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Capitol Audio Fest Speakers?

So what did everybody like at CAF?

I've never heard Tidal speakers before but was very impressed. No doubt they stoles the show. Both the ones for $20k and their big brothers. Amazing.

In the $4k range I was impressed with the Audionote J series. Granted they had $20k in electronics behind them but really sounded good. There was another $4k speaker floor stander made from carved reclaimed looking wood. Seemed like a prototype from a new company but I thought it was impressive looking and sounding for the price. Would have brought it home if I had the dosh.

In the Everyman category I thought The Clue speakers showed a lot of potential especially with their new bass module. But the room was way too small having to sit 4 feet in front of them. And once the rum started going later in the day the volume kept going up and up. But I have a feeling they could sound really good in the right room with good setup. The bass modules were just clue speakers without tweeters, but really increased bass authority and dimensionality. Really like adding two subs.
larrybou
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,179 posts
 
Remember that speakers alone make no music.

Same true with amps, pre-amps, wires and all the rest.

Gotta mate the right stuff together to suit one's goals. And be set up well in a suitable room accordingly.

Even then, chances are no two people will agree on what sounds best.

Lots of different sounding possibilities with exactly the same speakers. Only one or two can be heard at any particular show. It's easy to jump to conclusions based on a limited sample.

Just a reminder. I'm sure everyone knows this.

Beauty is often in the eye/ear of the beholder.

At these shows, I mostly just wonder, is making beautiful music really so complicated and really need to cost so much?
grimace
624 posts
 
I'd second the two Deja Vu rooms. The Harbeth's sounded really coherent and - I thought - had surprisingly good bass for a speaker that's only rated to 50hz. I think this was a case of the right sized gear for the right sized room and the sound benefited from it. The other Deja Vu room was running what I think was a pair of old, modded Altec amps using a custom built pre and DAC through vintage horns. I could have packed that one right into the car if Elevick hadn't been driving. The Atmosphere Amps driving the Classic Audio speakers were also great with lots of detail and tons of slam. Unfortunately he had a shit room with the speakers arrayed on the long wall of what was essentially a box car. That it managed to sound good at all was a miracle, and it sounded really good. A lot of exhibitors had gear that was way too large for the spaces they were occupying.
grimace
624 posts
 
...oh, there were a lot of vendors who felt the best way to present their gear was by playing it at ear-splitting volume. Why do they do that?
pops
2,273 posts
 
Good call Grimace, I thought I was at the movies a couple of times. It was almost at breakpoint!!!

+1Salectric....nice to go home and hear the best sound of the day.
dodgealum's avatar
dodgealum
1,404 posts
 
I thought there was some really interesting stuff to see at my first CAF. The vintage equipment and really large horn loaded systems were really fun though I can't imagine actually owning something like that I didn't always find the sound compelling. Since I'm a Daedalus guy I tried not to spend a lot of time in Lou's rooms but his new Muse in the smaller room on the sixth floor was so compelling that I couldn't tear myself away. At the price point (and well above) and given the ease of placement and exceptional sound I would have to say one of the best speakers at the show.
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