Harry and Mat Weisfeld were up to their old tricks at CAF, wowing the audience with a reference rig containing a pair of vintage JBL Everest loudspeakers in the Jefferson suite and dropping a lower-cost system in the Adams room.
The Jefferson room featured the VPI Vanquish Turntable ($80,000) and its custom stand stand ($60,000) equipped with two tonearms: a VPI Fatboy ($6000) and a Bird of Prey ($15,950) from Thai Scandinavian Engineering. Several cartridges were in rotation: a VPI Shyla ($2200), Grado Statement 3 ($3500), Audio-Technica AT-ART20 ($3200), and Tzar DST ($10,000). Amps and preamps were all Audio Research: a Reference Phono 3SE phonostage ($22,500), Reference 6SE line stage ($22,500), and Reference 160M monoblocks ($45,000/pair). Cabling was Nordost Odin 2.
Next door in Adams, two VPI Forever Model One turntable/tonearms ($5850/ea.) used VPI Goldy ($1300) and Shyla ($2200) cartridges. This room's amplification was from VAC, a Signature preamp and integrated driving. Speakers were Acora MRB-1s ($8000/pair). Cabling wsa by Luminous Audio.
The Jefferson room setup was a show highlight. Featuring vinyl from Ed Graham, Marty Robbins, and Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gormé, the well-matched turntable and electronics drove the 2000-era JBL Everests with exceptional fidelity. The resulting sound was transcendent: a majestic, corporeal presentation of music that seemed to bring the heavens down to earth. The system delivered a massive soundstage, epic detail, full-bodied imaging, lifelike speed, and natural projection, greatly impressing bothmy colleague Alex Halberstadt, and me.
The Jefferson room setup was a show highlight. Featuring vinyl from Ed Graham, Marty Robbins, and Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gormé, the well-matched turntable and electronics drove the 2000-era JBL Everests with exceptional fidelity. The resulting sound was transcendent: a majestic, corporeal presentation of music that seemed to bring the heavens down to earth. The system delivered a massive soundstage, epic detail, full-bodied imaging, lifelike speed, and natural projection, greatly impressing bothmy colleague Alex Halberstadt, and me.
