I’m at Capital Audio Fest and I wanted to give you a quick, real-world walkthrough of one of my favorite parts of any audio show: the Marketplace. After you check in upstairs (yes, there’s even a little coffee shop), you head downstairs where the vibe shifts from “look and listen” to “touch, try, and actually buy.” This is where the record fair lives—new and used vinyl, memorabilia, and plenty of headphone and accessory booths—so it’s equal parts hi-fi meet-up and crate-digging playground. As I walk the floor, I highlight some standout vendors and new gear I’m genuinely excited about. I stop in with Fern & Roby to talk handmade audio accessories built in-house in Richmond, including record weights, isolation feet, and LP stands, plus cables from Black Cat. I also catch up with Wally Tools to look at the new Wally Loop for cantilever angular viewing (a big deal if you’re serious about setup), and a resurrected “retro record selector” that’s basically a fun, practical way to stage and rotate your favorite records near the turntable. And I chat with Anne Bisson about her upcoming album “Guilty Pleasures,” a smooth jazz vocal release that’s positioned as a very well-recorded audiophile-friendly listen.