Black velvet, acoustic-dampening curtains cover the surrounding walls of the darkened 12'x15'x8' Chesky Audio hotel room packed with guests seated in folding chairs this Saturday afternoon. Upfront, the celebrated owner of HD Tracks, David Chesky, 69—a wiry and energetic man with a New York accent, long curly locks, clad in a black T-shirt and jeans—regales the crowd about the marvelous LC2 3D printed monitors his 18-year-old son, Luka, an engineering student at Carnegie Mellon University, designed for his company.
Photo courtesy of AXPONA 2026
It's the weekend of AXPONA (Audio Expo North America), held annually at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Convention Center annually in Schaumburg, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois, since April 2016, and this year, I'm tasked with sharing my six to eight favorite rooms; as such, David Chesky's room is the least expensive to make my list. That's a daunting task, as this year, there are 235 listening rooms and 750 manufacturers, brands, and retailers showing to some 12,546 attendees from April 10-12. Feeling as if I've barely scratched the surface, in no particular order, here's my take.
Founder of Chesky Records and CEO of HD Tracks, a digital music downloading service, David Chesky is an accomplished jazz pianist, Grammy-nominated composer of orchestral, opera, and ballet works, an author of children's books, and founder of The Audiophile Society, where he creates and provides immersive 3D audio for members' two-channel systems. (www.davidchesky.com) The LC-2s he's hawking are black composite boxes atop steel stands, and in between them, a stack of Schiit Audio electronics powers and provides them with the precious music enchanting the attendees.
At $1,900, the 3D printed LC-2s are filled with their own proprietary compound for extreme mass and rigidity and feature a 5/8" aluminum baffle with triangular protrusions to either side of their tweeters apply tessellation diffraction control technology that breaks up sound reflections and scatters them in multiple directions instead of reflecting directly off the speaker surface (Google search, April 19, 2026). It features premium drivers associated with more expensive speakers, has "no energy loss, no vibration, and no smear," and delivers "ultimate clarity ande neutrality with virtually zero resonance." (www.cheskyaudio.com)
The LC-2s are seated atop generic steel speaker stands that Chesky dismisses, adding, "Whatever stand you get, fill it with steel shot," and in between them are a stack of Schiit Audio electronics featuring their premium Yggdrasil DAC (Digital to Analog Converter), preamplifier, and amplifier in a short rack.
"By the way," Chesky says, "This system is under $10,000. If you have more to spend, go to Gershman's room! (Ofra Gershman, who owns Gershman Acoustics with her husband, Eli, is showing on the 15th floor with Pass Labs.) Summed up, it's a great bang for the buck.
A drum line track plays that is punchy, percussive, and a viscerally engaging presentation. The next track features birds, jungle sounds, and deep, resonant, and sonorous male vocals from an African choir featuring spoken verse and chanting refrains of "Ohhh—ohhh—ohhh!" A deep bass line, bluesy electric guitar, and an emotive female vocalist's singing follow in an intoxicating mix that's impressively expansive, clear, and surprisingly deep—"with no subwoofer," Chesky brags. Last, the rich, breathy, and powerful mezzo-soprano vocals of Paloma Chesky, Luca's twin, are ethereal and, accompanied by electric guitar, drums, and acoustic bass, are an impressive and immersive treat.
Ofra Gershman with her Gershman Acoustics' Symphoria top line speakers that were paired with a pair of Pass Labs X260.8 monoblock amplifiers
Looking resplendent in her long black hair, silver hoop earrings, gray shawl, olive green pants, and black riders boots, Ofra Gershman, the Director of Global Marketing, Business Development, and Sales at Gershman Acoustics, a notable Canadian HiFi manufacturer, is pointing out the highlights of their Symphoria loudspeakers in the adjoining suite of Room 1524 that she shares with Pass Labs, while Pass Labs' president, Anastasia Protopappas, and their sales director, Kent English, and another Pass Labs staffer entertain guests in the front room featuring Pass Labs displays.
Pass Labs' president, Anastasia Protopappas, Kent English, and another staffer preside in front of the Pass Labs display in Room 1524 (photo courtesy of Pass Labs)
The Gershman Acoustics' Symphoria loudspeakers ($70,000/pair) feature a rectangular bass unit with two eight-inch bass drivers, a small oblong port at the bottom, and a large V-shaped concave top that accommodates a smaller separate diamond-shaped midrange and tweeter cabinet seated in the gap.
They contain two bass traps in their interior, Gershman informs, which control back waves and dissipate them, while the separate midrange and tweeter cabinet "floats" with custom IsoAcoustic isolation pucks acoustically isolate them from their bass cabinets below. They also can be moved forward or back for time alignment and tilted for optimal frequency response. Finished in glossy white with black drivers, visually, they nod to a clean, minimalist appeal that integrates with virtually any interior, while Khaki stripes running along the speakers sides complies with the trending "new neutrals of 2026" colors that satisfies a biophilic urge—a desire to connect the indoors with the outdoors (https://neapaintingandrennovations.com).
