Capital AudioFest 2024

One of my first stops at Capital Audiofest 2024 was the Blink High End room, which featured the debut of the Børresen C1 stand-mount speaker ($16,500) as well as the Aavik U-588 all-in-one integrated amplifier ($35,000). My first impression upon walking into the room was, "Where's all the gear?"

The answer was simple: minimalist high-end systems are becoming more common, delivering excellent performance for listeners seeking exceptional fidelity without the stereotypical stack of separate components. This was an extremely living room-friendly system.

The cables, PowerSwitch A3 Ethernet switch, and Mainz8 A3 power conditioner ($3700) were all by Ansuz. Composed entirely of components from Audio Group Denmark and exhibited by the room sponsor, Blink High End, it was one of those systems that took me by surprise because its sound was so much bigger than its appearance suggested.

Brent Lewis's "Mumbo Jumbo," from his percussion-driven album Drum Sex, offered a rhythmic explosion of tribal drums, polyrhythms, and layered acoustic textures. Played on the Børresen and Aavik system, it was reproduced with revealing fidelity, offering pinpoint imaging and an uncanny presence to the instrumental sounds.