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Live Nation Entertainment said in a company statement that it has reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice to resolve an antitrust investigation into its ticketing, promotion and venue operations. The statement frames the agreement as a resolution that will allow the company to move forward while implementing new compliance measures and governance changes intended to address the DOJ's competitive concerns. The company emphasized that the settlement does not constitute an admission of wrongdoing and that it will cooperate with any required monitoring or reporting provisions set out by the agreement. Under the terms described by the company, the settlement will require operational and structural remedies designed to increase transparency and competition in primary ticketing and related services. Those remedies are reported to include strengthened internal compliance programs, enhanced reporting to regulators, and the appointment of an independent monitor or compliance officer to oversee implementation.

Florida International Audio Expo (FIAE) 2026 Show Report By Dylan and Brett Rudolph Saturday dawned bright and early here at FIAE 2026 high-end audiophile show. It was earlier, in fact, because we were staying at the show hotel between exhibit rooms, as everyone was getting ready to meet their weekend music-loving fans. So, by 8am, we were already showered, dressed, and ready for the day. It never fails that going down early morning at luxury home audio events always results in either staying at breakfast too long or wearing breakfast all day, don't ask me why. It turned out that Steven R. Rochlin, EnjoyTheMusic.com's longtime and well-respected Creative Director, had arrived at the show on Friday, unbeknownst to me. So, we spoke for a time, and then we all headed from different directions to the buffet. He and his lovely wife, Heather, had already had breakfast, but while my son ate, we caught up on everything, and the time flew by. Before we knew it, it was already time to start our adventure once again!

The Women In Hi-Fi Seminar was a featured program at the Florida International Audio Expo (FIAE) 2026. It served as a focused forum to highlight, connect, and support women working across the home-audio industry. The seminar brought together industry professionals, advocates, and attendees for a mix of panel discussions, career path conversations, and practical advice aimed at increasing visibility and opportunity for women in engineering, manufacturing, retail, media, and events within the hi-fi community. Organized as part of FIAE's program of expert-led seminars, with Women In Hi-Fi seminar moderated by EnjoyTheMusic.com's Creative Director, Steven R Rochlin, the session emphasized mentorship, networking, and concrete strategies for making the hobby and business of high-fidelity audio more inclusive and accessible.

This article by the legendary high-end audio amplifier designed Nelson Pass is the first of a series presenting fairly simple "Do-It-Yourself" audio power amplifiers on EnjoyThe Music.com using Static Induction Transistors. SITs are a rare breed of transistor which have characteristics particularly desired by some audiophiles. They were first developed in Japan in the early 1970's and known then as VFETs. Brought to market by Sony and Yamaha in the 1970's and into the 80's they largely vanished except as a lingering legend among audio aficionados. My hands-on experience with SITs followed the publication of my 2010 piece "The Sweet Spot" where I discussed positioning the operating points of Class A amplifiers for load lines which allowed trade-offs involving the characteristic curves of the devices. One of these, equivalent to the Plate Resistance in tubes, we will call Drain Resistance and it is possible to exploit this for better (or at least different) performance. If you want some background on the use of SITs, I recommend this quick read.

Editorial: Pre-Loved Second-Hand Hi-Fi Is Today's Gold

Raidho Acoustics X2t - 25th Anniversary Edition Floorstanding Loudspeaker

Sphinx Element 5 Floorstanding Loudspeaker

OePhi Immanence 2 Stand-Mount Loudspeaker

Avantgarde Acoustic Opus 1 Active Floorstanding Loudspeaker

Amphion Argon3X Stand-Mount Loudspeaker

Monitor Audio Studio 89 Stand-Mount Loudspeaker

PMC prophecy1 Stand-Mount Loudspeaker

Audiovector R3 Arreté Floorstanding Loudspeaker

Audio Solutions Figaro M2 Floorstanding Loudspeaker

KEF LSX II LT Active Stand-Mount Loudspeaker

...And Much More!

Professional musicians have a first love, and it's usually not their mother or high school sweetheart, but rather the instruments they surround themselves with throughout their lives. Sometimes this serves a nostalgic purpose, though in most cases, it is because the instrument's sound defines them (The Harry Potter analogy of "the wand chooses you" comes to mind). Theirs is a uniquely personal relationship. We all identify John "Bonzo" Bonham through his style of drumming and the sound of his Ludwig drum kit. The size, tuning, shell material, cymbals, use of timpani, etc. were his calling card, inspiring his touch / gesture, helping define him, and in turn, helping define Led Zeppelin. For almost his entire career, Pablo Casals performed on but a single instrument – a cello crafted around 1700 by the Venetian luthier, Matteo Gofriller. And of course, who can imagine listening to Willy Nelson's music without the voice of "Trigger," his faithful Martin N-20 nylon-string guitar, on which he's been performing and recording for over 55 years.

In the mid to late 1990s, I heard a pair of Avantgarde Acoustic horn loudspeakers (hornspeaker) for the first time at a local high-end audio showroom. I don’t remember the model of the speakers I was hearing, but I do recall that they were powered by a pair of Single-Ended Triode (SET) monoblock amplifiers. I assumed that these amps were a perfect match for these sensitive speakers. Sadly, I was not impressed with what I heard that day. The speaker's biggest sin was an exaggerated midrange, epitomizing the "cupped hands" sound. Fast-forward to 2024, when I was offered a pair of Avantgarde UNO SDs for review in EnjoyTheMusic.com. I was skeptical, fearing I would experience something similar to what I had heard at that local dealer many years ago. Before these speakers arrived, I shared my experience with Avantgarde's North American distributor, American Sound of Canada, about my experience with their horn speakers.

Southwest Audio Fest returns to Dallas, Texas, July 23rd through 25th, presenting three concentrated days of high-end audio demonstrations, seminars, and industry networking. EnjoyTheMusic.com notes that the 2026 schedule shifts the festival to Thursday–Saturday, with new Thursday hours set for 2pm to 8pm, plus Friday–Saturday running 10am to 6pm, to maximize attendance and create fuller demo schedules. The show's home is the Sheraton Convention Center in downtown Dallas, chosen for its large demo rooms and proximity to the Arts and Historic districts, giving attendees easy access to dining and cultural attractions. Exhibitors will include major manufacturers, boutique builders, dealers, and independent designers presenting loudspeakers of many shapes and sizes, powerful amplifiers, turntables, digital front ends, and room treatment solutions in real listening environments. Programming at Southwest Audio Fest 2026 emphasizes extended, reference-level listening sessions rather than quick trade show stops: EnjoyTheMusic.com expects to see curated listening rooms, full system demos, and manufacturer suites where attendees can audition complete systems at realistic volumes and in thoughtfully treated spaces.

What does "listening" mean to you? Is it something active or passive? Is sound – including music – just part of life's background, or is it something special, something that holds your attention and that you meet with intent and focus? Given the near-constant flow of noise in our lives – music in every imaginable form, from singing commercials to the music at work, in the office, or in a store (never meant to be listened to at all, but simply to create an upbeat mood), to "elevator" music, to the background music for movies or television, to the "bumper" music for news broadcasts – almost all of us are surrounded by sound nearly all the time, none of which we actively listen to and little of which we actually hear. Even in a seemingly "quiet" room at home, the measured background noise level will usually measure somewhere around 55 dB. What that means is that, for most of you reading EnjoyTheMusic.com, sound – any kind of sound, including music – is simply something that's there....

Friday dawned bright and sunny for music lovers and audiophile enthusiasts here at the Florida International Audio Expo 2026 in February. While most of the U.S. was under now blizzard warnings, here in Florida it was, in fact, quite warm at a glorious 78F. Every major growing publication was here to report on the FIAE. My son Dylan and I covered many exceptional audiophile exhibit rooms for EnjoyTheMusic.com on the first day. There were many rooms to hear and enjoy. Quite a few show attendees might find that each room has a great deal to offer, and that is very true! Each dealer, distributor, and luxury home audio manufacturer offered a variety of sound system equipment from different audio manufacturers. This made the rooms both enjoyable and challenging to synthesize, but we did our best. We here at EnjoyTheMusic.com are sure you'll find a few exceptional pieces of hi-fi gear you'll want to audition within your home audio sound system. With that said, it's time for my exclusive, and extensive, first installment show coverage of the Florida International Audio Expo 2026.

The hobby of high-end audio has always traded in reverence: for rare recordings, for the craft of cabinet makers and tube artisans, and for the slow, patient work of listening. That reverence can be a virtue, but it becomes a liability when it substitutes for rigorous, independent criticism. When reviewers conflate admiration with endorsement, the reader loses a reliable compass, and the market loses a healthy corrective. Commercial pressures are not hypothetical; brands pay YouTube influencers to feature their products. Not too long ago, a YouTuber coerced manufacturers into paying monthly to keep his YouTube videos of their products online. For those curious, we've never monetized any of our YouTube videos. Not even the massive effort to produce the Blue Masters At The Crossroads live stream. That was my free gift to longtime friend Chad Kassem and his mother, who for the first time could not attend the concert. We live streamed it to her... and the entire world using professional studio equipment at our expense of not just currency, in both far more valuable time and immense effort.

Women In Hi‑Fi — Seminar Video Audiophile Junkie recorded an incredible panel at the Florida International Audio Expo where women who design, market, and sell top‑tier audio gear drop serious truth bombs. Moderated by Steven R. Rochlin, Creative Editor at EnjoyTheMusic.com — huge thanks to Audiophile Junkie for capturing this must‑watch conversation.

This issue celebrates the love of music as our exclusive Florida International Audio Expo 2026 show reporting, and multimedia features on our socials, are joined by thought-provoking editorials and great thoughts from our partner publications. There's a world premiere review, a documentary about the art of listening, plus we revisit our interview with the legendary drummer Billy Drummond. Steven R. Rochlin's editorial, "The Cost Of Truth In High-End Audio Journalism," examines commercial pressures, influencer pay-for-play, and why independent criticism matters, while Roger Skoff’s "High Fidelity And The Difference Between Listening And Hearing" explores the deeper purpose of high-fidelity systems and active listening. These essays anchor the issue in both industry ethics and the philosophy of listening. Our audiophile equipment coverage mixes a world-premiere review of Audio Research's impressive I/70 fully-loaded integrated vacuum tube amplifier (including optional DAC and phono stage) with other analog gear.

SVS arrived at the Florida International Audio Expo (FIAE) 2026 with a confident, high-impact presence, anchoring two exhibit rooms—each designed to demonstrate a different facet of the company's expanding Ultra Evolution loudspeaker line and its brand new SB-3000 R|Evolution subwoofers. The result was a compelling one-two aural gut punch: a cinematic 5.2.2 immersivephile-approved Dolby Atmos home theater in Room 285 and a purist-leaning two-channel (stereo) system within Room 350. Both rooms were packed throughout the weekend, even as a (cough) self important (/cough) reviewer for EnjoyTheMusic.com, it was standing room only many times I stopped by. Both systems showcased why SVS continues to be an influential performance-per-dollar brands in the industry. Room 285 was the more immersive of the two, built around a full Ultra Evolution multichannel array.

The Scott Walker Audio room at the Florida International Audio Expo (FIAE) 2026 delivered one of the most inspiring demonstrations of the entire show. I saw someone walk in, they heard a few seconds of music, and immediately whispered, "Wow — what a great sounding stereo system." The room was consistently full, and for good reason. The loudspeakers were Von Schweikert Audio's flagship-class multi-driver towers, a design known for ultra-wide bandwidth, extremely low distortion, and a soundstage that behaves like a point source despite their physical size. In fact, an EnjoyTheMusic.com Senior Editor has had a pair of VSA speakers for quite some time. With frequency extension typically reaching 20Hz to 40kHz, and powered bass modules capable of room-pressurizing output, these speakers delivered bass that was both seismic and controlled.

I knew Tim de Paravicini for over 40 years. My last contact was in late November 2019 when he wrote to me that he wasn't doing so well and just a couple of weeks later, he was gone. As has been mentioned by others Tim was a larger-than-life character. He did not suffer fools (or those he considered so) gladly. In his defense on most subjects, he would express strong opinions he was well informed. From our perspective this of course was especially in all things connected with audio. But television technology, cars, airplanes, and what seems to be a host of other things he did have in-depth knowledge. I don't intend to repeat his biography, which has been ably told elsewhere but just tell a bit about my own experience and friendship with Tim de Paravicini.

Jim Anderson's recordings have won a whopping 11 Grammy awards. His projects have been nominated for another 27, most recently for his role as the Surround Mix Engineer on Gisle Kverndokk: Symphonic Dances in 2020. Jim recently spoke with IAA about mixing this album, teaching at NYU, how he got into immersive music, and more. Added note by EnjoyTheMusic.com: Immersive audio is the three-dimensional approach to audio storytelling that is taking sound to new heights. While traditional "surround sound" exists in a horizontal plane around the listener, immersive sound refers to an expanded sonic field that quite literally immerses the listener in a multi-dimensional soundscape.

The main reference system in the room immediately set the tone for the Florida International Audio Expo 2026, anchoring the exhibit with the commanding presence of the Acora VRC loudspeakers. Displayed in the optional Mari Blue exotic finish, these granite cabinet towers start at $218,000 per pair, and their physical density translated directly into the room's sonic authority. Known for exceptionally low resonance and high rigidity here at EnjoyTheMusic.com, the VRC loudspeaker design allows its drivers to operate with remarkable clarity, producing a soundscape that felt both holographic and immovable. Even before diving into the electronics, it was clear that this system was built to demonstrate what a no-compromise, all-out, high-end, ultra-fi engineering can achieve. Driving the VRCs were VAC Master 300 iQ Mk II Musicbloc power amplifiers, priced at $50,000 each, delivering VAC's signature triode control for the Acora Acoustics towers.

Montreal Audiofest 2026 (Salon Audio Montreal) returns March 20th through 22nd, bringing Canada's premier high-end audiophile event to the city. Organizers expect thousands of visitors eager to listen, see, and handle cutting-edge audio gear, with over luxury 300 brands showcased under one roof. The three-day festival is designed for audiophiles, videophiles, immersivephiles, and curious music lovers seeking modern immersive, hands-on experiences. As the largest audio event in Canada, the event gathers top distributors, manufacturers, and retailers from the high-end consumer electronics industry. Attendees can explore dedicated demo listening rooms, vendor booths, and curated exhibits that highlight the latest in luxurious loudspeakers, top-rated amplifiers, precision, turntables, immersive headphones & portable audio, plus home A/V systems. The show's scale and industry presence make it a must-visit for anyone tracking trends in premium sound and home cinema.

The Focal Naim room at the Florida International Audio Expo (FIAE) 2026 presented a tightly curated range of systems spanning immersive all-in-one soundbar-ish playback, active wireless stereo flagship loudspeakers, outdoor installations, and high-end headfi personal audio gear for isolated listening. You an get something here for $599 like entry-level headphone models up to $69,000 for the fully active Focal Diva Mezza Utopia loudspeaker stereo sound system. This gives visitors at the Florida International Audio Expo 2026 a clear sense of the both brand's breadth and the pairing philosophy. The room emphasized real-world use cases — home theater, two-channel active listening, outdoor audio, and headphone-first setups — rather than a single one-size-fits-most demonstration. At the center of their immersivephile demos was the new Focal Mu-so Hekla soundbar that is said to be a 7.1.2 immersive all-in-one system ($3,600).

Retailer Deep Dive Audio of Florida was at FIAE 2026 with a compact but emotionally potent demonstration centered on the Marten Parker Duo stand-mounted speakers, Zesto Andros Deluxe II phono stage, Pear Audio Blue Captain turntable, and a Norma amplification/DAC backbone — all wired with Jorma cabling and fed by Silent Angel digital front-end components. This stereo system emphasized musical engagement over sheer SPL. The room layout favored nearfield listening, a fave of some EnjoyTheMusic.com fans, that, with careful placement of the Marten Parker Duo stand-mounts and a compact rack of electronics, they can creating an intimate, detailed soundstage. The demonstration prioritized LP playback while also showcasing a modern digital front end for comparison and streaming. The Marten Parker Duo stand-mounts delivered surprising low-end authority for their size thanks to a rear-mounted 9" aluminum passive radiator paired with a 7.5" ceramic midrange / bass driver and a 1" tweeter, which together produce a claimed frequency response from 36 Hz to 40 kHz (+/-2dB).

Before I could even enter Angie Lisi's American Sound Distribution exhibit room, she saw me coming and had a pair of headphones in her hand, insisting that they go onto my head for a listen. Immediately, I recognized the headamp by Synthesis, a company that was first reported in America by EnjoyTheMusic.com while reporting on the Top Audio & Video show decades ago. Letting Angie know we're not headfi specialists, she said that there's a new preamplifier with headamp version, which is perfect for those of us who love enjoying our music (out loud) with our family and good friends. Of course, isolationists and headphone aficionados will also love listening to the benefits of a high-end audio 300B tube amp. Sounded really great!

Suncoast Audio's exhibit room at the Florida International Audio Expo (FIAE) 2026 presented a focused, salon-style listening environment designed to showcase some of the world's best audiophile equipment. The room was arranged with a single primary listening position, carefully placed seating, and acoustic treatments to minimize reflections and let the gear's character come through. As a room that's always a favorite with EnjoyTheMusic.com reviewers, this year was no different. The large floorstanding Clarisys Audio Aria Mk2 ($195,000) consisted of four towers, two dedicated to bass and two for the upper frequencies. The Clarisys Aria is conceived as sonic architecture that delivers the highest resolution, top-to-bottom scale, and tonal beauty. Dual aluminum tweeter midrange ribbons operated in a true bipole configuration. For tech enthusiasts, the ribbons begin at 275 Hz and are said to radiate in perfect phase to create an effortlessly dimensional, holographic soundstage.

The Florida International Audio Expo (FIAE) in Tampa once again included an IASCA-sanctioned Car Audio Sound Quality (SQ) event and Money Round that drew many competitors. FIAE organizers promoted live auditions where attendees could sit in competing cars and speak with certified judges, manufacturers, and installers. This partnership continued the Tampa hi-fi audiophile show's emphasis on both high-end home audio and immersive automotive sound competitions. EnjoyTheMusic.com's Creative Director, Steven R. Rochlin (that's me), was a certified IASCA Sound Quality judge for years. Did you know we have multiple IASCA show reports from our early days, way back in the 1990s. Of note here at FIAE 2026 is that as an Old School IASCA Sound Quality and Installation judge for a few years with the late great Bill Burton.... Bill was the technical editor for the world's leading car audio and electronics review publications during the industry's heyday in the 1990s.

It's all about the people, and music brings people together. With my 40 years of passion within the field of music and consumer electronics, may I humbly say the Florida International Audio Expo (FIAE) 2026 drew in a lively mix of dedicated audiophiles, casual music lovers, affluent home owners, wealthy investors, and industry professionals. From the moment doors opened, Sue Toscano's always-smiling face was there with EnjoyTheMusic.com Press Badges, while everyone enjoyed our lanyards and Sue's exceptional event assistance. For three exciting days, the show floor buzzed with conversation and listening sessions as attendees moved between exhibitor listening rooms to hear new loudspeakers, boutique electronics, and carefully curated bespoke sound system demos.

The Estelon exhibit room at the Florida International Audio Expo (FIAE) 2026 offered one of the most sensually-curved sculptural tower loudspeakers—renowned for their elegant curves and precision-engineered enclosures. They easily filled the room with an effortless sense of scale. At the heart of the system was a full suite of Accustic Arts electronics, beginning with the Acoustic Arts Preamp V, known to EnjoyTheMusic.com as a reference-grade linestage known for its ultra-low noise floor and natural tonal balance. Paired with the Accustic Arts Power Amp IV, the system delivered exceptional dynamic authority, allowing the Estelon towers to reproduce deep bass textures and delicate micro-details with equal finesse. Digital playback was handled by two standout components: the Accustic Arts CD Player II / DAC and the T+A SD 3100 Streaming DAC. The CD Player II provided a refined, analog-like presentation from disc playback, while the T+A SD 3100 brought....

This exhibit room showcased a wonderful high-fidelity home audio system built around Gershman Acoustics Symphoria loudspeakers, whose innovative isolated suspension tweeter-midrange modules perched atop the main cabinets immediately drew attention. The speakers’ sculpted white enclosures and elevated modules not only created a striking visual focal point, but also delivered a remarkably spacious soundscape while also projecting imaging that placed instruments and voices with precision. Driving the system was a carefully matched amplification chain anchored by the impressive Pass Labs XP32 preamplifier and Pass Labs X600.8 mono power amplifiers, a pairing that emphasized system synergy, tight control, and ultimate transparency. The Gershman Symphoria floorstanders articulated micro-dynamics and macro-dynamics with ease, thanks in good part to the legendary Pass Labs amplification.

Welcome my EnjoyTheMusic.com DIY and fun-loving friends as here we have the new, true, duo, that slews high pricing, the MooVu Speaker Kit enters the audio scene as an impressively complete, and dare we say affordable, package aimed at music lovers who want high-performance sound without boutique-speaker pricing. Or maybe you love the whole DIY thing, or building stuff, or sniffing glue. Ok, perhaps not that last part. At just $499, the kit includes everything needed to assemble a capable two-way loudspeaker system: four custom 6.5" midrange/woofers, two 1" soft-dome sweet-sounding tweeters, a pair of crossover boards, some OFC copper wiring, and assembly instructions. For hobbyists, newcomers, or anyone curious about building their own loudspeakers, the MooVu kit strikes a compelling balance between cost, quality, and approachability. What immediately stands out is the thoughtful selection of components, thanks to custom 6.5" drivers that are engineered for smooth midrange performance and controlled bass response....

The Florida International Audio Expo 2026 in Tampa delivered magical music and a listener-first experience that provided practical, real-world product choices. Over the past three days, the FIAE felt compact but energetic, with focused listening rooms that made it easy to compare systems and hear meaningful differences across price tiers and technologies. Attendees found a pleasing mix of established high-end brands and surprising value propositions, and we here at EnjoyTheMusic.com love that the overall vibe favored musicality and thoughtful system matching over headline-grabbing specs and a typical world-record $2,000,000,000,000 world's best, and most expensive, high-end audio stereo sound system you've ever heard or seen. One of the first rooms I heard featured Pass Labs pre-amplification driving a system built around Rogers large loudspeakers, a Rose Music Hi-Res Audio streamer, and the FANtastic First Watt SIT S power amps.

Effortless HiFi was featuring Grandinote electronics and loudspeakers, plus the impressive Kimber Kable cables at the Florida International Audio Expo (FIAE) 2026. This was one of the most visually striking and sonically refined spaces at the show as these large ~75" high loudspeakers worked their musical magic. Anchored by the Grandinote Mach 8 Evoluzione loudspeakers ($128,000), the system projected an immediate sense of authority, plus EnjoyTheMusic.com appreciate seeing exceptional craftsmanship. The large floorstanding loudspeakers' sculptural design and Italian build quality set the tone for a room that clearly aimed for both technical excellence and engagement. Driving the system was the Grandinote Solo Class A integrated amplifier ($22,500), a component known for its Magnetosolid technology — a hybrid approach that blends the tonal richness of tubes with the control and stability of solid-state.

The Gershman Acoustics room with Pass Labs amplification and LampizatOr digital front-end at the Florida International Audio Expo (FIAE) 2026 presented a system that felt less like a demo, and more like a living, breathing, live music performance. Longtime EnjoyTheMusic.com fans know at its heart were the Gershman Acoustics Symphoria floorstanding loudspeakers — $70,000 paired with a LampizatOr digital front end: Horizon 360 DAC — $65,000 and Gulfstream music streamer — $9,600. Amplification came from Pass Labs XP32 preamplifier — $20,000 and Pass Labs X600.8 mono amplifiers — $31,000, with Cardas cabling and power distribution completing the chain. The known component subtotal totaled roughly $195,600 in total. From the very first notes, my wife/Muse Heather and I agreed the system communicated natural musical talent and showmanship. Voices and acoustic instruments had a natural bloom and tonal weight that never felt exaggerated.

The show floor opened today at the Florida International Audio Expo (FIAE) 2026, and first up is a pair of stereo sound systems that demanded attention for different reasons. System 1 combined the flagship Prodigio Audio Vitorlas ($90,000) with a Trinnov Amethyst ($12,000) front end and a Kora TA480 amplifier ($19,999), supported by an Apex Design custom server ($6,000), VIABLUE cabling, Ultrasonic shelving at $2,000 per shelf, and Lorica subwoofers. On paper, for EnjoyTheMusic.com readers keeping track, the known component subtotal came to $127,999, and with a single Ultrasonic shelf the demo rack pushed the visible package to about $129,999+ before accounting for accessories such as room acoustic tuning devices. The Trinnov was used judiciously, which let the system show its strengths without obvious DSP artifacts.

Welcome to the Florida International Audio Expo 2026 (FIAE), Florida's premier audio exposition sponsored by EnjoyTheMusic.com. Today was the final day of setup and our first real glimpse into what this year's show will offer. The exhibit halls and hotel suites were already humming with activity as exhibitors completed last-minute installations, tuned systems, and arranged product displays. The always welcoming Sue Toscano greeted arriving vendors and attendees at registration, handing out badges and answering a steady stream of questions with a practiced smile. She's everyone's contact for getting their name badges as well. Be sure to pick up your EnjoyTheMusic.com orange lanyard too. Exhibitors arrived on staggered schedules: some have been onsite all week, carefully assembling elaborate room systems and demo rigs, while others rolled in this afternoon with compact booths and a few carefully chosen components.

According to science-fiction timelines, 2026 plants us in the middle of several dystopian eras. We're lodged somewhere between Soylent Green, Highlander II: The Quickening and Children of Men. So... Happy New Year! In fact, stepping away from international geopolitics and staying in our audio-enthusiast, music-loving lane, things look a lot better. Spotify is rolling out its lossless service to ever more countries, joining Qobuz and Tidal in delivering quality streaming. Meanwhile, LP leads the field in physical formats once more, but reports of CD's demise are greatly exaggerated, and seeing the re-emergence of tape shows people still love listening to music in any way they can. We're also seeing improvements in good audio equipment across the board, too. While it's easy to focus on the big ticket equipment, it's not hard to find outstanding audio products at every price point. And yet, audio companies keep spouting the same mantra; 'how do we attract a younger audience?'

The Audio Engineering Society (AES) 6th International Automotive Audio Conference will take place July 29th through 31st at Huntington Place in Detroit, Michigan, bringing researchers, industry engineers, and audio practitioners together to explore the future of immersive sound within vehicles. With car audio's massive global footprint making it's way into multiple audiophile shows during 2026, EnjoyTheMusic.com's Creative Director Steven R. Rochlin is perhaps the only audiophile publication with years of IASCA installation and sound quality judging experience. The AES conference is organized around the theme Automotive Audio in the AI Era (Sounds of future cars) and promises technical papers, keynote sessions, demonstrations, and workshops that highlight how audio is evolving alongside electrification, autonomy, new ownership, and lossless music streaming models. Conference organizers are soliciting technical contributions across two submission tracks: Category 1 full papers (complete manuscripts) and Category 2 express papers (extended summaries)... Topics span AI and machine learning, system architecture, sound reproduction and tuning, active sound management, spatial audio, and evaluation methods.

Editorial: Simply Better: AI Really Delivers

A Guide For Developers: Evaluating And Testing BT LE Part 4

Phase and Delays Part 2—True Delays

What’s All This Watts RMS Stuff?

Musical Instrument Amplifiers Through The Years

Audio Measurements, AI, And Accelerated Change

Dayton Audio DATS LA Loudspeaker Analyzer

Multiphysics Acoustic Testing With Dewesoft DAQ

Frequency Normalized Distortion

...And Much More!

---> audioXpress Magazine -- March 2026

This month's demo is a very special one. Through the generosity of Eric and Dave we will audition what is to many vintage buffs the ne plus ultra of vintage high fidelity systems, an entire QUAD system. It will be composed of the QUAD FM Tuner, QUAD Multiplex Decoder, QUAD 22 Control Unit, two Quad II Power Amplifiers and two QUAD ESLs. All of these components are in very nice shape and will be set up as originally intended right down to the KT-66 output tubes. Acoustical Manufacturing Company, makers of the Quality Amplifier for Domestic use, was started by Peter J. Walker in London in the late 1930's. The original QUAD components were introduced around 1954. At the time the loudspeakers, while revolutionary in their construction and accuracy, were rather poorly received in an era of horn speakers with giant sized bass response. A very interesting interview of Peter Walker can be found in The Audio Amateur, 3/1978. I won't rehash the entire article here (we do have it in the library), but a few select plums from the article help to explain the design philosophy....

Audio experimenters have uncovered many gaps in the models textbook science brings to bear on electro-acoustical phenomena. This can be a source of bafflement and embarrassment to authorities in the field, but our ears have proven their value as a most subtle evaluation device - one which hears things that can't be there. Many scientists take the comfortable and logical way out and deny the possibility of unmeasurable "new" audio phenomena. For example, in the Spring 1991 issue of The Skeptical Inquirer, Fred E. Davis gave us "Hi-Fi Audio Pseudoscience," an article committing cables, AC cords and conditioners, CD treatments, and novel uses for digital clocks to the shady realms of mysticism and the powers of suggestion. He doesn't claim to have done much listening. Surely not worth the trouble based on mathematical models. Yet most of this study was based on "skimming through three or four audio magazines." Very rigorous method indeed!

Until eight or nine months ago, Listener Magazine rented office space U on the second floor of what used to be the Oddfellows Hall in Oneonta, New York. Our two rooms were toward the back of the building, right next to a spacious and well-equipped kitchen. judging from what we found in the building, hot meals were a key part of every Oddfellows meeting, along with a thoroughly bizarre ceremony involving elderly men dressed like David and Goliath and a skeleton in a black cardboard coffin. (And thus evaporated all mystery surrounding the group's name.) The important thing here is the kitchen, in which we kept a coffeemaker. One day it was my turn to wash it. I had been rinsing the carafe under running water for several minutes when I recognized a sound: Someone was speaking to me, and apparently had been for several minutes. I turned off the tap and there was my then-assistant, Kim Harmer, gabbing away in my direction. I stopped, smiled, and told her I hadn't heard a single word she'd said. Kim started over from the top.

One of the eternal struggles of audiophiles is getting clean power from their AC outlet. Many have gone to great extremes to get that pure AC sign wave. The most extreme example is the Japanese audiophile who installed their own power pole with a transformer in their front yard. At audio shows, I've been blown away by the size of some power conditioning units, which could easily be mistaken for power amplifiers. A few months ago here on EnjoyTheMusic.com, I reviewed an isolation transformer. It worked great, but it was large, heavy, and I had to take great pains to keep it out of my wife's line of sight. After that experience, I started looking for a more elegant solution to power distribution. That's when I landed on the Furutech gear. A few years ago, I reviewed the Furutech NCF Clear Line AC Power Line Optimizers within my system, and I was impressed by how seemingly simple devices could make such a difference in my system. I always wondered if I could unlock the full potential of those cool devices by pairing them with other Furutech gear instead of the generic power strip I've been using for years.

---> World Premiere Review! Furutech GTO-D3 NCF Power Distributor + Origin Power Cord Review — High-End Audiophile Power Solution.

Thousands of music lovers and audiophiles explore flagship hi-fi brands, experience hands-on demos, and learn at expert-led seminars.  The eighth annual Florida International Audio Expo (FIAE) 2026 will draw thousands of visitors for a weekend celebration of the finest high-fidelity audio from around the globe. From Friday, February 20, through Sunday at the Sheraton Tampa Brandon Hotel, music lovers, audiophiles, immersivephiles, and industry professionals will hear music reproduced by the world's leading home audio systems. Beyond headline components, FIAE 2026 offers hands-on demonstrations and a robust lineup of educational seminars that give attendees both demonstrable gear experiences and the context to appreciate what they hear. The Expo's continued growth lets visitors compare loudspeakers, electronics, turntables and reel-to-reel systems, headphones, cabling, and tweaks under real listening conditions, attracting international brands and boutique specialists showcasing new flagships and specialty products.

As a family-friendly event, EnjoyTheMusic.com will present a Passport To Sound booklet designed especially for younger audiophiles by educator and scientist May Anwar.

---> Tampa Hi-Fi Show 2026 — Florida International Audio Expo Sponsored By EnjoyTheMusic.com.

I have something to admit. I am a music lover. No, it's worse than that, I'm a certifiable music junkie. I listen to music at home. I listen to music at work. I listen to it in the car. I even hear music in my head when no music is playing. I'm always looking for new music to feed my addiction. My wife complains that my Christmas list is boring because all I ask for is music. Well, I do throw in a request for a pair of Berning 845 Monoblocks, but that never happens. Oh yes, my wife is a music junkie, also. She's always on the prowl for new music to add to her collection. Our tradition on Saturday and Sunday mornings is to listen to an album all the way through while eating our breakfast. It may be something brand new, or an album we haven't listened to in a long time. Usually, after our meal, we'll share what we think about it. Yes, music runs through our veins.

--->Aric Audio Custom 300B PSET Amplifier Review.

Founded near Warsaw Poland in 2010, while LampizatOr builds electronics and speakers, many are not aware of those offerings, as it was their exceptional tubed DACs that first put the company on the map. Owned and operated exclusively by its designer Łukasz Fikus, after hearing the disarming $17,250 Golden Gate DAC some seven years ago, then the even more engaging $27,000 Pacific DAC at a show during 2018, the reason for their success became apparent. Both these SET-based devices offered a conspicuous step closer to the undeniable naturalness, organic coherence, and space and dimensionality offered by the very best LP transcription systems. Łukasz and LampizatOr North America principal Fred Ainsley have recently announced the launch of the nearly $50,000 Horizon DAC, which I will get to hear at its official launch during the third Florida Audio Expo in mid-February of this year.

I can trace my interest in high-end audio back to the 1970s, long before the internet, and the 1995 launch of EnjoyTheMusic.com. Before we discuss today's review of Audio Research's impressive I/70 vacuum tube integrated amplifier, let us step back to the very beginnings. My first serious Audio Research audio components, as back then, I recall vacuum tubes versus transistors controversy was still raging on. That was when some audio wags predicted the death of vacuum tube audio. I credit Audio Research and the late Harry Pearson as the two stalwarts that fended off the Japanese avalanche of cheaper transistor-powered audio components at the time. And that was the time when the shifting public interest was to transistor audio. Audio Research Corporation (ARC) was founded by William Zane Johnson in 1970 and was originally located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They are one of the longest U.S. companies of vacuum tube-powered high-end audio equipment for audiophiles and music lovers still in operation.

---> Sneak Peek World Premiere Review! Audio Research I/70 Fully Loaded Integrated Vacuum Tube Amplifier Reviewed.

StereoNET today announces the launch of the Asia Hi-Fi & AV Expo, a landmark event marking the brand's first major showcase in Southeast Asia. Set in Singapore, the Expo underscores the city-state's role as a regional hub for consumer audio and visual innovation, bringing together manufacturers, retailers, audiophiles, and media under one roof. Organizers say the event is designed to spotlight both established global names and emerging regional brands, creating a concentrated platform for product launches, dealer partnerships, and hands-on demonstrations. With StereoNET's reputation for curating high-quality audio experiences, the Expo aims to raise the profile of premium AV culture across the Asia-Pacific market. Attendees will find a comprehensive range of consumer electronics spanning bookshelf speakers, large floorstanders, turntables, headphones, and full home cinema systems. The show floor will include immersive demo rooms, live listening sessions, and a dedicated Vinyl Record Fair that celebrates analog culture alongside cutting-edge digital formats.

The Bristol Hi-Fi Show 2026 returns this year as a focal point for audiophiles, industry professionals, and curious newcomers eager to hear the latest in high-fidelity sound. Operating from Friday, February 20th through Sunday the 22nd at the Delta Hotels Bristol City Centre, organizers promise an expanded floor plan and a packed schedule of demonstrations from established manufacturers and boutique builders alike. Attendees can expect immersive listening rooms, product launches, and hands-on opportunities to compare speakers, amplifiers, turntables, and streaming systems in real listening environments. The event aims to balance technical depth with accessible experiences so both seasoned enthusiasts and first-time visitors leave with fresh discoveries. Exhibitors at the show span global brands and local specialists, with several companies set to unveil new models and limited-edition releases. Demonstration lineups will include both legacy stereo and modern multi-speaker immersivephile setups, headphone audition suites, and dedicated vinyl playback rooms that highlight cartridge and tonearm pairings.

The excitement builds as there is a particular kind of purified electricity that hums through a hotel corridor when a high-end audio show is in full swing: the deep bass, silky smooth highs, and confident amplifiers warm n' happy. From the soft sounds of small acoustic ensembles to bold bands, the quick, conspiratorial exchange of favorite reference tracks between strangers who will leave as friends. For each of the next three months, EnjoyTheMusic.com will be there, meeting our fans, and ensuring you get our expert review assessments & info on the latest and best audiophile gear! Our exclusive 2026 high-end audiophile show reports of the Florida International Audio Expo 2026, Montreal Audiofest 2026 hi-fi event, and AXPONA 2026 audiophile show promise to remind us why hi-fi matters—not as an indulgence for a few, but as a vibrant, life-enhancing practice that sharpens attention, deepens feeling, and re-connects us to the simple miracle of sound. The Florida International Audio Expo, Montreal Audiofest, and AXPONA 2026 events each offer their own flavor of discovery, but together they form a circuit of listening that celebrates craftsmanship, curiosity, and the communal joy of music heard well.

It's coming; Valentine's Day on February 14th, and this year should be something extra special! Sharing your life and love as you warmly show how you feel about her. And while a simple bunch of roses is acceptable— at least where I live — they run close to a hundred bucks! Sure, they're lovely, and they do check the "romantic gesture" box, but, unlike a romantic relationship, flowers, they just don't last. They start drooping in just a day or two. In just a few days more, they're looking tired, and before a week is up, they're ready for the trash. It's a lot of money to pay for something that isn't going to last a whole lot longer than it takes for your tubes to warm up. Why not give her something that lasts longer, shows your feelings more personally, may cost less than the traditional blooms, and carries a bonus no bouquet can ever match? If it's music, she may have to play it on your system! This is also a great opportunity to get her a sound system, too, but let's save that for another Valentine's Day.

Edtorial: UK Music Market: Streaming Surges & Vinyl Resilience

Technics SL-1200 / 1210G Master Edition

Thiele TT01 / TA01 Turntable And Tonearm

JMF Audio PRS 1.5 And HQS 6002 Pre/Power

Linn Majik DSM (5th Gen) Network Music Player

Pro-Ject CD Box RS2T CD Transport Hegel

H150 Integrated Amplifier

ArgentPur Monobloc Mono Power Amplifier

APL DSD-WR Digital-To-Analogue Converter

Viva Solista Integrated Amplifier

...And Much More!

---> See this issue of hi-fi+.

Within my previous article last month, I argued that modes of communication could themselves be sources or initiators of meaning. An example illustrates the point. An artist paints a portrait of a friend whom he knows well. Through a range of artistic choices – pose, color, background, composition, etc. – the artist hopes to capture aspects of his friend's character, personality, the life she's lived, and perhaps his friend's self-conception as well. The portrait may or may not do a good job of realizing the artist's intentions, or may succeed in the eyes of some, but not in the eyes of others. Whatever the artist's or the subject's intention or vision, once complete and available to an audience, viewers are likely to respond to the portrait in the light of their interests in it. Those interests may have little, if anything, in common with the artist's or the subject's goals for the painting.

If you are like me then you live in a multi-story apartment building, then you are contaminated with junk in the trunk-line. More than likely you are listening to your neighbor's dishwasher, air conditioner, foot bath or God knows what. As a consequence have you ever thought your expensive audio system has bad days when the sound is not so good? This is why some of us audio guys prefer to listen in the wee small hours late at night. Unfortunately, I have no choice, either fix my power source or become crepuscular like my cat. Fire up your computer and do a search, you will find Power Strips, AC line Conditioners, Surge Protectors, Re-Generators, and Noise-Canceling devices. Why so many power source line tamers? That's because very few of us (Me) are blessed with a perfectly pristine power source unfortunately, most of us live on some sort of shared power grid.

While many music streaming services are still using lossy or, worse still, pushing non-standard proprietary music formats to increase their own company profits, more top music lovers and audiophiles choose Qobuz for their true lossless Hi-Res Music service. Recently, Qobuz posted "Why We're Taking a Human-First Stand on AI-Generated Music", and to summarize, it says that at its heart, music is about human expression and we here at Enjoy the Music.com very much agree. Music listening to out loud connects, shapes us, and deepens our sense of the world and each other. As fans, it enriches our lives on a daily basis; as artists, it showcases what we're capable of creating. Simply put, music makes us more human. When Qobuz was founded in 2007, they made a promise to honor the artists, voices, stories, and hard work behind the songs you love. Today, Qobuz remain committed to keeping music human as music is in the midst of a watershed moment with an unprecedented number of AI-generated tracks being created and uploaded to various streaming platforms. AI tools can generate hundreds of tracks in minutes from simple prompts.

Integrated Systems Europe returned to Fira de Barcelona Gran Via from February 3rd through 6th, and the residential halls were dominated by luxury and custom home audio innovations that target high net worth homeowners and boutique integrators. The show floor—spanning over 80,000 m²—featured dedicated residential and specialized bespoke audio, which is moving from audiophile hobby to full architectural integration. High-end loudspeaker manufacturers used ISE 2026 to both launch new models, and to showcase custom in-wall and in-ceiling arrays, furniture-integrated subwoofers, and hand-finished cabinetry designed to blend with interior design briefs. Demonstrations emphasized not just raw fidelity but room-adaptive DSP, object-based immersive formats, and networked high-resolution streaming—features integrators say are essential for delivering consistent performance in complex domestic spaces. Several booths staged private listening suites to simulate real living rooms, underlining the sector's shift toward experiential sales.

This was recently posted by Bandcamp: Something that always strikes us as we put together a roundup like this is the sheer quantity of human creativity and passion that artists express on Bandcamp every single day. The fact that Bandcamp is home to such a vibrant community of real people making incredible music is something we want to protect and maintain. Today, in line with that goal, we’re articulating our policy on generative AI. We want musicians to keep making music, and for fans to have confidence that the music they find on Bandcamp was created by humans. Our guidelines for generative AI in music and audio are as follows: Music and audio that is generated wholly or in substantial part by AI is not permitted on Bandcamp. Any use of AI tools to impersonate other artists or styles is strictly prohibited in accordance with our existing policies prohibiting impersonation and intellectual property infringement. If you encounter music or audio that appears to be made entirely or with heavy reliance on generative AI, please use our reporting tools to flag the content for review by our team.

I read somewhere that I praise every audio component reviewed for EnjoyTheMusic.com; after three decades of listening and testing, I can understand why. Advances in engineering mean that many review samples—amplifiers, preamplifiers, and loudspeakers—now deliver exceptional sound quality plus fit and finish. Just taking one look at the new Gryphon Audio Designs' Antileon Revelation stereo/mono amplifier proves this point in 2026. That wasn't true when I began covering high-end audio in the late 1900s, and my blunt critiques back then sometimes led to awkward conversations with manufacturers and distributors. My aim remains to give clear, practical assessments of how gear performs in real rooms and systems so readers can decide whether it's the right match for their setup and budget. However, what matters more than whether I give a component or loudspeaker system a glowing review is whether it fits one's system, room, and budget. My job is to clearly describe equipment traits.
---> Gryphon Antileon Revelation Amplifier Review

The February 2026 issue of EnjoyTheMusic.com is a celebration of music and romance! We feature a wide mix of premiere high-end audio equipment reviews, the FIAE 2026 show preview, and editorial pieces on audiophile culture — key highlights include the North America Premiere review of Gryphon's Antileon Revelation amplifier and a world premiere review of Furutech's GTO-D3 NCF Power Distributor + Origin Power Cord. The issue is dated February 2026 as we celebrate romantic music as a lasting gift and the importance of bringing new listeners into the hobby, with features on how luxury home audio shows (FIAE 2026, Montreal Audiofest 2026, etc) are rediscovering the joy of attentive listening. These thematic pieces set a cultural and community context for the technical reviews that follow. This issue's mix of long-form reviews, editorials, and show reporting makes it useful both as a buyer's reference and as a cultural snapshot of the high-end audiophile scene in early 2026. Happy Valentine's Day music lovers, and as always... enjoy the music!

---> Feb 2026 High-End Audio Reviews — Gryphon Antileon & Furutech Premieres Plus FIAE 2026 Show Coverage.

Southwest Audio Fest (SWAF), an exiting affluent high-end audiophile event, announced a schedule shift for its 2026 edition, replacing the traditional Sunday session with a new Thursday opening to boost attendance and preserve family time for visitors. SWAF 2026 will begin July 23th, and end the 25th at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel in downtown Dallas, Texas. Organizers said the move responds directly to long-standing industry feedback about slow Sundays, and positions Dallas as an ideal testbed for a Thursday–Friday–Saturday format. The gear lineup at Southwest Audio Fest 2026 spans the full spectrum of high-fidelity audio and related lifestyle categories: expect floorstanding and bookshelf loudspeakers, vacuum tube and solid-state amplifiers, state-of-the-art Hi-Res Audio DACs and streamers, reference turntables and tonearms, plus premium interconnects and loudspeaker cables. Be sure to learn about room treatment solutions that are showcased in purpose-tuned demo rooms. Music lovers will enjoy meeting up with other enthusiasts during peak days and create a livelier, more efficient experience for exhibitors and attendees alike.

The eighth annual Florida International Audio Expo (FIAE) will convene audiophiles, industry professionals, and music lovers for a three-day celebration of sound from Friday, February 20 through Sunday, February 22, at the Sheraton Tampa Brandon. The show pairs formal demo rooms with fun listening lounges so attendees can hear loudspeakers, high-fidelity audio electronics, turntables, and immersive headphones under realistic conditions, making it a practical venue for side-by-side comparisons and hands-on auditions. Exhibitor participation is strong, with organizers reporting excellent exhibit spaces that bring together international brands, boutique builders, and regional specialists. Reporting on every show to date, EnjoyTheMusic.com continues to be a valuable resource for the high-end audio industry as we once again sponsor FIAE.

As this is a family event with many affluent young adults and children attending, EnjoyTheMusic.com will have a special Passport to Sound booklet for younger audiophiles. Music lovers will find flagship components and niche products across categories including loudspeakers, amplifiers, turntables, cabling, and headphone systems, while many rooms are staffed by designers and product specialists who can explain technical tradeoffs and setup tips.

Audio Expo North America (AXPONA) 2026 takes place from April 10th through 12th at The Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center close to Chicago. This annual three-day immersive high-fidelity audio experience features a multitude of floors, hallways, and exhibit rooms. The AXPONA 2026 show brings together music lovers, audiophiles, and industry professionals for three days of sound exploration. Attendees can expect a vibrant atmosphere filled with cutting-edge audio demonstrations, product debuts, and opportunities to engage directly with manufacturers and designers. One of the defining features of AXPONA 2026 is its extensive collection of over 220 high-fidelity listening rooms. These rooms allow visitors to audition floorstanding loudspeakers, powerful amplifiers, precision turntables, Hi-Res Audio DACs, and other components in controlled environments that highlight the nuances of each sound system. Exhibitors range from boutique audio artisans to globally recognized hi-fi brands, offering a rare chance to compare equipment side by side.

The HIGH END Vienna 2026 arrives with remarkable momentum: the world's leading international audio show is already fully booked several months before opening. Set to take place from June 4th through 7th at the Austria Center Vienna (ACV), the early sell-out signals not only strong demand, but also a collective eagerness across the industry to witness a landmark edition. After 21 years, relocating the event to Vienna marks a symbolic and practical fresh start that many exhibitors and visitors view as a turning point. Moving the show to the Austria Center Vienna represents a strategic milestone for HIGH END. The venue's modern infrastructure and forward-looking facilities create a canvas for exhibitors to showcase cutting-edge audio technology in a professional, flexible environment. Organizers and participants alike expect the center's layout and technical capabilities to elevate demonstrations, listening rooms, and product launches.

This marks the one-hundredth episode of my channel... and so many things have changed since its launch. Join me in celebrating what we've accomplished, and to see where things are headed over the next six months and beyond. It has been just over one year since I retired from the world of IT Management and refocused all my efforts on my pursuit and enjoyment of my audio passions. I am incredibly pleased to say that at this point, the channel has built a particularly specific and faithful audience and has received some remarkable feedback and support. Further, my video production has changed, some feel for the better, and while I had semi-retired my martini, the response to the survey strongly supported its return. I heard you all, and it will.

What would we do without the much beloved road trip? The promise of exploring parts known, and better yet completely unknown, especially in the wake of the Covid Pandemic, strikes many like as perfect balm to months of virus-driven isolation. So, when my dear friend and fellow audio miscreant, Greg Weaver (known to many of you as the audio analyst, famous for his scrupulously detailed show reports and recent highly informative and entertaining foray into the fractious world of YouTube audio reporting), teased with the promise to hear a tantalizing array of new gear, to tussle with a new puppy (a 100 lbs. Great Dane named Stella), and most importantly, to reconnect face-to-face, I leapt into action.

