Each spring, the global hi-fi industry makes its pilgrimage to the Chicago suburbs for AXPONA, and AXPONA 2026 is shaping up to be one of the busiest yet. The Windy City show has become the premier North American stage for new hi-fi product launches, drawing hundreds of exhibitors from around the world and filling the halls with everything from statement loudspeakers and cutting edge amplifiers to the latest digital streaming gear and personal audio.
This year’s event (April 10-12, 2026 at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center near Chicago, IL) will once again offer a maze of listening rooms, product debuts, and late night industry debates about whether vinyl really does sound better than streaming. World premieres, U.S. debuts, and technology showcases are expected across the Exhibit Hall, Ear Gear section, Experience Car Audio showcase, and dozens of hotel listening rooms.
The eCoustics team will be there in force. Six of us are heading to Chicago to cover the show from every angle with daily reporting, listening impressions, interviews, podcasts, and video coverage. If something new, strange, brilliant, or outrageously expensive appears at AXPONA 2026, we’ll be in the room listening to it. And probably arguing about it five minutes later.
New Hi-Fi Product Launches Expected at AXPONA 2026
While AXPONA is always a great place to reconnect with the industry and hear familiar systems pushed to their limits, the real draw is the steady stream of new hi-fi products making their debut. Manufacturers routinely use the Chicago show as the North American launchpad for new loudspeakers, amplifiers, DACs, and source components, knowing that thousands of enthusiasts, dealers, and journalists will be walking the halls looking for the next big thing.
ATC
ATC’s EL50 Anniversary active 3-way floorstanding loudspeakers make their North American debut at AXPONA. Limited to only 50 pairs, these tri-amplified speakers harness 50 years of custom engineering and can be yours next month (April 2026) for $99,999 per pair.
Location: Room 1534
Audio Note (UK)
Audio Note (UK) will present the U.S. premiere of the latest version of its Oto integrated amplifier at AXPONA 2026. The Oto remains one of the company’s most recognizable tube integrated designs and continues Audio Note’s focus on minimalist circuits and traditional analog amplification. The new Oto SE 35 is available as of February 2026 starting at $5,950.
Location: Room 1403
AXISS Audio Distribution
AXISS Audio Distribution will host two notable debuts. The first is the U.S. introduction of a new optical phono system from Reed, which includes a customized optical cartridge paired with a dedicated phono EQ stage and an external power supply designed specifically for optical signal conversion. AXISS will also present the North American debut of the Soulution 787 turntable, a reference level linear tracking design that uses a moving platter combined with a pivoted tonearm architecture. Pricing for both products has not been announced.
Location: Room 1128 and Aster Suite (16th Floor)
Decibel+
Decibel Plus will showcase several new components including the Neoson Genèse integrated amplifier ($7,885), the SoulNoteA-1 ver2 integrated amplifier, Atlantis Lab AT-16 and AT-21 loudspeakers, and the AudioByte SuperVOX DAC and SuperHUB streaming hub. The systems are aimed at building complete high performance systems available through the retailer’s online store. Pricing for the individual products varies by component and has not been fully confirmed ahead of the show.
Location: Room 1109
Dinaburg Technology
Dinaburg Technology will debut its C2S (Concentric Coplanar Stabilizer) driver architecture at AXPONA 2026. Demonstrations will include a 60 x 72 mm headphone transducer and a 6.5-inch loudspeaker driver built around the same architecture, which is designed to repurpose energy typically lost in traditional driver designs. Pricing and commercial product timelines have not yet been announced.
Location: Ear Gear Booth 9425
Gato Audio & Copenhagen Loudspeaker Company
Gato Audio and Copenhagen Loudspeaker Company will introduce the CLC65 loudspeaker, described as the first commercially available three way loudspeaker built exclusively with Purifi drivers. The system is intended to demonstrate advanced driver integration and system coherence using Purifi’s driver technology. Pricing has not yet been announced.
Location: Room 731
Goldmund
Goldmund will present the Telos 8800 monoblock amplifiers, rated at 1,400 watts of Class AB power and priced at $790,000 per pair. The system will also include the Mimesis Reference preamplifier, priced at $159,000, both intended to drive reference level loudspeaker systems.
Location: Utopia Lounge
Jorma
Jorma will introduce the Paragon flagship cable series, designed as the company’s highest level signal transmission product line. Pricing varies depending on cable type and configuration.
Location: Utopia Lounge
Luxman
Luxman will showcase the L100-C integrated amplifier, a pure Class-A design priced at $11,995, alongside the D100-C SACD/CD player and DAC, priced at $18,995.
Location: Prosperity Room
Magico
Magico will host the world premiere of the new S7 (2026) loudspeaker, a five driver, three way floorstanding system that weighs approximately 384 pounds per speaker. The S7 represents the latest model in Magico’s S-Series lineup, priced at $200,000 per pair.
Location: Club Room 15
Marten
Marten will demonstrate the Coltrane Quintet Extreme loudspeakers, priced at $510,000 per pair. The speakers incorporate beryllium and diamond drivers and are derived from the company’s flagship Coltrane series.
