Montreal Audiofest 2026

Yzabel Audio, a new speaker manufacturer based in the Quebec City region, has been generating buzz with its standmount Classic 1 speaker. I got to check it out at Montreal Audiofest 2026.

This two-way design employs Scan-Speak drivers, a minimalist crossover with very few components, and is said by the manufacturer to achieve bass extension down to 30 Hz (±3 dB).

All I can do is describe what I heard—and that, summed up, was substantial. In a compact system including a Naim Streamer ($20,000), a 160Wpc Rega Osiris integrated amplifier ($16,999), and cabling by Artysan, the Yzabels' sound belied their size. The sound seemed fundamentally organic, smooth yet solid, luscious strings, fleshy vocals, and a bass response that seemed too copious to come from the speaker's 7" paper and carbon woofer.

Adding a few more adjectives: transparent, quick on its feet, dynamically fast, with sweet, extended highs. This small speaker seemed very well-balanced. Obviously, the rest of the system played a role in the overall sound.

Which brings me back to Rega—and Michel Rousseau of Stéréogroup, Rega's Canadian distributor. On static display in the downstairs lobby were two new separates from the English company, the Mercury preamplifier ($13,999) and the 168Wpc Solis stereo amplifier (same price; all prices are in Canadian dollars). That's big news when you consider that the last time Rega released new separates was more than 25 years ago. These are flagship products, designed and hand-built in England. Here's hoping they'll be on active display at the next show.