Capital Audiofest 2023 Show Report / Chronicles Part 10
The Atrium Rooms
Show Report By Rick Becker

Continued...   Distinctive Stereo, Genesis Loudspeakers, And Merrill Audio
The cabinet is made from Plyboo so it remains relatively light while retaining rigidity and absorbing resonances. These were production prototypes so while the sound was excellent, quality control was not perfected on these models. In particular, I noticed dust embedded in the low VOC finish. In an email, Gary shared that he had found a technique to avoid this problem in Asia and would incorporate it in his USA production facility. The finish itself is very transparent and it has an organic, unprocessed look that is very authentic. Other stains will be available, I'm told.

The other speaker was the largest of the three passive speakers in this series, the Foxtrot ($13,800), which extends down to 49Hz to 40kHz (+/-3dB) with the use of two Genesis 8" woofers in an isobaric configuration rather than using a more expensive powered servo-sub, making it a three-way design. Active versions of this series are also planned which will extend the price range up to $20k).

Merrill Wettasinghe was unfortunately only able to have the World Premiere of his new amplifiers on silent display due to damage to the speakers he was scheduled to use. Seen above was the new Clay Michael Preamplifier which combined technology from the flagship Christine Preamplifier with the also new RoseQX Preamplifier, named after his life partner Rose. The Clay Michael is a dual-mono balanced design with four presets for each of the four inputs, able to drive 30' balanced interconnects with ease. It has both a 7" LCD touchscreen and a wireless remote that does not require a line of sight. It should be shipping this month (January 2024) for $9k.

The new Element 110 monoblock power amplifiers ($12k/pr.) feature the Gallium Nitride FET that Merrill has been working with for many years now. The 110 brings the price point down to a more accessible level while still offering an elegant exclusive look with a large capacitive touch screen with a VU meter and their signature rose-gold finish. The power starts at 150 Watts at 8 Ohms, doubles down to 300 Watts at 4 Ohms, and doubles down again to 600 Watts of peak power at 2 Ohms. And as I know from my own experience with GaNFET amps, they provide crystal clear transparency. Merrill claims they sound best when not run off a power conditioner. It is also fitted with a 20A Furutech AC inlet for a tighter fit.

Seen above, with an Element 110 monoblock above and below it, was the new RoseQX Preamplifier ($18k) which will also ship in January 2024. It is a state-of-the-art, fully balanced design with 100kHz bandwidth, noise filtering, a -110dB noise floor, and an external power supply. Like the Clay Michael preamp, it has four balanced inputs, each with four presets, and is a dual-mono design with a Bluetooth wireless remote.

Sadly, the Merrill introductions were merely eye candy, but very enticing eye candy. The rest of the room was full of delightful products and interesting stories. Before I realized it, more than half an hour had flown by which is extremely unusual for me. I must have been having fun.

Potomac Room Valve Amplification Company (VAC), Von Schweikert Audio, And The Audio Company
The Potomac room is the showcase room of this venue with a large glass wall, heavy glass doors, and a wide patio outside the room that overlooks the rest of the Atrium floor. It is the perennial room of The Audio Company, a retailer from Marietta, GA, just north of Atlanta, in partnership with Von Schweikert Audio of Riverside, CA, and Valve Amplification Company (VAC) of Sarasota, FL. It is usually a showcase for the latest, greatest, and largest components from each of these companies.

In recent years Von Schweikert and VAC have also sponsored smaller rooms in addition to the huge display here. Von Schweikert was also seen in Suite 819 where they had the VR-55, now in Mk II form ($75k) driven by Westminster Lab amps (Part 1). So essentially, they just switched speakers for this show, putting the big guns upstairs. VAC was also in the Regency room this year, which admittedly is not exactly a small room either.

At past shows, both here and at the Chicago show, I've felt Von Schweikert had better presentations in their smaller rooms. With its huge volume and large glass wall behind the seating area, this hardly represents a typical listening room and it doesn't sound like the rooms that sound the best with the music I like best. Where it comes into its own is with large orchestral music and big band music that you might encounter in a ballroom setting. This isn't to fault the equipment presented here at all, just to say the mix of music, equipment and the room does not always work to the advantage of the music. The room, in my opinion, is often the most limiting factor in getting great sound — after your significant other, of course. And it often colors the music the most.

This year they went smaller with the Von Schweikert Endeavor Special Edition speakers ($27k). A pair of Von Schweikert Shockwave subwoofers ($15k ea.) was listed on the cheat sheet, but I didn't see or hear any evidence of them. I've heard these speakers and/or the Endeavor Reference Edition ($22k) (which is essentially the same speaker as the Special Edition in a much less expensive walnut veneer finish) sound better than it did here in a smaller room with a smaller set of VAC amplification. This has to do with the size and room interactions mentioned further above.

I noticed the speakers were using the relatively new Center Stage2 "LS" Series loudspeaker footer made for them by Critical Mass Systems, one of the top anti-vibration specialists in high-end audio. Unlike many aftermarket footers, this one is a relatively slim column with a flat, slider-like disk that probably facilitates moving the speakers into position. I was tempted but refrained from checking that out.

The World Premiere of a set of four VAC Signature 202iQ power amplifiers ($22k ea.) were used to bi-amp the Endeavor speakers, along with what appeared to be the travel loom of MasterBuilt Audio cables, the house brand of Von Schweikert, which they use at shows in large rooms. They offer four levels of cables to fit different budgets and I expect these were the top Ultra line as they typically show more expensive speakers in this room. The amps appeared to be on Critical Mass Ultra amp stands and a variety of different cable lifters were employed to keep the long lengths off the carpet.

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