Two AXPONA veterans who don't know each other told Rogier van Bakel separately that they considered the system in the DeVore Fidelity room one of the highlights of the 2026 show—so off to room 646 he went to check it out for himself.

At AXPONA 2026, Ken Micallef speaks with Esoteric's Hiroyuki "Hiro" Machida about the gear shown in one of the company's rooms at the show, including an Esoteric K-05XD SACD player, Esoteric N-05XE network DAC/preamplifier, and Esoteric S-05XE amplifier.

At AXPONA 2026, Rogier van Bakel checks out a system put together by Wisconsin retailer Ultra Fidelis that features Vandersteen M5-HPA monoblock amplifiers, a Vandersteen L5-ACC Audio Control Center, and Vandersteen Kento loudspeakers.

Rogier van Bakel visits a room at AXPONA 2026 that featured a collaborative exhibit from importer and distributor Bluebird Music pairing Swiss precision with Danish craftsmanship. The system he auditioned in that room included Peak Consult Sonora loudspeakers and a stack of Orpheus Lab electronics gear from their Absolute Line.