Tiny Vinyl is turning into a new profit center for record labels and music rights holders as these 4" discs cost ~$15. Audiophiles take note as these tiny records may provide the least amount of actual vinyl sound quality due to minimizing the vinyl surface area. Still, it does not make these any less 'collectable' with pop songs on playable records, which has now expanded from the U.S. into Europe. Music available includes songs from Chappell Roan, Rihanna, and KATSEYE. Tiny Vinyl, the Nashville-based startup that presses four-inch playable records, might attract collectors and Gen Z who want another thing to hype such as music memorabilia. The miniature discs are said to be playable at standard 33rpm on most turntables despite their pint-sized format, and each release is often numbered and marketed as a 'limited collectible'. The format's novelty and artist choices have driven some retail partnerships and media attention, possibly positioning Tiny Vinyl more as a lifestyle product, plus it's a new revenue stream for labels and artists.

Luminate published its 2025 year-end music report, which provides us a broad snapshot of how audio listeners, sound platforms, and song creators navigated another year of rapid change. The report underscores that streaming remains the primary mode of music consumption, while emerging dynamics — from short-form video virality to renewed interest in catalog and physical formats — are reshaping what success looks like for artists and labels. Luminate's analysis frames 2025 as a year of consolidation for major platforms and experimentation for creators seeking sustainable revenue. Luminate's 2025 music report highlights several notable trends including short-form video and social discovery, which continued to drive spikes in single-track consumption, accelerating breakout moments for independent artists, and prompting labels to rethink release strategies. At the same time, catalog listening showed resilience, with older albums and legacy artists maintaining steady share of total streams, and vinyl LP and premium physical formats (CD, 4" Tiny Vinyl, SACD, etc.) enjoying a modest but meaningful resurgence among collectors.

Universal Music Group (UMG) and NVIDIA announced a strategic collaboration to harness NVIDIA's AI infrastructure alongside UMG's vast catalog of millions of tracks to advance what they are calling responsible AI for music discovery, creation, and engagement. The partnership will combine UMG's creative ecosystem and studio resources with NVIDIA's audio intelligence to develop tools and systems that enhance how people find, experience, and interact with music worldwide. Central to the effort is an extension of NVIDIA Music Flamingo, an advanced audio model designed to analyze full-length tracks with deep musical understanding—capturing harmony, structure, timbre, lyrics, and cultural context. By moving beyond simple tagging and surface recognition, the technology aims to surface music by emotional narrative and cultural resonance, improve multilingual lyric transcription and.... Read More

We made it! 250 issues of hi-fi+. And the stars aligned to make this celebratory issue our annual Awards... just in time for Christmas, too. It doesn't get much better. OK, so perhaps the free Rolls-Royce with a glove-box filled with Patek Philippe watches for every reader we were hoping to give away this issue might have been a little better, but only a little! Keen calculating types might point out that 250 monthly issues would put the first issue of hi-fi+ back in February 2005, and yet the magazine was launched back in 1999. So what happened? For the first ten years of the magazine, hi-fi+ was a true periodical. The magazine was a quarterly at first, then moved to a bi-monthly, and only became a monthly magazine in January 2013. From the outset, the magazine set a high standard. We maintain that audio is a luxury product and, if you are reading about it, then it's best to do so in something that looks and feels luxurious. Alongside the high design values, by-product of high-quality paper gave us the reputation of being 'the best smelling magazine in the audio business.'

Editorial: The Many Opportunities For Microphones

IK Multimedia ARC ON EAR

A Guide For Developers Evaluating And Testing BT

Phase And Delays Part 1—Exploring Different Types Of Delays

MF-100 Measurement Microphone Preamplifier

Michael Fay's Acoustic Essentials For Architects

Innovation, Expansion, And Wireless Evolution

A New Technology Frontier In Microphone Array Architecture

The Evolution Of Echo Cancellation And Noise Reduction

And Much More!

And what have we as an industry done with this educational opportunity? We've squandered it, that's what! WTF?!?! Of course the idea below is just that, just an idea and frankly while some might like this idea, doubt it'll go anywhere as it requires effort on your part. Go ahead, prove me wrong. Am not going to be a whiney bitch and complain about some gear being incredibly high-priced, as like cars there are Hyundai (very respectable, wife's daughter has one), BMW (wife and my car), and Ferrari (been there, done that, tracked the living daylights out of it until the engine needed a major rebuild). With high-end audio for 'normal people' out there, most music lovers think of whatever is $$$ (not just $$) in the big box stores as 'high-end'. They, you know, normal people, generally, have zero idea we as an industry exist in any true sense... at least in some meaningful way. WTF?!?!? So how are we as an industry going to reach the masses in a meaningful way to educate music lovers that we even exist?

Modern times bring modern solutions. First came recording audio over 100 years ago using a now-primitive needle scraping wax. Eventually we humans invented the microphone, to eventually amplifying musical instruments to the point of going full-out synthesizing via Moog and others producing 100% electronically-created musical instruments. Music lovers over the generations have gone from the wax cylinder and vinyl LP recordings to today's pure digital Hi-Res Music. What was once a challenge to find that special rare vinyl LP record within your 2000+ collection has become to today's computer search feature that instantly streams your fave tune from the millions of albums available online. How are those 'Classic Audiophile' types going to accept the 'Modern Audiophile' is still yet to be fully grasped imho. Binaural and multi-channel sound within the consumer electronics industry has been around for decades. So has Roland's Q Sound that was developed during the 1980's, which is the aural soundscape cornerstone of Roger Water's breakthrough album Amused To Death.

Montreal Audiofest 2026 (Salon Audio Montreal) returns March 20th through 22nd, bringing Canada's premier high-end audiophile event to the city. Organizers expect thousands of visitors eager to listen, see, and handle cutting-edge audio gear, with over luxury 300 brands showcased under one roof. The three-day festival is designed for audiophiles, videophiles, immersivephiles, and curious music lovers seeking modern immersive, hands-on experiences. As the largest audio event in Canada, the event gathers top distributors, manufacturers, and retailers from the high-end consumer electronics industry. Attendees can explore dedicated demo listening rooms, vendor booths, and curated exhibits that highlight the latest in luxurious loudspeakers, top-rated amplifiers, precision, turntables, immersive headphones & portable audio, plus home A/V systems. The show's scale and industry presence make it a must-visit for anyone tracking trends in premium sound and home cinema. Inside each listening room, exhibitors share their passion for music through focused demonstrations of world-class sound systems.

Online holiday sales climbed notably in December 2025, driven by a surge in e-commerce activity and a clear uptick in consumer electronics spending; analysts say this momentum supports a cautiously optimistic economic outlook for 2026. Online advertising budgets expanded notably in 2025 as all major brands chased the highly-profitable engagement and conversion rates during the holiday season, with digital channels accounting for the bulk of incremental spend. U.S. and global retailers celebrated December with strong online gains, as shoppers continued to favor digital channels for holiday purchases. E-commerce and online holiday sales in December 2025 rose broadly, with many trackers showing mid-single-digit year-over-year growth—approximately 7% on several measures. Overall holiday sales for November–December were about 4.1% higher year-over-year. Consumer electronics and digitally enabled channels outperformed, with some retailers reporting impressive double-digit online gains! Global online holiday sales were estimated near $1,290,000,000,000 ($1.29 trillion) for the season.

If Santa missed the mark on giving you the gift of deep, room-shaking bass this year, meet the SVS 5000 R|Evolution SB-5000 sealed subwoofer — the sub that transforms your music listening experience (it's not only for movie explosions). Within this review, EnjoyTheMusic.com tests the SVS SB-5000 active subwoofer with 2000 Watts from a real-world stereo perspective, showing how a high-performance subwoofer can do more than boost LFE at 80Hz: it fills the gap where your speakers naturally roll off, adds authoritative low-end detail, and restores the rhythm, weight, and physical deep bass connection to your favorite tracks that have been missing… until now. The SVS subwoofer was tested alongside my reference Vapor Audio Cirrus loudspeakers and go-to Arte Forma amplifier, aiming for a musical, real-world setup. I tried the preamplifier output so the SVS could receive a full stereo analog feed and make the most of its 295 Hz Analog Devices DSP and the SVS app's fine-tuning.

News of Bob Weir's passing lands like a chord that hangs in the air long after the last note fades — as we remember his thoughtful kindness and magical music with the Grateful Dead. For decades, he was a steady presence at the heart of the Grateful Dead, a musician whose gentle authority on guitar and warm, conversational voice helped shape a sound that felt like home to so many. The grief that follows is not only for the loss of an artist but for the quiet, human light he carried through stages, studios, and the lives of countless listeners. In this moment, the music feels both unbearably fragile and fiercely alive. Bob Weir's playing and songwriting were never about showmanship alone; they were invitations to listen, to move, and to belong. He had a knack for turning a simple phrase into a doorway — into improvisation, into community, into a shared story that unfolded differently every night. Those who followed the band learned to expect the unexpected: a new turn in a familiar song, a laugh between musicians, a moment of collective breath. That spirit of openness is one of the truest parts of his legacy.

EnjoyTheMusic.com and EnjoyTheMusic.TV invite you behind the scenes for an exclusive tour of the Quality Record Pressings (Acoustic Sounds) vinyl LP pressing plant. This special presentation takes you into the heart of a facility dedicated to preserving the art and craft of analog sound, showing how passion and precision come together to make the records collectors and audiophiles cherish. On the factory floor we join plant manager Gary and owner Chad Kassem as they walk us through each stage of production. From the initial mastering and lacquer cutting to the creation of metal stampers and the actual pressing of vinyl, they explain the purpose of every step and the reasons each detail matters. Their hands-on approach and decades of experience make the technical process accessible and fascinating.

Editorial: How Do Audiophiles Attract A Younger Audience?

Wilson Audio Sabrina V Floorstanding Loudspeaker

Unitra WSH-805 Integrated Amplifier

Davone Reference Three Floorstanding Loudspeaker

Audiobyte SuperVOX Digital-To-Analogue Converter

Eversolo T8 Streaming Transport

Hana Umami Black Moving Coil Cartridge

Meze 99 Classics (2nd Gen) Headphones

Audio Origami PU8 Tonearm

OePhi Kali Cable System

Wiktor Schulfer On Reinventing Unitra

...And Much More!

As I wrote in my email to Louis which you read at the top of this review, I installed the first set of Giant Steps under my LampizatOr DAC. They replaced the Stack Auva EQ footers which are 165 GBP (~$210) for a set of four, considerably less expensive than the Giant Steps and very effective at quelling physical vibrations. But I instantly noticed the improved resolution with the Giant Steps. They are in a higher league. During the first listening to my compilation CD, immediately after installing them, I noted cymbals were highly resolved with no apparent smear. James Taylor's voice was more analog or natural – there was no grain. I could hear micro variations in Buddy Guy's guitar notes. The bass was tighter. The Chinese drum cut had outstanding timbre. Music was emerging from a much quieter soundstage. And this was just the low-hanging fruit....

When trying to explain why there has been a resurgence of interest in open baffle designs, I take the following as an initial starting point. In the modern era, enclosed speakers dominate sales, and the percentage of the market they represent at any given time probably varies some, but not much. The remaining market share is distributed among the alternatives. Roughly, the alternatives tend to reflect two somewhat different listener preferences: one that is drawn to the dynamism and drive of live music and another that is drawn to an unencumbered and immediate engagement with the music. Listeners drawn to dynamic realism and music's driving force are likely to be drawn at some point in their listening experiences to horns, whereas over the course of their audio history, those who favor an unencumbered and immediate personal engagement with music find themselves enamored of dipole designs. There are other factors of course, including the desire to employ lower-powered tube amplifiers, the relative cost of securing power/wattage or current, not to mention the natural desire for a hobbyist of any sort to want to experiment.

Think your system can do better? Don't wait—follow EnjoyTheMusic.com on the socials and get first access to jaw‑dropping audiophile gear, pro-level tweaks, and rare sound system hacks that actually improve your music. Also get exclusive previews of high‑end show releases and game‑changing equipment before anyone else—your ears will thank you.

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As always, in the end what really matters is that you...

Enjoy the Music!

"Practice makes perfect." As with performing music, audiophilia is a practiced art, defining a very personal journey through a sequence of inspired choices and construction. Perhaps better stated, "Practice develops awareness." It is why musicians and audiophiles make for natural bedfellows. The art of reproducing recorded music at the highest levels is every bit a practice, fluid through expanding awareness and knowledge, at once governed by the absolutes of science, yet is subjective to artistic freedoms and interpretations. Many audiophiles ascribe to a practice of recreating the live musical moment as faithfully as possible, while others favor a specific aural character that defines a personal aesthetic. Ultimately, the jury lies not with the court of public opinion, but with those personal values honed through enlightenment, education, experience, and preference.

While no longer a showcase for high-end audio, there are still a handful of exhibitors demonstrating high-fidelity audio gear at the Consumer Technology Association's (CTA) Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026. Running through January 9, and is shaping up as a showcase for AI-driven consumer tech, next-gen TVs, and mass-market audio rather than boutique audiophile gear, EnjoyTheMusic.com looks forward to the immersive tech-driven sound showcases. The opening day in Las Vegas brought a flood of announcements from major technology manufacturers and startups alike, with the CES 2026 show calendar running media previews from January 4 and public access beginning today. Many consumer electronics and technology companies aim to set product and marketing agendas for 2026; organizers expect attendees and exhibitors across the expanded convention footprint. AI integration may be the dominant theme on the CES 2026 show floor, with everything from wearables to smart home devices and video systems touting on-device or cloud-assisted intelligence as a headline feature.

Three major regional audio shows are set to punctuate the 2026 listening calendar, offering audiophiles, industry professionals, and EnjoyTheMusic.com, three distinct chances to hear the latest in high-fidelity home audio sound. Southwest Audiofest will convene in Dallas from March 21st through 23rd, bringing a weekend of room demonstrations, dealer rooms, and manufacturer showcases aimed at the southern U.S. market. Pacific Audio Fest arrives on the West Coast in Seattle from September 11th through 13th, promising a mix of boutique home audio equipment, high-end audio listening rooms, live music sessions, and product debuts that highlight Pacific Northwest designers and retailers. Capital Audiofest closes this trilogy of audio events in the nation's capital from November 13th through 15th, positioning itself as an East Coast hub for home stereo sound systems. All events will feature the latest in lossless Hi-Res Audio streaming music and networking among distributors, dealers, and music lovers. EnjoyTheMusic.com will be at Southwest Audiofest's Dallas program emphasizes immersive room setups and hands-on listening, with organizers focusing on acoustically treated demo spaces and curated vendor lineups that let attendees compare speakers, amplifiers, and turntables in real listening conditions.

We made it! 250 issues of hi-fi+. And the stars aligned to make this celebratory issue our annual Awards... just in time for Christmas, too. It doesn't get much better. OK, so perhaps the free Rolls-Royce with a glove-box filled with Patek Philippe watches for every reader we were hoping to give away this issue might have been a little better, but only a little! Keen calculating types might point out that 250 monthly issues would put the first issue of hi-fi+ back in February 2005, and yet the magazine was launched back in 1999. So what happened? For the first ten years of the magazine, hi-fi+ was a true periodical. The magazine was a quarterly at first, then moved to a bi-monthly, and only became a monthly magazine in January 2013. From the outset, the magazine set a high standard. We maintain that audio is a luxury product and, if you are reading about it, then it's best to do so in something that looks and feels luxurious. Alongside the high design values, by-product of high-quality paper gave us the reputation of being 'the best smelling magazine in the audio business.' Sadly, some of the olfactory boons of the past have stayed in the past, as print stocks change over time, but we have tried as much as possible to keep the luxury touches.

Every Saturday morning of my childhood began with Beethoven. The Appassionata Sonata or Symphony No. 5 spilled from my father's turntable at a volume that stirred my heart before I was fully awake. The turntable sat on a heavy wooden credenza, its glass lid closed like a museum case. We children could admire the record collection stored inside but were never allowed to touch the equipment itself. The system was sacred. Surrounded by music, I assumed I understood it. Years later, I realized I had only been granted access to listen but had never truly learned what made a system sound good. When I received my first cassette player as a teenager eager for independence, I traded quality for freedom and never looked back. By college, I had forgotten what music was meant to sound like. I listened to compressed, flattened tracks through cassette players, then MP3 players, and eventually voice-activated devices that made listening even more casual.

Happy New Year from all of us here at EnjoyTheMusic.com! This is going to be a great year! After a fitful 2025 now in the rearview mirror, both the music industry and our own luxurious high-fidelity audio industry—the companies and people who bring us the audiophile gear we use to enjoy the music—are poised to reach new highs and to reach more people than at any recent time! We live in interesting times, CDs are back, reel-to-reel tape thriving, vinyl LPs... and an abundance of true lossless Hi-Res Music (20-bit/88kHz and higher) digital streaming to everyone in the world. Change is in the air. Can you hear it? The music business enters 2026 with a kind of renewed energy it hasn't felt in a long while. Streaming is still the engine, but it's no longer the only story. When it comes to profits, physical media and merch provide an excellent return on investment. Subscription numbers for streaming services continue to climb, and even the ad-supported side—after uncertainty through much of 2025—seems to have found its rhythm again.

Celebrate 30 years of sonic passion with the January 2026 issue of EnjoyTheMusic.com — featuing great reviws, think pieces, and CAF 2025 reports within our Review Magazine. This special edition showcases world‑class reviews and in‑depth features, from the Vitus Audio SIA‑025 Mk.II integrated amplifier and a World Premiere Review of the Esoteric K‑01XD SE SACD/CD player, plus the monumental Pass Laboratories X600.8 monoblocks and the earth‑shaking SVS SB‑5000 R|Evolution subwoofer.

We pick our Best Of Capital Audiofest 2025 Blue Note Awards! Plus exclusive show coverage and editorials that map the future of audiophilia — all curated for music lovers and audiophiles who demand the best in luxurious accuracy and musical truth.

---> See EnjoyTheMusic.com's January 20-26 High-End Audiophile & Music Lover Review Magazine.

EnjoyTheMusic.com's January 2026 issue continues to celebrate the site's 30th anniversary with a lively mix of forward-looking editorials, in-depth equipment reviews, and an expansive Capital Audiofest 2025 show report — all aimed at both seasoned audiophiles and newcomers exploring high-end sound. Our editorial section opens the issue with a renewed optimism for 2026, noting a resurgence across physical media and streaming that promises broader interest in high-fidelity listening; Roger Skoff's lead piece frames the year as one of renewed energy for the music and audio industries, while May Anwar's "Passport To Sound" advocates for audiophile education and outreach to younger listeners. These editorials emphasize that our love for music contributes to a healthier ecosystem for manufacturers and listeners alike, and the issue pairs historical perspective with practical calls to bring new audiences into the hobby. Luxurious high-end audiophile equipment reviews within EnjoyTheMusic.com's January 2026 Review Magazine is both deep and diverse, featuring a world premiere review and definitive hi-fi gear appraisals.

ESS Technology, a well-respected company that designs and markets Hi-Res Audio devices for mobile, consumer, automotive, and pro / audiophile systems, has expanded its SABRE CODEC lineup with the ES9291. ESS Technology's ES9291 is a new stereo SMART CODEC that combines analog inputs and outputs with integrated ADC and DAC converters. Positioned for professional audio equipment, the device is aimed at high-end microphones, audio interfaces, live-stream setups, powered speakers, mixers and portable recorders, offering a compact solution for designers seeking premium analog performance. The ES9291 delivers ultra-low noise conversion with a True dynamic range of +121 dB and THD+N specified at –110 dB per channel across both ADC and DAC paths, making it a cost-effective option for applications that demand high fidelity. On-chip features support high sample rates and modern digital audio formats, enabling manufacturers to meet stringent audio quality targets without large external component counts.

Spotify's annual year-in-review feature for music lovers, Spotify Wrapped 2025, has achieved unprecedented success and has reached over 200 million engaged users within just 24 hours of its launch! This is a remarkable 19% increase year-over-year and a milestone that represents the platform's biggest Wrapped launch in its decade-long history. Last year's iteration (2024) required 62 hours to reach the same benchmark, making this year's 2025 rapid adoption particularly noteworthy for the streaming giant. This year's edition introduced enhanced features designed to create deeper connections between music enthusiasts and their listening habits, including more layers, stories, and interactive elements than ever before. Spotify CEO Daniel Ek celebrated the achievement on social media, emphasizing how the experience connects users worldwide through shared musical experiences. Beyond user engagement, Spotify's Wrapped 2025 generated exceptional social media traction, with over 500 million shares recorded in the first day alone....

The Pass Laboratories INT-25 might "only" have 25 WPC under the hood, but it's no lightweight. Its 6" high and 6" deep by 17" wide heavy metal cabinet weighs about 50 pounds! On its front panel, it has a very readable numerical blue LED volume readout, and includes a silky-smooth running, large volume control knob. A row of push-buttons below the LED is for leaving standby and powering the unit, as well as its input selection. I was lucky enough to be able to use the INT-25 with many different pairs of speakers, and to my surprise, or perhaps It shouldn't have been a surprise, that the INT-25 was not only able to drive each of them but sounded great on all of them.

And just like that, our last issue of 2025 was sent to the printers —yes, we are still doing print and we have decided to keep doing it until we find a better way to serve the same readers who are gladly paying to read this publication in paper. We don't want anyone to miss out. Our increased focus on audio product development and design has been recognized as a unique, valuable resource, serving a wider audience than ever—evenly spread globally. The only thing we can do is make it easy for our readers to get access and read the way they like. Not even the largest media organizations have found the "magical" formula to make magazines available in other ways. Magazines, with their thoughtful layout, carefully reviewed content, and attractive graphical design, are still the highest form of periodical publications, offering the most consistent form of disseminating knowledge.

As I mentioned, when I reviewed the H400, I was unable to stream Qobuz directly through it, which was a little bit of a disappointment. Since Qobuz Connect was available, I could stream it directly through the Hegel H150 for my review. This interface worked flawlessly with my laptop. For some critical listening, I put on Respighi's Ancient Airs And Dances & Trittico Botticelliano [Telarc – CD-80309]. I don't own a physical copy of this recording, so I've been listening to it a lot on Qobuz. This music was a birthday gift from Respighi to his wife. To write this, Renaissance and early Baroque keyboard and lute pieces were arranged for the modern symphony orchestra. I've always found this to be a charming collection of music that puts me in a good headspace. Listening to these pieces with Hegel's H150, I was able to enjoy the beautiful Telarc recording.

EnjoyTheMusic.com's very special December Holiday issue continues our 30th anniversary celebration with a curated mix of seasonal features, in-depth equipment reviews, and comprehensive show coverage from Toronto Audiofest 2025 and Capital Audiofest 2025.

This issue combines expert holiday gift guides, thoughtful essays on the emotional and physical benefits of music, and historical retrospectives that invite readers to revisit top-rated gear and landmark articles from decades of high-end audio journalism.

Featured reviews and buying advice include a world-premiere evaluation of the sculptural MC Audiotech TL-8 floorstanding loudspeakers, the compact Nirvana Audio Chronos Optimizer, and the value-focused Hegel H150 streaming amplifier, each tested for design, sonic signature, and real-world listening performance. With our Great Audiophile Gift guides, this December issue is both a definitive reference for serious audiophiles and a seasonal resource for holiday gift shoppers for their music lover.

As always, in the end what really matters is that you... enjoy the music!

The Florida International Audio Expo (FIAE) 2026 promises to be a comprehensive celebration of sound: a weekend where discovery, education, and passionate listening converge, giving both casual music fans and committed audiophiles a concentrated way to hear the current state of modern high-end audio and leave with clearer priorities for their next system upgrade. Beyond gear and panels, within EnjoyTheMusic.com's exclsuive show report, it will feature FIAE 2026's musical in spirit; scheduled live performances and curated listening sessions let attendees evaluate components with real music rather than test tones, revealing timbral accuracy, transient behavior, and the emotional impact that separates good systems from great ones. Focus on music-first evaluations, which helps visitors prioritize subjective enjoyment while reading specs.

At the SUNsational Floirda International Audio Expo 2026, many exhibitors will offer show-only promotions and the opportunity to audition current and upcoming releases side-by-side — an advantage that can meaningfully shorten research cycles for serious buyers.

Here is what I wrote about the Chronos in Part 12, the summary of my ten most favorite rooms at the show on EnjoyTheMusic.com:

"In room 564, the Nirvana Audio Chronos Optomizer was my most exciting discovery at AXPONA 2025. This was a demonstration using speakers and an amplifier I was familiar with. Moving the little thumb drive-sized Chronos into the room transformed this modest system into a listening experience that was far more tactile, three-dimensional, and engaging than without it. It is one of a new generation of products that deal with the EMF fields that surround our systems with increasing noise as more electronic devices become a part of our lives. I was loaned a sample, and I drove the long way home to avoid having to explain EMF to Customs officials, either entering or leaving Canada. The Chronos was even more impressive in my rig at home. Hopefully, you will be hearing more about the Chronos from this Taiwan (ROC) company in the fall."

MC Audiotech's TL-8 floorstanding loudspeakers sounded great from the moment Mark Conti delivered them and assisted in setting their placement in my music listening room. They temporarily replaced my Quad 63 speakers that are set with a pair of REL Carbon Special subwoofers. The slightly diminutive, attractive, and rounded rear backside of the modestly TL-8 cabinets looked right at home. It took minimal effort to adjust locations for listening and finding the optimum room placement. The TL-8 front lacks a typical cloth grill. Instead, it features an open series of closely spaced, rounded, tubular bars that form a grid that can protect the drivers while remaining open and transparent. The tweeter is covered with a light-colored foam, and the small side ports have felt covers behind the wood-slotted openings. Mc Audiotech's TL-8 floorstander is beautiful, with a distinctive, sculptural, curved design that stands out from conventional box speakers, blending art with engineering. We know many longtime enthusiasts of EnjoyTheMusic.com desire the very best in home décor, and it brings me joy to say these loudspeakers come in a variety of finishes / veneers—walnut, chestnut, hickory, and ash—with premium upgrades like gloss black, gloss white, rosewood, and ribbon makore. If you want something custom to match your McLaren or Bugatti, Mc Audiotech can fulfill your custom home décor dreams.

Step into the exciting Capital Audiofest 2025, where not-to-be-missed large exhibit rooms and lobby-level displays are featured within Part 2. Rick Becker's extensive CAF 2025 report showcases where sound becomes spectacle and every corner hums with possibility. This year's event brought together the world's most daring designers, boutique builders, and legacy brands under one roof, each booth a promise of sonic revelation. Read about how jaw-dropping stereo systems reveal the best in music, as EnjoyTheMusic.com's first-listen debuts are features too! Across the exhibit halls, we deliver to you our curated listening room reports that read like a map of audio obsession—ultra-high-end separates, room treatments that transform acoustics, and immersive setups that blur the line between live performance and playback. Here at Capital Audiofest 2025, leading electronic engineers and designers are on hand to help walk EnjoyTheMusic.com through signal chains, loudspeaker voicing, and the tiny tweaks that unlock massive improvements. Whether you're chasing the last detail in a reference system or hunting for a single component that changes everything, Rick Becker's CAF 2025 high-end audio show report below is a festival of ideas!

Like the ravens at the White Tower, I cannot think of a more iconic audiophile symbol of England than Bowers and Wilkins. That's of course if you happen to look at the world through audiophile eyes. John Bowers and Roy Wilkins met during World War II while both of them were serving in the Royal Signal Corps. They began business as a radio and electronics retail shop located in the town of Worthing England. Bowers & Wilkins was founded in 1966 in Worthing, West Sussex, England. John Bowers started the business we now know as Bowers & Wilkins. At that time he was no longer involved with the retail shop. The first speaker production line was established in the retail shop's backyard. In 1970 Bowers decided to develop a loudspeaker wholly built in-house. The sizeable DM70 from 1970 combined electrostatics mid-and-high range drivers on top of a traditional bass unit. The distinct shape of the loudspeaker won a British Industrial Design Award. Good press reviews allowed the company to prosper.

Sometime in the mid-1990s, I was in a music store and noticed an audio magazine on the rack I had never seen before. It was Issue 12 of Sound Practices. I flipped through it and was fascinated by its retro take on audio, so I made the purchase. I read every article, but Herb Reichert's Causal Reactions column struck me to the core. This was back during a time when Herb Reichert was an arts school teacher and his vacuum tube efforts were dedicated towards DIY. His basic argument was this: the best way to evaluate an audio system is how it allows you to feel the emotions in your music. All other criteria are secondary. I know I've reduced a beautifully written article into a simple statement. But this statement leads the reader to the next question: What kind of system allows you to do this?

Universal Music Group (UMG) is rapidly expanding its global network of brick-and-mortar UMusic Shop locations aimed at superfans, opening new permanent stores in New York and London and building on earlier launches in Tokyo and Madrid. UMG has been steadily growing a global portfolio of physical retail spaces designed specifically for superfans, turning music merchandising into immersive, local destinations rather than just online storefronts. The concept began with a flagship in Tokyo's Harajuku district and continued with a UMusic Shop inside the UMusic Hotel in Madrid, and now the program is scaling with additional high-profile openings to broaden UMG's real-world footprint. The most recent expansion brings two major new hubs to Western markets: UMusic Shop NY (New York) at 2 Penn Plaza in Manhattan and a UMusic Shop in Camden Market, London, placing stores in two of the world's most visited music and culture neighborhoods and positioning them near venues and tourist flows that amplify foot traffic and discovery.

Editorial: You Had One Job

Marenius A2B To MADI Converter

DECT NR+: A Wireless Solution For Real-Time Audio?

The AP-805 Accelerometer Amplifier And Analog Signal Processor

The Forgotten Pioneers

Speaker Innovation

Thin-Ply Carbon Diaphragm Tweeter Domes

Adaptive Nonlinear Loudspeaker Control

Guitar Amps Vs. HiFi Amps In the Early 1960s

And Much More!

Marty Di Bergi, the wry, inquisitive documentarian who brought the world the rockumentary This Is Spinal Tap, has died — leaving behind a legacy of deadpan curiosity, comic restraint, and a film that reshaped how we look at music and myth. Marty Di Bergi was, by design, an observer first and a now-legendary storyteller second. In fact, without Marty's deep kindness, many of us here at EnjoyTheMusic.com might never have come to know of Spinal Tap's life-changing music. Marty preferred to let his subjects reveal themselves naturally, lingering on small gestures, those precious awkward silences, and the private rituals that make performers of musical art truly human. In interviews, such as detailing the band's various drummers, and behind-the-scenes moments, Marty was kindly patient, gently skeptical, and always ready with a clarifying question that exposed more truth than any staged confrontation. On the road with the rock band Spinal Tap, Di Bergi's camera became a mirror for the band's contradictions: bravado and insecurity, spectacle and banality.

KISS frontman Gene Simmons urged the U.S. Congress to pass the American Music Fairness Act, calling for AM/FM radio stations to pay recording artists for airplay for the first time and describing the current system as an injustice to performers. Gene Simmons took his case to Capitol Hill this week, appearing before lawmakers to press for legislation that would require broadcast radio stations to pay royalties to recording artists and producers when their recordings are played on AM and FM airwaves. Simmons framed the issue as a long-standing loophole in U.S. copyright law that leaves performers uncompensated while radio companies profit from their work, a point he emphasized in prepared remarks to lawmakers and in media appearances ahead of the hearing. In testimony and interviews, Simmons argued that artists have historically received no performance royalties from terrestrial radio, even as songwriters and publishers are paid for compositions; he invoked iconic names to underline the scale of the perceived unfairness and said the status quo amounts to "robbery."

When I initially realized 2020 would celebrate EnjoyTheMusic.com's past 25 years of being of service to the high-end audio / audiophile community, it brought a huge smile to my face. As one of the very first web-based sites online, there's quite a bit of history that was being made at the time. Back then virtually no print publication had a website. Yahoo was only a year old, while Google search engine would not appear online until three years later(!). Virtually no hi-fi print publication had a website back in 1995. Decades later, virtually every manufacturer and print publication has a web presence (and social media too!). Today, many enthusiasts within our hobby have their own web page, some of which are producing excellent articles and reviews too! As we're all in this together, EnjoyTheMusic.com is also celebrating decades of working with, and actively promoting, other magazines too! Please allow me to personally take this moment to thank both our longstanding, and newfound, global readers.

Humans have practiced mindfulness for thousands of years. Mindfulness is the art of being completely engaged in the present moment. It is a transformative practice that allows the mind to be attuned to any present experience, with a clear sense of openness and curiosity. It's important to note that mindfulness isn't about goals or expectations. Nor is it about banishing unwanted thoughts or feelings in the mind. Practicing mindfulness is about building awareness directly to the present moment, whilst being kindly accepting of any thoughts or feelings that may arise. Mindfulness encompasses an underlying theme of acceptance. Tuning in to the present moment allows us to experience everything that's there – using our mind like a spotlight. Mindfulness practice requires us to draw our focus to different areas including sensations, sounds, smells, sights, and the feeling of the breath. Zen Buddhists refer to the constant internal chatter humans experience as the "monkey mind". Through mindfulness practice, we can all learn to tune in to the present moment and enjoy the flow of life as it unfolds!

As an audio manufacturer and owner of Audible Arts, Jeff Wells is at the very foundation of what drives high-end, high-performance luxury audio. Need proof? Then read the below review of the Wells Audio Innamorata III power amplifier to truly grasp the outstanding nature of this product's design and engineering. Jeff Wells is an old-school entrepreneur who founded a family business in 2014 with only $2600 of spare parts and a great idea. There would be no high-quality audio today without small startups and visionaries who are willing to take great risks. And I say thanks to that group of audio entrepreneurs whose innovations are the lifeblood of our hobby! Let's take a look at the new Wells Audio Innamorata power amplifier.

As a classically trained percussionist / composer whose forte gravitates towards modern chamber music, I naturally seek out and explore the most current of musical ideas – Those that delve into sonic territory yet undiscovered. Contemporary percussion recognizes the fundamental responsibility of the percussionist-as-inventor. Indeed, we percussionists are creatures donning many hats, an amalgam of scientists, naturalists, engineers, archeologists, et al, compelled to follow the sonic siren of our artistic goals, unconventional or otherwise, that ultimately shapes our art. We are musicians in search of a sound, whose obsession it is to seek the source and its means of actuation (Yes, in the right hands, everything is a potential musical instrument!).

Welcome one and all to EnjoyTheMusic.com's extraordinary 17th annual Great Audiophile Gift recommendations! We all love gifts, yet getting something special for a passionate music lover can be quite challenging! Our annual Great Audiophile Gift wish list brings you some truly spectacular ideas for music lovers. There are so many wonderful products we can recommend to our longstanding loyal readership.

All recommended gifts this year are reasonably priced to be kind to your wallet. We have gifts that will make your vinyl junkie smile, plus a few surprises along the way! Everyone here at EnjoyTheMusic.com wishes you and yours a prosperous, joyous, and healthy holiday season. And now, on with our Great Audiophile Gift suggestions we know you'll love!

I've spoken to many luxury hi-fi manufacturers and distributors during 2020, and without a doubt the saying "May you live in interesting times" holds true. While that saying is an English expression that is claimed to be a translation of a traditional Chinese curse, the point is very valid for 2020. On one hand, both high-end audio and the music industry experienced impressive growth. On the other hand, we also missed seeing one another during shows. More hi-fi blogs and YouTube videos have been produced during 2020 than perhaps any other time. So on the one hand we have expanding businesses, online sales, reviews, etc within the consumer electronics sector, on the other we have (generally the elderly) dying from...

Everyone at EnjoyTheMusic.com truly feels deep sadness for those we've lost during 2020. With your kind permission, and after much thought about what should be said within this 2020 wrap-up, I'd like to focus on the positives of 2020 to wrap up this year's editorial.

Inside the World's Best Sound Systems for Audiophiles

Can your hi-fi sound better? Not happy with how your music sounds? Fix it. Join EnjoyTheMusic.com on social and unlock a world of jaw‑dropping audiophile gear, pro tweaks, and rare sound hacks that actually improve what you hear. Get exclusive previews of high‑end show releases and game‑changing equipment before anyone else—your ears will thank you.

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As EnjoyTheMusic.com celebrates our very special 30th Anniversary, we're highlighting great gear reviews from the past.

First of all, let me be totally upfront with you my dear readers, this is the first review I've written in a long time, so if I come off as an old curmudgeon, I apologize. In the business of high-end audio, the one constant is change. So when Steven asked me to review the Trio15 Horns, I knew I'd be in for a challenge. After so long, could I still use the reviewer part of my brain? Before you continue reading this, I would recommend you read Rick Becker's excellent review of the PureAudioProject Trio Horn1's sibling, the first generation of the Trio15 with TB driver. Rick does an excellent job of going through the assembly process of these early and more DIY speakers. I have to honestly say the Trio15 Horns that arrived at my humble abode were the latest generation, with Aluminum Frame and almost completely assembled. All I had to do is put in the horns, add capacitors to the crossovers, connect the drivers and was ready to go.

Featuring many Great Audio Tweaks Including:

Audio Magic CE Generators (Donuts)

Captive Power Cord Conversion Male AC Plug

Herbie's Audio Lab Way Excellent II Turntable Mat

Soundeck Record Weight

Block Audio C-Lock Duplex Outlet Cable Support 

Furutech NCF Clear Line Mini Power Conditioner

And many more!

Editorial: The Sound Of A Milestone As hi-fi+ Achieves 250 Issues

The hi-fi+ 2026 Awards

Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 Signature Stand-Mount Loudspeaker

EMM Labs DA2i Digital-To-Analog Converter

DeVore Fidelity O/Bronze Large Stand-Mounted Loudspeaker

Marantz Model 10 Stereo Integrated Amplifier

Nordost QNET 7 Network Switch

Happy 250th! Celebrating 250 Issues Of hi-fi+!

Issue 250 And Beyond... We Look To The (Near) Future Of Audio.

Meet Your Maker: Trilogy Audio Systems

...And Much More!

Thursday morning, November 16th, I found myself on an airplane bound for Vienna, Austria. I had been invited to the private launch event for the new flagship Kalista Mantax DAC, to be held at the Adagio Vienna City Hotel on Saturday, November 18th. The Adagio Vienna City sits just south of the Donaukanal, an arm of the nearby Danube River, and just immediately west of where the Wiental Kanal flows into it, bordering Vienna's city center. This places it just inside what is known as "The Ring," the popular name given to a series of wide tree-lined boulevards that encircle nearly the entire center of the city. "The Ring" is about six and a half kilometers long (~ four miles) and arguably offers more historical sights lining its edges than any other road in the world.

Christmas, Chanukah (or Hanukkah), and Kwanzaa plus other celebrations are fast approaching and, if you haven't already decided who on your holiday gift list gets what, from where, this year, try giving music. Everybody loves to hearken to the herald angels singing and, if the stories are true, old Wenceslas really was a pretty good king. We also love to hear about merry gentlemen resting without dismay; about how Jimmy Dodd saw his mommy kissing Sana Clause; and how, even despite the Grinch's efforts in a different story, the light from Rudolf's nose saved Christmas eve. Some of us even like to remember that old dreidel we made out of clay... or new fuses for our audio gear.

With many music lovers sourcing their rare music and high-end audio hardware online, online sales surged significantly this Thanksgiving, with total online spending over the five-day Thanksgiving weekend (Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday) reaching a record $44.2 billion! This is an impressive 7.7% increase from the previous year. On Thanksgiving Day alone, online sales hit a record $6.4 billion, up 5.3% from 2024. Black Friday also saw record online spending of $11.8 billion, an increase of 9.1% year-over-year. Around 152 million U.S. adults planned to buy tech products between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, and 59% of U.S. adults plan to purchase tech devices this holiday season. Online retail sales jumped sharply during this past week’s holiday shopping period, with some retailers reporting double-digit traffic gains and strong Cyber Week spending that outpaced many forecasts.

As human musicians continue to take a back seat to technology within popular music and movies, Warner Music Group (WMG) and AI music startup Suno announced a landmark partnership recently to develop next-generation licensed AI music tools that the companies say will expand computerized audio creation possibilities. Human music creators hope WMG will protect and compensate artists and songwriters for their efforts, which is why using AI brings financial benefits to music labs as it reduces the payout to humans. The agreement pairs Suno's generative technology with WMG's artist development expertise and resolves prior litigation between the two firms, setting the stage for a coordinated push into AI-driven music creation and discovery. Both companies claim the collaboration will prioritize human artist rights and monetization, giving creators control over whether and how their names, likenesses, voices and compositions are used in AI-generated works.

After driving down to Rockville from Rochester, NY, on Thursday afternoon, I got a fresh start on Friday morning to report on the Capital Audiofest 2025 luxury high-end audio show for EnjoyTheMusic.com. I figured I would need all three days to cover the entire show, but was able to spend the last couple of hours on Sunday doing a final sweep of the most prominent rooms. My Capital Audiofest 2025 show repot Part 1, seen here, covers the 84 rooms on the 8th, 7th, and 6th floors, and Part 2 (coming soon) will cover everything on the 3rd (ground floor), which includes all the large rooms and a hallway full of sleeping rooms, plus the Atrium.

As with my extensive Toronto Audiofest 2025 report for EnjoyTheMusic.com of the October show, I will not be covering each room in as much detail as in previous years. Hopefully, I will give you enough clues so you will be able to dive deeper into the internet, or simply contact the companies directly.

One of the reasons I like to visit every room at audio shows is the possibility of discovering a truly outstanding new product. That's exactly what happened when I ventured into the Nirvana Audio room on the 5th Floor at AXPONA 2025 this year. Here is what I wrote in Part 7 of my show report: The name Nirvana struck a chord because of the American rock band, but I couldn't picture any audio components with that brand name. When I entered the room and saw some familiar gear hosted by a pair of Asian gentlemen, I still could not connect the dots. As I took a seat during my show report for EnjoyTheMusic.com, among the others in the room, it became apparent that the room was dedicated to a comparison listening test. But what? Eventually, I realized the little dark item on the counter at the right edge of the photo was the Chronos Optimizer pictured on the scrim in front of the window.

I have had the MC Audiotech TL-8 floorstanding loudspeakers within my home for the past two months, allowing me to experience them thoroughly, given my experience with many recordings in a variety of genres, as well as comparisons between CD and LP sources. As I sat in my living room writing for EnjoyTheMusic.com, I felt like I was out on the lawn enjoying a concert under the stars in Saratoga Springs, the Mann Music Center, or Bravo Vail outdoor theaters. Few people look for speakers that capture the unique sound of an outdoor performance. But my brother Michael pointed out that the Grateful Dead hated studio recording and rarely did it, instead preferring that fans enjoy live outdoor performances. Then Michael was captivated by the sound of the TL-8s speakers and said he felt transported back to San Francisco in the 1970s. My point is that the sound and range of these luxurious loudspeakers have very realistic and natural results. They can also handle all your daily routine sound needs, which I will discuss....

EnjoyTheMusic.com proudly unveils our 15th Annual Great Audiophile Gift Guide! Finding the perfect present for the music lover in your life isn't always easy—but we've done the hard work for you. This year's hand-picked list is packed with exciting, affordable ideas that will delight vinyl collectors, headphone fanatics, and anyone who treasures great sound. From clever stocking stuffers to standout surprises, our recommendations are designed to make every audiophile smile.

Whether you're shopping for a seasoned gear enthusiast or someone just beginning their hi-fi journey, you'll discover gifts that blend quality, creativity, and incredible value. As we celebrate the season, all of us at EnjoyTheMusic.com wish you joy, prosperity, and good health. Dive into our Great Audiophile Gift 2020 Guide now—and get inspired with presents that will make this holiday truly unforgettable!

Last year, I was lucky enough to review the Hegel H400 Streamliner, an integrated amplifier with a built-in streamer. It was a well-designed piece of equipment that sounded great. When I was offered to review its smaller sibling, it was an easy yes for me. The H150 Streaming Amplifier is Hegel's newest integrated amplifier on loan here at EnjoyTheMusic.com. The very clever engineers nicknamed it "The Prodigy" because, while being an entry-level product, it is loaded with features normally found on more expensive units. Hegel's H150 Streaming Amplifier is quite a bit smaller than their H400, with a footprint of only 17" x 13.8" and weighing in at 21.4 lbs. This meant it easily fit within my stereo cabinet, and I didn't have to bust a gut to get it there. An added plus! It has the same elegant design as the H400, and the fit and finish are superb.

EnjoyTheMusic.com's December Holiday issue continues our 30th anniversary celebration with a curated mix of seasonal features, in-depth equipment reviews, and comprehensive show coverage from Toronto Audiofest and Capital Audiofest 2025. This issue combines expert holiday gift guides, thoughtful essays on the emotional and physical benefits of music, and historical retrospectives that invite readers to revisit top-rated gear and landmark articles from decades of high-end audio journalism. Featured reviews and buying advice include a world-premiere evaluation of the sculptural MC Audiotech TL-8 floorstanding loudspeakers, the compact Nirvana Audio Chronos Optimizer, and the value-focused Hegel H150 streaming amplifier, each tested for design, sonic signature, and real-world listening performance. With our Great Audiophile Gift guides, this December issue is both a definitive reference for serious audiophiles and a seasonal resource for holiday gift shoppers for their music lover. As always, in the end what really matters is that you... enjoy the music!

Capital Audiofest 2025 opened with an energetic pulse of innovation and craftsmanship, where manufacturers and boutique builders alike unveiled fresh takes on loudspeaker design, amplification, and source components. From compact two-way standmounts that surprised with full-range authority to sprawling open‑baffle floorstanders that painted orchestral scale, the show offered a rare opportunity to hear how modern materials, refined crossovers, and careful cabinet engineering translate into musical realism. Attendees moved room to room, discovering bold new introductions—vacuum tube and solid-state amplification, steerable mid / tweeter loudspeaker modules, horn-loaded high-sensitivity designs—large mega-driver floorstanding loudspeakers... and the thoughtful system pairings that let each component reveal its strengths.

The UK government has announced plans to introduce legislation making it illegal to resell tickets for concerts, sports, theatre, comedy and other live events for more than their original face value, saying the move is designed to protect fans from inflated resale prices and "destroy the operating model of ticket touts". Under the proposed rules, secondary ticketing platforms would have a legal duty to monitor and enforce the cap on resale prices, limits would be placed on platform service fees, and individuals would be barred from selling more tickets than they were originally permitted to buy, measures aimed at curbing bot-driven bulk purchases that feed the secondary market. Government statements accompanying the announcement argued the measures would make resale tickets cheaper on average and return access to events for more fans, estimating collective annual savings for consumers and describing the policy as a fulfillment of promises to tackle extortionate touting practices.

If you're reading this review, you're either considering the installation of a dedicated line in what is likely your dedicated listening room or perhaps your home theater... or maybe the video rig in your family room if you're seriously into watching TV. Or possibly, you've already installed a line and are wondering if this new Audience cable might be a worthwhile upgrade. In any case, I suspect you're already convinced that "everything matters" in high-end audio, especially cables. Keep reading. Audience is one of the most respected cable manufacturers and my ears perked up when I saw the ad for their new In-Wall AC cable. It's been 20 years since I reviewed Joe Skubinski's JPS Labs Power AC In-Wall cable. He's sold miles of it and "Big Red" has remained my reference dedicated line ever since. What's taken so long for the competition to arise?

Thunder Data, the primary company responsible for the Silent Angel products was founded by two Chinese research engineers – Dr. Huang Jian and Chorus Chuang – specializing in both hardware and software development and engineering, and they have several patents in this field. Features of the already highly-regarded Bonn N8 eight-port Ethernet switch, which sells for £399, include fully balanced input and output transformers for every port, though it must be said that pretty much all such network connections are done this way even on low-cost Netgear switches. Further additions include damping pads on many internal components to reduce induced jitter from audio-related vibration, and the use of a low-noise high-stability reference clock to upgrade it to an audio-quality computer network switch. The eight ports are 100/1000Base-T gigabit specification, and the design includes a customized 'Silent Angel Noise Absorber' with two EMC filters for the main internal power supply and a further two for the clock generator circuit.

The eighth annual Florida International Audio Expo (FIAE) returns as the Southeast's most eagerly anticipated high-end audio gatherings, bringing together music lovers, audiophiles, immersivephiles, and industry professionals for a long weekend of listening, discovery, and community. FIAE show's 2026 edition continues the event's tradition of pairing commercial exhibits with live music and educational programming to give visitors both demonstrable gear experiences and context for what they hear. From Friday through Sunday, February 20th through 22nd (2026) at the Sheraton Tampa Brandon Hotel, ticketing options include single-day and multi-day passes to suit casual visitors, dedicated musicphiles, and audiophiles / immersivephiles alike. Organizer statements and press coverage emphasize that the 2026 event marks the Expo's eighth annual run, highlighting steady growth in both exhibitor participation and room counts; this expansion has translated into more than 100 exciting exhibit spaces that let music lovers compare loudspeakers, electronics, vinyl LP turntable systems, stereo / immersive headphones, cabling, and tweaks under real listening conditions.

