Welcome back to my coverage of AXPONA 2025. I want to send out special thanks to our friends at Vera-Fi Audio, manufacturer of matchless amplifiers, loudspeakers, subwoofers, power conditioners, noise reduction systems, and isolation products for the budget audiophile, for selflessly sponsoring this coverage despite not participating in the show themselves.
Gershman Acoustics/Pass Labs/Lampizator/Cardas Audio/Subbass Audio
One of my favorite dynamic loudspeakers is Gershman Acoustics 30th Anniversary Grand Avant Garde ($19,500/pr) and so I always make an effort to visit for a listen. In this case they were using a Pass Labs INT-250 Integrated Amplifier ($12,600), a Lampizator Gulfstream Music Server ($9,500) and a Lampizator Genya DAC ($17,500) to drive them with Cardas Audio Clear Beyond cable throughout.
Chesky Audio/Benchmark Media
Lucca Chesky, son of David Chesky of Chesky Records has come up with his own speaker design in the Chesky Audio LC1 ($625/ea in red as shown) which he paired up with a Benchmark DAC3 B DAC, a Benchmark LA4 Line Amplifier, and a Benchmark AHB2 Amplifier ($8,448 as a three piece combination). The sound was quite impressive, showing that you don’t have to sell your house to enjoy good music.
Western Hi-Fi/Consonance by Opera Audio/Lejonklou/Well Tempered Lab/Dynavector/
Western Hi-Fi presented a full Consonance by Opera Audio system featuring Consonance Compact Monitor Loudspeakers ($ $2,000/pr with stands) driven by a Consonance Reference 5.5i MKII Integrated amplifier ($3,980) with a Well Tempered Lab Amadeus Jr. turntable ($3,350) and matching Well Tempered Lab Ctrl motor controller ($450) and a Dynavector XX-2A cartridge ($2,250) through a Lejonklou Entity 1.2 MC phono stage ($2,795) played source. Cabling included Consonance Billie interconnects ($249/1m pair) and Joplin speaker cables ($640/3m pair), along with Western Hi-Fi power cords ($205/1.5m) and a Consonance PW-3 power block ($270) and Consonance D-Linear 15 conditioner ($2790) provided power.
On static display were a Consonance Linear845 integrated amplifier ($6,890), a Consonance Linear200 MKII integrated amplifier ($3,980), a Consonance LinearQ amplifier ($6450); and a Consonance AMP150 Solid-State Amp/Streamer/DAC ($2,980).
Master Artist/Burmester/Kimber Cable
Master Artist teamed up with Burmester and Kimber Cable for a system using the Burmester 077 Preamp ($65,000) and Burmester 909 Amplifiers ($80,000 ea) driving the Master Artist Masterpiece Towers Loudspeakers ($75,000) sourced by a Burmester 111 Streamer ($55,000) and 175 turntable ($60,000), with Kimber Cable Power Cables and Interconnects, running from Burmester 948 power conditioners ($10,000 ea), the rack and amp stands were made in house by Master Artist to match the speakers.
Anticables/Atma-Sphere/Audio by Van Alstine/Audio Research/Bell Canto/London Decca/Magnepan/Sota
The “MinneSconsin” room featured Magnepan MG3.7x Loudspeakers ($13,000/pr) powered by an Atma-Sphere Class D Mono-Block Amplifiers ($6,320/pr) and Bell Canto e.One Pre5 Preamplifier ($2,495) fed by a Sota M2 Belt Drive Turntable ($25,000) and Audio Origami PU8 12″ Tonearm ($7,495) fitted with a London Decca Reference Phono Cartridge ($6,895) through an Audio Research Reference Phono 3sE Phono Stage ($22,500) with digital provided by an Audio by Van Alstine DVA Digital Preamplifier DAC ($2,499) using Anticables Cables throughout.
