Toronto Audiofest 2022

The Toronto Audiofest 2022 may not have been the busiest audio show I've attended, but it was still a success. It had plenty of new product launches, great-sounding rooms, and a good amount of traffic, especially on Saturday, when seats became a hot commodity in many exhibit rooms.

A few other observations: the sound of digital keeps getting better. Thanks in part to the advent of network switches and better Ethernet cables, digital has reached a new tier of performance. It has never before sounded this overall smooth, sweet, and analog-like organic—there, I said it! It's amazing how much quality digital sound you can get for your money nowadays.

Second, room treatment, and here I include room correction features in audio gear, seems to be a real thing now, by which I mean more audiophiles, gear manufacturers, and even the exhibitors I visit, seem to be taking this category more seriously than ever. And with good reason. Room treatments allow our expensive systems to perform nearer their potential in our run-of-the-mill, acoustically-flawed listening rooms. I think the tipping point has been reached; room treatments are destined to enter the audiophile mainstream.

Lastly, Toronto's Westin Airport Hotel doesn't serve calamari, and refused to serve me any, despite my whining, pleading and sobbing. I won't forget, Westin!

This is Rob Schryer, signing out. Back to you, Jim.