Not thrilled with how your music sounds? You can change that. Get more from your sound system and join EnjoyTheMusic.com's social media pages now—your ears will notice the difference. Discover jaw‑dropping audiophile gear, insider tweaks, and rare sound hacks you won't find elsewhere.

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Within Brett and Dylan Rudolph's Photofest 5, they elevate the visual narrative you loved within Photofest 4 by expanding beyond single moments into immersive visuals and mini-features that feature the latest hi-fi equipment. This series of pics pairs Brett and Dylan Rudolf’s unmistakable photojournalism with fresh angles and narrative sequencing that show how a component lives within a home. Exhibitors have finalized their placement trials and their small adjustments that turn good sound into unforgettable listening. These photographs from the Capital Audiofest 2025 high-end audio event showcase how finishes, proportions, and placement interact with real rooms. From hand-finishing, candid frames, and the technicians / designers whose choices shape tone and presence, EnjoyTheMusic.com's exclusive Photofest 5 emphasizes process photography... and the human gestures behind final products. We want our extensive worldwide readers helping us celebrate our very special 30th Anniversary this year to gain an appreciation not just for the finished component, but for the craft and decisions that define its character.

Our exclusive Photofest 4 steps into snapshots to tell richer stories — close-ups of craftsmanship, candid moments, and sequence shots that show setups of the world's finest home audio equipment. EnjoyTheMusic.com's impactful images, thanks to our photojournalist and reviewer Brett Rudolf and his son Dylan, which emphasize tactile details such as hand-applied finishes, room treatments, and the human scale that makes high-end audio feel approachable and welcome into your luxury home. EnjoyTheMusic.com's Photofest 4 highlights focus on demos and pairing visuals with standout components. Expect portraits of breakthrough products, side-by-side comparisons that reveal aesthetic and acoustic choices, and images that may give you hints which systems deliver the most emotional impact for your favorite musical styles. Photofest 4 also points forward: curated companies to watch, teasers for upcoming in-depth reviews, and visual guides for recreating specific room looks and sound.

Within Brett and Dylan's Photofest 3, they dig deep into the visuals: photo impressions from a variety of standout rooms and stereo system demos, where home audio gear moves with good looks and sound to deliver memorable musicality and visual excellence. These photos give you a glorious sense of how systems fit into your lifestyle in context within a listening room. These snapshots capture the visually artistic character and highlight which combinations you love. Within EnjoyTheMusic.com's extensive Photofest Part 3, we spotlight moments that defined the weekend here at Capital Audiofest 2025. Both designers and dealers are here at CAF 2025 showcasing newly stocked lines that reveal trends and possible future directions of high-end audio. From handcrafted home audio loudspeakers to the latest in state-of-the-art Hi-Res Audio DACS, attendees could see, feel, and hear these amazing sound systems.

EnjoyTheMusic.com's Capital Audiofest 2025 Photofest gallery, captured by photojournalist and reviewer Brett Rudolph and his son Dylan, plunges readers into the visual heart of the Twinbrook Hilton event. Rudolph's images focus on the interplay of form and function—sleek loudspeaker lines, glowing tube amplifiers, and the intimate staging of listening rooms—while his captions and short observations point out the moments that mattered: demos that drew crowds, product debuts with surprising polish, and room setups that married acoustic sense with aesthetic flair. While our CAF 2025 Photofest Part 1 featured many great photos from the incredible audiophile and music lover event, within Part 2, we lean into atmosphere and continue letting photographs tell much of the story. The gallery sequences move from wide room shots that convey scale and energy to tight detail frames that showcase build quality, finishes, and component design.

EnjoyTheMusic.com's Capital Audiofest 2025 high-end audio show report photofest gallery, captured by photojournalist and reviewer Brett Rudolph, delivers an immersive recap of various audiophile sound systems. The piece blends photog observations with a lively visual narrative, giving readers a take on standout gear and a sprawling Photofest of scenes that convey the show's energy. Brett Rudolph's coverage guides readers through the event held at the Twinbrook Hilton, highlighting trends in high-end audio, notable product debuts, and memorable demonstrations. Part 1 of Brett's extensive report balances technical impressions with accessible images so enthusiasts and curious newcomers alike can appreciate what made Capital Audiofest 2025 noteworthy. EnjoyTheMusic.com's exclusive Photofest gallery is a focal point of the feature, offering many photos that document rooms and luxurious consumer electronics equipment in detail. His images serve as both a visual archive and an editorial complement.

Welcome to EnjoyTheMusic.com's comprehensive Capital Audiofest 2025 show report. Capital Audiofest (CAF) 2025 is set to take place from November 14th to 16th at the Hilton Rockville in Maryland, continuing its legacy as the East Coast's largest and most beloved high-end audio show. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, offering three full days of immersive listening experiences, gear demos, and community engagement. Founded in 2010 by Gary Gill, CAF has grown from a grassroots gathering into a cornerstone of the North American audiophile calendar, drawing enthusiasts, engineers, and manufacturers from across the globe. Our Capital Audiofest 2025 show reports will be online during the event, with very exciting expanded coverage afterwards!

We Don't Want You To Miss Out

Breaking Boundaries In Wireless Audio

Enhancing Critical Communications: AI Voice Processing

A Guide For Developers Developing And Testing Bluetooth

Distributed Mode Loudspeaker Technology And "Invisible Speakers"

Cleer ARC 3 Open Wireless Earbuds With Noise Cancelling

Total Dynamic Distortion

Danville Signal dspNexus 2/8 Part 2—Listening Experiences

Why DIY When You Can Buy?

...And Much More!

During the third week in June, I was invited to attend a limited press event in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The event was sponsored by Monarch Systems, based in Englewood, CO, Siltech's US Importer, to introduce and promote the launch of Siltech's new flagship line of cables, Master Crown. I reported on that event here, at Enjoy the Music.com, on June 29th, with Siltech Launches Master Crown Cables. I also provided coverage on my audio analyst YouTube channel, with E181: Siltech's Master Crown Cable, on June 30, 2024 (video is near the bottom of this review). The company was founded with the inspired efforts of two music students, Hans de Ligt and Michel de Goey. These two were exploring the fabrication of cables, not by chance, luck, or intuition, but by applying science and metallurgical knowledge.

Too often, I have been guilty of 'burying the lead.' Not this time: the Jadis DA88S MkII integrated amplifier is the most musically convincing and enjoyable vacuum tube stereo integrated amplifier I have ever experienced – in my home or elsewhere. From the moment it was installed in my system until the moment shippers were summoned to remove it, this handsome piece of kit brought joy and fulfillment to my listening experience that had eluded me since my decade-long love affair with various Shindo-centered reference systems fell victim to life's often unforeseeable and unwelcome interventions. At different times my Shindo systems were anchored by the (no longer in production) Sinhonia push / pull monoblocks featuring the F2 output tube as well as the ne plus ultra 300B Ltd monoblocks. The former offered a dynamic realism that the 300B Ltd could not match, while the latter offered a texture, color, and density that was in equal measure beguiling and bewitching.

A cluster of international (non-U.S.) premier hi-fi events will simultaneously open their doors on November 15th through 16th (2025), drawing audiophiles and industry professionals to four European and Asian capitals. Rome Hi-Fidelity returns to the Melià Hotel Congress Centre in Milan with a curated program promoted by importers and manufacturers showcasing the latest in high-end audio and video for listeners and sellers. In Athens, the HXOS EIKONA Show at the Wyndham Grand brings the audio/visual market back to center stage with demonstrations and vendor rooms highlighting cutting-edge systems and immersive listening experiences. Meanwhile in Budapest the HIFI Show Budapest at the Crowne Plaza promises a dignified exhibition of the newest audio and video technology, continuing its reputation as a leading regional showcase where manufacturers present refined systems in salon-style settings. Across the Mediterranean in the Philippines, the November Hi-Fi Show Philippines celebrates 23 years at its new home in Makati Diamond Residences.

EnjoyTheMusic.com, the leading authority in premium home audio since 1995, today announced its continued sponsorship of Capital Audiofest 2025. The three-day event will be held November 14th through 16th at the Twinbrook Hilton in Rockville, Maryland, and feature both audiophile and immersivephile home audio sound systems. For more than 30 years, EnjoyTheMusic.com has delivered comprehensive industry news, thousands of gear reviews, and extensive show coverage to the global high-end audio community. As a long-standing voice in luxury consumer electronics, the site is proud to support Capital Audiofest's 14th annual exhibition, one of the largest fall home-entertainment shows open to the public in the United States. Over the years, Capital Audiofest (CAF) has drawn thousands of music lovers, audiophiles, manufacturers, and media professionals, providing an important forum for product demonstrations, industry dialogue, and discovery. EnjoyTheMusic.com's sponsorship reaffirms its commitment to fostering industry growth, promoting innovative audio technologies, and enhancing the experience for show attendees and exhibitors alike.

In the 1940 Disney film, Fantasia, Mickey Mouse, still in costume from his performance as Dukas' The Sorcerer's Apprentice, runs up to Conductor, Leopold Stokowski, and, full of admiration, pulls on Stokowski's coat, says "Mr. Stokowski! Mr. Stokowski!", whistles to get the great man's attention, says "My congratulations, sir!" and the exchange continues.... Back in those days, Mickey Mouse was hugely successful, Stokowski became a popular figure, Fantasia became one of the all-time classic movies, played, re-played, re-dubbed, and, finally, in 2000, given a sequel. And classical music was, for at least a while, if not the, at least a kind of music enjoyed by the masses. (Just a side-note, here, when my daughter was little, she was quite smitten by Fantasia – which we had on tape and played at home – and called the Sorcerer's Apprentice sequence "The Sausage's Appendix").

Editorial: Time Travelling Via Music

Magico S2 Floorstanding Loudspeaker

Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary Stand-Mount Loudspeaker

Burmester 232 Integrated Amplifier

Transrotor Bellini TMD, TRA 9 And Figaro Turntable, Arm, & MC Cartridge

Ensemble Massimo Fonobrio Phono Stage

Rotel DX-5 Integrated Amplifier

Revival Audio Sprint 3 Stand-Mount Loudspeaker

Ruark Audio R610 Integrated Music System

Technics SC-CX700 Wireless active Loudspeaker

REL S/850 Subwoofer

...And Much More!

Well, audio tweaks are not exactly history-altering inventions like the printing press.... Thus, my annual Tweakfest of small, but significant products, has drifted into fall, just in time for the November issue and foreshadowing the Holiday Gift Guide. The cognoscenti of audio forums have probably christened me a fanboy of Synergistic Research, but I've been continually impressed with the creations from the mind of Ted Denney. His major products are cables and power conditioners, but once he makes a discovery it is frequently spread throughout a multitude of smaller products and occasionally gives birth to a new tweak. I'll cover three such items, plus a few more, in this Fall Foliage Tweakfest.

It was love at first sight when I discovered the new AGD Audio at Rocky Mountain Audiofest back in 2019. My review came out in the February 2020 issue and it was awarded a Best of 2020 Blue Note Award. Now, four years later, it still puts a smile on my face when I turn it on. It's priced at $7850 per pair in a satin finish and $8600 in full polish, a modest price increase from the $6800 in satin and $7500 in polished when first introduced. Given how quantitative easing to deal with COVID-19, along with supply chain disruptions and opportunistic suppliers has led to inflation, this is sadly understandable. Factoring in the increase in sound quality brought first by the Mk II, and now the Mk III, well, that's what this review is all about.

Universal Music Group (UMG) and AI music platform Udio have reached industry-first strategic agreements that settle recent copyright litigation and establish a commercial partnership to build a new music creation, consumption, and streaming experience. As part of the deal, compensatory settlements were completed and new licenses for recorded music and publishing were agreed, which UMG says will create additional revenue opportunities for its artists and songwriters. The companies plan to launch the new subscription platform in 2026, powered by generative AI trained exclusively on authorized and licensed music. Udio stated the service will offer a licensed, protected environment where users can customize, stream, and share music responsibly, and Udio's existing product will remain available during a transition that includes measures such as fingerprinting and filtering to safeguard rights holders. Udio CEO Andrew Sanchez called the collaboration a milestone that aligns AI with artist interests and expands creative possibilities.

The situation with President Donald Trump's tariffs may make purchasing items from Canada far more expensive for U.S. audiophiles, but the manufacturers and vendors I spoke with do not have animosity toward U.S. customers. They are keenly aware of what is going on in the US, perhaps more so than the average American. Having set a personal high-water mark with my show reports, it has become necessary to restructure my workflow for show reports and cut back on my coverage. My goal remains to pay homage to every room with at least a photo, but my writing will focus on the most salient remarks and the most impressive rooms at the show. I need more time to enjoy my music, and that's not possible if I'm writing constantly. I listened to many high-end sound systems at the Toronto Audiofest 2025 and share my impressions, highlighting the Top Tier presentations, and announcing Enjoy the Music.com's coveted annual Best of Toronto Audiofest 2025 Blue Note Awards!

The November issue of EnjoyTheMusic.com's monthly Review Magazine delivers exclusive, in-depth show reports from Toronto Audiofest and Capital Audiofest 2025. Celebrating our 30th anniversary, this issue also revisits our favorite high-end audio components from our three decades of coverage. Expect expert reviews, new insights, and detailed photos that capture the sound, design, and craftsmanship audiophiles crave. Plus, get ready for our festive December holiday issue, which will be packed with brand-new luxury hi-fi gear reviews, finalized show coverage, and thought-provoking articles concerning serious listeners. Inside this issue you'll find hands-on evaluations, technical impressions, and listening-room impressions written by veteran reviewers who have decades of experience with high-end audio sound systems. We break down how each component performs in real-world setups, highlight standout innovations, and point readers to the most meaningful upgrades.

Yes, I can confirm it: Roger Waters smiles. And laughs. A lot. During an hour-long in-person conversation with the man in the Sony Club atop Madison Avenue in New York City in mid-September, Waters, the co-founder of Pink Floyd, was quite amused and very much engaged while discussing techie topics like the origins of the mighty Floyd's live quad inclinations. He also continues to be deeply impressed by the surround-sound mixes his longtime production colleague, James Guthrie, has done for seminal albums like 1973's The Dark Side of the Moon, 1975's Wish You Were Here, and the recent 5.1 recasting of his often overlooked 1992 solo album, Amused to Death. "Oh, I agree — James did a good job on all of them," Waters says. "The new mixes of Amused to Death sound stunning. Yeah, it's great; I love it. It's pretty amazing."

Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters wants his music to be reproduced at the highest quality, and he turns to one man to make sure he achieves that goal: producer and engineer James Guthrie. Guthrie and Waters have worked together for decades, starting with Pink Floyd's seminal 1979 album, The Wall. Waters has since entrusted Guthrie with producing hi-res surround-sound mixes for 1973's The Dark Side of the Moon, 1975's Wish You Were Here, and the recent 5.1 recasting of Waters' oft-overlooked 1992 solo album, Amused to Death. While Patrick Leonard was Waters' co-producer on Amused to Death, Guthrie was enlisted to bring his own special brand of mixing elixir into the control room. "We did try to make a dynamic album, but, really, that's going to happen anyway, just because of the music that Roger writes," Guthrie explains. "His storytelling is so dynamic, and we follow his lead."

With millions of people turning to YouTube Music for their daily listening, YouTube announced that it paid more than $8 billion to the global music industry over a 12-month period covering July 2024 through June 2025. This is said to be a milestone as the company framed this as evidence that its combined advertising and subscription model is delivering bigger returns for creators, labels, songwriters, and publishers. The figure was revealed publicly by Lyor Cohen, YouTube's Global Head of Music, who described the total as the result of a "twin engine" of ads and subscriptions that is "firing on all cylinders," and positioned the payment as part of a multi-year trajectory of rising payouts from the platform. This payout represents a notable acceleration versus past public tallies from YouTube: the company previously reported about $6 billion in payouts for the July 2021 through June 2022 period and roughly $4 billion in an earlier 12-month span, showing a steady year-over-year climb that the company credits to both advertising improvements and subscriber growth on YouTube Music and Premium.

The Florida International Audio Expo will return to Tampa for its eighth annual show, running February 20th through 22nd at the Sheraton Tampa Brandon Hotel, and you know EnjoyTheMusic.com will once again be there reporting live! Enjoy a three-day celebration of high-fidelity audio that brings together manufacturers, specialty retailers, installers, and enthusiasts for in-person demonstrations of luxurious audio products. The event's program includes dedicated audition rooms, dealer-hosted demos, and a bustling exhibit floor where attendees can compare systems side-by-side. Exhibitor participation has surged in recent years, with the director of show operations noting more than 40% growth, a trend organizers attribute to renewed consumer interest in premium audio and the irreplaceable value of live listening experiences. The 2026 floor plan is expected to feature more than 100 exhibit spaces spanning loudspeakers, amplifiers, headphones, streamers, and interconnects, plus manufacturer representatives on-hand to answer technical questions and take orders.

Live Nation Entertainment posted strong Q2 2025 financial profit results, driven by record fan demand and ticket pricing, robust ticket sales above face value, and global expansion to ensure venues use Live Nation and Ticketmaster. Live Nation Entertainment delivered a highly profitable second quarter in 2025, reporting $5.1 billion in revenue, an 11% increase compared to the same period last year. The company's operating income surged 22% to $386 million, while adjusted operating income (AOI) climbed 11% to $590 million. CEO Michael Rapino credited the performance to "record fan demand" and a growing global footprint, with over 50 million fans attending 15,000 events in the first half of the year. There was no mention concerning the public outrage over concert ticket availability, pricing, and perceived third-party profiteering. The concert segment led the charge, generating $4.4 billion in revenue, up 12% year-over-year. Notably, international markets saw double-digit growth, with strong performances in Latin America and Asia.

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The 2025 Singapore Hi-End Asia International Audio Visual Show, held October 23rd through 25th at Suntec Convention Centre, marks a bold leap forward for Asia's premium AV scene, expanding to 14,000 square meters and hosting over 200 global brands. Singapore's sensational Suntec Convention & Exhibition Centre is transformed into a sonic sanctuary as the Hi-End Asia International Audio Visual Show returned for its third edition. Audiophiles, industry professionals, and curious newcomers continue to converged on Level 3 of the venue to experience the latest in high-fidelity sound and cutting-edge visual technology. With over 50 acoustically engineered listening rooms and a sprawling single-floor layout, the show underscored Singapore's growing role as a strategic hub for high-end audio in the Asia-Pacific region. Organized by HiEnd Asia+ Pte Ltd in collaboration with the Taipei Electrical Commercial Association, the 2025 edition tripled in size compared to previous years.

The 157th AES International Convention kicks off this weekend in Long Beach, California, marking the Audio Engineering Society's first West Coast gathering in nearly a decade. With a packed schedule of workshops, exhibits, and keynote sessions, the event promises to be a landmark celebration of audio innovation. The Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center is buzzing with anticipation as the 157th AES International Convention opens its doors from October 23rd through 25th, 2025, with additional skill-building workshops and technical tours. This year's convention brings together over 10,000 audio professionals, engineers, students, and enthusiasts from around the globe, eager to explore the latest advancements in sound technology. The exhibit floor features leading manufacturers showcasing cutting-edge gear, from immersive audio systems to next-gen mixing consoles. A highlight of the weekend is the Richard C. Heyser Memorial Lecture, delivered by Sean Olive, renowned for his pioneering work in psychoacoustics and loudspeaker design.

New York's only home hi-fi audio industry event is being held this weekend at the Hilton Hasbrouck Heights in the Meadowlands, New Jersey. This event will surely attract audiophiles and media from across the tri-state area. The event features a variety of home audio listening rooms, immersive demonstrations, and educational moments designed to showcase the latest in high-fidelity sound reproduction. Attendees can explore everything from analog turntables and vacuum tube amplifiers to lossless Hi-Res Audio digital streaming systems. Cinematic sound with New Film Festival of sorts. This year introduces a dedicated film festival that highlights the intersection of high-end audio and cinematic storytelling. An immersive audio theater within the venue will host screenings of independent films, documentaries, and sound design showcases, emphasizing how reference-grade audio systems can transform the movie-watching immersive audio experience.

Rogue Audio's designer Mark O'Brien has been on a tear lately with updated and new models that are setting the bar higher for the competition. I recently wrote about the new Rogue Audio Pharaoh II and the Sphinx Model 3 before the Stereo 100 Dark as reviewed here. You might say, they all came first under the checkered flag. Mark is a high-performance car and motorbike enthusiast, along with being driven — no pun intended — by his passion for premium audio high-end sound. I guess you could call him a gearhead. Hey, aren't we all at some level? Funny, how speedy motorbikes are a thing with other audio designers in the industry. To name a few, EveAnna Manley of Manley Audio, Sean Casey of Zu Audio, and Mark O'Brien of Rogue Audio. I have an exercise bike.

I first wrote about how music and sound interrelate to  enhance each other years ago within my 2018 article Coming At It From Both Directions ). At that time, I looked at it – even after more than half a century as a music lover and audiophile – more from point of view of an audiophile drawn to great music and cultural expansion by a love of great sound than as a music lover carried inexorably in the other direction by a search for greater involvement in and enjoyment of one of humanity's greatest arts. Now, like Joni Mitchell, I'm seeing things from both sides. Here are my latest thoughts on the subject. They say that the difference between audiophiles and music lovers is that music lovers buy a system to listen to their music and audiophiles (I and my friends call ourselves "Hi-Fi Crazies") buy music to listen to their system.

This weekend, Warsaw becomes the epicenter of luxury audio innovation as the Audio Video Show 2025 opens its doors to audiophiles, tech enthusiasts, and industry insiders from across Europe. The 27th edition of Audio Video Show, running October 24th through 26th, transforms Warsaw's PGE Narodowy Stadium and two luxury hotels—Golden Tulip and Radisson Blu Sobieski—into immersive listening environments. With nearly 230 exhibitors and 188 presentation rooms, the event is now the second-largest of its kind in Europe. Attendees can experience cutting-edge audio and video systems ranging from reasonably-prices to over one million Euro, with no sales pressure—just pure sonic exploration. From flagship loudspeakers and reference-grade turntables to ultra-premium home cinema setups, the show offers a rare chance to compare elite gear side by side.

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) announced that U.S. Latin recorded music revenue reached $490.3 million at the 2025 mid-year mark, reflecting a 5.9% increase over the same period in 2024. This marks the 12th consecutive year of mid-year growth for the genre, which now accounts for 8.8% of total U.S. recorded music revenue. Streaming continues to dominate the Latin music market, contributing 98% of total revenue, with paid subscriptions alone generating $271.1 million—an 11.2% year-over-year increase. RIAA VP of Research Matt Bass credited the genre's momentum to its cross-cultural appeal and the strategic efforts of artists and labels. "Latin music in the U.S. continues to gain popularity and generate increased value thanks to the incredible artists whose music connects across language and geographical barriers," Bass stated. He emphasized streaming's role in expanding access to both legacy acts and emerging stars, positioning Latin as the second-fastest growing genre in the country.

...the Woodnote SOLO "transforms digital data into pure emotion." Of course, this description depends mainly on the quality of the recording one is listening to. Still, for a component at this price, and especially because I'm accustomed to a much pricier streamer / DAC in the reference system, this streamer / DAC carried the day. On their website, they described the DAC as being able to stream just about any signal that is likely to be encountered, including DSD, and that it upsamples "CD quality" files. They also touted the SOLO's ultra-linear power supply that features an R-core transformer. These facts, plus more that I'll go into, make its €1850 (~$2200) price seem like a bargain. The reason for being priced in Euros is that Lindemann has not yet found a US distributor. But I suspect this will soon change once the word gets out about their products, especially Lindemann's Woodnote SOLO, reviewed here. Additionally, on Lindemann's website, they claim that they are the only audio manufacturer to use a "two-stage" converter design.

Editorial: Algorithms, Systems, And Ubiquitous DSP

headPro Audio Processor Headphone Correction

Orchard Audio Valencia Balanced Headphone Amplifier

The imersiv D-1 Dual Path HDR-A DAC

Solving the Spatial Audio Puzzle From Voice Calls To Virtual Presence

DSP, AI, and Edge Processing Market Update

Music Style Transfer Explained

Danville Signal's dspNexus 2/8 Part 1

How About a Hollow-State Live-Sound System?

...And Much More!

The invitation for EnjoyTheMusic.com to review a new Audience Front Row Reserve powerChord from John McDonald, President of Audience AV, came as a complete surprise offer out of the blue. At $7500 each (1.5-meter), they would be two levels above the $2500 Synergistic Research power cords that grace most of my components. It would be an adventure into uncharted territory for me, were it not for the Furutech Project V1 Power Cable at $10,000, which came bundled with their excellent Furutech NCF Power Vault power conditioner I had recently reviewed. I accepted John's offer reluctantly because I wasn't convinced that power cords of that price would make a commensurate improvement. I also wasn't sure a single power cord would enable me to reach a valid conclusion. In the past, Synergistic Research had supplied enough power cords to feed my system from source to power amp. In the lower to moderate price ranges, the improvements were easily recognized and justified the increased costs. But we all have heard the tales of diminishing returns in high-end audio.

For quite some time I've been using a Pass Laboratories power amplifier, phono stage, and headphone amplifier as references in my listening room. There were times I thought that some might think I was a spokesperson for this brand of equipment! I could see how some might get that idea, because not only do I use three Pass Labs components in my system, I also will tell anyone who will listen that I consider Pass Laboratories' high-end audio components the best in their respective price classes. Then again, those who have read my reviews of other brands of audio equipment will be able to tell that I approach each review with an open mind. I attempt to be as objective as possible, and other than the fact that I happen to have three Pass Labs components as references, I've never shown a hint of favoritism towards any component or brand of component in any of my reviews. It is quite obvious that I consider music more important than whatever audio equipment that might be in my system at the time.

Last year I took a tour of World Of McIntosh, a very impressive five-story luxury townhouse in the Soho neighborhood of downtown New York City. World Of McIntosh is an amazing place, packed with working audio systems featuring gear from McIntosh, Sonus faber, Pro-Ject Audio Systems, Audio Research, and more. This luxurious space is used as an event space, for invitation only audio tours, and for anything else one who wants to use a space "where music and design are merged in a way that's striking, memorable, and undeniably enjoyable". While I was there last year I didn't take a dip in their heated indoor swimming pool, which is one of only 11 privately owned pools located in NYC, or watch any films on their 160" projection screen, but I did hear some great music on a number of audio systems, and even had time for a latte in their custom-built fully functioning kitchen. Last month I was again invited to World Of McIntosh townhouse, this month to hear the newest Sonus faber product line, their Olympica Nova, which, according to Sonus faber updates their older models with new crossovers and drivers, new cabinet structures, and internal volume tuning.

Have been taking photos of audiophile gear for many decades, and am always impressed by the creative flow of many designs. Below are a very small sampling of the incredibly talented engineering and design by a variety of high-end audio manufacturers. Please note that photo descriptions are also vintage, so some products may not be available and / or pricing has changed. Enjoy! Oh by Tutondo had perhaps the most stylish purpose-built listening chair as a pair of their dual cone round loudspeakers are placed right and left of the listener at precise placement as acoustic foam wraps around the remaining section behind the listener. Perhaps it is another offshoot of headphone listening? A small subwoofer on the floor assists in producing the lowermost frequencies. Alas, it is not for sale but the total price is about €1000 for the chair and €1300 according to the loudspeaker representative. So here is a hint to anyone reading this. You have a photo and basic design idea, now get to building it and you're welcome.

Toronto Audiofest 2025 will launch this weekend at The Westin Toronto Airport, drawing audiophiles, music lovers, industry insiders, and curious newcomers to one of North America’s premier high-end audio events. EnjoyTheMusic.com's exclusive Toronto Audiofest 2025 show report / coverage will be online shortly after the event. Running from October 17th through 19th, the show features over 100 exhibitors across multiple floors, showcasing the latest in stereo systems, streaming technology, and immersive sound environments. Legacy stereo systems, modern immersive audio, and personal audio EARVANA, Canada’s first dedicated headphone festival where attendees can demo flagship models from leading brands in a quiet, curated listening space.

The 2025 edition of the prestigious Tokyo International Audio Show runs from October 17th through 19th at the Tokyo International Forum, marking the event's 42nd edition and reaffirming its place as one of Asia's most patient, demo-focused gatherings for audiophiles, immersivephiles, and industry professionals. Organizers emphasized a relaxed listening environment, running advance-reservation entry and staggered demo schedules to preserve sound quality and give visitors time with each system. The show's layout favors room demonstrations over crowded booths, letting attendees judge equipment in near-real listening conditions. Another benefit, unlike many others shows throughout the world, Japanese crowds tend to be quiet, especially within listening rooms as a show of respect. Exhibitors and product launches will span the full audio spectrum, from high-end room systems and audiophile tube electronics to a dense selection of headphones and personal audio gear; the program lists more than 200 brands represented by roughly 33 Japanese and international exhibitors.

You might have to stand on your head for this review because Zoltán Bay turned the concept of speaker production upside down and inside out when he created the Bay Radial Speaker (BRS) Tweeter. And when you see the absolutely unique and creative Bayz Audio Courante 2.0 speaker design ($60,000), you're not going to be able to figure out how to stand, so just have a seat and enjoy the read. Maybe have the computer or tablet read it to you while you listen to your favorite composition in the background.... Be sure to grab your favorite beverage and have that cute dog (or cat) of yours sit in your lap and snuggle in; this is gonna be good! Decades of research, and over 35 years in the industry, led Mr. Bay to a unique radial sound projection system. In essence, it is a cylindrical membrane surface capable of changing its diameter. As with a more standard speaker cone, the pulsations of the cylinder create sound in the direction of radiation but in a perfect 360 degree omni-directional wavefront.

Capital Audiofest (CAF) 2025 is set to take place from November 14th to 16th at the Hilton Rockville in Maryland, continuing its legacy as the East Coast's largest and most beloved high-end audio show.

• Multiple AV Rooms. That's right, immersivephiles can rejoice! 

• Nightly After Hours Parties!

• Over 120 Rooms and 50 Booths!

• Free Fun Photo Booth - Photos directly to your email!

• The Washington Room is now a large Demo room! Guess who? 

• Guest Speakers/Seminars have moved into the Atrium! Three full days.

• CAF added two large Demo rooms across the street at the EVEN Hotel!

• CAF has two nights of great live music! See the The Nighthawks and Ultrafaux 

• Bring your entire family! Students are FREE!

---> See EnjoyTheMusic.com's Exclusive Capital Audiofest 2025 Show Report.

Many years ago, a wealthy friend asked me for advice on spending the $100,000 he had budgeted for a new stereo system. After going through all of the usual questions with him, like "What kind of music do you like?"; "How loud do you like to play it?"; "How big is your listening room?"; "When you're listening to music, what do you listen for?"; and so on, I told him something like: "If I had a hundred thousand to spend on a system, I'd spend thirty thousand on all of the component, including the record player (turntable, arm, and cartridge), the CD player, the speakers – remember that this was a lot of years ago, and that a really great speaker system at the time, the Avalon Ascent, for example, was only about $15,000 – plus all of the electronics, and all of the cables. Then I would spend twenty thousand on creating and furnishing an acoustically as-near-perfect-as-possible listening room. And, finally, I would keep the remaining fifty grand for use toward my (then of the appropriate age) daughter's college education."

audioXpress has been reporting on the promise of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) speakers for nearly 10 years. Mike Klasco first gave a talk about MEMS loudspeakers at the ALMA Symposium and Expo event, preceding CES 2015, and wrote regularly about MEMS speakers' evolution. A decade later, we are seeing some actual progress, and products are available in the market. But MEMS speaker drivers are far from their original promise of disrupting the industry or even rivaling established technologies. Which raises questions until we dive into the details to understand that there's very little in common among all the MEMS transducers products that have been launched and promoted in the microspeaker class. The main thing in common is that MEMS typically include "microscale" mechanical structures (such as movable parts) and microelectronics all embedded on a silicon substrate. Other than the foundational technology, multiple MEMS devices share the same manufacturing processes derived from semiconductor fabrication. As we stand in 2025, the pioneering companies that have entered the industry with "MEMS speakers" have done so with completely different approaches. And some very interesting original concepts have not yet even made it to market.

Margules Audio is a high-end audio company that produces a full line of components. It is headquartered in Mexico City, Mexico, and although the Margules Audio U-280SC 30th Anniversary Limited Edition vacuum tube stereo amplifier review you're about to read is brand new, the company has been in business since the early 1980s. The Margules family – now including third and fourth-generation members – has been involved in audio in one way or another since the early part of the twentieth century, when Mr. Jacob Margules, a European engineer. He also contributed to the building of radio stations and electrification in Mexico as they manufactured wind-up gramophones, followed by tube radios, plus they distributed industrial parts too.

My musical listening times have been quite active and busy over the past couple of months as I have mixed and matched various combinations of two vintage Quad speaker models along with two new beautiful amplifiers from Art Audio based in Nottingham, U.K. I have been on a year-long listening and learning pilgrimage revisiting memories and prior experiences from hearing Quads decades ago. I acquired restored Quad 57 and 63 speakers from the renowned specialist Sheldon Stokes of SDS Labs in New Hampshire, USA as the starting point for understanding and hearing both electrostatic models designed by Peter Walker. The focus of this review project is the Art Audio Carissa stereo amplifier and the Art Audio Opus 4 monoblock amplifier pair. Both amplifiers were used in rotation for both pairs of speakers.

Goer Dynamics B.V. today announced that its adaptive streaming codec AURO-CX is powering AuroMasters, a newly launched global music streaming platform dedicated to immersive audio, marking a major advance for high-resolution three-dimensional sound delivery. The service positions AURO-3D technology at the center of a commercial effort to bring studio-grade immersive music to mainstream listeners and to revive album-focused listening with a curated catalog of remastered and reimagined releases. AuroMasters bills itself as the world's first Immersive Music Jukebox, offering both legacy albums and new talent mixed in Auro-3D and presented through an experience designed by Grammy Award-winning engineers. AuroMasters deploys AURO-CX in Adaptive Bitrate mode so the same high-resolution master recording is delivered with the best possible quality for each listener's network conditions, rather than downscaling to a separate low-resolution file. That dynamic delivery preserves immersive detail and artistic intent....

The HIGH END SOCIETY has named Dominique Fils-Aimé as the official brand ambassador for HIGH END 2026, which takes place June 4th through 7th (2026) at the Austria Center Vienna in the music-rich city of Vienna. Under the theme The Power of Music, the trade show positions the celebrated Montreal singer as a living example of music's ability to connect people across genres and cultures. Fils-Aimé will attend the show in person and serve as guest of honor at the opening press conference, reinforcing the event's cultural as well as technological focus. Dominique Fils-Aimé is celebrated for a voice that bridges blues, jazz, soul, and Afro-American music history with contemporary sonic explorations, and her work has won critical acclaim and multiple awards, including several Juno Awards and Polaris Prize nominations. HIGH END Managing Director Stefan Dreischärf highlights her fit for the role, saying the organization "was able to enlist an extraordinary musician who stands for emotional depth, artistic diversity and audiophile quality," and that she underscores the show's international credo of blending music, technology and culture.

Editorial: A Stream Of New Hi-Fi Products To Enjoy

D'Agostino Pendulum Integrated Amplifier

Allnic Audio D-15000 Signature OTL/OCL DAC

Kharma Elegance dB9-Diamond Floorstanding Loudspeaker

Metronome c/AQWO 2 DAC And Streamer

Musical Fidelity M8x Digital-To-Analogue Converter

Diptyque DP115 Floorstanding Loudspeaker

Burson Timekeeper Voyager Mono Power Amplifiers

Saltwood Sounds Finisterre Floorstanding Loudspeaker

Fell Audio Amp Integrated Amplifier

Synergistic Research PowerCell 8 SX Power Conditioner

...And Much More!

Having read Brad Meyer's concerns about deterioration of CD-Rs (BASS V31 No2), specifically rising error rates with both radius and age, I think some explanation of mechanism is in order. For much of what I write below, credit should go to Mike Richter, who has been at this far longer than I, has had access to better tools, and has burned many more CDs. There are a couple of points of interest in Meyer's story. One is related to aging of CD players, which are not just electromechanical devices with special-purpose embedded computers, but are, crucially, electro-optical solid-state devices. When transistors were introduced, one of their selling points was that they aged far more slowly than vacuum tubes, and failed far less often. In marketing-speak (NB: a pejorative term), they last forever. The lasers used in CD players (and other optical-media devices) are laser diodes, not the gas or crystal lasers used in science fiction as death rays or cutting tools.

Growing up, I had a neighborhood friend who did magic. He was always working on new illusions to incorporate into his act. Sometimes he had to build an apparatus, and others were sleight of hand. To start, he would practice the new illusion for endless hours in front of the mirror. Once the kinks were worked out, he would try it out in front of some of his neighborhood friends. When he did this, he added an extra layer of challenge for himself. He would show us how the trick worked before he performed it. That way, we knew what to look for. He knew he had mastered the illusion if he could still fool us. He was a master of his craft, and he still does magic shows for fun. Our audio systems, as ardent readers of Enjoy the Music.com know, can perform magic tricks. They take music that has been recorded in some medium, convert it to electrical signals, and turn those signals into vibrations that we perceive as music.

Back well over half a century ago, that's 50 years, when I was a kid Hi-Fi Crazy, I had no money (kids never do), but I had been bitten badly by the High-Fidelity Audio (Hi-FI) bug, and – if I couldn't buy all of the toys and goodies that I so thoroughly lusted after, I could at least learn about them. So, like, I suspect, so many of us, I read everything I could find about Hi-Fi and Hi-Fi gear and started collecting (Yes, and even memorizing) "spec" sheets. Most manufacturers don't provide them nowadays but, back then, everybody, and I and all my young Hi-Fi Crazy friends put together our own libraries of spec sheets and product literature, and would sit around listening to our used, hand-me-down, DIY, or kluged together "systems" and learnedly discuss the wonders and glories of all the stuff we couldn't afford. In the beginning (just to let you know how far back this was), everything was mono(phonic), but as time went on, it all – especially after 1957, when stereo LPs first came out – became stereo gear that we would dream of and pontificate about.

The October issue of EnjoyTheMusic.com's Review Magazine delivers a rich mix of in-depth gear reviews, editorial features, and sonic storytelling aimed at serious listeners and industry insiders. We have multiple World Premiere gear reviews this month, with detailed evaluations of Voxativ's Hagen2 Tower high-end loudspeakers, the outstanding Audience FrontRow Reserve PowerChords, the impressive Lindemann Woodnote SOLO Network Player / DAC... with each review focused on real-world listening impressions, build quality, and how products perform within a luxurious audio system. The issue's editorial balances a discussion about technical measurements with evocative descriptions, helping you understand both the specifications and the emotional impact of standout components. This edition also includes feature articles that explore trends shaping the high-end audio landscape, including a flashback about the problems with CD rot from industry experts.

Capital Audiofest (CAF) 2025 is set to take place from November 14th to 16th at the Hilton Rockville in Maryland, continuing its legacy as the East Coast's largest and most beloved high-end audio show. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, offering three full days of immersive listening experiences, gear demos, and community engagement. Founded in 2010 by Gary Gill, CAF has grown from a grassroots gathering into a cornerstone of the North American audiophile calendar, drawing enthusiasts, engineers, and manufacturers from across the globe. The 2025 edition promises to uphold its reputation for warmth and accessibility, with a family-friendly atmosphere and a strong emphasis on music appreciation. Music lovers will enjoy a CAF record-breaking ~150 listening rooms, each tailored by exhibitors to showcase their latest innovations in audio reproduction. Attendees can expect to audition everything from cost-no-object reference systems to clever budget-friendly setups, with a wide range of analog and digital front ends.

The subject of this review, the Raidho X2.6 floorstanding loudspeaker, is from their newer "X" Series. In its literature, Raidho states that the "X" in this series moniker denotes "eXtreme performance for the price." Yes, their X series features four models that, on average, are priced lower than most of Raidho's other models. Even though these four models in Raidho's X series speakers might have been built to a price point, I couldn't find anything about their X.2 — including their level of technological precision, fit and finish, not to mention their sound quality — that would indicate any cost-cutting measures. On their website, Raidho mentions that the goals of the X2.6 are the same as those of all their loudspeakers, which include low noise and coloration, a "dramatic, energetic" sound with a "vast soundstage," and a detailed sound that doesn't induce fatigue, among other traits. $21,000 might be a low price for a pair of Raidho speakers, but still, any audiophile who spends this amount of money should demand a certain level of quality.

Featuring the extraordinary Voxativ Pife full range driver mated to a comparably fast 15" woofer, the PureAudioProject (PAP) Duet 15 offers the listener an unrivaled, relaxed, unhurried, yet fully resolved natural and immediate musical experience that box speakers, for the most part, can only dream of providing, and one that competitor open baffle designs will struggle, most likely with only limited success, to equal. These speakers are unassuming, seductive, and enthralling. I found myself unable to resist falling into the music's awaiting arms for the better part of the several months I was fortunate enough to have them in my home. The term 'open baffle' is vague. The standard design consists of a single baffle (think of the 'front baffle' of an enclosed speaker) on which one or more drivers are affixed. All open baffle speakers produced by PureAudioProject are of this sort.

Xania Monet, an AI-crafted R&B persona operated by Mississippi poet Telisha Jones, has landed a reported $3 million record deal from Hallwood Media after a rapid rise on streaming platforms and Billboard charts. Her five-song catalog has attracted millions of on-demand streams and generated industry attention as labels weighed bids for the project. The signing has intensified an already heated debate over AI in music, with performers and industry groups warning that generative systems trained on existing catalogs could undermine creators, complicate copyright and royalty flows, and devalue years of human craft. High-profile artists voiced fierce objections on social media, arguing that AI-driven releases crowd out emerging musicians and raise questions about authorship and fairness. Business supporters of the deal and Jones's team point to the music's authorship of the lyrics and to a blend of human direction with AI production as justification for commercial rights and label investment....

The Audiophile Society is the brainchild of composer, pianist, and audio pioneer David Chesky. The new label will focus on bringing even more realistic three-dimensional recordings to market with their Mega-Dimensional Sound, The Audiophile Society's name for their unique two-channel 3D audio that can play on all existing two-channel stereo, while showcasing emerging artists working in a multitude of genres. The ultimate goal of The Audiophile Society is to change the way you hear music. David, what do you think about the current state of the music and audiophile world? "The interesting thing about audiophiles is that they are cool with collecting LPs, CDs, and open reel tapes, but at the same time very open to new ideas like what we are trying to do. I work a lot in the classical world where it is so hard to get people to like something new, we call it the un-acceptance of the unfamiliar.

When I was a kid Hi-Fi Crazy, I didn't have any money.  I had heard good sound, though, and I lusted after it almost to the same degree as I would lust after more conventionally lusty things in years to come. What I had heard was the, to me, mind-boggling and world-changing deep bass of a huge theater pipe organ played on a Bozak B-310 "Concert Grand" speaker (24Hz rated, with four 12" woofers in a 14 cubic ft. enclosure!), through McIntosh electronics, and I wanted that kind of sound for myself! Unfortunately, as a kid of 12, with no money and less-than-rich parents, I had to make do with what I could scrounge or improvise. That turned-out to be a Silvertone (Sears) combination AM radio and phonograph with a single speaker of (probably) 5.25" or less. Mono, of course; stereo didn't come along until years later.

HARMAN International, a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, announced today it has completed the acquisition of Sound United, the former consumer audio arm of Masimo. The deal brings renowned brands including Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, Marantz, Definitive Technology, Polk Audio, HEOS, Classé, and Boston Acoustics into HARMAN's Lifestyle Division, immediately expanding its product mix across home audio, amplifiers, AVRs, headphones, and car audio. HARMAN says the acquisition creates one of the industry's most comprehensive audio portfolios and positions the company to offer consumers greater choice and deeper innovation across all listening environments. HARMAN will operate Sound United as a standalone Strategic Business Unit within its Lifestyle Division to preserve each brand's heritage, craftsmanship, and loyal customer base while leveraging HARMAN's global scale.

Editorial: The Appealing Promise Of Tiny MEMS Speakers

Pushing The Boundaries Of DIY Audio

MEMS Speakers: Finding the Right Problem To Solve

Subjective Evaluation Of Production Vehicle Audio System Variance

The StreamAmp Platform For Speaker Designs

The HTL-100 High-Fidelity Multimedia Loudspeakers

Instrumental Assessment of Audio Quality For Cars And Headphones

Nugen Audio DialogCheck Measuring Speech Clarity

Acoustic Absorption In Ceilings

...And Much More!

Music Revenue Report, revealing a historic $9 billion in recorded music revenues for the first half of the year—a 7% increase over the same period in 2024. Streaming continues to dominate, accounting for 84% of total revenue, with paid subscriptions alone contributing $6.6 billion. The number of paid subscriptions rose to 101 million, underscoring the continued growth of platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. Notably, ad-supported streaming also saw gains, reaching $1.2 billion, buoyed by strong performance from services like YouTube and TikTok. Physical formats showed surprising resilience, with vinyl sales climbing 15% to $882 million, maintaining their lead over CDs for the third consecutive year. CD revenues held steady at $250 million, while overall physical format revenue grew 11% to $1.2 billion.

A few months ago, I had the pleasure of attending the Florida International Audio Expo 2025. It was an incredible show, and the week I got home, I got even better news. My editor had arranged for me to review the new Rotel Michi X5 Series 2 solid-state stereo integrated amplifier with phono stage and Hi-Res Audio DAC here at EnjoyTheMusic.com. Michi is a designation that represents a flagship series of components within Rotel's family of products. Originally introduced to the market in 1993, it showcased all the best that Rotel had to offer. However, the components as we know them today were reintroduced to the market in 2019. These latest incarcerations continue to showcase the best Rotel has to offer while keeping audiophile values alive. Of course, all the labels aside, the thought of getting an integrated amplifier excited me personally.

Editorial: Making Great Strides In Audio Equipment

dCS Lina DAC X Digital-To-Analog Converter

PMC prophecy9 Floorstanding Loudspeaker

Chord Electronics Ultima 3 Pre And Ultima 3 Pre & Mono Amp

Master Fidelity NADAC Digital-To-Analog Converter

Linn Klimax Solo 500 Mono Power Amplifier

Innuos ZENith NG Music Server

Gold Note HP-10 Deluxe Headphone Amplifier

Chord Company ARAY RF-Controlling Range

Seismion Reactio 2 Anti-Vibration Platform

...And Much More!

Florida International Audio Expo (FIAE) returns to the Sheraton Tampa Brandon Hotel February 20th through 22nd, 2026, for its eighth annual gathering of high-fidelity enthusiasts and you know EnjoyTheMusic.com will once again be there too! More than 100 exhibit spaces will showcase the latest in audio innovation, and attendees from around the world can immerse themselves in live music performances scheduled throughout the weekend. Industry leaders will lead seminars on everything from room acoustics to vinyl resurgence, ensuring every visitor—from the casual listener to the seasoned audiophile—finds something to spark their passion. Dedicated audition rooms will give guests the chance to compare speakers, amplifiers and digital sources side by side, making this three-day event a must-visit for anyone committed to exceptional sound. "The opportunity to audition your favorite brands and engage directly with company representatives remains a vital part of the buying and showgoing experience," said Bart Andeer, FIAE's Director of Show Operations.

The Rogue Audio Sphinx was first introduced sometime around late 2013. I purchased the original Sphinx from Rogue Audio upon a recommendation from a friend. Imagine an integrated hybrid tube and solid-state stereo amplifier with 100 Watts output at 8 Ohms (200W @ 4 Ohms), with vacuum tubes in the front end! I later came to find that it was the perfect unit to power my classic Martin Logan SL3 electrostatic hybrid loudspeakers. Turns out that Mark O'Brien of Rogue Audio told me that Rogue Audio had displayed with Martin Logan at audio shows, and it was a superb match-up. I still own the original Sphinx which is still pushing Watts through the SL 3's in our upstairs entertainment system. I reviewed the Rogue Audio Sphinx V2 and V3 subsequent versions over the years. It is funny how we mark the passage of time based on what pets we have, automobiles we have owned, and, of course, what audio gear we listened to at significant times of our lives. Three cats (27 Lives), four cars, and don't ask how many pieces of gear have appeared since 2014. However, One wife!

In an act of musical and marketplace bravery, the esteemed French electronics firm Métronome Technologie has taken the bold step of offering music lovers still wed to physical media a device many long ago consigned to the dustbin of audio history: a dedicated CD player. When Toronto, Canada-based audio distributor / dealer Wynn Wong of Wynn Audio and our Creative Director Steven R. Rochlin contacted to gauge my interest in reviewing Metronome Technology Le Player 4+ CD player / DAC, I thought that they both must be crazy. What sane manufacturer would dare to offer a dedicated (and pricey) CD player in a market dominated by digital servers, streamers, music streaming services, and outboard DACs to that most fickle of consumers, the modern audiophile?

