Capital AudioFest 2024

The high-end audio world, with its shiny boxes and astronomical price tags, often gets a bad rap. People dismiss it as a playground for the wealthy, a place where form trumps function. But Jeff Fox, the mastermind behind Command Performance AV, isn’t buying it. He’s here to prove that high-end audio isn’t just about showing off; it’s about experiencing the blood, guts, and beauty of music. If the prices start to rise, at least you were warned.

I stepped into Command’s Democracy showroom and was greeted by a surreal sight: a young man, garbed in a garish red wig, cavorting like a demented clown. A bust of Ronald Reagan, the Gipper himself, sat perched atop one of the retro-looking trapezoid speakers. The joke was on me. Command presented a throwback ’80s-era theme night, complete with a stunning ’80s-era Luxman DA07 DAC and DP07 Transport.

The Democracy system consisted of a J.Sikora Standard Max Supreme turntable ($38,500) with a J.Sikora KV Max 12" tonearm ($14,500), mounted with an Aidas Mammoth Gold Cartridge LE ($9995). This fed into a Doshi Audio Phono Stage ($20,995). Amplification was handled by a Doshi Audio Evo Preamplifier ($20,995) and Doshi Audio Evo Monoblock amplifiers ($43,995/pair), driving the optical illusion–inducing Audiovector Trapeze Reimaged speakers ($19,950/pair) and REL 99 subwoofers ($1899). Cabling was Cardas Clear Beyond Cables. The system was supported by an HRS EXR stand and E1 platform ($10,055 system) and HRS SXR amp stands with M3X2 bases ($9090 set). Power was managed by a Gryphon Audio PowerZone 3.10 Power Optimizer ($14,000).

When the red-wigged dude played a Count Basie record on the stunning J.Sikora Standard Max Supreme turntable, there was nothing retro in the sound—only sky-reaching dynamics, touchable textures, and presence galore.

Over in Room 305, a behemoth rig held court: an Aidas AG-CU Malachite cartridge ($5995) mounted on a SOTA Sapphire turntable ($6050) fed a Gryphon 120 DAC Module ($5300) through a Gryphon Diablo 120 integrated amplifier ($13,800). This powered Marten Oscar Duo speakers ($8000/pair) on Marten Oscar speaker stands ($1500/pair) and Marten Parker Trio Diamond speakers ($40,000/pair). Equipment rested on a Solid Tech Radius Solo 4 stand ($2599) accompanied by Transparent Super interconnects and speaker cables (price varies), Transparent Reference power cords (price varies), and a Transparent USB 1M (2024) cable ($500). Everything was connected to a Transparent PowerWave X power conditioner ($3995).

I command you: wear your wig like it’s 1985.