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Voxativ's Inés Adler and Christopher Owens are never caught dead empty-handed at shows. This puts me in a state of expectant glee, as their sound, regardless of genre, always resolves itself into something joyful. Even my neurotic hotel-hall dashes, pad and pen in hand, are washed away in Voxativ’s sonic tide.

One of my first stops at Capital Audiofest 2024 was the Blink High End room, which featured the debut of the Børresen C1 stand-mount speaker ($16,500) as well as the Aavik U-588 all-in-one integrated amplifier ($35,000). My first impression upon walking into the room was, "Where's all the gear?"

In the September issue of Stereophile, in this space, I proposed a way to attract more young people to hi-fi. To reach younger people with your products, I argued, speaking mainly to manufacturers, create products that have integrity about them and that also tell a story. Products with a message, products endowed with meaning. Use good materials, classic designs, historically important circuits. To improve value and performance, keep the parts count low and assembly simple. These products need to be reasonably affordable, but it's okay to ask young people to stretch for something fine. . .

After that article hit newsstands, I got feedback, much of it of the "get off my lawn" variety.

Bill Voss of Technics was tardy to his Alma/Technics room at Capital Audiofest 2024, so Stereophile managing editor Mark Henninger and I sidled in, invited show attendees, and spun some discs. By the time Bill arrived we had a small party going.

My goal, in writing reports on the Warsaw Audio Video Show, may be to mix products from Polish brands with a few noteworthy premieres. But when a chance meeting during dinner led to the discovery of Mozzaik Audio, headquartered in Croatia just a few countries south of Poland, my interest was piqued.

Supreme Acoustic Systems and Axiss Audio brought the kind of equipment that gooses my reviewer’s jones for new review gear. From the Brutalist looking Bergmann Audio turntable to the fantastical YG speakers to the fetish worthy AirTight amps, I tried to maintain dry palms while taking notes.

Following the release of their statement product KORE loudspeaker in 2022 and the impressive EPIKORE 11 4½ way floorstander ($60,000) in 2023, DALI has introduced three new EPIKORE models, two more compact floorstanders and a stand-mount loudspeaker, to expand the series into a full line. All were on display and in action for the press in multiple listening rooms at Park Avenue Audio in NYC.