2023 AXPONA Show Report

I live in Chicago and will be going to Axpona, as I did last year.  My first time I was disappointed by the horrible SQ in the little hotel rooms used by most vendors.  The big rooms on the main floor are a different matter.  Nonetheless it is worth it to see in person such a huge variety of high-end equipment, and to speak to the many company professionals (in addition to the marketing folks) who find it worthwhile to come to such a show.

A word to out-of-town visitors, though.  Many people in for a convention come downtown or to the Near North (Rush Street area).  Aside from the traffic (which can get really bad on a Friday or Saturday night - there are lane closures on the inbound Kennedy), things have gotten dangerous.  Carjacking and armed robberies are way up, especially in the areas you might likely come to.  Flash mobs show up in warmer weather and the new mayor is a police defunder.  Just saying.

I spent 4 hours at Axpona yesterday and it was worth going; next year I'll do two mornings  before the crowds.  I'd never justify to myself (or my wife!) spending $100k on a stereo but for reference it was indeed worth experiencing the MBLs.  I had to shut my eyes and just enjoy the music because they look like harbor bouys  sans the beacon.  Closer to earth, the large Tannoys in one of the Upscale rooms was marvelous.  An unexpected pleasure was hearing the new version of the Mission 700.

The varying SQ had me scratching my head.  All of the above speakers were in small rooms.  Some that I expected to sound great were just OK, like the Fritz speakers in the Atma-Sphere room.  And there were others where I had to leave, they sounded so bad.  I want to be a Vandersteen fan but in a crowded room where an unpleasant salesman was extolling some magical Audioquest DC line cleaner the gorgeous Vandersteens were causing my temples to vibrate like a driver.  I am well-disposed to both Vandersteen and Audioquest, but I couldn't get out of that room fast enough.  The beaming salesman was surreal.

Altogether the show was well worth it to me.  It's always good to have one's expectations challenged.

I contacted Fritz before the show and he alerted me to the show discount.  I've heard great things about his speakers and was considering a purchase.  Plus, I have a Peachtree Gan1 so I thought the Atma-Sphere D amps would give me a good idea how the pairing would sound.  Well, I've put that on the back burner.  They didn’t sound bad, but rather unremarkable.  Nothing that would cause me to switch from the Spendors I currently have.  Now, I have a lot of respect for both Fritz and Atma-Sphere so I chaulk this up to poor room acoustics.  Too bad as I was ready to be convinced.  No changes for the time being.

@jamesbgood Thanks for the advice.  Next year I will be sure to visit the Ultra Fidelis room.  I can't account for what I heard in the AQ room, but Vandersteens remain on my short list despite that experience.  I will seek them out next year as well as in the interim as the opportunity arises.