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

Courtland 

Vinyl Sound, Zidel Marketing, And MoFi Distribution
It was a rare opportunity to hear the Quad 2812X speakers ($22k and reveiwed within the November issue of Enjoy the Music.com's Review Magazine). They sounded good, but I had a sense the room was too large for them and that the listening triangle was too large. They were supplemented with a pair of Wharefdale Nova 10" subs ($1,899 each) on each side, yet I still didn't detect a particularly strong bass. That could have just been the tuning, however.

Amplification was from Quad (with the blue screens, and below). Power conditioning was from Isotek V5 Aquarius and Electra conditioners. The rack was from SolidSteel, HF-5 with five shelves ($6,199).

A Thorens TD-404DD turntable was fitted with a MoFi UltraGold MC cartridge feeding a MoFi Master Phono phono stage.

On little tables along the side walls were a couple of must-have items, including these Douk VU22.

The light in these tubes jumped along with the volume of the music with the cute Fosi Audio units. A photo of a third unit, a spectrum analyzer, was not fit for publication, but you can find these items online. I've got a digital dB meter on my Christmas list.

Empire 

Audeze LLC
Jerome Fragman (left) hosted the Audeze headphone room once again. Had I noticed the model pricing on the whiteboard behind him, I would have stepped inside and taken a photo.

Marie Dooley Maison
Marie Dooley uses textiles to create acoustic art panels for room treatment. They are available in acoustic wool or Purekustic fiber, offering comparable sound absorption performance. Unfortunately, I didn't note her kiosk at the show, but you can explore their website.

Haliburton 

Motet Distribution, Accuphase, And Kimbercan
Motet came up with a visually intriguing display featuring Eversolo electronics and KEF speakers.

On the top shelf, the new C10 Master Clock was displayed, and two shelves below was the new DAC-R8, both with prices TBD. Both should be available soon. On the bottom shelf with the meters was the AMP-F8 ($2,799), and two shelves above was the T10 Streaming Transport ($3,299).

Anne Bisson
Once again, I was in the right place at the right time to catch a photo of Anne Bisson, this time in a more static pose with better focus.

Hearinglife
Music can be detrimental to your hearing—advice none of us took when we were young. These days I walk out of performances that are too loud at Jazzfest in the spring. Or walk further up the hill at live concerts. Very few older audiophiles survive without some loss, particularly in the treble. The sad part is many people avoid the hobby altogether because they know their hearing is compromised.

Little do they know how much enjoyment they could have with higher-resolution gear and judicious use of the volume control. Hearing aids can also be helpful, and there are brands that are known to be particularly suited to people who love music. Do your homework. Ask AI to get started in the right direction.

Part 3 is coming soon. Be sure to check back daily for more Toronto Audiofest 2026 show coverage.

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