Capital AudioFest 2023

I have yet to hear a pair of Joseph Audio speakers I didn't marvel at. That includes the small-in-size but huge-of-sound Pulsar2 Graphene standmounts ($9999/pair) in a room commanded by Rogue Audio. I left the room saying "Crazy! Crazy" to Rogue’s Nick Fitzsimmons and Bill Magerman, but before then I sat in dumbstruck silence.

This room featured a number of debuts including Rogue Audio’s RP-5 v2 preamplifier ($3995); this was matched with Rogue’s DragoN Monoblocks ($5995/pair; review forthcoming). The new version of the Cronus Dark Integrated amplifier ($4495) includes 25% more capacitance and Vishay HEXFRED high-speed diodes in the power supply, upgraded signal tubes, coupling capacitors, binding posts, and op-amps in the phono stage, plus other select parts upgrades in key spots.

RP-5 v2 preamplifier improvements are said to include a better volume control, borrowed from the RP-7 and RP-9 preamplifiers, an improved phono stage, borrowed from the Rogue Audio Triton II dedicated phono stage, and an upgraded headphone section, borrowed from the RH-5 headphone amplifier.

Heard playing orchestral music, this rig produced a massive wall of sweet sound that bowled me over with pinpoint imaging, punch, and grandeur. It slammed me silly.

Also in-room: a Rega P8 turntable ($3495) with Lyra Delos cartridge ($1995), Benchmark DAC3 B ($1899), and Darwin cabling including Keystone interconnects ($395/pair), Natural RCA interconnects ($895/pair), and Natural Speaker cables ($1875/pair).