Every year, AXPONA keeps getting bigger. No single reporter could cover this year’s show, unless you planned on spending approximately 5.6 minutes in each listening room, without taking lunch or bathroom breaks, or attending any of the many seminars at the show, or the car audio showcase. Journalists had to pick and choose what we wanted to see and hear from 235 listening rooms! The AXPONA 2026 show directory listed more than 500 brands!
So, no show report, from Copper or elsewhere, can be comprehensive (though I’m amazed at how many rooms my colleagues at Hi-Fi Pig always manage to visit). Our coverage will sprawl over three issues – this is the second of three parts. If you want to get a more thorough picture, you’ll have to read many show reports, not just mine and Rudy Radelic’s, which appears in the previous issue (230).
AXPONA is now the major show in the US by a huge margin. While there I asked Mark Freed, global vice president of sales for AXPONA, why they’ve become so successful. He simply pointed to Liz Smith, AXPONA’s show director, and said, “Her!”
After further prompting he added, “She works on this show all year round.” Well, it does take other people and a lot of effort to make an event like this happen, but I can tell you that Liz is outstanding to work with and deserves the accolades.
From the opening bell it was apparent that the show was noticeably up in attendance, confirmed by AXPONA’s post-show press release that stated a 15 percent increase, with a 52 percent increase in Gen Z (14 – 29 years old) passes, and a total of 12,546 attendees. The crowds were more diverse, less gray-haired. The enthusiasm was everywhere, even when the elevator lines got long. (Pro tip: if able, take the stairs!)
And, they're off!
They came to rock at AXPONA 2026.
There were many fine-sounding rooms, from modest to gargantuan, though I must say that, because of the overall numbers, there were also some exhibits where I did not care for the sound. But I can’t pronounce Judgment from On High in such cases, since exhibitors face monumental challenges in getting their sometimes less-than-great exhibit spaces set up quickly, and as I’ve said over and over, you can’t make definitive judgments at shows! Especially when you have an audiogram like mine. (Click on “Your Editor’s Tips for Attending Audio Shows” in Issue 225.)
Since I couldn’t see everything, I tried to visit more rooms from brands I hadn’t already recently experienced at Florida Audio Expo 2026, Capital Audiofest 2025, and T.H.E. Show New York 2025. That said, many of the brands I’d recently seen also sounded great at AXPONA, so I’ll note them more briefly.
Let’s roll ’em:
Any new speaker from designer Andrew Jones is big news, as was the pre-production field coil prototype (it was finished the day before the show) from new company Jones and Cerreta (see Rudy’s report in Issue 230). I found this dual-field-coil driver-plus-woofer speaker to be super-clear and dynamic, and it makes me wonder if the move to permanent-magnet speakers decades ago was an improvement or a sideways progression. In any case, there’s a clarity to every field-coil speaker I’ve heard that makes me enamored of the design concept.
Field coil loudspeakers are experiencing something of a revival, as evidenced by the debut of the Jones and Cerreta speakers.
I’d never heard a speaker from Cymatix before. My loss. Elk Grove Village, IL systems integrator Cymatix makes exceptional speakers, including the 95 dB-efficient Quantum 3D (starting at $120,000/pair), which offered unbelievable instrumental clarity. The speakers feature unique planar magnetic midrange and tweeter drivers with distinctively-shaped waveguides, along with four 9.5-inch woofers. The crossover network is a work of industrial art, utilizing high-quality capacitors and inductors from Bevenbi. Romeo Cables and Carbide Audio Base Micro footers under the speakers helped tweak the system.
Louis Armstrong’s bordering-on-audiophile-cliché chestnut “St. James Infirmary” from Satchmo Plays King Oliver was hair-raising in its sense of realism, and this is a cut I’ve heard dozens of times. “Death Row” by Chris Stapleton had incredible low-end presence, and the electric guitar sounded like the guy had the amp in the room. Lalo Schifrin’s “Blues in the Basement” is another audiophile standard, but on this system I was drawn by the music, not the larger-than-life bass and blaring brass.
