Capital Audiofest (CAF) 2024 Show Report
CAF 2024 premium luxury audiophile event coverage.
With
over 120 rooms, Capital Audiofest (CAF)
is one of the Northeast USA's favorite hi-fi audiophile shows. CAF first
launched in 2010 as a very casual show, and now 14 years later is has evolved into a
very fine-tuned and well-attended event that virtually everyone within the audio industry
appreciates. CAF is recognized as a fun-filled, very friendly, and family-oriented
event where you often see families strolling from exhibit room to room while
enjoying listening to music, auditioning gear. You will also love browsing the multiple bins of vinyl
LP records, CDs, and accessories within the Atrium Marketplace. During the evenings
there is live music in the bar and special live performers within the Theater,
plus there's local distillers offering tasting!
CAF 2024 Show Reports By Rick
Becker
Part 1: 8th Floor And More CAF
2024 Show Report
A great way to start the day at an audiophile / high-end audio event.
Capital Audiofest 2024 Show Report By Rick Becker
Making
my way to CAF 2024, I rolled out of Rochester at 2 p.m. and headed South on
Route 15. I crossed the Pennsylvania border and noticed some road kill while I
drove through poor towns that have only marginally changed over the forty-five
years I've traveled this route. It was impossible to imagine a market for
high-end audio gear in these parts. Even as I approached Harrisburg there were
few signs of growth or modernization. Highway signs just west of town warned "Beware of increased deer
activity." No kidding. Stiff carcasses with hooves
in the air validated the warning. I no longer drive like a disciple of Richard
Petty. As the saying now goes, "You have to finish to enjoy the
music." It was a warm evening with a clear dark sky when
I rolled into the front entrance of the Hilton.
---> Part 1: 8th Floor And More CAF 2024 Show Report.
Part 2: Capital Audiofest 2024 Rooms 833 To 861
Enjoying great gear and music on floor 8.
Capital Audiofest 2024 Show Report By Rick Becker
Vinyl Sound, a retailer from a suburb of Buffalo,
NY, had a straightforward rig on a SolidSteel rack. An Accuphase
E-5000 integrated amp ($18,975) was the heart of the system. A HiFi Rose
RS150B Reference network streamer ($4500) handled the digital. An IsoTechV5
Aquarius power conditioner ($3k) was hiding on the bottom shelf and Furutech
cables were used throughout. On top of the Tannoy Stirling iii LZ Limited Edition
speakers ($6250 each/show price $5625) were Tannoy Prestige GR Super Tweeters
($2195 each/show price $1975). Lovely cabinet work on this traditional style. This
was my first time seeing IsoAcoustics footers on a Tannoy speaker. The turntable was a
TransRotor (Germany) with a
separate power supply on the shelf below, but it was not on the room sheet, nor
was the cartridge.
---> Part 2: Capital Audiofest 2024 Rooms 833 To 861.
Part 3: Capital Audiofest 2024 Rooms 702 to 733
Impressive stereo systems on the 7th floor at CAF 2024.
Capital Audiofest 2024 Show Report By Rick Becker
This room was attributed to Hollis Audio Labs, but I
recognize the gentleman from Danville Signal from last year. This is a
B2B room, I think, where other manufacturers come seeking engineering expertise
for their projects. Attending CAF puts them right in the thick of activity. I came
upon a room down the hall that tapped into Danville for their services. This was my first experience of the classic
Audience
1+1 monitor, now in its 5th version ($3900). The excellence was easily confirmed
but the surprise was that it was driven by the Atma-Sphere Class D GaNFET
monoblocks. I've visited Ralph Karsten's room at AXPONA several times and
been underwhelmed by the performance, which I attributed to the monoblocks being
set directly on the carpet. Here, they were placed on an amp stand with
vibration-absorbing footers which seems to have made a significant difference
– or maybe it was just the speakers?
---> Part 3: Capital Audiofest 2024 Rooms 702 to
733.
Part 4: Capital Audiofest 2024 7th Floor Rooms 736 to 761
Listening to luxurious stereo systems at CAF 2024.
