Part 7: The Lower Level, Outremont, And St. Laurent Rooms
A symphony of spectacular high-fidelity sound!
Montreal Audiofest 2025 Show Report By Rick Becker

As I headed back toward the escalators, I came upon a large crowd gathered for what appeared to be a drawing. I later asked Michel Plante about it, and he wanted Enjoy the Music.com to let everyone know:

"This display was an important feature to attract a younger crowd. A lot of people in the industry talk about reaching that generation, but I haven't seen many actually doing it. As you may know, our Sunday event is Audioteens Day, sponsored by Kin by Totem. We offer free admission for families to encourage parents to bring their kids and introduce them to better sound.

The display featured six sound systems owned by members of the Facebook group The Audiophile Snobs. Many components — cables, furniture, streamers, speakers, and more — were generously donated by the industry. The initiative has been very successful, and we plan to grow it each year.

I personally gave away my first sound system, the one I bought when I was seventeen. It broke my heart, but I knew it was the right thing to do to help a teenager fall in love with audio."

It's personal touches like this that bring me back to the Montreal and Toronto Audiofests every year. Hopefully, other audio shows will pick up on these ideas.

Michel Plante (L) with James Drew, President of Wired With Sound, an audio rep company in Eastern Ontario.

I doubled back to say goodbye to Steven Huang at Audio Sensibility, and he insisted upon another annual photo of the two of us. Fortunately, we found a spot where the lighting was halfway decent.

20-22 Mars, 2026
The messaging on the elevator reminded everyone of the Toronto Audiofest, October 17-19, and next year's Montreal show, March 20-22, 2026.

I made a final sweep through the upper floor, stopping at a few rooms I wanted to double-check. The Hegel room (2405 or 2407) was nearly empty at this hour, and I listened to the new MoFi Sourcepoint 888 speaker ($5k USD) that sounded very good with lots of bass in this small room. I'm sure this will get lots of good press.

A poster pointed out the new Hegel D50 Reference DAC seen in the middle in the previous photo. This may have been the best room powered by Hegel that I've ever heard. Keep an eye out for reviews of this DAC.

It was colder on Sunday with cloudy skies as I passed the pool for the last time that weekend. Thanks to Daylight Saving Time, I still had a few hours of daylight for driving.

Passing through the lobby, a young couple was crashing with their music, probably waiting to meet up again with friends. As I attempted to leave the parking garage, I encountered technical difficulties scanning my parking ticket. Living in the suburbs where parking is free, such technology is challenging for me. Four consecutive right-hand turns and I was headed for the Pont Samuel De Champlain and the USA.

I was well into the Adirondacks by evening, where winter was still hanging on. The Saranac River, which used to be a highway for harvesting 200,000 logs a year in the mid-1800s, was free of ice. Friends in Long Lake awaited my arrival.

More Montreal Audiofest 2025 Coverage Coming Soon!
Part 8 will conclude this chronicle with the Best Of Montreal Audiofest 2025 Blue Note Awards and Honorable Mentions. Check back in a few days for our eagerly-anticipated Blue Note Aards!

---> Onward to Part 8: Honorable Mentions And Promising Products At Montreal Audiofest 2025.

---> Back to the Montreal Audiofest 2025 show report homepage.