Toronto Audiofest 2026 Show Report Part 2: Hi-Fi Highlights, Great New Gear, And Must-Hear High-End Audio Systems
From the newest turntables and DACs to reference-quality loudspeakers and remarkable tweaks, Part 2 explores exciting audiophile exhibits and presentations.
Toronto Audiofest 2026 Show Report By Rick Becker

Ambrosia III

EARVANA FEST
Note: More photos to appear at the end of the report.
There was a lot of activity in the EARVANA FEST room, more so on Saturday than Sunday. This room featured table displays with listening stations exclusively. As we have seen, there were lots of other headphone displays throughout the show in hallways and in a few rooms, so despite the concentration in this room, you still had to explore the rest of the show to experience all of the headphone activity.

I passed through the room later when it was less crowded on Sunday, hoping I might get a chance to listen to some cans, and those photos appear at the end of my report.

Ambrosia I and II 

HARMAN, Sound United, And Bowers & Wilkins
These three giant companies are all under the Samsung Electronics umbrella after HARMAN International bought Sound United in 2025. Sound United owns a whole bunch of audio companies, including B & W, Denon, Marantz, Classé, and others. Samsung now owns a reported 21 audio companies. While Classé was represented at the Montreal Audiofest earlier this year, it was notably absent here.

Ambrosia I and II were combined, requiring visitors to enter through the Ambrosia I door. The view was uninspiring, but I pressed straight ahead.

Through the dividing curtains was an immersive audio rig comprised of five large B & W speakers driven by Marantz components playing music remastered in a true surround format. The sound quality (resolution, dynamics, transparency, etc.) was very good, but the listener perspective was positioned as if you were on stage, among the musicians. Unless you were a videographer with permission to creep around on stage during a performance, this is not a perspective you are likely to have encountered. Then again, the refined stereo perspective most of us strive for with pinpoint imaging precisely locating musicians on an expansive soundstage isn't either. It was clearly different, and likely an acquired taste. It is also expensive and requires demanding use of a dedicated listening space. But it was a real treat to experience such a well-set-up system.

The room list portrayed a center channel speaker, which obviously was not present, nor did I recall seeing any subwoofers. But don't let that deflect you from the exquisite psychoacoustic experience this room offered. Thank you.

Moving over into the Ambrosia II side of this double-room, a black McLaren car sat with its door open. I couldn't spot any high end audio system within. Perhaps that is the point, as special McLaren headphones were on display nearby. With a car as loud as this, headphones would be the preferred option.

Spinning around 180 degrees, there was a table full of parts. I didn't think to ask if they were offering B & W speakers in kit form.

Along one wall was a row of real-world loudspeakers.

And on the opposite wall were the more aspirational ones, including the modern version of the Nautilus in School Bus Yellow. "Hey, teacher, leave them kids alone!"

Further into the room was a listening space with what looked like the new 801 D5 speaker. The new 800 D5 series was introduced this year at the High End show in Vienna. The multiple versions I heard here seemed to be more listenable than the D4, with better music coming from the high end in particular.

I also noticed a small variety of different wood veneer finishes that were quite attractive. It's nice to see them broadening their visual appeal beyond the classic gloss black look.

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