Recent Trade Show Coverage

2019 was a busy year in consumer audio as evident by all of the new and exciting products released by some of the big name brands like Polk, Denon, Arcam, MartinLogan, etc. We haven't seen this much enthusiasm among manufacturers for a CEDIA show in a very long time. We covered the latest advances in loudspeakers, immersive surround processors, and more. Check out our CEDIA coverage broadcasts on our Youtube channel.

Sound United recently held its first ever North America dealer conference in New Orleans at the historic Hotel Monteleone in the heart of the city’s French Quarter. Gene DellaSala, Audioholics’ President, and I were invited along with about a dozen other journalists to take a deeper dive into Sound United’s portfolio of companies and products. We got an intimate look at Sound United's portfolio of products and technology and a sneak peek into the future. Check out our YouTube interviews with Classe, Denon and Marantz as well as our discussions about Sound United and our Truth in Power (TiP) movement.

The Florida Audio Expo show debuted to huge success this year in Tampa with over 40 demo rooms of high-end two-channel audio. Audioholics was there as a sponsor and press to cover the show and bring you the highlights of what stood out to us. I took a closer look at demos from Legacy Audio, Paradigm, MartinLogan, JBL, Carver, Von Schweikert and also noted the snake oil cable stuff along with a particular "high-end" tweak that I thought was long gone. Check out this report and be sure to watch our YouTube channel for additional coverage and interviews.

The 2018 CEDIA Expo show was held at the San Diego Convention Center in California again this year, hosting over 500 exhibitors who showcased their newest UltraHD gear ready to implement the new HDMI 2.1 standard. Our coverage focused on the AV gear that really stood out among its peers at the show. What seems to be the theme this year? HDMI 2.1 and more smart speakers.

Parts Express recently held their annual Midwest Audiofest, and Audioholics was there to see what all the buzz was about. Midwest Audiofest is a festival for audio enthusiasts that features a DIY speaker competition, swap meet, and tent sale. As a fellow audio enthusiast, we thrived in the audio-obsessed atmosphere of the Midwest Audiofest, especially seeing some of the bold designs in the DIY Speaker competition. Read our coverage to get a taste of the Midwest Audiofest.

We kicked off the new year by covering the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) which is held annually in Las Vegas, Nevada. Our own Marshall Guthrie scouted the showfloor on a mission to seek out the latest AV electronics and cover them for Audioholics. He looked at the latest UHD OLED displays, AV receivers and Processors that break the 7.1.4 Immersive Surround barrier, smart powered speakers, and uber expensive "performance" Soundbars vying to lure the audiophile tight on space for discrete speaker systems, but not on budget.

The 2017 CEDIA Expo show was held at the San Diego Convention Center in California this year, hosting over 500 exhibitors who showcased their newest Ultra HD audio and video gear and custom integrated solutions. Our coverage focused on the AV gear that really stood out among its peers at the show. What seems to be the theme this year? Amazon Alexa’s Smart Home Skill. Check out our coverage for more details.

A special moment in the life of every Audioholic is to be present at the unveiling of a sensational new loudspeaker system, and there are few better places to accomplish that than at AXPONA. We were happy to cover the truly stand out products on this show coverage page so you could get a more close up personal look at them. The speakers we covered here range from affordable to cost-no object designs. Some of the mainstream brands are here but we also covered some of the more unique designs in hi-fi which deserve the attention of anyone interested in good sound but might be overlooked due to their less conventional constructions or less flamboyant appearance or name recognition. Now onto the speakers…

We're starting off 2017 with a bang by bringing you the latest and greatest AV Electronics product coverage announced at CES in Las Vegas. Check out the latest speakers and subwoofers from Revel, Goldenear, Elac, Emotiva, SVS, etc and impressive new Soundbars from Polk, Pioneer and Nakamichi. Details emerge on the new 16CH Atmos/DTS:X Emotiva RMC-1 Processor and we've got some cool stuff to show you in wireless and cordless Bluetooth headphones and developments in UHD HDTV.

The CEDIA 2016 Expo was once again in Dallas Texas and we covered it live from the lovely Omni Hotel. We scouted the showfloor in search of new gear and tech reporting on some of the latest Atmos/DTS:X AV receivers and their inflated power ratings. We heard demos of the coolest new high end loudspeakers, soundbars and subwoofers and even got a sneak peek at a new Oppo UHD Blu-ray player. DTS:X software was still scarce and those dreaded Atmos upfiring speakers still failed to impress us despite Dolby's latest marketing push to convince otherwise. Be sure to also check out our YouTube video show coverage.

My visit to Bowers & Wilkins to commemorate their 50th anniversary really energized my enthusiasm for the company. I sensed great energy and pride from the employees and top execs that work there which is rare these days in the corporate world. We got a chance to listen and examine their new flagship Diamond 800 D3 speakers and tour their facility to get a great historical perspective of the company and the direction they are going after the recent EVA Automation acquisition. Read on to learn more.

What is the theme this year at CES 2016? High value and high performance audio products, particularly speakers. We can't believe the quality of speaker products coming out from some of our favorites like Emotiva, SVS, Fluance, Elac, Goldenear and more and best of all, the modest prices will have every audiophile smiling. There are plenty of statement pieces, like the Paradigm Concept 4F that will satisfy the most discriminating audiophile too. We see all of this as a much needed adrenaline shot to the industry. So check out our coverage and live YouTube Video interviews.

The CEDIA 2015 Expo was in Dallas Texas this year and we had a great time covering it. We scouted the showfloor in search of everything DTS:X and Dolby Atmos which are still buzz words this year. When will the DTS:X firmware update come for those who bought upgradeable immersive surround receivers? What happened to those upfiring Atmos Elevation speakers? Is anyone seriously using them and will they work with DTS:X? Read our coverage and demo reports to find out. What's the future of UHD Blu-ray and how does HDMI 2.0a and HDCP 2.2 fit into the equation? We got the scoop on those items as well. Be sure to watch our Facebook page for tons of new product images (audioholics.com/facebook).

We were happy to attend the 2015 AXPONA (Audio Expo North America) Audio Con in Westin O'Hare Chicago from April 24th through the 26th to experience two-channel bliss from some of the top high end audio manufacturers in the industry. High res audio, including 24 bit FLAC to vinyl was alive and well. With heavy weights like Legacy, Revel and Anthem demoing their finest gear, our ears were provided with quite a sonic treat.