High-End Audio / Audiophile & Music Industry News

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08 / 07 / 25

World Premiere Review!
Merrill Audio Element 110 Monoblock Power Amplifier Review
A significant accomplishment!
Review By Tom Lyle
I would understand if some readers of Enjoy the Music.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?
---> Merrill Audio Element 110 Monoblock Power Amplifier Review.

World Premiere Review!
Synergistic Research PowerCell 8 SX Review
Pushing your sound system to the next level with innovative technology.
Review By Rick Becker
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.
---> Synergistic Research PowerCell 8 SX Review.

08 / 06 / 25

Audio Dreamin': AES Show 2025 Unveils The Future Of Sound
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. On October 22, a series of skill-building workshops and optional technical tours will immerse participants in real-world studios and manufacturing facilities. Beginning October 23, the exhibit halls open daily from 10 AM to 6 PM, featuring leading manufacturers demonstrating their latest gear. Concurrently, breakout sessions run from 9 AM to 5:30 PM on Thursday and Friday, with a final round of presentations concluding at 5 PM on Saturday. These sessions span topics such as spatial audio for VR, sustainable loudspeaker design, and advanced studio automation techniques, ensuring every attendee finds content aligned with their professional passions.

Beyond education, AES Show 2025 is where innovation meets opportunity as exhibitors showcase new products and host intimate demos in dedicated rooms. Sponsors benefit from high-visibility branding through kiosks, demo spaces, and signage packages, while networking events like the Ice Cream Social foster organic connections among peers. As a non-profit, volunteer-based organization, AES leverages these gatherings to advance the science and practice of audio, cementing Long Beach as the epicenter of sound innovation and collaboration each fall.

08 / 04 / 25

Third Floor Fantasies Of Hi-Fi Home Audio Gear
The continuing journey traveling through AXPONA 2025.
Audio Expo North America (AXPONA) 2025 Show Report By Rick Becker 
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.
---> Third Floor Fantasies Of Hi-Fi Home Audio Gear.

Audio Thrills And Music Chills On AXPONA 2025's Second Floor
Let's continue the audiophile coverage with AXPONA part 10.
Audio Expo North America (AXPONA) 2025 Show Report By Rick Becker
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.
---> Audio Thrills And Music Chills On AXPONA 2025's Second Floor.

08 / 01 / 25

High-End Audio Spotlight: World Premiere, Gear Reviews, & Acoustic Insights
Continuing our celebratory salute to three decades of high-end audio journalism, Enjoy the Music.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, reflective versus absorptive effects, and even fundamentals of anechoic chamber design. A must-read! 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. Retro looks with modern parts. Paul praises its marriage of vintage warmth and modern clarity. Also within this issue is longtime audiophile reviewer Brett Rudolph as he puts the Rotel Michi X5 Series 2 Integrated Amplifier through its paces, highlighting its 600 Watts of power, built-in phono stage, and Hi-Res Audio DAC as a Swiss Army knife for serious music lovers. As we look back upon our 30th Anniversary, we revisit Wojciech Pacuła's report on the Ayon Audio Crossfire EVO vacuum tube monoblock amplifier. He emphasizes its rich, tuneful sound and balanced tonality. We also feature a must-buy book The Complete Guide To High-End Audio, by The Absolute Sound's Editor Robert Harley, plus our review of YG Acoustics' Carmel 2 floorstanding loudspeaker. And just for fun, we're also featuring Nelson Pass' sensational Slot Loaded Open Baffle loudspeaker DIY project. As always, in the end what really matters is that you... enjoy the music!
---> High-End Audio Spotlight: World Premiere, Gear Reviews, & Acoustic Insight.

Pump Up The Volume? When Is Loud Too Loud?
Roger Skoff writes about musical and audio dynamics.
Article By Roger Skoff
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.)
---> Pump Up The Volume? When Is Loud Too Loud?

