2024 Axpona is in the books and I had so much fun at the show.  This year, like last year, I was able to work with Mark Sossa of Well Pleased AV and Vinnie Rossi in both of their rooms.  For the folks that managed to stop by in person, it was great seeing old friends and getting to meet a few new ones in person for the first time.  

Many of our brands including Merason, Innuos, Mola Mola, Audionet, Vinnie Rossi, Gigawatt and QLN made the reviewers list for "Best in Show" or Top Rooms of the Show.  We really take pride in the brands that we carry and spend the time researching, listening, re-listening and listening again to gain insights on system synergy and optimal performance settings.

If you have a little time, feel free to review some of the reports from the show.

Cheers,

James

 Stereophile Ken Micallef

“This system had synergy and sweetness whether playing Mark’s favorite hip-hop from Gang Starr or my selections of contemporary tenor giant JD Allen or old school tenor swinger Illinois Jacquet. It played all types of music with sensuous appeal and fine ambient detail, with a dynamic range that took me by surprise on Jacquet’s high-flying saxophone shouts and the intricate orchestral shading of Camille Saint-Saëns’s Danse Macabre, with exceptional depth, rhythmic speed, and texture.”

— Ken Micallef

Audiophile Style

AXPONA 2024 RECAP - BEST IN SHOW!
May 7, 2024

“Now for my best of show award. To me, the competition wasn’t even close, although I readily admit to NOT getting to all the rooms. The best room I heard the entire weekend was by Mark Sossa at Well Pleased AV. Hands down.”
— Chris Connaker 

 Audiokey Reviews

“A track I know very well—“Take Five” (Time Out, Columbia)—and which served as my onsite comparator across AXPONA was distinguished further by this system. Wow! Historically, it has been difficult to get consistently good music, but here again in the WELL PLEASED room was beautiful music that had gravitas and weight, air and ambiance—dimensionality—and great clarity.

Of course, it’s hard to say what component was doing what, but the synergy was quite remarkable and have raised the level of my curiosity and interest in reviewing the various WELL PLEASE components. Another small room which can easily be included as one of the best rooms of the show."
— K.E. Heartsong 

Twittering Machines "Favorite Rooms"

 In my AXPONA 2024 show reports, I mentioned the game of Musical Chairs between the brands YG Acoustics and Vinnie Rossi–if one of these two brands was in the room, it was going to sound fantastic. In this room, however, we had both brands together and it was sheer magic. This was a very simple system, mostly YG Vantage speakers and the Brama 2 separates, and maybe that’s the secret to having a great room at a high-end audio show–don’t make it a kitchen sink system where everything is properly spotlighted. Instead, stick to what sounds the best and leave everything else in static displays.

Greg Weaver- The Audio Analyst 

Audionet, Mola Mola - Top Rooms of the Show