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High-Performance
Audio Gear Reviews,
Music News, Show Reports, Articles & More!
30 Years Of Service To Music
Lovers.
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April 2026
Review Magazine: World Premiere Gear And Show Reports
Flagship reviews, Montreal and Florida show coverage, plus an insightful buying guide.
The issue opens with high-end audio's diverse equipment offerings with A Buyer's Guide For 2026. It emphasizes how the market has evolved into specialized ecosystems that include hi-fi separates, music streamers, portable
high-res players, and explains why manufacturers may optimize products for listening context rather than
one-size-fits-all solutions. Our equipment section leads with world premiere reviews, including the impressive Børresen T1 Silver Supreme Edition (SSE)
stand-mounted loudspeaker with Dr. Bump's detailed listening and technical analysis, the Heartsound Audio Holostage review by Rick Becker showcases a
hands-on evaluation of an affordable sonic enhancer. The fun and fantastic MooVu DIY loudspeaker kit showcases how doing it all by yourself can be lots of fun! As always, our April issue also means a couple of humorous articles for your reading
pleasure. Beyond gear, April's coverage includes major show reports and industry commentary that map current trends. Detailed reports from Montreal Audiofest 2026 and the Florida International Audio Expo 2026 capture the scale of recent shows and the resurgence of immersive,
luxury-level demos.
---> April 2026 Review Magazine:
World Premiere Gear And Show Reports.
Montreal Audiofest 2026
Luxury Hi-Fi Audio Show Report
The ultimate audiophile and
music lover experience.
Montreal Audiofest 2026 (Salon Audio Montreal)
returned March
20th through 22nd, bringing Canada's premier high-end audiophile event to the city. Organizers
enjoyed welcoming thousands of music lovers and audiophiles eager to listen, see, and handle cutting-edge audio gear, with over
luxury 300 brands showcased under one roof. The three-day festival was designed for audiophiles, videophiles,
immersivephiles, and curious music lovers seeking modern immersive, hands-on
experiences. As the largest audio event in Canada, the event gathered top distributors, manufacturers, and retailers from the
high-end consumer electronics industry. Attendees joyously explore dedicated demo
listening rooms, vendor booths, and curated exhibits that highlight the latest in
luxurious loudspeakers, top-rated amplifiers, precision Hi-Res Audio DACs, turntables, immersive
headphones & portable audio, plus home A/V systems. The show's scale and industry presence
made it a
must-visit for anyone tracking trends in premium sound and home cinema.
---> Montreal Audiofest 2026 Luxury Hi-Fi Audio Show
Report.
AXPONA 2026 Features Audiophile Gear, Master Classes,
& Seminars
AXPONA 2026 is a three-day high-end audio event for audiophiles and industry insiders, running April 10th through 12th at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center just outside Chicago. AXPONA's programming emphasizes education and community: the schedule featured seminars, master classes, live concerts, and
after-hours events designed to pair technical deep dives with musical experiences. For attendees planning a visit, organizers and reviewers offered practical tips: plan your route through the many exhibit rooms, use the AXPONA app to track
must-hear demos, and expect international brands to debut flagship systems that are best experienced live rather than via specs
alone. Over three days, the AXPONA 2026 show combines a sprawling Expo Hall with many listening rooms, a trade pavilion, live musical performances, and specialty areas such as the Ear Gear Experience, and IASCA car audio showcase.
---> AXPONA
2026 High-End / Luxury Audiophile Show Report. 
Part 4 — Lower Level, Left (St. Laurent & Outremont
Rooms) At The Montreal Audiofest 2026 Show
A deep dive into the Montreal Audiofest 2026, featuring
early-morning impressions, high-end audio's latest innovations, audiophile solutions, and standout demonstrations.
Montreal Audiofest Show Report By Rick Becker
The weather at Montreal Audiofest is
nowhere near as bad as the early years when it was held earlier in the year at
the Delta Hotel. Still, it was not surprising to find a coating of snow on the
city on Sunday morning. The snow surrounding the pool and the fog above the heated
pool make for an enchanting early morning dip. I was hoping this would be the
year I'd risk going for a swim, but the need to stay on schedule and get my work
done prevailed. Arriving at the hotel restaurant early, finding empty tables,
and being seated immediately put me at ease. Charles Kirmuss, the Doctor of Groove, joined me for a glass
of orange juice. I had studied his website before coming to the show, and we had
an interesting conversation about his record rejuvenating technology. When I see
him at his booth, I rarely have time to engage with him, so this was a treat.
