Songer Audio
S1X speakers and power supply, $45K, A3 300B single-ended triode amplifier, $30K, Lampizator Atlantic 3 TRP DAC, $11K, Innuous Zenith Next-Gen Music Server and Streamer, starts at $19K, Graceline 3 cables
A rare breed of transducers: field coil speakers. Occasionally discussed on audio forums but seldom seen or heard in the wild.
Sound Insight/Infigo Audio/Altec Lansing
Altec Lansing Ribbonacci Reference, $88K, Infigo Audio Meghod 3 monoblock amplifiers, $55, Infigo Audio Method 7 preamplifier, $20k, Infigo Audio IS-1 Octacore Cryogen, $7000 and Altec Lansing Simolo, $7000 streamers, Infigo Audio Method 4 DAC, $35K, Altec Lansing Reference series cables
The highlight here was the Ribbonacci bipolar planar magnetic speakers plus flat surface Riple 1 kw/channel, self powered subwoofers from Italy. Unfortunately, this just wasn't the right sized room for these speakers resulting in them being set-up far too close to the wall. The sound was among other things disappointingly flat and two-dimensional with too much bass.
The Listening Room
Diptyque Audio DP 160 Mk II speakers, $30k, Kora TA 480 Class AB stereo amplifier, $20K, Grimm Audio MU2 digital music streamer/DAC/preamplifier, $20.6K, Grimm Audio PW1 phono preamplifier, $5800, Michell Gyro SE turntable bundle with tonearm, from $5300, ViaBlue cables
There was a little French Connection going on here. Must say that a smile crossed my face when espied the Kora amplifier from Toulouse, France; it's been a good 25 years since I last saw their products. On display in The Listening Room exhibit was Kora's 200 wpc into 8 ohms hybrid tube amplifier driving the 2-way Diptyque isodynamic ribbon speakers (one of several ribbon-based speakers seen at this year's CAF!). The sound here was far better balanced than at previous CAFs or other shows.
The Voice That Is
Tidal Audio Piano G3 Loudspeaker, $64K, REL Carbon Special Black Label, $4999, Tidal Audio Ferios G2 amplifier, $95K, Tidal Audio Contros Digital Controller, $61K, Turnbull and Siltech (REL) cables
TVTI suffered a little bit in comparison to past years and didn't possess the magic, spaciousness and panache of prior shows. Was it the absence of a turntable? Possibly. New products included the Turnbull Audio's Prestige power distributor, REL Carbon Black Label Subs, Siltech Classic Legend 680L REL sub cables. While the sound here was good, it just didn't have the magical midrange body or resolution of other CAFs.
Two Walters WA Audio
Falcon Acoustics Aequo Ensium speakers with active analog bass system, $TBD, Trilogy Audio 9994 monoblock amplifiers, $30K, Trilogy Audio 914 preamplifier, $18K, Ideon Ion DAC with preamplifier $29K, VPI Forever One turntable, $6500, Secondary system, Falcon Acoustics Ls35A Gold Badge speakers/Premium edition, $4850, SPL Director Mk. 2 preamp/DAC,$4700, Diamond DAC, $3350, S800 Stereo amplifier, $4350, Phonos phono preamp, $2500, ArgentPur cables
Another one of those Eurocentric rooms! Two Walters (aka Schofield and Swanbon), made their CAF 2025 presence known debuting a slew of new, largely European brands from Holland, Germany, Greece and the UK. Top among them were the new Aequo Ensium speakers that acquitted themselves more than capably in this hotel room. The sound with the new VPI Forever table was just so easy on the ears!
Unique Home Audio, LLC, Room 1
Popori Acoustics WR2 speakers, $35K/pair, Atma-Sphere Class D amplifiers, $6200/pair, Bacch SP Audio Stereo Purifier with DAC, $30K, ViaBlue cables
Unique Home Audio had two rooms this year at CAF featuring the Popori electrostatic speakers from Hungary. I've listened to the Popori speakers three times, now and they still haven't impressed me. As in past shows, the soundstage was truncated in all three-dimensions and the sound didn't have that oh-so cherished electrostatic speed and resolution.
