Jason Victor Serinus

For several decades—from well before I toured the Boulder factory in 2016—I've wanted to get a handle on the best sound the now–41-year-old company can offer. Multiple listening sessions at shows had more than hinted at excellence. But neither my time in Boulder's large, dedicated music room, which was intentionally dry, nor exposure at various hi-fi shows left me convinced that I'd heard Boulder's full potential.

My first opportunity for an in-home audition came in 2021, when I reviewed the 866 stereo integrated amplifier ($17,500 with DAC, $16,000 without). But that entry-level (by Boulder standards) product, which Senior Engineer Jameson Ludlam said was released to build brand awareness and expand the company's reach by offering "a more accessible product that provides the features we think many people are looking for with the performance they have come to expect from Boulder," only provided a peek at the excellence I expected Boulder to achieve.

So when a last-minute review cancellation opened space to review the just-released Boulder 1151 mono power amplifier ($47,000/pair), I thought, "At last!"

Munich’s annual High End show took place May 15–18 at the MOC Event Center. Considered the biggest and most important audio show in the world, High End Munich is where distributors meet with brand principals and often expand their portfolios. The show also draws throngs of European audio lovers and journalists.

Days after AXPONA 2025 wrapped, organizers announced a record 10,910 attendees—a 5% increase over 2024. Trade passes grew by 20%, which either points to a surge in legitimate press coverage or an uptick in blog-based glamor shots (aka audio porn) aimed at securing free entry.

Familiar faces, new form.

Before me stood a pair of stand-mounted Dynaudio Confidence 20 active loudspeakers, complete with DSP ($24,000/pair). Larger, higher-quality cousins to the Dynaudio Focus 10 active loudspeakers I reviewed a little over two years ago, the Confidence 20s sounded notably more refined and more convincing. That tracks: Each driver is powered by its own dedicated amplifier. While both models share the same DSP room correction protocol, nearly everything else is an upgrade.

One advantage of distributing multiple categories of carefully chosen top-quality products is that you can assemble entire systems while remaining with your own network. Thus did AXISS Audio present room after room of sterling AXISS family systems on multiple floors.

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.

AXPONA 2025 had the world premiere of ATC’s most compact active speaker, the ATC SCM20ASL ($9999–$13,499/pair, depending on finish). Designed for small to medium-size rooms, the sealed two-way speaker is hand-built in England and includes ATC’s proprietary 6" "Super Linear" mid/bass driver and 1" "S-Spec" dual-suspension tweeter. Both are powered by onboard class-A/B MOSFET power amplifiers that deliver 200W and 50W of continuous power to the bass and HF drivers, respectively.