World Premiere Review!
Vintage Warmth Meets Modern Clarity: Pilot Radio Vacuum Tube Stereo Preamplifier Review
Elevating your hi-fi setup with a blast from the past.
Review By Paul Schumann
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.
---> Vintage Warmth Meets Modern Clarity: Pilot Radio Vacuum Tube Stereo Preamplifier Review.

600 Watts Of Musical Bliss: Rotel Michi X5 Series 2 Integrated Amplifier Review
A modern Swiss Army Knife stereo integrated amplifier for music lovers.
Review By Brett Rudolph
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 Enjoy the Music.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.
---> 600 Watts Of Musical Bliss: Rotel Michi X5 Series 2 Integrated Amplifier Review.

Ayon Audio Crossfire EVO Monoblock Power Amplifier Review
Ayon Audio's Crossfire Evo produces an amazingly rich, tuneful sound with tonal balance.
Review By Wojciech Pacuła
When we carried Ayon Audio's Crossfire Evo monoblock amplifier for review to my apartment on the fourth floor, my mind flooded with memories of a Germany reviewer that uses Ayon Audio's Epsilon mono amplifiers for quite some time. He use them in both his mastering work while preparing vinyl re-issues and for reviewing purposes. His amplifiers use eight KT150 tubes each to produce sound. Attendees of the Audio Show 2014 in Warsaw (Poland) could find that out for themselves listening to how well these amps handled the mighty Dynaudio Platinum Evidence loudspeakers. So while going up the many floors to my home, Ayon Audio's Crossfire Evo monoblocks might not be particularly heavy since most of the weight is concentrated on their backs due to the large transformers. There are two power transformers as one powers up only the output tube, as the other serves for input and driver tubes.
---> Ayon Audio Crossfire EVO Monoblock Power Amplifier Review.

The Complete Guide to High-End Audio
Fifth Edition by Robert Harley
An excellent reference book for a newbie and seasoned reviewer.
Review By Heather And Steven R. Rochlin
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 Complete Guide to High-End Audio.

The Slot Loaded Open Baffle Loudspeaker Project
Article By Nelson Pass
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.
---> The Slot Loaded Open Baffle Loudspeaker Project.

Many more reviews & articles are within our Review Magazine.

07 / 31 / 25

CEDIA 2025 Luxury Audio / Video And Integrator Event
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, while continued advances in immersive audio and video integration take their rightful place within modern homes and office spaces.

Alongside the expo floor, the CEDIA Education Conference runs September 3rd through 5th, offering expert-led tracks on business growth, future-ready technologies, and integration best practices. On Wednesday, September 3 at 5:30 p.m. MDT, the CEDIA Expo 2025 Town Hall welcomes Daryl Friedman (CEDIA) and Bill Darcy (NKBA | KBIS) to unveil joint research on the evolving collaboration between smart home integrators and design-build professionals, providing first access to key study findings at no additional cost. L-Acoustics plans to debuts their HYRISS (Hyperreal Immersive Sound Space) demo room, featuring a 360° spherical loudspeaker system powered by Soka, SB10i, and X4i models, L-ISA Anima spatialization, and full Milan-AVB connectivity—offering attendees a glimpse of professional-grade audio for true luxury residences and magnificent yachts.

07 / 30 / 25

IFA 2025 To Feature Immersive Music 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.

Beyond hands-on demos and immersive listening spaces, IFA 2025's Innovation, Dream, and Creator stages deliver four days of deep-dive programming on Future of Intelligence, Smart Society, Connectivity, and Sustainability. Highlights include keynote addresses by Electrolux's CEO on resource-efficient manufacturing and by Dr. Markus Miele on AI in home appliances, plus expert panels on AI-driven wellness, next-gen networks, and circular-economy strategies. High-level networking unfolds at the invite-only Retail Leaders Summit, while ShowStoppers on September 4 gives media early access to product launches. Trade visitors secure business conferences, exclusive previews, and guided sector tours, and general-public tickets unlock live demos, e-sports competitions, Summer Garden music concerts, and celebrity autograph sessions—all bookable now via the IFA portal, which also offers travel planning, accommodation deals, and interactive venue maps.

