Audio industry veterans Walter Schofield and Walter Swanbon have brought their collective energies together in a new venture, 2WA Group. Their joint offerings at the Capital Audio Fest included a US debut.
As described in Re-Tales in the January issue of Stereophile (which will hit shelves and mailboxes around the first of December), Fidelis Distribution and Nexus Audio Technologies have merged their distribution companies to create a single entity, the 2WA Group. 2WA had two systems at the show.
At the core of System One was a pair of Trilogy amplification components, the 914 stereo preamplifier ($18,000), and a pair of 994 monoblock power amplifiers ($30,000/pair). These drove the US debut: a pair of Aequo Ensium loudspeakers with an active analog bass system ($50,000/pair). The digital front end was an Ideon EOS DAC ($11,000). Spinning vinyl was a VPI Forever Series Model One turntable ($5850) paired with an SPL Phonos phono stage ($2500).
System Two was built around a pair of SPL components, the Director Mk2 preamp/DAC ($4700) and the Performer s800 stereo amplifier ($4350). Speakers were Herb Reichert's favored Falcon Acoustics LS3/5a Gold Badge, in the Premium Edition ($4850/pair).
ArgentPur cables were used in both rooms: Athene ($1400/1m pair), Heracles ($1900/1m pair), and Amen ($2400/1m pair) single-ended interconnects and Athene ($1800/1m pair), Heracles ($2500/1m pair), and Amen ($3000/1m pair) balanced. Speaker cables were AgPur 12 ($4200/pair for 2.5m) and AgPur 13 ($3500/pair; same length). Power cables (1.5m) were the ArgentPur PC12 ($1500), PC15 ($1000), and Power Box 12 four-outlet AC power box ($1800).
Elsewhere at CAF, in Room 844 and the Twinbrook Suite, 2WA was showing the Stenheim Alumine Three SE and the Alumine Five SX.
After I interviewed Walter Schofield for the Stereophile YouTube channel, the listening session commenced with streamed selections from The Allman Brothers Band (Idlewild South) and Jethro Tull (Aqualung). The rendering of "Dreams" was remarkably clean and coherent, with exceptional definition. The familiar strains of the classic "Aqualung"—from my misspent youth—commanded my attention with its crisp definition, dynamic punch, and palpable immediacy.
This system's low noise floor was obvious on both recordings. That clarity showed off the masterful articulation, from the opening strike of Clive Bunker's drums on the Jethro Tull track to the astonishingly well-defined percussion work of The Allman Brothers' Butch Trucks and Jai Johanny Johanson. The Walters have a winner on their hands.
At the core of System One was a pair of Trilogy amplification components, the 914 stereo preamplifier ($18,000), and a pair of 994 monoblock power amplifiers ($30,000/pair). These drove the US debut: a pair of Aequo Ensium loudspeakers with an active analog bass system ($50,000/pair). The digital front end was an Ideon EOS DAC ($11,000). Spinning vinyl was a VPI Forever Series Model One turntable ($5850) paired with an SPL Phonos phono stage ($2500).
System Two was built around a pair of SPL components, the Director Mk2 preamp/DAC ($4700) and the Performer s800 stereo amplifier ($4350). Speakers were Herb Reichert's favored Falcon Acoustics LS3/5a Gold Badge, in the Premium Edition ($4850/pair).
ArgentPur cables were used in both rooms: Athene ($1400/1m pair), Heracles ($1900/1m pair), and Amen ($2400/1m pair) single-ended interconnects and Athene ($1800/1m pair), Heracles ($2500/1m pair), and Amen ($3000/1m pair) balanced. Speaker cables were AgPur 12 ($4200/pair for 2.5m) and AgPur 13 ($3500/pair; same length). Power cables (1.5m) were the ArgentPur PC12 ($1500), PC15 ($1000), and Power Box 12 four-outlet AC power box ($1800).
Elsewhere at CAF, in Room 844 and the Twinbrook Suite, 2WA was showing the Stenheim Alumine Three SE and the Alumine Five SX.