One of the most fun moments of the show came when people started asking about the stack of six rectangular colored blocks sitting on top of the equipment rack. “What kind of tweak is that?” I asked Caprice Audio’s Luis Alberto. He responded by moving and removing some of the blocks, and letting everyone in the room hear the not-subtle degradations in the sound, which changed according to the number and position of the blocks. OK, what were these quantum-mystical-aura-effecting things?
Luis teased our group of stumped audiophiles for several minutes and then revealed the truth – they were yoga blocks. Yoga blocks? Luis and the guys had put them in place to mitigate the sound that was bouncing off the glass window of the front wall.
In the process of setting up the room, they realized that the glass window was causing a midrange suckout and a major problem with the sound, and they needed something to diffuse the unwanted reflections. Cardboard boxes worked, but they couldn’t have anything that bad-looking in the system. So, they went out to a local Target in desperate search of something, anything that might work. After 20 minutes of fruitless looking, one of the Cymatix guys realized his wife used yoga blocks. When they found yoga blocks at Target, they bought a bunch, brought them back to the room, and…problem solved!
Yep, those are yoga blocks on top of the equipment rack.
Inner beauty: these Bevembi crossover assemblies for Cymatix speakers are works of industrial art. Courtesy of Bevembi.
Once again I heard superb sound from Rosso Fiorentino loudspeakers, this time in the Audio Thesis room (a Texas dealer/distributor), from the Arno 20 speakers ($7,000/pair and up). They were driven by the Tune Six Super hybrid integrated amp from Greek company hARt Lab ($35,000), which included a preamp, power amp, DAC, streamer, and phono stage. The Arno 20 and Tune Six Super were an excellent combination, with a lush soundfield, superb detail, and a convincing tonality that made me want to stay in the room far longer than I did.
REL Acoustics made some big bass waves with their Six Pack subwoofer array. Not a new product, but when paired with Wilson Audio speakers, the sound was impressive indeed. As REL’s Isaac Markowitz pointed out, it’s not just a question or sheer subwoofer drivers or power; the sonic advantages lie in the way the subs interact with and drive the room. Surprisingly to me, when Isaac turned some or all of the subs off, a big part of the sonic changes took place in an improved soundstage when all six subwoofers were on as well as the quality of the bass. As Isaac noted, “really great subwoofers are about space, not bass.” In fact, the demo got me thinking in so many different directions that we’ll be doing a full interview in an upcoming issue.
But, as significant as this demo was, what really blew my mind was the demo of the Seismion Reactio 2 isolation platform. This is an active vibration isolation device that uses acceleration sensors and feedback control to mitigate unwanted vibrations to an extremely high degree. The German company has a background in vibration control for critical applications like scanning electron microscopes, and the Reactio 2 was developed using technologies directly derived from their industrial products.
Isaac was able to turn the Reactio 2’s active isolation on and off. The platform was under the power amplifier. How much of a difference could an isolation platform under an amp possibly make, I thought? Well, an astounding difference. With the active isolation turned off, an entire level of soundstage and detail resolution collapsed, and the bass got thinner. With the isolation switched on, the sound came to life and enveloped the room. I would not have believed it possible.
The Seismion isolation bases (under the D'Agostino amp and WADAX DAC) effected a significant change in the quality of the sound.
******
Interlude: Some short takes:
Grandinote, Mach 8 Evolutione loudspeakers with Kimber Kable: this crossover-less multi-driver floorstander once again impressed with its power, image specificity and seamless integration.
Innovo Audio Designs, Luxe T1: I’ve heard the Luxe T1 in a variety of rooms now, and know that the active amplification, elliptical side-mounted subwoofers, DSP, active crossover, and beautiful slim design simply work.
I’d heard a number of Devialet complete systems at previous shows and was impressed. AXPONA was the first time I’d heard a Devialet component, in this case, their elegantly sleek Astra integrated amplifier ($20,000), with a non-branded speaker, in this case the Wilson Audio Sasha V ($54,600/pair), with an SME table and arm as the source. It was an excellent combination of components, with the speakers utterly disappearing into a sound field of superb depth, width, and impressive detail and tonality.
