AXPONA 2025

As we get ready to head off to AXPONA in just a day’s time, we wanted to post a macro-level primer that sets the broader table for what we expect to see and hear at the show before we dial deeper into analog-centric minutiae in our firsthand show reports. Spoiler alert — we will also be posting a few previews about some cool new analog gear we’re already privy to ahead of the show, so stay tuned for those!

First, AXPONA’s organizers tell us that this year’s show — which is being held at The Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center in Schaumburg, Illinois, from April 11-13, 2025 — will feature over 300 exhibitors and 700 brands coming from 40 different countries, in addition to boasting 200-plus interactive listening rooms, an expanded Expo Hall, the Ear Gear Experience, live concerts, and seminars, along with new features like the Car Audio Showcase and Affordable Audio Room.

In the meantime, here’s the rest of our AXPONA FAQ. If you’re going to be there at the show yourself, please say hello if you see us out and about in the halls and listening rooms.

THE AUDIO PLAYGROUND: EXPO HALL
The Expo Hall, which is also home to the Record Fair (where you know I’ll be doing plenty of, er, IVR, a.k.a. “intimate vinyl research”), will showcase a vast array of turntables, cables, accessories, acoustic panels, tonearms, cartridges, vinyl, and desktop speakers in the growing world of mobile and high-end personal listening. We’re told to expect 50-plus Expo Hall exhibitors from across the globe, many of whom will be debuting their products at the show.

LISTENING ROOMS
A record-breaking 200-plus dedicated listening rooms will be spread across 12 floors. Attendees are encouraged to, quote, “experience listening rooms by hearing and comparing the superbly designed, high-performance systems and components from some of the world’s most prestigious manufacturers.” In all, more than 500 global manufacturers, retailers, distributors, and brands will be on hand, including Audio Group Denmark, Bowers & Wilkins, Chario, DALI, DeVore Fidelity, ELAC, Fidelity Imports, GoldenEar, GTT Audio, Magico, MartinLogan, Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, PureAudioProject, Steinway Lyngdorf, Stenheim, and Volti Audio amongst them.

AFFORDABLE AUDIO ROOM
New for this year, the Affordable Audio Room is a dedicated space designed to showcase high-performance audio systems at accessible price points. Recognizing that “high-fidelity sound shouldn’t be reserved for deep-pocketed audiophiles, this room plans to highlight budget-friendly gear that delivers outstanding sonic quality without breaking the bank.”

Curated by industry expert Lenny Florentine, the Affordable Audio Room features a selection of speakers, amplifiers, DACs, turntables, and accessories that are said to offer exceptional value, in turn allowing attendees to experience immersive, high-quality sound on a more reasonable budget. Whether you’re an aspiring audiophile building your first system or a seasoned enthusiast looking for cost-effective upgrades, the Affordable Audio Room provides a welcoming space to explore outstanding sound at an attainable price points.

NEW PRODUCT DEBUTS
More than 300 manufacturers will be at AXPONA to unveil the latest turntables, tonearms, cartridges, cables, accessories, racks, stands, headphones, speakers, streaming music devices, and more. Touch, test, and shop the best in high-end audio equipment and gear from the world’s most prestigious manufacturers.

Among the new gear that we already know will be shown at AXPONA are the Chattery International, Inc. Tube Series amplifier/CD player/phono amplifier/loudspeaker, Kii Audio Kii SEVEN wireless high-end loudspeaker system, TEAC AP-507 compact premium stereo amplifier, Next Level Hifi Børresen M2 loudspeaker (a world premiere), Western Hifi Consonance Linear845 integrated tube amplifier, SVS 5000 R|evolution Series subwoofers, and the Grimm Audio LS1c active loudspeaker system with motion feedback subwoofer, along with the company’s MU1 network music player.

NEW MANUFACTURERS, DISTRIBUTORS & DEALERS
AXPONA is known for featuring world-renowned companies and manufacturers, showcasing the most innovative products and services in the high-end audio industry. It is the place where manufacturers and dealers unveil their latest offerings, and this year AXPONA will be joined by dozens of NEW manufacturers, distributors and dealers including (deep breath): Audio HiFi Solutions, Audio Research, Audio Sensibility, AudioSolutions, Beyerdynamic, Chesky Audio, East-West Jazz Connection, écoute audio, Fosi Audio, Fourier Sound, JOLIDA Audio, Kii Audio, Linsoul, Master Artist Audio, NAGAOKA, Nirvana Audio, Nobius By Knot Factory Creations, Nuprime Audio, Ø Audio, Ocean Audio, Pearl Acoustic, Popori Acoustics, PSI Audio, QSA Lanedri, REL Acoustics America, Revox Deutschland, Saturn Audio, Scan, Speak A/S, Shokz, Silent Angel, Silent Pound, Sivga Audio, Songer Audio, Sound Insight, Spatial Bass Concepts Inc, Stack Audio, StreamUnlimited, True Source Audio Distribution, Turntable Configurator, Vinyl Alliance, Western HiFi, and Wireworld Cable Technology.

INDUSTRY EXPERT TALKS & SEMINARS
Get front-row seats to compelling seminars all weekend, including “The Ins and Outs of Immersive Audio: From Recording to Playback”; “Hi-Fi 101: Starting in Audio Without Breaking the Bank or Losing Your Mind”; “Headphones: The Types, The Tech, and How to Choose.”

AXPONA 101: GUIDE FOR NEWCOMERS
If you’re attending AXPONA for the first time, there’s a lot to take in, and time flies! (Take it from those who know.) The mobile app is now available for download, and it is the best guide for keeping track of all the seminars, exhibitors, concerts, and more. Kick off opening day with “Intro to AXPONA: Tips and Tricks for First-Time Attendees” on Friday, April 11, at 9am (CST). This session is designed to help first-time attendees navigate the show with confidence and ease.

LIVE MUSIC NIGHTLY
When the show closes, the afterparty kicks off with live music nightly. On Friday, April 11 at 8pm, Chicago jazz guitarist Kyle Asche will take the stage with The Kyle Asche Organ Quartet. Asche has been an integral part of the Chicago jazz community for nearly 25 years. Beginning his professional career in Chicago in 2001, Kyle has performed extensively including with Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at Lincoln Center, Melvin Rhyne, “Killer” Ray Appleton, Chris Foreman, Victor Goines, George Fludas, Ben Paterson, and many others. Having earned two music performance degrees from N.I.U. and Northwestern University, Asche remains an active and caring music educator at Loyola University Chicago since 2010.

Patricia Barber (seen in action, above) will close out AXPONA’s live concerts on Saturday, April 12 at 8pm. Barber has earned international acclaim as a dazzling and uncompromising jazz artist. Long known for her sultry vocals, compelling pianism, and sophisticated songwriting, she has come to be regarded as a significant “American composer” as well — a deeply visionary artist who blurs the lines between poetry, jazz, and art music.

And there you go — so, all that’s left is to enjoy the show!

AXPONA will be open Friday (April 11) and Saturday (April 12) 10am to 6pm and Sunday (April 13) 10am to 4pm at The Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center and Hotel, 1551 N. Thoreau Drive, Schaumburg, IL 60173

To purchase tickets or for more information about the show, please visit axpona.com.