Chuck's Capital Audiofest 2025 Review: The Most Memorable Must-Hear System Demos And Stereo Setups
Inside CAF 2025's best demos with new gear, listening notes, and a few surprise standouts!
Capital Audiofest 2025 Show Report By Chuck Bruce

CAT vacuum tube amps noted for their robust output stage and low-feedback topology, were paired with Acora Acoustics VRC three-way bass reflex stone-encased audiophile reference loudspeakers. Acora's cabinets were uniquely encased in natural stone slabs for mass loading and resonance control. The stone enclosures provided extreme cabinet inertia, reducing coloration and producing a very stable acoustic foundation for the drivers. Crossovers used air-core inductors and film capacitors chosen for musical transparency. The CAT vacuum tube amps were configured in push-pull tube topology with regulated power supplies and output transformers optimized for a wide impedance swing, ensuring consistent damping across the audible band.

The Acora Acoustics VRC floorstanding loudspeakers have an impressive frequency response from a very low 18Hz to ultra-high 50kHz and uses high-excursion woofers and a silk-dome tweeter tuned for smooth top-end response; sensitivity and nominal impedance were speaker-friendly for tube amplification. Signal cabling emphasized low capacitance to preserve transient leading edges.

The result was an immersive, enveloping sound that wrapped the listener in harmonically rich textures and natural-sounding timbres. Vocals were particularly convincing—forward but never shouty—with a palpable sense of air and decay. The stone cabinets seemed to tame cabinet bloom and allowed the system to reveal subtle room cues and reverb tails, making small acoustic details stand out without fatigue.

Nirvana Sound Aleno 300B triode amplifier was driving YG Acoustics 3.3 floorstanders. Being Italian, the Aleno 300B triode vacuum tube power amplifier is a 300B design that was on demo, advertised as delivering over 200 Watts aggregate via a parallel-tube topology while retaining single-ended triode harmonic character. The amplifier's chassis featured massive output transformers, regulated tube heaters, and a low-noise power supply to support dynamic peaks.

It was paired with a matching Aleno vacuum tube preamplifier that offered tube line-stage and multiple input options. The amplification drove a pair of YG Acoustics 3.3 dynamic floorstanders, known for their rigid cabinet construction, precision drivers, and time-coherent crossovers. The YG's controlled directivity and low distortion made them an excellent match for the Nirvana Audio Aleno's tube richness and high output capability. Speaker placement and toe-in were optimized to exploit the YG's 3.3 floorstanders imaging strengths.

Musically, the system combined a seductive slight tube warmth with exceptional control: the 300B amp delivered nice midrange bloom and harmonic density while the YG Acoustics 3.3 loudspeakers supplied tight, articulate bass and razor-sharp transient definition. Complex passages remained clean and layered, with excellent separation between instruments and a natural sense of pace. The overall presentation felt both luxurious and authoritative.

High Water Sound Swiss Zeller vacuum-tubed electronics and SP-01 loudspeakers: High Water Sound showcased uncommon Swiss-made gear with the Zeller PR-01 vacuum-tubed preamp and PA-01 power amp, driving Zeller SP-01 high-sensitivity concentric-driver loudspeakers. The Zeller chain emphasized low-noise tube circuitry, balanced inputs, and a carefully engineered output stage for linearity and low distortion.

The SP-01 speakers used a concentric midrange / tweeter driver for point-source imaging and a lightweight high-compliance woofer for effortless dynamics. LP playback was handled by a Torqueo Audio turntable, fitted with a high-output moving-coil cartridge and precision tonearm bearing, feeding the Zeller preamp through a step-up transformer. The analog chain produced a tonally accurate, textured vinyl sound that highlighted groove-level detail and analog warmth. Cables and grounding were optimized to minimize hum and preserve low-level information.

The room delivered an involving, tonally rich vinyl presentation: records sounded alive with natural timbre, controlled bass, and a mid-band that conveyed body and presence. The concentric driver produced a coherent, single-point image with excellent focus, while the high sensitivity of the SP-01s allowed the tube amps to sing with effortless dynamics and low noise floor. The overall effect was intimate, immediate, and highly musical.

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