GT Audioworks Loudspeakers, Pass Labs Electronics, Basis Audio Turntable and Tonearm, Mosart Cabinet
The other big room with spectacular sound on the Rockville Hilton’s atrium level featured products from Pass Labs, GT Audioworks, and Basis Audio.
Joseph Audio Loudspeakers, Unison Research DAC and Amplification, Balanced Audio Technology Phono Stage, Feickert Turntable, Schick Tonearm, My Sonic Lab Cartridge
On the last day of the show, loudspeaker designer Jeff Joseph showed no signs of slowing down. Remote in hand, he bounced around his room like the proverbial battery bunny, welcoming attendees, switching his rig between analog and digital playback, and generally smiling his way through it all.
Joseph Audio Loudspeakers, Unison Research DAC and Amplification, Balanced Audio Technology Phono Stage, Feickert Turntable, Shick Tonearm, My Sonic Lab Cartridge
On the last day of the show, loudspeaker designer Jeff Joseph showed no sign of slowing down. Remote in hand, he bounced around his room like the battery bunny, welcoming attendees, switching his rig between analog and digital, and smiling his way through it all.
Just In from CAF (Part I): Audio Note UK DAC and Cabling, Acapella Audio Arts Music Server, Integrated Amplifier, Loudspeakers, and Cabling, HRS Equipment Rack
Veteran Palo Alto, California distributor Audio Federation presented a system that included large horn-loaded speakers and Audio Note UK gear, two of my favorite things.
Just In from CAF (Part II): VK Audio Room with Sparkler Audio CD Player, EleKit Amplification, AER Speakers, Mogami Cables
Some products I review touch my heart and affect how I see all other products that I review afterwards. VK Audio's made-in-Japan $1785 EleKit TU-8600R 300B single-ended tube amp kit was one of those. This amp uses Swedish-made Lundahl transformers (and super-premium parts) to deliver near-state-of-the-art performance at a price anyone with a soldering iron could afford.
Legacy Audio Studio HD Loudspeakers, Rogue Audio Sphinx v3 amplifier, NAD C658 network player/preamp/DAC
It pleases me beyond words when modestly priced audio components overperform immodestly.
Luminous Audio and the Pure Audio Project
I mentioned earlier how uncolored, detailed, transparent, and image-specific an open baffle loudspeaker can sound. Unfortunately, not all open baffle speakers are created equal, and making a coherent and musically satisfying open-baffle speaker is much more complex than just bolting a few drivers to a sheet of plywood. The question any loudspeaker designer must ask is, how far should I go? When is done right?
Luxman Digital Player, Pre and Power Amplification, Aurender Server, J. Sikora Turntable and Tonearm, Kuzma Tonearm, Koetsu, Ortofon and Grado Cartridges, DeVore Fidelity Speakers, Transparent Cables, Box Racks
I’ve known DeVore Fidelity’s John DeVore a long time. Luxman America President Jeff Sigmund, too. I’ve reviewed a few of their products—DeVore and Luxman. These guys are salt of the earth. They’ve got tradition, they love music, they have a desire to create, a desire to serve.
MC Audiotech Forty-10 Loudspeakers, VPI HW-40 Turntable, Luminous Audio Arion Phono Preamp, Pass Labs XP22 preamp, Wolf Audio Alpha 3 Music Server, PS Audio DirectStream DAC, Parasound A23 Amplifier, Symposium Foundation Rack
Two friends whose taste and hearing I respect—and who visited every room at this show—told me they thought the $35K/pair MC Audiotech Forty-10 loudspeakers made the best sound at CAF. No question, these almost five-feet tall decorator-friendly midcentury-modern-looking beauties sounded even better they look, and they look very nice.
ModWright Ambrose Ai325 Integrated Amplifier, PH9.0 Phono Pre, and modified Pioneer CD Player, Fern & Roby Tredegar Turntable (Schroeder Tonearm, Soundsmith Cartridge) and Raven Loudspeakers, Stereolab/Black Cat Cabling
As a reviewer, I’ve been waiting to see a ModWright product that just jumped out of the deck and said, “Herb! Review me.”