Capital AudioFest 2024

Gestalt Audio held two rooms at CAF, each holding the kind of esoteric equipment I would love to get my grimy, ink-stained hands on.

In Room 325, Gestalt presented a TW Acustic Raven GT2 turntable ($12,500) running a PrimaryControl FCL tonearm ($29,995), mounted with a Fuuga MC cartridge ($9995), into the debut Portugal-made Cinnamon Galle phono amplifier ($29,995).

Further amplification included the TW Acustic RLS-100 linestage ($25,000), feeding a SW1X Amp V Titan integrated ($22,500). Another debut product, the open-baffle, 97dB/1W/1m at 10 ohms Cinnamon Ellipticum speakers ($29,995/pair) “have a pure dipole topology, controlled and matched directivity and adjustable correction for the low frequencies,” I was told by Gestalt’s Colin King.

Sternklang and Hijiri cabling (prices vary) and Silent Running Audio racks ($varies) also played a role. I don’t know about you, but just hearing the words “Sternklang” and “Hijiri” make me want to hear this system.

Meanwhile, over in Room 653, Gestalt debuted the beautiful-looking Cinnamon Galle DAC ($14,995), which follows a “proprietary, state-of-the-art quasi non-oversampling scheme, leveraging cutting-edge signal processing methods,” reported a press release. “This unique approach utilizes a dual-mono, 27-bit differential resistor ladder, featuring over 430 precision resistors with a remarkable 0.01% tolerance. By implementing comprehensive jitter rejection mechanisms and re-clocking all inputs, our DAC design retains the utmost fidelity to the original music.”

Another debut component, the stunning-looking Cinnamon Galle network transport ($6495), joined an S.A.Lab Samson two-box preamplifier ($25,000), feeding a pair of Trafomatic Pandora monoblocks ($26,450/pair), driving Wolf von Langa Serendipity loudspeakers ($9995/pair). Tchernov and Hijiri cabling rounded out this rig.

My scribbled notes stated the Gestalt 653 room played great music. “Sonny Clark’s Cool Struttin had excellent trumpet splat and lumpy bass but was very live sounding. Nicholas Jaar’s “Too Many Kids. . .” was room filling, large scale, and rich sounding. A total surprise, the rustic Americana of Colter Wall sounded open, rich, and detailed, creating a large hall of sound in a small hotel room.”