Capital Audiofest 2013

[wkhanna]

My best friends Dan & James went to this years CAF in DC last week.

Here are some photo's

(I broke them up into four posts)

We definitely will be going back next year, it was a Blast!

Even more fun than hearing & seeing all the equipment was meeting & talking to so many interesting people. From fellow enthusiasts to brand reps to designers & engrs - & I even got to talk with Michael Fremer & Art Dudley!

But the true highlight was spending the entire evening on Friday having dinner & drinks with Brian Zolner, designer & company owner of the Bricasti M1 DAC. What impressed me most? .......The picture he showed me of his wine cellar!


So here are some of the pics:





Kuzma Stabi TT with electrostats. I Really like this TT!



A modified Garrad TT.






A custom-made unit from Switzerland



These $3k speakers with Focal drivers were small but had a full sound with respectable, tight bass for their size. A good solution for someone with limited space.








Dan checking out some SET amps driving some V $ horns.



The horns.

[wkhanna]

Page 2


Audio Note high efficiency speakers & electronics. V nice even if a bit limited on the low end.







Another high efficiency speaker w/ flea-watt valve power & a modified Garrad TT. The cross-overs in their own box allow for easy substitution of resistors & caps for fine-tuning. The cabinetwork was spectacular. The stands alone were like the finest handmade furniture I have ever see. The cabinets had no parallel surfaces for limiting wave reflection. however, Dan noticed some cabinet resonance in the lower mids. By far, my pick as the most beautiful speaker at the show.







Another Accuton driver in a transmission line box for $3k. Not bad sounding at all.







These flea-watt driven full-range drivers were also impressive. It is surprising what 3 watts sent to a single driver can do!





This is what was driving them.

[wkhanna]

Page 3:

The big & small Harbeth's running off Red Wine electronics with 100% battery power! They claim 8 hours of run time at which point you can run from wall power while they recharge. The small Harbeth's were lively & dynamic, the larger units - not so much. I would have liked to have a little more time with them. I just was not able to get a clear feel for their overall sound. So many are enthralled with them that I really wanted to get a sense of their signature.






This is the new VPI Traveler TT. We saw a few of them here & for good reason. The best part is its price relative to the performance.





Honestly......I forget what this was!



This was our pick for the best value at the show. The 2-way speakers were amazing for their size. V clean, even way down low. The quality of sound produced by this system embarrassed many others costing even 5x the price.







This was my pick for best analog of the show. Vintage Thorens power & pre electronics. I could have stayed here the entire show. Such a sweet sound - I was in heaven. I think they brought the best music library, too.

Thoress Pre and 845 Amps
Tron Stereo and Mono Phonos
TW-Acustic AC w. 2-10.5 arms
Miyajima Stereo and Mono cartridges
Horning Eufrodite Speakers
Silver Circle Tchaik 6 conditioner
SRA racks and stands
Teo Audio interconnects and speaker cables
Tel Wire Power Cords





This was the HORN room!
Big sound. Big stuff. Big price!
Not V practical, & honestly, a bit flat on both ends with some imaging issues too. But Oh those mids!







Next up, we have multiple awards.
Best sound of show.
Most 'over-the-top' of show.
Most outrageously expensive of show.
Best DAC of show. (Bricasti M1 DAC)

TIDAL Audio Speakers
TIDAL Audio Electronics
Purist Audio Design Cables
Bricasti Design
Aurender
StillPoints

These speakers list for $135k (Correction, The Tidal speakers are $154K).
Combined with the Bricasti M1 DAC this was the closest thing I have ever heard compared to a live performance. What really brought home the true performance ability of this system was how it was able to reproduce so effortlessly & accurately the V deep, deep low energy that is created in a good sounding hall with classical music. It was the only time I have ever heard such realism. One other aspect was the ability to produce clear, clean, true to life dynamics at wisper-soft dB levels. Just amazing!
(note that I missed the trip Dan & James took to see & hear the B&W Nautilus which they felt was just ever so slightly better)

Starting with Dan checking out the electronics in the Tidal room.













These guys had some totally refurbished Quad ESL's.
This room had a lovely sound. V impressive & proving you don't need to have brand new hi-tech to get fabulous perormance!

