, and the lady kept telling her husband how much she wanted this system. So, they got up and asked Jeff if he could step into the hall and talk. They were out in the hall for the whole side of the LP.
When Jeff came in, I asked him how interested were they were in the system. Jeff said, “You won’t believe this, she’s getting the whole system. He has a much more expensive system, but she doesn’t care for it. She wants this system just for herself.” So, readers, when you ask who buys all this expensive stuff, well it’s obvious that there is a market for it.
Gershman Acoustics
After hearing this Gershman Acoustics system at AXPONA earlier this year, I wasn’t surprised that this room sounded incredible. They were playing their POSH Statement loudspeakers at $129,000/pair driven by the VAC Statement 450S Amplifier for $46,000 and the VAC Master Preamp with Phono for $40,000. The source was a VPI turntable, and the cables were from Nordost.
The sound was rich with wonderful harmonics, a huge soundstage and a deep and powerful bass. The midrange was transparent, very detailed and not at all etched, and the top end was absolutely beautiful. To summarize, this is another system I can only dream about, but it sure was nice to get to listen to listen for a little while anyway.
I should also mention that when I was in the room on Friday, they were playing their Grande Avant Garde Loudspeakers that sell for $13,000, a price point that’s lower than what you might expect for speakers given what else was in the room, but they sounded amazing in this system. I know that’s expensive gear to pair with them, but the system would stand up to almost any $200,000 system. They also had the new Grande Studio Loudspeakers that I wish I had gotten to hear.
