PS Audio occupied a large room adjacent to the registration area at AXPONA 2026, giving the company a lot of foot traffic. Founder Paul McGowan's presence probably had something to do with the overall busyness too. Years of personable YouTube videos in which McGowan answers questions about stereo components have turned him into a hi-fi celebrity—Mr. Rogers with a soldering iron.
Fresh off reviewing the truly excellent PS Audio PMG Signature preamplifier for Stereophile’s May 2026 issue (now also available here on our site), I was familiar with that product and its three stablemates: the PMG Signature 512 DAC, PMG Signature phono preamplifier, and PMG Signature SACD transport. Each of them costs $8999, and all were being demoed in the PS Audio room.
I hadn't yet had a chance to listen to the company's lineup of Aspen speakers, and realized later that I'd always viewed PS Audio as a maker of electronics. Consequently, I didn't expect fireworks from the Aspens—but I got them anyway, and in a way that aptly punished me for my initial lack of faith.
Here's what happened: When I entered the room and sat down, soon enough conceding that the sound was stellar, I thought I was listening to a pair of the Aspen floorstanders—either the FR20s ($22,999/pair) or the FR30s ($34,999/pair). After a minute or two, I did an aural double-take when I realized that, actually, it was the small, two-way FR5s ($3999/pair, with stands) that were impressing me.
In my defense, the FR5s were complemented by no fewer than four PS Audio Foundry F12 active subwoofers ($2749 each) that were making their world debut at AXPONA 2026. The combo was lively and forceful, doing surefooted justice to Francine Thirteen's "Queen Mary" (originally self-released in 2017).
The FR5s had made their point, and I had learned my lesson.
