Stream Syndicate: Innuos, dCS, D’Agostino, and Wilson Audio Make Waves
In two adjacent rooms on the 14th floor of the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel, Innuos launched its latest Stream1 and Stream3 devices. Conceived as “the gateway to high-performance music,” the Stream series works with the Innuos Sense app. The app’s latest additions include a portal to the IDAGIO classical-music streaming service, Spotify Connect, Qobuz Connect, and more.
Supreme Acoustic Systems: Albedo, Accustic Arts, BennyAudio, and More Close Out AXPONA in Style
As AXPONA wound down, I stopped by the Supreme Acoustic Systems room hoping to catch up with CEO Hiram Toro. Instead, I was greeted by another familiar face: distributor Philip O’Hanlon of On a Higher Note, who welcomed me into a space humming with last-day energy.
Sweet Puppies Powered by Boulder: Wilson’s Legends Get a New Leash on Sound, Aided by Quintessence, Clearaudio, dCS, and Innuos
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.
Technics Spins, Weiss Decodes, Fern & Roby Delivers—with Network Acoustics, ModWright, and Black Cat
At this year’s AXPONA, Christopher Hildebrand of Fern & Roby introduced a new system that combined striking design with serious analog and digital performance.
Technics/Nagaoka: These Cartridges Will Soon Be Elusive No More
At AXPONA, Nagaoka’s Miyuki Nishii and Jie Ma joined Technics’s Bill Voss to present the full line of Nagaoka cartridges. The Japanese manufacturer is currently seeking US distribution, after years of limited availability in the American market due to a less-than-responsive distributor.
The New Pendulum Integrated Amplifier is Dan D’Agostino’s Bargain Bling Machine
First unveiled in passive display at Munich High End 2024, the new D’Agostino Pendulum Integrated amplifier made its US consumer audio show debut in two places at AXPONA 2025: a hallway setup—where listening was possible only at close range—and in a room sponsored by Innuos.
The Sicks of Us and the Two of Them: Luxman and Marten Find Show-Stopping Symmetry
“It’s Luxman’s 100th Anniversary,” Stereophile Editor Jim Austin told me in passing. “You’ve got to hear how good the sound is in the Rhythm Distribution room that Luxman shares with Marten and Jorma.”
This Tubed Line/Phono Stage Has an IP Address: Manley Labs Goes Remote
At AXPONA 2025’s Ear Gear Experience, Manley Labs president EveAnna Manley unveiled a long-rumored project: the company’s Precision Line and Phono Stage. Designed to marry tube tradition with modern functionality, the unit houses 10 triodes powered by Manley’s proprietary switch-mode supply. Behind its sculpted faceplate are six inputs, each assignable for line-level or RIAA-equalized signals, offering up to 75dB of gain.
Three Rooms, Three Systems, Zero Dull Moments: American Sound Distribution Grimm, Wadax, Avantgarde, Phasemation, Perpetuum Ebner, Rethm
Angie Lisi of American Sound Distribution exhibited several systems in multiple spaces. Room 1620 showcased gear from Grimm Audio, Wadax, Analog Relax, Avantgarde, Phasemation, and Rethm; Room 1642 offered a more compact setup focused on the latter three brands.
Tone Imports and Pitch Perfect Audio: Beyond Muskrat Love
At AXPONA 2025, Jonathan Halpern of Tone Imports and Matt Rotunda of Pitch Perfect Audio teamed up in room 2025. Very au courant. I first met Halpern and speaker designer John DeVore years ago, when both worked at Steve Mishoe’s In Living Stereo, a high-end store in New York. Their careers have long intersected—and so has their gear.