We are back from our favorite show of the year and finally all unpacked. Of course, we brought home some goodies that needed to be set up. Also, Herc is glued to me the first couple of days we are back, so no writing for a couple of days anyway. We didn’t get to see the whole show; it was bigger than ever, and we tried our best to visit as many rooms as possible while also staying long enough to take in what they had to offer. We also got to spend time with some of our favorite people and catch up on how things are going, as well as meet some new folks. Some of the rooms were showing some brand new stuff, and others were highlighting their tried and true designs. We also got invited to a couple of off-site events that we will be sharing, notably the Bowers and Wilkins Nautilus event up the road at Gramophone. Do let’s get into what we heard and saw at Capital Audiofest 2025

Synergystic Research – Atmosphere LogiQ

An early stop was to see what Ted had been up to lately; he was touting a revolutionary product, and I was quite intrigued. I love talking about motorcycles with Ted, as he has quite a few now, but this chat was about audio and where it is headed in our ever-evolving technological world. He unveiled his newest room acoustic device, the Atmosphere LogiQ, which is physically based on the existing Atmosphere; however, the software that controls it is all new and AI-driven. Ted gave a demo showing how the fields in the room are affected both when off and when on, and then how they are affected when you tell it what you want. Using the app paired with the LogiQ, you can tell it what you want to happen to the sound using plain English, such as “widen the sound stage” or ” add more top end”, the limit does not exist. I think it is important to note that LogiQ is not in the signal path; it is a standalone device that aims to alter the RF fields in the room. The demo was pretty impressive, with noticeable differences in the sound with each setting. Something I think would be great, and maybe this is part of the app or in the plans to be, would be if you can preload your playlists so that it auto-adjusts to songs you have already “trained” the system on. It is definitely something to keep an eye on if you like to tweak the sound to your preference.

Geshelli Labs – Torc

The Geshellis have brought something awesome to Capital Audiofest this year, the Torc DAC. This is not just another DAC, but they are doing something special with the DAC that we are big fans of. They are making it modular and upgradable. The Torc can be spec’d with all sorts of different options, and as they release upgrades, you can just upgrade that module; you won’t have to buy a whole new DAC. This is a very customer-forward approach to product development, and one that I fully support, and I am serious, I am on the preorder list. Oh, and not to overshadow this, but it sounded great too, run through the Guiseppe Preamp and the Z block amplifiers. What the Geshelli family has done for our community is incredible, offering quality products that most of us can afford. Also, they make products that support emergency dispatch centers, so they really do care about the community. I could talk to Geno and Sherri all day, they aren’t corporate, they’re cool.

Also, I want to add on Sound Solver, He is making he awesome racks you see all the Geshilli gear on, including the large one. They are made well, super customizable, and affordable. Worth checking out.

House Of Stereo

Joe at the House of Stereo always puts together a killer room. This year, he brought something new: Silent Pound speakers, the Challenger II. I have been wanting to hear ever since I first learning about them. He set up a world-class front end to power them, made up of Aucoustic Arts Pre and Power amp, a Wolf Server, VPI Avenger Direct table, and full Synergystic Research cable and acoustic treatment. The sound was intoxicating, the speakers sounded 10 times bigger than they are, the electronics were perfectly clean, and the detail and resolution were simply incredible. All this in a hotel conference room, which is beyond tricky to tame acoustically. I want to spend more time with the Silent Pound speakers in the future. Overall, a great room that had two other systems. Once comprised of Quad’s new Streamer and Integrated amp, a brand new Audio-Technica levitating turntable, and a pair of limited edition Cambridge Speakers. The system was much simpler and honestly more affordable than the main system, but sounded wonderful nonetheless. Lastly was the Focal Diva Mezza Utopia, a system unto themselve, they offer high fidelity and immersive sound in a tight package. No need for anything else.