Cambridge Audio: You can absolutely depend on them for good sound at reasonable prices, and it doesn’t hurt that the components are appealingly attractive.
Geshelli Labs: Compact components. Gorgeous custom wood casings. Great sound. Cool colors. Run by good people. Reasonable prices. Makes sense to me!
IsoAcoustics: You can immediately hear what the Gaia series speaker isolators do in a comparison demo. Nuff said.
The anti “Keith Don’t Go” demo: EMM Labs and Raidho Acoustics had the courage to play Disturbed’s version of “The Sound of Silence” through their mega system at mondo volume. This would either drive people out or suck them in. I admired their willingness to take chances. The Raidho TD3.10 floorstanding speakers ($139,000/pair) and a monumental array of EMM Labs electronics worth more than $200,000, plus analog and digital sources, were able to fill the big Nirvana B ballroom with high-volume sound with ease. You want younger people to get into audio? Don’t play “Keith Don’t Go.”
Pump up the volume: the EMM/Raidho exhibit was one of many that could deliver serious SPL at AXPONA if desired.
The Sovereign is EnKlein's top-of-the-line power conditioning and system grounding component ($20,000). No sunglasses are needed to enjoy its benefits.
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Doshi Audio/Joseph Audio: this combination of tube amplification and Joseph Audio’s dynamic driver speakers is as close to a guarantee of great sound as you can get, since I hear this time and time again at shows. The AXPONA system, based around Joseph Audio Pearl Graphene Ultra speakers ($51,999/pair) and Doshi Evolution electronics (phono preamp, $36,000; line-level preamp, $23,995; monoblock amps, $47,995) offered powerful, articulate bass, spacious, inviting sound, articulate detail…and well, everything else. The J. Sikora turntables they use are an analog treat, in this case a Supreme max turntable and KV 12 Max tonearm ($49,250, $14,500) with Aidas Mammoth Tusk cartridge ($12,995). The digital was provided by an Aurender N50 server (price N/A), and Berkeley Audio Design Alpha USB Reference interface and Alpha DAC Reference 3P DAC ($6,500 and $34,000).
The Doshi Audio Monoblock amp is one of the most elegant vacuum-tube designs around.
I feel like great sound is also guaranteed by Margules from Mexico and South Korean cable company Athenamuse, who once again teamed up at AXPONA. Distributed in the US by Ball Audio Distribution and System Solutions, at this point I’m well familiar with what these components and cables can do, so I admit I got journalistically lazy and took my reviewing hat off when I walked into the room, and simply wallowed in the music and the wonderful sound for a heck of a lot more than 5.6 minutes. Well, I did manage to write down this: “’Take Five.’ THAT sound. AGAIN!” How’s that for comprehensive?
THAT sound is the wonderful musical and musically truthful sound of the system, which consisted of the Margules U280 30th Anniversary Special Edition mono tube amps ($12,000/each), SF220 tube preamp ($8,000), MS-01 music server/streamer ($3,500), TD-25 turntable with arm ($6,900), Intermezzo speakers or Century Overture monitor speakers (alternately being demoed in the room at $32,000/pair and $16,000/pair with stands), QR2 line conditioner ($2,650) and a full complement of Athenamuse cables. I really like the woven, organic look of these cables by the way. Other components were on exhibit as well.
The Margules Century Overture speakers sound as good as they look.
ReVox teamed up with Latvian speaker manufacturer Aretai to create a room which sounded, as I wrote in my notes, “astounding.” They were playing one of their upcoming reel-to-reel releases, Hank Theesink and Terry Evans, The Analog Session Vienna. The purity and presence of this bare bones guitar and vocal recording was incredible. It was one of the most you are there-sounding examples of music reproduction I have ever experienced. There are those who feel that reel-to-reel is the ultimate high-fidelity music source. The Revox/Aretai system made a convincing case.
