By Let me get this off my chest first … I didn’t get to the HIFI Vienna Show this year and it was not from a lack of planning and strategy. The reason that I didn’t go to the HIFI Vienna Show was because of the failure of the UK’s ETA app (read about this in Forbes). Post February 1, 2026, and in retaliation to our nation’s anti-immigration policies here in the United States, our longest-standing and best ally in the world, the United Kingdom, now requires a visa to enter their country. I am not mad at them for asking for information and biometrics, but if you are going to demand said critical information, then perhaps you can make the app actually work? Like our government does with many things, the U.K. simply failed at this essential task. With an Upper Class (like First Class) ticket booked from Los Angeles to London ready to make a connection to Vienna for the show, I was told with 36 hours’ notice (in a very subtle reminder from Virgin Atlantic and NOT when I booked the ticket) that I needed this paperwork. No problem, I think, until I download the app from the app store and realize that the app is broken. 25 times into trying it, I get the app to work, so I give them a full suite of information and they take my modest payment and tell me that I will have my visa in 15 minutes. It is three weeks later and I still don’t have the visa that I needed and paid for. At the one-hour mark after my visa application, I called Virgin Atlantic to seek advice. They told me, “You have an Italian last name and a U.S. passport so you are being flagged, but don’t worry – just show up with your passport and we will issue you a paper ticket and you can go hang out in our Clubhouse before the flight.” Perfect, I think, but when I show up at LAX, there are easily 20 people in the main line and none of them are very happy. That’s because we were grossly misled by Virgin Atlantic and none of us ended up getting on the plane for that late-night flight to London. To be clear, it is not Virgin’s job to get me a visa but, with new rules, to mislead me (and so many others) was simply airline malpractice. To add insult to injury, Virgin Atlantic stole my 100,000 miles for a flight that they kept me from flying on. Never again will I fly Virgin Atlantic. Never. I can connect to Europe on other airlines that are not careless thieves. For example: Turkish Airways was fantastic to Istanbul and onto Copenhagen a mere three weeks before. With travel season upon us, I want to warn the audiophile community of these potentially critical travel issues.
The Balance of Power with Audiophile Shows is Changing – a History Lesson
CES (the Consumer Electronics Show). The largest trade show in the world was the Super Bowl of all things audiophile. While not a consumer show, and despite the name, the entire world of audio converged upon Sin City to talk anything and everything two-channel audio. From my first CES in January of 1994 at the Sierra Bi-Level (what a legendary venue that old-school Vegas location was) to the top floors of The Venetian until before COVID, CES was the biggest event in audio for more than a generation. Now it is dead. Gone. Nothing.
Rocky Mountain Audiofest was a strong regional show. For a long time, the Denver Audiophile Society put on their own show in the fall. Sometimes this show conflicted with CEDIA, which often was in Denver at the same time, but this Denver Tech Center, hotel-based show was pretty strong. Sadly, the founder of the show died and his lovely wife didn’t want to keep doing the show. Who can blame her, as these events are a ton of work. Rocky Mountain Audiofest is no longer a factor in the audiophile world.
Stereophile’s shows were historically really strong. It has been a long time since Stereophile promoted their own consumer shows but, when they did, they were rock-solid. One thing they did right (congrats to my man Keith Pray for buying the title recently too – way to go, buddy!) was to put the show in real cities with lots of consumers, as well as top-level press. Manhattan is logistically difficult and full of union awfulness, but there is no single more important market for both consumers and press. San Francisco, right in the heart of Union Square, was also a great city for shows. Los Angeles was fantastic, too, because of the 22,000,000 people who live within a two-hour drive from the LAX hotels that hosted the show. When the show ended up in places like Rye, New York, the luster was gone and now the Stereophile show is just a memory.
What Going On with Today’s Current Audiophile Shows?
Going in order of the calendar, here is my take on some of the audiophile shows that we might consider attending:
The Florida International Audio Show. Based in (and now outside of) Tampa, Florida, the timing of this audiophile show gave many an excuse to get out of the cold in the winter to warm up with some audio. This smaller, regional show is more of a “dealer show,” but has some appeal, especially after the holiday and with the death of CES. The costs of traveling across the country to a mid-market city like Tampa have skyrocketed and the new venue is more in the suburbs, which is an issue. The dealer (not so much manufacturer) focus is also an issue. For those in the area or with easy travel access, this could be a consideration.
Southwest Audiophile Fest. This regional show serves Texas and the venue is pretty good, but the show was relatively small when I went – so small that I could see and hear everything in a matter of hours, not days. The cost for manufacturers to support these shows is very high, thus there aren’t too many of the key decision makers tend to stay home for this show but, for people who live nearby, they can get to experience some pretty good sound in this hotel-based show. This show is run by the same people as Capital Audiofest later in the year.