Capital Audiofest 2024 Show Report By Rick Becker
I've commented extensively on Bache Audio speakers
before. They are a boutique manufacturer in Brooklyn with an in-house listening
room. The floorstanding speaker here was their newest model, the Sofia-103 with
a side-firing 10" fiber wood cone woofer to achieve low extension. Note the
twin tweeters in D'Appolito configuration with 6.5" mid-woofers on the front
baffle and the super-tweeter on top. They aim for high efficiency in their
designs and I heard no compression or clipping from the Russian KT tubes in the Alexus
Audio monoblocks. That was the Sofia 101 stand-mounted monitor next to it
and there is a Sofia 102 midsize floorstander in the lineup, too. DS Audio makes optical cartridges with matching phono
stages but the music I heard here was streamed through a Cocktail Audio digital
front end below the turntable.
---> Part 4: Capital Audiofest 2024 7th Floor Rooms 736 to 761.
More Capital Audiofest 2024 show coverage is
coming soon, so check back daily for more!
CAF 2024 Show Report By Brett
Rudolph
Friday Photofest: Capital Audiofest
2024 Show Report
It's the first night of CAF 2024 and we
have lots of photos to share with you.
Capital Audiofest 2024 Show Report Photos By Dylan Rudolph / Report By Brett Rudolph
Friday
was a very exciting first day at the Capital Audiofest 2024 show. Here's a nice
selection of photos taken during opening day here at CAF 2024. As always...
enjoy the music!
---> Friday Photofest: Capital Audiofest 2024 Show Report.
Saturday Photofest: Capital Audiofest
2024 Show Report
Another delightful day here
at CAF 2024.
Capital Audiofest 2024 Photos By Dylan Rudolph / Report By Brett Rudolph
Good
morning everyone. Waking up to another delightful day here at the Capital
Audiofest 2024 show in DC is a dream come true! Saturday offers us another
glorious day to enjoy an abundance of magical music, shop for LPs /
reel-to-reel, CDs, tweaks, etc. too. Am busing writing my show report, yet
wanted you to see all the glorious gear here at CAF 2024. As always... enjoy the
music!
---> Saturday Photofest: Capital Audiofest 2024
Show Report.
Sunday Photofest: Capital Audiofest
2024 Show Report
Sadly, the last day of CAF; happily, here
are more pics for you!
Capital Audiofest 2024 Show Report Brett Rudolph
While it does sadden me to know today, Sunday, is the
very last day here at Capital Audiofest, it brings me joy seeing the many music
lovers and happy families here this weekend. Please let me thank all exhibitors,
attendees, and especially the many volunteers and music lovers who make CAF 2024
a truly sensational event. Many rooms had wonderful sound, and my written CAF
2024 show report will be online shortly. Until then, here are more great pics
and as always... enjoy the music!
---> Sunday Photofest: Capital Audiofest 2024 Show Report.
My Exciting First Foray At CAF 2024
Attending my first Capital Audiofest proved to be awe-inspiring.
Capital Audiofest 2024 Show Report By Brett Rudolph
November
is a beautiful time of year in the northeastern United States, especially this
year. The leaves are finally turning, the weather is relatively mild, and people
realize there will be a winter. Rockville, Maryland, audiophiles and music
lovers gathered from November 8th – 10th to attend the largest audiophile
event in the northeast USA, the 13th Annual Capital Audiofest. The Capital
Audiofest is a melting pot of people, manufacturers, distributors, and
retailers. Individuals can interact with everyone, listen to systems they might
not usually hear, check gear they don't normally have the opportunity to see,
and even ask a question or two. There are lectures on various topics and
entertainment both during the day and at night, offering attendees all sorts of
mediums and additional ways to interact and network with others.
---> My Exciting First Foray At CAF 2024.
More About CAF 2024
CAF opened up many new floors
during 2022, and again in 2023, to make room for over 150 exhibitors representing hundreds of premium luxury
audio brands from around the world. There
may also be over 50 Atrium Marketplace vendors including at least two dozen vinyl/LP sellers, making the
show a veritable
Record Fair. Qobuz may once again set up a Listening Lounge in the Plaza II Ballroom, for show-goers to sample streaming and turntable set-ups with headphones, and just hang out and chill, with free
Wi-Fi.
Amazing Prizes And Giveaways!
Various giveaways every night and many of the exhibitors will have special Demo times, Show Specials and other promotions.
Show Schedule
Friday, November 10 10pm to 6pm
Saturday, November 11 10am to 6pm
Sunday, November 12 10am to 4pm
Where
Hilton Hotel Rockville
Located at the Twinbrook Metro Station
1750 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20852
Previous Capital Audiofest Show Reports
Enjoy the Music.com's previous coverage
includes
Capital Audiofest (CAF) 2023, CAF 2022, 2021, 2019,
2018, CAF /
CanMania 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013,
and 2012.