07 / 29 / 25

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues In Theaters September
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. Moments such as the baffling album cover art, the band's heartfelt yet misguided press conferences, and the ongoing drummer-related calamities (including spontaneous combustion and choking incidents) showcase a razor-sharp wit tempered by genuine camaraderie among the characters. The film's clever balance of cringe and comic relief helped it transcend genre boundaries, turning it into a cult classic almost overnight.

Over the decades, Spinal Tap has influenced countless mockumentaries, from Waiting for Guffman to A Mighty Wind, and has been embraced by both music and film aficionados. It introduced tropes—like the oversized stage props and the amplifier that literally "goes to eleven"—into the rock lexicon, while its characters became archetypes for self-important musicians everywhere. Forty-one years after the original's release, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues reunites Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, and director-narrator Rob Reiner for "one final concert," documenting the band's attempt to reconcile past grudges and secure a 12th drummer who survives past the encore. Set to hit theaters on September 12, the sequel brings back documentarian Marty Di Bergi (Rob Reiner) capturing the trio's absurd rehearsals and backstage antics, while featuring star-studded cameos from Paul McCartney, Elton John, Garth Brooks, Questlove, and Trisha Yearwood. The first trailer, unveiled July 24, 2025, promises more of the original's musical mayhem, with the band determined to turn the volume "beyond eleven" for their ultimate farewell gig. But who will be their drummer?

07 / 28 / 25

Stay True To The Act: Protect Copyrighted Works Of Art
Over 30 prominent and emerging artists from across the EU have joined forces in a video campaign called "Stay True To The Act," urging European policymakers to honor the original intent of the EU AI Act and safeguard creators from unlicensed use of their work by generative AI firms. Among those speaking out are Spanish singer-songwriter Álex Ubago, who emphasizes that "AI should protect music and those who create it," and Poland's Eurovision 2025 representative Justyna Steczkowska, who demands the right to know if—and to refuse—when her music is used to train AI systems. The IFPI, an organization that claims to be the voice of the recording industry, says, "The Stay True To The Act campaign is a direct appeal to the European policymakers to ensure that implementation of the Act reflects its original spirit of transparency, accountability and the protection of European creators."

The coalition's appeal centers on a critical concern: AI developers are reportedly leveraging copyrighted material without artists' knowledge or consent to train models capable of churning out content that closely mimics individual styles. Although the 2024 EU AI Act introduced pioneering requirements for developers to disclose training data, campaigners warn that current discussions risk diluting these transparency and accountability clauses, leaving creators vulnerable and undermining the legislation's protective purpose. Through heartfelt video messages, the artists call on the European Commission to implement the AI Act in its full spirit by ensuring that creators retain control over how their works are used and receive fair remuneration, that AI training processes remain transparent and compliant with existing copyright rules, and that a thriving, collaborative ecosystem emerges where both music and AI innovation can flourish throughout the EU.

07 / 25 / 25

Capital Audiofest 2025: Washington DC's Ultimate Audiophile Experience
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 Atrium Marketplace will be buzzing with vendors offering rare vinyl, CDs, accessories, and audiophile curiosities, while the theater and bar areas will host live music performances and special evening events.
---> Learn More At Enjoy the Music.com's Exclusive CAF 2025 Show Report.

07 / 24 / 25

GTT Audio Visits Rufus Smith Of Enjoy the Music.com
Bill Parish visits a longtime audio reviewer in North Carolina.
Article By Rufus Smith
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.
---> GTT Audio Visits Rufus Smith Of Enjoy the Music.com.

MC Audiotech Forty 10 Loudspeaker Review
This could be your 'forever speaker'.
Review By Rick Becker
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.
---> MC Audiotech Forty 10 Loudspeaker Review.

