Sweet baby Jesus in a sidecar… how on Earth is it time already to heave my wheezing frame into a too-small, economy-class airline seat for the Rocky Mountain Audio Festival?
It seems like it was just the other day that I was in the warm embrace of Japanese whiskey with Jonathan Derda of Mobile Fidelity, or Brooklyn Gin with John DeVore of DeVore Fidelity, and John Darko of DAR… or quaffing pints with fellow writer Malachi Kenney in the hotel bar. Alas time waits for no man, least of a middling reviewer of hi-fi gear.
Last year was my first RMAF, and I have to say of all the shows I’ve been to in the last couple years, it was probably the one most filled with friendly, familiar faces who seemed hell-bent on shoving some of the finest spirits, and ales available to mankind into my hands. Who was I to say no? Covering big shows is thirsty business, and if you’ve followed any of my posts from across this great continent as I fly from show-to-show, then you know it’s not for the faint of heart or constitution. Last year’s Rocky Mountain saw many outstanding gear debuts, and the usual exposure to gear one just hasn’t had time to see or hear previously, and this year will undoubtedly be more of the same as Part-Time Audiophile wends its way through the sprawling Marriott Tech Centre hotel.
So please check back here often as we will be posting as much as we can from the show. Last year I was able to write about such wonderful gear as the DeVore Gibbon X loudspeaker, the SPEC GMP-8000EX turntable, Pete Riggle’s Woody tonearm,the Döhmann Helix 1 turntable, and Devialet’s new-ish Phantom. I’m hoping to bring you coverage of all the best that Denver has to offer in 2016. Giddy up.