It included a ReVox B77 MK III Alice Cooper limited edition tape deck ($27,950; the Standard model is $18,995), T77 Alice Cooper Edition turntable ($8,950 with Ortofon Black cartridge), ReVox StudioMaster M500 integrated amp/streamer ($4,798), and those exceptional Aretai Contra 100S speakers ($13,000/pair). Designed for smaller and medium-sized rooms (like the exhibit room at AXPONA), the 2.5-way Contra 100S features a distinctive round white waveguide for its tweeter, and front-and rear-firing 6-inch woofers in a sealed enclosure. As Aretai’s website states, “the compact Contra 100S are quite unusual speakers, allowing you to “see” each instrument located right where the recording engineer intended it to be.” Well, they’re not kidding.
The sound in the ReVox room was palpable, with the Aretai speakers sounding much bigger than they looked.
I knew ELAC had been around, and I’ve recommended their Debut 2.0 speakers (now in their B6.2 version) for a long time – but I didn’t realize ELAC is having their 100th anniversary this year! The company was founded in Kiel, Germany in 1926, and as part of the celebration, ELAC demonstrated their latest top-of-the-line speaker, the Concentro M 807 ($50,000/pair). This floorstanding speaker is really eye-catching, with its VXe (Variable Coaxial Electric) circular midrange array and gloss-finish sculptured curves (available in black or white). The VXe array is said to be an acoustically ideal ring radiator.
The fun part is that the Concentro M 807’s directivity can be controlled, for a more focused or a more diffuse sound, and to compensate for non-symmetrical rooms, and furniture locations, reflective surfaces and other less-than-ideal circumstances. You know, like the listening rooms that most of us have! The VXe array is mated with a JET 6C AMT ribbon tweeter, dual 10-inch aluminum-sandwich woofers and dual 4-1/2-inch lower midrange drivers
Well, it certainly worked in the less-than-ideal AXPONA suite, where the Concentro M 807 and a set of ELAC electronics filled the room with, yes, spacious and detailed sound. The speakers were well-balanced, with a smooth, even frequency response and excellent soundstaging and imaging. The speakers made me forget I was in a less-than-ideal hotel suite demo room, so from my point of view, the VXe tech works, and works well.
The ELAC Concentro M 807 speakers made their AXPONA 2026 debut, here driven by an ELAC Alchemy Series DDP-2 streaming preamplifier and DPA-2 stereo power amps.
How do I love analog? Let me count the ways. How about, by walking into the Elite A/V Distribution room and reveling in the sound of the legendary RCA Living Stereo LSC-2150 recording of Prokofieff’s Lieutenant Kije, by Fritz Reiner and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra? Well yes, it’s one of the greatest analog recordings of all time, but hearing it on this system with Elite’s Scot Markwell, and old and dear friend from The Absolute Sound Harry Pearson days, gave me goosebumps, and a flood of memories of a golden age we both lived through.
The gear that made me forget time and space, if for all too briefly? A Kuzma Stabi M turntable with Safir 12 tonearm with Japanese silver wire and KLE Silver Bullets RCA connectors ($31,985 and $43,000 respectively); Kuzma CAR-40 moving-coil cartridge ($4,570); Manley Labs Steelhead tube phono stage ($10,899); Manley Jumbo Shrimp tube line stage ($4,999); PranaFidelity Purna/MA Class D stereo amplifier ($11,900); PranaFidelity Dhyana speakers ($19,000/pair) with two REL S/3 powered subwoofers ($1,999/each), complemented by Furutech cables, power conditioning, and accessories.
Ultimately, high-end audio is really about experiencing the magic of hearing great music come to life, and reliving and re-creating those magical experiences. It’s easy to lose sight of that in the quest for the latest cable or DAC or tweak. But then when it all comes together and you’re enthralled by hearing an audio time machine at a show – or in your own home – such considerations melt away and you are at one with the music, and that’s a very powerful thing.
Well, they didn't collect any of mine...I was having too good a time.
We'll have much more to come in the next issue.
Header image: Margules and Athenamuse in the Ball Audio Distribution and System Solutions exhibit.
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