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Alma Music & Audio with Technics, Innuos, Accuphase, Amphion, Hana, Kubula-Sosna, GigaWatt

Bill Voss of Technics was tardy to his Alma/Technics room at Capital Audiofest 2024, so Stereophile managing editor Mark Henninger and I sidled in, invited show attendees, and spun some discs. By the time Bill arrived we had a small party going.

As usual, Bill had a crate of choice vinyl. We grooved to an OG Frampton's Camel, swung our limbs to alto saxophonist Art Pepper's Meets the Rhythm Section, and spun some sweaty nineties twelve-inchers. Bill arrived with coffee and donuts, none the wiser.

Mark made a video with Bill presenting Technics’ new SL-1300G turntable ($…

Luxury Audio Group: Estelon, Vitus, Sonorus, Taiko, Crystal Cable, Davinci, A.R.T.

At the Capital Audio Fest 2024, the Luxury Audio Group, with a crucial assist from dealership Scott Walker Audio, presented an exceptional audio system featuring the Estelon XB Diamond Mk II speakers ($63,000 per pair), the Vitus SIA-030 integrated amplifier ($51,000), the Vitus SD-025 DAC ($30,000), and the Sonorus ATR10 MkII reel-to-reel tape deck ($35,000).

The SIA-030 delivers 50Wpc in pure Class-A, 150Wpc in Class-AB. The SD-025 DAC ensures high-fidelity digital-to-analog conversion.

A Taiko Audio Extreme Server ($30,000) was used to deliver digital files to the DAC…

Audio Note (UK)

Adrian Ford-Crush manned the Audio Note (UK) room solo at CAF, though whispers circulated about the brand’s major domo Peter Qvortrup lurking in the crowd. Surprisingly, the usual Audio Note techno and classical blasts were replaced by soothing folk and jazz, a balm for weary show-goers. The AN-E/SPx Ltd Field Coil Loudspeakers ($65,000/pair) delivered their characteristically forceful and fluid sound, preparing for their upcoming Stereophile review at Chez Micallef.

The all-Audio Note UK system also included the TT Three Turntable with PSU1 ($9412), IO I Moving Coil Cartridge ($5028),…

Voxativ

Voxativ's Inés Adler and Christopher Owens are never caught dead empty-handed at shows. This puts me in a state of expectant glee, as their sound, regardless of genre, always resolves itself into something joyful. Even my neurotic hotel-hall dashes, pad and pen in hand, are washed away in Voxativ’s sonic tide.

Watch Ken Micallef interview Inès Adler, CEO and Founder of Voxativ.

The CAF2024 Voxativ room included a Weiss Engineering DAC502 ($10,695, streaming Qobuz hi-rez via UPnP), a 120 lb, 12Wpc, class-A Voxativ T211 SET Integrated Amplifier ($23,900), Voxativ Ampeggio Due…

Songer Audio with LampizatOr, Innuos, Whammerdyne, KBL Sound

This is the CAF room that all my audio-running buddies and even non-buddies told me about: Songer Audio.

I strolled in and took a seat in front of a LampizatOr Atlantic 3 TRP DAC ($7325), an Innuos Statement Next-Gen Server & Streamer ($25,000), and Phoenix NET Network Switch ($4349). These components fed a Whammerdyne Heavy Industries DGA-Ultra 2A3 Integrated Amplifier ($5995). Whammerdyne Heavy Industries sounds like a Roadrunner cartoon company gone wrong, but I stayed put.

The Whammerdyne drove the stodgy-looking, 95dB sensitivity, solid hardwood cabinet, Songer…

Blink High End: Børresen C1 and Aavik U-588

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,…

Re-Tales #48: Supreme Acoustic Systems, Distribution Done Differently

Traditionally in hi-fi, "distribution" refers to importing and warehousing audio equipment then delivering it as needed to a network of domestic dealers. In recent years, that model has evolved. Distributors have expanded the range of services they offer, and an increasing number of companies are skipping the distributor step altogether: dCS and T+A, among other companies, have established wholly owned subsidiaries in the US to handle importation, local warehousing, and other domestic duties. They and others have hired full-service sales and marketing agents, sometimes called "brand…

Bose Corporation Acquires McIntosh Group

Today, Bose Corporation announced its acquisition of McIntosh Group, the parent company of the high-end audio brands Sonus faber and McIntosh. With this move, Bose seeks to expand its reach into the high-performance and luxury audio markets.

"Over the last six decades, we've delivered the best premium audio experiences possible. Now, with McIntosh Group in our portfolio, we can unlock even more ways to bring music to life," said Lila Snyder, CEO of Bose Corporation. “We look forward to honouring the heritage of these brands, investing in their future and pushing the boundaries of audio…

You're Only Lonely, JD Souther Passes

Photo by Jim Shea

The least surprising story in music today is the inevitable passing of irreplaceable talent. Tenor saxophonist Benny Golson died at age 95 the day I finished this salute to another fallen star, Southern California singer/songwriter John David "JD" Souther.

Souther was a charter member of the so-called Mellow Mafia. It never ceases to amaze me how much rancor and scorn still gets heaped on Southern California acts from the 1970s. The Eagles' "Hotel California" has been played to death for years at audio shows as an example of stellar recorded sound, yet I cannot…

PS Audio Aspen FR5 loudspeaker

I remember the first PS Audio product: a simple phono stage. It was so simple—a passive RIAA EQ filter flanked by a pair of primitive op-amps—that when the schematic was made public, I built one myself; I was in the midst of my DIY years. I thought it was, to use a word from that time, nifty. Paul McGowan went on to other things and other companies, eventually reviving PS Audio and building it into its present form with a wide range of interesting and substantive products. Most recently, PS Audio added a line of loudspeakers inspired by Paul's erstwhile partner in other ventures, the late…