AXPONA 2016 welcomes a number of new exhibitors, showcasing the very best in high-end audio equipment.
Rosemont, IL, April 15-17
AXPONA (Audio Expo North America), the defining high-end consumer audio show in the United States, returns to the Westin O’Hare Rosemont April 15-17, with over 20 new manufacturers and dealers making their debut at the show, which offers music lovers and audiophiles the very latest products in the industry.
AXPONA is known for featuring world-renowned companies and manufacturers, showcasing the most innovative products and services in the high-end audio industry. It is the place where manufacturers and dealers unveil their latest offerings, in a wide variety of price points and mediums. New this year, aqua - Acoustic Quality, Audio Video Showcase, Bryston, Ltd., Cambridge Audio, Cavalli Audio, Cleer Limited, Echobox, Empire Ears, Joseph Audio, MSB Technology Corporation, MUZO, PBN Audio, Pioneer Home Audio, PS Audio, Questyle Audio, Riva Audio, Shure Incorporated, SweetVinyl, Synergistic research, Tekfx, THIEL Audio, Two Old Hippies Stringed Instruments, and Ultra Systems, will gather at AXPONA 2016 to reveal their newest offerings in headphones, receivers, speakers, amplifiers, musical instruments, and much more.
The following is a summary of new companies who will be featured at AXPONA 2016:
aqua – acoustic quality specializes in digital to analogue conversion technology. Their current product line consists of two DACS, La Voce S2 and La Scala D/A MkII, and a state-of-the-art cd transport, La Diva. After spending the last two years in research and development, the company will debut its new reference DAC, the Formula at AXPONA 2016. The Formula boasts a new proprietary D/A conversion system entitled Optologic, whose design surpasses the multibit R2R ladder circuitry of the Burr Brown PCM 1704-K. The results are breathtaking, reaching new heights in music reproduction from a digital source. The new conversion system reaches a sample rate of 384kHz, and presents music with unrivalled dynamics and a fluid realism that until now has only been achieved by the very best analogue based systems.
Audio Video Showcase, based in Ann Arbor, MI, features two channel, home theater, and home automation, showcasing top-name brands such as Technics, Monitor Audio, and a variety of other brands.
Bryston, Ltd. has been designing and manufacturing state-of-the-art specialty electronics to both consumers and professionals for over 35 years. Bryston is committed to producing the most accurate and reliable products available. They will be showcasing speakers, power amps, pre amps and other accessories at AXPONA.
London based audio tech company, Cambridge Audio, is dedicated to making the best streaming, wireless and hi-fi products for music lovers. Cambridge Audio will debut a number of new products including: amplifiers; cables; CD players; D/A processors; home theater equipment; phono accessories; solid state amps and/or preamps; speakers; tube amps and/or preamps. The company’s expert Product Trainer, Ben Beaumont, will be on-hand throughout AXPONA to answer questions.
Located in the Ear Gear Expo, Cavalli Audio will showcase headphone amplifiers and personal audio equipment with unsurpassed transparency, superb dynamics and natural realism.
Also located in the Ear Gear Expo at AXPONA, Cleer Limited’s products combine the best of contemporary design, state-of-the-art sound technology and detailed craftsmanship to deliver quality that inspires. Their ergonomic designs coupled with lightweight materials better fit consumer’s heads with maximum comfort.
Echobox was founded to help personal audio evolve to do justice to good music. Located in the Ear Gear Expo, Echobox will showcase its latest headphones and accessories.
Empire Ears exists to create the extraordinary for the extraordinary. Also located in the Ear Gear Expo, Empire Ears will showcase custom and universal monitors, as well as accessories.
Joseph Audio will be showcasing its line of high-end speakers at AXPONA.
MSB Technology is the word leader in digital audio technology continually setting new performance and hardware standards in the industry.
MUZO will feature the Muzo Cobblestone, a Wi-Fi receiver that streams online music directly to your power speakers, as well as a free app to control 6+ from your smartphones. MUZO specializes in home networking, receivers, and wireless products.
PBN Audio was created almost two decades ago by Peter Bichel Noerbaek, and is now a leader in the speaker industry. This total-system company creates amplifiers and pre-amplifiers to support the wholly uncompromised speakers PBN creates.
PS Audio will offer attendees the opportunity to see and hear the new PS Direct Stream Digital DSD DAC. Guests will also be able to speak with Paul McGowen, PS Audio founder and CEO, at the first showing in the United States of the DAC.
Located in the Ear Gear Expo, Pioneer Home Entertainment, will display its very latest headphones and accessories.
Questyle Audio is a technology driven Hi-End Audio company with strong advantages in design, manufacturing and marketing. Questyle Audio holds International patents on their “Current Mode Amplification”, “True DSD Converting” and “5GHz Hi-End wireless transmission” technologies, providing their products with the world’s best sound performance. Combining these core technologies with an easy to operate user experience, build quality that is second to none and attention to fine detail, Questyle Audio products give you not only state of the art performance, but luxury aesthetics as well. Questyle Audio is creating a line of products that combine technologies, work together seamlessly and form the Questyle “EcoSystem”, providing you with a path from individual products, to a total music solution. From portable DAPs to the “Air Fidelity” lifestyle EcoSystem, Questyle Audio offers you a seamless musical experience, on the go, in the car and in your home. Experience Questyle Audio's 5GHz WIRELESS "Air Fidelity" Power Amplifiers and Preamp/Transmitter driving the ENIGMAcoustics Mythology M1 hybrid electrostatic speaker system and transmitting High Resolution Music, WIRELESS! It is a demonstration that is not to be missed in room 412. Located in the Ear Gear Expo at AXPONA, Questyle Audio will also have their full range of state of the art personal audio products, including their Current Mode amplifiers and True DSD DACs, driving some of the world’s best headphones from Audeze, Sennheiser, Mr. Speakers and the world class Hybrid Electrostatic headphones from ENIGMAcoustics.
