Jason Victor Serinus

1 week ago | stereophile.com | Jason Victor Serinus

Before I heard the new Soulution 717 monoblocks ($109,975 each), I spoke with Cyrill Hammer, Soulution’s CEO and Chief Designer, and Cliff Duffey, President of AXISS Audio. The conversation was illuminating. The listening? Something else entirely. This was certainly one of the most expensive systems at AXPONA. Take the source: a $199,975 Transrotor Artus FMD turntable, fitted with the company's 9" TRA‑9 Chrome tonearm ($8795) and 12" TRA‑9 Ruthenium tonearm ($9995).

1 week ago | stereophile.com | Jason Victor Serinus

At an early-morning breakfast, Michael Børresen, co-founder and chief designer of Audio Group Denmark, unveiled the Børresen M2 loudspeakers ($190,000/pair) and their companion Bass Modules (price to be announced). Also shown for the first time in North America was the Aavik R-880 phono preamplifier ($70,000), designed to work with DS Audio optical cartridges. The R-880 enables users to adjust high cut, low cut, and absolute phase on the fly.

1 week ago | stereophile.com | Jason Victor Serinus

Arturo Manzano, long a fan of Koetsu phono cartridges, has reassembled Koetsu’s original team of artisans to return the legendary brand to the international market. “Koetsu was one of the first brands I distributed after I founded AXISS Audio distribution over 30 years ago,” Manzano explained outside one of AXISS’s many rooms at AXPONA. “I was despondent that since the death of the son of the company’s founder / designer, Yoshiaki Sugano, in 2023, this touchstone brand was no longer available.

1 week ago | stereophile.com | Jason Victor Serinus

Entering by two doors, audiophiles swamped the PS Audio room on the ground floor to hear Paul McGowan’s much-publicized Great Reveal. Although no music was played during the 20-minute presentation, the ever-articulate founder of PS Audio did not disappoint. To learn what three new components McGowan revealed, please take a look and a listen. If you stick with it long enough—Paul really is a fine storyteller—you’ll even hear yours truly make a fool of himself by getting his acronyms confused.

2 weeks ago | stereophile.com | Jason Victor Serinus

The largest and most important audio show in the United States, AXPONA, is poised to open in the greater Chicago area’s sprawling Schaumburg Renaissance Hotel & Convention Center. Well before the three-day show opens on Friday, April 11 at 10am, you can expect scores of eager attendees lining up at the long registration desk in the Convention Center lobby. Why? In addition to hopes for a first crack at rare vinyl, attendees will be vying for a prime listening spot in a record 213 listening rooms.