Florida International Audio Expo 2023 Show Report
Florida's Fantastic International Audio Exposition In Tampa.

  The fantastic Florida International Audio Expo 2023 took place from February 17th through 19th at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore hotel. Many attendees enjoyed their opportunity to experience 12 floors' worth of products from the world's leading luxury premium audio / hi-fi / stereo brands. The fourth annual Florida International Audio Expo was a chance for audio and music aficionados to explore an exciting showcase of products such as home and desktop stereo systems, headphones, loudspeakers, music streamers, Hi-Res Audio DACs, cables, amplifiers and more!

FLAX 2023: My First Show In Decades!
My wife and I enjoy our fun Florida International Audio Expo 2023 adventure.
Show Report By Rufus Smith
The 2023 Florida International Audio Expo (FLAX) marked my return to an audio show for the first time since the late 1990s. I was looking forward to seeing old friends, making new ones, seeing impressive systems, and discovering new music. Making this trip more enjoyable was that I was not responsible for a show report, allowing me to explore leisurely. Arriving in Tampa Thursday night, my wife and I connected with Steven R. Rochlin and his lovely wife, Heather. After the hellos, Steven informed me that the writer who was supposed to cover the show could not make the trip and asked if I would cover the show in his place. Of course, I agreed. After a hearty breakfast the following day, my wife and I started our adventure with the Scott Walker Audio Room.
---> FLAX 2023: My First Show In Decades!

FLAX 2023: In the Groove
Super values and sound at the Florida International Audio Expo 2023.
FLAX 2023 Show Report by Maurice Jeffries
As other parts of the country struggled under the piercing bite of record low temperatures, brutal snow loads, toxic train derailments, and fractured partisan politics, the Florida International Audio Expo (February 17th through 19th), now a settled and mature occasion, enchanted by not surprising. The balmy Tampa weather delighted locals and Snowbirds alike, just as it had in years past. The Embassy Suites Westshore's sub-par Wi-Fi capacity frustrated all, but enraged none, seasoned room attendees now hip to the need to lug CD and SACD players and digital files to offset their inability the stream. Booze flowed freely, the post-pandemic vibe mandating civility over rancor, decorum over bombast.
---> FLAX 2023: In the Groove.

Audio Group Denmark @ FLAX 2023
Three outstanding exhibit rooms delivered immense musical satisfaction.
Show Repot By Steven R. Rochlin
Saving one of the very best rooms for last, the Audio Group Denmark had multiple rooms during the Florida International Audio Expo 2023 in Tampa. Having very extensive product lines means they truly needed multiple rooms just to showcase a fraction of the products offered by Aavik, Ansuz, and Børresen. Instead of going room-by-room multiplied by three separate exhibit rooms with listening impressions, as the sound was close to the same (per se) for all rooms, here are my overall impressions. Fast, very fast transients. Very dark / black / quiet background, and from that came a very dynamic and harmonically 'neutral' sound. Any deviation from perfection, which we know no system regardless of price is perfect, so the AGD systems error on the side of a touch of musicality to perfection.
---> Audio Group Denmark @ FLAX 2023.

Joseph Audio, Doshi Audio, And Cardas Audio @ FLAX 2023
Exceptional audio and video for the modern musicphile.
Show Report By Steven R. Rochlin
Jeff Joseph makes truly incredible loudspeakers. His unique crossover design and use of top-quality drivers have earned many awards over the decades. Jeff is also one of the early internet guys, so we met first met decades ago during a GTG in NYC. We all had a great time, and over the decades Jeff has fine-tuned his designs to near perfection! During the Florida International Audio Expo 2023 Jeff was playing his Pulsar2 Graphene stand-mounted speaker ($9999 per pair).
---> Joseph Audio, Doshi Audio, And Cardas Audio @ FLAX 2023.