Marten speakers are designed and built in Sweden. Leif Marten Olofsson founded the company in 1998. Marten is now run by Leif Marten and his brothers, Jorgen and Lars Olofsson. Marten designs and manufactures five lines of speakers, all named to earn points from me; that is, they are named after American jazz musicians - Coltrane, Mingus, Parker, and Oscar. The fifth series is the Heritage Series, which has the sub-series Bird, Getz, Miles, and Duke. The Marten Parker Trio is a floor-standing speaker situated in the middle of the Parker series offerings. On its front baffle, it has two 7.5-inch ceramic bass/midrange drivers and a 1-inch "pure" ceramic tweeter, which in this model has been upgraded to diamond. Besides having a diamond tweeter, the upgrade to Marten's Parker Trio Diamond Edition floorstander also has upgraded crossover components, improved speaker terminals, and Marten's Jorma Statement internal wiring.

Making Vinyl Europe 2025 returns to Haarlem from September 24th through 26th at PHIL (Lange Begijnestraat 11), convening industry leaders, manufacturers, artists, and distributors under one roof. Now firmly established as the premier European conference for the vinyl record sector, this year's theme “Embracing Change, Expanding Horizons” spotlights the economic trends, technological innovations, and sustainability initiatives driving vinyl's renaissance in the physical music market. Over three days, delegates will engage in a dynamic mix of expert-led panel discussions, focused presentations, and hands-on workshops covering every stage of the vinyl lifecycle—from cutting and mastering through pressing, packaging awards, distribution strategies, and marketing best practices. The agenda also features dedicated B2B matchmaking sessions, insider market intelligence briefings, and interactive forums designed to foster collaboration between businesses directly and indirectly connected to vinyl production and sales.

The HIGH END & Smart Home Show returns to Dubai on September 26th and 27th, 2025, at the Radisson Red Hotel Dubai Silicon Oasis, marking its second edition after a wildly successful inaugural event. This B2B and B2C platform will bring together distributors, dealers, system integrators, architects, interior designers, and high-end consumers under one roof to explore the latest in premium audio-video and home automation technologies. The first edition attracted over 1,900 affluent attendees from more than ten countries, underscoring the Middle East’s rapidly growing appetite for advanced AV and smart home solutions. Attendees can look forward to immersive demonstrations of high-fidelity audio-video systems, breathtaking home theater installations staged in residential-style settings, and a broad Smart Home Exposition showcasing lighting control, integrated AV, security systems, and home automation technologies. Dedicated zones for premium headphones will allow audiophiles and immersivephiles to audition and compare....

Spotify has begun rolling out better quality, though still lossy digital audio, to Premium subscribers in select markets, marking a big missed opportunity launch. Since virtually the beginning of digital recording for the compact disc format in the 1980s, Soundstream's 20-bit/48kHz digital recorder or DAT-like formats were the minimum, with rates of 24-bit/96kHz and higher for modern re-mastering of analog magnetic tape and top-level recording studios as offered on music services such as Qobuz. Spotify's Premium users will receive an in-app notification when their so-called "Lossless" (according to Spotify) becomes available, unlocking streaming in up to the 1990's digital audio standard of 24-bit and 1980's standard of 44.1kHz for nearly every track in their catalog. Whether diving into new releases or rediscovering old favorites, listeners can experience a bit higher quality of recorded music's depth, clarity, and nuance across their playlists than Spotify offered previously. With French company Qobuz music streaming service offering up to 24-bit/192kHz FLAC, obviously those desiring the very best immersive Hi-Res Music experience will seek out high-quality online music services.

EnjoyTheMusic.com's Best Of 2025 Blue Note Awards celebrates the many great achievements by audiophile manufacturers within the high-end audio and Hi-Res Audio industry. Our 2025 Blue Note Awards is a three decade culmination of reviewing luxurious high-end audio equipment and carefully choosing what products have earned special recognition for our annual awards. Our Best Of 2025 Blue Note Award celebrates the finest products we have reviewed during the previous 12 months. Recipients have been carefully chosen after much debate and consideration by our staff of reviewers. With each passing year our industry has experienced great advancements in technology including analog circuitry, vinyl LP and analog playback, digital-to-analog converters (DACs), loudspeaker design, personal media players, and more!

Not happy with your music? It could sound better, if you wanted it to. Get more from your sound system and join EnjoyTheMusic.com’s social media discussion right now—your ears will thank you! Discover jaw-dropping gear, insider tweaks, and secret sound hacks you won’t find anywhere else. See advanced sneak peeks at mind-blowing new releases hitting the market before anyone else. Hit “Like” and "Follow", and step into a world where every note, beat, and whisper is dialed up to perfection—your ultimate sonic adventure starts here!

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When I started grad school, I had to make the trek from Austin, TX, to Knoxville, TN, in my 1980 Toyota Celica. Since space would be limited, I had to figure out how to bring some of my music with me so I could retain my sanity during my first semester of graduate studies. That's when I decided to plunge into portable audio and bought my first Walkman. I already had most of my albums recorded on tape, so I wouldn't be missing out on much. Plus, this Walkman included a tuner, so I could listen to anything new coming out. Sure, the sound wasn't the best, but I had music until I could haul my system and records later on. The flaw in my plan was that I didn't anticipate how quickly that little Walkman ate batteries. I was a poor grad student, so I used the Sears card my parents gave me "for emergencies" and bought a couple of sets of rechargeables. After that, I was set. That old Walkman and those tapes are long gone, but I have fond memories of how that technological marvel provided me with music during those stressful times.

My first experience with a Manley component was in the late 1990s. I was working at a well-known recording studio mastering an album when the chief engineer insisted we use their vacuum tube-powered Manley Stereo Variable Mu Limiter-Compressor, which I had no idea at the time was one of Manley's first products which was introduced in 1994. We had the music signal pass through the Manley compressor but kept all its settings on default. This happened quite a long time ago, so I can't recall any specifics about how the Manley affected the album's sound quality other than passing the signal through this studio component made the album sound closer to our goal of making it "sound like a record." Shortly after, I learned that Manley designed and manufactured high-end home-system audio products.

When I caught wind of the new Giant Steps footers from LessLoss audio I contacted Louis Motek immediately. Having written the first review of both his BlackGround Power Base and BlackGround for Speakers, I have very high regard for his work and the review samples of both reside in my system. The Giant Steps footers are even better, he claimed. I would like nine, I said, to try them on three successive components in the rig to experience how the effect intensifies and to try them under the corners of my loudspeakers. There was just one problem. It was the Fall audio show season and I was committed to covering the Toronto Audiofest 2024 in October and the Capital Audiofest 2024 in November. Back-to-back. I finished the Toronto report on a Wednesday and on Thursday I drove down to Rockville, MD. I knew I would not have time to write a review until the January issue....

U.S.-based National Audio Company Inc. and Swiss Revox Group have joined forces to relaunch high-end audio cassette production in Villingen, Germany. Under the partnership, National Audio will install its original cassette tape production line at the Revox Manufacture, enabling on-site fabrication of both blank and pre-recorded cassettes. This facility aims to deliver studio-quality analog playback and recording for music enthusiasts worldwide. By combining National Audio's decades of expertise in professional tape manufacturing with Revox's legacy in premium audio systems and master tapes, the alliance will position Revox as Europe's market leader in empty and music cassettes. The Villingen plant is set to become one of the continent's largest magnetic tape within cassette casing production sites, offering three distinct formulations—including a Type II chrome-compatible version—and bespoke European-made cassette housings to ensure the highest analog fidelity.

Dan D'Agostino Master Audio products are not the most expensive audio components on the market, but in my opinion, their audio products are some of the best sounding high-end audio components I've ever had the pleasure of auditioning. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to review two D'Agostino Master Audio components in the past. In 2017, I reviewed the excellent-sounding Momentum Lifestyle integrated amplifier, which had an onboard DAC and could also be used as a streamer with its front-panel LCD metadata display. Also in 2017, I reviewed D'Agostino Master Audio System's Momentum phono stage, which I was highly impressed with its outstanding sound quality and very user-friendly front panel controls. The Progression S350 has a power output of 350 Watts per channel into 8 Ohms, which doubles when used with a 4 Ohm load. The technology behind this large, very heavy amplifier is impressive, which is an understatement.

If you're reading this review, you're either considering the installation of a dedicated line in what is likely your dedicated listening room or perhaps your home theater... or maybe the video rig in your family room if you're seriously into watching TV. Or possibly, you've already installed a line and are wondering if this new Audience cable might be a worthwhile upgrade. In any case, I suspect you're already convinced that "everything matters" in high-end audio, especially cables. Keep reading. Audience is one of the most respected cable manufacturers and my ears perked up when I saw the ad for their new In-Wall AC cable. It's been 20 years since I reviewed Joe Skubinski's JPS Labs Power AC In-Wall cable. He's sold miles of it and "Big Red" has remained my reference dedicated line ever since. What's taken so long for the competition to arise? Well, there is a company in Great Britain that has been around a while that sells one, but they are not a very big player in the US audio cable market.

The iSonic Pro 6.2-PRO is the latest variation and upgraded record cleaner design from a company that specializes in commercial ultrasonic cleaning machines. They have styles and sizes for various products with personal and industrial applications. The iSonic company has dozens of cleaner models for medical applications, jewelry, and personal items used in the home. Jerry Fan of iSonic said, "Over the past six years, we have made a lot of progress with cleaners for audio systems." Jerry modestly told me he "doesn’t know too much about anything else, but we do know about ultrasonic cleaners!" They started with processing 5 to 10 records for cleaning only, then added the PRO accessory kit for spin drying with an in-water filter two years ago. Those developments were with the model P4875II+MVR10-PRO which was an upgrade to the early model P4875II+MVR5 or MVR10....

Edinburgh's premier destination for audiophiles and AV enthusiasts returns this autumn with the second edition of the Edinburgh HI-AV Show, taking place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Edinburgh Airport on Saturday, November 8 and Sunday, November 9, 2025. Organized by the family-run Chester Group—whose pedigree includes popular events across England—the show makes its comeback after a 17-year hiatus, building on the success of last year's relaunch. The airport-side venue offers seamless access via Ingliston Park and Ride and two tram stops, ensuring visitors from across Scotland and beyond can arrive relaxed and ready to immerse themselves in cutting-edge audio experiences. Attendees can expect an expanded footprint this year, with dedicated demonstration zones showcasing a spectrum of high-performance systems—from the refined warmth of vacuum tube amplification to the precision of Hi-Res Audio DACs and room correction devices.

SoundExchange filed a notice of appeal in September, asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to overturn an August decision that dismissed its lawsuit against SiriusXM. In the original ruling, Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald of the Southern District of New York concluded that Congress never granted SoundExchange the authority to litigate royalty disputes on behalf of recording artists and labels, effectively barring the performance rights organization from enforcing its members' claims in court. In its appeal, SoundExchange argues that the dismissal rests on a "flawed interpretation" of the Digital Performance in Sound Recordings Act of 1995 and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998. The organization insists that Congress intended the statutory license's enforcement power to include litigation when digital music services underpay artists and rights holders.

Let's go back in time a few years ago. It was January 2000, so that's over 25(!) years ago. The world had survived the Y2K crisis. Having recently purchased a couple of issues of Sound Practices, then listening to an amazing DIY system, was starting to catch SET (Singe-Ended Triode) fever. I was also following an audio review website that focused quite heavily on SET gear and high-sensitivity loudspeakers to use with it. That website was, of course, EnjoyTheMusic.com. That January back in 2000 our Creative Director, Steven R Rochlin, posted a review of the then new Avantgarde Acoustic Uno hornspeakers. They had big blue horns and looked unlike any loudspeaker I had ever seen. You could tell from Steven's Avantgarde Acoustic Uno review that they were something very special. After reading it, I had a bad case of audio envy. However, there was also family with three young children then, so extra funds were diverted to more noble causes. Realistically, even if I had the funds, the Unos were way too big for my small living room. But we all have our silly little pipe dreams, don't we?

The BPI (British Phonographic Industry), a representative voice for the UK's record companies, music business, and label businesses to champion British music, has released details about U.S. tariffs. The U.S. introduced new tariffs on imported physical goods on April 5th (2025) to incentives on-shore manufacturing, and address "unfair" trade practices. Most UK exports now face a 10% baseline tariff in addition to existing duties, while countries deemed "worst offenders" encounter higher reciprocal rates—EU-origin goods, for example, are hit with 15%, with the Swiss experiencing a crushing 39% import duty. However, U.S. Customs and Border Protection carved out an exemption for "informational materials," including phonograph (vinyl LP) records, CDs (compact discs), audio cassette tapes, and similar items under Exception 9903.01.31. Despite this, music-industry members report that merchandise and recording-equipment shipments have sometimes been wrongly classified and taxed, reflecting inconsistent application of the exemption.

As a classically trained percussionist / composer whose forte gravitates towards modern chamber music, I naturally seek out and explore the most current of musical ideas – Those that delve into sonic territory yet undiscovered. Contemporary percussion recognizes the fundamental responsibility of the percussionist-as-inventor. Indeed, we percussionists are creatures donning many hats, an amalgam of scientists, naturalists, engineers, archeologists, et al, compelled to follow the sonic siren of our artistic goals, unconventional or otherwise, that ultimately shapes our art. We are musicians in search of a sound, whose obsession it is to seek the source and its means of actuation (Yes, in the right hands, everything is a potential musical instrument!).

Within the July 2025 issue of EnjoyTheMusic.com's Review Magazine, I reviewed the Genesis Advanced Technologies G7 Samba floorstanding loudspeakers. Even though my reference speakers were priced considerably higher than the Sambas, it was relatively easy to overlook this fact due to the Genesis' outstanding sound quality, not to mention their good looks. After this Genesis speaker's review was published, I had a chat with Genesis dealer Larry Borden of Distinctive Stereo when he came over to pick up the speakers. We didn't discuss the speakers as much as we talked about high-end audio in general, and of course, music. This led us to the topic of analog reproduction, and it was then that he mentioned the Genesis Premium Platinum phono preamp. This caught me off guard. I had always thought that Genesis only designed and manufactured loudspeakers. When I was speaking with Genesis's Chief Designer and CEO Gary Koh he shared with me some specifics about the various phono preamplifiers he owned over the years, but had never been wholly satisfied with.

Opinion is the ideas expressed by a person. Perspective is the point of view from which they view a situation.* The lines between the two don't seem to be well understood. Perspective helps raise awareness of new ideas and methods. I welcome a writer's specific judgment or belief about an issue, as long as it is based on evidence and analysis. I believe in the value of perspective as a way to shape methods, sometimes the whole foundation of an entire approach. That always helps to inspire valid research efforts—even if to prove otherwise. In audioXpress December 2017, we published an interesting article about a different approach to provide the best listening environment for dipolar and multi-directional speakers (omnidirectional), and even directed radiation patterns for specific purposes. In "Educated Reflections," Gary Eickmeier explained why eliminating reflections is not the best approach in a listening room, and how he developed a completely different approach, enhancing the results with "speakers that are renowned for their spaciousness, depth, and 3D imaging." The information detailed in the article, illustrated with how to achieve the results described, intrigued a lot of audioXpress readers, and inspired some to try it out for themselves.

Editorial: Making Great Strides In Audio Equipment

dCS Lina DAC X Digital-To-Analog Converter

PMC prophecy9 Floorstanding Loudspeaker

Chord Electronics Ultima 3 Pre And Ultima 3

Master Fidelity NADAC Digital-To-Analog

Converter Linn Klimax Solo 500 Mono Power Amplifier

Innuos ZENith NG Music Server

Wattson Audio Madison LE Streaming DAC/Headamp

Gold Note HP-10 Deluxe Headphone Amplifier

Chord Company ARAY RF-Controlling Range

Seismion Reactio 2 Anti-Vibration Platform

...And Much More!

With an impressive 215,000 attendees from 138 countries and featuring ~1800 exhibitors plus 187 conference speakers, the 101st edition of IFA is scheduled from September 5th through 9th in Berlin. Berlin's popular Messe Berlin conference center will transform into the world's consumer-tech showcase as IFA (Internationale Funkausstellung) features consumer electronics and home audio. While other events may feature legacy devices, now in its 101st edition, IFA offers attendees every facet of tomorrow's lifestyle: from smart home music distribution and automation to AI-driven voice-activated audio connectivity, digital gear, mobile hi-fi solutions, and much more! Attendees navigate themed show areas that unite global brands, innovative startups, and reseller forums under one sprawling roof, ensuring that buyers, press, and enthusiasts all find their niche. Building on its century-long legacy, today's modern IFA 2025 introduces immersive experience zones designed to spark creativity and community. The IFA Creator Hub offers influencers and storytellers live-stream studios, podcast booths, and VIP lounges.

Of all the reasons I've heard for buying a good audio system, this one seems the most honest. The world, it seems, is falling apart. War, famine, political turmoil, an unpredictable climate, fear of crime... all fuelled by an out-of-control social media and our never-ending desire to doom-scroll through it. Audio is the great escape from that all-pervading sense of dread. A friend, not in the audio business, has a small but relatively nice little audio system. And he has one rule when playing it; phones off. Really 'off', not 'silent'. That means no Shazaming tracks - if you want to know what it is, you ask. That means no sudden wiki-expert knowledge of a band. And it means no loss of focus mid-way through the track as you are drawn to 'InstaGoogleTweetFace.' This resonates with the 'no phones' request made in Classic Album Sundays sessions, where you listen to an entire album in one sitting. Phones are banned there for the same reason. It's strange just how far we've come that the simple demand to turn your phone off is met with looks of sheer horror.

During the past three decades, EnjoyTheMusic.com continiues to be high-end audio's celebrated online site for audiophiles and music lovers, provides decades of industry news, thousands of gear reviews, and more than 280 show reports. We continue to be one of the web's leading information sites for luxurious premium audio / stereo / immersive consumer electronics equipment since 1995.

Over the past 30 continuous years through today, we are humbled to receive critical acclaim from our worldwide readership, other like-minded audiophiles and high-end audio publications, plus respected global consumer electronics industry leaders.

We humbly thank our loyal longstanding fans and everyone within the industry. Together, we continue to bring the joys of music to hi-fi enthusiasts worldwide. As always, in the end what really matters is that you...

Enjoy the Music!

www.EnjoyTheMusic.com

This month, EnjoyTheMusic.com celebrates their very special 30th Anniversary in bring joy to both music lovers and audiophiles. For decades, we helps our loyal readers realize their sound system's dream and true potential! The number 360 is Highly Composite: It has 24 divisors, more than any smaller positive integer. That makes it extremely useful in measurement and in geometry, where, for example, a circle is described as having an immersive 360 degrees, a convention dating back to Babylonian astronomy, which used base-60 (sexagesimal) math. Ancient calendars often used 360-day years, with 5 extra days added later to remain astronomically accurate. The sound we hear reaches us in a full 360-degrees. The number's divisibility was what made it practical for early astronomy. 360 also has rotational Symmetry: In trigonometry and polar coordinates, 360° represents a full rotation—returning to the starting point.

If you are unfamiliar with the brand Audionet, one of today's premier audio electronics manufacturers located in Berlin, Germany, it's time to correct that oversight. Founded in 1994, after nearly a decade of developing sensors and measurement electronics, all of which produced extraordinarily weak signals, and the essential need to build highly reliable, high-resolution analog amplifiers for this entirely new breed of measurement electronics at Ruhr University in Bochum, western Germany, that same research team, who were also music lovers, created what would become Audionet. Armed with the invaluable experience gained building these low-noise, highly resolving amplifiers, they began building some of the most refined and precise audio electronics available, and now, more than thirty years later, they have grown to offer a full line of some of the finest linestages, stereo, mono, and integrated amplifiers.

EnjoyTheMusic.com's Best Of 2025 Blue Note Awards celebrates the many great achievements by audiophile manufacturers within the high-end audio and Hi-Res Audio industry. Our 2025 Blue Note Awards is a three decade culmination of reviewing luxurious high-end audio equipment and carefully choosing what products have earned special recognition for our annual awards. Our Best Of 2025 Blue Note Award celebrates the finest products we have reviewed during the previous 12 months. Recipients have been carefully chosen after much debate and consideration by our staff of reviewers. With each passing year our industry has experienced great advancements in technology including analog circuitry, vinyl LP and analog playback, digital-to-analog converters (DACs), loudspeaker design, personal media players, and more. While there are many great pieces of premium high fidelity audio equipment now available within the marketplace, EnjoyTheMusic.com's Best Of 2025 Blue Note Awards is compiled from products we have reviewed within the past 12 months that have earned extra special attention.

The StereoNET Hi-Fi & AV Expo is the largest annual luxury high-end audio and video event in Australia. This event will bring together audiophiles, home-cinema videophile buffs, modern immersivephiles, and connected-lifestyle enthusiasts from August 29th through 31st at the Pullman Mercure Hotel & Events Centre in Albert Park, Victoria. As the largest show of its type in Australia, it transforms many hotel rooms across multiple floors into immersive demo environments, showcasing everything from compact streaming devices and video screens to colossal floor-standing loudspeakers. Visitors can explore the world's top audio/visual brands alongside up-and-coming innovators, with smart-home integration, gaming setups, and entertainment technologies on display. The addition of a new Level 3 exhibition area underscores the expo's commitment to crafting a truly expansive, hands-on experience for every kind of listener and viewer. Building on its rapid growth, the 2025 edition expands to cover four full floors of the Pullman Convention Centre, featuring over 200 international brands.

Back in February, I spent some time with Marantz so I could experience the new Marantz 40n Network Integrated Amplifier. The $2500 amplifier drove multiple pairs of Bowers & Wilkins loudspeakers in the hotel space with relative ease and I left after two hours of listening thinking that Marantz needed to introduce something less expensive to match it. There were other CD players on display in the room but they were priced well above what I was thinking. I was hoping to see the 40n connected to something like the brand new Marantz CD60 that was just introduced at HIGH END in Munich for $999. There are plenty of people who will shake their head at something like the Marantz CD60 in 2022 with streaming owning 85% of the market right now — but I'm not part of that group. Not even remotely. I started buying CDs in 1984 when my father brought home a new Yamaha CD player from Bay Bloor Radio and after almost 38 years of purchases, my collection approaches almost 2000 CDs.

There has been quite a bit of discussion, lately, in this publication and other forums, about the current direction of the music industry. One of the hot topics is how popular music is recorded and produced. Many argue that the use of software, like ProTools, to snap everything to a grid and correct any "flaws" is robbing the music of its soul. Many times the result is music that, while initially appealing, quickly loses the interest of the listener. It is soulless music. The question is, what is this soul and how do we recognize it? I think most of the time, this occurs at a subconscious level. Why do we want to go see an artist in concert when we've already heard all of their songs multiple times in studio perfection? Because we want to connect to the soul of the music, warts and all. Now, I'm not saying some audio processing tricks aren't going on at these concerts, but there is only so much that can be done live. In the end, it's about the artists connecting with the audience.

Tencent Music Entertainment Group, a leading online music entertainment platform with 124.4 million paying users and 553 million total monthly active users, delivered a standout second quarter in 2025, with total revenues climbing 17.9% year-over-year to RMB 8.44 billion (U.S. $1.18 billion). Online music services drove much of that growth—up 26.4% to RMB 6.85 billion—while music subscription revenue alone rose 17.1% to RMB 4.38 billion. Strong unit economics lifted monthly ARPPU from RMB 10.7 to RMB 11.7, fueling a 43.2% jump in net profit attributable to equity holders to RMB 2.41 billion (US $336 million) and a non-IFRS net profit increase of 37.4%. At quarter end, cash, cash equivalents, term deposits and short-term investments totaled RMB 34.92 billion, underpinning the company's robust balance sheet. On the user front, Tencent Music's ecosystem remains vast and engaged. Monthly active users for online music stood at 553 million, with paying subscribers rising 6.3% to 124.4 million....

Years ago my favorite watch magazine came out with a special Patek Philippe issue. Mechanical timepiece enthusiasts recognize Patek Philippe as one of, if not the, worlds most accomplished manufactures in their field. For the past few years i have been hoping to do the same basic idea, having a complete issue highlighting a single manufacturer within high-end audio. The February 2006 Superior Audio is the first of what we hope to be an ongoing series, with different manufacturers being highlighted. While this will not be a monthly item, my hopes are to have three such issues each year to celebrate manufacturers with incredible accomplishments and have dedicated themselves to produce truly outstanding products. And first up is a company that needs no introduction to analog enthusiasts. We present to you our special Clearaudio edition!

Said to be the most popular tube amplifier ever made, the Dynaco Stereo 70 has been around for over thirty-five years. Its early popularity was due to a reasonable price coupled with good quality iron and a sound seemingly liked by all. A simple circuit consisting of a then new RCA 7199 sharp cutoff pentode medium mu triode driving a pair of 6CA7/EL34's per channel, with a GZ34/5AR4 for B+ , made for an easily built, easily adjusted kit It has also been a platform for more modifications than any other piece of gear made. The mods have ranged from simple recap jobs to full redesigns ala Joe Curcio and Audio Research. Some examples of kit built mods are shown on this page. All the mods are naturally done to correct perceived deficiencies in the original circuit and so tend to group around said deficiencies A list of interesting modification articles, reviews and related info is at the end of this article. The two most common areas of attack seem to be the power supply and the driver stage.

Hi-fi audio emerged in the 1950s with the introduction of the LP record. As the business evolved and stereo became the norm, acoustic suspension speakers gained popularity due to their smaller footprint in the family room. What followed after that can be called an arms race between audio manufacturers to build more powerful amplifiers. This continued as hi-fi became high-end audio. It was not uncommon to see on the pages of print magazines reviewing amplifiers rated at 400 Watts per channel or more. But not all music lovers were following this path. While the audio business was trending towards the more powerful tube and solid-state amps, an underground movement in Japan was extolling the virtues of the old low-powered Western Electric amps when paired with speakers of the same vintage.

Until I received my FiiO R7 Music Server my go-to player to burn in headphones or to act as a digital source for DAC reviews (computers tend to be noisy over USB) has been my trusty FiiO M11 DAP (while the FiiO M11 Plus LTD offers some advantages, it also sucks up a lot of power), but FiiO is not a company to rest long, always pushing the envelope and developing new and better players, and in this vein is their new FiiO M15S Desktop/Portable Hi-Res Lossless Music Player. Slightly larger and with an almost half-inch larger display, the M15S boasts an eight-channel DAC and over twice the power output and includes a desktop dock with a built-in cooling fan. Some of the things that set the FiiO M15S Desktop/Portable Hi-Res Lossless Music Player apart from the pack beyond the FiiO DK3S dock, are the Dual Power Supply Mode, the Five Gain Levels, Six Operating Modes....

Southwest Audio Fest (SWAF) listens to vendors and attendees. "For years the audio industry has talked about how slow Sundays are," says Lou Hinkley and Gary Gill of SWAF. "We at SWAF have listened and are dropping Sundays and adding Thursday to generate more traffic, while leaving you more time on Sundays for your families. Our experience at the Southwest Audio Fest seems like Dallas would be a perfect candidate to try the Thursday – Friday - Saturday experience. Thursday’s show hours will be 2pm to 8pm, providing more options for attendees with busy schedules. Friday and Saturday will remain 10am to 6pm with many rooms having evening and after hours listening events. See you all in July 2026 at SWAF! The latest news from Pacific Audiofest (PAF): "In 2024 we considered making PAF a biennial event, and scheduled the next show for 2026," says PAF. "Turns out everyone wants it to be an annual event. So beginning in 2026 it will continue every year."

The Finest Audio Show Zurich returns on 1 and 2 November 2025 at the Mövenpick Hotel Zurich Regensdorf, riding high on the momentum generated by its successful comeback last fall. Bringing together national and international sound expertise under one roof, it reinforces the Swiss hi-fi tradition that has been decades in the making. Over two days, exhibitors and visitors alike will tap into fresh new ideas—from modular, space-saving systems to cutting-edge high-end installations—affirming the show's role as the driving force behind Switzerland's vibrant hi-fi market. Under the banner of quality, regional character and brand diversity, the event showcases a curated lineup of products across the full spectrum of audio excellence. Attendees can experience intelligent streaming platforms, state-of-the-art turntables, classic tube amplifiers, high-fidelity headphones and proven two-channel systems in a home-like setting designed for optimal sound.

Editorial: Different Perspectives In Music And Sound Reproduction

An Image Model Theory For Stereophonic Sound

Audinate Dante Virtual Soundcard

Audio-Speech Processing And Microphone Arrays

Phase Delay, Group Delay, And Circuit Sensitivity Basics

A Power Supply Filter

Connected Home Audio And Home Theater

High End Munich 2025

Build Your Own Guitar Amp

...And Much More!

Some output tubes (211 and 845) need a very high drive voltage with low distortion. Some tube freaks have used the 300B tube as a driver but it is very expensive. Others have tried to use a triode connected EL34 but it is not linear enough. A pentode driven on the screen grid is very linear. I have tried this concept in a new driver stage, as shown on the accompanying schematic. The first two tubes V1 and V2 form an asymmetrical mu-follower. V3 is a screen grid driven pentode. Adjust the potentiometer R9 to 350V DC at the plate of V3. You can use many different tubes for V3. I made distortion measurements for some different tube types with the results given in table 2. EL36 and 5881 are the two best tubes. The linearity of these two tubes in this "enhanced" mode is even better than for a 300B tube used as a driver.

In 1972 I had the good fortune to begin working for ESS, arriving a few weeks before they met Oskar Heil and his air motion transformer design. You can imagine the excitement that followed. The first Heil tweeter was a dipole design like an open baffle and it operated from about 800 Hz to above 20 kHz with high accuracy and efficiency. Once the tweeter had been launched in a commercial product, thoughts turned to the notion of a low frequency version. Oskar had a design which looked like a stack of pancakes with magnets on the top and bottom and a series of parallel cones driven by rods which passed through small holes in the cones. As a concept it was workable, but it did not look like something that would be easily made. While Oskar continued to develop that approach I put together a prototype for the AMT-3 that used six regular woofers firing against flat panels in a slot loading arrangement.

There are many schools of thought concerning the best way to make a loudspeaker. There is no doubt the folks at YG Acoustics with the Carmel 2 floorstanding loudspeaker ($24,300) as reviewed here think differently. Some will point you at electrostatic or planar magnetic panels, but most designers have chosen the more conventional approach of using dynamic drivers. Some will insist that all crossovers are evil, and the only way to avoid this evil is to use a single dynamic driver. A lot of creativity has been expended in this direction, particularly for those who wish to partner these speakers with low powered SET amplifiers, since single driver speakers can be highly efficient. But most will say both the low end and the high end are compromised in either level or accuracy by this choice, and direct their attention to multi-driver boxes.

Siltech recently launched a new, flagship series of audio cables called Master Crown. As with everything they do, the launch would be a first-class event. With the help of US Siltech distributor, Monarch Systems, based in Englewood, CO, a press event was held Friday, June 20th to introduce and demonstrate the advantages of this new product to the audio press. Monarch Systems was founded by two audio industry veterans, Jon Baker and Rich Maez, and with the assistance of their Marketing Manager, Jaclyn Schnirring, they played host to seven members of the press in a spacious, beautiful home in the gated community of Las Campanas, to the west of the heart of old Santa Fe, at a location they call La Casita. We were also honored to be joined by Siltech's own engaging, conversant, and well-informed Gaby Rynveld, who led much of the day's ceremonies.

TAD (Technical Audio Devices) is a high-end audio manufacturer based in Tokyo. It is a subsidiary of the sizable mass-market audio manufacturer Pioneer. Although Pioneer produces some fine, mostly affordable gear, TAD works independently of Pioneer, designing and manufacturing much more upscale high-end audio products. In 1975, the Tokyo-based Pioneer Corporation began TAD to develop high-end speakers for professional use. In 2007, TAD became an independent subsidiary of Pioneer and has been designing and manufacturing all types of high-end audio products primarily focusing on speakers and amplifiers for home use. Previously, my only experience reviewing TAD products was two years ago, when I reviewed their $20,000 Evolution Two (TAD-E2) floor-standing speakers. These 2.5-way speakers impressed me both in their visual appearance and sound quality.

Steven got this very helpful reference book for me, The Complete Guide to High-End Audio Fifth Edition by Robert Harley, as I slowly learn some of the ins and outs of high-end audio. I am very content listening to the awesome systems both within our home and at shows. Other times, there are great interests in what makes these products excellent, and so I really want to know about the what, why, and especially how these systems achieve their great sound. I realize there are people out there who actually enjoy reading technical manuals, such as my husband Steven, yet this is not for me. The Complete Guide to High-End Audio is perfect for me as a reference book. In fact I bring it with me to the many different audio shows we attend just in case there are questions about something. Am a bit timid and don't want to ask a silly question, so I refer to my awesome new book! For me, and probably all audiophiles both seasoned and aspiring, have found the glossary extremely helpful.

The StereoNET Hi-Fi & AV Expo is the largest annual luxury high-end audio and video event in Australia. This event will bring together audiophiles, home-cinema videophile buffs, modern immersivephiles, and connected-lifestyle enthusiasts from August 29th through 31st at the Pullman Mercure Hotel & Events Centre in Albert Park, Victoria. As the largest show of its type in Australia, it transforms many hotel rooms across multiple floors into immersive demo environments, showcasing everything from compact streaming devices and video screens to colossal floor-standing loudspeakers. Visitors can explore the world's top audio/visual brands alongside up-and-coming innovators, with smart-home integration, gaming setups, and entertainment technologies on display. The addition of a new Level 3 exhibition area underscores the expo's commitment to crafting a truly expansive, hands-on experience for every kind of listener and viewer. Building on its rapid growth, the 2025 edition expands to cover four full floors of the Pullman Convention Centre, featuring over 200 international brands.

A few months ago, I had the pleasure of attending the Florida International Audio Expo 2025. It was an incredible show, and the week I got home, I got even better news. My editor had arranged for me to review the new Rotel Michi X5 Series 2 solid-state stereo integrated amplifier with phono stage and Hi-Res Audio DAC here at EnjoyTheMusic.com. Michi is a designation that represents a flagship series of components within Rotel's family of products. Originally introduced to the market in 1993, it showcased all the best that Rotel had to offer. However, the components as we know them today were reintroduced to the market in 2019. These latest incarcerations continue to showcase the best Rotel has to offer while keeping audiophile values alive. Of course, all the labels aside, the thought of getting an integrated amplifier excited me personally.

Editorial: Enjoying Music As A Happy Escape

Jadis I-88 Vacuum Tube Integrated Amplifier

Aavik I-188 Integrated Amplifier

Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS Burmester Surround Sound

Hegel H50 Hi-Res Audio DAC

Soulnote A1 Integrated Amplifier

Lindemann Woodnote COMBO Integrated Streaming Amplifier

YG Acoustics Sonja 3.2 Floorstanding Loudspeaker

Stax SRS-X1000 Electrostatic Headphone System

Pro-Ject Speaker Box 5 E Carbon Stand-Mount Loudspeaker

Stack Audio Serene Record Dampener

...And Much More!

I would understand if some readers of EnjoyTheMusic.com assumed that I was in cahoots with the high-end audio company Merrill Audio. This is my fifth review of a Merrill Audio component. Within the April 2015 issue I reviewed Merrill Audio's Thor monoblock power amplifiers and, also that year, Merrill's Taranis power amps. In 2017, I reviewed Merrill's outstanding Christine Reference preamplifier. Then, in 2018, I reviewed their mighty 118 monoblock power amplifiers. I have reviewed many of Merrill Audio's products because their headquarters are about twenty miles from my home. The owner of Merrill Audio, Merrill Wettasinghe, has hand-delivered each review component I've reviewed. While he is here, and because Mr. Wettasinghe and I are both audiophiles and music lovers, we often listen to some music after setting up the equipment. Afterward, we frequently get something to eat at a local eatery. Does our professional friendship influence my reviews of Merrill Audio's high-end audio equipment?

After catching more than 48 gigs during the nine-day 21st Rochester International Jazz Festival, I rode home after the final show with the sound of live music etched in my mind. The Brubeck Bros. had been scheduled for Kilbourn Hall, an acoustically rich 444-seat performance hall at the Eastman School of Music, but heavy rains overnight and during the day resulted in buckets spread throughout the hall to catch nature's dribbles. It was rescheduled for Kodak Hall, the main venue at the Eastman Theater with enough seats for everyone who wished to be there. I sat reasonably close, maybe 8 rows back in the center to catch a mix of the Steinway piano, the drums, the electric bass, and the electric guitar. Splendid. And easy to hear why this venue is used for the premium Headliner performances at JazzFest and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra the rest of the year. I typically buy a JazzPass, allowing me to attend as many performances as I wish among the multiple smaller venues. Fast footwork and careful pre-planning helped me maximize this annual music festival.

The Audio Engineering Society's (AES) flagship gathering returns to the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center October 23rd through 25th, promising an immersive "Audio Dreamin'" experience for more than 10,000 audio professionals, audiophile enthusiasts, and sound engineering students from around the globe. With registration already open, attendees will converge to explore the latest breakthroughs in audio technology, ranging from modern immersive sound formats to AI-driven signal processing and classical stereo. Whether you're a seasoned engineer fine-tuning your mastering chain or a newcomer eager to dive deep into acoustics, AES Show 2025 delivers a curated blend of exhibits, technical papers, and hands-on demos designed to inspire and inform every corner of the audio lifecycle. Highlighting the event's technical prowess, Warren Huart kicks off the program as keynote speaker, setting the tone for three days of cutting-edge sessions and workshops.

I had great experiences at AXPONA and the High End Show in Munich this year. Both shows are extremely influential in projecting trends every year, revealing both the extreme high-end of audio designs for those that are aiming for the ultimate and the latest concepts for the more approachable home audio tiers of the market, which increasingly also include more high-quality lifestyle products. On top of the audio and design innovations that audioXpress reports, those trade shows reveal the overall directions for audio technology for the home market, showing how brands are revived and refreshed, and how technology creates new listening possibilities in the living room, for entertainment systems, and even whole home and multiroom approaches. This is more noticeable at the European show, and needs to be reinforced in the expo area of AXPONA, creating a welcome and much-needed opportunity for more mainstream products and brands, many of whom have more products than those they are able to fit in a listening room.

The Loudness Wars of the first years of the 21st Century are, thankfully, largely behind us. The days of 'everything louder than everything else' and '3dB of dynamic range equals a hit single' are mostly a thing of the past. However, the excesses of that time highlight a maxim that is so easily forgotten in all walks of life, including good audio; just because you can do a thing, doesn't mean that you should. High-end audio, like its counterparts in many luxury goods markets, has yet to find its price ceiling. I don't think it's possible to build a system that exceeds the five million mark yet (be that Pounds, US Dollars, or Euros), but we're getting very close to that price point. Doubtless, a couple of years from now, we'll be pushing the eight-figure barrier. But... should we? Audio enthusiasts want to build a system out of the best sounding products and that creates a 'Top Trumps' world where pinnacle performance rules. But a loudspeaker with a frequency range from DC to light or an amplifier with reservoir capacitance that could jump-start an aircraft carrier might be overkill even in the largest listening rooms.

On the 2nd Floor, at the extreme front corner of the lobby, is a very tall space with glass on two sides. It can be seen from the Atrium on the 6th Floor. I've heard other systems in this space, and I'm being kind to say that it is a difficult space to work with. Yet many contemporary homes present such large walls of glass, so this area offers a benchmark of what you can expect to achieve. More extensive room treatment could certainly help. Acoustic panels absorb and diffuse mid- and high-frequency energy, taming early reflections that blur detail and smear stereo imaging. By strategically placing panels at first-reflection points—walls, ceiling clouds, and even floors—listening rooms gain immediate improvements in clarity, making subtle nuances in recordings more discernible. This reduction in unwanted echoes and flutter echoes sharpens rhythm and timing, so transient sounds like snare hits or plucked strings remain crisp rather than washing together.

After a recess to attend the nine-day Rochester International Jazz Festival, motorcycling up to the Adirondack Mountains for an extended family vacation, and a brief interlude to celebrate our wedding anniversary, I return to those thrilling days of yesteryear and my coverage of AXPONA 2025. The third floor at AXPONA 2025, located at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center, is where Enjoy the Music.com found curated home audio / hi-fi listening rooms, offering kids both young and old the opportunity to enjoy great tunes. Audio demos featuring high-end audio equipment showcases is the rule of the day. According to AXPONA 2025's official exhibit maps, this floor hosts rooms numbered in the 300s. Audiophiles often tackle the third floor first—heading directly to the top and working back down—to avoid elevator congestion, especially during the busy Saturday sessions when turn-over is high.

Do you know what a piano is? Sure you do; It's big keyboard instrument that you can play music on, and that's been used by everyone from (in nothing like chronological order) Mozart to Franz Liszt (perhaps the first true rock star) to Sergei Rachmaninoff, to Yuja Wang, to "Fats" Domino, to "Fats" Waller, to Elton John, to the neighbor kid who drives you nuts with his awful and incessant practicing next door. Do you know, though, how a piano got its name? It's not actually just a "piano", but a "pianoforte" – a name derived by combining the two classical music terms for "soft (piano) and "loud" (forte), and it became hugely popular – completely replacing its predecessor, the harpsichord, because, unlike the harpsichord's single volume level, it can be played as loud or as quietly as the player wants, and more easily convey feeling or emotion. (Instead of the "plectra" that a harpsichord uses to pluck its strings – always with the same force – a piano has "hammers" that can strike its strings as hard or as softly as the player wants, and produce whatever volume level may be desired.)

My dad passed away last August. This has brought back many fond memories of him. One of my earliest memories was of my dad's sound system in the bedroom beside mine. I only got a few peeks in there since my presence in that chamber was normally strictly verboten. Besides the fantastical sounds that I could hear, I remember the orange glow coming from the Dynaco ST 70 and a mixture of the mingled aromas of solder and fresh vinyl. My dad only had his special music room a couple of years before my brother arrived. I moved into my dad's sanctum, and his audio system, vinyl, and tapes were banished to the basement. Such are the sacrifices of a parent. Even in the basement, that great stuff was behind a locked door to keep it away from my grubby mitts. My dad spent quite a bit of time down there when I was young, but as the years passed, the basement became the domain for my brother and me.

Continuing our celebratory salute to three decades of high-end audio journalism, EnjoyTheMusic.com's August 2025 Review Magazine kicks off with Roger Skoff's thought-provoking Viewpoint essay, "Pump Up The Volume? When Is Loud Too Loud?", exploring the art and science of musical dynamics and why true emotion often lives between pianissimo and fortissimo. There's a forward-looking editorial by audioXpress, titled "The Endless Mysteries of Acoustics." It delves into advanced subjects like room impulse response paradoxes, real-time acoustic simulation, modeling of floor finishes, etc. Getting back to loudness, Hi-Fi+'s Editor Alan Sircom writes about The Loudness Wars of the first years of the 21st Century, plus the 'make it bigger' as a driving force, and more. Within our equipment section, this issue presents a World Premiere Review as Paul Schumann examines the Pilot Radio Vacuum Tube Stereo Preamplifier. We also put the Rotel Michi X5 Series 2 Integrated Amplifier through its paces. We revisit the Ayon Audio Crossfire EVO vacuum tube mono amp, feature The Complete Guide To High-End Audio, and just for fun we added Nelson Pass' sensational Slot Loaded Open Baffle loudspeaker DIY project. All this and much more within our exciting August issue.

CEDIA Expo/CIX returns to the Colorado Convention Center in Denver from September 3rd through 6th, co-located with Commercial Integrator Expo for the third consecutive year. Attendees will explore ~300 exhibitors showcasing smart home and commercial AV technologies—spanning luxury audio, immersive home theater, integrated lighting, outdoor living, and Work-From-Home solutions. The show floor will feature an immersive Smart Stage thought-leadership sessions, interactive demos, and the Launchpad area, where emerging brands unveil pioneering products that elevate sound, display, and control systems. This unified event enables integrators, designers, architects, and manufacturers to discover cutting-edge innovation, compare solutions side-by-side, and gain insights from industry experts. This year's expo spotlights strong category growth with more than 50 new-to-show companies joining established brands and mid-sized enterprises. In audio, many innovative companies will deliver premium listening experiences.

With an impressive 215,000 attendees from 138 countries and featuring ~1800 exhibitors plus 187 conference speakers, the 101st edition of IFA is scheduled from September 5th through 9th in Berlin. Berlin's popular Messe Berlin conference center will transform into the world's consumer-tech showcase as IFA (Internationale Funkausstellung) features consumer electronics and home audio. While other events may feature legacy devices, now in its 101st edition, IFA offers attendees every facet of tomorrow's lifestyle: from smart home music distribution and automation to AI-driven voice-activated audio connectivity, digital gear, mobile hi-fi solutions, and much more! Attendees navigate themed show areas that unite global brands, innovative startups, and reseller forums under one sprawling roof, ensuring that buyers, press, and enthusiasts all find their niche. Building on its century-long legacy, today's modern IFA 2025 introduces immersive experience zones designed to spark creativity and community. The IFA Creator Hub offers influencers and storytellers live-stream studios, podcast booths, and VIP lounges.

This Is Spinal Tap, released in 1984, is a landmark mockumentary directed by Rob Reiner (also plays a role as Marty Di Bergi) that chronicles the fictional British heavy-metal band Spinal Tap on their American comeback tour. Fronted by David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean), Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest), and Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer), plus assorted drummers, the film adopts a documentary style—complete with backstage interviews, on-stage mishaps, and impromptu jam sessions—to parody the excesses and absurdities of rock 'n' roll culture. Its improvisational dialogue, devised by the principal actors, lends an authentic spontaneity to moments like the notorious on-stage meltdown over miniature Stonehenge props, broken amplifiers, and the endlessly quoted line, "These go to eleven." Beyond its unflinching send-up of tour-bus banter and egotistical rock personas, This Is Spinal Tap resonated for its affectionate satire rather than mean-spirited mockery.

You know, I heard it through the grapevine. Chesky Audio's LC1 Bookshelf Monitor loudspeaker was mentioned in show reports I found online. Many critics remarked how great these inexpensive $996 bookshelf speakers performed. At the same time, I received a shout-out from my friend and colleague Rick Becker at EnjoyTheMusic.com, and he thought the LC1 would be perfect to audition in my smallish 12' by 19' foot ear cave listening room. Initially, that seemed to make a lot of sense. The old audio adage tells us, small speakers fit in a small room. So I cast my lot and submitted my case on the Chesky Audio web space. It turns out that they were in such demand that there was a serious backlog. The designer, Lucca Chesky, is pretty much a one-man band who is busy 3D printing and finishing them by hand. The backstory has him still in high school when he developed the LC1 bookshelf monitor speakers as reviewed here.

I first became aware of Genesis speakers when I was a young man, shortly after they were first introduced in 1991 via the audiophile press. It was tough to ignore the fact that anyone who discussed this brand of speakers never failed to mention their chief designer, the late Arnie Nudell, and his passion for research and development, as well as the use of premium materials, their impeccable design, and, by all reliable accounts, their outstanding sound quality. Genesis introduced their more affordable G7 Series in 2005, beginning with the G7c, also known as the Convertible, a bookshelf speaker designed by Genesis' Arnie Nudell, who sadly passed away in 2017. The G7c speakers were soon followed by other models created by Mr. Nudell's successor, Gary L. Koh, who is now Genesis' Chief Designer and the CEO of Genesis Advanced Technologies. These newer models included the G7p (Petite) and the G7f, a floor-standing model with an active side-firing woofer. Although the G7 Series was discontinued in 2018, it has now been reintroduced.

Capital Audiofest (CAF) 2025 is set to take place from November 14th to 16th at the Hilton Rockville in Maryland, continuing its legacy as the East Coast's largest and most beloved high-end audio show. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, offering three full days of immersive listening experiences, gear demos, and community engagement. Founded in 2010 by Gary Gill, CAF has grown from a grassroots gathering into a cornerstone of the North American audiophile calendar, drawing enthusiasts, engineers, and manufacturers from across the globe. The 2025 edition promises to uphold its reputation for warmth and accessibility, with a family-friendly atmosphere and a strong emphasis on music appreciation. Music lovers will enjoy a CAF record-breaking ~150 listening rooms, each tailored by exhibitors to showcase their latest innovations in audio reproduction.

The week of May 24, 2021, I had the pleasure of hosting two of what I consider two of the giants of the industry, Bill Parrish of GTT Audio & Video and Joe Kubala of Kubala-Sosna Research. GTT Audio has been in business since 1995 and has established itself as one of the top retailers/distributors of high-end audio equipment in the US. GTT is currently the distributor and flagship retailer for Audionet, Kronos Audio, and Mola Mola. In addition, they are a premier dealer for YG Acoustics and Kubala Sosna. Of course, these companies represent just a fraction of the products they carry, and Bill brings 43 years of experience in the audio/music business to share with his clients.