07 / 22 / 25

Futuresource Consulting's Audio Collaborative 2025
Futuresource Consulting's Audio Collaborative 2025 returns as the audio sector's premier one-day summit on Wednesday, 12 November 2025, hosted at London's iconic Soho Hotel. This full-day gathering brings together senior executives, emerging disruptors and thought leaders under one roof to explore the intersection of commercial strategy and cultural context. With Futuresource's renowned research at its core, delegates will gain a panoramic view of market performance, emerging technologies and consumer behavior in a data-driven environment designed to inspire bold thinking and informed decision-making. The event program is structured around a series of data-rich presentations and high-impact panel discussions. Highlights include "The Audio Industry in Numbers," which delivers an up-to-the-minute assessment of category winners and losers; "Voice of the Retailer," spotlighting shifting channels and shopper preferences; and "Decoding the Audio Consumer," leveraging Futuresource's Consumer Insights to map purchasing drivers. Other sessions—such as "Tariff Turbulence," examining macroeconomic headwinds, and "The Innovative Future of Hearing Health," probing Apple's entry into OTC hearing aids—underscore the breadth of strategic challenges and opportunities facing the industry in 2025 and beyond.

Beyond its agenda, Audio Collaborative 2025 offers unrivalled networking opportunities—roundtables, informal meet-ups and a closing drinks reception—to forge new partnerships and share best practices. Attendees can interact with visionaries across global brands and startups, while event partners and sponsors gain exposure to a highly engaged audience. Early-bird tickets are priced at £266 (plus VAT) until the specified deadline, before standard tickets rise to £399, and point-to-point sponsorship packages are available for companies aiming to raise their profile within the sector.

07 / 21 / 25

audioXpress' August 2025 Issue
Editorial: The Endless Mysteries Of Acoustics
The Audio Circuits Cookbook By Ethan Winer
Neumann RIME Ref. Immersive Monitoring Environment
A Microacoustics Modeling Primer Part 2 Numerical Modeling
Acoustical Effects Of Floor Finishes
New Dimensions In Acoustics
The Room Impulse Response (RIR) Paradox
Real-Time Acoustic Simulation
Anechoic Chamber Design Fundamentals
And Much More!

Within his editorial, J. Martins says "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."
---> audioXpress August 2025 Issue.

07 / 17 / 25

dCS LINA Head-Fi / Headphone System Review
Headphone listening for the ages!
Review By Frank Iacone
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.
---> dCS LINA Head-Fi / Headphone System Review.

Pass Labs X260.8 Monoblock Amplifier Review
Prestigious power, glorious grace, and terrific transparency.
Review By Dwayne Carter
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.
---> Pass Labs X260.8 Monoblock Amplifier Review.

07 / 10 / 25

World Premiere Review!
Metronome Audio Le DAC 2 Review
The Spice must flow.
Review By Paul Schumann
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.
---> Metronome Audio Le DAC 2 Review.

Let's Talk About Luxurious Premium Audio Shows
Hi-fi shows and what they ought to be.
Article By Roger Skoff
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....
---> Let's Talk About Luxurious Premium Audio Shows.

07 / 08 / 25

Shanghai International Top Audio-Visual Show (TAS) 2025
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.

Beyond product displays, TAS 2025 will host expert-led seminars, hands-on workshops, and guided listening sessions where guests can engage directly with engineers and designers. Networking lounges and meeting suites provide a forum for distributors, dealers, and journalists. The centerpiece of TAS 2025 will be the latest in immersive spatial audio systems, moving well beyond traditional 5.1 or 7.1 channel layouts. Expect demonstrations of immersivephile sound systems, object-based formats like Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and Auro-3D powered by advanced loudspeaker arrays and beamforming technology. Manufacturers will showcase wave-field synthesis rigs capable of creating locally precise sound zones, so each listener hears a personalized mix. These setups highlight how multi-driver panels and coaxial point-source speakers can render hyper-realistic soundscapes for home cinemas and dedicated listening rooms. As one of Asia's premier high-end luxury A/V gatherings, the Shanghai International Top Audio-Visual Show continues to set the pace for technological advancement and market expansion across Greater China and beyond.

07 / 07 / 25

Hi-Fi+ July 2025 High-End Audio Magazine
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!

Within this month's editorial, Alan Sircom says "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."
---> Hi-Fi+'s July 2025 High-End Audio Magazine.

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