The Listening Room

Mike at the Listening Room also usually brings an impressive setup or 5 to Capital Audiofest, this year, though, he really outdid himself. This year, he booked a huge room and filled it with some top-tier gear. Including Magnepan’s massive 30.7x speakers, a full Audiaflight front end, and the crown jewel, the Wilson Benesch GMT One System. When I say this thing is a beast, I mean it; the full system weighs in at 523 pounds. It is loaded with tech to get the absolute most out of your vinyl. The tonearm is made from SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) a type of 3D printing, and carbon fiber, which is not a simple task, especially to make it as artistically as this is. The whole system had synergy, creating an enveloping sound that is hard to describe. Another surprise was the bass from the Maggies, which have a bit of a reputation for not being bassy, but Mike put on some techno, and they slammed. The Audiaflight amps provided more than enough current to keep them singing.

High End By Oz

Oz had two rooms at CAF this year, one being a full Thrax System, including the speakers, and the other room he partnered with United Home Audio and had Viva powering a pair of Stenheim Alumine 5 SEs. The Thrax room was a cool experience, as well as being a new one for me. I had not heard their speakers before, and when paired with their electronics, the room was filled with sound. The Lyra Speakers are actually a 2-way bookshelf speaker, though seen at the show on their optional basses, which are not just stands but also house a side-firing subwoofer, making them into a 3-way system. They look small, but the sound is anything but. The system had great detail and body. I listened to the 1812 Overture, and it may be the last time OZ lets me, as I had picked the version with real cannons. The accuracy of the system was astounding, and you know the synergy is perfect when everything is from the same brand. Wireing was Albedo Silver, which is the only cable using monocrystalline silver. They are actually jewelers who make cables, so the finishing and quality are top-notch. Power was handled by S.I.N. Audio.

The Second room was just as good, though I expected that, having heard Stenheims and Viva together before. They work incredibly well together. It doesn’t hurt when the source is the incredible United Home Audio tape deck. The smooth sound of the Vivas and Stenheims is something I could listen to all day long. There is no fatigue with this system.

SVS and Orchard Audio

SVS and Orchard Audio put together a theater room this year, which is always cool to see in one of these rooms, as it takes a bit of engineering to set up height speakers in a hotel room. You cant just screw mounts to the wall or ceilling, or atleast the hotel probably doesn’t want you too, I mean, you can do anything once, right? Orchard Audio supplied a bunch of Starkrimson Amps, both Mono and Stereo to power the new SVS Ultra Evolution Left and Right speakers, as well as the Ultra Evolution Center and height channels. The room sounded incredible. I didn’t get to spend a ton of time as it was pretty much packed all weekend, but watching some of the movie clips was an awesome experience. The sound was incredibly immersive, no matter where you were in the room. Once of the things I love about SVS is that they are great theater speakers, but they also sound great in a two-channel system. You can get both out of one set of speakers; no need to set up another system just for music. If you do have an Atmos setup there is also music recorded specifically for Atmos, which is a really cool sound if you ever get to experience it. SVS, also had a couple of subwoofers to push the low-end. We also spent some time talking with Nick and Gary about SVS and the industry in general. SVS does have some new products planned, so keep an eye out for news.

Genesis Audio / Distinctive Stereo

Gary and Larry brought two systems to Capital, each with a different budget in mind. The larger of the two systems featured the G7 Samba, a new for 2025 speaker from Genesis, adding to the G7 lineup. The Samba features dual tweeters (one front and one rear facing) like the rest of the line, as well as Titanium cone mid woofers and a servo-controlled subwoofer. For sources, they used a Wand Master Turntable with their latest tonearm as well as a Revox B 77 tape deck. The larger system also featured some other Genesis products, such as the SiC Amp, Phono Amp, and Gary’s custom-designed phono cart, the Hyper Sonic X4. The preamp used was a HEED Lagrange. Gary played a range of music, including some lacquer discs that sounded simply beautiful on the system. The Sambas maintain one of my favorite things about Genesis speakers and the G7 line specifically, and that is that they sound great no matter where in the room you are. You can share them with a whole group and no one feels left out. They have one of the biggest sweet spots I have ever experienced.