Call it what you like, but we have to start here. If you can't get past the way the Forty-10 looks, all the praise in any audio journal will be meaningless to you. Straight and simple, it is quintessential Mid-Century Modern design. In terms of where American mainstream home furnishings is today, it is spot on. In terms of the interior design of people that can afford this speaker, well, you may need to adjust. The original Eames lounge chair and ottoman is still available from Herman Miller for $7000 and the knock-off can be had for less than $1300. Many contemporary Scandinavian recliners will also work very nicely. Ekornes is not your only option. If you've got a dedicated listening room (and most people considering a $37,000 speaker will) this should not be a problem. As a two-way dipole, it needs to be 30" to 40" out from the front wall behind it. It will have a definite presence in your room.

Since the recent 2022 documentary about Woodstock '99 in Rome, New York, I've noticed quite a bit of interest in my below live daily report posted back in July 1999. I've posted the highest resolution photos possible. My humble appreciation for your very kind understanding, as back in 1999 digital camera technology was what it was. The original files are from an Olympus ??? with 1280 × 1024 resolution. To see the full res photo, simply open image in new window.

And now on with the show....

Popular online discussion board Head-Fi had their Second Annual International Head-Fi Meet (Headfest or Head-Fest) ) in San Jose, California from April 21st though the 22nd at the Radisson Hotel San Jose Airport. Hosted by hotel owner Richard Kim (nickname Sleestack), Clarke Robinson (Clarke68), Al Bedecarre (Voltron), and the rest of the San Francisco Bay Area Head-Fi organizing committee and membership, made the West coast event a huge sucess! The main ballroom of the San Jose Radisson had an array of 18 member equipment display tables in the middle of the room ringed by 15 vendor tables along three walls. Another feature of the show was a members-only high-end section and 12 rooms with ultra-fi gear to allow for very serious listening with low noise floor due to less foot traffic and controlled entry into this special section of the show. Various special events during this event included door prizes, conferences, and seminars plus meal tickets for the Head-Fi Bar-B-Q lunch. An after-hours fifth floor lounge allowed for a meeting and relaxing spot throughout the meet.

Pass Laboratories, Inc., is a name that most audiophiles utter, after describing a product that comes close to perfection. "XXX amplifier almost sounds as good as the Pass Labs XXX model". We've all done it. Fortunately, "as good as" will have to wait. Thanks to the good people at Pass Laboratories; I get the real thing. As the world was on pause, my listening room entertained a pair of Pass Labs X260.8 monoblock amplifiers. In full disclosure, I would like to admit that I have been a fan of Pass Labs products for many years. I've never owned or reviewed any of their products, so I was looking forward to this delivery.... The Pass Labs X260.8 monoblock amplifiers require two people to move. I know most amplifier manufacturers recommend this, but this is the first time I heeded their recommendation. Luckily, my good friend Michael was able to help me wrestle these beasts into place.

dCS is not a company that releases new products often unless it can make a significant upgrade in overall performance. The Bartók was dCS's first entry into the high-end headphone market designed with dCS's famous Ring DAC it was a successful product for dCS. The Headphone community received it well and I enjoyed my time with it during my review and was sad to see it leave. Not to rest on their laurels, dCS spent two years in designing the new Lina System, a Modular three-piece design that includes a separate Headphone Amplifier, Ring DAC, and Master Clock as a step up from the Bartók. Designed for ultimate listening performance the Lina System can be purchased as individual units or as an entire system, while aesthetically, the Lina's modern and sleek contemporary design will work well in any home or office setup.

For a while there, triodes were the biggest craze to hit audio in a decade at least. After years of nothing more exciting than new digital formats, the single ended amplifier exploded onto the local marketplace and captivated the attention of audiophiles and industry gums. It was different, it was new, it was classic, and it was HIP. At first, triodes had the ultimate qualification for hipness going on — you couldn't buy the stuff even if you had the money. You either had to build 'em yourself or import some exotic electronics from a foreign land. What followed the revival of triodes did a lot to reaffirm my faith in the capitalist system. As predicted by the classical models, when there is demand some ambitious producer will rise to meet the challenges. Two years later, there are a dozen single ended amps that you can buy, a few real nice triode kits, and a number of exciting new tubes on the market.

My first wife used to have this Madison Avenue market research job, and her main assignment was to do surveys-to find out what women wanted and what men thought was important. Not surprisingly, she discovered that women desired economic security and status in the community way more than sex or power or even love. Shockingly, sex was usually seventh or eighth on the woman's list. What really surprised me, though, was what men claimed was important to them. I mean, yeah, sex was always at the top (usually number one or two). But incredibly, right there on the top of the list next to sex and way ahead of money or power or even fame was music. I am not kidding you. And this wasn't only in rock-till-ya-wear-dentures America, no sit. This was an international phenomenon.

Paul Speltz is a hobbyist turned manufacturer, who has produced a nifty device that ought to be seriously considered by tube amplifier owners of the output-transformerless (OTL) variety, as well as those fanatical about transformer-coupled, low-power, single-ended triode (SET) designs. No, it's not the Japanese fighter plane that bombed Pearl Harbor. A ZERO is an auto-transformer or autoformer that connects between the loudspeaker and power amplifier and allows the end user to adjust the effective loudspeaker impedance. The impedance seen by the amplifier can be multiplied by up to a factor of four, for example, turning a 4-Ohm loudspeaker into a 16-Ohm loudspeaker. What do you get when you put a ZERO in an exotic, solid-wood, box with Cardas binding posts? The answer: a ZERO Box! Unlike a conventional output transformer with primary and secondary windings, an autoformer uses only a single winding for all connections.

Since you are indeed a music lover, odds are you have hundreds, maybe even thousands of compact discs in your home. Over the years maybe a few of them have become dirty with fingerprints, or worse, have a few scratches. Could have been due to a rare mishap when the disc fell to the floor, or during that big party when drunk you and the disc fell to the floor. Regardless, many of us have tried Armor All (shame on you) or other proclaimed polishes and cleaners. Enter the professionals from NOVUS. Like Caig Laboratories who make professional contact cleaners that are used by truly professional technicians, the NOVUS plastic polish is made by professionals, for professionals. Sure i have tried "audiophile" solutions like Finyl, the excellent Optrix and also the mediocre Discwasher solution as well. While the Discwasher may clean some fingerprints, it is a yawner at best. Finyl claimed to make the music on your discs sound better.

As a world traveler, sitting within the "tuna can" for over six hours can be a mind-numbing experience. Other than the lousy airline food and ever-declining quality of onboard service, bringing your entertainment during a trip is a must. Also, those who are allowed to enjoy music at work will find this review enlightening. Portable systems must be just that, completely portable, and therefore mandate the use of headphones. So what is an audiophile to do with all the junk at mass market stores? Any audiophile worth their salt would never choose MP3 or other lossy compression schemes devices. "The iPod" shouts the Apple Dumpling Gang from the back of the room. No thank you. While it is indeed a great mass-market product, its music reproduction abilities are far behind what is truly possible. As for portable DVD units, I tried a few and feel they were just ok with higher resolution digital discs, yet most audiophiles have only one real choice.

If you're an audiophile, you've almost certainly either been to a high-fidelity audio event (Hi-Fi Show) or wanted to go to one. Back in the days before I got into the industry, every time CES – the Consumer Electronics Show – came around (There used to be two of them – Las Vegas and Chicago), I would always ask my industry friends if they had gone to it; how they liked it; what had been the hit of the Show; and what new great stuff I should hunt down and buy for myself. Invariably, the answer I got was that they had been too busy working their own exhibits to actually go and see or listen to anybody else's; and that they had effectively seen or heard nothing. NO FUN! That was back years ago, when hi-fi was – following the great hi-fi boom of the late 1950s and 1960s when stereo LP records were first introduced, and the second boom in the 1980s, when CDs came along offering "perfect sound forever," a common interest....

It's no secret that Hollywood has become the land of the sequel. Nine of the top ten grossing movies from 2022 were sequels. I excluded The Batman because it technically wasn't a sequel, but it was a reboot, for goodness' sake. Now I'm not going to bash sequels out of hand. I watch a bunch of them myself. My big complaint is when a sequel is done by a different set of writers and a new director and is so different from its predecessor in tone and theme that about halfway through I throw up my hands and ask, "Why am I watching this?". One sequel I'm looking forward to watching is Dune: Part 2. While they call it a sequel, it's more of a continuation of the first movie with Denis Villeneuve and his team completing the task. Even though I've only seen 2.5 minutes of it in a trailer, I am incredibly hopeful that this crew will bring the ship safely into the harbor. Yes, I could be wrong, but like Fremen, I believe.

Writing about Music is like Dancing about Architecture, someone once said. I did use the sentence a few times, particularly in the years when I was the editor of a music publication and we had to convey in words how a performance or recording made us feel. At the time, I really had to master that art—after all, you want to do justice to artists and their music, and you need to keep readers engaged and wanting to buy the record. When I'm in a position to judge how things sound and I have to write about it, I am fully conscious that I am describing purely subjective impressions that are frequently ephemeral and subject to shift under different conditions, or at another time. Is Writing about Audio Like Painting about Philosophy? Yes, the process of picking words to describe emotions and general sensory perception is a bit like philosophy. It can be systematic, reflect critical thinking, and employ logical analysis, conceptual clarification, and argumentation. Robert Harley (of Absolute Sound fame) uses words such as tone color, and liquidity, to describe sounds, and I get it.

The 32nd Shanghai International Top Audio-Visual Show (TAS) is set to take place this weekend, from July 11 to 13, at the Shanghai International Convention Center in Lujiazui, Pudong. Nestled on Binjiang Boulevard along the Huangpu River and just steps from the iconic Oriental Pearl Tower, the venue offers easy access to Shanghai's financial district and skyline vistas. Over three days, TAS will transform the convention center into a showcase of high-end immersive audio-visual (A/V) craftsmanship and innovation. Driven by both industry heavyweights and boutique specialists, the 2025 edition will feature more than 200 exhibitors presenting over 2000 brands. Attendees can expect comprehensive demonstrations of cutting-edge loudspeaker systems, state-of-the-art amplification, digital streaming solutions, immersivephile home-theater setups, and smart-home integration. Each year the show draws roughly 35,000 visitors, from audiophiles and A/V integrators to international buyers scouting the latest trends in hi-fi and commercial A/V technology.

Editorial: Making High-End Audio Gear Bigger

Clearaudio Performance DC, TT5 And Stradivari V2

Soulution Audio 331 Integrated Stereo Amplifier

Doshi Audio Evolution Stereo Line Preamplifier

Acoustic Energy AE3092 Floorstanding Loudspeaker

Euphony Summus 2c And 4c Music Server

Piega Premium 301 Gen2 Stand-Mount Loudspeaker

PMC prophecy7 Floorstanding Loudspeaker

Karan Acoustics Master Collection POWERb MONO

Chord Electronics Alto Integrated Headphone Amp

McIntosh DS200 Network Streamer / DAC

...And Much More!

Drop everything and join EnjoyTheMusic.com’s music lover / audiophile Facebook page right now—your ears will thank you! Discover jaw-dropping gear, insider tweaks, and secret sound hacks you won’t find anywhere else. See advanced sneak peeks at mind-blowing new releases hitting the market before anyone else. Hit “Like” and "Follow", and step into a world where every note, beat, and whisper is dialed up to perfection—your ultimate sonic adventure starts here!

You know, I heard it through the grapevine. Chesky Audio's LC1 Bookshelf Monitor loudspeaker was mentioned in show reports I found online. Many critics remarked how great these inexpensive $996 bookshelf speakers performed. At the same time, I received a shout-out from my friend and colleague Rick Becker at EnjoyTheMusic.com, and he thought the LC1 would be perfect to audition in my smallish 12' by 19' foot ear cave listening room. Initially, that seemed to make a lot of sense. The old audio adage tells us, small speakers fit in a small room. So I cast my lot and submitted my case on the Chesky Audio web space. It turns out that they were in such demand that there was a serious backlog. The designer, Lucca Chesky, is pretty much a one-man band who is busy 3D printing and finishing them by hand. The backstory has him still in high school when he developed the LC1 bookshelf monitor speakers as reviewed here.

Yes, the McIntosh MC611 reviewed here is the same pair of power amplifiers of which EnjoyTheMusic.com's Creative Director Steven R. Rochlin wrote a fun-filled review of McIntosh's MC611 in April. No, the MC611s I'm writing about here aren't the same review pair as Mr. Rochlin reviewed, because he purchased his sight unseen, and so they are in his home to stay. The purchase and subsequent review of these amplifiers was a surprise to me, and since I'd already agreed to review the same model of McIntosh amplifiers, I resisted, and did not read his review. Although, because he purchased the amps, I will assume that his review is a positive one. Since the amps were only in production for a very short time when his review was published, I'll also assume that he did not spend as much time with them as I have before sitting down to write my review. One can read into that as much as they want, but my goal is, and has always been when I write my equipment reviews for EnjoyTheMusic.com is to be as impartial as possible. I will do my best.

The concept of 'Audio Essentials' is at once controversial and ever-changing. It's controversial because there remains a contingent of audio enthusiasts who dismiss everything in the pages of this issue as nonsense on stilts. And it's ever changing because we keep finding more aspects of the audio chain that can benefit from a spot of care and attention. Care and attention goes beyond simply spending your way out of bad sound; it's about getting the basics right and then seeing what lies beyond. The basics too often seem like a lost art, as indicated by the Gordian Knot of cables that often features at the rear of so many systems. Simply addressing that mess of cables – and getting each component sitting level on a light, yet rigid surface – can make a big difference to even the most humble system. Similarly, ensuring where your loudspeakers – and, for that matter, you – are positioned in the listening room can bring out the best in a good system, and help smooth out the nasties in a bad one. Reading the instruction manual that came with the loudspeakers and using those recommendations as a starting place is a good start. However, often small and incremental adjustments to the relative position to side and rear walls, and the amount of toe-in beyond the basics helps.

I was invited to my daughter's home for Father's Day. It had been a while since I'd been there, and though we were planning to go to dinner, neither of us was particularly hungry, so we sat around and talked, and eventually watched a movie before leaving for the restaurant. The movie was the more recent version of Mortal Kombat, a kung-fu fantasy action film that was, for whatever it's worth, completely different from the original, but quite thoroughly enjoyable, and blessed with lots of special effects both visual and sonic. And that's where the surprise came in. Her TV set was a 75" monster, which was the biggest that would fit on her wall. Its sound was provided by a four-foot-long soundbar and its associated woofer. Frankly, being unfamiliar with modern soundbars, I had never actually listened to that kind of setup before. Seven decades of Hi-Fi Crazy snobbishness had kept me from ever considering a soundbar for my own home.

Artist and bands face so much natural competition these days that it's a wonder why anyone even does it all. Not only do you have to worry about the other 120,000 tracks that are uploaded every day, but you now have to worry about AI-generated music as well. Case in point, a presumably AI-generated band called Velvet Sundown, as outlined by Musically.

Velvet Sundown has 325,000 monthly listeners on Spotify and 1,500 followers. Everything about this band screams AI. For instance, their bio states, "This four-piece band bends time, fusing 1970s psychedelic textures with cinematic alt-pop and dreamy analog soul" Okay, maybe that's the writing of a clever publicist, but the bio goes on, ""Formed by vocalist and mellotron sorcerer Gabe Farrow, guitarist Lennie West, bassist-synth alchemist Milo Rains, and free-spirited percussionist Orion ‘Rio' Del Mar, the band feels like a hallucination you want to stay lost in."

So I asked my AI assistant, "With computers and MIDI, why should the music BUSINESS use human musicians when a performer will be fine?" It replied: Here's why real humans still hold the cards—even in an age of perfect-on-paper MIDI and algorithmic "performers": Emotional Nuance and Imperfection

• A live player breathes life into a line: tiny timing fluctuations, micro-dynamics, soft attacks and releases that MIDI CC can only approximate.

• Those "mistakes" are often what move us—think of the humanized swing feel in jazz, or a vocalist's crack at the bridge that makes a song unforgettable. True Creativity and Spontaneity

• Computers follow rules. Humans break them, riff on the spot, invent a lick that becomes a genre's signature.

• In-studio, session pros will suggest chord tweaks, melodic turns, or rhythmic feels that no preset or randomizer would generate....

I first became aware of Genesis speakers when I was a young man, shortly after they were first introduced in 1991 via the audiophile press. It was tough to ignore the fact that anyone who discussed this brand of speakers never failed to mention their chief designer, the late Arnie Nudell, and his passion for research and development, as well as the use of premium materials, their impeccable design, and, by all reliable accounts, their outstanding sound quality. Genesis introduced their more affordable G7 Series in 2005, beginning with the G7c, also known as the Convertible, a bookshelf speaker designed by Genesis' Arnie Nudell, who sadly passed away in 2017. The G7c speakers were soon followed by other models created by Mr. Nudell's successor, Gary L. Koh, who is now Genesis' Chief Designer and the CEO of Genesis Advanced Technologies. These newer models included the G7p (Petite) and the G7f, a floor-standing model with an active side-firing woofer. Although the G7 Series was discontinued in 2018, it has now been reintroduced.

Within the July 2025 issue of EnjoyTheMusic.com's Review Magazine, we feature a special world premiere review of the much-anticipated Genesis G7 Samba floorstanding loudspeaker. Our Senior Editor, Tom Lyle, was amazed by the lifelike sound. With two more show reports, HIGH END in Munich and InfoComm in Orlando, there's a lot to unpack from these major consumer electronics showcases. Within this issue, we're focusing on what everyone is talking about: Artificial Intelligence (AI). While AI can be very helpful and a big timesaver, it can also replace some human activities. We know the music BUSINESS is already taking great advantage of AI, which also rings higher profits for record labels and removes the problem of costly and emotional human musical artists. Why pay for a human to create music and a human tour when you can outright own it thanks to AI? Modern technology and all that.

Speaking of modern tech, our July issue also features our exclusive review of Chesky Audio's modern LC1 bookshelf monitor and our World Premiere Review of the Genesis G7 Samba floorstanding loudspeaker! As always, in the end what really matters is that you... enjoy the music!

Are you a music lover wishing you could create your own tunes in Hi-Res Audio 24-bit/48kHz? Imagine yourself expanding on Miles Davis' great jazz works, or Buddy Rich's lightning-fast drumming. You can now easily create Jazz, Classical, Prog, or other music genres to bring more joy and happiness into your life. Welcome Magenta RealTime (Magenta RT) Research, the new open-weights, live-music generative model designed for fully interactive creation and performance. As the open-weights counterpart to Google DeepMind's Lyria RealTime (which powers Music FX DJ and the Google AI Studio real-time music API), Magenta RT brings that same on-the-fly generative capability to a community-driven platform. Clocking in at 800 million parameters, there's a lot to digest here. Real-Time Generation Architecture and Performance Live music generation demands real-time factor > 1 (i.e. generate more audio than wall-time), causal streaming, and ultra-low latency control—challenges were meet by adapting the MusicLM framework into block autoregression.

The birth of Sony's TPS-L2 Walkman began in early 1979 when co-founder Masaru Ibuka asked for a compact stereo player to use on long flights. Norio Ohga, then President of Sony's audio division, handed the request to engineer Kozo Ohsone. In just four days, Kozo stripped a home Pressman mono recorder of its speaker and recording circuitry, added stereo playback electronics and amplification, and delivered a palm-sized prototype to Ibuka. Enchanted by the result, Sony chairman Akio Morita green-lit full production under the model code TPS-L2 (Tape Player Stereo L2) with twin headphone jacks, a "fader" button for in-headset conversations, and a sub-$200 (~$780 in 2025) price target. It hit Japanese stores on July 1, 1979 (¥33,000) and reached the U.S. market in June 1980, setting the stage for what would become the world's first truly personal audio device. Externally, the TPS-L2 wore a slim blue-and-silver metal case measuring just 88 x 133.5 x 29 mm (WxHxD) and weighing about 390 grams.

Cirrus Logic, a renowned leader in innovative audio technology, has expanded its Pro Audio portfolio by launching two new analog-to-digital converters (ADCs CS5308S and CS5304S) and two new digital-to-analog converters (DACs CS4308S and CS4304S). Designed with affordability in mind, these converters deliver exceptional audio performance without compromise, making them ideal for a variety of setups—including Hi-Fi stereo playback systems, professional audio installations, musical instruments, and USB audio interfaces. This strategic launch underscores the company's commitment to democratizing high-quality audio technology for both high-end and mid-tier devices. Incorporating premium features, the new ADCs and DACs are engineered to enhance the audio experience through advanced functionalities. Key improvements include a hybrid gain control for precise signal adjustments, differentiated digital filters that allow users to tailor their sound signature, and an exceptional power-to-performance ratio for superior sound quality paired with energy efficiency.

The Edinburgh Hi-AV Show 2025 is poised to become one of Scotland's most anticipated audio and visual events. Set for November 8th and 9th at the DoubleTree by Hilton Edinburgh Airport, the show brings together audiophiles, Audio / Video (A/V) immersivephiles, and industry experts under one roof. Organized by the Chester Group—renowned for their previous successful events—the show marks the second edition since its relaunch after a 17-year hiatus. With a reputation built on delivering great sound and hands-on experiences, the event promises to build on its past success, it offers an exciting preview of emerging trends and technological advancements in audio and visual display.  At the show, visitors will be treated to an expansive array of displays featuring some of the world's finest audio brands. Attendees can expect live demonstrations of cutting-edge equipment ranging from high-fidelity home theater systems to state-of-the-art streaming A/V setups

Capital Audiofest (CAF) 2025 is set to take place from November 14th to 16th at the Hilton Rockville in Maryland, continuing its legacy as the East Coast's largest and most beloved high-end audio show. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, offering three full days of immersive listening experiences, gear demos, and community engagement. Founded in 2010 by Gary Gill, CAF has grown from a grassroots gathering into a cornerstone of the North American audiophile calendar, drawing enthusiasts, engineers, and manufacturers from across the globe. The 2025 edition promises to uphold its reputation for warmth and accessibility, with a family-friendly atmosphere and a strong emphasis on music appreciation. Music lovers will enjoy a CAF record-breaking ~150 listening rooms, each tailored by exhibitors to showcase their latest innovations in audio reproduction. Attendees can expect to audition everything from cost-no-object reference systems to clever budget-friendly setups, with a wide range of analog and digital front ends.

EnjoyTheMusic.com's very special 30th Anniversary is once again showcaseing our asking various high-end audio manufacturers to answer the same ten questions. Their answers may surprise you! This month we're featuring Norbert Lindemann of Lindemann Audio. The development of their products fall back on a wealth of experience gathered in 25 years of building loudspeakers, amplifiers and digital sources. At Lindemann Audio, new products are created by means of the most advanced design tools and measuring methods. In doing so, the latest and best technologies on the market are employed.

During EnjoyTheMusic.com's very special 25th Anniversary, now our 30th Anniversary in 2025, we're asking various high-end audio manufacturers to answer the same ten questions. Their answers may surprise you! This month we're featuring Peter Qvortrup of Audio Note UK. Audio Note UK manufacturers some of the finest domestic audio reproduction equipment money can buy, using the best available technology and the finest components. They are one of the largest European manufacturers of ultra-performance valve-based audio equipment, with a world wide distribution network. Manufacturing is done mainly in-house within England, including winding their own transformers and foil capacitors.

"From Rick's exceptionally detailed report below, AXPONA's buzzing 4th floor seemed like a self-contained city of high-end audio, where every hallway bend revealed another system vying for 'best-in-show' bragging rights," says EnjoyTheMusic.com's Creative Director Steven R. Rochlin. "From boutique vacuum tube and solid-state amplification to floorstanding and stand-mounted flagship loudspeakers, the rooms here proved that innovation and indulgence can coexist in seriously photogenic style. Let's all dive into Rick's excellent room-by-room report for the gear highlights, sonic surprises, and insider gossip you might've missed!" Rick's report begins with Harmonia Distribution out of LaVerne, California, in conjunction with local retailer Quintesence Audio (who had multiple rooms on the 1st Floor), put together a very nice sounding system with Fyne Audio F701SP stand-mounted monitors in gloss black driven by the Pathos Acoustics InPol Remix MkII tube hybrid integrated amp.

Over 25 years ago when I started EnjoyTheMusic.com there was very little info about high-end audio / audiophiles online. Today, that has all changed as we have thousands of websites from the latest and greatest gear to vintage audio, DIY, headphones, etc. In addition, we now have more manufacturers than in the history of our hobby! It is virtually impossible to keep up with it all, let alone report on every new piece of high-end audio equipment. I'd be slapped silly by not mentioning that true lossless high-resolution music, without the 'need' for typical music BUSINESS lossy compressed scams and schemes, is now mainstream and not limited to only a few niche' streaming music players. Without a doubt, this is the best time to be a music enthusiast! Way back when in the 1980s and 1990s there were only a tiny few small digest-sized print publications plus Audio and Stereo Review (to name a few) here in the States. Europe and other parts of the globe had their fave publications. It was like we were part of a super-secret hobby we all love. There was a tribal feeling about it all too!

Amazon's Echo Studio launched in Q4 2019 at a $199.99 price point in the US. "In 2019, Amazon launched Amazon Music HD, a high-quality audio streaming offering that is available to customers at a premium price in the United States. We believe the value proposition that streaming provides to consumers supports premium product initiatives." This, from Warner Music Group's pre-IPO filing last year, is a key part of the modern music industry's big sell to investors. Just you wait, it says: streaming is $9.99-a-month today, but tomorrow, oh man, the possibilities for building on this price-point are endless. Today (May 17), those possibilities hit the floor with a thud. A thud captured in stunning HD sound. It was a noise that hurt my ears – and reiterated a troubling power balance between music rightsholders and Big Tech.

HIGH END 2026 represents the biggest high-end audiophile show's 40-year history: after more than two decades in Munich's MOC, and Frankfurt before that, the world-leading high-fidelity audio event migrates East to the Austria Center Vienna (ACV). The venue's 26,000 m² of newly refurbished, digitally future-proof exhibit space spans multiple levels and purpose-built halls, giving brands everything from intimate listening rooms to cavernous product-launch stages. The High End Society picked Vienna precisely because the ACV's modern acoustics, fiber backbone and modular floorplan let manufacturers push experiential demos far beyond the limitations of Munich's hotel-style cabins—think full Dolby Atmos suites, immersive headphone quiet zones, car-audio test rides inside the complex, plus many spaces for home audiophile stereo sound systems.

Editorial: Mixed Senses And Audio Vocabulary

Illusonic IAP 8 Advanced Audio Processor And Preamplifier

Burkhard Vogel Extends Valuable Knowledge On Op-Amps

Beat Tracking Explained

Linearizing Microphones CORE+ By DPA

A Microacoustics Modeling Primer Part 1

Audio Amplifier Power Measurement

Low Frequency, Very Low Frequency, And Infrasonic Annoyance

Instrument Amplifier Effects Loops

And Much More!

Bob opened The Analog Shop in 1992, in nearby Victor, New York, about the time I discovered high-end audio, and we became friends in the ‘90s, bartering furniture for his children's rooms for audio gear. Another passion of Bob's was collecting and reading rare books and first editions. He carried very reputable lines, treated customers fairly, and was a good man. As it says on his website, he wasn't ready, but he went peacefully on April 14, 2025. A good friend asked me why I keep writing about the AXPONA 2025 high-end audiophile event when the show happened two months ago and has been eclipsed by the HIGH END show in Munich. A lot of other websites have hit the high spots for readers and viewers who see show reports primarily as "news." The print magazines lag because of the lead time necessary for publication and distribution.

Sir Roger Daltrey, the 81-year-old co-founder and powerhouse voice of The Who, has been knighted in King Charles III's 2025 Birthday Honors list. The accolade caps more than six decades of boundary-shattering rock—from the microphone-lassoing ferocity of "My Generation" to the operatic ambition of Tommy—and places Daltrey alongside fellow honorees such as Steve Winwood and David Beckham as cultural titans formally recognized for shaping modern Britain's artistic identity. The monarch's citation praises not only Daltrey's musical legacy but his tireless philanthropy: as driving force behind the Teenage Cancer Trust he has helped raise over £36 million (about $48 million) and fund 28 specialist cancer units across UK hospitals. Accepting the honor, Daltrey called it "a dream come true" and dedicated the knighthood to the "unsung heroes" who fuel the charity's work, underscoring how rock-and-roll bravado can translate into life-changing support for young patients. Beyond the pageantry of Buckingham Palace, Daltrey's elevation to "Sir" crystallizes a life arc that began in a West London council flat....

Being responsible for a technology magazine implies a comprehensive effort to understand the industries and applications served. And that means understanding the users, the market segments, and trade. That is why sometimes I have to push myself to the limits and literally travel around the globe to gain a better perspective on all those things. The audio industry currently benefits from very strong tailwinds due to a convergence of technology advancements and very strong market dynamics in consumer electronics and automotive. At the core is a renewed enthusiasm for voice recognition and voice interfaces, together with significant progress in language translation. Those are powered by advancements in neural networks, machine learning that have led to Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs). All those achievements require and benefit from robust audio systems at the applications level — many of which are just being devised or are in the early adoption stages.

The freshly minted 2025 Loudspeaker Industry Sourcebook (LIS) by audioXpress packs the same exhaustive supplier, vendor, and service-provider listings that make it the audio sector's go-to rolodex, but layers on even more editorial firepower for an era when hedging bets and diversifying supply chains feel existential. The book opens with J. Martins' sweeping State of the Speaker Industry report, tracing last year's bull run through Q3 2024. Dan Digre, who has captained MISCO Speakers for 40+ years, dissects what "resilience" really looks like for a U.S. loudspeaker manufacturer with Asian operations, offering granular anecdotes on dual-sourcing, component localization, and the chess game of logistics. Audio Engineering Society (AES) president Gary Gottlieb zooms out, revisiting the Society's 75-year history of standards-setting (think balanced lines, loudness metering, immersive-audio reference curves) and arguing that today's fractured, app-centric ecosystem needs an even stronger AES backbone. Meanwhile, WiSA Association chief Tony Ostrom maps the future living room....

Valve Amplification Company (VAC) was launched by chief designer Kevin Hayes with a passion about music realism so it sounds like the real thing within your home. With many awards and positive reviews globally in many publications, VAC products are considered masterpieces as they not only sound incredible, they also look the part too. According to VAC, "The difference between a good amplifier and a great amplifier resides in the details, and in the passion of the designer. One of the reasons for superiority of VAC equipment is that VAC uses vacuum tube technology almost exclusively. After almost 100 years since its invention, the triode vacuum tube remains the most linear (accurate) amplifying element known producing superior sonic performance."

Founded in 1949, McIntosh Laboratory offers premium home audio systems that produce an exceptional audio experience. While the company initially focused on stereo system, in modern times they have expanded to offer stereo and immersive audio multi-channel audio products. McIntosh Labs is best known for their signature blue Watt output meter and green logo. McIntosh Labs' products are designed and handcrafted at their Binghamton, New York factory by passionate employees who love music. Furthermore, McIntosh Labs has powered moments in music history and pop culture including the USA's then President Lyndon Johnson's inauguration speech to the first Woodstock music festival. Many also know the company for helping power the now-famous Grateful Dead 'Wall of Sound'.

EnjoyTheMusic.com is featuring very special vintage videos! The company's self-proclaimed "#1 Klipsch Fan" Kevin visits the Klipsch in Hope, Arkansas back in 1989 and enjoyed videoing a special factory tour. As many audio historians know, the genesis of the company began within a tiny tin shed back in 1946. This is when Paul W. Klipsch designed and hand-built the legendary Klipschorn speaker with the goal of bringing live music into his home. Today, that tin shed is now a full-fledged factory with its own cabinet production line, while Klipsch's headquarters have moved to Indianapolis, Indiana. Getting back to Paul W. Klipsch, it was during his service at the Southwest Proving Grounds that he refined his corner horn speaker design.

Brian Douglas Wilson, best known as a member of The Beach Boys, was born on June 20, 1942, in Inglewood, California, and grew up in the working-class Los Angeles suburb of Hawthorne. A childhood accident left him virtually deaf in his right ear, yet he became enthralled by harmony after hearing his mother sing Gershwin and by studying the sophisticated voicing of the Four Freshmen. Gifted a reel-to-reel recorder at 16, he mastered overdubbing, teaching his brothers Dennis and Carl intricate vocal parts before recruiting cousin Mike Love and schoolmate Al Jardine to form the Pendletones—renamed The Beach Boys upon the 1961 release of their debut single "Surfin'." Wilson quickly emerged as the group's creative engine, penning sun-drenched hits like "Surfin' U.S.A.," "California Girls," and "I Get Around" while serving as bassist, keyboardist, arranger, and producer, an unprecedented level of control for a pop musician of the era.

For modern music lovers and Immersivephiles(TM) , Pure Audio Streaming sets out to be the first service that treats immersive music with the same no-compromise reverence audiophiles and music lovers expect from Hi-Res Audio and Hi-Res Music. Instead of Dolby Atmos's lossy streams or other proprietary lossy formats, Pure Audio Streaming is built around the AURO-3D codec and the Artist Connection back-end. Together, they can deliver uncompressed PCM up to 7.1.4 channels at 96 kHz, plus Hi-Res Audio lossless stereo up to 192 kHz and a true-to-source 48 kHz binaural fold-down for headphone listeners. The catalogue debuts with more than 300 master-grade titles—Grammy-winning releases such as 2L's "LUX" included—that were previously locked to Pure Audio Blu-ray discs; a public demo in AURO-3D's reference room at High End Munich proved the stream can replicate the holographic depth of the original discs while adding the convenience of on-demand access.

Sly Stone, born Sylvester Stewart on March 15, 1943, in Denton, Texas, emerged from a musically enriched family that nurtured his innate talent at an early age. Raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Stone was immersed in the gospel traditions of his church and learned multiple instruments during his formative years. His early career saw him working as a disc jockey and record producer, which melded with his passion for performance to eventually form the groundbreaking band Sly and the Family Stone. This group, renowned for its unique blend of funk, soul, rock, psychedelia, and gospel, became a cultural beacon in the late 1960s and early 1970s, celebrated for its racial integration and innovative sound that captured the revolutionary spirit of the era. In later years, while Sly Stone's early artistry helped define an entire genre and inspired countless musicians, his personal life was marred by relentless struggles. His battles with drug addiction and health issues, including a prolonged fight with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, shadowed the latter part of his career and life.

There can be only one! It was a great tag line for a not-so-great movie (who thought casting someone with a broad Scottish accent as a Spaniard locked in a thousand year debate with a Scotsman with a broad French accent was a good idea?). However, it seems that Highlander is the clarion call for a lot of audio today. Yes, audio converges. The best in audio sound very close to one another compared to a few decades ago. We still have a long way to go, but the differences between Product X and Product Y in audio are not as wide as they used to be. Also, most products in audio today are pretty good. The bad old days when a mediocre product would not only sound dreadful but try to execute you with electricity are long gone. Except for a few very cheap products rarely sold in audio stores that have an alarming records of re-profiling records played on them, modern audio is at least competent, if occasionally, a bit 'Meh!'.

There are two ways to assess the quality of audio devices: measuring and listening. Measuring is usually the better choice because the results are absolute, and repeatable because they avoid the vagaries of human hearing perception. But when measuring isn't practical or possible, a listening test using a music source is perfectly fine. For example, listening is needed to compare CD quality at a 44.1 kHz sample rate to "high definition" audio at 96 kHz. Both will measure the same if the frequency response is limited to the audible range, but some people believe they sound different. Another example is when comparing MP3 bit-rates, especially higher values such as 256 versus 320 kbps. It's pretty much impossible to "measure" the effect of lossy compression using traditional means because the frequency response changes from moment to moment.

It should be pretty obvious even to the least observant that compact disc players are on the decline. The rate of new model introductions has slowed to a trickle as buyers switch to DVD players which are well on their way to becoming the disc spinners of choice. The reason can be summed up in two inelegant words: increased versatility. Why buy a CD player when you can buy a one that also plays DVD-Video discs, and serves a dual role in a combined hi-fi-cum-home theatre system? And as I write, even this is beginning to look old hat with the latest generation of DVD-Audio and SACD players adding still more grist to the mill. This structural change in the market is not only understandable, it is self-evidently a good idea, or it would be except that DVD player design involves serving two masters - video as well as audio - and inevitably there is a sonic price to be paid. Over time, the CD replay performance of DVD players has improved, and it will certainly continue to do so in the future.

Passive components are all well and fine, but for audio purposes we need something that will amplify a signal. All sensors, whether they read digital bits or analog recordings, are deficient in both voltage and current when it comes to driving speakers. High fidelity reproduction of music is impossible without amplifying devices. For that matter, electric guitars, keyboards, and microphones also require amplification; so much of current popular music is dependent on amplification, as well. There are scads of devices that can amplify a signal. A full breakdown of the possibilities begins to resemble a fairly dense tree, with branches going this way and that. For most consumer applications, this decision is simple: solid-state. Only. However, music reproduction (and production — just try to tell owners of tubed Ampegs, Marshalls, Fenders, and Mesa Boogies that you're going to take away their amps....

Let's go back in time a few years ago. It was January 2000, so that's over 25(!) years ago. The world had survived the Y2K crisis. Having recently purchased a couple of issues of Sound Practices, then listening to an amazing DIY system, was starting to catch SET (Singe-Ended Triode) fever. I was also following an audio review website that focused quite heavily on SET gear and high-sensitivity loudspeakers to use with it. That website was, of course, EnjoyTheMusic.com. That January back in 2000 our Creative Director, Steven R Rochlin, posted a review of the then new Avantgarde Acoustic Uno hornspeakers. They had big blue horns and looked unlike any loudspeaker I had ever seen. You could tell from Steven's Avantgarde Acoustic Uno review that they were something very special. After reading it, I had a bad case of audio envy. However, there was also family with three young children then, so extra funds were diverted to more noble causes. Realistically, even if I had the funds, the Unos were way too big for my small living room. But we all have our silly little pipe dreams, don't we?

Editorial: What Is Essential To Audiophiles

AudioQuest Rocket 44, Mackenzie RCA, And Carbon USB Cables

Audiomica Rhod Reference, Dolomit Reference, Europa Ultra Reference, Genimedes Ultra Reference, And AcouPlex Cables And Supports

Innuos PhoenixNET And PhoenixUSB Network Switch And USB Reclocker

finite elemente CARBOFIBRE° Statement Equipment Platform

Melco S1 Network Switch

Synergistic Research PowerCell SX Mains Conditioner

Chord Company PhonoARAY Turntable Grounding

Furutech Project V1 Cable System

Entreq Macro Box Kit Magnetic Field Control

JPlay Music Software

...And Much More!

Val Cora must have spotted my press pass when I first encountered their SRB two-way stand-mounted monitor at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest show back in 2019. He encouraged me to take a closer look and listen as I didn't seem particularly interested. It was my subconscious fear of tipping over heavy stone or aluminum speakers that I later traced back to a childhood trauma incident. Fast forward to 2023 and I've become one of Acora Acoustics' biggest fans, typically including them among the Best Rooms awards in my show reports. Not so much because I like them as because they're so damn good. Val has been a master of setting up rigs in a wide variety of rooms supported by a diverse selection of amplification and front ends. That he consistently features different top-level turntables and phono cartridges has been a particular delight, though he also showcases digital front ends. I fear that since he recently acquired Audio Research, his presentations may become more restricted to their products.

I recently saw something on Facebook that caused me to do some serious thinking – not on the subject of music, but that, as I hope you'll agree, is still perfectly applicable to our music listening. It's just one simple sentence: "I never said she stole my money" – but, as the person who posted it pointed out, it can have seven entirely different meanings, depending on which one of the seven words making it up you choose to put the emphasis on: For example, "I never said she stole my money" means something different from "I never said she stole my money", which means something different from "I never said she stole my money", which means something different from "I never said she stole my money", and so on, through the entire sentence, with each new emphasis creating a whole new meaning. Isn't it exactly the same with music? Even with classical music, where every note to be played by every individual instrument is written down and unchanging, isn't every different performance by every orchestra or every conductor still different?

With many music lovers growing up enjoying LEGO, we were especially receptive upon receiving the below email from Zoltan in Hungary. His email said, "I would like to present you my creation from LEGO bricks, the AKAI reel-to-reel tape deck. LEGO has a special 'contest' named LEGO Ideas, where anyone can send his/her creation, then users can vote for it, and if enough supporters reached (10.000 supporters, which is a big number...), Lego will decide to release it as an official product." On LEGO’s website, it says, "The Akai PRO-1000 was a semi-professional open reel-to-reel tape recorder deck which was made between 1977 and 1982. The primary market was the United States, Canada, and Japan, with limited availability in Europe. It had separate transport and electronics units which were joined by three cables. This was Akai’s only serious venture into the semi-professional market. I am always impressed by these open-reel decks, they are so massive, powerful, and huge while they are also precious and particular. They were a beautiful decoration of the room, and as soon as a person entered, they immediately attracted attention."

With a look slightly reminiscent of Crazy Eddie's, the Affordable Audio Room was a bit of a mystery. Neither "Affordable Audio Room" nor "All Elite Audio" was listed as an exhibitor. All Elite Audio took me to their site online for a store opening on May 31st in Timonium, MD. The room was filled with an amalgam of more affordable brands represented by a single component from each brand, likely to be floor samples at their grand opening. My brother-in-law lives in Timonium, so there's a chance I might stop in to check them out. The Audible Solutions room was a wayward sheep from the flock of Playback Distribution rooms up on the 12th Floor. I've been a fan of this speaker brand from Lithuania since I first heard them at RMAF back in 2018 when Oz Turan was the importer. They are a very high-value line, and the presentation here confirmed that. Be sure to check the size measurements of the model that interests you, as they tend to be larger than you would guess, given their prices.

T.H.E. Show SoCal 2025 is set to be a landmark California event in the high-end audio world, bringing together enthusiasts from every corner of the audiophile community. Scheduled for June 6th through 8th at the Hilton Orange County / Costa Mesa in Costa Mesa, this three-day extravaganza builds on a rich legacy as America's longest-running high-fidelity audio show. With its "Total HiFi Experience" ethos, the event promises an immersive celebration of premium home and personal audio systems, reflecting decades of dedication to high-fidelity innovation and excellence. Attendees can look forward to a meticulously curated space that not only showcases state-of-the-art audio technology but also celebrates the art and passion behind impeccable sound quality. T.H.E. Show SoCal 2025 will feature over 200 premium audio brands displaying a vast array of cutting-edge consumer electronics home audio components and sound systems.

Do you remember the part in the movie Amadeus where Emperor Joseph II, his Kapellmeister, and other music advisory staff, including Salieri, have just heard a part of Mozart's latest work, are less than pleased with it, and the emperor declares that it "has too many notes"? Mozart is shocked and amazed, and, to everyone's horror, openly disagrees with the emperor and his sycophants, saying, instead, that there are precisely as many notes as there needs to be. That was about an opera, The Abduction From The Seraglio, but the same thing could be said of any piece of music – there are neither more nor fewer notes than there needs to be to communicate what the composer is trying to say. I remember hearing a lecture many years ago about Beethoven, where the speaker was analyzing one of the great Beethoven symphonies, note by note, phrase by phrase, and showing that even that great and complex work was composed of just a few simple themes and leitmotifs, layered, interwoven, repeated, inverted, changed in key, and passed from one instrument or instrumental group to another.....

If you’re someone who lives and breathes music, hi-fi gear, and the music lifestyle, joining EnjoyTheMusic.com on social media is a no-brainer. Connect with fellow music enthusiasts who share your passion and dive into the latest audiophile gear. Join lively conversations about your favorite piece of equipment, special tweak... songs and emerging artists. Join our thriving community where every beat, lyric, woofer, and tweeter is celebrated. Be part of a music revolution that transforms every listening session into an emotional experience. Join us today and let the music take over. As always, in the end what really matters is that you... enjoy the music!

The subject of this review, the Raidho X2.6 floorstanding loudspeaker, is from their newer "X" Series. In its literature, Raidho states that the "X" in this series moniker denotes "eXtreme performance for the price." Yes, their X series features four models that, on average, are priced lower than most of Raidho's other models. Even though these four models in Raidho's X series speakers might have been built to a price point, I couldn't find anything about their X.2 — including their level of technological precision, fit and finish, not to mention their sound quality — that would indicate any cost-cutting measures. On their website, Raidho mentions that the goals of the X2.6 are the same as those of all their loudspeakers, which include low noise and coloration, a "dramatic, energetic" sound with a "vast soundstage," and a detailed sound that doesn't induce fatigue, among other traits. $21,000 might be a low price for a pair of Raidho speakers, but still, any audiophile who spends this amount of money should demand a certain level of quality.

Over the past six months of 2025, EnjoyTheMusic.com has taken you on a journey through six luxurious high-end audio events, each one a vibrant celebration of sonic excellence. We began in reverse order with the season's grand spectacle, HIGH END Munich 2025, the largest and most anticipated show, setting the bar high for the industry. Just before that, the more intimate Lone Star Audio Fest 2025 charmed enthusiasts with its unique vibe, followed by a polished series of events including AXPONA 2025, Montreal Audiofest 2025, and Southwest Audio Fest 2025. Each of these events brought its own distinct flavor to the high-end audio landscape. Early February greeted us with the Florida International Audio Expo 2025 — a delightful convergence of world-class audio and family fun, plus after the event your family turns into fun-filled vacationers headed to Disney, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens, and beyond.

Five audiophile shows in the past two months. Re-read that first sentence, let it sink in for a moment. Many longtime friends of EnjoyTtheMusic.com know we've been very, very busy. Of course there's three magazine issues too, including the June 2025 issue we just posted online. This issue of EnjoyTheMusic.com's Review Magazine offers a dynamic exploration of the high-end audio world, melding in-depth technical reviews with nuanced editorials that challenge the very notion of stereo hi-fi perfection. This edition delves into the evolution of sound through incisive commentary on performance systems, emerging audio technology, and the contrasting perspectives of today's audiophiles and music lovers. It navigates topics ranging from the intricacies of powerful home audio sound systems to the transparent, uncolored playback most purists champion, inviting readers to reconsider what defines the "right" hi-fi sound. This thought-provoking blend of rigorous analysis and passionate opinion creates an engaging narrative for both industry insiders and dedicated music enthusiasts.

The Warfedale Elysian 4 speaker ($11k) with its horizontal veneer both looked and sounded very good. While Vinyl Sound may have hosted this room, the music was streamed over HiFi Rose gear — RA180 integrated amp ($7k) and the new RS151 Network Streamer ($5k). That was a MoFi MasterDeck turntable with UltraGold M cartridge ($7k for both), a MoFi MasterPhono preamp ($6k) below it, and an Isotek V5 Aquarius power conditioner ($3k) on the bottom shelf of the Solidsteel rack. This fine-sounding room was unusual in that it featured relatively expensive front ends in the form of the Benny Audio turntable on the right and the Taiko digital gear on the left. But the amplification from Manley Laboratories and the Hana Umami Red phono cartridge was relatively modest in price.

Held within the Orange County Convention Center from June 7th through 13th, InfoComm 2025 is the largest professional audiovisual (AV) trade show in North America. It brings together industry leaders, cutting-edge immersive modern audio and video technologies, and immersive experiences. Attendees can explore thousands of products related to audio, collaboration, display, audio / video streaming, control systems, enterprise IT, security, VR, higher education, and live events. Join thousands of AV professionals, industry innovators, and leading-edge technology companies under one roof, where live product demos and interactive experiences redefine the way technology is experienced. Industry giants are set to highlight breakthroughs in projection technology, immersive audio experiences, and innovative digital solutions such as flexible, foldable displays. In addition, the exhibit floor will be segmented into several dynamic zones, with dedicated areas for augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) innovations for immersivephiles, IP communications, and smart building systems.

ESS Technology has introduced two groundbreaking SABRE PRO SMART ADCs based on its patented Hyperstream IV architecture. The new lineup comprises two advanced two-channel converters that consists of the ES9823MPRO and ES9823PRO. These two units deliver an outstanding dynamic range of +128 dB per channel (up to +130 dB in mono mode) with a THD+N of -117 dB. Designed for both professional and consumer audio applications, these high-resolution ADCs set a new industry standard by offering exceptional performance, ensuring that every nuance of sound is captured with remarkable clarity. Their drop-in compatibility with previous flagship models and compact 5×5 mm 40-pin QFN package further streamline system upgrades and design integration for OEMs. Powered by ESS's second-generation Audio Signal Processor (ASP2), the new ADCs integrate extensive custom audio processing capabilities. These capabilities include multi-band parametric EQs, mixers, stereo widening, audio expansion, dynamic range compression (DRC), RIAA pre-emphasis, crossover filtering, and automatic gain leveling.