Endow Audio Bravura 12 Speakers @ FLAX 2023
Immersive musical pleasures from this exceptional new design.
Show Repot By Steven R. Rochlin
Endow Audio had a great showing here at the Florida International Audio Expo 2023 with their Bravura 12 loudspeaker ($14,000 per pair). This is a follow-up to their highly-regarded T35 ($19,900 per pair). Within Brett Rudolph's review of the T35 he said, "The second selection was Billy Joel Songs In The Attic [Mobile Fidelity] song title "Miami 2017 (Seen the lights go out on Broadway)." The live track is another one of my favorites because it tends to have a vast range of sounds and tends to cause speakers to lose their cohesiveness. Additionally, in many cases, the sound stage tends to compress and become somewhat uninvolving instead of what should be exciting to the listener."
---> Endow Audio Bravura 12 Speakers @ FLAX 2023.

LampizatOr, Tobian Soundsystems, And Westminster Labs @ FLAX 2023
Vacuum tubes plus horns equals glorious music.
Show Report By Steven R. Rochlin
With so much to see, do, and hear during the Florida International Audio Expo 2023, it's easy to see why this is a very successful premium audio luxury show. Bringing a glorious mix of vacuum tubes, horn speakers, tweaks, and more, the music was sensational! My wife Heather loved the styling of Tobian Soundsystems 12 Signature Edition horn speakers. This two-way design uses a 12" woofer mated to a TI-4.0" mid-high compression driver. As expected, you don't need a lot of amplification power as they are ~99dB/W/m sensitive and have a wide frequency range from 20Hz to 22kHz. The horn speakers were being driven by the Westminster Labs REI Class A monoblock amplifiers, which use the company's proprietary iBias and CCS systems.
---> LampizatOr, Tobian Soundsystems, And Westminister Labs @ FLAX 2023.

TriangleArt's Terrific Sound @ FLAX 2023
Analog heaven for vinyl, vacuum tube, and horn speaker lovers.
Show Repot By Steven R. Rochlin
By now virtually every longtime audiophile and music gear lover knows of Triangle Art. Headed by the charismatic Tom Vu, their team includes DR. Khoi Tran as an engineer, Gustavo Gonzales for programmer engineering, and Roberto Lambert who is an excellent machinist, According to the company, "The principle design philosophy at TriangleArt has always been a "think it out" approach combined with continual refinement. At TriangleArt constant innovation, and the use of the highest quality materials, combined with precision manufacturing techniques and technology result in truly 'High End Products, Made in USA'." All products are designed by Tom Vu, his engineering consultant Dr. Khoi Tran and the rest of the TriangleArt team.
---> TriangleArt's Terrific Sound @ FLAX 2023.

SVS Immersive Sound System @ FLAX 2023
A great surround sound system for those with a more modest budget.
Show Repot By Steven R. Rochlin
SVS showcased what many know is the future of immersive music. Stereo will be with us forever, yet the future has opened up a plethora of newfound true lossless hi-resolution audio. Featuring a 5.2.2 Dolby Atmos surround sound system, this immersive object-based surround sound was equally at home with music as it is with movies. Also on the aural menu were the SVS Prime Wireless Pro powered speakers ($899.99) and Prime Wireless Pro SoundBase ($699.99). The Prime Wireless Pro SoundBase is a reimagining of the stereo integrated amplifier for hi-res music streaming. With 150 Watts per channel, the built-in stereo amplifier is mated with a lossless 24-bit/192kHz DAC. Of course it also features Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Airplay 2, and Chromecast compatibility.
---> SVS Immersive Sound System @ FLAX 2023.

House Of Stereo Is Your Home For Music
Fun times at the Florida International Audio Expo 2023.
Show Repot By Steven R. Rochlin
Virtually every Floridian within the area knows of Jacksonville retailer House Of Stereo. Yours Truly shopped there decades ago within their shop when the red-headed kid who previously worked for chain store Sound Advice (anyone in Florida remembers them?) helped me with a vacuum tube amp. Today House Of Stereo has a far larger, and more modern shop with a wide variety of gear to suit your every need. While both exhibit rooms I went into sounded great, and Naim makes wonderful audiophile equipment, my fave was without a doubt the audio system with the Avantgarde Acoustic Duo GT horn speakers.
---> House Of Stereo Is Your Home For Music.

