AXPONA 2024 coverage sponsored by Vera-Fi Audio Part 1

By: Gary Alan Barker

April 18th, 2024

Welcome to our coverage of AXPONA 2024, Lee and I spent three days in Chicago taking in all that Audio has to offer and as usual it was a kick. I would like to especially thank Puron (https://hifihouse.co.uk/puron/, info@hifihouse.co.uk), and Vera-Fi Audio, manufacturer of fine loudspeakers and clever accessories much of which comprises my reference system, for kindly sponsoring our coverage, and this year AXPONA was larger than ever.

I want to take a second to explain my methodology in covering the show, while I walked the entire show and visited every room, it is huge, so I only documented those products that really stood out, or else this report would be weeks in the making. With that said, let’s get on with it.

Bob Carver Corporation

My first stop of the show was the 16th floor which presented me with the Bob Carver Corporation, and being a long time fan of Bob Carver (my first high-end preamp was a Bob Carver design from his first company, and when he released the Carver M400, my first unit was so early in the production that the manual was a Xerox copy. I eventually bought a second unit which I gave to my Brother, and traded the original unit for an M400t which is still in service today in my theatre system) I was not overly surprised to find the sound of the Bob Carver RAM285 ($4,995) through a pair of Magnepan LRS+ speakers ($995) was magnificent, in fact it was one of my favorites of the show.

ENDOW AUDIO, Orchard Audio, Black Ice Audio

Speaking of fantastic sound, Endow Audio had two rooms, one featuring their Endow Audio Bravura 7.2 Stand Mount Monitors ($3,900) using Endow Audio cables, an Orchard Audio Duo B7 Amplifier ($1,875), and an Orchard Audio PecanPi+ ($799.95), while the other sported their exquisite Endow Audio Bravura 12.2 Floor Standing Speakers with a Black Ice Audio Fusion F18A Tube Amplifier ($3,875), a Black Ice Audio Fusion Tube DAC-Transport ($3,250) and again Endow Audio cables. The Endow Audio larger-than-life soundstage is something that needs to be experienced firsthand to fully appreciate.

Ear Gear Experience

Moon Audio, dCS

The first thing you will see entering the Ear Gear Experience is Moon Audio who represents every must-have brand of personal audio and has their own spectacular Dragon cable line. And, the first thing you will see in their booth is the equally fantastic towering dCS Lina System which at $31,500 embodies the pinnacle of personal audio DACs and Amplifiers, and next to that you will find the dCS Bartók APEX DAC/Headphone Amplifier ($22,950) which is the latest generation of the groundbreaking unit that brought dCS’s world-renowned rare aire DAC technology to personal audio. Talking about the acme of personal audio sound, they were also showing the brand new flagship release from Auris the Headonia Tube Headphone Amplifier ($13,000). Also taking center stage was the Esoteric N-05XD Headphone Amplifier, USB DAC, and Network Player ($11,000).

Dan Clark Audio

Next up was my favorite headphone manufacturer Dan Clark Audio who was demonstrating their complete line of world-class headphones including their incomparable Dan Clark Audio E3 Closed-Back Planar Magnetic Headphone ($1,999.99), using HeadAmp amplifiers including the prototype of the HeadAmp CFA3 Headphone Amp, and the HeadAmp Blue Hawaii Special Edition Electrostatic Headphone Amplifier ($6,495) which was driving the wonderful Dan Clark Audio CORINA Reference Electrostatic Headphone ($4,499.99).

HeadAmp/Mytek

Speaking of HeadAmp, Justin unveiled the first production sample of the HeadAmp CFA3 Headphone Amp which will sell for around $4,000. As a source, he was using the Mytek Empire Streamer DAC ($24,995)

Qobuz

Once again, Qobuz was the official streaming service of the show. They had a table in the Ear Gear Experience to help make newcomers aware of their unmatched streaming service, offering a huge catalog of High-Resolution music files up to 24-bit/192kHz and not just for those with MQA decoders.

Meze Audio

As usual, Meze Audio was creating quite a stir with their innovative headphone designs, and top of the list was their beautiful new 2nd Generation Meze Audio Liric Closed Back Headphone ($2,000) featuring their Rinaro Isodynamic Hybrid Array® MZ4 driver, and their flagship Meze Audio Empyrean II Open Back Headphone ($2,999) which uses their Rinaro Isodynamic Hybrid Array® MZ3v2 driver.

AUDEZE

No headphone show would be complete without AUDEZE, and in true form, they dominated one corner of the Ear Gear Experience with their full line of epic headphones including their flagship models, the AUDEZE CRBN Electrostatic Headphone ($4,500) and the AUDEZE LCD-5 Planar Magnetic Headphone ($4,500).