Sincere thank you for the write-up, Eddie!

We also had a lot of fun... glad you could make the trip....

link to article



EDIT:  link to photo at Society6 for Iain

peace,

me

Capital Audiofest

Another year, another sleepless weekend in DC.  Here are some pictures from the room and links to show coverage.  Pete Hutchison of The Electric Recording Company sent over a test acetate that he cut of Sonny Rollins Way Out West which was sublime.  We were running 301's, a Schick and a Schröder with lots of silver and mercury.  I'll let a few pictures do the talking and those that write professionally tell the tale.

https://www.stereophile.com/content/emia-re-visioned-quad-esl-57s-loudspeakers-garrard-301-turntable-shroeder-and-schick

We were also showing the 50 amps, Autoformer, LR phono and SUT's in the Refined Audio room.

https://www.stereophile.com/content/cube-audio-mini-nenuphar-loudspeakers-emia-audio-electronics-tw-acoustic-raven-gt-turntable

Jack Roberts blurb on the Audio Beatnik

https://theaudiobeatnik.com/caf-2019-the-emia-room-and-stacked-quads/

CAF 2018

Another year... another awesome event.  We took the show on the road again down to Washington DC for the Capital Audiofest.  This year consisted of a stack of rebuilt ESL 57 panels in a "stacked T" configuration.

Each pair of stacked panels had its own 300B based biamp setup with a line level crossover and step up output transformers.

The big changes in the amplification for this year were the addition of mercury rectifiers and .9999 silver wire throughout the amps including the plate chokes and output transformers.

The front end was analog only sporting a couple of 301's in maple and dymondwood plinths.

The cartridge was the next revision of the field coil built from the ground up seen here spinning on a test pressing of an upcoming ERC release of The Folk Blues of John Lee Hooker.

More of the ERC collection was also available to play.

Rather than go on about how awesome the sound was, we will leave it in the capable hands of Art Dudley and Michael Lovorgna

https://www.stereophile.com/content/rocking-rockville-late-day-one-and-early-day-two

https://twitteringmachines.com/caf-2018-emia-labs/

This is a funny story of what goes on in the halls of the show....

https://www.crutchfield.com/S-t6omU04pPgv/learn/2018-capital-audiofest-highlights.html

CAF mercury power

LR Phono power supply.

Field Coil Cartridge Power Supply

Mom and Dad gave me the keys to the room.

and a member of the press came in and requested some Reggae...  I begged him not to leave.

Art and Herb also did their thing for Stereophile and Art just added some more.  FWIW... the table was a 501 and the creation of Ijaz Khan.  The armwand is dymondwood (think panzerholz with parallel grain structure) and the cartridge a 103 with a line contact/boron cantilever combo and a new (much) softer suspension which tracks at 1.3g.  I promise the field coil will be done by next time around.

Capital Audiofest

some pics of the room.

CAF

Back and recovered from the Capital Audiofest.  This year we continued to bring things that were different and had no possible chance of selling.  This time the main difference was presentability.

I'll admit it looks a bit like a late 90's projection TV but there is a reason for this look.  Once you step around back you see the 'direct drive' power amplifier neatly tucked into the base.

 For this round it was Push Pull triode wired EL34's and while this isn't technically a "direct drive" amp,  I have not come up with a better term.  The two interesting Key points are the panels are biamped through discrete step up transformers loading the EL-34's and the crossover is in the amplifier circuit allowing the transformer direct connection to the panels.

The cabinets are Walnut with some bloodwood inlay and there are a few other tricks going on inside.

The two biggest comments at the show were along the lines of 'I thought quads didn't have any bass' and 'who says quads cannot go loud'.  It was mentioned on some of the forums that we only seemed to play things that showed off these two points and neglected to play the girl on a stool with a guitar that quads are known for.  Oh well... we can change that for RMAF.  Check out what Herb has to say at the link below.

Herb on the ESL

CAF 2014

 Racks, snacks, cable lifters, footers and tube displays by Ikea USA

  

Fribees by Ikea Germany

  

This year we were helping Gary Gill the show promoter out.

a vinyl only room of course!

and the wonderful 49 cent tube displays. 

 I'll link some show coverage in the next few days so you can play where's waldo for the cable lifters and other shocking revelations.

the dog and puppy show.

This is the last coverage from RMAF from Peter at AVshowrooms.com.  I really like his videos because they give far more insight than the 50 words and 5 pictures the typical show report gives.

The funny thing was after I let the pool cue on a string comment slip I felt I needed to tell frank and he quickly corrected me that is was a broomstick on a string.  I thought for a bit and given the lengths gone through for a high end cue.... it was actually a perfect description.

dave

What I didn't play at RMAF.

