Thank You for Making the 2019 Capital Audiofest a Great Success!

•
Reviews of Room 414

conrad-johnson, Kharma, Lampizator, Aurender, Kuzma, Antipodes, Truitt Physics, Torus Power, and Artesania Audio

From Myles Astor, Audio Nirvana

“Jay Truitt, owner of 20/20 Evolution Systems, took two rooms at this years Capital Audiofest. On display in this room were Kharma Audio dB7-S speakers backed by conrad-johnson’s top tube gear including the $26,500 GAT Series 2 preamplifier, TEA1 Series 3 phono preamplifier and the debut of the ART-27A 36 wpc Class A triode power amplifier… All biases aside, this one of the best small rooms at the show… These small two-way speakers broke all previous conceptions about Kharma speakers. LPs sounded oh so sweet, delicate, airy and detailed. No trace of that hyperdetailing … No trace whatsoever of artificiality. Credit c-j’s newest ART27as that use KT88 configured for triode operation here too!”
— Read More

From Matthew Clott, Enjoy the Music

“I began my Sunday morning at Capital Audiofest with a portion of one of Malcolm Arnold’s jaunty overtures: not quite sacred music, but it was nonetheless magnificent in the room sponsored by Gryphon Audio and retailer 20/20 Evolution Systems. In addition to having appropriate weight and realistic die-away, the sound of mallet on bass drum had the most tonally realistic thud I recall hearing through a hi-fi. And on a CD vinyl drop of the mono version of Mal Waldron’s “Warm Canto,” the unison piano, cello, and double-bass notes in the opening measures had realistically tactile note attacks—likewise Ron Carter’s pizzicato cello solo, which was very moving, appropriately so.” — Read More

•
Reviews of the Twinbrook Room

Gryphon Audio, Kuzma, Antipodes, Truitt Physics, Torus Power, and Artesania Audio

From Franklin Shook, Part-Time Audiophile

“It’s our last day of the show, and I’m thrilled to have a few friends along for the Capital Audiofest adventure. One of them in particular is Mastering Engineer Dave McNair… I won’t speak for Dave McNair but he was more than pleased, and if memory serves me right, he used the word great a few times, which is high praise from Mister McNair. For myself, I feel that Gryphon always presents music in a masterfully controlled, tight, and focused way. It’s the embodiment of high-end in both design and execution. Sonically there’s nothing out of place, and yet there’s nothing dry or life-less about the sound. Bass has character that flirts with warmth, but everywhere else it’s neutral and delicate. The top-end is measured and balanced with the mid-range.”
— Read More

Best in Category

From Greg Weaver, Enjoy the Music

“20/20 Evolution Systems of Potomac, MD, featured a nearly all Danish Gryphon system in a showcase that was just as beautiful to look at as to listen to. I got to spend a good deal of time here while our consummate host, Philip O’Hanlon of “On A Higher Note,” played all variety of music for an enraptured crowd. This stirring system offered utterly superb tone color, full of texture and inner detail. The great detail was only enhanced by the stark and startling dynamic authority it mustered. Listening to a particularly well-done Julie London digital file (DSD128), the system showed off how easily it could render intimate detail, with oodles of air and space.” — Read More