Capital Audiofest 2025 opened with a familiar face but an unfamiliar scale. Founded and still owned by Gary Gill, CAF has called the Hilton in Rockville, Maryland, home since 2015; it's the show's third venue. Fifteen years in, after a COVID interruption and steady, year-over-year expansion, Capital Audiofest is now one of the key stops on the US hi-fi show circuit. This year it is as big as ever, consuming the Hilton and spilling over into the hotel across the street. I dropped by on day one to take a look and shoot some videos plus photos.