Capital Audiofest 2023 Show Report / Chronicles Part 5
The 6th Floor Part A
Show Report By Rick Becker

Room 625 Fidelity Imports & The Listening Room
Dropping into the entry-level, Q Acoustics 5050 speakers ($2k) and a Unison Research Unico Nuovo integrated amp ($3k) replaced the speakers and amp in the previous room. Still, the music was very nice here. I am continually impressed with the reasonably priced Q Acoustics speakers I keep hearing at shows.

Room 626 Fidelity Imports & The Vinyl Revivers & The Audio Hunters
Things were more interesting here with a Gold Note system from Italy. I walked in just after one of many "creepy video" journalists began his interpretive dance around the system. This is an art form that began back in the late 1960s with black & white video recorded on reel-to-reel videotape. The cameras were still tethered to the deck with cable, so the videographer had limited range for roving.

Broadcast TV referred to this approach as "creepy video" in a derogatory sense at the time, as their modus operandi was to always use a camera on a tripod. I'll spare you my experiences in the evolution of video and merely say I'm waiting for the first drone to appear at an audio show. I mean, why elbow your way through the crowd to record in a room when you can just stand in the hall while your drone flies in? Maybe next year.

The Gold Note A6 EVO II speakers ($8399) were elegant and formal in piano gloss black with lateral accents on the side and up the front baffle.

The Gold Note Mediterraneo turntable with B-7 tonearm ($9k) is a well-known item so I concentrated on the Galileo audio rack, which must be a creative option with price depending on materials and finish. Below the turntable was the DS-1000 EVO Preamp / DAC / Streamer ($8k), followed by the PH-1000 Phono Preamp ($12k) and the PA-1175 Amplifier ($8199) on the bottom. Speaker cable and interconnects were QED and power cables and distribution box were by Titan Audio.

Room 628 Fidelity Imports & The Listening Room
Here we have yet another room with Titan Audio power cables and distribution box, QED speaker cables and interconnects, NEO rack, and a borrowed Innuos Statement Streamer.

The speakers were most unusual with their BRG (British Racing Green) finish ($8499). For $7,499 you can get them in black, white, or wood finish.

On the rack were the Soul Note A-2 integrated amp ($8k), Soul Note D-2 DAC ($10k), and the aforementioned Innuos Statement streamer.

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