AXPONA 2022 Show Report Part 1
Audio Expo North America 2022 Show Report
Show Report By Chuck Bruce

  Welcome back to AXPONA 2022 in Chicago-ish, a well-attended and fun show that included families and proved that our interest in fine audio and music has not waned. Matter of fact, we are as enthusiastic as ever after our hiatus. Welcome back to all the folks that make it happen with great boldness and financial commitment. Hats off to the designers, product developers, engineers, manufacturers, dealers, distributors, marketers, and most of all our music-loving enthusiasts! Just so pleased to see the unquenchable enthusiasm of the attendees and exhibitors alike.

Out of the gate, the attractive new Elac Concentro three-way tower loudspeakers with ribbon tweeters listed at $15,000 per pair were performing admirably with full range and imposing bass while sourced via Alchemy Pre and Power amps. Congrats to Elac for the new upper-tier model. Noted for their high-performing compact models, these new towers elevate the brand to even higher performance and pleasure.

Focal was showcasing their imposing Maestro Utopia EVO three-way tower loudspeakers with top-to-bottom dynamics and profound bass offered at $75,000 per pair. In the large standing room only, an audience of both men and women was held in rapt attention while the music played. Quite a show indeed! These speakers achieve great beauty and fine performance. All while supported by a fine set of Naim electronics.

Luxman is said to be one of the world's most veteran manufacturers at the age of 96. This Japanese company presented a fine showcase of audio and music. Headlined by a fine pair of M 10X power amps these powering an equally fine set of Magico M 6 loudspeakers with diamond coated tweeters, it was a real treat! The powerful 1200-Watt M 10X monoblock amplifiers are offered at $19,995 each (C-900uis preamp is $15995, and D-10x SACD player is $16,995). Also in action was their new Luxman turntable and other preamp and phono goodies including a first-rate SACD/CD player.

Jeff Joseph was showing his most engaging Pearl Graphene tower loudspeakers offered at $44,000 per pair and powered via a set of Doshi tubed electronics + the marvelous Doshi Reel-to-Reel tube tape preamp enhancing the performance of a magnificent Studer high-speed, half-track deck. Upon which Doshi himself was spinning the most pleasurable Pat Barber Café Blue performance I've ever heard. Jeff Joseph beautiful gear never disappoints and these lovely Pearls are no exception.

Alas, while there's no photo, Marten loudspeakers of Sweden were showcasing their Parker Diamond Trio 2.5-way floor standers offered at $39,995. As with several of their upper-tier model, the Parkers feature pure diamond tweeters that provide treble HF extension out to light speed. No complaints here, truly first-rate sound in all dimensions!

EgglestonWorks was showcasing a new pair of Oso floor standers offered at $11,995, sourced via Bryston electronics and featuring a Hi-Fi Rose RS 150B Streamer/DAC. Analog was provided via a Dr. Feickert Blackbird TT with Kuzma Stogi tonearm coming in at $11,495 and mounting a Koetsu Rosewood MC phono cartridge $3,995. The performance here was first-rate as the new three-way loudspeakers disappeared from the room. The digital feed of Neil Young was quite engaging, as realistic as it gets with our fellow traveler David Solomon, the big daddy of Qobuz, conducting an impromptu music presentation. It was all great fun and great music too!

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