AXPONA 2025

I signed up to cover several Fidelity Imports rooms at AXPONA, expecting to find components that overdeliver on performance and value. I wasn’t wrong.

That happened in Room 1209, where Fidelity Imports founder Steve Jain and his team curated a system of genuine overachievers: an Aurender A1000 music server/streamer/DAC ($3500); a Geshelli Labs Torc DAC ($2499); a Unison Research Unico Primo integrated amplifier with built-in phono stage ($1999); Q Acoustics 5050 floorstanding speakers ($1999/pair); and, making its global debut, the Q Acoustics Q Sub100 10" subwoofer ($1049).

According to Q Acoustics, the Q Sub100’s digital signal processing “allow[s] easy system and room integration with optimized settings for class-leading, distortion-free performance.” The sub also includes dual phase and delay controls, a variable low-pass filter, and a custom amplifier with four digital power stages designed to improve efficiency, tighten speaker control, and lower output impedance.

While streaming tracks from the jazz trio markusphilippe, including their renditions of “Hey Joe” and “Pink Panther,” the system showcased Q Acoustics’ attributes: expansive soundstage and remarkable scale. The performance delivered a powerful nearfield experience, particularly during a bass solo that resonated with depth and intensity. The system's rich tonality combined with dynamic energy encapsulated the value-driven performance I anticipated.