Julien's Auctions, celebrated for setting records in music memorabilia, is all set to ignite a new wave of excitement with its much-anticipated Music Icons auction. On May 30 and 31 at New York's iconic Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square, this dazzling event will feature more than 700 lots showcasing an impressive range of artifacts. You can bid on stage-worn instruments and exclusive performance attire to handwritten lyrics and personal mementos of legends like Kurt Cobain, Eric Clapton, and The Beatles. Perhaps the highest interest from collectors is the Kurt Cobain photo matched, and recording studio played, Hilversum Session Takamine acoustic guitar, which includes a pair of books and compact disc (CD). A standout segment of the auction is the exclusive Julian Lennon Collection, which includes rare Beatles memorabilia, unique lyric drafts, and coveted awards, offering an unprecedented glimpse into the rich tapestry of rock 'n' roll history.

Receiving an EnjoyTheMusic.com Blue Note Award is an extraordinary honor that sets a product apart as one of the finest within the high-end audio industry. Selected by seasoned audiophile expert Jason Kennedy, the Best Of HIGH END 2025 Blue Note Award 2025 recognizes not only groundbreaking design and innovation but also an unwavering commitment to delivering an unparalleled listening experience. It may represent the culmination of decades of expertise and careful scrutiny, underscoring every nuance of sonic perfection and technical artistry. To accept this accolade is to join an exclusive club of manufacturers and products who have achieved the pinnacle of audio excellence — a true beacon of quality and passion within a very competitive arena.

EnjoyTheMusic.com was sent the great news about HIGH END 2025 in Munich earlier this month. The High End Society, the longstanding industry organization that owns the event, thanks everyone for visiting HIGH END 2025 and for being a part of what was truly a remarkable gathering of the global audio industry. Thousands of attendees enjoyed an immersive experience seeing and hearing the best high-fidelity audio. The feedback from HIGH END 2025 has been inspiration as we look forward to their 2026 show in Vienna. The High End Society is overjoyed to provide us with key figures, which are independently verified, and highlights that reflect the impressive scope and international appeal of this year's HIGH END 2025 event.... The high attendance numbers are are a testament to the shared passion, dedication, and innovation that define our music loving community. The global resonance of HIGH END 2025 demonstrates once again the significance of our industry and the value of connecting in person.

The Women in Consumer Technology Legacy Awards 2025 is set to be a landmark event on Friday, September 5, at the Colorado Convention Center's Mile High Ballroom in Denver during CEDIA Expo 2025. The celebration kicks off with a networking reception from 11:30 AM to 12:00 PM, which seamlessly transitions into the awards luncheon from 12:00 PM to 1:15 PM. This year marks its debut appearance at CEDIA Expo, shifting from its previous association with CES, and positioning the awards on one of the industry's largest custom integration stages at CEDIA. The event offers a dynamic forum for industry professionals to connect, celebrate successes, and foster collaborations in an environment that champions diversity and innovation in consumer technology. This year's Legacy Awards honor a distinguished class of women leaders whose contributions span across integration firms, manufacturing, aerospace, and trade associations. Among the honorees are Michelle Lueck, Vice President of Client Services at Centricity, whose 30-year career has been marked by strategic partnerships with major players such as Walmart, Apple, and Verizon....

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. EnjoyTheMusic.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

Welcome to EnjoyTheMusic.com's 15th year covering High End Society's HIGH END show. This year's HIGH END 2015 Munich audiophile event is promoted by the prestigious High End Society in Germany. HIGH END 2015 is the industry's international key exhibition for the high-quality consumer electronics. This audiophile and high-end audio event has been held an impressive 34 times in succession; and 2015 marks the 12th time at the MOC Munich. This makes HIGH END the oldest specialist exhibition in its field in Europe, now seen throughout the world as the central and most established hub of the industry. Manufacturers, importers, distributors, suppliers and retailers from all over the world meet in Munich every year to showcase their newest products. This year, more than 400 exhibitors with about 900 brands from all over the world were presenting their products and services.

Welcome to the world's largest HIGH END 2000 show coverage from Frankfurt Germany! Audio enthusiasts from all across Europe, both trade and consumer, have gathered here from June 1st through June 4th, 2000 in Frankfurt Germany to attend the HIGH END at the Kempinski Hotel. Attendees, were able to listen to the great Hi-Fi and Home Theatre brands many have only read about in magazines and on the Internet. This was also a great chance to meet the legends and famous names in the industry. Now in its 19th year, the HIGH END 2000 show took place on the grounds of the Hotel Kempinski in Neu-Isenburg (which is near the Frankfurt airport). Germany is probably one of the most important markets worldwide for many high-end audio manufacturers. To be successful here can also mean to become thriving the world over! For that reason, this is a not to be missed opportunity.

Founded in 1980, Triangle HiFi's story began in the heart of Picardy, France, a region steeped in a tradition of precision manufacturing and a deep appreciation for fine acoustics. The company emerged from a passionate quest for a more authentic, natural, and immersive sound, with its roots lying in experimental speaker prototypes crafted in humble settings. With a heritage spanning over 40 years in the world of high-fidelity audio, the new Triangle HiFi BR04 two-way monitor ($626 per pair) expands on the ideas of the company's founders to combine high-fidelity performance with an accessible price point. Building on the legacy of its predecessor (the BR03), this new model BR04 monitor was engineered with a particular focus on enhancing bass performance while maintaining natural clarity and accuracy through the mid and high frequencies. The modern design incorporates a reworked cabinet — expanded in volume compared to earlier models — which assists in optimizing internal airflow while also reducing undesirable acoustic turbulence.

Classic audiophiles get a taste of hard rock music with Revox's latest reel-to-reel tape unit and vinyl LP turntable. In concert with Revox, Horch House is offering the brand new Alice Cooper album Paranormal as master tape and also as master vinyl LP. The new Alice Cooper Limited Edition from Revox is an exclusive collaboration that fuses exceptional audiophile technology with the unmistakable style and rock‐star charisma of Alice Cooper. Designed to deliver a true studio sound experience at home, this limited edition series brings together classic analog audio quality and a bold, collectible design that stands out both visually and haptically. The aim of this special collaboration is to combine Revox's renowned high-fidelity audio engineering with Alice Cooper's unmistakable artistic persona. The result is a product that not only promises studio-quality sound but also acts as a unique piece of rock memorabilia, offering fans and audiophiles a chance to own a piece of audio history.

Founded in 1989 by Dennis Had, Cary Audio proudly designs and builds their audiophile products in North Carolina, USA, and at this year's HIGH END 2025 show in Munich are celebrating their new SLP-300 Preamplifier and DMS-300A Streaming Integrated Amplifier. Cary Audio founders were devoted audio enthusiasts who set out to create high-performance equipment — with an early focus on vacuum tube amplifiers — that would define their standard for sonic purity. Originally based in Cary, North Carolina, the company earned acclaim for its dedication to delivering sound quality with classic vacuum tube designs. At the heart of their presentation at HIGH END 2025 is a dynamic active system engineered for uncompromising sound quality featuring the SLP-05 Preamplifier, CAD-211FE monoblock vacuum tube amplifiers, and DMS-800PV Network Streamer / Hi-Res DAC.

For over 40 years, WBT has built its reputation as a benchmark for innovation, precision, and audiophile excellence. Founded in 1985 by Wolfgang B. Thörner in Essen, the company set out to eliminate the weak link in high-end audio systems by developing superior connectors. Their journey is marked by a series of technological leaps that not only revolutionized connection quality but also redefined manufacturing standards in the audio industry. The launch of the first WBT RCA connectors established new production quality and precision, directly addressing the issues in traditional hi-fi connections, In 1987, WBT introduced the first binding post featuring a clamping mechanism, further enhancing the connector reliability. By 1991, WBT's Patented Circular Contact System (CCS) was a groundbreaking technology enabled a loss-free, permanent connection without the need for soldering or stripping cables, ensuring a direct, secure, and efficient signal flow.

The soulution 787 turntable (CHF 67,500 including 8.1% VAT) is designed to meet the uncompromising standards of music lovers and audiophiles. Its core innovation lies in its linear tracking design, which uses a moving platter combined with a minimally moving, pivoted tonearm. This integration reduces tracking error to a maximum of less than 0.15°, ensuring that the stylus consistently follows the groove with supreme precision, no matter where it is on the record. soulution provided EnjoyTheMusic.com with exacting details about their 787's platter subassembly. It is a marvel in precision! The 787 turntable bits comprises a main platter, a sub-platter featuring a low-friction sintered magnetic bearing, and a dedicated platter drive motor equipped with precious metal brushes. Here's where the fun begins as this entire assembly slides laterally on polished axles beneath the tonearm, maintaining optimal alignment throughout the vinyl LP recording.

The record-level of paid / deferred revenue underscores an exceptionally robust global consumer demand in Q1 for live music according to Live Nation and Ticketmaster. The quarter delivered strong overall performance, driven by an expanding supply of musical artists and heightened fan enthusiasm. Operating income reached $115 million, while the adjusted operating income was reported as $341 million — or $361 million at constant currency — affirming a healthy bottom line and resilience across the business. Deferred revenue milestones were a standout achievement in Q1, while adding debt to music lovers financial status. Event-related revenue for concerts hit an impressive $5.4 billion, marking a 24% increase compared to the previous year. Ticketmaster also contributed strongly, recording deferred revenue of $270 million, up 13% year-over-year. These figures illustrate the solid future earnings base as prepayments from consumers continue to grow.

Welcome to the 20th Anniversary of Lone Star Audio Fest (LASF)! For 2025, LASF moved from Dallas south to the Embassy Suites in Round Rock, which is just north of Austin. This year, LASF was brought to you by the good folks who brought you T.H.E. Show in Southern California. The Lone Star Audio Fest 2025 took place from May 2nd through 4th and was a great experience for attendees and exhibitors alike. This year, the festival collaborated with T.H.E. Show, a well-known audiophile event promoter, to create an even bigger experience for audiophiles, industry professionals, and DIY audio enthusiasts alike. High-end audio gear is all about exceptional sound quality, precision engineering, and immersive listening experiences. Whether you're an audiophile, a music producer, a music lover, or just someone who appreciates crystal-clear sound, high-end audio gear makes a huge difference in how you experience music.

Elac, a renowned global leader in high-fidelity audio solutions, is marking a pivotal moment in its history at High End 2025 with their Debut ConneX DCB61 Powered Monitor two-way speaker, Debut 3.0 Subwoofer Series in three sizes, and Concentro M 807 large floorstanding loudspeaker. The company has built its reputation on merging modern technology with timeless design, creating loudspeakers with high price-versus performance factor. With a blend of high-performance and elegant aesthetics, Elac continues to support the future of premium audio experiences for music lovers worldwide. Debut ConneX DCB61: This new all-in-one powered speaker is designed for modern lifestyles. It features cutting-edge connectivity through Bluetooth LC3 and Dolby Digital decoding, along with a 6.5" woofer paired with a waveguide tweeter to deliver expansive, naturally immersive, room-filling sound.

At High End 2025, a groundbreaking collaboration between two renowned Norwegian audio powerhouses may be generating a buzz amongst some members of the press. Electrocompaniet and Ø Audio have united to launch a comprehensive home audio stereo sound system that embodies a bold declaration of innovation and engineering excellence. EnjoyTheMusic.com knows this ambitious showcase intertwines decades of audio heritage with modern breakthrough technology, promising an immersive listening experience unlike any other. At the core of this system at HIGH END 2025 are four state-of-the-art AW800M power amplifiers. Renowned for their robust performance and pristine clarity, these amplifiers have been meticulously engineered to deliver ample power and dynamic accuracy for every channel.

Estelon, a high-end loudspeaker company who feels that aesthetics are driven by functionality and innovation, is launching their latest A-Series additions — AURELIA, AURELIA Centre, and AURUS — at HIGH END 2025 in Munich. We here at EnjoyTheMusic.com want to explore how every element of their design reinforces the brand's commitment to superior sound quality and innovative design. Let's take a deep dive into Estelon's latest A-Series additions, shall we.... The AURELIA is a compact two-way, passive bookshelf or standmount loudspeaker tailored for users who desire high-fidelity audio in a compact format. Its sealed box design isn't just about aesthetics; it plays a pivotal role in controlling bass and reducing unwanted resonance, ensuring the reproduction of a balanced and precise soundscape. Under the hood, two 132mm mid-range drivers, which are crafted from Egyptian Papyrus fibre-filled paper by SB Acoustics.

The Mark Levinson 600 Series is Samsung-owned HARMAN Luxury Audio Group's newest declaration in high-fidelity audio, setting the company's latest benchmark for musical fidelity, high-precision, and potent power. This launch — unveiled at HIGH END Munich 2025 here in Munich — marks a transformative evolution in the brand's storied legacy of over 50 years of sound mastery. The new Mark Levinson No 626 ($25,000) is a dual-monaural preamplifier that marries an all-analog signal path with a state-of-the-art digital core. At its heart lies the Precision Link III DAC capable of decoding up to 32-bit/384kHz PCM and native DSD audio through six digital inputs. Its analog section is built upon the company's Pure Path architecture. We know EnjoyTheMusic.com fans of analog playback will rejoice as a Pure Phono MM/MC (moving magnet and moving coil) phono stage may breathe new life into your legacy vinyl record / LP media.

HARMAN Luxury Audio Group, owned by Samsung, is showcasing their world debut of three new additions to the JBL Summit Series, a breathtaking expression of JBL's most advanced loudspeaker craftsmanship. Premiering at HIGH END Munich 2025, the expanded Summit Series now spans five models including the JBL Everest and K2, plus three new designs, Makalu, Pumori, and Ama. Each loudspeaker has been design and engineered for the world's most discerning listeners. From Project Everest to the present, JBL has spent decades reaching new altitudes in acoustic innovation. The Summit Series continues that legacy — a testament to 80 years of engineering and passion for sound. With the addition of Summit Makalu, Summit Pumori, and Summit Ama, JBL offers a lineup that blends refined design, proprietary technologies, and unmatched dynamic performance. Each model is inspired by a Himalayan peak and crafted to deliver unparalleled sound reproduction that stirs emotion and reveals new layers in every recording.

SOtM is hoping to make a powerful impact at HIGH END 2025 in Munich by demonstrating their latest source components, highlighting the company's commitment to delivering the "Soul Of the Music" through advanced audio technology. The HIGH END exhibition will feature SOtM products in several collaborative demonstrations with renowned names in the industry according to the company. A joint showcase with partners such as Joseph Audio, The Funk Firm, Cardas Audio, and Doshi Audio are now featuring SOtM's source devices. In partnership with Absolare and Rockport, SOtM components will be used to present a world-class audio system. Within a third exhibit room at HIGH END 2025 in Munich features Purist Audio Design, Göbel High End, Hartvig Audio, and Vitus Audio, this demonstration will highlight SOtM products as the source in a high-performance setup.

Furutech, a renowned manufacturer of ultra-refined analog, digital, and video cables along with related audiophile accessories, has introduced their 2025 pinnacle high-end speaker cable: the Project V1-S. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail and built on the same technological platforms as other Project V1 series products (including the power cord, interconnect, tonearm, and digital cables). The Project V1-S is designed to elevate audio system performance to unprecedented levels by delivering exceptional sonic clarity, transparency, and accuracy. The Furutech Project V1-S loudspeaker cable is €15,000/set for a 2.5-meter stereo pair. Furutech was kind enough to send EnjoyTheMusic.com some very impressive details about this new cable in advance of HIGH END 2025. At its core, the Project V1-S employs a hybrid design combining an α (Alpha) silver-coated OCC inner conductor with an Alpha DUCC outer conductor — the same specialized copper technology found in other Project V1 products.

Nordost is here at HIGH END 2025 in Munich presenting a comprehensive showcase that celebrates their legacy and innovation. With a home audio stereo system featuring Wilson Audio floorstanding loudspeakers, their exhibit room was filled with a rich display of cable products and audio tweaks, including cables from the Blue Heaven 3 series along with an QNET7 Layer-2 Ethernet switch. Nordost is a pioneering American high-end audio company established in 1991 and is renowned globally for its advanced cable technologies and audio system enhancements / tweaks. Nordost focuses on crafting products that ensure pure and precise audio and video signal transmission. The company's extensive product range includes high-performance speaker cables, interconnects (both analog and digital), HDMI cables, power distribution systems, grounding devices, and even vibration control accessories.

Audiovector is a celebrated, family-owned Danish manufacturer well-known for designing, developing, and handcrafting ultra high-end loudspeakers. Founded in 1979 by Ole Klifoth, the company was born out of a passion for achieving the perfect musical reproduction for global audiophiles. Today, under the leadership of Ole's son, Mads Klifoth, Audiovector continues to uphold its founding vision — producing natural-sounding speakers that deliver uncompromising sound quality, paired with meticulous craftsmanship and luxurious design. Every Audiovector product is built entirely in-house, from the custom-designed drive units to the premium high-density wood cabinets finished in exclusive materials. This integrated approach not only ensures sonic excellence but also reflects the company's deep-rooted commitment to quality and innovation. At HIGH END Munich 2025, the company proudly unveils its flagship loudspeaker — the R 10 Arreté (£127,500 per pair, $165,000, or €147,500) large floorstanding loudspeaker.

Gryphon Audio Designs is a renowned Danish manufacturer of ultra-high-end home audio stereo sound systems known for its uncompromising commitment to sonic perfection and luxurious design. You can see Gryphon Audio reviews expertly written by EnjoyTheMusic.com reviewers. Founded by Flemming E. Rasmussen, the company grew out of a passion to recreate the live music experience within the home environment. Over the decades, Gryphon has built a well-respected and appreciated reputation for designing hi-fi audio equipment that combines state-of-the-art technology, meticulous craftsmanship, and timeless aesthetics. Here at HIGH END 2025 in Munich, Gryphon Audio Designs is unveiling the fifth-generation Antileon-series power amplifier, known as Antileon Revelation (€38.800 / $45,500 ). This launch not only marks the evolution of a legendary product line but also celebrates significant milestones: 30 years of the Antileon marque and 40 years of Gryphon Audio Designs.

Dantax Raidho refers to the high-end loudspeaker division of Dantax Radio A/S, a Danish company celebrated for its uncompromising approach to audio craftsmanship and engineering excellence. Founded in 1972, Dantax Radio A/S has built a formidable reputation in the premium audio market under several banners, with Raidho Acoustics standing out as the flagship line dedicated to delivering reference-class performance. We know that everyone here at EnjoyTheMusic.com would like to know that at the heart of Dantax Raidho is a philosophy that marries cutting-edge technology with artisanal precision. They represent a storied heritage and an unyielding passion for the art of sound. For audiophiles and music lovers alike seeking a loudspeaker system that transcends conventional boundaries, Raidho stands is one of the true testaments to what can be achieved when technology, craftsmanship, and musical passion converge.

SVS wants EnjoyTheMusic.com to know they are in in full swing at HIGH END with their most impressive showcase to date! Occupying its largest exhibit space ever in Munich, SVS seeks to achieve a gloriously immersive and emotionally engaging soundscape for a true modern sound revolution. SVS is dedicating separate cabins for two-channel audiophile systems and a home theater experience for immersivephiles. The legacy stereo system (two channels) features an audio chain including a McIntosh two-channel integrated amplifier, Bluesound Node, paired Ultra Evolution Pinnacle and Bookshelf speakers, plus the SB-5000 R|Evolution subwoofer for deep bass duties. For modern music lovers, SVS is showcasing a complete surround system with a Marantz Cinema 40 unit, OPPO Blu-ray player, Ultra Evolution Titan speakers, an Ultra Evolution Center channel, Nano and Elevation speakers, and paired SB17-Ultra R|Evolution subwoofers.

Audio Research is here at HIGH END 2025 show in Munich with many new products. Their new I/70 vacuum tube stereo integrated amplifier, LS-2 and LS-3 stereo preamplifiers, D-80 vacuum tube amplifier, plus the S-100 and S-200 solid-state amplifiers. The new I/70 ($9,950, with DAC or MM/MC Phono Card adding $1,000 each, or $1,500 for both) represents a major upgrade over its sibling. ARC wants EnjoyTheMusic.com to share with you that the I/50 provides a benefit in both performance and flexibility for the discerning listener. It has been meticulously engineered to serve as the heart of any high-fidelity audio system. The amplifier uses auto-biasing for 6550 output tubes, ensuring that these crucial components perform optimally and enjoy a longer lifespan. A dedicated active tube preamplifier section drives the tube amplifier stage, which may create a rich and dynamic audio experience that brings music to life (and life into music).

Editorial: Tailwinds And Headwinds

Market Update: When Everything Is New!

Evolution Of Automotive Audio Tuning And Testing

Audio System Design In The Age Of Software-Defined Vehicles

Car Cabin Sound Personalization

Standardized Automotive Audio Measurements

The Ear That Talks

The Little British Monitor's Technical Design

Level, Aim, And Timing

And Much More!

The new Métronome Technologie DST, or Digital Sharing Transport, is the newest high-end CD transport in Métronome's Digital Sharing product line. Designed and manufactured in France for discerning audiophiles, the DST is built to deliver an uncompromised digital signal for CD playback, ensuring the utmost clarity and purity. The chassis is precision crafted from solid steel and aluminum, the DST sports a refined, modern aesthetic available in both silver and black finishes. This robust build not only provides a premium look but also ensures durability in demanding audio setups. The DST features a touch screen display with an intuitive interface, which allows for easy navigation and control of the unit's functions... The Métronome Technologie DST (Digital Sharing Transport) is not just another CD transport me too product, far from it! It is a statement of Métronome's deep commitment to blending cutting-edge digital technology with legacy / classic physical media.

Brinkmann Audio is making an impact at Munich's HIGH END 2025 immersive music / audiophile show in Germany this weekend. The company is showcasing their latest innovations in high-end audio technology. Brinkmann contacted EnjoyTheMusic.com to share the news about the company's new Nyquist ONE Streaming DAC and other products being showcased at HIGH END 2025 in Munich. We're here to give you more details and our thoughts as high-end audio seeks to push the envelope in audio performance and design. The standout announcement from Brinkmann is their debut of the Nyquist ONE, a reimagining of their renowned Nyquist series of digital-to-analogue (DAC) processors. Building upon advanced circuit concepts from the TraNt series, the Nyquist ONE features an improved power supply and a new circuit board layout that sets a new standard for DAC technology.

As perhaps one of the most anticipated listening sessions during HIGH END 2025 in Munich, at the heart of this groundbreaking presentation is an awe-inspiring synergy of ultra-high-end luxurious audio components. The Dan D'Agostino Master Audio Systems' Relentless Preamplifier, renowned for its impeccable clarity and precision, teams up with four Epic 1600 Monoblock Amplifiers that cumulatively offer more than 6 kilowatts of raw power! Impressive, most impressive (grin). This formidable home audiophile setup is meticulously engineered to drive the Wilson Audio Master Chronosonic XVX Loudspeakers and Subsonic Subwoofers, seeking to extract every nuance from your favorite recordings. Enhanced by the digital prowess of the highly-respected dCS digital audio components, this proverbial 'match made in heaven' may transform the theoretical excellence of what is possible into a tangible, Earth-bound performance.

Wadax, renowned for its commitment to musical realism, has raised the bar at HIGH END 2025 show in Munich by unveiling an expanded Studio Player Collection. This latest installment introduces three pivotal components — the Studio Clock, Studio PSU, and Akasa DC Studio Cable. These Hi-Res luxury audiophile components complement the already acclaimed Studio Player. Wadax wants EnjoyTheMusic.com readers to know that with these additions, Wadax feel they have solidified their reputation in the high-end audio arena, offering a seamlessly integrated system that enhances both legacy analog and modern digital performance while remaining true to the company's luxury heritage. At the technical forefront, the Studio Clock boasts Wadax's proprietary True Master Clock technology — a very sophisticated evolution of their celebrated Zepto clock design from the Reference range.

A few years ago I reviewed the Van Den Hul Crimson Stradivarius phono cartridge. I began that review by expressing my love-hate relationship with phono cartridges. The love stems from my love of music, and the fact that I prefer music reproduced by vinyl, and that the phono cartridge converts vibrational energy from the grooves of the records into an electric signal and then this electrical signal is somehow converted into the music that comes forth from our speakers. The hate arises not from the fact that a very good phono cartridge can be quite expensive because it is a given that most great high-end audio gear is going to be expensive. But I hate that this expensive phono cartridge comes with a fragile stylus, and the components of this stylus are prone to breakage. Even if they aren't broken by accident, the stylus, and then the cantilever will eventually wear out.

Ah, describing sound with words. Alas, I am no William Shakespeare. Yes, words matter, but the listening experience matters more. Even for a professional musician and academic, crafting a written narrative that accurately describes an aural impression will, to a fair degree, remain a flawed science. When teaching a masterclass to my percussion students, I always struggle to convey musical truth through words. Ultimately, performance is the final arbiter of musical thought, which I find myself deferring to time and again. Musical aesthetics are inherently aural expressions, "organizing sound through time" (to quote Edgard Varese) via the construct of four fundamental properties of sound: Pitch, Intensity, Duration, and Timbre. Yet, I posit to these same students that a fifth property must be acknowledged to fully comprehend music, and one that Varese most likely would have approved; that is, Space (Referencing his "Poemeelectronique," written for the Philips Pavilion at the 1958 Brussels World's Fair).

There was something for everyone at this year's Montreal Audiofest, from entry-level to cost-no-concern. The mood was enthusiastic and upbeat. The people in this industry work for the good and benefit of others. Below are my choices for those who earned a special EnjoyTheMusic.com Best Of Montreal Audiofest 2025 Blue Note Award. Music is the social lubricant of humanity. I hope you've enjoyed this chronicle. Have a great summer, and enjoy some live music. I hope to see my Canadian friends again in Toronto in October.

Up until a few years ago, the high-end audio show reports of the few publications were naming a sole (single) Best of Show Award with a few close audiophile manufacturers as competitors. Early on, I broadened my view to award numerous EnjoyTheMusic.com Best Of Show Blue Note Awards at events, acknowledging the playing field of available rooms is never level, and not all systems were designed to achieve the same results. Over the past couple of decades, luxury audiophile shows have grown larger, and the presentations have improved over the years as presenters have honed their skills in much the same way pit crews have polished their performance in auto racing. So, a short while ago, I began listing high-end audio rooms in a category of Honorable Mentions for outstanding rooms that didn't quite make the top tier, but were systems that I could live very happily with for a long time.

Editorial: A Clarion Call For Audio Today

Audiovector R 10 Arreté Floorstanding Loudspeaker

Magico S5 Floorstanding Loudspeaker

Computer Audio Design 1543 MkIII DAC

Trilogy 914 / 994 Prea And Mono Amplifiers

HzProject HzCORE Audio / Music Server

Accuphase E-700 Stereo Integrated Amplifier

Marantz 60n Stereo Int. Streaming Amplifier

Fyne Audio F701SP Stand-Mount Speaker

hARt Lab Tune Three Power Amplifier

Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl Phono Stage

...And Much More!

Loudspeakers come in all shapes and sizes. From small stand-mounted mini monitor to the huge room hogging 500 lbs. monolithic "Dream Reference Statement". Virtually every high-quality speaker has many areas it excels in and areas it leaves a bit to be desired. For it is only you who knows which part(s) of the music you can live with and without. Nothing is perfect my friend. Bassheads need not venture into Minimonitor Land while small jazz ensemble lovers probably can do without the 32 drivers per channel "Dream Reference Statement." Then there are people such as myself who want it all. From small duets during the quiet moment in life to big rave club action for those Saturday night techno parties. Can one pair of speakers suit all my needs... or yours? In the end is it true what they say, "size matters?" It is well known the optimum driver would be of extremely little weight, extremely rigid, and can respond to electrical signals at blindingly fast rates without over or undershooting.

As part of EnjoyTheMusic.com's 30th Anniversary Celebration, we're featuring great gear reviews from our past three decades.

Celebrating our 30th anniversary in 2025, EnjoyTheMusic.com was the first American audio magazine to regularly report on the HIGH END show in Germany. With the upcoming 2025 show next weekend, we want to highlight our special exclusive HIGH END show report from years ago to provide a historic reference for musicphiles. The year 2015, 10 years ago, marked our 15th year covering HIGH END Society's audiophile event in Germany. This audiophile and high-end audio event has been held an impressive 34 times in succession; and 2015 marks the 12th time at the MOC Munich. This makes HIGH END the oldest specialist exhibition in its field in Europe, now seen throughout the world as the central and most established hub of the industry. Manufacturers, importers, distributors, suppliers and retailers from all over the world meet in Munich every year to showcase their newest products. This year, more than 400 exhibitors with about 900 brands from all over the world were presenting their products and services. A wide variety of lectures were held to educate, inform and answer attendee's questions.

Just to reorient the folks who attended the show, this part (Part 7) covers the rooms to the right as you hit the lower level. The coffee bar just to the right was a welcome addition to the show. They had an assortment of snacks, too, for those who experienced a sudden power failure. I typically make do with a couple of Clif Bars and a bottle of Mt. Dew — legacy nourishment from my days of bicycling high mountain passes. Turning left as I hit the long corridor, I proceeded to Outremont 1 on the left, opposite the large EARVANA and Marketplace room. I'll cover the Outremont rooms first, then double back to EARVANA and Marketplace on the St. Laurent side of the hall. Martin Logan has not had a big footprint at the Montreal show, as best I can recall. Here, they seemed to have teamed up with LaLiberte, a retailer in Levis, Quebec, just across the river from Quebec City. Enjoy the Music.com saw a couple of their rooms in Part 1 of the Montreal Audiofest 2025 audiophile show report.

Masimo Corporation, a global medical / technology company, has announced the sale of its consumer audio business, Sound United, to HARMAN International, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, for $350 million in cash. This decision marks a strategic shift for Masimo, which originally expanded into the audio market through its acquisition of Sound United to integrate health-monitoring technology into consumer electronics. However, with new leadership and a redefined focus, Masimo has opted to concentrate on its core healthcare business, seeking to drive innovation in patient monitoring and medical technology. The divestiture is expected to strengthen Masimo's ability to address unmet clinical needs while ensuring the consumer audio brands find a new home under HARMAN's expertise. For HARMAN, a company that designs and engineers connected products and solutions for automakers, consumers, and enterprises worldwide, acquiring Sound United represents a significant expansion of its audio portfolio, which includes JBL, Harman Kardon, and AKG.

In January 2021, I was fortunate to review Nagra's Tube DAC and Classic PSU power supply. In my review, I said that the owners of this vacuum tube Hi-Res Audio DAC will be able to appreciate the "sonic glory" of this "high-performance component." So, I was not surprised that the Nagra Tube DAC and its PSU power supply were awarded EnjoyTheMusic.com's Best Of 2021 Award. After I finished the review, I was not psyched to return the $40,900 package consisting of the Nagra Tube DAC, Classic PSU power supply, and VFS Classic base to the distributor. I was captivated by the sound quality this digital front end contributed to my system. My reference DAC, an EMM Labs DA2, is no slouch, but this Nagra Tube DAC package costs twice as much. It was not twice as good as the EMM Labs converter; it doesn't work that way, but the improvement in sound quality was significant. I jumped at the chance when I was offered the subject of this review, the relatively new Nagra Classic DAC II / PSU / VFS combo.

In the mid to late 1990s, I heard a pair of Avantgarde Acoustic horn loudspeakers (hornspeaker) for the first time at a local high-end audio showroom. I don’t remember the model of the speakers I was hearing, but I do recall that they were powered by a pair of Single-Ended Triode (SET) monoblock amplifiers. I assumed that these amps were a perfect match for these sensitive speakers. Sadly, I was not impressed with what I heard that day. The speaker's biggest sin was an exaggerated midrange, epitomizing the "cupped hands" sound. Fast-forward to 2024, when I was offered a pair of Avantgarde UNO SDs for review in Enjoy the Music.com. I was skeptical, fearing I would experience something similar to what I had heard at that local dealer many years ago. Before these speakers arrived, I shared my experience with Avantgarde's North American distributor, American Sound of Canada, about my experience with their horn speakers.

The United States Trade Representative (USTR) annual Special 301 Report provides a brief review of intellectual property (IP) enforcement and protection globally. While the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America), an organization that advocates for recorded music business, the 2025 report highlights concerns in various countries regarding counterfeiting, piracy, patent protection, and trade secrets. While the music business continues to sample, copy, and produce AI-generation songs, the RIAA also wants to ensure IP protection for the audio products sold by the music business they represent. According to the RIAA, "USTR Ambassador Jamieson Greer stresses that US creators are essential to our economic growth, competitiveness and jobs. Strong copyright protection is critical to protecting American dominance, preventing theft of creative works and defending US national economic security."

On arrival in Shanghai, China, to attend a conference of the local audio industry association, I was promptly reminded of how powerful the digital curtain is in the region, being unable to use most of the online services that we rely upon for work. But in this geopolitically divided world, this also reminded me about the dangers of relying too much on the online music streaming services provided by a limited number of companies. In particular about Spotify, the largely dominant service currently blocked in China and which is today the TikTok of music services. It creates an addictive bubble for each individual based on their unfettered predilections, resulting in a vicious cycle from which it's very difficult to escape. For the musically enlightened, Spotify recommendations might seem relatively anodyne since we all know what we like, correct? We all have our list of favorite albums, and the artists we want to listen to most often, and obviously we want to listen to new music from those artists, and we want eventually to discover similar music, and similar artists to the albums and artists we like. That's precisely how Apple Music works, and that's why every time I go there, I have a feeling of going nowhere.

AXPONA 2025 delivered a symphony of sonic excellence, but only the crème de la crème earn the coveted EnjoyTheMusic.com Best Of AXPONA 2025 Blue Note Award — a distinction reserved for the gear that transcends expectation and elevates the listening experience to new heights. This year's winners didn't just impress; they mesmerized, setting the standard for audiophile bliss with innovation, artistry, and unrelenting musicality. Whether through breathtaking detail, staggering dynamics, or pure analog magic, these standouts prove that the pursuit of high-fidelity perfection is as thrilling as ever. "EnjoyTheMusic.com wants to express our deepest gratitude for an incredible AXPONA 2025 experience. The passion, innovation, and dedication on display made this event truly unforgettable. From the remarkable audio demonstrations to the inspiring conversations, every moment was a testament to the thriving community of music lovers and high-fidelity sound enthusiasts."

The audiophile-faithful descended once again on Schaumburg, April 11th through 13th, for AXPONA 2025 high-end audio show (report), which is North America's largest gathering of audiophile and luxury premium audio designers, manufacturers, and enthusiasts of all levels and backgrounds. AXPONA 2025's immersive music event is now officially in the books as the largest to date, with Event Director, Liz Smith, wanting EnjoyTheMusic.com to share with you that just over 10,000 attendees enjoying 700 international brands / designers, retailers, and exhibitors. With 213 dedicated listening rooms distributed over 12 floors of the Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center, this year's AXPONA provided ample opportunity to experience and celebrate some of the finest home audio designs in the world. Though the above numbers for this 14th annual AXPONA are impressive, I am continually inspired by the welcoming, tight-knit community that it represents.

There are some remarkably consistent commonalities with audio enthusiasts worldwide. Although some common hobbies and interests are unique to a few countries (UK audiophiles are often really into fishing, for example, and the same doesn't hold quite so well universally), many are almost universally common. A lot of this is due to the intersection of 'geeks', 'men' and 'Boomers!' Hobbies and interests that tick all three of those boxes tend to have enthusiasts who share the same passions. And, while some are consistent with 'male jewellery' (if you wear a nice new watch to an audio show, many people will be able to tell you the history of that watch brand, and have an opinion about its best and worst designs), others are simply shared interests. It doesn't matter if you have a Leica, a Fuji, a Nikon or Canon in that camera bag...

In Part 1 of "The Future Of Our Audiophile Hobby", more in Part 2 of The Future, plus Part 3 last month, the necessarily lengthy articles about our hobby and the industry that serves it, I told about how our hobby was once what computers and cell phones are today: the state-of-the-art, the thing that everybody knew about, loved, and had to have. I also wrote about how it has, since then, fallen from glory, and become, for most people, at best a curiosity, and at worst, a sort of utility (everybody uses water, gas, and electricity, but nobody gets excited about them), and that the problem has gone so far that – even though they are constantly surrounded by music of some sort and some quality at practically every turn, many people don't even know what the words "hi-fi" or "stereo" mean. To a very great degree, I wrote, our hobby has become one for a declining number of old men and is in current and specific danger of following the electric train....

Since it has been quite some time since writing an article, I'd like to first thank all our readers for your patience in product delivery over the past year. Supply constraints combined with various factory closings globally over the past year have been a challenge for many of us. While many of us stayed home, we took much joy, and a careful listen, to our luxury audio systems. With many of your wanting to upgrade your gear, there were many companies I spoke with who were simply inundated with orders. As someone who gives close attention to the luxury goods market for decades, the health of the industry also rests on the used marketplace. Am sure many of you have seen the rise in asking prices for pre-loved gear. This, imho, reinforces the value of high-end audio products.

This month we feature industry news, gear reviews, plus think pieces, though it is our extensive show coverage that shines brightly. May marks EnjoyTheMusic.com's fifth show coverage during 2025 (five separate shows). During 2025, we have posted extensive show coverage of the Florida International Audio Expo, Southwest Audio Fest, Montreal Audiofest, AXPONA, and soon HIGH END and a special surprise along the way. Reporting on high-end audio shows offers a range of benefits, whether you're a journalist, industry professional, or passionate audiophile.

EnjoyTheMusic.com gives you access to information on cutting-edge audio technology. We feature the latest advancements in sound reproduction, providing you the benefits of our firsthand expert experience with groundbreaking reference loudspeakers, both vacuum tube and solid-state amplifiers, Hi-Res Audio DACs, turntables, cables, tweaks, and other equipment before they reach your local high-end audio store. Our staff is at your service, and we invite you to read our extensive May 2025 high-end audio Review Magazine.

On Sunday morning, I packed up and downloaded my luggage into the shooting brake in the parking garage below the Bonaventure. As I waited in line for a table at the breakfast buffet, I looked longingly at the folks in the pool and hot tub. If only I were not so afraid of getting water stuck in my ears and spoiling the day. While still in line, a robot passed me, heading off to deliver breakfast to someone's room. It caught me by surprise and was gone before I could grab a photo. Moments later, adding insult to injury, a second one passed me by. Breakfast was great — far superior to running across the street to the McDonald's in the train station. Isabeau Corriveau was up early, too, playing for the early arrivals to the show. The escalator descends to the lower level, where the medium-sized and large rooms are located. The bright yellow McLaren Artura was parked near the bottom in an attempt to lure visitors away from the truly high end gear they lust for.

With IASCA (International Auto Sound Challenge Association) custom high-end audio competitions being featured at various audiophile shows, the consumer electronics industry recognizes Dolby Laboratories as a leader within their field. During the recent Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition (Auto Shanghai 2025), the company showcased their next-generation of in-car entertainment experience powered by Dolby Vision HDR imaging and Dolby Atmos immersive sound. "Dolby's growth in automotive continues to accelerate," says Dolby's press release. "At Auto Shanghai 2025, many auto makers announced new vehicles to support Dolby experiences, including those debuting their first model that features Dolby. With this latest progress, the number of auto makers supporting Dolby experiences has reached 25+, doubling the number from 12 months ago.

The Rogue Audio Sphinx was first introduced sometime around late 2013. I purchased the original Sphinx from Rogue Audio upon a recommendation from a friend. Imagine an integrated hybrid tube and solid-state stereo amplifier with 100 Watts output at 8 Ohms (200W @ 4 Ohms), with vacuum tubes in the front end! I later came to find that it was the perfect unit to power my classic Martin Logan SL3 electrostatic hybrid loudspeakers. Turns out that Mark O'Brien of Rogue Audio told me that Rogue Audio had displayed with Martin Logan at audio shows, and it was a superb match-up. I still own the original Sphinx which is still pushing Watts through the SL 3's in our upstairs entertainment system. I reviewed the Rogue Audio Sphinx V2 and V3 subsequent versions over the years.

One of the advertising slogans that makes me the most suspicious is the statement that something is "new and improved". Usually, it means that a company updated the packaging, with little or no change on the inside. The worst scenario is when a significant change is made but for the worse. For those of you old enough to remember the New Coke, you know what I mean. Part of the high-end audio business is updating one's products periodically to maintain public interest. I'm not saying this is wrong or right, it's just how it is. I know most audio manufacturers are tinkers by heart, so they always see room for improvement. While much audio technology is well-established, some areas are rapidly changing. One of those is the implementation of gallium nitride (GaN) devices.

In Part 1 of "The Future Of Our Audiophile Hobby", and more in Part 2 of The Future about our hobby and the industry that serves it, I wrote about earlier times, when our hobby was at its peak and everyone was "into" stereo and hi-fi, and the future seemed unlimited. I also recounted how the old saying "Familiarity breeds contempt" proved to be true and, as "hi-fi" (or the "mid-fi"-or-less gear claiming to be it) and stereo lost their novelty and became commonplace, the old "What have you done for me lately?" syndrome set in and – like the ears on the sides of our heads – people not only stopped commenting on them, they also stopped noticing them as well. As I pointed out in Part 2 of this article, it's gotten so bad that many people – largely among the young, but including one woman in her fifties that I specifically mentioned last time, have never heard or don't know the meaning of the words "hi-fi" and "stereo".

After returning to my room to set my batteries charging, I dressed for the Industry Banquet and the Lifetime Achievement Award presentations. This time, I remembered to bring a spare battery with me. The request was for an ‘80s Disco vibe, but my wardrobe was ill-prepared for such an event. The best I could do was throw on one of my Jerry Garcia ties. They’re good for the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Sarah Tremblay, Director of the Audiofest, greeted guests and handed out eyeglasses with variable flashing light sequences. I will give out an award to the first person submitting the correct number of these eyeglasses appearing in the photos in Part 5. One number per person, only. For as many years as I’ve covered this show, I am good friends with relatively few people. The cast of characters keeps changing on me. The guy looking straight at the camera is Stephane Hautcoeur, founder and President of Eon Art Canada, Inc., manufacturers of some of the finest amplifiers in the world.

With the nearly universal consensus of praise and earning many show awards during the Florida International Audio Expo 2023, the Acora Acoustics, VAC, Oracle Audio, Aurender, LampizatOr, and Cardas Audio room was a sound to behold! As one of the best-sounding exhibition room during the recent Tampa show, it brings us joy to showcase a very recent interview by The Absolute Sound's Lee Scoggins as he sits down with Acora Acoustics founder Valerio Cora. They both discuss Acora's relatively recent emergence in the audiophile world. Within this video, you'll discover why using granite as an enclosure plays a big role in the loudspeaker's overall performance and Valerio's beginnings with high-end audio.

Today we hear from the new CEO of Parasound, David Sheriff. He took the time to outline his thoughts and plans for the future of one of today's most respected audio manufacturers. Give him a listen and see what the future of Parasound holds. On December 14th (2022) I received an e-mail from Parasound's PR representative, Gorden Sell. It announced that Richard Schram had retired and sold the company he had founded in 1981 to an entrepreneur active in product growth and supply-chain management, David Sheriff.

Because recording sound (and moving images) have been with us from birth, we have a tendency to take them for granted. But, a combination of two things this month demonstrated just how much wonder we got from that first encounter with recorded sound. In researching this month's feature about sources, we went right back to the mid-19th century. That first recording that was finally transcribed into sound in 2009; to ears that are used to modern recording and replay techniques, this version of 'Au Clair de la Lune' sounds like someone shaking bees in a tin, and the earliest surviving Edison recordings fare little better. But to the ears of someone of 150 years ago, this was sheer magic! It's impossible for us to comprehend that, as the rise of technology has made us a little immune to wonder. Also, the ubiquitous nature of recorded sound today means it needs to be something really special to trigger such strong emotions. However, if you cast your mind back to that first time you heard what really good audio can do, you get a taste of that sense of wonder. Once heard, though, it's hard to experience that in repeated listening sessions.

As a premise for many articles that we review, support, and approve for audioXpress, there are many that actually suggest more questions than answers and essentially make us question our acquired knowledge. That's OK, and we encourage that. We should always look at new questions in order to find solutions for problems we ignored, disregarded, or simply were not aware existed. Please feel free to send us suggestions, abstracts, drafts, or fully expanded essays on audio-related topics. In any discipline. I fundamentally believe we have a long way to go to fully understand sound propagation and how to optimize our own electroacoustical systems to fully leverage sound reproduction. We continuously review research work and published material going back multiple decades — something we are forced to do to be able to recognize how much of what is being written today is actually new and "advances the evolution of audio technology" as our magazine motto states.

The HIGH END 2025 audiophile / immersivephile event is an internationally renowned audio exhibition that will take place from May 15 to May 18, 2025, at the M.O.C. Event Center in Munich, Germany. This event is a must-visit for anyone passionate about high-quality audio technology, as it brings together manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and in open to consumers from over 40 countries. This year's brand ambassador is the Norwegian singer Anette Askvik, who embodies the event's motto "Passion for Music". Her hypnotic sound and deep emotion perfectly reflect the passion for promoting audio technology that the HIGH END 2025 exhibition aims to convey. The HIGH END 2025 exhibition will feature hundreds of exhibitors showcasing their latest innovations in consumer electronics technology, including hi-fi audio, high-end video, home theater, and bespoke entertainment solutions for millionaires and billionaires alike.

The naysayers on internet forums will have a "hey"-day with this review. They complain about reviewers who proclaim that each new product they review is better than the last one. Well, I'm here to plead "guilty" as this is the third power conditioner I've reviewed in the past seven months, along with an incredible 650 photos and 59,000 words in the reviews of the Toronto Audiofest 2024 and Capital Audiofest 2024. Each power conditioner was better than the last, as well as significantly more expensive. Let me give you an overview in case you haven't been following along. My longstanding power conditioner, since July 2017 when the review was published by Enjoy the Music.com, had been the Synergistic PowerCell 8 UEF SE with an Atmosphere Level 2 power cord, a unit that sold for about $2000 at the time.

Since Heaven 11 Audio is from Montreal, I've noticed their integrated amp for years, as I also cover the Montreal 2025 audiophile show. They are on the brink of producing the new Mk III version as I write. It is their only product, but it comes in Classic (with DAC, Bluetooth, phono stage, and analog inputs) and Spartan editions. You also get to customize it with a choice of ICEpower or Hypex (+$250), black or silver finish, a choice of knobs and tubes. There is a configurator on their website to sort it all out. I'm big on driving Class D power amps with tube preamps, so this should be a step above all-solid-state designs, as you can roll the tubes if you wish. They've garnered a few accolades over the years, too. Here at the AXPONA 2025 high-end audio show, they had two units to alternate between the ICEpower and Hypex units — a very cool idea, but I didn't have time to spend to check out the difference.

The Tobian 12 FH hornspeakers' moniker, "Full Range Horn Speakers," accurately reflects their capabilities. These floor-standing speakers feature a 4-inch compression driver with a 9.5-inch horn / mid-high compression driver featuring a titanium diaphragm. The "12" in their name likely refers to their "ultra-light" 12-inch woofer located beneath the horn, near the bottom of their cabinet. The speakers have an impressive frequency response of 20 Hz to 20 kHz. Indeed, these are full-range high-sensitivity loudspeakers. Designed and built in Switzerland, the Tobian 12 FH speakers look striking. Their real wood cabinets measure approximately 3-feet tall, 13-inches wide, and 16.5-inches deep. They are available in custom finishes, although I can't imagine most listeners being more than satisfied with one of their standard finishes: natural wood, high-gloss lacquer, or matte lacquer.

What has eight woofers, one horn compression tweeter, no crossovers (well maybe a single capacitor, first order high pass for the tweeter. So a filter, not formally a crossover), and a semi resonance tube 'transmission line like' cabinet? You guessed it, the Grandinote Mach 8 XL speaker does. Wow... You're good! And so are they! Although it sounds counterintuitive, the one word that comes to mind when describing these very tall, nine-driver speakers is, "Simple." Massimiliano Magri's design philosophy equates to the K.I.S.S. principle (Keep It Simple Stupid). Reduce resonance in the simplest way possible. Reduce intrusion of capacitance, inductance, and resistance as much as possible by eliminating the use of crossover components. Utilize elegant and simple speaker design to improve performance by implementing a modified transmission line that they refer to as a Semi resonance tube.

Touted as the "Woodstock of high-end audio shows", Lone Star AudioFest (LSAF) says come as you areas you show up and setup, or just look around. You'll hear your favorite music and be introduced to some new favorites too! The show is held during the first weekend in May, with 2025 bring from May 2nd through 4th. Exhibitor rooms are open to the public Friday and Saturday from 10am to 6pm and Sunday from 10am to 4pm. This fun, manufacturer-produced equipment and DIY audio gear show aims to be a little grass-roots event that continues to grow and flourish. Seminars at LSAF are always informative and popular. You can learn quite a bit from the industry professionals and seasoned DIY enthusiasts alike. Attendees will also enjoy T.H.E. Film Festival and an IASCA car exhibition too! LSAF was created by passionate audiophiles to be a place where audio and camaraderie matter most.

