Q Acoustics, Geshelli, Unison: Fidelity Imports’ Budget Bangers
I signed up to cover several Fidelity Imports rooms at AXPONA, expecting to find components that overdeliver on performance and value. I wasn’t wrong.
AXPONA 2025
Bandwidth Audio, Tannoy, VPI: Rugged Tubes from the Lone Star State
Texas-based Bandwidth Audio brought a suite of handsome, industrial-style, tube-based amplifiers to AXPONA. Consumers can buy direct from the manufacturer.
Rhythm in the Room: Marten, Garrard, Engström, Luxman, and More
Craig Hoffman, co-founder and managing director of Rhythm Distribution, presented a system in Room 1229 built from components sourced across Switzerland, the UK, Sweden, and Japan.
Sound Organisation Unites Rega, ProAc, and Chord in a British System Showdown
Steve Daniels's Sound Organisation showcased components from Rega Research, Chord Electronics, and ProAc—renowned British manufacturers known for their competitively priced, high-quality designs—and drew attention with several debut products.
Where “Whiskey and You” Got Under My Skin: the AXISS Room with AirTight, Transrotor, Rockport, and Echole
Cliff Duffey, TJ Goldby, and Steve Huntley of AXISS Audio aren’t just savvy representatives—they’re passionate advocates for the high-end brands they carry. Their rooms at AXPONA reflected care, from product selection to well-curated playlists that demonstrated a serious grasp of what makes music sound alive.
Monoblocks and Megabucks: Goldmund, Marten, and Jorma Go Deep with Rhythm Distribution
Room 1230 featured a collaboration led by Rhythm Distribution and joined by Qobuz, Silent Angel, AudioQuest, Focal Naim America, Vicoustic, and HRS—an all-star cast giving a confident performance.
Zesto, YG, Feickert, Tri-Planar, Ortofon, Stillpoints, and Cardas Do Justice to Billie and Rimsky
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.
Room Correction, Swiss Precision, and Serious Scale: Von Schweikert, WestminsterLab, Rockna, LUMIN
New York–based dealer New Life Audio teamed up with California distributor Hear This—representing WestminsterLab and Von Schweikert Audio—to build a system around those two brands. On a Bach Violin Concerto, played with characteristic sweetness—if not period authenticity—by Belgian violinist Arthur Grumiaux, both tone and texture came through with striking fidelity.
Wattson’s Madison Amplifier Debuts with CH Precision DNA, Magico Brawn
At Munich High End 2024, my biggest discovery was Switzerland’s Wattson Audio. It’s easy to hear a sonic kinship between Wattson and its new owner, CH Precision—an affinity that helped explain CH’s acquisition of the company last year.
Friends with (Sonic) Benefits: Stenheim, VTL, Grand Prix, Kuzma, Nordost, and dCS
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).