Montreal is his hometown, so he always makes this show. He's a big fan of Anne
Bisson, who is also from Montreal.
---> Part 4 — Lower Level, Left (St. Laurent & Outremont Rooms) At The Montreal Audiofest 2026
Show.
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U.S. Recorded Music Revenue Hits Record $11.5 Billion In 2025 Driven By Streaming And Vinyl LPs
The Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA) reported that U.S. recorded music wholesale revenue reached a record $11.5 billion in 2025, marking continued industry growth driven largely by digital formats. Streaming remained dominant, with streaming revenues rising to $9.5 billion and accounting for 82% of total U.S. revenue for the fifth consecutive year. The RIAA highlighted that this expansion reflects
labels' investments in technology and new fan experiences. Paid subscription services continued to power the market: the U.S. is the
world's largest paid subscription market with 106.5 million paid accounts generating $6.4 billion, and premium paid subscription revenue grew 6.8% to $5.88 billion. At the same time, physical formats saw notable gains—vinyl sales surpassed $1 billion for the 19th straight year, representing nearly half of global vinyl value and outselling CDs in revenue and
units. RIAA leaders framed the results as evidence of a resilient, evolving music economy, noting that label strategies around streaming, vinyl, and responsible AI licensing are expanding creative and commercial opportunities for
artists.
---> US Recorded Music Revenue Hits Record $11.5 Billion In 2025 Driven By Streaming And Vinyl LPs. 
Global Music Revenues Surge 6.4% As Streaming And Innovation Reshape The Music Business Industry
Global recorded music revenues climbed 6.4% to $31.7 billion in 2025, marking the eleventh consecutive year of growth, according to
IFPI's Global Music Report 2026. The organization credits this rise to strong partnerships between record companies and artists, as well as expanding engagement with paid streaming platforms. With 837 million paid streaming subscribers, streaming now accounts for more than half of all global recorded music revenue. Record companies are also positioning themselves at the forefront of AI innovation. The report highlights their work in developing licensing models that ensure artists are compensated when their music is used in AI-driven tools. IFPI emphasizes that the goal is an ecosystem where human creativity and AI can coexist, with technology enhancing rather than replacing artistic
expression. Alongside growth, the industry faces mounting challenges from streaming fraud, where artificially generated plays divert revenue away from legitimate artists. IFPI calls for stronger action across the entire streaming value chain—including platforms, aggregators, and distributors—to detect and prevent fraudulent activity.
---> Global Music Revenues Surge 6.4% As Streaming And Innovation....
$1B Verdict:
Supreme Court Shields ISPs From Piracy Liability
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 9–0 decision in Cox Communications versus Sony Music Entertainment, reversing a lower-court ruling that had held the internet service provider liable for
subscribers' music piracy and overturning a jury award that exceeded $1 billion. The Court held that an ISP cannot be treated as a copyright infringer solely for providing internet access to the public, rejecting the theory that mere knowledge of user infringement is enough to impose contributory liability. The dispute began after music companies used
third-party monitoring software to trace alleged illegal uploads and downloads to IP addresses assigned to Cox subscribers and sent the ISP more than 163,000 infringement notices over the period at issue. Sony and other rights holders sued, and a jury awarded statutory damages that together topped $1 billion; the Fourth Circuit later affirmed a finding of contributory infringement, prompting Cox to seek Supreme Court
review.
---> $1B Verdict: Supreme Court Shields ISPs From Piracy Liability.
World Premiere Review!
Restoring Music To Its Reality: Børresen T1 Silver Supreme Edition Stand-Mounted Loudspeaker Review
In-depth listening test, technical analysis, and
real-world setup tips for audiophiles and music lovers.
Review By Dr. Michael Bump
Giddy. (adj) The emotional response I have developed to
the musical instruments that are Børresen loudspeakers. In my crossover life as both a professional musician and
high-end audio writer and reviewer, I have grown acquainted with a handful of
select audio designs that, from my perspective, serve as true musical
instruments – creations that express sonic art in ways that reach into
the human heart, corporeally moving both body and soul in ways that defy words.
Before we get to my Børresen T1 SSE (Silver Supreme Edition) monitor
loudspeaker review, here's some background. It was six years ago from my first
encounter with Børresen loudspeakers, when, upon first listen, they revealed
those same visceral qualities I am all too familiar with when on stage creating
live music. In the Spring of 2019, I was privileged to pen the U.S.
Premiere review of the Børresen 01 Series stand monitor, the cornerstone of
what was then the newly established Børresen Acoustics loudspeaker company of
Michael Børresen and co-founding business partner, Lars Kristensen.
