Rocky Mountain Audio Fest 2010 • Sounds & Sights

Johnnie Bergmann made the long trip from Denmark to Denver to demonstrate his Sleipner turntable/tonearm system ($54,000). The Sleipner's complexity -- it has a bearingless platter, linear-tracking tonearm and vacuum suction for the record, all of which function via an external air compressor -- is countered by its clean lines and ease of operation. It sounded great...

...as part of a system featuring some high-priced Ypsilon electronics and Lanche speakers. Ypsilon Aelius mono amps ($34,000/pair) drove Lansche No.5 speakers ($40,000/pair). An Ypsilon PST-100 Mk II preamp ($37,000), VPS-100 phono stage ($26,000), CDT-100 CD transport ($26,000) and DAC-100 digital-to-analog converter ($29,000) were also part of the system, as was an Ypsilon MC-10 step-up transformer ($2800), which provided extra gain for a Lyra Titan i cartridge ($5780). Cables were from Stage III, with a Weizhi PRS-6 ($3200) routing AC to everything.

On the floor to the right of the turntable was the motor controller, which sat atop the utterly silent air compressor.