The Symphonias held court with Pass Labs' three chassis flagship XS Pre 2 preamplifier ($55,000), a pair of Pass Labs X260.8 monoblock amplifiers ($15,675/pair), the Imersiv DAC-1 ($12,000), and HiFi Rose streamer, delivering an impressive blend of detail, slight warmth, and restrained power in Beyonce's "Halo" and a lovely cover of "Hallelujah" with clear vocals, a bluesy electric guitar, and a powerful bass. As an owner of the Pass Labs X150.8 amplifier, I am both fond and familiar with their house sound, and they appear to have a definite synergy with the Gershman Acoustics Symphonias. As one who uses Pass Labs in my reference system at home, I am familiar with their balance and house sound and can certainly appreciate the strengths their electronics brought to the table. Moreover, their synergy with the Symphoria speakers, HiFi Rose, and Imersiv DAC isn't lost on me. Color me impressed!
Meanwhile, down the hall in Suite 1534, ATC and their U.S. distributor, Lone Mountain Audio, are introducing the new ATC EL50 Anniversary Loudspeakers ($99,999 per pair in the US and £49,500 per pair in the UK). "This limited edition speaker will be produced in a batch of 50 pairs, each coming with a hardbound owner's handbook documenting ATC's history since 1974, before entering standard production," a press release reads.
ATC loudspeakers are renowned for their superb midrange that's used in top recording studios worldwide, having reviewed both their passive (which I own) and active versions of the 40s, I am curious to see what their new statement EL50s will sound like (you can read more about ATC and the SCM40s HERE). As it turns out, I am not disappointed.
The power, soul, and rasp of Chris Stapleton's gritty tenor-baritone vocals in "Death Row" are rich and emotively engaging, delivered with startling clarity, while the rich bass line and shimmery cymbals envelop the room with an immersive, full-bodied presentation.
Jeff Buckley's "Everybody Here Wants You" is rendered with Buckley's breathy falsetto, a very deep bass line, percussive snare, and—true to ATC's reputation—a rich and spot-on midrange that reveals the timbres, attacks, and decays of violins and guitars 3D and lifelike. It's spooky real!
"Queen Mary" by Francine 13 delivers haunting, high vocals with clarity and a deep and resonant bass, causing one viewer to cry, "What? No subs?" ("No, none," was the response.) The electronic percussion floats around the room roughly 130 degrees or more.
Brad Lilly speaks about ATC's new statement EL50 Anniversary loudspeaker (still image from Avcat YouTube Video)
Brad Lilly, ATC's Technical Sales Manager (and designer of my ATC SCM40 loudspeakers), says, "Our speakers are very transparent and revealing of things upstream and sources. If you use a Devore speaker, you'd hear more tonal character (of their speaker)."
"This is our statement 50 speaker," Lilly says. They have featured the 50s at ATC since 1988, and the active version since 1989, he adds (the "50" refers to the cabinet volume in liters, and this range of speakers is renowned for its balance of high-fidelity performance with notable power and versatility for both professional mastering studios and hi-fi home audio). "By removing the sharp cabinet edges, we reduce cabinet diffraction, and we get smoother on and off axis response," he says. "This curved form is achieved by a lamination process; there's lots of layers laid up under a vacuum bag process, which gives it plenty of strength and stiffness, which reduces cabinet coloration." The tweeter and midrange are in a sealed cabinet, while the bass is vented or ported to properly control the drivers' motion, not extend the bass.
Brad Lunde, who owns Lone Mountain Audio, the U.S. distributor for ATC, is second from the left, with Jamie Cerreta (at far left) and renowned speaker designer, Andrew Jones, of Jones and Cerreta, as well as pianist, noted film and TV composer, Emiko C-Music (photo courtesy of Emiko C-Music Facebook page.)
The EL50s are tri-amped, with a 50-watt amplifier on the tweeter, 100-watt on the mid-dome, and 200-watts on the woofer, Lilly informs (you can read more about their specs HERE).
When asked what the difference is between their consumer and pro versions of their speakers, Lilly says that the consumer versions are "packaged in furniture," adding, "We actually don't want them to sound different."
Interestingly enough, he says that in the U.S., houses with wooden frames are more forgiving than their brick and stone counterparts in England, where bass really builds up. Hence, their SCM40 loudspeaker, which is their flagship, three-way floor standing speaker in their consumer Entry Series range, was built with a closed cabinet that is really suited for the United Kingdom, whereas a vented version would actually work better in the United States (I use mine in a larger room with a pair of REL S/812 subwoofers). Good to know! Bottom line, linked-up to the Innuos ZENith NG server, Phoenix USB output, and Playback Designs MPD-8AI DAC, and their ATC SCA2 preamplifier, the ATC EL50 Anniversary loudspeakers room was outstanding!
