Capital Audiofest 2023 Show Report / Chronicles Part 3
The 7th Floor Part A
Show Report By Rick Becker

Room 721 Elite Audio Solutions And Linn
It's been a long time since I've heard an all-Linn system and in general, up until that time, I have not cared for them — being too harsh and particularly strident in the treble. All that changed in this room, which was sponsored by Elite Audio Solutions, LLC, located in Herndon, Virginia.

I've heard good music sourced from the Linn LP12 turntable before — most recently at the Toronto show. But the speakers I've not heard in a very long time. There was literature for the Linn Klimax DSM streamer and the Linn 360 Exakt Integrated amp, but no room sheet for the actual rig. 

We did receive additional information from the exhibitor, and they say, "At the Capital AudioFest was Linn's 50th Anniversary LP12 (LP12-50). The LP12-50 was designed/updated in collaboration between Linn and Jony Ive at LoveFrom and contains many improvements in the LP12 design yielding in a more refined, detailed, and accurate sound source than ever before (e.g. the new plinth)."

Linn Klimax DSM/3 Network Music Player with the Utopik Power Supply upgrade - $42K
Linn 360 Exakt Speakers (fully active) - $105K
Linn LP12-50 Anniversary Edition Turntable (complete with LP12-50 Radikal power supply unit and LP12-50 Linn Urika II phono pre-amp, as well as the Linn Ekos tonearm and the Linn Ekstatik cartridge) - $60K

Room 723 Voxativ
The Voxativ speakers were singing with lots of air and resolution from this handmade AC 1.9 full-range single-driver speaker producing a you-are-there experience with music sung in a foreign language. A Weiss DAC502 was in the rig.

The gorgeous T-211 integrated amp was designed in Berlin and featured 211 tubes and a headphone output. It is a Class A SET design. The chassis was machined from a 150-pound billet of aluminum. The price was $23k and like all things Voxativ, the design was extraordinary.

The Voxativ Ampeggio speakers here were a re-design of a model that first appeared in 2098. At $12,900, this elegant high-efficiency (94dB) speaker has little competition. The curved back side of the speaker suggests an intricate pathway for the back-horn-loaded driver. The bottom third of the front baffle was an opening for the horn. The high polish of the Piano Black finish made it difficult to photograph with reflections concealing its true form.

Room 725 Verastarr
Verastarr makes cables, I've learned from searching for this company. There was no literature or equipment list in the room. The rig was an eclectic combination of brands. There was no website listed in the show program and none I could easily find on the internet. They seem to be known for their flat foil cables, but I don't see any in this rig.

That was Playback Designs gear with a Jeff Rowland amp sandwiched in the middle.

That said, the chairs in this room were filled, which says something, but I'm not sure what. Seems they could be more effective with a little work in the public relations department.

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