When I first walked into the Audio Federation room at PAF 2022, I had instantly decided that the Acapella Audio Arts Apollon speakers ($180,000/pr USD) were the largest transducers at the show. Unfortunately, I wandered into Gary Koh’s Genesis room right after this, but still…wow. The Apollon speakers are 91 inches tall, weigh around 700 pounds each and sport six 10″ bass drivers, a horn midrange and a plasma tweeter per side. Even so, they are very sensitive at 96 dB with a 6-8 ohm impedance.
This was truly one of the mega systems at the show, and in addition to the Acapella Apollon it also featured the Acapella hybrid integrated amplifier ($135,000), Acapella Audio One music server ($8,000), Audio Note UK DAC Five Signature ($119,689) and plenty of cabling from Acapella and Audio Note UK, all on a massive HRS stand (frame $22,000, shelves $3,695 each). Heady stuff indeed, but Mike and Neli Davis of Audio Federation excel at presenting such daunting gear with interesting musical selections that suggest how people actually live and enjoy beautiful music in their home.
In other words, Audio Federation played more than just audiophile music that showed off the system–they treated the audience to a playlist that was dedicated to the music we love, with the original recording venues sized correctly and realistically. When the Davises started playing Miles’ Davis Kind of Blue, I stayed and listened because I knew I would remember this time specifically with this legendary recording. When Coltrane played through the Acapella Apollon, he was there in the room. I know, he’s always in the room on KOB, but this time I felt like he was staring at me the whole time, measuring my response to his every note.
I’ve heard a smaller version of this Audio Federation system in the past, with Acapella horns that might actually fit in my room–91 inches!–but I continue to be amazed at how the Acapella Apollon can sound both huge and intimate as the music dictates. Every time I see Mike and Neli Davis, I think about how wonderful their life must be surrounded by all this gorgeous gear.
