Capital Audiofest 2017: The Voice That Is! makes new waves

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The Story

I’d like to emphasize that the TIDAL Camira DMC, the TIDAL Ferios amplifiers, and the TIDAL Cables, were all introduced earlier in May of this year. Many times these new products are overlooked by showgoers because we naturally tend to focus our attention on the beautiful TIDAL speakers. As it is in this case the Agoria speakers are nothing new. Doing my best not overlook these TIDAL electronics as they are so essential to the speakers performance, as without them could the speakers do more than stand up front and look pretty? Probably not.

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The Sound

Just short of kicking my shoes off and bringing down the bedding from up stairs, I settled in for twelve songs and took zero notes. I am familiar with what is going on in Doug’s room. It’s giving me exactly the same sound I know from Doug’s rooms at RMAF and Axpona. I still don’t know how he does it. I know it’s part and parcel from years of experience, but c’mon. The same old stunning sound, at every show, all year? Pssshhh.

We listen to a mix of digital and analog. Switching back and forth from the new Antipodes DX Gen 3 music server, and TW Acustic vinyl spinner with an absolutely killer Proteus Cartridge. Everything sounds natural, full bodied, and smooth. It’s delightful. Often in a showroom you can feel your own senses making compromises with the room or the systems shortcomings, but none of that happens here. It’s comfortable, like a 3-pointer that you know is going in as soon as you release it. No twists, no wincing, it feels good. Follow through and find mom in the stands. That’s the way it feels to be in front of this system. Simply superb.

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The System

TIDAL Audio Agoria Speaker – Midnight Black ($109,000 USD) 
(special edition and Macassar veneer on exhibit)

TIDAL Audio Presencio Reference Preamplifier ($77,900 USD) 

TIDAL Audio Ferios Mono Amplifiers ($67,900 pr USD) 

TIDAL Audio Camira DMC (DAC) ($28,500 USD) 

TIDAL Audio Power Cords, XLR Cables, USB Cables, Speaker Cables

Antipodes Audio DX Gen 3 Music Server (1TB $7750 USD / 8TB $17,200 USD)

TW-Acustic Raven Anniversary Turntable ($22,000 USD) 

TW-Acustic 10.5 Tonearm ($5,490 USD) 

Transfiguration Proteus Cartridge ($6,000 USD) 

Dynamic Design Neutron SW16 Digital ~ 1.5M Power cord – $7,500