Calling all Music Lovers to Audio Expo North America 2018!

AXPONA will take place April 13-15, 2018, at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center in Schaumburg, IL. This year AXPONA will offer attendees three jam-packed days of incredible sounds, technology, and presentations. Now in its ninth year, AXPONA is the defining high-end audio show in the United States — catering to dealers, distributors, and manufacturers, as well as music-loving consumers. AXPONA’s new state-of-the-art venue will feature an expanded Exhibit Hall, new Record Shop, and Master Class Theater.

Montréal Audio Fest, is celebrating its 31st anniversary. Now reconstituted as a non-profit organization, it continues to cater to an ever-growing community. The Montréal Audio Fest is not only the oldest specialty audio show in North America, but also the only one that offers free admission to all visitors. The show will return March 23-25, 2018 to the Hôtel Bonaventure Montréal, Canada.

Bryston has announced the introduction of their Active Loudspeaker lineup, featuring three speaker models of different sizes (Model T Active, Middle T Active and Mini T Active) mated to a sophisticated DSP-enabled active crossover (BAX-1) and Cubed Series Bryston amplifiers. Two new amplifier models, the 3-channel 21B3 and 6-channel 24B3 have been created especially for the Bryston Active systems.

Rocky Mountain Audio Fest (RMAF) took place once again in Denver, CO, from October 6–8, 2017. This was the perfect event to hear the trends and experience new products. This year, the Denver Marriott Tech Center had completed the renovations that affected last year's RMAF edition, and it seems that everyone was happier with the show, from exhibitors to visitors. Oliver Masciarotte explains what impressed him at the show in this full report, which audioXpress included in its January 2017 edition.

German manufacturer RME Audio announced its new ADI-2 DAC, a two-channel high-end digital/analog converter in a 9.5”/1HE housing, featuring outstanding audio quality and a wide range of conversion options. The new ADI-2 DAC is a further development of the renowned ADI-2 Pro AD/DA reference converter, and it is targeted at both studio professionals and audiophiles. Story updated with price info and availability information.

Scheduled for November 3 – 5, 2017, Capital Audiofest (CAF), the popular East Coast show, will return to the Rockville Hilton Hotel at Twinbrook. Following the 2016 edition with the largest visitor turnout ever during three days, the promoters decided to keep the show dates in November at the same venue. The show benefited from the hotel's recent renovations, allowing for larger listening rooms and an expanded Marketplace and CanMania dedicated areas with 50% more space and more than 30 headphone companies.

audioXpress September 217 featured a review of the RME ADI-2 Pro by Bennett Prescott and Stuart Yaniger. The sensational RME ADI-2 Pro Bi-Directional Converter with Dual Headphone Amps is a feature-packed update to the original RME ADI-2, providing incredibly precise audio quality and a host of innovative features that will appeal to both mastering engineers and high-end audio aficionados alike. For under $2,000 US,we get two powerful DSP engines and two powerful headphone amplifiers, plus the ability to work with PCM sample rates up to 768 kHz at 32 bits, and true native DSD support up to DSD256.

The New York Audio Show 2017 will return to Manhattan, once again taking place at the luxurious Park Lane Hotel on Central Park South, one of New York’s most prestigious locations. Chester Group promotes a high quality audio show with some of the most prestigious high end audio brands, taking three classic floors on consecutive levels in the hotel, with spectacular views that overlook Central Park. Some of these rooms are amongst the largest available, allowing perfect demonstrations of the best in high end audio and home theatre.

Boulder Amplifiers announced the release and shipment of its new 1160 Stereo Power Amplifier. The 1160 is the successor to the 1060 Stereo Power Amplifier and the first product in the new 1100 Series to debut. The 1100 Series is Boulder’s mid-level product line, combining new technology, including IP network connectivity for control and monitoring, and exceptional performance with reduced size, power and cost.

Shannon Becker conducts an interview with Dave Thomson, CEO and founder of Raven Audio, a tube amplifier company based in Texas, which has successfully created a thriving business with high-quality tube amplifiers and preamplifiers. Raven Audio just opened a new facility in Onalaska on Lake Livingston, 100 miles north of Houston, and continues to expand its engineering staff. This article was originally published in audioXpress, June 2017.