Aside from the Innuos Zen server, this all-British room delivered the classic British sound with warm, very inviting music — the kind of system for the guy (or family) that isn't interested in spending large for state-of-the-art gear, but rather wants to enjoy their music, whether it's for just an hour or all day long. Art et Son and Erikson Consumer explained the room very simply with their posted price list for all to see. (Thank you!) Hegel used one of their rooms to display a large portion of their products (if not all) and answer questions people might have, though their signage was very informative by itself. Good show, gentlemen! Their other room was both dark and packed with prospective customers. I frequently see Hegel products on the Canuck Audio Mart which suggests they are a very strong brand in Canada. The speakers might have been Andrew Jones' MoFi speakers in there, which would have also drawn a crowd regardless of amplification.

Ze'ev Schlik had a fine-sounding rig with a new two-way Duet15 Horn1 open baffle speaker with a compression horn on top, starting at $7,350. As in recent shows, the rig was wired with Silversmith Audio cables — the ribbon speaker cable and their new interconnects. Note the Silversmith 3-D printed cable risers. A Luminous Audio Technologies Axiom II Walker passive line stage caught my eye, which undoubtedly helped with the transparency of this rig. A Pass Labs First Watt SIT 4 amplifier drove the speakers. An Aurender streamer provided the source. This LAiV Harmony DAC ($2700) caught my eye with its handsome design. First time I've seen it. LAiV was founded in 2023 in Singapore, and from what I see in the fit and finish of this small DAC, you will be hearing a lot more about them in the future. It features a FEMTO clock, I2S synchronization, RCA and XLR outputs, and a remote control.

The first week of September last year brought a highly rewarding conclusion to an audio quest that was more than five years in the making. Since my very first exposure to the Alsyvox Audio Design Botticelli full-range ribbon loudspeaker — back in May of 2017 in Munich, it has been my goal to spend some serious time in front of these gorgeous and utterly remarkable sounding loudspeakers. I was first introduced to the seductive voice of these remarkable Spanish planar dynamic loudspeakers at the 2017 "apostate" HiFiDeluxe audio show held at the Marriott München. Just a ten-minute drive south, and slightly west, of the Munich Order Center, home to the annual "High-End Munich", the largest annual audio show on earth, this "overflow" audio event runs coincident with the larger, more established event every year.

Do you remember as a kid when you first heard an excellent quality music system? It was exciting, right? That first time I heard music on a good stereo, I was completely mesmerized as if real musicians were performing in the room! It was an emotional experience beyond the thrilling sound. That feeling came back a few months ago at the Capital Audio Fest when I visited the Songer Audio room and heard the S1 Speakers for the first time. I had been listening to music in many different demo rooms with my good friend Ken Sternberg. We were also saying hello to industry friends and taking in the excitement of the festival. Something magical happened when we went into the Songer Room that distinctly grabbed our attention, like the first time I heard a stereo 60 years ago.

Shure Incorporated is celebrating their special 100th anniversary! With a century of research, development, innovation, and desire to achieve the best audio possible, Shure continues to offer industry-leading products to recording engineers, musicians and music lovers alike. "S.N. Shure started the Company in downtown Chicago in 1925 selling radio parts kits. In 1932, Shure became one of only a few U.S. microphone manufacturers with the introduction of the Model 33N microphone. Since then, the Company has grown into a global technology leader, offering a diverse portfolio of game-changing wired and wireless microphones, conferencing and meeting solutions, and personal and professional listening products. Over its 100-year history, more than 50,000 different electronics products have been developed by Shure. Shure products are now sold in more than 120 countries, and through the decades, they have been trusted and used around the world by such luminaries as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Elvis Presley, Nelson Mandela, The Beatles, and other icons."

I had requested a Press Pass weeks ago and packed my bags on Thursday, but as the time to depart approached I had misgivings about going. It was going to be a pleasure trip without writing a show report but I was only halfway through my Montreal report from that show, two weeks earlier. There was still much writing ahead. As I sat at my computer after dinner, the phone rang while I was scanning the internet for political news at 6 p.m. and trying to decide whether to go or stay. Steve Rochlin, who was unaware I was planning to go anyway, asked if there was any way I could get to Chicago to cover the show. The main reporter couldn't make it at the last minute. At 7 p.m. I tore the receipt off the gas pump and hopped on the New York State Thruway with a full tank. After five hours of sleep in a service area on the Indiana Toll Road, I grabbed a thermos full of coffee at the 7-Eleven.

Editorial: Learn About The Music You Like

78 RPM Records Returns

Anomalies V2: Leaving The Trodden Speaker Path

Coffee Can Towers

A Primer on Class-D Amplifiers Part 2

Do It Yourself With Vacuum Tubes

The Ultra-Linear Power Amplifier

Getting Less Gain From Tubes

Micro Details in Push-Pull Output Transformers

Type 3 Mu Stage Breakthrough

And Much More!

Sunday here at AXPONA 2025 audiophile / high-end audio show delivered more excitement as the final day began for music lovers. Registration and ticket sales open at 9 AM and once again today there were various informative and enlightening seminars. Once again the Master Class Theater Sessions provided knowledgeable insights from expertise within the audio industry. For car audio enthusiasts, IASCA (International Auto Sound Challenge Association), which is a new addition for 2025 to AXPONA, showcased high-performance mobile audio systems. Sound quality is the goal, though some car audio systems do reach very loud volume levels (high SPL). Of course, we can't forget the Ear Gear Experience for those who love their music via a wide range of headphones, in-ear monitors (IEM), and personal audio gear from top brands.

Audio Expo North America (AXPONA) 2025 Show Report By Dr. Michael R. Bump AXPONA (Audio Expo North America) on Saturday was open from 10 AM to 6 PM, with a special live music concert event in the evening. Today's music lover and high-end audio event features a variety of activities, including static exhibits, listening rooms with active sound systems, and a variety of educational seminars. High-performance audio systems are often crafted with meticulous attention to detail, using advanced technology and high-quality materials to reproduce sound as accurately and naturally as possible. AT AXPONA today were a variety of specialized components such as amplifiers, reference quality loudspeakers, precision turntables, digital-to-analog converters (DACs), Hi-Res Audio music streamers, and more. With luxury in mind, the design of many pieces of audiophile gear provides both aesthetic excellence and high functionality, with sleek finishes and innovative engineering.

Saturday here at AXPONA 2025 promises to be exhilarating, especially considering the great gear I heard on Friday. Today was an exciting day for music lovers and audiophile enthusiasts. It was time for me to visit more exhibit rooms, see more magnificent high-end audio equipment, and experience cutting-edge audio setups from top brands from around the world. During the day were a variety of seminars and ‘Master Classes' to help inform and educate newbies and seasoned professionals alike. While walking the hallways it is always a joy to meet longtime friends. The many meaningful friendships created over the years are one of the many joys of this hobby of ours. Tonight's live music concert at 8 PM features headliner and renowned jazz artist Patricia Barber.

Exclusive! We're only sharing specially selected AXPONA 2025 pics on our social media pages today. Thanks for liking and following us on our socials, and we wish everyone a wonderfully musical weekend ahead. As always... enjoy the music!

Coachella 2025 is set to be an unforgettable experience! The festival will take place over two weekends: April 11th through 13th and April 18th through 20th, 2025, at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. Featuring an incredible lineup of artists across various genres, headliners include Lady Gaga, Green Day, Post Malone, and Travis Scott. Electronic acts include The Prodigy, Kraftwerk, Above & Beyond, Amelie Lens, Chris Stussy, and Mind Against. For lovers of modern Hip-Hop and R&B, Missy Elliott, Megan Thee Stallion, Charli XCX, and Ty Dolla $ign are planned to perform. Pop and Rock genres will be Jimmy Eat World, The Misfits, FKA Twigs, Clairo, and Benson Boone. Latin Music fans will enjoy Iván Cornejo, Junior H, and Anitta while the K-Pop will have solo performances from BLACKPINK's Lisa and Jennie, as well as Enhypen. Passes are on sale now, with options for General Admission, General Admission + Shuttle, and VIP Passes. Camping options have been expanded for 2025, including upgraded Ready-Set and La Campana tents, as well as classic Tent and Car camping.

While having fun during Friday at AXPONA 2025, the vibrant beginning of the weekend was filled with high-end audio showcases during the day and live music performances at night. EnjoyTheMusic.com's exclusive coverage of the AXPONA audiophile show features an impressive lineup of audiophile gear, including the latest and greatest gear plus many world premieres! We know that attendees were treated to dynamic demonstrations of cutting-edge audio technology by experts in their field. Many exhibition rooms blend analog and digital sources sensationally. This evening's live music highlight was a live performance by the Kyle Asche Organ Quartet, delivering soulful jazz with classic Hammond organ grooves. The crowd was enthusiastic, and the atmosphere was electric, making it a memorable day for music, music lovers, audio enthusiasts, and gearheads alike. Enjoy the following photos, and remember to check back tomorrow for more Audio Expo North America 2025 high-end audio show coverage. As always... enjoy the music!

Friday morning crowd gathers for tickets at AXPONA 2025, which is expected to be big and fun this year! Overall, the sheer variety of music that I heard today at the AXPONA 2025 audiophile show was outstanding. Some of the playlists were very well-produced and assembled by the presenters. Sure there may be a glitch or two during the day, it's a show so these things happen. Thankfully, we as an industry have become far better at integrating analog and digital to ensure great demos of the world's best home audio gear. Please let me say this again, a great compiling of music playlists at this year's AXPONA 2025 high-end audio show. The crowd was generous, and the music during the day was, overall, inspiring! While I'm looking forward to tomorrow, let's first get to the outstanding audiophile gear I heard today at AXPONA 2025.

At this point, having covered the 1200 and 1300 hallways, I was halfway around the upper level of the Bonaventure and it was time to take a break and inventory the ducks in the rooftop wildlife preserve. I can assure you I was not alone in doing so. To continue on the upper level, you take a short flight of stairs to ascend to the 2300 hallway. In doing so, it is natural to continue straight ahead into the ArtistCloner room in 2327. If you did this, you probably missed 2326, a few steps down the hallway to the right at the top of the stairs. I get tripped up myself, so don't feel bad. The Watershed Group was new to me. I learned it was previously known as the Rep Company (which I had never heard of) and has warehouse and showroom facilities in Brantford, Ontario. In 2011 they re-branded themselves as The Watershed Group, to reflect their business as importers and distributors of high-end audio and cinema products, as well as design-install experts.

Dan D'Agostino Master Audio products are not the most expensive audio components on the market, but in my opinion, their audio products are some of the best sounding high-end audio components I've ever had the pleasure of auditioning. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to review two D'Agostino Master Audio components in the past. In 2017, I reviewed the excellent-sounding Momentum Lifestyle integrated amplifier, which had an onboard DAC and could also be used as a streamer with its front-panel LCD metadata display. Also in 2017, I reviewed D'Agostino Master Audio System's Momentum phono stage, which I was highly impressed with its outstanding sound quality and very user-friendly front panel controls.

Aric Kimball is an audio component designer and is a self-made audiophile. It is seldom to come across an audio designer who has eluded the radar among the audiophile community. His father somewhat inspired Aric to take a journey into the audio universe. Aric told me that his dad owned a Pioneer Rack system back in the 1970s that Aric had admired. Aric wanted to own one of his own. That compass point ignited his passion for ultimately designing his gear — a big step from the glitzy look of the Pioneer Rack system. I used to sell those in my previous life as an audio salesperson. Oh, those meters! So, I asked Aric who his mentors were and what components were his envy. He admitted to me that he had no mentors or any icons of audio that he worshipped. Here are a few answers to some questions I asked about his audio formative years.

Baetis is one of the unsung great server/streamer companies in the high end, probably because they don't partner with major brands at the bigger shows. What I heard hear (sic) was pretty convincing, however. The T+A amplification has been making big waves in recent years and getting the respect it deserves. The compact size should play well with aging Boomers and anyone else whose living quarters are challenging — or even just those wishing to keep a smaller visual imprint. Compare the size of the two T+A components stacked on the middle shelf with the Saturn power conditioner in a full-size chassis on the bottom shelf, for example. Note the Tough Nut rack here with each wood shelf supported by individual footers at each corner and the entire shelf sitting on special vibration-absorbing footers. I'll get back to these in a minute, but it is nice to see this young company progressing and continuing to show up at shows for three years now.

This just in from SWAF's show promoters Lou Hinkley and Gary Gill: "Thank You! What a great show we had for 2025! The vibe was incredible, we had more listening rooms, a full Marketplace, traffic was up 50% over the first year, and sales were made by many vendors; so we can’t wait for SWAF 2026! We want to thank everyone who helped make this show a success. Only our second year and at 60 listening rooms along with a vibrant Marketplace in the amazing Anatole Hotel, SWAF has proved that it is one of the top audiophile shows in North America! Next year we expect to have close to 80 rooms and we will be asking for your help in getting the word out in order to fill the hallways and listening rooms since the Anatole is so massive. Remember, SWAF 2026 will be keeping the typical three-day format but are dropping Sunday show hours and adding Thursday from 2pm to 8pm instead. Friday and Saturday will be the usual hours of 10am to 6pm with many after hours events.

Record Store Day 2025 is set to take place this weekend, starting on Saturday, April 12. Record Store Day (RSD) was established in 2008 to celebrate the culture of independent record stores and their role in communities. The first event took place on April 19, 2008, at Rasputin Music in Mountain View, California, with Metallica launching the celebration. It was inspired by Free Comic Book Day and aimed to support the nearly 1,400 indie record stores in the USA at the time. Since then, Record Store Day has grown into a global phenomenon, with events held in countries like the USA, Canada, the UK, Japan, and Australia. The day features exclusive vinyl releases, live performances, artist meet-and-greets, and other festivities. This annual event celebrates independent record stores and vinyl culture worldwide and features exclusive releases and limited-edition vinyl LP pressings.

ModWright Instruments had an impressive system at the SWAF 2025 high-end audio show. It included a Pure Fidelity model The Symphony turntable ($21,995) with a Stratos MC cartridge ($1,995). The power amplifiers were two ModWright KWA 99 Monoblocks ($9,000/pair). They drove a pair of Gauder Akustik Capella 100 loudspeakers ($26,975 per pair). The sound of this room was very warm and inviting. The preamplifiers were a ModWright PH 9.0 Tube Phono Stage ($3,500) and LS 99 Balanced Preamplifier ($6,500). The digital source included a Weiss DAC204 ($3,475) with a ModWright Linear Power Supply (LPS) for the Weiss DAC 204/205 ($995) and ModWright Analog Bridge ($2,900). Supreme Acoustic Systems had a bunch of goodies in their ballroom.

AXPONA 2025 (Audio Expo North America) is set to take place from April 11th through 13th at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center in Illinois. This annual event is for audiophiles and features a wide range of high-fidelity, high-performance audio gear. Over 200 rooms will let you listen and assess the equipment being presented. An extensive AXPONA 2025 show report for longtime Enjoy the Music.com enthusiasts will showcase the latest and greatest audio equipment from top audio brands. For personal audio, the Ear Gear Experience (akin to CanJam shows) is a dedicated area for headphones and personal audio gear, including open-back, closed-back, and in-ear monitors (IEM). There's also an Expo Hall & Record Fair that will have stereo hi-fi audio accessories, vinyl LP turntables / record players, various cable manufacturers, and more.

As a premise for many articles that we review, support, and approve for audioXpress, there are many that actually suggest more questions than answers and essentially make us question our acquired knowledge. That's OK, and we encourage that. We should always look at new questions in order to find solutions for problems we ignored, disregarded, or simply were not aware existed. Please feel free to send us suggestions, abstracts, drafts, or fully expanded essays on audio-related topics. In any discipline. I fundamentally believe we have a long way to go to fully understand sound propagation and how to optimize our own electroacoustical systems to fully leverage sound reproduction. We continuously review research work and published material going back multiple decades — something we are forced to do to be able to recognize how much of what is being written today is actually new and "advances the evolution of audio technology" as our magazine motto states. And the more we do it with today's technology and acquired knowledge, the more we identify ignored problems, oversimplifications of concepts that were not understood at the time and were not considered to be relevant, and sometimes lines of thought that lead to a conclusion that was misleading because the author didn't previously eliminate potential variables in his own research. Does that make that work invalid or less useful?

In Part 1 of "The Future Of Our Audiophile Hobby", and more in Part 2 of The Future about our hobby and the industry that serves it, I wrote about earlier times, when our hobby was at its peak and everyone was "into" stereo and hi-fi, and the future seemed unlimited. I also recounted how the old saying "Familiarity breeds contempt" proved to be true and, as "hi-fi" (or the "mid-fi"-or-less gear claiming to be it) and stereo lost their novelty and became commonplace, the old "What have you done for me lately?" syndrome set in and – like the ears on the sides of our heads – people not only stopped commenting on them, they also stopped noticing them as well. As I pointed out in Part 2 of this article, it's gotten so bad that many people – largely among the young, but including one woman in her fifties that I specifically mentioned last time, have never heard or don't know the meaning of the words "hi-fi" and "stereo".

After passing the pool and entering the 1200 wing of the main floor, I looked to my right to check for a room that was easily missed. There was no bowed signage above any of the doors indicating an Audiofest presence, so I proceeded straight ahead to the Phonographe room (1215). It was only after returning home that I noticed room 1204, beyond a zig-zag in the hallway, dedicated to Audiochicks by Marantz [my translation] — something of a lounge for women interested in audio as I recall from last year's show. Deep apology here and also an opportunity to mention many more women were attending the show in Montreal than I recall seeing at AXPONA or Capital Audiofest in recent years. Phonographe is a Canadian distributor who featured an outstanding minimal rig that struck me as a contender for one of the Best Rooms at the show, but this being the first room I had entered, I knew I would have to return here on my sweep at the end of the show to confirm it.

Editorial: Our Shared Hobbies And Interests

WIN! A Computer Audio Design USB Filter worth £750 must be won!

Meet Your Dealer: Andy Blockley of Winchester HiFi

Graham Audio VOTU Mirama Floorstanding Loudspeaker

Linn 119 Passive Or Active Stand-Mount Loudspeaker

Naim Audio Statement / 500 Series Audio Amplification

Bricasti M11 R-2R Classic Digital-To-Analog Converter

conrad-johnson CAV-60 Integrated Amplifier

Hegel H400 Integrated Amplifier

...And Much More!

RealAudio debuted on April 3rd, 1995, at a time when internet speeds were painfully slow 28.8kbit/s (56kbs was in Q3 1998) compared to modern gigabit speeds of today. Back then, downloading a single audio file could take hours on a dial-up connection. Of note is that CompuServe made history in June 1994 by hosting Aerosmith's song "Head First" as the first-ever downloadable single by a major band. RealAudio's streaming capability in 1995 solved slow download speeds by allowing audio to play in real-time while it was downloading — a huge leap forward at the time. This was made possible through proprietary compression algorithms that reduced the file size with some significant loss in sound quality, yet still considered by some to be viable due to low-bandwidth connections in 1995. Without RealAudio, the development of platforms like Spotify, Pandora, and even podcasts might have taken much longer to come to fruition.

We invite you to join our social media pages and meet music lovers and audiophiles from all around the world. Learn about shows, gear reviews, plus we post exclusive content not seen on our website! As always, in the end what really matters is that you... enjoy the music!

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I promised at the start of this two-part article to find high-value products at the show. After roaming around the many rooms, one gets the impression that if you don't have at least $10,000 for speakers, $5,000 for a DAC or preamplifier, or $10,000 for interconnects, you may as well not participate in this thing called high-end audio. The "high-end" moniker serves to illustrate that we are often talking big bucks. Thankfully, I was able to scrutinize a sampling of rooms. Many electronics products on display were made by respectable names in the business such as Audio Research, Aurender, Boulder, VAC, AGD, and others. It's hard for some of these companies to make lower-cost models when their focus is no-compromise audio.

Within part one of this SWAF 2025 report, I visited many rooms on the top three floors of the event. They were good-sized hotel rooms that were spaced out so that adjacent rooms didn't contaminate the sound in any given room. Within this Part 2 Southwest Audio Fest report for EnjoyTheMusic.com, we explore a sampling of the larger rooms found on the first two floors of the Hilton Anatole Dallas, the lobby level, and the mezzanine level. Because of a large staircase adjoining the lobby level, it was easy to move between the two levels without tying up an elevator. And, in fact, there wasn't a lot of elevator congestion on any of the floors, which was nice to see. Starting at the lobby level, the marketplace was the center of attraction. But I first went to several of the named rooms at the lobby level and then on to the Mezzanine.

Has it been a year already? It felt like I drove up to Dallas just a couple of months ago. Before I knew it, I was back in the beautiful Hilton Anatole Hotel to enjoy the second Southwest Audio Fest (SWAF) high-end audio show. Last year was my first audiophile show here at SWAF in 2024, so it was a bit like drinking through a firehose. With a better game plan this year, I was able to enjoy this show more and take longer listens in the rooms. There was a lot to be excited about in the SWAF high-end audiophile show. The first system to catch my attention at SWAF was set up just outside the VAC ballroom. Compared to many audiophiles, my listening space is pretty modest, so I'm always attracted to setups that fit easily into my comfy living room....

The HIGH END 2025 audiophile / immersivephile event is an internationally renowned audio exhibition that will take place from May 15 to May 18, 2025, at the M.O.C. Event Center in Munich, Germany. This event is a must-visit for anyone passionate about high-quality audio technology, as it brings together manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and in open to consumers from over 40 countries. The HIGH END 2025 exhibition will feature hundreds of exhibitors showcasing their latest innovations in consumer electronics technology, including hi-fi audio, high-end video, home theater, and bespoke entertainment solutions for millionaires and billionaires alike. Visitors can expect to experience groundbreaking trends, technological advances, and exclusive world premieres. This year's brand ambassador is the Norwegian singer Anette Askvik, who embodies the event's motto "Passion for Music".

As I pulled into the gas station right behind a new Porsche 911 GT3 with temporary plates taped to the rear window, I noticed the engine was still running. Thinking the new owner was inside buying lottery tickets, I fantasized about jumping into it for a joy ride up to Montreal. But alas, a Porsche is merely a toy that would hardly make it through the snow and ice in the Adirondacks on the way up. My AWD Shooting Brake is designed to carry my toys on the roof, or in the case of speakers and amplifiers, inside. The snow and ice didn't materialize until I pulled into my secret camping spot just below the Canadian border in Champlain, NY. As I pulled in I was surprised to find two USA Border Patrol SUVs parked with lights out. After settling in for the night, 20 yards behind one of them, the first one started up and pulled out of my hideout. A half-hour later, the other had silently pulled away.

We're fully into the spring show season, and with the Florida International Audio Expo 2025 now complete, we're working on our SWAF and Montreal show coverage, so be sure to check back daily as we post updates. As a publication with a healthy sense of humor, we're sure you'll enjoy the various fun articles and review we've posted this month. The April 2025 edition of EnjoyTheMusic.com continues celebrating our 30th anniversary with a focus on high-performance audio and the audiophile hobby. This issue features historic reviews of audio gear from the past decades, alongside articles discussing the evolution of the audiophile industry. Highlights include a continuation of the series "The Future of Our Audiophile Hobby" by Roger Skoff, which explores the challenges and opportunities in the world of high-fidelity sound systems. Additionally, the editorial by J. Martins delves into the importance of questioning established knowledge to advance audio technology.

We'll be the first to admit that reading audio reviews can be a daunting task. Do you find yourself wondering, "What are they talking about?" or "I never heard that --- am I missing something?" Well, we reviewers can be an obtuse bunch when we want to. Let's look at some of the phrases you'll encounter in your readings. We'll explain them to you in plain English, and in no time at all, you'll be an expert as well....

Today I received the most amazing unit to evaluate, the Realistic System 200! New for 1988, this unit represents a new peak of the Tandy / Radio Shack line and continues the tradition of quality and value that makes Radio Shack famous and guarantees their continued success. Their System 200's ingenious design revolves around both sonic excellence and ease of use. Styled in a custom made faux walnut-looking rack with matching speakers, this unit will enhance the style of your living room. Radio Shack has taken the unique approach of enclosing the entire unit within one single chassis. This allows them to invest into their system where it counts, the internal electronics.

The Audio Engineering Society (AES), a longstanding and well-respected organizations which promotes the growth, knowledge, and appreciation of the science and art of audio, is producing their inaugural AES International Conference on Breaking Barriers in Audio from April 3rd through 5th. The AES desires to bring together academics, audio professionals, industry veterans. This AES gathering aims to inspire meaningful change, promote cross-disciplinary collaboration, and amplify the voices and contributions of those driving progress towards the future in audio. Originally scheduled as a live event, various papers, workshops, etc of this Conference will be offered in a virtual (online) format only. Created by the audio engineering industry, the AES is a non-profit volunteer based organization designed to inspire, educate, and promote the technology and practice of audio worldwide.

Even before the successful Southwest Audio Fest (SWAF) of March 2024, show organizers Lou Hinkley and Gary Gill vowed to keep it going in SWAF 2025 high-end audio event. Lou honchos the Pacific Audio Fest, while Gary does the same in D.C. for the Capital Audio Fest. The two of them team up for this event which may well become one of the nation's largest and most successful... but give it time. This is only year two. The SWAF 2025 audiophile show started this year with a medium-sized, but lively and well-attended event at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas. One of the hotel's spacious atrium areas surrounded by many floors of guest rooms proved to be an excellent venue for the event. Adjoining the atrium on the first two levels are several large rooms that allow high-end audio manufacturers, stereo system dealers, and distributors to show off their audiophile ware.

The Salon Audio Montreal Audiofest 2025 takes place from March 28th through 30th with more than 5000 visitors expected who desired listening, seeing, and touching over 300 brands of high-end audiophile products all under one roof. As the largest show in Canada, attendees will experienced the very best high-end audio and video/videophile industry distributors, manufacturers, and retailers in Canada. Within each listening room, exhibitors are overjoyed to share their passion for music with you by demonstrating some of the world's best sound systems from $5000 to $500,000.

If you are not familiar with Bruce Thigpen, it's time you were. Bruce has been among the more creative and innovative designers in the audio industry over the past forty years. He began his career by working on what was to become the Infinity turntable, which he followed with the classic and much-admired ET 2 linear tracking tonearm (parts and updates are still available for the model 1, ET-2 and ET- 2.5), before turning his attention to magnetic planar loudspeakers. Beginning with the full-range planar LFT3, he ultimately shifted focus to hybrid designs featuring planar mid and high-frequency drivers mated with traditional cone drivers to handle the lower frequencies. The shift in focus led to the development of the LFT-8 introduced in 1989 and then widely distributed beginning in 1990, the transformative version of which, LFT-8c, is the subject of this review.

The more I immerse myself in this hobby since I retired from the entertainment industry in 2008, the more certain I have become that the amplifier is the most important and telling piece of equipment in your system. It was in the late 1970s that J. Gordon Holt stated in Stereophile that one should buy a very good speaker that fits your needs and then bust your budget on an excellent amplifier. I have more or less followed that advice over the last half century of reproducing music in my home. Lately, however, with the maturation of really great tube and hybrid source devices, phono preamp sources and superb LP pressings, extraordinary phono cartridges, SACDs, much improved digital streaming with high resolution, and the maturing science of neutral and high-definition interconnectivity, I have confirmed that JGH was 100% right.

According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), an organization that advocates for recorded music business, "Last year, for the first time ever, paid streaming subscriptions hit 100 million in the US." The report is quite an eye-opener as "The digital milestone represents the largest source of revenue – coupled with vinyl's nearly two-decade resurgence and emerging partnerships – and shows the variety of ways fans are interacting with music. The full RIAA 2024 Year-End Revenue Report reflects sustained and continued growth in recorded music, now valued at $17.7 billion retail and $11.3 billion wholesale." With an estimated $17.7 billion in revenue, the continued growth in 2024 adding half a billion dollars since 2023. As expected, the streaming music sector is financially the largest driver at $14.9 billion via ad-supported services, paid subscriptions, custom/digital online radio, social media platforms, etc. While we'll get to vinyl LP sales shortly, note that digital music revenue accounts for 84% of total revenues for the third year in a row."

ZYLIA, a leading innovative company that produces world-class recording technologies, offers their 6DoF Impulse Response (IR) technology that transforms spatial audio by allowing complete positional and rotational freedom in an immersive sound environment. Unlike traditional impulse responses, which capture sound from a fixed position, 6DoF IRs dynamically adapt to the listener's movement — just like in real life. Audiophiles who vist shows and record audio take note, especially those who value recording stereo, binaural, and immersive sound in one easy step. 6DoF Impulse Responses refer to spatial audio impulse responses that support six degrees of freedom – the listener can rotate (yaw, pitch, roll) and move (along X, Y, Z axes) while the sound field adjusts accordingly. This allows for a truly interactive and lifelike audio experience. With 6DoF audio, your fans get to enjoy far more than just the sound — they can fully experience it.

"Day 2, Saturday at the Southwest Audio Fest 2025 was a thrilling experience for audiophiles and music enthusiasts alike," says Steven R. Rochlin of EnjoyTheMusic.com. "Saturday delivered more great time to showcase an impressive array of high-end audio equipment, from cutting-edge speakers to state-of-the-art amplifiers. For Day 2 (Saturday), attendees were once again treated to live demonstrations of some of the most innovative audio technologies from around the world, including the much-anticipated new hi-fi gear from various manufacturers. Some of which is photo'ed below thanks to EnjoyTheMusic.com's longtime Senior Editor and seasoned professional Greg Weaver (a.k.a. the audio analyst on YouTube). The atmosphere buzzed with excitement as visitors explored floor after floor of audio showcased well, while also mingling with industry experts, and discovering great luxury audio gear"

My Southwest Audio Fest 2025 preview photos for EnjoyTheMusic.com's loyal longtime fans provide an enticing window into the heart of this year's event, set against the stunning backdrop of the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas. These captivating images bring to life the innovation and artistry that make the audio world so vibrant. From meticulously crafted turntables and towering, state-of-the-art speakers to sleek, minimalist designs and retro-inspired gear, the photos reflect the diverse range of technology and aesthetics on display. Beyond the equipment, the photos also capture the passion and dedication of both exhibitors and attendees, offering a glimpse into the excitement and energy that define this premier gathering of audiophiles.

Enjoy TheMusic.com's Creative Director, Steven R. Rochlin, says "Welcome to the first of our very extensive Southwest Audio Fest 2025 show coverage! Get ready for an unforgettable journey through the world of sound, where innovation meets artistry. We're thrilled to bring you exclusive coverage by multiple music lovers from our extensive staff. As we celebrate our website's very special 30th Anniversary in 2025, we want to showcasing the latest audio technology, groundbreaking performances, and inspiring industry insights. Whether you're a passionate audiophile, music lover, LP crate digger, a curious music creator, or simply here to enjoy the vibe, there's something for everyone here at EnjoyTheMusic.com."

The new Les Paul Recording Studio in Hollywood, California, is a tribute to the legendary musician and innovator Les Paul. Les Paul, born Lester William Polsfuss on June 9, 1915, in Wisconsin, was a legendary musician, inventor, and innovator. He is best known for his groundbreaking contributions to music, including the invention of the solid-body electric guitar and pioneering recording techniques like multi-track recording and overdubbing. The museum with his namesake is located in the historic United Recording building on Sunset Boulevard, this state-of-the-art facility combines meticulously restored original equipment used by Les Paul with modern recording technologies. The studio's centerpiece is 'The Monster,' an eight-channel mixing console built by Les Paul and Rein Narma in the 1950s. This groundbreaking console introduced features like in-line equalization and vibrato effects, and it played a pivotal role in the birth of multi-track recording.

One of the great joys of good audio is dynamic range. But not necessarily in the way you think. Sure, the ability for a system to reproduce the dynamic swings of a good recording is something sublime to behold. Also, that ability for a system to be able to portray tiny dynamic cues within a larger setting (such as being able to hear mechanics of pressing the pedals on a piano in a concerto) is one of those aspects of audio performance we all look for. They are the subtle details that separate the 'great' from the merely 'good'. There's another dynamic range that is perhaps even more satisfying; the dynamic range of audio products. While many fume over the 'oligarch-fi' prices of ultra-high-end audio, there has been a change taking place across the board. The affordable end of audio has upped its ante, upped its game, and – arguably – lowered its prices. This last is controversial, but holds. Our rose-tinted view of past price tags doesn't take our past salaries into account.

As I was walking at an accelerated pace along the Las Vegas Strip for another CES 2025 meeting, while passing in front of Harrah's, the sound of a street musician playing saxophone over a pre-recorded music track inevitably captured my attention. The music was loud enough to mix perfectly with the acoustic sound of the instrument and provided a pleasant background for all those passing by on that cold January morning. As I glanced at his setup, a fairly large battery powered speaker stood out on the floor, still with large, colorful retail stickers proclaiming "2500 Watts!" I couldn't help smiling as I tried to understand the unknown brand logo for the clunky apparatus. Well, the brand doesn't really matter, because there's no lack of 2500W active speakers advertised online, as a quick search will reveal. Likewise, there's no lack of compact, portable Bluetooth speakers advertising 180W. You will need to reach for detailed specifications to learn that this is the "total amplification" resulting from 2x 40W woofers plus 4x 25W for full-range speakers.

Yes, you have read the measurement results from our lab correctly (in case you checked them): For 94 decibels of sound pressure at a distance of one meter, this speaker needs just 0.07 Watts of power. Seven Watts would be somewhat normal, 0.7 Watts already a sensation – but 0.07 Watts reads like a typo. It is completely true though! This is made possible by the large horn at the top end of the Duo XD, coming from the specialist Avantgarde Acoustic, based in a small town in the Odenwald mountain range in southwestern Germany. This horn is connected directly to the amplifier without any intermediate crossover and visually symbolizes the phenomenal efficiency with its huge opening of 67 centimeters.

The Gryphon Essence preamplifier and Gryphon Stereo power amplifier are gorgeous looking and beautiful sounding Danish high-end audio components. Those who can afford either or both of these components will not only enjoy stellar sound quality but most likely will also be able to enjoy the fact that they are the epitome of audio equipment that has a look and "feel" of luxury goods. Gryphon founder Flemming E. Rasmussen was responsible for the stunningly beautiful exterior of the rather large (and heavy!) Gryphon Essence preamplifier and Stereo Essence power amplifier. Good looks and operational refinement are especially true of the Gryphon Essence preamplifier. Its weighty infrared metal remote was only one indication of this Danish audio manufacturer's recognition of many audiophile's appreciation of the intangibles that are available on many preamps.

Now in their second year, the Southwest Audio Fest (SWAF) high-end audio show by the dynamic duo Gary Gill (Capital Audiofest) and Lou Hinkley (Pacific AudioFest / Daedalus Audio) brings magical music to Dallas. SWAF 2025 follows their sensational success with the popular Pacific Audio Fest event. Attendees may listen to many of the world's top manufacturers who create a wide variety of exciting home and portable audio products. Within this expansive Resort environment, bask in luxurious sounds that caress your ears and bring newfound meaning to many of the songs you've heard many times in the past. All this and more within a curated experience filled with fine art and acres of event space. The show promoters worked very hard to secure this amazing event venue, which is extremely safe, family fun friendly, and features great weather during March too!

Now Available is Kraftwerk, the legendary German electronic music group, celebrating their 50th anniversary of their album Autobahn. The celebration includes new releases, a USA tour, and appearances at Coachella (both weekends). Specially engineering new releases of Autobahn include a new immersive Dolby Atmos mix of the album on Blu-ray and digitally. Dolby Atmos, 5.1, and stereo mixes are now available digitally. Kraftwerk's 50th Anniversary Autobahn digital release are available on major streaming platforms. The Kraftwerk 12" vinyl LP picture disc of the album's 2009 remaster will also be offered and marks the band's first official picture disc. There a 7" vinyl edit includes "Autobahn," with "Kometenmelodie 2" on the B-side.

Before I reveal my personal choices for Best Of FIAE 2025 Blue Note Awards, please allow me to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone who contributed to the success of the Florida International Audio Expo 2025. This event would not have been possible without the incredible passion, dedication, and support of each one of you. To the many exhibitors, EnjoyTheMusic.com thanks you for showcasing your innovative high-end audio products and cutting-edge audiophile technology. Your efforts to share your expertise and engage with attendees have truly elevated this year's expo to new heights. To the very hard-working show promoters, your vision, immense efforts, and seamless organization have been the backbone of this event for years. You've created an exceptional platform for the hi-fi audio community to come together and connect.

The HIGH END 2025 audiophile / immersivephile event is an internationally renowned audio exhibition that will take place from May 15 to May 18, 2025, at the M.O.C. Event Center in Munich, Germany. This event is a must-visit for anyone passionate about high-quality audio technology, as it brings together manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and in open to consumers from over 40 countries. The HIGH END 2025 exhibition will feature hundreds of exhibitors showcasing their latest innovations in consumer electronics technology, including hi-fi audio, high-end video, home theater, and bespoke entertainment solutions for millionaires and billionaires alike. Visitors can expect to experience groundbreaking trends, technological advances, and exclusive world premieres. This year's brand ambassador is the Norwegian singer Anette Askvik, who embodies the event's motto "Passion for Music".

Mindfulness is an incredibly liberating practice; one that has exploded as a recent phenomenon in the western world. Interestingly, us moderns are the last people on the planet to uncover the wealth of treasures it has to offer. Music and mindfulness are indeed complementary practices. Music and sounds make a wonderful object of focus for the mind, with mindful listening proven to boost our overall well-being and reduce stress significantly. Whilst mindfulness is still finding its way into mainstream culture, music is universal and plays a prominent role in everyday life for most people. Humans are surrounded by music. It is undeniable that it affects people's moods and emotions, as it engages broad neural networks in the brain. Playing a musical instrument or listening to music whilst encompassing mindful values can transform the experience; creating the framework for a powerful stress reduction and unlocking the full potential music has to offer as it unfolds in the present moment.

Editorial: Are We Going Too Far, Too Fast?

Acoustical Engineering Via Various Expansion Techniques

Built-In Guitar Effects

Low-Frequency Hybrid Crossover Filter

A Primer On Class-D Amplifiers Part 1 — A Theoretical Review

AI, Sensors, And Next Steps In Personal Wireless

Innovative Wi-Fi Streaming For High-End Headphones

A Personal Journey Building Speaker Systems

Silvertone Instrument Amplifiers

And Much More!

I have been working professionally in both the sound and vibration, and consumer electronics industries for decades. As an acoustical engineer and manufacturer of mechanical vibration isolation products, I feel compelled to address the misconceptions of incorporating spikes (or any rigid materials) with loudspeakers and/or other audio equipment. These misconceptions do not exist in the sound and vibration industries, and are very rare in the pro audio world, however they are very prevalent in the audiophile world. There are many physical, acoustical, and perceptual disciplines involved here- we are only going to address the primary ones, and in only a general way, meaning we won't discuss the secondary or additional attributes that may come into play. There are some key concepts of physics to be applied.

Have you ever been listening to your system and the lights go out? It's not a good feeling because there is always the risk that when the power comes back on that something will be amiss. I've used power line conditioners for almost 20 years but our experience with Hurricane Sandy here on the Shore was not a good one. My wife thinks that I missed my calling as a Weather Channel talking head because I'd scare the living crap out of everyone with my forecasts, but I had a bad feeling about Sandy with our home only blocks from the ocean and so many trees surrounding our property. We didn't tell anyone that we were expecting our third child (Jewish custom is to wait three months) at the time so it was on me to get the house ready and get anything of value out the way and on really high shelving in our garage. Sandy roared through our area and I was very fortunate to not lose anything of value (including our family) minus $30,000 worth of roofing, siding, fencing, a few windows, and 90% of the trees on our property.

The very best stereo systems at the FIAE 2025 high-end audiophile show. Florida International Audio Expo 2025 Show Coverage By Greg Weaver While many of the rooms detailed above may have been considered for a top five spot for my EnjoyTheMusic.com Best Of FIAE 2025 Blue Note Award, here are the ones that unquestionably earned their place on that list. While they all accomplished remarkably exceptional performances deserving of their inclusion on this list, the order in which they are presented is entirely random. Let's have a look....

While I have been trying to attend the Florida International Audio Expo annual show for several years now, I've been repeatedly checked by bad weather conditions canceling my flights, making it impractical to reschedule, or scheduling conflicts with needed surgical procedures. So I was quite excited that I was finally able to make it for the 2025 edition of this event. The previous five shows had been hosted at the Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore Hotel, but the growing pains associated with an ever-expanding contingent of exhibitors had prompted the move to the larger Sheraton Tampa Brandon Hotel, located near the Florida State Fairgrounds and Hard Rock Cafe area. Somewhat surprisingly, most of the Floridians I spoke with over the four days I was there were apologetically complaining about the weather.

The Salon Audio Montreal Audiofest 2025 audiophile show takes place from March 28th through 30th with more than 5000 visitors expected who desired listening, seeing, and touching over 300 brands of high-end audiophile products all under one roof. As the largest show in Canada, attendees will experienced the very best high-end audio and video/videophile industry distributors, manufacturers, and retailers in Canada. Within each listening room, exhibitors are overjoyed to share their passion for music with you by demonstrating some of the world's best sound systems from $5000 to $500,000. Montréal Audiofest is celebrating its 36th edition in 2025 and remains the must-attend event for audiophiles, high-end audio gear enthusiasts, and music lovers. This long-standing event has become a tradition in showcasing the very latest advances in high-technology, high-fidelity audio equipment in Canada.

Now in their second year, the Southwest Audio Fest (SWAF) high-end audio show by the dynamic duo Gary Gill (Capital Audiofest) and Lou Hinkley (Pacific AudioFest / Daedalus Audio) brings magical music to Dallas. SWAF 2025 follows their sensational success with the popular Pacific Audio Fest event. Attendees may listen to many of the world's top manufacturers who create a wide variety of exciting home and portable audio products. Within this expansive Resort environment, bask in luxurious sounds that caress your ears and bring newfound meaning to many of the songs you've heard many times in the past. All this and more within a curated experience filled with fine art and acres of event space. The show promoters worked very hard to secure this amazing event venue, which is extremely safe, family fun friendly, and features great weather during March too! The Anatole Hilton in Dallas will host the Southwest Audio Fest audiophile show that is slated for March 21st through 23rd, 2025.

The Florida International Audio Expo 2025 was an absolute delight for all! From music lovers and audiophiles to those who enjoy immersive music, the FIAE 2025 was a Florida paradise for audio enthusiasts. The Florida International Audio Expo featured an eye-watering wide array of luxurious high-end audio sound systems, headphones, reference-level loudspeakers, and more. Attendees had the chance to explore many exhibition floors filled with incredible displays and listening rooms. One of the highlights was the outdoor IASCA (International Audio Sound Challenge Association) car audio showcase, which featured many different vehicles with impressive audio setups. FIAE also featured multiple seminars on various audio topics, providing valuable insights and knowledge to attendees.

I've spoken to many manufacturers and distributors during 2020, and without a doubt the saying "May you live in interesting times" holds true. While that saying is an English expression that is claimed to be a translation of a traditional Chinese curse, the point is very valid for 2020. On one hand, both high-end audio and the music industry experienced impressive growth. On the other hand, we also missed seeing one another during shows. More hi-fi blogs and YouTube videos have been produced during 2020 than perhaps any other time. So on the one hand we have expanding businesses, online sales, reviews, etc within the consumer electronics sector, on the other we have (generally the elderly) dying from... Everyone at EnjoyTheMusic.com truly feels deep sadness for those we've lost during 2020. With your kind permission, and after much thought about what should be said within this 2020 wrap-up, I'd like to focus on the positives of 2020 to wrap up this year's editorial.

As the technology advances, it's only natural for any decent audio manufacturer to take advantage of this new technology. And so, when Pro-Ject was faced with improving upon their Debut and Xpression series of turntables, which are both very successful designs, they decided to, in their words, "improve on the technologies that had already been established". As a result, Pro-Ject introduced their X1 and X2 turntables. The X2, the subject of this review, besides many other improvements, , makes the most of higher quality raw materials to use in its production (even though they are more difficult to source), and also increases the size of the turntable's existing components, which resulted in the chassis, platter and tonearm having greater mass, which made the turntable "heavier, and more robust".

Selecting EnjoyTheMusic.com's Best Of FIAE 2025 Blue Note Award award winners is no easy feat; it's a musical dance between objectivity and subjectivity. Several exhibitors are equally deserving, choosing the top five a balance of objective and subjective. EnjoyTheMusic.com takes this task at heart, and so those chosen truly deserve the recognition, which also reflects the values and standards of our very special Best Of FIAE 2025 Blue Note Award. After much consideration and mental and emotional comparisons of aural and visual memories, choosing only five exhibitors is no easy task. With that said, here are my choices for the FIAE 2025 audiophile exhibitors who earned extra recognition for their excellence in products and sound quality.

Editorial: Modern Recording And Replay Techniques

Ten Of The Most Innovative Brands In Audio

dCS Varèse Digital Audio System

AURALiC ALTAIR G2.2 Streaming DAC Preamplifier

Technics SL-1300G Vinyl LP Turntable

Luphonic R3 Vinyl LP Turntable

Xact S1 Evo Music Streamer And Server

Eversolo DMP-A10 Streaming DAC Preamplifier

Kanto Audio REN Active Loudspeaker

Hana SH Mk II Moving Coil Cartridge

...And Much More!

The Ayon Audio CD-35 II as reviewed here, is the latest introduction to a long lineage of CD players that have been well regarded going back to the various models in the 3 and 5 series, along with ideas derived from their special edition CD35HF. But the CD-35 II is more than a CD player – it is also a fully functioning preamplifier and DAC. It is a single-ended triode pure Class A design using a 6H30 and a 5687 tube for each channel, and a GZ30 tube as a rectifier for the power supply. It is also a zero-feedback design. Ayon Audio's CD-35 II built-in DAC can be used to play music files from your computer via the USB connection. The DAC also has a coaxial RCA input for S/PDIF, I2S, BNC, AES/EBU, and three other BNC inputs for DSD. For this review I also evaluated the USA Labs RS9 music server to coordinate streaming of music from Qobuz.

I began to assemble my first "real" audio system while still in high school. I made it chiefly from DIY components and other "vintage" gear I could scrounge from friends and family. At that time, I don't think I heard anyone use the term "audiophile." All I knew was that I wanted to hear music at home on a better system than the mass-market stuff sold at department stores. This was also about the same time I discovered a high-end audio showroom near my parent's suburban home. Every once in a while, I would quietly enter their store. There was no way I would have been able to sit in the comfy chair in front of one of the active displays and listen to a system. But I did walk among the array of components on display, and when no one was looking, turn the knobs up and down and flip the switches on the front panels of a component or two while it was muted or its power was off.

EnjoyTheMusic.com's Brett Rudolph: Thoughts Concerning The Most Expensive Hi-Fi Stereo Audiophile Sound Systems In Tampa

After completing the fourth floor, it felt like my head would explode. Some excellent systems were presented in some interesting spaces. They ranged from affordable to price no object and everywhere in between. The remaining floors held the same promise; my photographer son Dylan and I were ready to conquer them all. We both agreed to get some rest because while we wanted to leave lots of time to go back to rooms we loved, our ears could only take so much stimulation. Plus, some exhibitors and the attendees like their music a bit loud. If your Apple watch says that your hearing may be damaged by excessive noise levels, you should listen to it at some point. A new day dawned in Florida, and it wasn't quite as cold, which was a welcome change.

AGD Productions specializes in high-end audio equipment, specializing in stereo preamplifiers and power amplifiers. They are renowned for their innovative use of modern GaNTube technology, which incorporates Gallium Nitride MOSFETs into a glass tube design. This unique approach allows their amplifiers to deliver exceptional sound quality with high efficiency and low distortion. Many EnjoyTheMusic.com fans know we've reviewed their excellent audio gear... The AGD Audion Mk III Monoblock Amplifier was reviewed by Enjoy the Music.com's Rick Becker, who firmly knows that "One of the prominent features of the GaNFET transistors that personify AGD amplifiers is the very fast rise time that is accomplished with very little overshoot. Musical notes just happen with no ringing or irritating attack. This also leads to very high resolution."

Florida International Audio Expo 2025 Show Report By Brett Rudolph Lunch ended up being a lot of fun. We met with Steven R. Rochlin, the Creative Director for EnjoyTheMusic.com, his wife Heather, and Albert Martinez from Synergistic Research. We spent about an hour discussing the show, what we saw, and everything. When we were done, we parted ways and got back on track for the rest of the afternoon and more of what the expo had in store. It certainly had more wonders yet to bestow. The Luxury HiFi / Suncoast Audio room was two rooms for the price of one. The first room held a system containing large floor-standing speakers, and the second smaller one was from the same company. It was a nice use of space and showed the differences in sound and capabilities. Although giving each their due diligence is hard, I will give each a little time, as they deserve it.

