AXPONA 2025 Highlights, Must-See Audiophile Innovations, And Top High-End Audio Trends
12th And 14th Floors: Schaumburg's annual high-end audio event for USA audiophiles.
Audio Expo North America (AXPONA) 2025 Show Report By Rick Becker 

  It has been several weeks since my AXPONA 2025 Part 2 show coverage was posted, as I was very busy with my extensive Montreal Audiofest 2025 show report. My attention was diverted to completing the Montreal Audiofest report at the request of my Canadian friends. It is now past the end of AXPONA, and much attention is now focused on the the globally important must-attend HIGH END 2025 show in Munich. Enjoy the Music.com has also found a way to produce Lone Star Audio Fest 2025 high-end audio show coverage this year. There is still value in continuing the written AXPONA 2025 show report in that I visited almost every room, something that few, if any, other coverage has yet to accomplish. I hate the thought of participants spending the large sum of money necessary to participate in this show, and having no one even acknowledge their presence.

I am grateful to have a way of picking out subtle details that others may have overlooked, and a strong historical perspective that goes back many decades. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, Enjoy the Music.com can invest in multiple reviewers at this Schaumburg, IL event. Their show coverage is already posted online and is being very well received. Forgive me if my comments are brief or even non-existent with some exhibit rooms, as my video camera was not at this event, which is very helpful for additional after-the-show information. I'm going to roll a little faster than usual, so put on your high-heel sneakers.

1402   Musical Artisans, Ayre Acoustics, And Stenheim
I expect others have covered these major brands thoroughly.

1403   Audio Note UK
If a speaker is positioned in the corner of the room with a beautiful book-matched veneer, you know you are in the Audio Note UK room. I believe this was the AN-E/SPx Ltd with the An-E field coil driver. It is more expensive than you might imagine, but they have other speakers in their line that sound very similar. The house sound of Audio Note is extraordinarily consistent, whether you buy from their entry level (which is still not inexpensive) or indulge in their flagship products.

This is a rare glimpse of their more modest turntable. It may be the first time I've seen it. You could probably get away with wall-mounting this one to avoid the disruption of footfalls.

1405   Kharma, CH Precision, And Reed
The two photos above, of the Kharma speaker, CH Precision electronics, and Reed turntable, do not correlate with a room along the pathway I traveled. It's all top-shelf gear. It's one of the many mysteries of the show for me. It is entirely possible they were in a room added after the show booklet went to press. I used a Kharma Ceramique speaker as my reference for two decades, so I'm sure I liked what I heard here.

1408   Innuos
The Wilson Sabrina X speakers sounded considerably better than the original Sabrina that belongs to a good friend, but the entire rig is at least twice as expensive as his.

The Innuos Stream 3 is a new model, and the Dan D'Agostino Master Audio Systems integrated is a new, more affordable product from him. I like the clean look of it.

1410   Innuos
The second Innuos room had their product line on silent display, along with staff to explain it all.

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