The smaller system also used a Wand Turntable, as well as a Wand arm and 2M Black cartridge. The electronics were made up of the HEED Elixer line and the G7 Tango speakers. I played Ethel Cain’s Thuoughfare on the turntable and it sounded wonderful. The vocals were lifelike, and the instrumentals had detail, space, and texture. When it got to the guitar solo at the end, the system sounded huge, the depth and width of the sound stage was beyond what you would expect given the size of the speakers. The Heed electronics and Wand setup provided a clean, detailed signal that let the speakers really shine.

Harmonia Distribution

Harmonia had a couple of systems set up; the one I spent time with was fairly simple, comprised of a Prima Luna integrated amp, Pathos DAC and Streamer, and a Pair of Fyne Audio Speakers. The Prima Luna amp used was the Evo 200, which offers 44 watts per channel and several inputs. The Pathos Converto MkII DAC has a fully balanced analog stage and offers up a clean signal for the tubes in the Evo 200 to amplify and send to the Fyne F502S with Fyne’s Super Tweeter on top. Sean (Smo) played a variety of music for us, including a great cover of Kid Cudi’s Pursuit of Happiness, then I played Colors (orchestral) by Halsey. Both Tracks sounded great on the system, but beyond that, the bond we made over sharing and listening to music shows how powerful this hobby can be. It goes beyond the systems, but without them, we may not be able to enjoy the music and connection as much as we do. It was a great room with some great music and people.

2WA

2WA, a Distributor, made up of industry legends Walter Schofield, Walter Swanbon, and Dwight DiMartino, brought some products I had never experienced before, namely the Trilogy 914 preamp, Trilogy Audio 994 Mono Block power amps, and lastly the Aequo Audio Adamantis. The speakers, being a major highlight of the room, have been 10 years in the making and sport a gorgeous cabinet that is more than just looks. The sound from the system was intensely refined without being fatiguing. Detail was on tap, and they had free refills. The realism was incredible. I can only imagine how they would sound in a proper room. The Trilogy electronics offered plenty of power and control, keeping the speakers clean and resolute. It was a world-class system. I would like to spend more time with the components to really explore what they have to offer.

MC Audiotech / Heaven 11 Audio

This was a cool room for me, I have experience with Itai’s Billie amp, the first Gen, but not much experience with MC Audiotech speakers. I was able to really hear how the speakers perform and frankly loved the sound. The system was simple: an integrated amp, the Billie MkIII, and a pair of MC Audiotech TL-8 speakers. But the simplicity breathed life into music in a way that was sublime and smooth. I was such a fan, I brought home the speakers for a full review. The Billie amps are great, they offer great sound and features in a compact package. They are a hybrid design with a tube front end and solid state output, offering both smooth tube sound and plenty of power, up to 250w per channel. It uses a modular design that allows you to customize the amp to your needs and budget and allows you to upgrade later.

The MC Audiotech Speakers are unlike anything else on the market. Not only in looks, but in construction as well. What you get is a speaker that delivers effortless mids and lows and a perfect amount of top-end sparkle. They are fairly efficient at 91dB, so you can run them off lower-powered tube amps and still get plenty of volume. I’m currently running them off an old Mac MC250 from the sixties, with only 50 watts per channel (rated), and they just sing. Keep your eye out for a full review. But back to the room, I had a great time talking with Mark and finally meeting Itai in person, the combo was beautifully minimalist in components, but maximalist in sound.

Margules

Maugules is not a company I was overly familiar with, and I really have not spent a lot of time with. That changed this year. When we visited their room, they had a full system using all their own products. This is the first time I can recall seeing and hearing their speakers in person. They brought the Orpheo Century Overtura and powered the speakers with their U-280SC tube amplifier. The system was not only stunning to look at, but stunning to listen to. The earthy, rich mids and airy top end blended perfectly together, creating a smooth, articulate sound. I played a few tracks I knew to get a feel, and what really stood out was how well they handle vocals. They were not super bassy, but they are bookshelves; however, the lower end was still nice and present. Their design language is gorgeous, too; the stands and the speakers are cohesive, as well as their amps and other electronics share the same language, meaning you can outfit a whole system that will be as aesthetically pleasing as it is sonically pleasing.

