Part 6: Rooms 637 To 661 At Capital Audiofest 2024
More wonderful music on the 6th floor at CAF 2024.
Capital Audiofest 2024 Show Report By Rick Becker

645  American Sound Distribution
American Sound Distribution's second room had a unique combination of brands they import.

The PE 4040 Mk II turntable with carbon tonearm from Perpetuum Ebner was a mid-line model from this German company. The PE 7070 flagship model features direct drive at about $12k. Their other models are all belt-drive and start at about $3800. They are sensible, compact designs that feature acrylic covers which is convenient for many people.

The Synthesis A50 Taurus integrated amplifier was fired up and was driving the loudspeaker. Below that was a pair of Phasemation EA-550 phono amplifiers, presumably one for each channel because… well, that's the way they do it sometimes in Europe. On the bottom shelf of the HRS rack was a Grimm MU2 DAC. The monoblocks beside the rack were from Phasemation.

American Sound is the worldwide distributor of Rethm speakers. I liked the redesign that occurred a couple of years ago. They sound more natural and fuller-bodied than earlier versions. The Trishna model shown here was a hybrid design with a Hypex Class D powered bass so it can easily run with tubes on the wideband driver on top. The bass included four 6" drivers with two mounted inside in an isobaric configuration.

649  Fidelis AV
In the Fidelis room, I took the time to listen to both the small Falcon Gold Badge LS3/5A monitor ($3950) and the Falcon M30 ($6k) which also had the classic BBC sound and I liked better. Lab12 from Greece, using Russian tubes in their power amps has been on the periphery of my radar. The presentation here convinced me that I should pay more attention to them.

The Pure Fidelity Harmony turntable with Savant tonearm ($14k) was not playing Tea for the Tillerman, unfortunately. And it was unclear if the Nelson Pass / Pass Labs First Watt or the Lab12 Suono Class A single-ended, 25 Wpc tube amp ($3500) was driving the speakers.

Below the Lab12 Pre 1 remote-controlled Class A tube preamp ($2400) was the Pure Fidelity power supply and controller for the turntable sitting atop the Lab12 Melto 2 remote-controlled tube phono stage – another reason I wanted to hear Tea for the Tillerman. Below that was an Aurender N100H streamer ($1300) atop a Lab 12 Gordian power conditioner. ($2500).

I might have been told the Lab12 DAC 1 ($3300), a non-oversampling DAC with a tube output stage was new, but in any case, I like that it had a tube output stage.

Of interest to some might have been the clear Plexiglas dispersion panels at the point of first reflection on the side walls. A thin wood frame allowed for the panels to be bowed slightly to create the dispersion. I had commented on these at a show where they were displayed in a large room with other inactive displays so it was interesting to hear them in action. They seemed to help as this room sounded quite good, but it is the kind of product that needs to be reviewed under with/without conditions in a familiar setting.

The cables in this room were from Argent Pur which is why there was a new Argent Pur Class D monoblock with its lid off on display. It was looking ready for Prime Time. A factory direct price list indicated an early adopter price of $5900/pr. Also listed was a Monoblock Duo Amplifier with a provisional price of $5k for 2025. With Trump tariffs in the wind, virtually all prices are "provisional" in an industry that is so infused with imported parts.

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