Sierra Sound/Aesthetix/AMG/BMS/ViV Laboratory/Connected Fidelity/Sorane/Vandersteen/Cardas Audio
I always like to visit Sierra Sound’s room because back in the ’80s, I was the first Benz Micro dealer in the world, working with Bruce Ball, who created the brand. They were running a wonderful system sporting two turntables an AMG Giro MK II Turntable with AMG 9WT Tonearm ($17,500) fitted with a Benz Micro Ruby Z Cartridge ($4,000) and a second ViV Laboratory Rigid Float Ha-9″ Tonearm ($4,500) on a Sierra Sound NAB-1 Tonearm Platform ($500) fitted with a Benz Micro ACE Mono Cartridge, and a Connected Fidelity TT-Hub Turntable with a Sorane Ta-1 Tonearm ($6,000 for combination) fitted with a Benz Micro SLR Gullwing Cartridge ($3,500), these were connected to an Aesthetix Rhea Signature Phono Stage ($10,000) running into an Aesthetix Pallene Line Stage ($6,500) to an Aesthetix Dione Power Amplifier ($7,500) Driving Vandersteen Quatro CT Loudspeakers ($20,150) with Sierra Sound by Cardas and Cardas Audio Clear Beyond cables throughout with a Cardas Audio Nautilus Power Strip($2,000).
Nirvana Audio/Boenicke/Heed Audio
One of the weirder audio tweaks I have encountered was the Nirvana Audio Chronos (TBA), a small USB stick-sized device that is supposed to improve the sound environment. Note, it is a free-standing device; it does not need to be charged or connected to power, but connecting it to power is supposed to enhance the effect. It is supposed to lower the overall noise floor, but what it is actually doing is a bit of a mystery. I first heard the device in use in the Margules room, but later visited the Nirvana Audio room where they had a system composed of a pair of Boenicke Audio W5 Loudspeakers ($7,250/pr with stands) driven by a Heed Obelisk Series obelisk si3 Integrated Amplifier ($2,200) and Heed Thesis Series delta CD Player/Transport ($3,000). There is definitely an effect, but I would have to test in a controlled environment to determine whether or not it is an improvement.
Altec Lansing/Infigo Audio/Small Green Computer/Sonore/Lampizator
My actual last stop of the show was Altec Lansing, back in the ’70s as a musician I was a huge fan of Altec, they made some of the best pro audio drivers, and the Voice of the Theatre was the ultimate PA speaker, but during the ’80s and 90’s they became just another Mid-Fi box speaker company, so I skipped their room entirely, but Wendell Diller of Magnepan fame recommended I give the new Altec Lansing Ribbonacci Reference Loudspeakers ($89,000/pr) a listen. These massive planar drivers were paired up with a pair of Altec Lansing Open Dipole Subwoofers ($30,000/pr), and a pair of Infigo Audio Method 3 Mono Block Amplifiers ($55,000/pr) were employed using Magnan Signature Biwire Speaker Cables ($2,695/pr) to drive them. Control was provided by an Infigo Audio Method 7 Preamp ($20,000) using Infigo Audio Sparkle Series Cryogen XLR Cables ($5,500/3m). Sources included an Infigo Audio IS-1 Octacore Cryogen Streamer ($7,000), a Small Green Computer i9 Streamer ($4,799), a Sonore Rendu Signature Ethernet to USB-Audio Interface ($5,450), an Infigo Audio Method 4 DAC ($35,000), and a Lampizator Horizon 360 DAC ($59,000).
That concludes my coverage of AXPONA 2025, once again, I would like to thank our good friends at Vera-Fi Audio for sponsoring our coverage.
Some names push product. Vera-Fi Audio pushes peace of mind.
While others chase specs and trends, we return to the essentials: clean power solutions, wireless convenience, and groovy speaker and subwoofer units. Making sure nothing stands between you and the sound. Whether you’re running a flagship stack or streaming casually, Vera-Fi Audio solves the little things that make the biggest difference.
You’ll feel it in the stories, the feedback, the quiet nods from those who finally found a fix that just… worked.
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