Greetings all... Am new to the site/forum and have already learned a great deal as I investigate hi-res digital audio. My thanks to those who've sweated over an intelligent article, review, or a quick post that shares some unique insight... job well done and again, my thanks.

When its discovered you live in Colorado people will first ask about skiing (no thx, that kind of coin'll get you a DAC a season), then its climbing 14ers (yup, our own 'Dark Side of the Moon'), and when desiring to be cruel, they'll mention the Broncos or The People's Republic of Boulder.

But I don't think many locals know about RMAF (or I am simply hanging with the Great Unwashed). I couldn't find a soul who'd even heard of RMAF, let alone go with me (insert unwashed comment here)... so I went alone, Friday and Sunday, and what a blessing. Didn't have to pick the tunes, run from a salesman, or come across like RobJon HartLin, and therefor worthy of someone's specially massaged electrons.

All I had to do was listen.

Discoveries:

1) A determinant of "good equipment"... you might not be a fan of a certain style but quite often, when you close your eyes, the room falls away, the soundstage seems infinite, and there's just the music.

2) Handsome, sturdy, sexy blue lighted audio "sounds better" than ugly audio... until you close your eyes. Or wake up in the morning, to that same cold shudder as a couple dates you'd rather forget.

3) Some would say "there's margin in mystery" (or massaged electrons), but at RMAF the margin is in multiple drivers. Someone help me - does a speaker really need 8 hi-mid-hooters plastered between 3 bass drivers individually capable of energizing the San Andreas fault?

All the silliness aside, and ok, maybe its first timers 'glow', but I thought the show was great. Amazing equipment, musically adept vendor reps, and very high quality recordings... it was a couple afternoons that are coming to mean more than some vacations I've taken.

And all I had to do was listen.