Retailer Just Audio At FLAX 2023
Florida International Audio Expo 2023 In Tampa.
Show Report By Steven R. Rochlin
Here at the Florida International Audio Expo 2023 were a few retailers of course. This room featured Just Audio, which is a large home audio and home theater store on the East coast. They offer an extensive line of products from various brands, all of which are showcased within multiple sound rooms at their Middle River, MD shop. Just Audio also has both brand-new and used gear for sale. With highly-regarded gear being a hot commodity nowadays, including both vintage and pre-owned, the past few years have showcased the value of high-end audio products.
---> Retailer Just Audio At FLAX 2023.

Synergizing With Synergistic Research At FLAX 2023
With gear from Superhero sidekick Scott Walker Audio.
Show Report By Steven R. Rochlin
If there's one constant we can all count on during a luxurious premium audio show, it is Synergistic Research's Ted Denny giving an excellent demonstration of their extensive line of high-end audio gear. From thick cables and terrific tweaks to fantastic fuses and power filtering devices, Synergistic Research is your one-stop shop for many beautifully-engineered bits of audio nirvana. Ted is an excellent showman as he'll showcase a specific tweak by putting it within the system, and then allowing us all to give the system a listen. Then Ted will insert whatever device he's showcasing and give us all another listen to hear the differences.
---> Synergizing With Synergistic Research At FLAX 2023.

Gershman Acoustics 30th Anniversary Celebration At FLAX 2023
Superb special floorstanding speakers are a feast for my ears.
Show Report By Steven R. Rochlin
With a great following on social media, Ofra Gershman and her husband Eli are the celebrated couples at whatever event they exhibit. Of course we're here at the Florida International Audio Expo to hear their loudspeakers. This year at FLAX 2023 Gershman Acoustics 30th Anniversary Grande Avant Garde speakers. While photos can be deceptive, these speakers stand a mere 39" high yet deliver sound that far exceeds their relatively compact size. My listening note come right out and say that the sound is far 'larger' than expected. While that may sound a bit vague, what I really mean to say is that for floorstanding speakers that are a mere 39" high, they produce a sound that usually takes a far larger design.
---> Gershman Acoustics 30th Anniversary Celebration At FLAX 2023.

AGD Productions And Ocean Way At FLAX 2023
Another excellent showing by AGD of their Award-earning products.
Show Report By Steven R. Rochlin
Alberto Guerra of AGD Productions is always a joy to see during shows. His warm welcome and innovative amplification and hi-res digital audio gear always delivers excellent sound. Enjoy the Music.com has reviewed quite a few prices of AGD gear for good reason, they are always exceptional sounding. It seemed he brought everything (and the kitchen sink) of gear, so the below listing feature a few highlights. Of note is their AGD Andante Pre-DAC Streamer Phono that easily plays a great role at the center of your home audio system. There are four analog inputs (phono included, three analog outputs for bi-amplification/etc., plus of course an excellent 32-bit/384kHz R2R DAC. Without a doubt the Andante Pre-DAC Streamer Phono stands as an exceptional control center for all your source gear.
---> AGD Productions And Ocean Way At FLAX 2023.

AV Luxury Group: Margules, Raidho, Scansonic HD, RSX....
Enjoying great tunes and having a ball @ FLAX 2023 with Bruce Ball.
Show Report By Steven R. Rochlin
The AV Luxury Group International is an excellent distribution company co-founded by all around great guy Bruce Ball. Bruce is a longtime regular at shows, as he has represented such famous brands as Benz Micro, XLO Electric, Halcro, TAG McLaren Audio USA, and Questyle North America to name a few. Bruce also enjoys a fine cigar from time to time, yet we're here for the music and audio gear so let's get right to it.
---> AV Luxury Group: Margules, Raidho, Scansonic HD, And RSX.

Direct Audio And Wham Engineering / Wally Tools
Vinyl LP enthusiasts rejoice at FLAX 2023.
Show Report By Steven R. Rochlin
Vinyl lovers rejoiced as Direct Audio was at the Florida International Audio Expo 2023 with bins after bin of vinyl LP releases. While the company also sells hardware and accessories, their room was filled with bins of analog LPs. Business looks great as the rooms was pretty well packed during the entire show. In the room next to Direct Audio was Wham Engineering / Wally Tools, who are famous for their analog setup tools to ensure your turntable is properly configured. Precisely mounting and aligning the phono cartridge on your turntable's tonearm is paramount to achieving the very best sound. The WallyZenith is to ensure the correct stylus/cantilever zenith error.
---> Direct Audio And Wham Engineering / Wally Tools.

