Read our AXPONA 2016 Show Coverage DAY 1 | DAY 2 | FINAL THOUGHTS

AXPONA 2016 Show Report Day 2

Robert Kozel

9:51 PM

My last stop at the show was the KEF booth for a demo of the LS50 mini monitors. The LS50 monitors are able to produce an incredibly wide soundstage and they have amazing low-end extension without the need for a subwoofer. While the big draw at the show was the ELAC speakers at $499, the LS50 at $1500 were my favorite premium monitors at the show. The KEF LS50 were also on sale for $1,300 as an AXPONA show special.

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

9:35 PM

This is the airmotivB1 speaker from Emotiva. It features a folded-ribbon tweeter and retails for $299 a pair. They will be available this quarter. The speaker was shown with an Emotiva personal audio system featuring the Stealth DC-1 ($499) fully differential USB DAC and SP1 ($299) input selector and phono preamp. 

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

9:26 PM

So you might have heard the old saying that “good things come in small packages.” I stopped by the Shure booth and was amazed to find this innocuous looking pair of KSE1500 in-ear monitors. What makes the KSE1500 so special is that they are electrostatic in-ear monitors! They come with their own dedicated amplifier, the KSA1500. They were the best in-ear monitors that I’ve ever sampled. The KSE1500 with the KSA1500 amp cost a whopping $2,999. 

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

9:16 PM

To go along with the DP-X1, Pioneer offers the SE-MHR5 balanced headphones ($299). They have a 40mm wide-range driver which covers 7Hz – 50kHz.

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

9:12 PM

This is the Onkyo DP-X1 digital audio player. It retails for $899 and has dual SABRE ES9018K2M DACs. It converts all audio into DSD quality by using a realtime DSD conversion through the digital output. It also includes an MQA (master quality audio) decoder for playback of MQA content. The MQA technology allows you to hear exactly what an artist approved in the recording studio.

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

9:00 PM

So do premium headphones demand a premium cable? If you answered yes to that question, then the Axios headphone cable from Kimber Kable might be for you. It retails for $750 and features premium components and beautiful hand-braided conductors. The Axios cables were being used in the Woo Audio demo room. The quality is exemplary if you can afford it.

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

8:43 PM

Looking for a cool headphone stand? This is the Bendy from Bendy Head. The top of the american birch plywood stand flexes and is designed to evenly distribute the weight of the headphones so as to avoid any premature wear on the headband. It comes in natural, ebony and brown. It retails for $79.

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

8:33 PM

This is the Blue Hawaii electrostatic headphone amp from HeadAmp Audio Electronics Inc., which is located in Charlottesville, Virginia. This beautiful amplifier starts at $5,500 for the base model and is also available with an ALPS RK50 rotary potentiometer volume control for $6,500. The amp is custom made, undergoes a two week burn-in period at the factory, and currently is on a 6-9 month backorder. The sound was incredibly smooth and transparent and was easily one of the best headphone amps at the show. 

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

8:17 PM

There were plenty of in-ear monitors at the show. This attractive display was from Campfire Audio.

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

8:16 PM

Here is the Sennheiser HDVD 800 DAC / headphone amplifier ($2,199.95). The HDVD 800 features Burr Brown DA converters and can drive four pairs of headphones simultaneously. 

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

8:09 PM

I was able to spend some more time in the Ear Gear Expo today. This area of the show had a constant stream of traffic with people auditioning products and discussing their favorite headphone gear. There is no doubt that this is a major market for the consumer with products at all price levels. Here’s a look at the HD 800 S from Sennheiser ($1,699.95).

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

7:59 PM

Bryston was putting on a great demo of the Mini T monitor speakers ($3,370 / pair).
So the place to be at AXPONA was the ELAC demo room. Andrew Jones was showing the new UB5 bookshelf speakers. At $499 a pair, they were easily the best sounding and best value speakers at the show. It was hard to believe that such little speakers could produce such a big, vibrant soundstage. The room was standing room only with way too many people for a hotel room. ELAC is going to sell these like candy. It was so great to see affordable, high quality products that the average person visiting AXPONA could afford.

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

7:34 PM

Bryston was putting on a great demo of the Mini T monitor speakers ($3,370 / pair).

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

7:26 PM

These are the Logos Tower speakers from Swiss company Goldmund. If you look carefully in the picture, you will notice that there are no cables connected to the speakers. The Logos Towers are wireless speakers and they are connected via a Goldmund wireless hub. I was disappointed to see that the system did not support the WiSA (wireless speaker and audio) technology but instead used a propriety system from Texas Instruments. The speakers retail for $33K but were available for a show special of $20K. So is it just me, or does that Goldmund universal player look like an Oppo Digital player in a fancy jacket?

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

7:08 PM

Here is some beautiful equipment in the demo room for Silnote Audio, manufacturer of high-end cables. The speakers are B&W 802 Nautilus ($8,500). The DAC is the LampizatOr Reference Level 4 ($5,195). The integrated amplifier is a Jadis DA-60 ($8,995). The Silnote cables used in the system cost just under $13K and the total system price is around $57K.

