Capital Area Audiofest

[tinpan]

Although I am still in the middle of moving I did manage a trip up to the Capital Area Audiofest. My good buddy Digital Pete was there, he builds my AN kits and Brian from Audio Notes Kits was there as well. I was informed that not attending was not an option. They teamed up with Alex from Cathedral Speakers. We heard these speakers at their debut last year at the CAAF and thought they were the best speakers we heard. Wywires provided all of the cabling.


In the first suite you can see a pair of the Cathedral Speakers and the new Audio Note Kits Legands Mono Blocks. In the middle is a DAC 3.1 and Pre-amp. In the back is a pair of L6 Mono Blocks, they feature Quad EL34 tubes and run about 70 wpc.


Here is a close up in the Legends. These feature 300b tubes and run about 8 wpc


Close up of the system


Here is a close up of those wonderful Cathedral Speakers.


Here is a close up of the L6.


Here is another preamp and phono stage driving the table


Close up of the 511 drivers


TnRabbit and Graham stopped on by and here they are talking with Brian. While I like having someone build the kits for me, Graham is at the other end of the spectrum, he like building stuff.


Here is the L1, it's an inexpensive el84 tubed integrated amp. The kit runs about $1,400. I think it's a big step up from a Bottle Head kit for only a little more money. I'll probably have to try one of these.


In the other suite were another pair of Cathedral Speakers and a pair of AN Interstage Mono blocks, one pair features single 300b tubes the other is parallel 300b tubes


I loved the way the light was coming through the window back lighting the amps


Close up of the tubes


Love these horns


Here's Digital Pete and Alex ltr


Here is a shot from the Deja Vu room. He had a vintage Western Electric set up featuring vintage full range speakers amps


Check out the WE tubes, you don't see those every day

I also checked out the Polk room as well as a bunch of other rooms. For the second year of an event I thought it was very well attended. There was a DIY room as well which was always packed.

Looking forward to next years event. Really trying to find a way to budget Tom's Carver tube monoblocks, An Legend Mono Blocks, AN L1, AN L6 and a pair of those Cathedral speakers.
So many toys...so little budget

[Zoot Horn]

Beautiful gear.

[F1nut]

We heard these speakers at their debut last year at the CAAF and thought they were the best speakers we heard.   

   

I heard them last year and didn't like the over the top - in your face presentation, neither did the two guys I was with. I didn't even bother to check them out this year.

This year I thought the Deja Vu Vintage rig you mentioned was one of the best sounding. Other favorites were the Wilson/Dan D'Agostino rig, the Polk Audio/Audio Research rig and the Soundfield Audio room. 

[tinpan]

I heard them last year and didn't like the over the top - in your face presentation

I can understand why you would come to that conclusion, I can also understand why I came to mine.

I thought the Deja Vu Vintage rig you mentioned was one of the best sounding

Vu always has great sounding gear, I believe, if I heard him correctly that CD transport was $75k. I am glad he came to the show this year.