Well, well, well, this years official report seems have ended up spread throughout the day-by-day pictorial essay, so this year we can be and will be brief.

Many apologies to the rooms I didn't make it to this year - it wasn't for lack of trying.

Best of Shows

This time, rather than dividing up the categories into types of sound (at RMAF 2005 we talked about something like: detailed, warm, real, and bland sounds), we will divide things up into experience of sound: impressive, enjoyable, hypnotizing, emotional, truth, and the ultimate: spiritual.

IMPRESSIVE - That big slamming wall of sound with oodles of bass that can go very loud

1. Halcro / Classic Audio Reproductions / Meitner / HRS

2. Wilson Sophia / ARC

ENJOYABLE - Just nice to sit down and have a listen to

1. Audio Note U.K.* 'small system room'

2. Acoustic Zen / Red Dragon

HYPNOTIZING - Huh? Song over already? Where was I?

1. Cogent True-to-life / Welborne Labs / Denon (extended review)

2. <everything else did not qualify or fit better in another category>

EMOTIONAL - An emotional experience is communicated by the musicians to the listener.

1. Kharma Mini Exquisites / Kharma / MBL / Kubala-Sosna (extended review)

2. Acapella* Violon / Einstein / Isoclean

3. Audio Aero* / WLM / HRS

4. <everything else did not qualify or fit better in another category>

TRUTH - A telepathic experience with the artists as you are provided the honor of sitting in on the best recording sessions in history

1. Swedish Statement - Marten Design Coltrane Supremes* / Bladelius / Nordic Concept / Jorma Design* / World Power (extended review)

2. <everything else did not qualify>

SPIRITUAL - One of the petals in the meaning-of-life flower is shown to the listener

1. <Potentially:
   * the Marten Design Coltrane Supremes* in the right space with a different front end,
   * the Kondo Gakuon system with the right speakers,
   * and the Audio Note U.K. Gakuon system with added vibration control, audiophile power cords, and the speakers moved out from the corners :-)>