The Magico room made abundantly clear why money-is-no-object celebrity A-listers like Tom Cruise and Jimmy Fallon own and gush about Magico loudspeakers. Their S-7 loudspeakers ($135,000/pair in their old finish), driven by 18" x 18" Pilium monoblock speakers were a force of nature! A very percussive congo drum solo, combined with cymbals and piano were extremely impressive, bathing spectators in a big, organic wall of sound.
Standing roughly 50" tall, with three 10" woofers beneath a tweeter, with a five-inch midrange driver up top, team up with the DCS DAC Transport, a Pilium preamp and the aforementioned monoblocks, as well as an idle reel-to-reel tape deck play supporting roles in this refined and Uber-expensive setup, with the end result being a mesmerizing delivery of piano, cymbals, and drum kit with scale and realism to die for!
It's cheese, caramels, and music, courtesy of Arendal Sound! (Still image from video clip on https://arendalsound.com)
Enticed by the plates of Norwegian cheese and caramels outside the Arendal Sound room next door to my hotel room, I entered for a quick listen, but stayed at length due to the sound of the Arendal 1528 Bookshelf Monitors ($4500/pair). Featuring an eight centimeter thick curved front baffle, their website says, optimizes their driver placement for greater transient response and phase coherency. Their cabinets are well-braced and damped, contributing to their pure and powerful sound. The employ an eight inch bass driver, a five-inch midranged driver, and a 28 mm tweeter with a wave guide. Flared bass reflex ports, their literature says, provide greater airflow for tight, impactful bass.
They weren't kidding.
The Arendal 1528 Bookshelf monitors in Room 668
Their rendition of "Queen Mary" is compelling, extremely clear, lucid, and packs loads of stupefying bass.
The trumpet lead, trombone accompaniment, and bass in the song, "Neph," featuring Trombone Shorty and his band, Orleans Avenue are mesmerizing, and the drums and percussion are viscerally punchy in this mid-tempo Latin lounge treat.
Taking my request, they play trumpet player Dmitri Matheny's cover of "Stardust"—which does a wonderful job of delivering an organic presentation of his horn, the percussive attack of piano notes and their decay. Details like the clinking of glasses captured on its live recording, the plucked double bass, its resonant body, and the breathiness of Matheny's trumpet during delicate notes are captured with vivid realism.
And, finally, ODEZA's "The Last Goodbye" with Bettye LaVette's dark, raspy female vocals, electronic percussion, thumping bass, and LaVette's processed vocals laced with reverb in this EDM gem is powerful, immersive, and moving. Wow. Just wow. Finally tearing myself from my seat, I pocket a few more caramels and cheese for energy to tackle the many rooms that lay ahead. (Disclaimer: I actually snagged more in subsequent passes for fuel when I skipped lunch on Saturday—thank you, Arendal Sound!)
Eva Cassidy's emotive and silvery soprano over the MBL 101 E MKII Radialstrahler omnidirectional loudspeakers ($91,000/pair) were well-articulated, crisp, and rich in detail, while in a subsequent jazz recording, the attack and timbre of a trumpet were extremely lifelike, a piano packed plenty of weight, and the drum kit was punchy and visceral. Always impressive, the MBL 101s were supported by the MBL M15 Monoblocks, M11 preamp, and an MC41 Network Player, and linked together with Stealth Audio Cables.
Standing just three-and-a-half feet tall, the relatively diminutive Clarisys Audio Piccolo Mk 2 Full-Range Ribbon Speakers ($60,000/pair) in the Bliss HiFi Room were very engaging with their stunning, rich, crisp and surprisingly immersive and deep-sounding delivery. Someone asked, "Where's the subwoofer?" There were none but, man, they sounded like they were hiding a couple subs somewhere!
An electronic slow tempo chill-out song featuring the kick drum, electric guitar, synthesized predominantly female vocals and heavy effects dazzled as they enveloped the room. A Pure Fidelity Symphony turntable was spinning a record, but supported by a stack of Pure Fidelity electronics, they were playing digital fare.
Every year, the GT Audio Vivid Audio Giya G1 Spirit loudspeakers ($95,000/pair) never fail to give me pause with their curly elf's hat looks, but win me over with their powerfully impressive scale, and rich and tonally accurate presentation. Today, the weight, attack, and decay of piano notes, and the texture and breathiness of a saxophone turned my head, as played by the Archie Shepp Quintet rendering "The Thrill is Gone." Then, the delicacy and range of Kurt Elling's Baritone vocals, accompanied by Laurence Hobgood's piano and Michael Raynor's brushed snare in "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes." (From Kurt Elling's Live in Chicago album.) The warmth and depth of Elling's low-sung notes, his touch and control with his falsetto, the resonant plucks of Rob Amster's double bass, the clapping, and the lusty cheers at Chicago's Green Mill Jazz Club were spell-binding—feeling like a magical, even holy moment. If you're counting, that gives us eight rooms so far. However, as my headaches and angst will attest, there were several others that were equally deserving and could have made the list, but didn't. Here are several honorable mentions.