Hey... finally back in the normal groove after the show.  This is just a self serving post of room coverage both good and bad.  Of course the images sell so here are a few pics from one of the many songs I didn't get to play.

=

Dagogo
http://dagogo.com/rmaf-2013-coverage-i/2
http://dagogo.com/rmaf-2013-coverage-part-iii
http://dagogo.com/rmaf-2013-my-three-favorite-rooms

Part Time Audiophile
http://parttimeaudiophile.com/2013/10/12/rmaf-2013-say-hello-to-denver/
http://parttimeaudiophile.com/2013/10/28/rmaf-emia-saskia-schroeder-telwire/
http://parttimeaudiophile.com/2013/11/13/rmaf-2013-best-in-show-aka-the-end/
http://parttimeaudiophile.com/2013/11/11/rmaf-2013-wrapping-it-up-kirstens-best-in-show/#more-8530

Positive Feedback
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue69/rmaf_13.htm

AV Showrooms
(Skip to 14:50 for the money shot)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=IKl4n3MXxjQ

PS Audio
http://www.pstracks.com/pauls-posts/romancing-speaker/11965/

6moons
http://www.6moons.com/industryfeatures/rmaf2013/1.html

Stereophile
http://www.stereophile.com/content/saskia-turntables-and-friends

Stereo Mojo
http://stereomojo.com/2013%20ROCKY%20MOUNTAIN%20AUDIOFEST%20SHOW%20REPORT/2013RockyMountainAudiofestShowReportPart5.htm

The Absolute Sound
http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/rmaf-report-analog-sources-pt-1/

Ultimist
http://ultimist.com/hifi/events/rocky-mountain-audio-fest-rmaf/rmaf-2013/oct-11-2013/10000/saskia-turntables-and-shroder-tonearms


My most memorable moment of music at the show was a group of "children of the 80's" singing a very out of tune version of an entire side of They Might Be Giants Lincoln played through a clapped out chevelle.   It made me young again... It made me happy.  It pissed mom and dad off in the adjoining room at 10PM and we were shushed.

I was almost a teenager again.

dave

Impressions of RMAF 2013.

The show is still a blur to me but I was very happy with the sound and presentation.  I particularly like this pic posted by Kuma over at audio asylum.

more to come....what did/do you guys think?

dave

'twas the night before RMAF setup.

and dave can't sleep.  All the goodies are working....  enough of that.

here are some pics of what I'll be flying with.

 Permalloy 50 amps

which can now take 300B's

the new SUT packaging (1:20's for a Kansui in silver)

Finally the miniformer... in silver with a mocha front.

More RMAF Preview.

OK... you may ask where the hell have JJ and dave been... Well getting ready for the semi-official EMIA launch.  We teased you with the LC-1A's and here is some more of the story.  Up in the room (9009) we will be teaming with Win and his Saskia.  Fitted with a Schröder Reference and a Schröder LT.  Cartridges will most likely be a Kansui and a Panasonic Strain gauge.  Step ups will be silver and copper.  Both the Emia Phono and the Strain Gauge will be available to feed a pair of silver Autoformer Attenuators.  The amps will be the new permalloy 50/300B convertible amp.  Tubes will range from globe 50's to the new EML50 and WE 300B's.  Chris from Tel-Wire will be on hand to make sure the wires are bespoke.

As you can see there is a grease bearing 301 on the rack at the moment.  That is for the table downstairs where we will also be spinning some tunes through headphones.  The 301 will have a Siggwan arm mounted and will probably be using a 103R retipped by newcomer Andy Chong.

Silver and copper SUT's will be available as well as the new "mini-former" headphone alternative in both silver and copper.  The cans will be a very special pair of Grado HP-1000's because they were Sid Smiths personal pair that he used to design and voice the RA-1 headphone amp he designed for Joe.

Design genius and all around good guy John Chapamn will be down at the table with me with some new toys of his own.  The opti-load is a remote controlled load resistor which we can demonstrate through phones and what would a show be without Blackman Brew?  As I type, 96 Blackman are heading up to Denver.  The booth will also have an Audio Deske cleaner to keep our vinly clean so bring music.  Finally lets not forget Thai food Friday night after the meet and greet at Garcias.

RCA LC-1A LS-11's at RMAF

Hey all.  We will be splitting a room with Saskia II creator Win Tinnon and for a quick preview... the 200+ pound slate Saska II idler will be spinning with a Schröder arm (LT and Reference).  Cartridges will be a Kansui, Premium Be and a Panasonic Strain Gauge.  Electronics will be EMIA (Silver SUT's and autoformers) with the Permalloy 50 amps feeding these.

Tel-Wire will be hooking it all together.   We are vinyl only so bring some of your favorites and stop by to say Hi!