Jason Victor Serinus

Persistence Pays Off: Audio Research's Best and Sonus faber's jewels Sound Fabulous with dCS, Clearaudio, DS Audio, Innuos, Kubala-Sosna, and Critical Mass

No fewer than five Stereophilers visited Fidelity Imports’ Utopia-D room during AXPONA 2025. I focused on the Audia Flight Strumento No.8 monoblocks ($34,999/each) that had joined forces with Audia Flight’s Strumento No.1 EVO preamplifier ($29,995), an FLS 20 SACD player/streamer ($21,999), and a Flight Phono ($6999).

“Do you know where the room with Pearl Acoustics Sibelius loudspeakers is?” That question, which greeted Jim Austin and me as we navigated the stairs, grew increasingly common as AXPONA unfolded.

For years, my Stereophile colleagues have laid claim to Zesto Audio’s exhibits; so at this AXPONA, I was glad to cover a room where I could enjoy Zesto’s sparkling tube sound again.

I’ve commented on this combination so often—five of these eight brands occupy my music room—that I didn’t linger long in Quintessence Audio’s excellently assembled “Knowledge” room. That didn’t stop me from admiring the contrast between the riveting yellow finish of Wilson Audio’s Chronosonic XVX loudspeakers ($387,000/pair) and the bold black-and-copper livery of Dan D’Agostino Master Audio Systems’ Relentless M800 monoblocks ($195,500/pair). I began to wonder if the lovely blue of my Wilson Alexia Vs is a bit too sedate. When I chose my speakers’ finish I almost opted for the perfect shade of orange—bolder, like the XVX’s yellow—and now I wonder what the past few years might have sounded like had I gone that route.

In the Renaissance Hotel’s Connection room, Quintessence Audio of Morton Grove, Illinois presented Boulder’s new 1151 power amplifiers ($48,000/pair as monoblocks, see Stereophile’s June issue), a 1110 preamp ($24,000), and a 1108 phono preamp ($24,000), all making their AXPONA debut.

Stenheim, VTL, and Nordost returned as AXPONA system partners, joined this year by several notable additions. The analog front end featured Grand Prix Audio’s Monaco 3.0 turntable ($56,250) with Fuel Station battery power supply ($15,250), Kuzma’s Safir 9 tonearm ($23,140), and a Lyra Etna cartridge ($8995). Nordost showcased four rare Odin Gold power cords ($43,999), alongside its familiar Odin 2 and Valhalla 2 cables and a broad range of accessories. Digital duties had shifted from last year’s dCS Rossini Apex to the full Vivaldi Apex stack: DAC ($46,500), Upsampler ($27,000), and Master Clock ($21,000).