A thunderous orchestral crescendo, a delicate violins passage, and rising swells of cellos, horns, and double basses from "Also sprach Zarathustra" thrilled patrons as they poured out of a pair of Rockport Technologies Lyra loudspeakers ($190,000–$215,000/pair). Delivered via vinyl, courtesy of a DS Audio optical cartridge and a bevy of supporting electronics, including the Solution 757 phonostage, 717 monos, and 727 preamplifier, their presentation was superb.
To my surprise, the modestly-priced Nagooka room, sporting the Technics SL 1300G turntable ($3999), Technics SUG700 M2 integrated amplifier ($3500), and Technics SG 90 speakers ($5000/pair) really turned my head. And don't forget the relatively modestly priced Nagooka MP700 phono cartridge ($1399). The presentation wasn't loud or particularly fetching when I first entered, hence I was tempted to exit shortly afterwards. However, when I sat down for a few moments, the magic hit me.
Seated at relatively close quarters in the front row, I found myself really drawn in by Holy Cole's magnificent vocals, the piano, congas, and percussion in "Everything Belongs to You." It was a very clear, balanced, and delightful presentation that put a smile on my face. Clearly, it was a testament to proper setup, synergy between the equipment, and the room. It worked very well.
Then, there was the Jones and Cerreta room, where they introduced their Troubadour floorstanding speakers ($33,900/pair) designed by the celebrated speaker designer, Andrew Jones, (they featured a field coil concentric driver). I stood in a line that extended some 30 feet outside the door for over 25 minutes, but it was well worth it. With their squat and squarish cabinets, large woofers, and full, lush presentations, they reminded me a bit of a more refined version of my Bag End TA-15 loudspeakers playing on PA speaker poles in banquet halls when I was a mobile DJ years ago. In a different and larger room, I think the Troubadours would have shined even brighter.
I was treated to the buttery vocals of Ella Fitzgerald's "Day In, Day Out" on vinyl. An electric guitar solo was particularly cleanly articulated, while a piano solo delivered a solid balance of weight, the percussiveness of piano hammers on strings, the bloom and decay of notes. A saxophone solo richly rendered on the right channel, the drum kit on the left, with a vibrant and dynamic rhythm section shining. And then there were Ella's rich vocals, a muted trumpet in the right. It was quite satisfying. Later, the Meters delivered a funky and upbeat R&B tune on vinyl. The guitar's tone, the drum's punch, the visceral bass line, the vocals rasp, and the dynamic and forward trumpets were delightful. Supporting equipment included the Thorens 124 DD Turntable ($17,995) and the Lab 12 Integrated Tube Amplifier ($8995).
The Avant Garde Trio Loudspeakers
There were numerous other excellent rooms that impressed, including the Avant Garde room featuring their Trio horn loudspeakers ($225,000/pair) with their new TwinSubs, and the TAD CR1TX Compact Reference monitors ($86,000/pair)—wow.
And, of course, I didn't catch everything—not by a long shot. There was so much to see!
When I passed Tone Audio's Jeff Dorgay in the hallway late Saturday afternoon, he let out a big sigh and said, "I'm really tired!" I was reminded of a TV sales pitch: "But, wait! There's more..." AXPONA is like an audio buffet, but instead of packing a lot of reasonably decent fare like the Golden Corral restaurant, they're packed with oodles and oodles of really great products. For example, several friends raved about magnificence of the Estelon towers. I didn't hear them this year, so I can't comment.
Alexey Korf, seen here at center at the Expo Hall, will be featured in an upcoming interview (that's one of his tonearms being held by his acquaintance, Stephen, at right).
Social Connections
I also met with and interviewed Alexey Korf of Korf Audio, a former space program engineer who designs and manufactures ceramic headshells (like the Korf Audio HS-A02 Ceramic Headshell that I reviewed), tonearms, and other turntable-related products, however, that conversation is outside the purview of this article and will appear in another piece in the near future. Suffice to say that it was a lovely and informative visit. I also met and chatted at length with Dave Thomas, editor and writer for Stereo Times. He was a lovely man with a wealth of stories and experience! There were the people from ATC and Lone Mountain Audio, Pass Labs, publicist Adam Sohmer, and others like my friend, Mark, who texted and chatted in between rooms. So, there you have it: My take an yet another successful AXPONA event. Word has it that they have new owners. For the sake of audiophiles everywhere, let's hope they continue thrilling the thousands, in outstanding venues like the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel, for years to come.