--->
Børresen T1 Silver Supreme Edition Stand-Mounted Loudspeaker Review.
How High-End Audio Broke Into Ecosystems: A Buyer's Guide For 2026
Why purists, streamers, and convenience seekers buy different kinds of high-fidelity.
Editorial By Steven R. Rochlin
High-end audio's
market structure in 2025 and 2026 shows concentrated growth in premium segments,
even as the mass-market hi-fi segment also expands. Am humbled to find that our
global consumer audio market was valued at about $58.9 billion in 2025, with
hi-fi sound systems and premium headphones growing faster than commodity
categories. What may look to some like fragmentation is actually a move towards
specialization: manufacturers and boutique builders optimize for listening
context rather than a single universal product. That may yield better-fitting
systems for critical listening, living-room convenience, and portable use. Like Enjoy
the Music.com, our part of the overall consumer electronics sector is doing
better than ever! For purists, the separates ecosystem—standalone
loudspeakers, amplifiers, preamps, phono stage, and DACs—remains the gold
standard.
--->
How High-End Audio Broke Into Ecosystems: A Buyer's Guide For 2026.
MooVu DIY Loudspeaker Review — Big Bass, Easy Build, Great Value
Construct, listen, love — a gateway to DIY audio'phile hobbying fun.
Review By Brett And Dylan Rudolph
Last
year at the Capital Audio Fest, I saw Vinh Vu, principal at Ginkgo Audio,
sitting at his booth with his MooVu speakers. I was fascinated by these $815-ish
Do-It-Yourself (DIY) speakers, which he explained to me were his latest
brainchild. So, while I had no real time to do more than look at them, we
chatted a little longer and then put a pin on it, thinking we would come back to
it later. There is one thing that you need to know about
Vinh, and it is absolutely to his credit: he is very organized. Shortly before
the end of the year, he called to ask if I was interested in reviewing the MooVu
speakers. While I have many strengths in this world, one of them is not the
ability to work with my hands, which, coupled with my current vision issues,
leaves me unable to review things such as this; however, my son Dylan was
absolutely thrilled to help with this review. So, we set up for the second
weekend in January for Vinh to come and show us both how to build speakers and
put the MooVus together.
---> MooVu DIY Loudspeaker Review — Big Bass, Easy Build, Great
Value.
Etsuro Urushi Cobalt Blue Moving Coil Phono
Cartridge Review
A super-transparent window into the sounds that have been etched into an
LP's surface.
Review By
Tom Lyle
The last time
I reviewed a phono cartridge in Enjoy The Music.com was about a year ago,
it was then when I made comments regarding my love/hate relationship with
high-end phono cartridges. Very briefly, I stated that I love phono cartridges
because of the sonic joy they bring me. The music! By translating the grooves on
a vinyl record to the wonderful sound that comes forth from my speakers is a
pleasure that is one of the greatest there is. But at the same time, I hate
them, not only because the very best cost so much, but also because they have a
relatively short life expectancy. So, until a phono cartridge manufacturer
builds and sells an inexpensive model that sounds as good as the expensive ones,
and this inexpensive phono cartridge that sounds as good as the expensive ones
also offers to users an inexpensive replacement stylus, I'm afraid my negative
feelings in regards to phono cartridges aren't going to change very much.
--->
Etsuro Urushi Cobalt Blue Moving Coil Phono Cartridge Review.
Industry POV: A New Understanding Of Diffusion
It's a far more complex concept than absorption is, and here's why.
Article By Jim DeGrandis Of Acoustics First Corporation
In decades past, traditional barrel and pyramidal sound
diffusers had their acoustical specifications presented with absorption
coefficients as the only available acoustical data. This was handy for
low-frequency control applications or targeting particular "bumps" in a room
without adding too much absorption, which could make a room too dry. Toward the end of the 20th century, more than one
acoustical company began to use graphed polar plots of various diffusion devices
to illustrate where sound was being redirected when it reflected off a device's surface. It could be
"visualized" from that information. However, the effects of diffusion could not be quantified as
easily as absorption could be. By measuring the sound absorption of a particular
device, expressed as an absorption coefficient, you can predict, with reasonable
accuracy, the change in reverberation time from its addition to a room. By
contrast, attempts at creating a useful equivalent for diffusion, in the form of
a "diffusion coefficient" or "scattering coefficient," hit a practical roadblock....
--->
Industry POV: A New Understanding Of Diffusion.
Discover more hi-fi reviews and expert articles within our Review Magazine.
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