Location: Utopia Lounge
Mojo Audio
Mojo Audio will demonstrate the Mystique Z Quantum DAC (from $12,999) alongside its “One Box Wonder” music server (from $6,999), a single chassis server designed to function as a central digital source component in high end audio systems.
Location: Room 360
Nobius Audio
Nobius Audio will introduce several loudspeaker products including the N1-9B bass module, designed to complement the N1-9 bookshelf speaker, along with the S2-5 and S1-2 bookshelf loudspeakers. Pricing for the new models has not yet been confirmed.
Location: EX9315
Orchestalls
Orchestalls will showcase compact versions of its existing loudspeaker models, offering smaller scale versions of previously introduced designs intended to make the brand’s speaker lineup more accessible. Pricing has not been announced.
Location: Room 728
Paramax Corporation
Paramax Corporation will debut a new powered monitor speaker, representing the company’s entry into the powered speaker category. Pricing and final specifications have not yet been released.
Location: EX9326
Rockna (via Mimic Audio)
Mimic Audio will feature the Rockna Sinum digital source component, highlighting the company’s proprietary DAC architecture and digital signal processing design. Pricing has not yet been announced.
Location: Ear Gear Booth 8119
Quintessence Audio
Quintessence Audio will feature several notable systems including the Dohmann Helix One MKIII turntable, the dCS Varese digital playback system, and the Innuos Nazare music server. Pricing varies significantly depending on system configuration and was not fully confirmed prior to the show.
Location: Connection 1, Perfection 1, Knowledge 1
Silent Angel
Silent Angel will present the MX flagship audiophile network streamer and a new version of the N8 network switch, both designed for use in dedicated streaming audio systems. Pricing has not yet been confirmed.
Location: EX9112
SoundCrewe Audio
SoundCrewe Audio will display several models from its SC-750 loudspeaker lineup, including the Model 350 desktop speaker, Model 450 and Model 550 bookshelf speakers, and the Model 750 flagship loudspeaker using Accuton CELL drivers. Pricing varies depending on configuration and finish.
Location: Room 546
SVS
SVS will debut the 3000 Micro R|Evolution compact subwoofer, which uses dual opposing 9-inch drivers powered by a 1,200-watt amplifier with over 4,000 watts peak output in an 11-inch enclosure. The smallest subwoofer in the SVS line-up replaces the original 3000 Micro, and completes the new 3000 R|Evolution series we first saw at CES 2026. Pricing has not yet been announced.
Location: Rooms 1442 and 1444
Swan Song Audio
Swan Song Audio will introduce several new products including 3D printed loudspeakers, a 3D printed turntable, battery powered phono and DAC preamplifiers, 11.5-watt battery powered Class A monoblock amplifiers, Argentium silver cables, and acoustic treatment products. Pricing varies by product and has not been finalized.
Location: Room 1644
T+A
T+A will demonstrate its new SDX 3100 HV streamer/DAC/preamplifier, along with the A 3100 HV stereo amplifier and PS 3100 HV external power supply, which together form part of the company’s HV electronics lineup. Pricing has not yet been confirmed.
Location: Schaumburg G
Vandersteen
Vandersteen will debut a new line stage preamplifier featuring purist circuitry and defeatable tone, stereo/mono, and matrix functions. Pricing has not yet been announced.
Location: Room 1434
VPE Electrodynamics
VPE Electrodynamics will introduce the Elevon active DSP loudspeaker, a three way powered speaker system with DSP based crossover and room adjustment controls, along with the Aileron bookshelf speaker that can function as a stereo or center channel design. Pricing has not yet been confirmed.
Location: Room 502
Woo Audio
Woo Audio will debut the WA300B-BAL tube power amplifier, designed and assembled in New York. The amplifier will be demonstrated driving Ø Audio and Aretai loudspeakers. Pricing has not yet been announced.
Location: Room 1125
The Bottom Line
AXPONA 2026 is already shaping up to deliver a wide range of new loudspeakers, amplifiers, turntables, DACs, and streaming components from across the high end audio world. The list above represents just the products we know about today, and we expect additional announcements and surprise debuts as April approaches. We will continue updating this preview as more manufacturers confirm launches and will also highlight the new products we expect to see and hear once the show begins. One thing is certain: when the industry gathers in the Chicago suburbs this spring, the Windy City is going to get very loud.
For more information: axpona.com
Related Reading:
- Marten’s Coltrane Quintet Speakers Promise Extraordinary Performance For Those With Very Deep Pockets
- Luxman Enters Its Second Century with the D-100 SACD Player and L-100 Integrated Amplifier
- SVS Unleashes R|Evolution: New 3000 Series Subwoofers at CES 2026
Anton
March 13, 2026 at 5:15 pm
Will any of this be “affordable?”
Asking for a friend.
Looking forward to your impressions of the ATC speaker which looks wonderful…for $99,500.
Ian White
March 13, 2026 at 9:20 pm
Anton,
AXPONA will have thousands of components so we are likely to find some “affordable” ones to write about. It’s a huge show. Biggest one in America for high-end audio.
I’m hoping to get the ATC in for review in May. The most expensive speaker I’ve ever tried.
IW