Convergent Audio Technology (CAT) At FLAX 2023
Ken Stevens once again showcases why CAT gear is truly exceptional.
Show Report By Steven R. Rochlin
One of the exciting rooms here at the Florida International Audio Expo 2023 was Convergent Audio Technology (CAT) and seeing Ken Stevens. This legendary company has been producing enchanting-sounding luxury audio for many years, with many rave reviews accordingly. According to their website, "CAT's philosophy is to design our products to neither add to, nor detract from, the music." Ken is a longtime designer of vacuum tube premium audio equipment for well over over 30 year, and with time comes knowledge and wisdom. Without a doubt his experience brought many benefits for attendees at FLAX 2023.
---> Convergent Audio Technology (CAT) At FLAX 2023.

MC Audiotech Showcases Their New TL-12 Speaker
Fascinating MC Audiotech floorstanding speakers at the Florida International Audio Expo 2023.
Show Report By Steven R. Rochlin
The new MC Audiotech TL-12 floorstanding speakers is a classic cabinet design and joins the company's well-received and highly stylish TL-10 model. MC Audiotech, a company we gave the world premiere review of their outstanding Forty 10 floorstanding loudspeaker back in July 2021 ($37,000), was showcasing their new TL-12 ($24,900 on up depending on finish) here at FLAX 2023. Their speakers are said to be a whole new world in the joy of listening. Using Wide Band Line Source (WBLS) drivers, this MC Audiotech transducer is a wideband line source dynamic device that is the result of 40 years of research and development.
---> MC Audiotech Showcases Their New TL-12 Speaker.

Heavenly Headphones And Head-Fi At FLAX 2023
Personal audio gear at the Florida International Audio Expo.
Show Report By Steven R. Rochlin
There were a few rooms on the upper floor featuring various headphones, head amps, etc., and heavenly head-fi gear. The immense growth of this part of our premium audio industry has been awe-inspiring! Reaching full maturity today, we're seeing many incredible-sounding personal audio systems at various price points. From entry-level to ultra-fi, there's a set of cans, streaming DACs, plus high-end balanced amplification for your lifestyle and budget. Recording and mastering studios have also been paying close attention to personal audio, as there are various record labels offering headphone-based music or recording mixes that are specifically engineered for personal audio listening.
---> Heavenly Headphones And Head-Fi At FLAX 2023.

The Big Rooms At FLAX 2023
Florida International Audio Expo's large rooms.
Show Report By Steven R. Rochlin
Wow! Yes, these are the main floor's large exhibit rooms, so they have the decisive advantage of having an abundance of physical space to properly integrate loudspeakers within a room. Every seasoned premium audio enthusiast knows that the loudspeakers, and their placement within the room, can make or break the quality of sound we hear. I'm happy to give a full gear listing... when the manufacturer provides it. As always, I ask each exhibit room to send me a gear listing via email and some do, others don't as a show is very busy. Allow me to reserve the right to add gear listing within my reports over time, as trying to remember each piece of gear over many rooms... my brain aint what it once was. With that said, here are the Big Rooms and my impressions of the sound heard.
---> The Big Rooms At FLAX 2023.

Fantastic Fun At The Florida International Audio Expo 2023
Great growth within the premium audio experience.
Editorial By Steven R. Rochlin
Decades ago many of you reading this would have had to wait months to find out what was happening at luxury audio shows. We'd be champing at the bit waiting for the next issue of whatever print magazine(s) we were subscribed to hoping to learn about the latest and greatest gear. It brings me immense joy knowing many of you reading this might not remember those days decades ago. It's also proof of the amazing progress we've all been enjoying thanks to the internet. Back then there were only two main shows within the USA, plus a small handful of others around the world. Today there are so many shows that it is (literally) impossible to have one person report on them all! If there was proof that our industry is 'fire', as the kids say, it doesn't take a genius to know that high-end audio continues to evolve and grow.
---> Fantastic Fun At The Florida International Audio Expo 2023.