AXPONA. Without question, AXPONA is the biggest U.S.-based show and the audiophile show that is growing the fastest. One could make an argument that AXPONA, the audiophile show based outside of Chicago, is becoming more and more of a global player. More and more international companies are coming to AXPONA. More consumers are showing up, too, with record attendance. This is a very positive sign. A new owner represents change, and change isn’t something that the audiophile world does well, but there is no question that AXPONA is on the rise.
High End Vienna. You want the truth … audiophile companies were freaking out before the Vienna show because, after 22 years in Munich, Germany, the move to Vienna had many manufacturers on the outside looking in. While I planned to be there this year, the reports that I heard were almost all positive, with many fears calmed after the first Vienna show. The global scope of the show makes it unique. Europeans love audio and are willing to travel to experience the best the world has to offer. The focus is often on the really big (meaning large and expensive) equipment, which can perhaps only be heard at this show. I will be at Vienna next year without question.
T.H.E. Show. Last year, after the Pacific Palisades fires, I was living in Orange County, California, and this show was super-easy to attend, which is its main draw. Without question, T.H.E. Show is a regional show, and its flagship event in Orange County is its best version of itself. Vegas and outside-NYC events sadly dilute the power of this show, which needs the type of mainstream media promotion that Bill Curtis used to do for AV shows in Orange County. Curtis, the long-time owner of The Robb Report, Home Theater Magazine, Stereophile and others, did things right, and there are ways that T.H.E. Show could learn from his historical successes to increase its growth.
Audio Advice Live. This late summer show is in retailer Audio Advice’s hometown of Raleigh, North Carolina. In the heat of summer, it is like a big version of the online and regional retailer’s best products and lines on display. There is plenty of two-channel audiophile stuff to hear, but there is a good dose of home theater focus, too.
Music Matters by Definitive Audio. One of our favorite retailers, Definitive Audio, in the Seattle area puts on a very well-organized regional show. I haven’t been to one since my good friend Mark Ormiston sold the retailer, but it was always full of unique audiophile experiences as well as good catering. If you are anywhere near Seattle and like audio, this is a worthy use of your time.
CEDIA. I wasn’t going to list CEDIA, as it is a true trade show, thus not really open to the public, but let’s just say – with a little creativity – you can get access to this Denver-based show. CEDIA is the organization behind the custom installation show. There are some audiophile companies there, but this is not the focus of the show. Video, home theater, lighting, shades, smart home all come first, but there are good sounds to be heard. Denver is an easy city to get in and out of. CEDIA has a killer deal with The Four Seasons, so you can stay like a big-time pimp at the show without the big travel budget.
Capital Audio Fest. This show, run by Gary Gill, has taken over for Rocky Mountain Audiofest in the fall as the best show of the season. Based in Bethesda, Maryland, CAF is a solid show, but tends to feature many of the same companies doing the same basic displays each year. Manufacturer attendance is far better at CAF than at others and, with a solidly fall show date, the event is timed perfectly. Staying off-site has been a good trick that Paul Wilson and I have used to our advantage at CAF, as well as at AXPONA. The cost of a business class ticket from LAX to Dulles more than doubled this year, which gave me some pause, but I am going to CAF. There are simply too many key people from the East Coast (most drive) at the show to miss. For audiophiles who have the same favorable travel logistics, this show has its upside for certain.
Final Thoughts on the Future of Audiophile Shows Past 2026
There are other international shows to consider, like Bristol in the U.K. and some in Asia, but those would be for more adventurous audiophiles who are willing to travel a long way to hear some cool stereos. AXPONA is the belle of the ball right now with High End Vienna stabilized as the global show that an audiophile would really travel for. Don’t overlook the regional shows near you or in places that are easy for you to justify visiting.
Stereo stores are closing all over the nation, thus leaving us fewer and fewer ways to experience the best in high-end audio. Listening to audio in a hotel room is less than optimal but not experiencing audio at all is far worse. These shows give you a chance to meet the people behind the gear. They give you a chance to experience systems and configurations that are likely unique. Inspiration is everywhere. Killer opportunities to buy unique software and accessories is also a perk. I would add in a tip: in the event that you see/hear something that you like at a show – politely find out who is running the room and if they want to sell said component at the end of the show. Many will, if you ask nicely and it doesn’t conflict with a dealer (or can be sold by a dealer). Why not take that new DAC home at the end of a local show, instead of having them ship it back to the factory to be sold as B-stock?
What audiophile shows do you like? Which ones will you travel for? Which ones do you aspire to attend? We will post your comments if you would like to share.