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

6:47 PM

These are the new TEAC NT-503 (top) USB DAC/network audio player and UD-503 (bottom) USB DAC/balanced headphone amp. Both products retail for $999 and feature AKM AK4490 DACs which support up to 11.2 MHz DSD and 384 kHz/32-bit PCM. The NT-503 includes DLNA 1.5 support via an Ethernet input and includes Bluetooth AptX as well as iOS and Android control apps.

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

6:25 PM

TEAC was showing their affordable TN-300 ($399) series turntable in several colors.

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

6:17 PM

This is the BACCH Stereo Purifier (BACCH-SP) digital audio processor from Theoretica Applied Physics. It creates a 3D soundstage from a pair of stereo loudspeakers. The BACCH 3D sound technology was developed at Princeton University and uses crosstalk cancellation filters based upon calibration measurements taken from binaural microphones placed in the listener’s ears. The system uses a 3D infrared camera to track the listener’s head position in order to make realtime adjustments. The demo sounded pretty convincing even though it wasn’t calibrated for my ears. The price is $54,000!

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

5:57 PM

So what’s a Sony reel-to-reel deck doing at AXPONA? It was used as the source device for the Magico S5 Mk II speaker demonstration. The S5 Mk II speakers cost $38,000 in a standard finish and can be upgraded to a high gloss painted finish for $42,000. The demo track was of a female vocalist and the sound was stunning. This was easily my favorite high end speaker demo at the show. 

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

3:31 PM

Dan D’Agostino was showing the Progression mono amplifier at the show. The Progression amp provides 800 watts into 8 ohms, 1,600 watts into 4 ohms, and a staggering 3,200 watts into 2 ohms. A pair of these beautiful amps was powering the Wilson Audio Alexx speakers, which were making their Midwest debut at AXPONA.

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

3:24 PM

You normally have to go to a show like CES to see this system, but MBL was showing their Radialstrahler mbl 101 X-treme System at the show.

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

3:18 PM

The great thing about shows like AXPONA is that they are open to the general public and you can listen to some amazing audio gear. This is the Von Schweikert Audio demo room. The speakers are the VR-55 Aktive and they retail for $60,000 for the pair. The room was treated with acoustical products from SMT of Sweden. The performance of the system was fantastic with exquisite detail and realism. If you have the budget for a high-end system, put these on your list to audition.

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

3:06 PM

These beauties are the Woo Audio WA7 Fireflies headphone amplifier and DAC. Like the WA8, the WA7 Fireflies is an all-tube, Class-A design. It also uses the ESS SABRE ES9018K2M Reference DAC. The WA7 can be used as a single cube for $999 or as a double cube for $1,599 in case you want to bi-amp your headphones. The performance was stellar, due in part to the HIFIMAN Edition X headphones available in the demo. I loved the Fireflies and went back to listen to them again just for fun.

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

2:46 PM

This is the Woo Audio WA5 (center) and WA5-LE (right). The WA5 is a headphone and speaker amplifier which retails for $5,899. The WA5-LE is a headphone amplifier which retails for $3,699.

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

7:09 AM

This is the Audio Alchemy demo room which features the DDP-1 preamp ($1,995), the PS-5 power station ($595), the DMP-1 digital music player ($1,795) and two DPA-1M 325 watt monoblock amps ($1,995). The speakers are E-3 MkII from Endeavor Audio Engineering which are $8,000 for the pair.

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

6:55 AM

One of my favorite demo rooms so far was hosted by Audio by Van Alstine. The demo track was a piece from the Titanic soundtrack. The system created a wide, richly detailed soundstage and I could imagine the orchestra performing in front of me. I was impressed with the bass extension from the beautiful Salk Soundstage speakers ($8,995/pair in the standard finish) that were used with the system. The system was powered by two DVA 850 mono block amplifiers which retail for $3,699 each. Frank Van Alstine has been making American made audiophile products for over 40 years in Minnesota. The system had a premium audio sound at prices that weren’t out of this world.

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

6:22 AM

AXPONA has numerous demo rooms hosted by dealers. This room was put together by Holm Audio and featured Sony equipment. The speakers are Sony SSAR1 floor standing speakers which retail for $27,000 for the pair. The source device is the Sony HAPZ1es hi-res server ($1,999). 

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

Cynthia Johnson-St Denis

10:08 AM

ELAC speakers. GREAT PRICE POINT!!

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

10:03 AM

Bryston

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

10:00 AM

Bryston room

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

9:51 AM

Goldmund Logos tower wireless speaker

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

9:30 AM

TEAC

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

9:26 AM

Peach tree audio 2.0 Bluetooth aptX music system

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

9:24 AM

JansZen speaker

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

9:17 AM

janszen speakers

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

9:07 AM

Magico S5 Mark 2 speakers sound pretty magical

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

8:59 AM

Lilies sound panel speakers

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

8:50 AM

Perla Audio

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

8:47 AM

Adam audio

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

8:22 AM

Hartsfield speaker from Classic Audio

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

7:54 AM

Closer look at Woo fireflies

AXPONA 2016 Show Report

 

7:48 AM

Woo audio WA7 Fireflies headphone amp and DAC

AXPONA 2016 Show Report