We're Live @ The Florida International Audio Expo 2023
Fun cell phone pics as we're still @ FLAX 2023.
Show Coverage By Steven R. Rochlin
As I post this it is February 18th (Saturday), and so the Florida International Audio Expo is still happening. Our staff or writers felt you'd enjoy some exciting cell phone pics and teasers. With four Enjoy the Music.com reviewers attending FLAX 2023, we'll have an abundance of coverage to post daily. As always, in the end what really matters is that you... enjoy the music!
---> We're Live @ The Florida International Audio Expo 2023.

Florida International Audio Expo 2023
The Florida International Audio Expo, with more than 77 exhibit spaces delivering plenty of action, will have several exhibitors unveiling never before seen new products! This gives show attendees a chance to be among the very first to experience some of the best new high-performance audio gear. With over 12 floors of demonstrations to explore, attendees will experience luxurious electronics, loudspeakers, turntables, and high-end headphones from all over the world.

"We have been traveling the globe to reach new exhibitors, and locally, we are participating in several shows to reach new attendee groups," said Bart Andeer, co-founder and operations manager of the Florida International Audio Expo. "We are proud to offer our attendees the opportunity to experience various levels of products available in the market, always with the focus on celebrating and enjoying our shared passion for music in a fun, relaxed environment."

More About The Florida International Audio Expo 2023
The Florida International Audio Expo is within convenient driving distance to such local attractions as Busch Gardens and the Florida Aquarium, and just an hour's drive from Walt Disney World, Universal Studios... and a bit more for NASA! You and your family may see a SpaceX rocket launch live and in person. Let's not forget that America's #1 beach is close by too!

Attendees had the opportunity to experience the world's finest high-performance audio equipment in Florida's famous sunny weather. This includes luxurious premium audio electronics, legendary loudspeakers, terrific turntables, delightful DACs, plus must-hear headphones and portable hi-fi from the industry's most coveted brands.

The Embassy Suites, originally built as condominiums, offers a luxury feel and the living suites are acoustically isolated — one of the key reasons this venue was selected. The audio rooms, Marketplace, and headphone/personal audio demo suites will all feature display areas that include a separate bedroom and kitchen, offering exhibitors the added benefit of a multi-purpose room as an interesting and affordable space.

Qobuz Music Streaming -- Florida International Audio Expo
The Florida International Audio Expo is thrilled to announce that Qobuz, the world's first certified Hi-Res Music lossless streaming and download service, is once again the  official streaming service for their show. David Solomon, Chief Hi-Res Evangelist at Qobuz USA, will host his famous Flash DJ sessions throughout the weekend.

Enjoy the Music.com Sponsors Florida International Audio Expo's Industry Happy Hour
Enjoy the Music.com, high-end audio's celebrated online site for 28 years and a leader in providing industry news, gear reviews, and show reports is pleased to announce that we're sponsoring Florida International Audio Expo's Industry Happy Hour during their 2023 event in Tampa. Exhibitors and members of the press are invited to join us for complimentary food and beverages Thursday night at the hotel lobby. Since 1995, Enjoy the Music.com has been a major resource for information about consumer electronics, including the high-end premium luxury audio industry and high-resolution / streaming music. We are deeply honored for the opportunity to support the Florida International Audio Expo 2023 show, and in teaming up to benefit our outstanding premium audio industry exhibitors and many members of the press.
---> Enjoy the Music.com Sponsors Florida International Audio Expo's Industry Happy Hour.

Admission
One Day Ticket
Price: $25

Multi-Day Ticket
Valid for all three days of the event.
Price: $35

Note: Students, children, and spouses are admitted free of charge.

When
Friday February 17: 10am to 6pm
Saturday February 18: 10am to 6pm
Sunday February 19: 10am to 4pm

Where
Embassy Suites by Hilton Airport Westshore
555 North Westshore Boulevard
Tampa, FL 33609

Previous Florida Audio Expo Show Reports
Enjoy the Music.com's previous coverage includes 2022, 2021, 2020, and 2019 show report.