As AXPONA has grown, it has now become simply impossible to cover everything in two and a half days. Rooms get missed, time spent in each room is less than you would like to devote, and I always feel rushed. Exhibitors worldwide come to get exposure and to be heard here, along with the introduction of new products. In the next few years, AXPONA may have to expand to three and a half days, much like the Munich Show.Several distributor friends at the show mentioned how... Read More

AXPONA 2023 was an international event that puts the show and finally America on the world audio stage. The Consumer Electronics Show once was that event but high performance audio is no longer a meaningful part of that show. Founded in 2009 by then retailer Steve Davis, AXPONA (Audio Expo North America) for many years was a regional show, the sparsely attended 2011 Atlanta show being a good example. Shows were also held in New York City, Jacksonville, Florida and... Read More

AXPONA 2023 was by far the largest AXPONA show yet. Both industry participation and attendance were "off the charts". Plus, it was truly an international show, with visitors and company executives from around the world flying in to be part of a show that's now well more than a "regional event". Products were debuted in Chicago rather than being held until Munich. Many items debuted at last Munich's show made their first American... Read More

Convergent Audio Technology (CAT) has been producing top tier, triode preamps and amplifiers for decades, see what they brought to Axpona 2023

Visiting the Montreal Audiofest for the first time was a similar experience to my 2022 visit to the Toronto Audiofest. While in very different cities, the two shows have two important things in common: show organizers par excellence, Sarah Tremblay and Michel Plante, and a friendly, easy-going Canadian vibe - with lots of French thrown in to flavor the proceedings.Further similarities to the Toronto (and Tampa shows) were my inability to take notes on the model... Read More

This is the first time I've attended the long running (34 years) Montréal Audiofest, which took place March 24th through the 26th. It falls around my birthday so the timing for me isn't ideal. This year I was asked to present a lifetime achievement award to Oracle turntable designer Marcel Riendau and felt it was an honor and a good thing to do, as an Oracle Delphi was my first high performance turntable, I've reviewed two iterations and Mr. Riendau is... Read More

What exactly is "cavitation" as applied to record cleaning? None of the novelty videos on YouTube explain what it is and most of them make recommendations that clearly indicate the advocates have no idea what they are talking about!  In fact, many of the "cavitation" machines do not actually cavitate.

What are the 7 alignment targets necessary to hit in order to properly align a cartridge? And what are the benefits of proper alignment in addition to better sonic performance?

Last week's Florida International Audio Expo in Tampa truly was an "international" event. Before the show, the "international" characterization seemed somewhat over the top. After all, this is a recent, relatively small regional show organized by non-professionals. But show organizers knew something most attendees didn't: it truly was an international show! Japanese speaker manufacturer TAD took a big room and even company president... Read More

Being inside a hotel for three days is not exactly the Sun and Fun in Winter that most make it out to be. No matter. This year I experienced an embarrassment of riches in the form of many impressive high-end systems - and managed to leave the hotel for some Tampa exploration.I started the days with trips to local coffee shops to quell my jonesing for top-flight espresso. I had some serious lattes and a nice cafe Cubano near the hotel. Saturday morning was all about... Read More

I tip my hat to reviewers that do complete audio show coverage. The time/effort it takes to cover an entire show is enormous. Frankly, I am not that guy. Hey, you have to know your limitations. What I do want to share with you are some notable rooms that captured my attention and beckoned me to listen to the music rather than the equipment. Here are those rooms in no particular order.

Last November's Capital Audio Fest coverage appears here more than two months late. Very sorry about that. Fortunately, this kind of coverage doesn't date—at least not in two months—so please enjoy. Part 2 will soon post. The show was well supported by manufacturers, retailers and the usual dreamers and hobbyists as well as by a large group of used record dealers. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. What started out as a small, kind of intimate annual... Read More

Sorry it's taken so long to edit and post the second video from Warsaw Audio Video Show 2022 held the final few days of October, but based on previous show videos, interest remains strong well after the event. The Warsaw Audio Video Show is now considered Europe's second most important show after Munich, but that's mostly because Munich is more of a business to business show to which consumers are invited, whereas this show is almost exclusively a... Read More

TrackingAngle.com editor Michael Fremer was unable to attend the 39th annual Tokyo Audio Fair but reader Matthew Walker was there and sent some photos

Andrew Jones's first speaker for Mo-Fi is a radical departure from his slim baffle small driver past designs, though it retains the concentric drivers he's well know for creating over his long career, from companies like KEF, TAD and ELAC.

TrackingAngle.com editor Michael Fremer returns from Poland with hours of video footage, about an hour's worth is embedded here, posted on the site's youTube channel.

The Warsaw Audio Video Show 2022 is underway. Day one footage shot and being edited. Stay tuned for full details and day one video.