Capitol Audio Fest

When it comes to speaker appearances, the Auditorium 23 gets a gold star for sure.  The cabinet was made of solid walnut with superb joinery and the vertical walnut strips on the front looked really nice.

@larryi  I hear you on room conditions which I should have factored in a bit more. And a custom Deja Vu horn-speaker would  be of interest to me if the boss approved. Sorry I missed Charney and DC DYI would have loved to hear more horns. I agree with @mapman  I thought Classic Audio was better last year though I didn't find it bright, I heard Louis Armstrong "St James Infirmary" a song I totally love. The sound was a bit stuck to the speakers but otherwise captivating. And Charles I wish I had caught Tekton there is so much hype would have loved to check it out and report back. Next year for sure!

I have heard DejaVu's vintage systems in the past, and they always sound good. (They were also some of the largest speakers at the show - certainly in terms of footprint.) These seem to be Vu's true passion. A visit to DejaVu audio is always a treat, but sometimes an obstacle course of vintage components.

I also like the Robyatt with the single Quad 57s. 

The Voltis were being driven by Border Patrol electronics, all of which use 300b tubes.

I also agree about the Classic Audio room - very bright, especially compared to previous years, and hard to tolerate. Not sure why. They were being driven by Atmosphere amplifiers.

My only issue with the Auditorium-23 Hommage 755 speakers was that they were in a very small room. (As were the Rhethms.) I left wondering how they would sound in a large space similar to my home. But the sound was rich and full,and  the speakers were elegant; it was a combination that I could easily live with. 

Gary (gsm18439),
Very mixed impressions of the Zu room. This speaker puzzles me as I’ve heard them on 4 different occasions and each has been disappointing. You, 213 Cobra and Germanboxers own and love your DEF IV. I respect all of you guy’s ears but have not heard good sound from them so far.

Was their sound at this show representative of what you experience at home?
Charles

Charles

I did not spend much time in the Zu room. Just stopped in to say hello to Sean Casey. The new Druid VI look gorgeous, but cannot attest to their sound. (Sean was playing the Omens.) I prefer to listen to equipment that I cannot hear at home. Which is why of all the rooms that I visited, I was most impressed by the A23-Shindo room. It seems close to what I have at home. But, as I noted above, the room was very small. I have heard great systems in small rooms that "die" when they have to fill my rather large space. 

Gary