[wkhanna]

Page four:

A German-made all stainless Steel TT starting at a reasonable (?) $8k matched with BAT electronics. Good Stuff!







And here we have what was hands-down easily the "most ridiculous, outlandish, these guys are on crack" award. $24k bookshelf speakers (+ $3k for the stands) from England.
Oh, they sounded good. Maybe $8k good on their best day. But really? $24k !!!! And on top if it, they are ugly. But the brown paper bag to cover them is free! Honestly, this was downright laughable.



Dan trying to find out were the other $16k went!



VPI hooked up with Joseph Audio to make what was to me was a realistic Hi-End statement at a realistic price. The $7k Joseph speakers combined with VPI analog was a system I can see myself having one day (sans the digital end). A system like this would put me at the end game. I would never need anything better. For $15k you could have system with these components that will deliver 95% of the best any other rig could deliver at any price, IMHO. These speakers really left an impression on me.















The exhibit at the Ballroom had everything from LP's to DAC's & Headphones to ultrasonic record cleaners, audio DVD's, & even some big old wave guides for making your own horns.

[schwarcw]

Greetings Bill!

Thanks for your post.  I've been to that show.  If fact, I think you and I spoke about it.  I like the location of the show relative to Pittsburgh.  Lots to do in DC in the evenings.

It's nice to see so many of the rooms have vinyl in their systems.  It really brings out the best of their equipment.

The Lenco turntable in your post was fun.  These are very expensive units to refurb and upgrade.  A lot of folks going over the top with custom plinths, arms, arm boards and cartridges.

I have been to several shows and walked out of there with the same obsrvations you made about Joseph Audio speakers.  They are fantastic sounding and looking!  The price is fairly reasonable as you noted.

Thanks for the great writeup!

[Reverend]

Looks like a great time.  Thanks for posting pics!

[F1nut]

Thanks for posting your thoughts and all the pictures. I've been to the show the last 3 years and had every intention of going this year, but Friday was the first nice day here in a month, so I went sailing instead thinking I'll go on Saturday and deal with the crowd. Unfortunately, I had a family crisis to deal with the rest of the weekend, so next year.

Anyway, I see a lot of the same gear I've heard before, but some new stuff as well. The Tidal room was my overall pick for last year, the sound is amazing. I'm surprised your friends liked the B&W's slightly better after hearing the Tidal's. Personally, I've never heard a B&W I could take for more than a few minutes. Now, those Joesph Audio Pulsar monitors, they are something special, but they sound best with a tube SACD/CD player and all tube power....magical. 

Thanks again.

[Falcon]

Wow!  Great stuff, thank you for taking the time to share it with us!

[wkhanna]

I'm surprised your friends liked the B&W's slightly better after hearing the Tidal's. Personally, I've never heard a B&W I could take for more than a few minutes.

My friend, Dan has the 802di's. These are one of most neutral, revealing & accurate speakers I have ever heard, IMHO.

The Nautilus speakers which Dan & James heard at a shop on Ohio where the 20th anniversary editions built specifically to be installed in the North American Headquarters. Though no different to any set design or component-wise that has been made in the past 20 years, special care taken during the manufacture with this set.

Now, those Joesph Audio Pulsar monitors, they are something special, but they sound best with a tube SACD/CD player and all tube power....magical.

I must agree with here. Such a practical speaker size wise, yet capable of producing a sound belying of their small stature, these JA's would make any combo a winner.

[wkhanna]

A pic of the MBL room.....we saw a few of the modified Tascam RtoR's at the show.
They were playing the 'White Album' while I was there.
Contrary to urban legend, no tape hiss was to be found in the vicinity.




Sharing some after-dinner libation with Brian Zolner.




The Mapleshade room also made use of the MBL speakers & modified Tascam RtoR. It had a wonderful, natural sense to the sound, quite an amazing feat in spite of the poor room dimensions. One of the more pleasing presentations as I recall.

 

[MacGeek]

Those are some spiffy looking supply reels on that tape deck.

[Finleyville]

Those Joseph Audio speakers look like they are using Seas Excel drivers.  I wonder what the X-O looks like?  I bet I would have fallen in love with those.  I love the Seas sound.