Rocky Mountain Audio Fest 2017


John Stancavage's RMAF 2017 Best of Show: Premium systems, $20,000 to $100,000 USD

Accent Speaker Technology Ltd.: The company's stand-mounted Nola Boxer S2 ($2,900/pair USD) improved on the base model with high-speed Mundorf oil capacitors and Nordost silver mono-filament wiring. Refined high frequencies, a huge soundstage and surprising bass (thanks to a huge port in the back). Sounded great on a Valve Amplification Co. 160 integrated amp and an Audio Research CD8 disc spinner/DAC.

See also: RMAF 2017: Nola Boxer S2 casts a long acoustic shadow



Heard in the Nola room: the Nola Boxer S2 bookshelf speakers ($2900/pair), a VAC integrated amplifier ($1400), an Audio Research CD8, and Nola Blue Thunder cables ($800/10' pair). The gentleman sitting in front of me was ecstatic; he kept remarking on how wide the soundstage was, and how excellent everything sounded. You know, at hi-fi shows, so many people look like they woke up on the wrong side of the bed and listening to music is a torturous forced group activity. Do they know something about the end of the world that I don't? Will they tell me what it is? In the Nola room, everyone was friendly, chill, and seemed to be having a great time. The Boxer S2s are the "premium version" of the Boxer 2s, with the same driver complement but with "other internal upgrades," including "Nordost mono-filament silver wire throughout and Mundorf EVO oil capacitors" according to the literature I received. The system sounded lush and filling! - Jana Dagdagan