Riva Audio started with innovation, not iteration. It’s about pure sound, and as if you are hearing your favorite music for the first time. At AXPONA, RIVA will be showcasing several of its products including RIVA Turbo and RIVA S.
Founded in 1925, Shure Incorporated has designed and produced many high-quality professional and consumer audio products that have become legendary for performance, reliability, and value. Shure’s diverse product line includes world-class wired microphones, wireless microphone systems, in-ear personal monitoring systems, conferencing and discussion systems, networked audio systems, award-winning earphones and headphones, and top-rated phonograph cartridges. "We’re looking forward to giving AXPONA attendees an opportunity to immerse themselves in the highest-fidelity portable audio experience available today, with a variety of our products including our new KSE1500 Electrostatic Earphone System,” said Ellen Mahon, Manager, Marketing - Americas Retail Group at Shure. “In developing the system, our goal was to combine the best of what we have learned in sound isolating earphones, with the acoustic excellence of electrostatic technology to create the first portable sound isolating electrostatic earphone system. After more than eight years of research, development, and engineering, the challenge came to a successful close with the debut of the KSE1500. Attendees will also have an opportunity to demo this as well as some other high-end offerings from our extensive line of listening products.”
Synergistic Research will be debuting several new products at AXPONA 2016 including its UEF Acoustic Panels, which were first developed for recording studios and commercial applications for Grammy Award winning recording and mastering engineers. The company will also be showcasing for the first-time ever its SR Black Fuse, as well as various cabling accessories.
SweetVinyl will be exhibiting its SugarCube vinyl recording platform at AXPONA. SweetVinyl's SugarCube represents a brand-new product category in the vinyl world. Sugarcube incorporates SweetVinyl's technology to identify LP metadata, remove Pops and Clicks and create a Hi-Res digital copy. “The SugarCube had a great reception at CES, and now at AXPONA we will be demonstrating push-button front panel USB Hi-Res recording with automatic album metadata identification and click and pop removal. This is a brand-new product category and AXPONA is the perfect show to introduce this breakthrough technology to the audiophile community”, says Dan Eakins, Co-Founder of SweetVinyl.
Located in the Ear Gear Expo, TekFX is a distributor and marketer of emerging audio brands, including SoundMAGIC headphones and FiiO portable electronics. At AXPONA, “We are excited to attend AXPONA for the first time,” said Jack Cao. “It is a great opportunity to engage the audio enthusiast community by showcasing new and exciting products we are helping to bring to market. We look forward to engaging with individuals, businesses, and members of the press to take part in the camaraderie of all those who love good sound.”
THIEL Audio designs, engineers, and hand-constructs some of the finest home audio products in the world. They will be debutting several new products to be announced at AXPONA.
Two Old Hippies are passionate and innovative builders of stringed instruments. Their master luthiers craft acoustic guitars, mandolins, basses, and ukuleles for artists seeking self-expression and liberation through music. All instruments are designed in Bend, Oregon, utilizing contemporary body shapes, handcrafted necks, the Breedlove bridge truss system, exotic tone woods, and stunning inlays to deliver a look and sound that is completely unique.
Audio Desk Systeme of Germany and their USA agent, Ultra Systems Inc. will be showcasing for the first-time ever the new Vinyl Cleaner PRO, the finest record cleaning system ever developed. “Incorporating five years of evolutionary enhancements in addition to important upgrades to internal component parts, the Vinyl Cleaner PRO offers better features and performance, and also promises better reliability” said Robert Stein, President of Ultra Systems.
In addition to incredible new products debuting at AXPONA, the show also features three jam-packed days of incredible sounds, technology, and presentations. A series of live performances and educational presentations will be showcased throughout AXPONA, and music lovers will have the opportunity to experience the very best in sound in more than 125 listening rooms.
Open to the public, general admission tickets include access to the exhibits including listening rooms, the Marketplace, Ear Gear Expo (EGX), as well as educational seminars, live music, special events. Pre-show ticket pricing is available through April 14 - $25 per person; $45 for a two-day pass; $55 for a three-day pass. On-site, during the show, ticket pricing will be $30 per person; $60 for a two-day pass; $90 for a three-day pass.
The VIP Experience Package is the ultimate AXPONA experience, and includes VIP Check-in, a special VIP badge, scheduled semi-private audition appointments in Listening Rooms, and access to the VIP Lounge. VIP passes are available for $125. A limited amount of VIP passes will be available.
AXPONA will be open Friday and Saturday 10 am – 6 pm; Sunday 10 am – 4 pm.
The Westin O’Hare is located 6100 North River Road. Ample parking is available at the Westin’s main lot and overflow lot for a discounted rate of $10/day for AXPONA attendees and exhibitors.
To purchase tickets or for more information about the event, please visit www.axpona.com or call 203-371-6322.
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