The Hidden Gem at Capital Audio Fest (CAF) 2023!


Good Morning Fellow Audiophiles!

I just spent two "action packed days" at Capital Audio Fest (CAF) 2023. 

I heard a number of very find sounding systems, including amazing musical reproduction from such well known names as Borresen, Acora, and Kharma.  Also in the "price no object" category, the Cessaro Wagners were absolutely stunning, and earned my "Best of Show Award".  

However, while I truly enjoyed all of the great sound, THE HIGHLIGHT of the show for me was a name you probably DON'T know, designed by a very nice young man who I think just might have a very bright future

The product was the Endow Audio Bravura 7.2, and at $6,900 it offered a glimpse of what I heard with the $65K Cessaros at 10% of the price. What's more it did so while driven by very modest electronics from Black ice.  I'm not an engineer, but the unique design, with 9 x 1.5" midrange drivers arranged in an arc at the rear of the 3D printed horn sitting atop the otherwise conventional appearing bookshelf cabinet conferred an amazing immediacy, truth and penetration of timbre and tonal color, and nothing short of stunning image solidity and soundstage size.

The company offers a 30 day in home trial risk free.  t took photos and will also try to post them. 

www.EndowAudio.com  To clarify, I have NO RELATIONSHIP WHATSOEVER with any aspect of Endow Audio.

BH

Ag insider logo xs@2xbouncehit

Awesome system @ozzy62!

 

I owned and LOVE La Scalas!!

 

I would NOT recommend the Bravura 7.2's for you my friend! ;)

@bouncehit , I heard the Endow Audio speakers at the Tampa Audio Show in February and thought they sounded extremely good.  I think they had the big ones playing though.  They sounded so good that I did think hard about the smaller ones, but it would have involved me switching out my amp to accommodate them. They are definitely on my list of speakers to consider trying.

CAF2023

most rooms had SPL turned up y to much for me to be comfortable for my tastes.  However one gem I stayed for a while was the new PMC prodigy 5 transmission line speaker.

I realize many praised speakers at the show cost a lot more but $7k is still towards the pricey end for speakers that size. So they might sound very good and seem like a bargain within the context of the show, but are they really? If so based on what exactly? In what way are they clearly as good or better than the overall competition at that price or higher?

The woofer section is similar to a lot of other speakers. The horn driver is so different that it wouldn't be possible to say if it is or isn't a "bargain" without hearing it. It's interesting for sure.