Songer Audio

Songer Audio had their full range Field Coil speaker paired with their A3 integrated amplifier and a Lampizator DAC. The room sounded great, and I am not usually a fan of full range speakers, but like anything, implementation makes all the difference. The Songer amp and Speakers had impeccable midrange clarity. The top and low-end were excellent, though I do prefer more punch in the bass, but you can always add a sub if you’re like me. Most of the music you hear lives in the midrange, so having that lush, full, and detailed midrange really sells the speakers.

YG

YG had a few rooms with their speakers being used, as well as two of their own rooms. In the first of the rooms, they had the Sonja 3.2 in a gorgeous Blue paired with JMF and Ideon electronics. This was actually my favorite of the YG setups. It was fairly simple but well executed. The sound was impressive to say the least, a wide open sound stage, and the speakers disappeared in the room. Their other main room had a pair of Sonja 3.3 paired with Acustica Applicata Alieno electronics, which, admittedly, I had never heard of before this show. The sound was excellent and the best I have heard the Sonja 3.3 sound. The system had good synergy and balance.

Another Room using YG was Burmester; they had a pair of Summits from the Peaks line powered by their 232 Integrated amplifier, painted in a gorgeous Porsche metallic red. The Burmester powered the Summits very well. The sound was very clean and articulate. The tone was super neutral, offering very accurate sound reproduction.

GT Audio

Greg Tackesh brought a brand new speaker to Capital this year, the Giulietta Bellissima. They were powered by Westminster REI amps, a Transformatic Tara 30 preamp, and Lampizator Geyna DAC. The speakers were smooth but fast. They had a wonderful sound stage, and the subs really filled out the bottom end to give them a great foundation. They are incredibly detailed, as you would expect from planar speakers, but they really surpassed any expectations I had. The top end was airy and delicate, not fatiguing at all. Overall, a great balance with precision.

Dreamscapes

Dreamscapes set up a few rooms, and one of them was certainly special. They had an entire stack of Esoteric gear and Aretai speakers. Aretai makes really cool horn speakers with conventional mid and bass drivers that give a really awesome top end without being too bright and fatiquing. The midrange and bass round off and fortify the sound. They have a fairly wide sweet spot and sound better than many speakers off-axis. They would make for a really good double-duty speaker in a Hifi/theater application, as everyone in the room will get good sound. The Esoteric stack included the U.S. debut of the Grandioso N1 Streamer as well as Grandioso K1X SE SACD Player, Grandioso G1X Master Clock Generator, Grandioso C1X Solo Preamplifier, and Grandioso S1X Stereo Amplifier. I thought it was one of the better rooms and would like to spend more time with Aertai speakers to get a true sense of how well they can perform.

Gramophone

We got invited to an off-site event on Friday night at Gamophone up the road. They had a pair of Bowers and Wilkins Nautilus speakers in Red connected to 4 Marantz Model 10 amps and the Marantz Link 10. The system sounded incredible. Dave Solomon, famous for his time with Qobuz was DJing most of the night, but was also taking requests. We played “Get By” by Ethan Regan as well as “Last Resort (Reimagined)” by Falling In Reverse. I will say one thing, the first time you see the Nautilus, they might catch you off guard with their size. They are much smaller than I thought they were; photos always seem to make them look huge. We hate a great time listening to a huge range of music, no matter the genre, the Nautilus sounded great. I think they paired really well with the Marantz electronics as well. B&W can be a bit bright, more so on models with the Diamond Tweeter, and Mrantz gear leans towards the warmer side. Together, the sound was well-rounded and balanced with great detail and superb Imaging. It helps that they were in a well-treated room that let the speakers really talk for themselves.

Photos from the Rest of the Show

Unfortunaly, or fortunately, depending on who you are, there is only one of me, and my Wife, so we do our best to cover as much as possible, but it just isn’t feasible to do every room justice in three days. Below are photos from the rest of the show that we were able to visit.

We want to thank Gary Gill and his awesome team, as well as Manny and his awesome team at the hotel, for putting together one of the best shows on the planet. Also, shout out to all the vendors for putting in the time to set up these rooms, and last but certainly not least, you, all of you who come to the show, read the reports, and make all of this worth doing.