Acoustic Sounds
The Voice That Is at Cap Audio Festival
By: Michael Fremer

November 12th, 2024

Category:

Hi-Fi Shows

Capital Audio Fest Coverage Starts Here In Doug White's "The Voice That Is" Room

why? Because somehow I passed it a dozen times and forgot to go in and look what I missed!

While driving home from the Capital Audio Festival this past Monday, as I crossed the Millard E. Tydings Memorial Bridge that spans the Susquehanna River between Havre de Grace and Perryville, Maryland I realized I'd left something behind at the Hilton Hotel, Rockville Maryland that I'd not be able to turn around and retrieve, and that is coverage of Doug White's room containing a significant trove of analog gear I'd planned for weeks to be sure to visit. My not just bad. My terrible! Mr. White's business is The Voice That Is named for Johnny Hartman's 1964 Impulse! album.

Döhmann Audio's Mark Döhmann was in town for the show and I ran into him numerous times to catch up and chat, which we did. His Helix One Mk3 Turntable ($70,000) was in the room with an SAT CF1-09 arm (price varies) onboard fitted with an Air Tight PC-1 Supreme cartridge ($12,975). On Sunday I caught Mark sitting outside the room but I never stepped into it. I still can't explain how that happened but I own it and I owe Doug the first show report so here it is—and having visited his Tidal loudspeaker centered room I know I missed excellent sound, starting with this superb front end:

The TIDAL for Bugatti MP1 preamplifier ($125,000) featuring a built-in phono stage made its world premiere. Other components in the system include the TIDAL for Bugatti MC1 Digital Controller ($125K), TIDAL Audio Akira Loudspeakers ($255,000), TIDAL Audio Ferios Mono amplifiers ($85,000), Turnbull Audio Cables (new premiere--price varies but an 8 foot pair of speaker cables costs $44,000) and no this is not that Turnbull), Harmonic Resolution Systems EXRD Audio Stand ($11,000)— HRS's least costly audio stand— and Equi=Tech 2RQ Balanced power ($6,990).

Doug White with Mark Döhmann (who previously designed the Continuum Caliburn turntable)

I was told that the room sounded great! This doesn't make up for my mistake but it's the best I can do until next year.

Comments

  • 2024-11-13 03:51:58 AM

    Paul Faughnan wrote:

    $1,000,000 + !

  • 2024-11-13 01:48:50 PM

    tim davis wrote:

    Don't sweat the forgettin' Michael. I'm 61 & I'm pretty sure it happens to all of us. When I began to experience it I got some of that supplement Ginko Biloba but, I keep forgetting to take it. Additionally, didn't you also forget to stop by my place in NC on your way back from the show to make sure my Technics tt is set up correctly? :>)