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Capitol Audio Fest

Did anyone else attend Cap Audiofest this year? I've seen no threads about it, I was only able to attend Friday afternoon but heard some good systems. Favorites for me,  Shindo/Auditorium 23, Zu Audio, Tidal, Classic Audio/Atmasphere, and Deja Vu Audio. I thought the Zu system with Omens and First Watt Sit monos was the best value priced system. Best system overall the stunning Deja Vu vintage system with their field coil speakers just astonishing sound.  I wish I had gotten more time to spend looked like there were lots more rooms this year.
128x128jond
gsm18439
738 posts
 
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. 
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
6,996 posts
 
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
gsm18439
738 posts
 
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
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
6,996 posts
 
Hi Gary,
Okay I understand.  You certainly have a spacious room and very attractive I might add 😊.
Charles 
larryi
1,972 posts
 

When I heard the Burwells, they were being played at low volume and sounded not at all piercing.  But, it might well be the case that they would behave poorly at higher volume levels.  That actually is an issue with horn systems, particularly when they are not really large in size.  As volume goes up, horns tend to become "shouty."  I did not get a second crack at hearing them so I may have missed the bad behavior. 

I heard the GIANT Von Schweikert speaker/VAC room a couple of times.  One audition was horrible sounding--very bright and brittle sounding, but, on another occasion, it was pretty decent (though hardly my choice for a system well north of half a million dollars).  The better sounding demonstration was at a much lower volume than the one I could not stand, so it might simply be a matter of inappropriate volume.  I get the feeling that the people running demonstrations think that volume levels have to be extremely high to impress the public; I am more impressed with systems that deliver great sound at low volume.

As for the Classic Audio/Atmasphere room, it was bright sounding and also brittle sounding for my taste.  In other years, it has sounded better, but, the brightness has always been a part of the sound. 

Another room that I liked that I forgot to mention was the Conrad Johnson room with the "cheaper" model of Tidal speakers. 

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