World Hearing Day is observed annually on March 3rd to raise awareness about hearing health and the prevention of hearing loss. Organized by the World Health Organization (WHO), this global event emphasizes the importance of ear care and encourages timely medical intervention to address hearing issues. Human hearing is a vital sense that profoundly impacts communication, safety, and quality of life. It allows individuals to connect with the world in meaningful ways, enriching social interactions and providing access to a range of experiences. The theme for 2025 is "Changing mindsets: empower yourself to make ear and hearing care a reality for all!" It focuses on inspiring individuals to take proactive steps in protecting their hearing, such as avoiding loud noises, getting regular check-ups, and using hearing devices when necessary.

The Gershman Acoustics 30th Anniversary Black Swan loudspeakers ($95,000 per pair) are their flagship floorstander designed to celebrate over three decades of innovation in audio technology. These loudspeakers are renowned for their exceptional sound quality, and luxurious craftsmanship, and EnjoyTheMusic.com agree that they deserve many awards. A separate Sub Alignment System (SSAS) is a patented design that isolates the woofer's low frequencies from the midrange and tweeter, housed in a separate upper enclosure. This separation minimizes internal interference, resulting in clearer and more precise sound reproduction. From the deepest 18Hz bass to 24kHz highs that 60-year-old reviewers can probably never hear, standing at 52" tall and weighing an impressive 145 pounds, the Black Swan's are constructed with high-density MDF and finished with 15 layers of Italian piano lacquer for both durability and elegance.

Let me set the stage for you. My son Dylan, my photographer, left Newark, New Jersey, where it was a balmy seventeen degrees, and arrived in Tampa, Florida. We hoped it would be quite a bit warmer, and it was, though not quite as warm as expected. It was somewhere in the low sixties. It was not freezing like home, but it wasn't the warm weather we expected either. The ride to the hotel, which we thought would take only half to three-quarters of an hour, lasted an eternity as a series of unfortunate events unfolded. They say truth is stranger than fiction, so wait until you hear this story. We got into an Uber, and the driver didn't speak English, which was ok because he knew where we were going. The trouble started when there was an accident on the interstate, and traffic was backed up.

And what have we as an industry done with this educational opportunity? We've squandered it, that's what! WTF?!?! Of course the idea below is just that, just an idea and frankly while some might like this idea, doubt it'll go anywhere as it requires effort on your part. Go ahead, prove me wrong. Am not going to be a whiney bitch and complain about some gear being incredibly high-priced, as like cars there are Hyundai (very respectable, wife's daughter has one), BMW (wife and my car), and Ferrari (been there, done that, tracked the living daylights out of it until the engine needed a major rebuild). With high-end audio for 'normal people' out there, most music lovers think of whatever is $$$ (not just $$) in the big box stores as 'high-end'. They, you know, normal people, generally, have zero idea we as an industry exist in any true sense...

In last month's Part 1 of "The Future Of Our Audiophile Hobby", I wrote that Hi-Fi – our hobby, our industry, and our long-time source of both enjoyment and cultural enrichment – seems to be following the path of the electric train, another once great, "everybody-used-to-have-one" product, into obscurity. I also told you why it was happening: Not many people, nowadays – at least not a significant percentage of the people that I or my friends and other people in the industry have talked to about it – know or can tell you the meaning of the words "Hi-fi", "High Fidelity", or "Stereo", or even know that we, our hobby, our industry, or the products that could potentially add so much to their lives, exist. We have dropped out of sight to the general public, and what is happening is its inevitable outcome.

As EnjoyTheMusic.com continues celebrating our outstanding 30 years of devoted dedication to music enthusiasts globally, our March 2025 Review Magazine proposes intriguing ideas for both the high-end audio industry and music lovers alike. Roger Skoff's editorial continues the industry's ideas for reaching more enthusiasts. Resonating with Roger, Steven R. Rochlin asks if the high-end audio sector is being properly represented. We welcome your thoughts. With more fantastic Florida International Audio Expo 2025 show coverage being posted virtually daily, we're also preparing for the Southwest Audio Fest (SWAF) 2025 late this month in Texas. As always, in the end what really matters is that you... enjoy the music!

During the Florida International Audio Expo event (FIAE) in Tampa, it was a joy to experience the incredible-sounding and lovely VAC (Valve Amplification Company) tube amplifiers within many outstanding-sounding rooms. Valve Amplification Company (VAC), based right here in Florida, was founded in 1990 by Kevin Hayes and his father, Channing W. Hayes. VAC is renowned for its dedication to sonic purity and craftsmanship, creating audio components that aim to reproduce music with vividness and realism. Their products include amplifiers, preamplifiers, and integrated systems, many of which are considered masterpieces in the audiophile community. Kevin Hayes and his wonderful wife Darlene are always a joy to see and discuss all things tube amps, music... Jaguar cars, vintage mechanical timepieces, etc.

Back at the turn of the millennium you could put together a pretty good audio system for $10,000, and you could listen to many of those components in a local brick & mortar store if you lived in a decent size city. Sure there was some stratospherically priced gear in the $10,000 to $20,000 range you might be able to see if you went to one of the audio shows on the left or right coasts. Then along came "quantitative easing" and the internet. Gear got more expensive, the brick & mortar landscape eroded and major as well as regional audio shows proliferated. Eventually, higher prices seemed to have attracted more well-heeled patrons to the hobby, not unlike what happened to the bicycle industry a generation or two earlier.

Founded near Warsaw Poland in 2010, while LampizatOr builds electronics and speakers, many are not aware of those offerings, as it was their exceptional tubed DACs that first put the company on the map. Owned and operated exclusively by its designer Łukasz Fikus, after hearing the disarming $17,250 Golden Gate DAC some seven years ago, then the even more engaging $27,000 Pacific DAC at a show during 2018, the reason for their success became apparent. Both these SET-based devices offered a conspicuous step closer to the undeniable naturalness, organic coherence, and space and dimensionality offered by the very best LP transcription systems. Łukasz and LampizatOr North America principal Fred Ainsley have recently announced the launch of the nearly $50,000 Horizon DAC, which I will get to hear at its official launch during the third Florida Audio Expo in mid-February of this year.

Florida International Audio Expo 2025 Show Report By Chuck Bruce Reviewed by everyone and their sister-in-law is the SVS brand Ultra Pinnacle Evolution large floorstanding loudspeakers ($500 per pair). As expected, you have time alignment, diamond tweeters, and a big sound down to 16 Hz. Field reports say they also have excellent imaging, though be aware they are a low-ish 88dB/W/m sensitive and present a more challenging 6 Ohm load to your amplification. Also on demonstration was an SVS two-way design at $1200 per pair. For those seeking more efficient loudspeakers and immense SPL dynamic swings, Volti hornspeakers provide a truly excellent performance from this high-sensitivity (104dB/W/m) folded horn design. These high-end, and handsome, hornspeakers were being driven by a very modest Cary Audio 40-Watt stereo vacuum tube integrated amplifier ($4,995). To my ears, the realism is second to none.

Jeff Joseph and I go back, literally, decades when CES was relevant for high-end audio and was at the Alexis Park Hotel(!). Joseph Audio is renowned for its high-fidelity loudspeakers, designed to deliver exceptional sound quality. Their loudspeakers are crafted with advanced technologies, including state-of-the-art drivers built in Norway and of course, Jeff's very unique crossover designs that ensure a seamless audio experience. Joseph Audio's Pearl Graphene Ultra Floorstanding loudspeaker was launched in 2024 to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Pearl series. Graphene / magnesium woofers are newly developed to provide superior bass precision and extension. The tweeter and midrange are housed in separate enclosures, linked by solid brass points, to minimize interference and enhance sound clarity.

Paramount+ has recently added a treasure trove of classic MTV Unplugged episodes to its streaming service. Over 50 episodes from the iconic live performance series are now available, featuring legendary performances from artists like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Paul McCartney, Oasis, R.E.M., Alanis Morissette, Alice in Chains, and Bob Dylan. Note that these episodes have not been available in well over 20 years, and include legendary performances we know EnjoyTheMusic.com fans will love. In addition to MTV Unplugged, Paramount+ has also included dozens of episodes from VH1 Storytellers and CMT Crossroads. These episodes feature standout performances from artists such as David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Alicia Keys, and Elton John. Many of these episodes haven't been available for over 20 years, making this a fantastic opportunity for music fans to relive some of the most memorable live performances in history.

Innovo seeks to "Immerse Yourself in the Sound of Luxury", and I was also curious to hear them personally as they earned EnjoyTheMusic.com's prestigious Best of CAF 2024 award from our reviewer Brett Rudolph. The Innovo Luxe T1 floorstander in Lacewood finish was mated with Cambridge Audio's Edge NQ ($4999) Hi-Res Audio lossless music streamer. Standard finishes for the Luxe T1 are Oak, Walnut, etc ($36,000), with Premium finishes such as Lacewood, Camphor Burl, etc available via custom order ($40,000). The Innovo Luxe T1 is a high-end floorstanding speaker system designed for audiophiles seeking an unparalleled listening experience.

It's always a joy chatting with the cool dudes from Volti Audio and love their wood cabinet finishing work. Greg Roberts of Volti Audio wants EnjoyTheMusic.com fans to know that "The original Vittora, first offered in 2011, has undergone a four-year transformation and now showcases the finest work I’ve achieved to date as both a designer and builder." Each loudspeaker is truly handcrafted, meticulously, with a fanatic eye towards every detail. They are painstakingly engineered with high-precision and exquisite construction to produce a fully effortless sound from only a few Watts. While some loudspeakers need hundreds of Watts, the new Vittora horn loudspeaker system with an impressive 104dB/W/m sensitivity means they are 10x to perhaps 100x more efficient than other loudspeaker designs!

Recent studies have raised concerns about the potential impact of noise-canceling headphones on brain health. Audiologists in the UK have reported an increase in cases of Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), a condition that affects the brain's ability to process sounds despite normal hearing levels. This condition has been observed particularly among young people who frequently use noise-canceling headphones. The theory is that by blocking out everyday sounds, these headphones might disrupt the brain's natural development of auditory processing skills. This could lead to difficulties in focusing on and understanding sounds in noisy environments. In noise-canceling headphones, the anti-noise signal created by the headphones is designed to be the exact opposite of the external noise.

Supreme Acoustic Systems showcased various premium luxury hi-fi audio brands at the Florida International Audio Expo 2025. Supreme Acoustic Systems had three exhibit rooms featuring products from YG Acoustics, Western Electric, Bergmann Audio, etc. Supreme Acoustic Systems was founded by Hiram Toro with a vision to transform high-end audio distribution. They operate as a pure distributor, meaning they don't sell directly to consumers and have no ownership affiliation with any dealer. Their mission is to provide an ethical, open, and transparent service to both manufacturers and dealers, improving the value they bring to the high-end audio market.

As seen at many shows globally, Naim had a nice selection of their electronics that were driving Focal stand-mounted and floorstanding loudspeakers. Both Naim and Focal want EnjoyTheMusic.com readers to know that "The success of these sophisticated spaces lies in their superb comfort and music-fueled emotion, creating a unique opportunity to explore what both brands have to offer." And yes, as we find with luxurious high-end horology (mechanical timepieces), only Focal Powered by Naim retailers can present and sell certain exclusive creations, such as Diva Utopia modern wireless and connected active hi-fi loudspeakers or leather finish options available for models from the Utopia range. Rest assured EnjoyTheMusic.com's special Florida International Audio Expo 2025 report alerts our loyal fans that the newest Focal Powered by Naim location in the USA is Kontrol Freaks right here in Tampa, FL.

Coachella 2025 is set to be an unforgettable experience! The festival will take place over two weekends: April 11th through 13th and April 18th through 20th, 2025, at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. Featuring an incredible lineup of artists across various genres, headliners include Lady Gaga, Green Day, Post Malone, and Travis Scott. Electronic acts include The Prodigy, Kraftwerk, Above & Beyond, Amelie Lens, Chris Stussy, and Mind Against. For lovers of modern Hip-Hop and R&B, Missy Elliott, Megan Thee Stallion, Charli XCX, and Ty Dolla $ign are planned to perform. Pop and Rock genres will be Jimmy Eat World, The Misfits, FKA Twigs, Clairo, and Benson Boone. Latin Music fans will enjoy Iván Cornejo, Junior H, and Anitta while the K-Pop will have solo performances from BLACKPINK's Lisa and Jennie, as well as Enhypen.

The Florida International Audio Expo 2025 was an absolute delight for audiophiles and music enthusiasts alike. Held at the Sheraton Tampa Brandon Hotel from February 21st to 23rd, the event showcased an impressive array of high-end audio equipment, including home stereo / hi-fi consisting of reel-to-reel, turntables, both vacuum tube and solid-state amplification, Hi-Res Audio DACs, headphones / head-fi, loudspeakers of many varieties, cables, and sound system tweaks. FIAE 2025 provided a unique opportunity to explore the latest innovations in the audio industry and engage with key figures such as product designers, company founders, and renowned members of the press. Attendees were treated to live performances by talented musicians and insightful talks from distinguished guest speakers.

The volume control on the Pass Laboratories XP-22 ($9975) reviewed here happens to have a silky-smooth running volume control, similar to the volume controls I covertly discovered so long ago. As I began to investigate the other features of the Pass Labs XP-22, both sonic and intangible, I learned that its volume control was a significant focus of Pass Laboratories' design upgrades that brought the XP-22 to fruition. The XP-22's volume control is a single-stage design preamplifier that has many functions; the volume control is most often used as a volume attenuator. Ask anyone who has either accidentally (or purposely) connected a source component with no volume control directly to a power amplifier. If they didn't instantly blow their speakers, it still wasn't a pleasant experience.

While I was in the thick of considering the CH Precision A1.5, P1, L1 and X1 late last year, such was the complexity and range of settings and modes and connections, and not least power supply options, that a considered overview was somehow just out of reach. Moreover, those continued and complex evaluations were inevitably constrained by particular circumstances in that more extended trial and error methods to establish quality limits could have added value, for example exchanging multiple cables in all positions, signal, and loudspeaker, and also mains connection methods, whether central or extended line. Then there is the matter of optimising the choices and subsequent alignment of anti-vibration frames and optional intermediary supports.

While waiting for our coverage during this weekend's event, be sure to see EnjoyTheMusic.com's extensive and funtastic Florida International Audio Expo 2024 show report. Join us and attendees as we thoroughly enjoyed experiencing 12 floors' filled with great luxurious high-performance sound gear produced by the world's leading premium audio / hi-fi / stereo consumer electronics brands. Our Florida International Audio Expo show report includes home and desktop stereo systems, record players / turntables, headphones, loudspeakers, digital audio music streamers, Hi-Res Audio DACs, cables, amplifiers and more!

The show will take place at the Delta Hotels by Marriott Bristol City Centre, located at 2 Lower Castle Street, Bristol. Doors will be open from 10am to 5pm each day. With approximately 145 audio brands confirmed to be exhibiting there should be something for every music lover, modern immersivephile, and classic audiophile. Members of the hi-fi, home cinema, and custom installation industries can gain entry to the show subject to an administration fee of £5. The Bristol Hi-Fi Show, the UK's largest and longest-running hi-fi event, is set to return for its 36th edition from Friday, February 21st to Sunday, February 23rd, 2025. This year's show promises to be an audio lover's dream, featuring exclusive product launches, exciting demos, and special offers. A highlight of Bristol Hi-Fi Show 2025 is the unveiling of new products from various European manufacturers and distributors. Attendees will have the opportunity to immerse themselves within the lasted technology is electronics, loudspeakers, cables, accessories and more. This event will also feature exclusive deals and special offers, including half-price entry for students and emergency workers on Sunday after 2pm. Additionally, attendees can enter a competition to win £10,000 worth of hi-fi equipment.

Virtual everyone within the high-end audio community agrees that 2019 was a banner year for our industry! There were a record number of well-attended events all around the world... for starters. Manufacturers are holding a record number of smaller events at their dealers' locations as well. New products you ask? Again, during 2019 there were a record number of new products launched from both major and boutique consumer hi-fi electronics companies. The above list are just Enjoy the Music.com's reports during 2019, as we have over 240 high-end audio show reports online to date.

The Florida International Audio Expo 2025 show takes place from February 21st through 23rd at the Sheraton Tampa Brandon, the event's new, and larger, venue. The Florida International Audio Expo will showcase many floors filled with exhibit spaces featuring the latest in home and portable audio gear. You may enjoy an abundance of great sound from mono to stereo and immersive, plus various exhibit room will feature never before seen new products! Show attendees are the world's first to experience many of the best new high-performance, hi-resolution modern audio products.

I connected the FiiO S15 to my reference vacuum-tube-powered Nagra Classic Preamp with an external PSU power supply. Although, I sometimes used a two-chassis solid-state Pass Laboratories XP–22 linestage. Early on, I was still using the recently reviewed, top-flight KBL Sound EXtrema interconnects to connect the S15 to the linestage and the linestage to the power amplifier. However, I soon had to return these cables to the manufacturer. For the rest of the review, I used Crystal Cable's Micro Diamond 2 interconnect between the S15 and the linestage and an MIT Shotgun S3.3 interconnect between the linestage and power amp. The power amplifier used for this review was a 250 Watts per channel Pass Labs X250.8, which fed a pair of Sound Lab Majestic 545 electrostatic speakers. To augment these speakers' bass below the Sound Labs 34 Hz low-frequency limit, I used a pair of SVS PB16-Ultra subwoofers. Running from the power amp to the Sound Labs were Kimber Carbon 18 XL speaker cables, and the subwoofers were connected with long interconnects running from the linestage to the subs on-board power amplifiers.

Why A Resurgence In Open Baffle Designs?

Different loudspeaker designs present music differently. This banality is not trivial. While every speaker designer aims to provide a musically persuasive and satisfying rendering of the source material, there is no denying that different design types do so in characteristically different ways. The choice to produce an enclosed speaker, an electrostatic or a horn, an open baffle, or a planar magnetic loudspeaker likely reflects cost, manufacturing, and other factors. It can also reflect a designer's 'musical point of view.' I don't mean to suggest that every designer has a well-developed musical point of view, that is, a conception of what is important to convey for a listening experience to achieve what the designer thinks it should: for it to bring forward the musically significant features of the recording including, but not limited to, its emotional and narrative or cognitive content, as well as the author's intentions and the interactions among the performers.

Editorial: How Things Measure

Audio THD With QSPICE

The Analog Engineer Calculator & Pocket Reference

The SL-100 Sound Level Adjuster

Reinforced Speaker Protection

Zoran M. Dukic's High End Tube Amplifiers Designer Tool Box

New Op-Amp For Phono Preamps Part 2

Measuring HDMI Audio

Testing Power Amplifiers

The Early Days of Speaker Acoustics

And Much More!

Phillips Design made a bit of a splash at AXPONA in April of 2023, with their inaugural display of the Phillips Design OH-16 Omnidirectional three-way loudspeakers. Unable to attend AXPONA 2023; I was more than pleased with the opportunity to review a pair. These stylish loudspeakers arrived via freight, in a crate much larger than anticipated. Receiving a well-traveled demo pair, it is unknown whether standard production (consumer) speakers will be shipped the same way. Once unlocked, the crate door swings out to reveal both speakers. While well-designed, it still required two people to maneuver the speakers from the crate. Weighing 78 lbs each; while not extremely heavy, the round speakers require careful handling. With wood (usually teak) slats towards the top, and the 12" carbon fiber composite cone located on the bottom; careful handling is a must. Once in place in the Audio Room (thanks for the help, Timmy), the protective cloth covers were removed to reveal the speakers. To say the Phillips Design OH-16 omnidirectional three-way loudspeakers are unique would be an understatement.

The Børresen X2 is the smallest speaker in Børresen's X-Series. Even though it is Børresen's smallest speaker in that line, it is a floorstanding speaker 3.5 feet tall and weighs 80 pounds. Børresen's website calls the X2 intro-level speaker. At $8,800 a pair, whether one considers this price entry-level is debatable, but everything is relative – compared with the other speakers in Børresen's X-series, the X2 is reasonably priced. And as you'll read in this review (spoiler alert!), I have nothing but praise for the Børresen X2. After unpacking the X2s, I discovered that this slim, stylish 2.5-way floorstanding speaker had quite a small footprint. Viewed from above, the speakers are more or less triangular. The X2's front baffle is about one foot wide, but its cabinet narrows as it reaches its rear panel, which is a mere one inch wide. This narrow rear panel appears slightly wider at points to allow for the speaker's ports, three round cylinders near the top of its cabinet, and three near the bottom. At first glance, I thought that the ports resembled exhaust pipes!

The Southwest Audio Fest (SWAF) high-end audio show by the dynamic duo Gary Gill (Capital Audiofest) and Lou Hinkley (Pacific AudioFest / Daedalus Audio) brings magical music to Dallas. SWAF 2025 follows their sensational success with the popular Pacific Audio Fest event. Attendees may listen to many of the world's top manufacturers who create a wide variety of exciting home and portable audio products. Within this expansive Resort environment, bask in luxurious sounds that caress your ears and bring newfound meaning to many of the songs you've heard many times in the past. All this and more within a curated experience filled with fine art and acres of event space.

The joint ASA / ICA meeting will be held May 18th through 23rd and begin with a Keynote Lecture followed by a full day of technical sessions. The Plenary Session and Awards Ceremony will be held on Wednesday afternoon followed by the Social. A very special Closing Ceremony will be followed by the International Symposium on Musical Acoustics and the International Symposium on Room Acoustics, which will be merged into the International Symposium on Musical and Room Acoustics (ISMRA). Every effort will be made to schedule contributed abstracts in accordance with author and Organizing Committee preferences. Assignments will consider: a) organizer preference, b) program balance, and c) author preference, and d) Technical Committee instructions.

Get ready for T.H.E. Show SoCal 2025, By T.H.E. Show (Total HiFi Experience) from June 6th through 8th at the Hilton Orange County / Costa Mesa. Join music lovers and audiophiles for an exciting SoCal audio event to experience the latest and greatest in audio technology, immerse yourself in top-notch sound systems, and mingle with fellow enthusiasts. Whether you're a hardcore audiophile or just getting started, there's something for everyone at T.H.E. Show SoCal 2025. This year's SoCal event is said to be bigger than ever, with exciting new features including live performances from talented artists across a variety of genres. With a lineup that caters to all musical tastes, this is the perfect place to discover your next favorite act or enjoy a family-friendly concert experience. T.H.E. Film Festival: The show promoter is proud to introduce T.H.E. Film Festival — a celebration of independent filmmaking.

On several systems including mine, the SIT-2 did not sound like a tube amplifier. It was better in some respects. Nor did it sound like solid-state either. It was better in many respects there too. The new Static Induction Transistor SIT-2 stereo amplifier from Pass' First Watt company is a plain dark-gray box. Sure, it has signature Pass cooling fins sticking out at an angle like Batman's car, but small, bright blue LED eyes replace the famous big, blue Pass meter. The amplifier doesn't look monstrously powerful. It isn't either. Intended so its first Watt is the best, the SIT-2 amplifier is rated at only 10 Watts output. Designed to sound like tubes, instead the SIT amplifier does not sound like solid-state.

As the yearly Consumer Electronic Show (CES) is only a few weeks away, i can not help but wonder if the high-end is properly represented. First we have the self proclaimed Academy Advancing High Performance Audio & Video (AAHPAV) who seems to be on thorazine, then there is the upcoming CES where there are no conferences scheduled for the high-end audio community, and lastly the impressive departure of many manufactures from the official CES show who are instead attending The Home Entertainment Show (T.H.E. Show). The AAHPAV was active at the Hi-Fi shows a few years back. Three years ago they has some wonderful classes lead by industry leaders and professionals.

Editorial: Dynamic Range And Price Range

Network Acoustics: Win an eno2 Streaming Filter

Focal Hadenys Headphones

Peak Consult Sonora Floorstanding Loudspeakers

Innuos ZEN Next-Gen Music Server

Quad 33/303 Preamplifier / Stereo Power Amplifier

Rockna Wavedream Reference Signature DAC

Xavian Medea Stand-Mount Loudspeakers

WiiM Ultra Streaming Preamplifier

GutWire Consummate Loudspeaker Cable

Nordost Red Dawn 3 Cable System

...And Much More!

EnjoyTheMusic.com and EnjoyTheMusic.TV presents to you our tour of the Acoustic Sounds offices. We join owner Chad Kassem as he takes us through their impressive offices, including their historic turntable room and incredible vinyl vault! Editor and Creative Director Steven R. Rochlin mans the camera as we explore Acoustic Sounds main office facility. Quality Record Pressings (QRP), part of Acoustic Sounds, is a vinyl record pressing plant located in Salina, Kansas, launched by Chad Kassem in 2011. QRP is known for its commitment to producing some of the highest quality audiophile pressings available.

For this week's Film Friday EnjoyTheMusic.com is featuring All Things Must Pass: The Rise And Fall Of Tower Records. Established in 1960, Tower Records was once a retail powerhouse with 200 stores, in 30 countries, on five continents. This documentary, directed by Colin Hanks, is about the rise and fall of this once great retailer. Many music lovers within the world are familiar with Tower Records, the company that advertised its East 4th Street and Broadway New York City location as "The Largest Record-Tape Store in the Known World". This documentary also offers insights into the critical upheavals in the 21st-century recording industry and music business.

ROHM has announced their second generation MUS-IC Series chip, with the BD34301EKV featuring 32-bit / 768kHz Hi-Res Audio and DSD capabilities. Seeking to provide an authentic listening experience to music lovers and high-end audiophiles alike, the ROHM BD34301EKV aims to ensure expansive spatial reverberation, extreme quietness, and extensive dynamic range while fully preserving the natural tones and textures of acoustic musical instruments. The BD34301EKV is a 32-bit high-end sound quality stereo audio digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with excellent numerical performance (SNR 130 dB, THD+N -115 dB) that is suitable for high-end audio. Favorite sound is selectable by switching two kinds of digital FIR filters (Sharp Roll-Off and Slow Roll-Off). PCM I/F supports up to 768kHz, and DSD I/F fully supports up to 22.4 MHz. Developed as part of ROHM's high-grade MUS-ICT series, the company's pinnacle of audio ICs, this DAC seeks to excelled the expectations of high performance demanded by high fidelity audio equipment enthusiasts.

AXPONA 2025 (Audio Expo North America) is set to take place from April 11th through 13th at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center in Illinois. This annual event is for audiophiles and features a wide range of high-fidelity, high-performance audio gear. Over 200 rooms will let you listen and assess the equipment being presented. An extensive AXPONA 2025 show report for longtime EnjoyTheMusic.com enthusiasts will showcase the latest and greatest audio equipment from top audio brands. For personal audio, the Ear Gear Experience (akin to CanJam shows) is a dedicated area for headphones and personal audio gear, including open-back, closed-back, and in-ear monitors (IEM). There's also an Expo Hall & Record Fair that will have stereo hi-fi audio accessories, vinyl LP turntables / record players, various cable manufacturers, and more.

I was recently asked by someone why I never write about how brilliantly the consumer electronics industry is doing and how, from being initially a hobby and then a cottage industry, some hi-fi companies are now being recognized by the big companies, acquired by them, and becoming, themselves, important contributors to the world economy, elements of our lifestyle, and shapers of our common future. All of those things are true. The consumer electronics industry has become colossal and affects the lives of every one of us in more ways than I can count. The problem is that it's not our sector of the industry that's being promoted by mainstream media outlets and, in turn, becoming essential to the way we live.

Tonight, the music world turns its eyes to the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles for the 67th Annual Grammy Awards. Hosted by the charismatic Trevor Noah, this year's show promises to be a spectacular celebration of musical talent, resilience, and philanthropy. The Technical Grammy Award will be presented to Dr. Leo Beranek (1914-2016) for his contributions to the field of audio engineering and acoustics. EnjoyTheMusic.com fans know that he was a renowned American acoustics expert and former MIT professor who also authored several influential books, including "Acoustics" and "Music, Acoustics, and Architecture". He was particularly known for his work in designing and evaluating concert halls and opera houses, ensuring optimal acoustics for performances. The 2025 Grammy Awards audio/video broadcast is planned to be headlined by Beyoncé, who has garnered an impressive eleven nominations for her album "Cowboy Carter," making her the most nominated artist in Grammy history.

Our February 2025 Review Magazine continues EnjoyTheMusic.com's celebrating 30 years of service to music lovers, audiophiles, and immersive sound enthusiasts alike! We are truly grateful to you, our longstanding loyal readership, and newcomers too. This month we're showcasing historic audio gear reviews and articles during our past 30 years. Be sure to read Roger Skoff's "The Future Of Our Audiophile Hobby Part 1" where he writes about where we've been, where we are today, and the possibilities of where high-end audio is going in the future. The spectacular Florida International Audio Expo 2025 show begins February 21st and we look forward to seeing you there! We wish our longtime international friends a prosperous Lunar New Year. As always, in the end what really matters is that you... enjoy the music!

In an unfortunate legal victory, Spotify has sucesssfully won the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) over reduced royalty payments. MCL is a nonprofit organization designated by the USA Copyright Office to collect digital mechanical royalties in the United States pursuant to the Music Modernization Act of 2018. The lawsuit, which began last May, alleged that Spotify's introduction of an audiobooks bundle to its premium subscription resulted in a substantial decrease in royalty payments to songwriters. The MLC claimed that Spotify had "unilaterally and unlawfully" reduced the royalty rate by as much as 50% without any warning. However, USA District Judge Analisa Torres ruled that Spotify's bundling strategy was supported by "unambiguous" regulations.

The Bristol Hi-Fi Show, the UK's largest and longest-running hi-fi event, is set to return for its 36th edition from Friday, February 21st to Sunday, February 23rd, 2025. This year's show promises to be an audio lover's dream, featuring exclusive product launches, exciting demos, and special offers. A highlight of Bristol Hi-Fi Show 2025 is the unveiling of new products from various European manufacturers and distributors. Attendees will have the opportunity to immerse themselves within the lasted technology is electronics, loudspeakers, cables, accessories and more. This event will also feature exclusive deals and special offers, including half-price entry for students and emergency workers on Sunday after 2pm. Additionally, attendees can enter a competition to win £10,000 worth of hi-fi equipment.

Now in their second year, the Southwest Audio Fest (SWAF) high-end audio show by the dynamic duo Gary Gill (Capital Audiofest) and Lou Hinkley (Pacific AudioFest / Daedalus Audio) brings magical music to Dallas. SWAF 2025 follows their sensational success with the popular Pacific Audio Fest event. Attendees may listen to many of the world's top manufacturers who create a wide variety of exciting home and portable audio products. Within this expansive Resort environment, bask in luxurious sounds that caress your ears and bring newfound meaning to many of the songs you've heard many times in the past. All this and more within a curated experience filled with fine art and acres of event space.

Kraftwerk, the legendary German electronic music group, is celebrating the 50th anniversary of their album Autobahn in March 2025. The celebration will include new releases, a USA tour, and appearances at Coachella. Specially engineering new releases of Autobahn include a new immersive Dolby Atmos mix of the album on Blu-ray and digitally. Dolby Atmos, 5.1, and stereo mixes will be available digitally. Kraftwerk's 50th Anniversary Autobahn digital release will be available on major streaming platforms. The 12" vinyl LP picture disc of the album's 2009 remaster will also be offered and marks the band's first official picture disc. There a 7" vinyl edit includes "Autobahn," with "Kometenmelodie 2" on the B-side.

The 2025 NAMM Show, held at the Anaheim Convention Center from January 21st through 25th, will make waves within the music industry. This year's event promises to be one of the most exciting yet, with a lineup of star-studded performances and groundbreaking innovations. The show will be begin with a keynote address from NAMM President and CEO John Mlynczak, who announced a series of new initiatives aimed at strengthening the global music community. Among the highlights was the launch of the NAMM Impact Report, which provides a comprehensive overview of the organization's achievements in 2024 and its plans for the future. Attendees will be treated to a variety of educational sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities throughout the week. The event plans to feature a robust schedule of live performances by renowned artists such as Jon Batiste, Peter Frampton, Jack White, and CeCe Winans.

Note: The below is a Throwback Thursday reposted editorial. In 2025, EnjoyTheMusic.com is celebrating our 30th Anniversary.

In a few months EnjoyTheMusic.com will officially be celebrating our 25th Anniversary (that's 25 consecutive years...). For those who've read the About Us info, you'll notice below all the site facts n' stuff that not a single word has changed for decades. And so it began 25 years ago... and I quote, "Longtime classically-trained medal-earning musician and high fidelity audio enthusiast Steven R. Rochlin launched EnjoyTheMusic.com in 1995 as a way to easily answer the many questions he was receiving from others online. Since he grew tired of answering the same basic questions from various people during the very early days of the Internet, when at that time information was scarce, he felt having various common questions and answers on a website was the logical action."

Those of you who have read some of my previous reviews know that I am in some ways a throwback, sticking with my compact discs while some audiophiles have moved to uncompressed digital files and others have embraced the vinyl side. I have a lot of CDs, and by God, I'm going to still listen to them. A few years ago I purchased the iFi Audio iDSD, and that opened up my world on how far digital has come in the last decade. At $599, it's one the great bargains in audio. But sometimes you start to wonder, are those fancy high-end DACs really that much better? A few months ago, I noticed an announcement for a new DAC by a company called Metronome. Appropriately it is called Le Dac.

The Salon Audio Montreal Audiofest 2025 takes place from March 28th through 30th with more than 5000 visitors expected who desired listening, seeing, and touching over 300 brands of high-end audiophile products all under one roof. As the largest show in Canada, attendees will experienced the very best high-end audio and video/videophile industry distributors, manufacturers, and retailers in Canada. Within each listening room, exhibitors are overjoyed to share their passion for music with you by demonstrating some of the world's best sound systems from $5000 to $500,000. Montréal Audiofest is celebrating its 36th edition in 2025 and remains the must-attend event for audiophiles, high-end audio gear enthusiasts, and music lovers.

After 452 photos and over 41k words of copy submitted for Parts 1 though 9, it's time to salute some of the Best Rooms and make some Honorable Mentions. This has been the hardest Part of my chronicles to write. Not only were there 125 rooms, 15 tables, and 17 booths listed (though a couple of rooms were no-shows and I missed one other room, and some of the booths in the Atrium were filed at the last minute while others remained empty), but good sound quality and musicality were easy to find. We all have our personal sense of what constitutes those values and I won't go down that rabbit hole. I encourage you to read the summaries of other journalists for comparison. We don't all think or listen alike, nor do the manufacturers.

In about two months, the Florida International Audio Expo 2025 takes place from February 21st through 23rd at the Sheraton Tampa Brandon, the event's new, and larger, venue. The Florida International Audio Expo will showcase many floors filled with exhibit spaces featuring the latest in home and portable audio gear. You may enjoy an abundance of great sound from mono to stereo and immersive, plus various exhibit room will feature never before seen new products! Show attendees are the world's first to experience many of the best new high-performance, hi-resolution modern audio products. With many floors and large conference rooms of demonstrations to explore, attendees can experience luxurious immersive premium audio electronics, loudspeakers, turntables, and high-end audio headphones produced by manufacturers from all around the world.

The Eisenhower room has frequently been problematic, possibly due to its unusual shape but I've heard good and not-so-good from multiple very high-quality speaker manufacturers in this room. Audio Group Denmark likes to set up their speakers far apart and angled sharply toward the listening position. Whether this is because they use wide dispersion drivers and want to minimize the reflections from the side walls, or because they are narrow dispersion drivers and they want to make sure people in or near the sweet spot hear the music full-range, I don't know. I've never had an opportunity to play with them at home or seen them arranged differently at shows.

High End by Oz, an importer out of Norwalk, CT usually puts on a very good room at Capital and he mixes up the brands to give a fresh look year over year. The room was co-sponsored by House of Stereo, a major retailer in Jacksonville, FL, who also sponsored the Montgomery Room off the Atrium which I will come to further below. The orange and blue banners told the story here and made quite an impression. Stenheim speakers were not among my favorites when first introduced years ago, but more recently I've heard some favorable combinations of speakers and amps that have brought me around.

I have no doubt the NOLA Baby Grand Reference Gold 3 speakers ($150k) are great speakers, but I just didn't get a musical impression in this room to validate the claim. The Regency room is among the largest at the show and the hosts try to use most of that space to present their speaker. Compared to the Arion room just above, the NOLAs are spread much farther apart and the seating is much further away from the speakers. The listening triangle was centered on the front wall and the room was close to square. Without curtains to dampen (even slightly) reflections off the side and rear wall, this room reminds me of my high school gym, acoustically speaking.

Last year I was quite impressed with the Arion Audio room, finding it a big improvement over the previous year when they were in a different room. This year, again, it was quite impressive, once I acclimated myself to the tango music they played. The room was nicely dressed and downsized with the use of black curtains at the entrance and down each side. Plaza III is one of the eight huge rooms at the show. By creating a smaller triangle with the speakers and seats at the far end of the room they achieved much better sound quality than if they had tried to use the entire room with the listeners subjected to more reflected sound.

The FireAid Benefit Concert is set to take place on January 30 (2025) at the Intuit Dome and Kia Forum in Los Angeles. This star-studded event will feature performances by Lil Baby, Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, Tate McRae, Jelly Roll, Gwen Stefani, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and many others. The concert aims to raise funds for the communities affected by the recent devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, focusing on rebuilding infrastructure, supporting displaced families, and advancing fire prevention technologies. No word about this benefiting those in North Carolina or Florida, who have also greatly suffered from recent devastation due to weather events. SoCal's FireAid Benefit Concert will be broadcast live on various platforms, including Apple Music, Apple TV, Max, iHeartRadio, KTLA+, Netflix / Tudum, Paramount+, Prime Video, and YouTube beginning at 6pm PST. Tickets will go on sale on January 22, 2025, via Ticketmaster.

We tour Quality Record Pressings / Acoustic Sounds vinyl LP pressing plant. EnjoyTheMusic.com presents to you our tour of the Quality Record Pressings (Acoustic Sounds) vinyl LP pressing plant. We join plant manager Gary and owner Chad Kassem as they take us on a step-by-step journey through how a vinyl LP record is produced. Creative Director of EnjoyTheMusic.com Steven R. Rochlin guides you on his Quality Vinyl Pressings factory tour to learn how they produce a vinyl LP. There are many steps that go into making the perfect album, and it is fascinating how a puck of specialized material creates your favorite music on vinyl LP. As always, in the end what really matters is that you... Enjoy the music!

Nagra is a Swiss audio equipment manufacturer that has been in business for over 65 years. Their professional portable tape records were an industry standard for many decades, even appearing as props in many films and television shows. Their reputation was rock-solid even before they started manufacturing high-end audio equipment in the 21st Century. Because of this, and because of the fine high-end audio components they've been designing and manufacturing since 2012, I suppose there are many audiophiles, and plenty of non-audiophile, who might add the Nagra Tube DAC and its matching Classic PSU power supply to their systems without an audition, or without reading reviews on the subject.

Editorial: Love It Or Hate It, 2025 Is About AI

mh acoustics Eigenmike em64 Sixth-Order Ambisonics Microphone

Sony MDR-M1 Closed Monitor Professional Headphones

Getting Out Of The Ear

A New Op-Amp For Phono Preamps Part 1 — The Design

Modern Op-Amp Distortion Tests Part 2

MEMS Microphones In The Age Of AI

An In-Depth Look At WMAS

Sabine, Models, And Measurements

The Legendary Dynaco ST-70 And ST-70 II Tube Power Amps

And Much More!

The HDMI Forum, comprised of the world's leading manufacturers of consumer electronics, personal computers, mobile devices, cables, and components, has announced Version 2.2 of the HDMI Specification. The new HDMI Specification delivers enhanced options for the vast HDMI ecosystem, with more advanced solutions to create, distribute, and experience the best end-user outcome. New technology enables higher quality options now and in the future for content producers while enabling multiple distribution platforms. Higher 96 Gbps bandwidth and next-generation HDMI Fixed Rate Link technology provide optimal lossless immersive Hi-Res Audio and modern video for a wide range of device applications.

The 67th Annual Grammy Awards, scheduled for February 2, 2025, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, promises to be a night of celebration and resilience. While we all feel for the many who have been affected by the ongoing Southern California fires that have ravaged the city, the Recording Academy and CBS are still determined to proceed with the event, albeit with some adjustments. The wildfires, which have caused significant damage and forced thousands of residents to evacuate, have put a strain on the city's resources. However, the Grammy Awards are in discussions to potentially pivot the broadcast to a fundraiser, with proceeds going towards rebuilding efforts and supporting displaced families. In response to the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, the Recording Academy and MusiCares pledged $1,000,000 to aid music professionals.

Featuring the extraordinary Voxativ Pife full range driver mated to a comparably fast 15" woofer, the PureAudioProject (PAP) Duet 15 offers the listener an unrivaled, relaxed, unhurried, yet fully resolved natural and immediate musical experience that box speakers, for the most part, can only dream of providing, and one that competitor open baffle designs will struggle, most likely with only limited success, to equal. These speakers are unassuming, seductive, and enthralling. I found myself unable to resist falling into the music's awaiting arms for the better part of the several months I was fortunate enough to have them in my home. The term 'open baffle' is vague. The standard design consists of a single baffle (think of the 'front baffle' of an enclosed speaker) on which one or more drivers are affixed. All open baffle speakers produced by PureAudioProject are of this sort.

As this Awards issue went to press, we heard news that audio giant Bose will purchase the McIntosh Group, the company behind McIntosh audio electronics and Sonus faber loudspeakers. The inevitable stream of online comments ensued, with everything from expecting McIntosh and Sonus faber to disappear by the end of the week, through general hatred toward late-stage capitalism, to a few positive voices. Although such buyouts are often uneasy actions, there's three things to consider here. First, this is not the McIntosh Group's first time it's been bought and sold. The group has been through several venture capitalist and managed buyouts in recent years. Bose might just be its forever home. Secondly, Bose brings a lot of corporate firepower (and a well-stocked war chest) to the party... who knows, maybe we'll see the return of Wadia, as the brand name is a vestigial part of the McIntosh Group.

The American Music Tourism Act of 2024 (S.4212) was introduced by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) in April 2024. The bill aims to promote music tourism across the United States by amending the Visit America Act of 2022. It passed the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on July 31, 2024, and was unanimously approved by the Senate on December 5, 2024. The Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Travel and Tourism is tasked with identifying and promoting key music tourism locations and events across the United States. This includes music museums, studios, festivals, and concert venues. The Act also aims to boost both domestic and international travel to music-related destinations. It emphasizes rural and culturally rich destinations as prime locations for hosting international meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions.

The audio community is a community – actually, many overlapping and intersecting ones. Like other communities, its members share norms, support and encourage excellence in one another, celebrate achievements, mourn losses, welcome new additions, and more. Communities communicate. This is an obvious truth; perhaps even a banal one. It's not always bad to be obvious or banal, however. After all, 'obvious truths' come in two varieties: those so obvious they require no defense or argument in their favor; and those that are obvious only after the argument for them has been made. And while many banalities are simply that, the history of ideas is basically a catalog of great works expanding on apparent banalities.

Thanks to Analogue Productions owner Chad Kassem, we're bringing you this curated video discussing the new UHQR 45 rpm vinyl LP release of Steely Dan's legendary Aja recording. We get a rare opportunity to hear behind-the-scenes info! We also enjoy learning more about the classic Steely Dan Aja on UHQR clarity vinyl. Within the video, none other than Donald Fagen reminisces with award-winning recording engineer Bill Schnee, mastering engineer Bernie Grundman, and the Tracking Angle's Fred Kaplan, plus Analogue Productions' own Chad Kassem. Steely Dan enthusiasts rejoice! Bonus video as Bernie Grundman revisits Aja. We're especially overjoyed to present the below video with legendary audio engineer Bernie Grundman.

We invite you to join our social media pages and meet like-minded music lovers from all around the world. Like and follow our social media pages to chat with our reviewers, industry luminaries, and our loyal followers. Have your voice heard while staying informed about the latest high-end audio news, audiophile events, and updates related to EnjoyTheMusic.com. Engage with our special social media community and discuss your favorite bands, brands, and tips / tricks to get better sound. Special exclusive content that isn't available elsewhere can be seen on our socials. Don't miss out on the benefits, come join our Facebook, Instagram, and X pages. We look forward to seeing you there and as always... enjoy the music.

After finally getting back to the office, return with me now to those thrilling days of yesteryear, circa November 2024, where I proceed on the 3rd Floor to the large rooms overlooking the Atrium floor. I'll start with the Twinbrook room, closest to Olive's Restaurant. MBL (or mbl, as the Germans like it spelled) is one of the most elite major brands in the industry. There is a timelessness to this brand, anchored by the technology of its omnidirectional speakers, that evolves slowly only as the technology of the industry itself evolves. I can imagine that most customers see mbl gear as their "forever" purchases, allowing them to target other luxuries with their wealth. It doesn't show up on the used market very often…except for a DAC or CD player being displaced by a new streamer.

While there are an abundance of premium audio shows within the USA and throughout the world, there is still a segment at CES 2025 that showcases high-end audio gear, which is set to accommodate audiophiles and casual listeners alike with state-of-the-art sound technologies. This year's high-end audio section will feature cutting-edge innovations in audiophile-grade headphones, speakers, sound systems, and consumer-friendly wireless audio technologies, promising to revolutionize how we experience sound. Attendees will have the opportunity to experience firsthand the advancements in spatial audio, immersive sound experiences, and high-resolution audio, with major companies unveiling products designed to deliver unparalleled audio quality.

Many brilliant speaker engineers I know, particularly those more actively involved in the industry, have in common a shared understanding of the limitations and strong compromises needed to create products that actually reach consumers. They are fully aware that the speaker is the weakest link in the sound chain and that its efficiency is lower than anything they dare to discuss. Paradoxically, they all share a profound belief in their mission to achieve performance gains according to the intended application of their work – with listening performance being the ultimate goal, albeit with the inevitable compromises. But performance can be an elusive metric, depending on the intended application goals of the finished product. A speaker driver is just a component in a loudspeaker system design, as Vance Dickason reminded us in his recently (re)published text about the purpose of his Test Bench characterizations. "Whether a particular driver ends up sounding good or bad to a large extent depends on the application and the skill set of the systems engineer designing the product.

Editorial: It's All Good

Meet Your Maker: Dr. Matthew Webster, CEO Of YG Acoustics

Antipodes Audio Oladra Music Server

Master Fidelity NADAC D/NADAC C DAC And CLock

Thrax Audio Sirens Stand-Mount Loudspeaker

Cambridge Audio EXA100/EXN100 Integrated Amplifier & Streamer

Piega Coax 611 Floorstanding Loudspeaker

conrad-johnson ART150 Stereo Power Amplifier

Roksan Caspian 4G Streaming Integrated Amplifier

Quiescent T500VA Balanced Mains Supply

...And Much More!

No matter how you look at it, 2024 was not the best year yet for our hi-fi/high fidelity music/audio hobby. People who already had a good audio system just kept it, buying little else. After worldwide inflation, people without systems and of ordinary means were sufficiently concerned about keeping food on the table, shoes on their feet, and gas in their car, that they put off any purchases they didn't think absolutely necessary – including new, even otherwise affordable, high-performance audio gear; and, even though the rich – including, apparently, a surprising number of billionaires – bought ultra-expensive, Ultra High-End Audio gear (including multi-hundred-thousand-dollar electronics and near-million-dollar speaker systems) in surprising quantity, it wasn't enough to keep our industry prosperous.

Our January 2025 issue celebrates EnjoyTheMusic.com's 30 years of continuous service to music lovers, audiophiles, and immersive sound enthusiasts alike! We are truly grateful to you, our longstanding loyal readership and newcomers too. Over the past 30 years, our luxurious premium audio industry has grown and flourished far beyond our wildest expectations in 1995. With vinyl LPs and analog reel-to-reel tape bringing the many joys of great-sounding music within our homes, virtually all of us also enjoy recording studio quality lossless Hi-Res Music streaming. During 2025, EnjoyTheMusic.com plans various features and other highlights during the past 30 years of being a service to music lovers globally. We wish everyone a very happy New Year and as always, in the end what really matters is that you... enjoy the music!

Room 661 was the temporary clubhouse for the DC HiFi Group. They tried to recruit me again this year but the commute is too long and contributes to global warming. They had some cool stuff here like this $299/pr. monitor from Vinh Vu. I contacted Vinh and he assured me they sound good. They also come fully assembled and finished. Plug 'n play. Not a kit. And they are not in stock either, so you can expect the price to go up when Trump's tariffs go into effect. Don't blame me. These VTV monoblocks with Purifi Class D amplification look pretty cute, too. From their website: "VTV Amplifier is a custom builder of the latest generation of Class D amplifiers. As an authorized dealer for Hypex, PASCAL A/S, and Purifi-Audio, we can customize a design for your specific application. From the economical, integrated MP series NCore modules, ideal for home theater or multiway speakers to high-end NCore and Purifi-Audio modules suitable for studio monitoring or high-end home systems, we can build the ideal amplification package for you."