Audio Show Deluxe 2026

Although it is relatively small, several new product launches were observed at Audio Show Deluxe 2026. We have focused on these but will also highlight some of the best sounds at the event.

Audio Group Denmark

Aavik, Ansuz, Axxess and Børresen – the four pillars of Audio Group Denmark – are regular fixtures at Audio Show Deluxe. This was the first UK outing for the R-588 phono stage, equipped with an input for DS Audio optical cartridges.

Audio Note

Where the rest of the world revels in miniaturisation, Audio Note takes a different path. This was the first UK public outing of the Izvor DAC, first seen at T.H.E. New York, 2025. Playing in a DAC 4.1 Balanced, this dozen-year-long development discrete ladder DAC attempts to recreate and improve upon the performance of the beloved – and no longer available – Analog Devices AD1865 R2R DAC chip (bottom right).

Blackwood

Croatian company Blackwood showed its new Hyperion open-baffle loudspeaker, driven by its own Solaris integrated amplifier, which was fed by a Hi-Fi Rose streamer. With two 18” bass units flanking a coaxial driver, where the tweeter sits behind the acoustically transparent dust-cap of the midrange, this large loudspeaker demands a big room, but was one of the most sonically transparent experiences of the show.

Boyer

Celebrating its first decade, high-end distributor Boyer once more took the prize for making some of the best sounds at the show. That it did so in both its larger and smaller rooms suggests the company’s getting things right. The consistent elements in both rooms were Kroma Atelier loudspeakers, Bassocontinuo equipment support and a lot of Shunyata Research power, grounding, and cable system.

But whether it was the smaller room (with Engstrøm’s Arne amplifier and the new Cinnamon Galle DAC) or the larger (with a three-box Wadax Studio Player, clock and power supply and Orpheus Lab H Two preamp and H Three mono power amps), both showed what ten years of careful system design can deliver!

Brinkmann

The Brinkmann Nyquist has been a fixture in the digital audio firmament since its launch nine years ago. The model received a retrofittable Mk II upgrade a couple of years later, but the Nyquist ONE represents a major change to the analogue and power-supply circuitry. The Ethernet- and USB-equipped Nyquist ONE is fully compatible with digital modules used in the original Brinkmann Nyquist models. This means that, while owners of older Nyquist models cannot upgrade to the Nyquist ONE, any future digital modules designed for that model will also be compatible with existing Nyquists. So, no-one is left behind.

Chord Electronics

At Audio Show Deluxe, the Ultima phono stage (seen at Munich 2025 and Bristol 2026 and still having its finishing touches applied) was joined by a wholly new Upscaler for the Quartet series. Designed to match the mighty DAVE DAC from Chord Electronics, the new device adds even more performance than the popular Hugo M scaler. Both look set to deliver the sort of absolute top-notch sound quality expected from Chord Electronics, if the sound in the Chord Electronics room is anything to go by.

Dan D’Agostino Master Systems

This is the first public outing of the new Momentum Z power amplifiers from Dan D’Agostino Master Systems, in one of three Absolute Sounds rooms. The Momentum Z represents the pinnacle of the original Momentum power amplifier design (the M400 MxV mono amps remain in production). The dual-transformer, fully-balanced design is the first model in D’Agostino’s line-up to feature cascaded JFET input stages, Kinetic Drive Regulation, and an Ethernet port for monitoring. Meanwhile, the Dual Domain Meter Display replaces the conventional power meter with an LCD display, which can display messages, while still retaining the distinctive D’Agostino appearance.

Decent Audio

Having showcased a lot of Advance Paris at the Bristol Hi-Fi Show 2026, for the Audio Show Deluxe, the company focused on the German audio electronics brand SPL. Once again, with the upcoming Dual CS 718Q direct-drive turntable – this time fitted with a vdH Frog moving coil cartridge – it was powering the new SPL Phonos Duo phono stage and Diamond DAC, into an Elector preamp and two Performer m1000 mono amps, driving a pair of Scansonic MB8B loudspeakers. The distributor was also showing the AIM range of Ethernet cables that we are so very fond of here at Hi-Fi+. Decent had a ‘play anything’ rule in place, showing that the system is extremely flexible… and sounded decent too.

Definitive Audio

Definitive Audio, distributor for Kuzma Audio, was playing two turntables, into Consolidated Audio transformers, SJS electronics and Living Voice R80 OBX loudspeakers, fed by an Audes power supply and using DH Labs cables. The big hitter of the show was the Kuzma XL Air with the SAFIR 9 tonearm and the stunning CAR70 cartridge. Not far behind was the Kuzma Stabi RM fitted with a 4Point 14 arm and CAR50 cartridge. This white turntable is essentially the same as the original Stabi R but with a high mass M bearing and M platter. As ever, Definitive Audio’s musical tastes are eclectic, and the soundtrack

EAT

This was the first public UK outing of the new F-Dur (F-Major) turntable by EAT, complete with F-Note tonearm and LPS2 power supply, fed by an Ortofon Verismo cartridge and a Musical Fidelity NuVista Vinyl S phono stage (also new), and a Musical Fidelity 600.2 integrated amplifier. This, and a second Hi-Fi Rose/Rotel Michi system, were both using the new MW Stands (see below) and both ended in a pair Piega Coax 611 tower speakers in the Henley room. This is a difficult room to fill with sound, but Henley aced it!

Esoteric/Kerr

Symphony Distribution teamed up with Kerr Acoustics to deliver a power-house system. This was the first UK showing of the Esoteric Grandioso N1T Network Audio Transport and the first official reveal of the Kerr K400 floorstanding loudspeakers. Between the two were a Grandioso K1X SE CD/SACD player, a Grandioso C1X linestage, Grandioso S1X stereo power amplifier from Esoteric, and cables and tables by Montaudio.

Sound Design Distribution

The new Halcro Equinox preamplifier is a two-box line-level preamplifier that features dual switch-mode power supplies, drawing on the company’s Eclipse power amplifiers for its technology and topology. This newcomer was playing a full Sound Design Distribution system, including analogue from an Onkk Q-SDD slotless direct drive turntable and Scribe 304 tonearm with a Charisma Signature YYZ cartridge to a Grimm Audio PW1 phono stage, and digital from a Grimm’s MU2 streamer DAC, all into a Halcro Eclipse Stereo and Vivid Giya G4 loudspeakers.

Innuos

Since showing the prototype of its Nazaré at Munich last year, Innuos has been taking its new flagship server on the road. This was its first ‘show’ showing, in comparison to the former flagship Statement server. Playing into MSB digital audio, Gryphon amplification and Marten loudspeakers, it’s clear the new server plays well amongst exalted company.

Kii

HEA Distribution were showing the newly uprated Kii Seven loudspeakers. Not only have the Sevens received significant DSP and firmware updates recently (including wireless 24bit/192kHz streaming between loudspeakers), they are now available in the stunning Fine Touch Titanium finish.

Kog Audio

High-End distributor Kog Audio ran two systems in the same large room. Firing across the room was a full T+A system, comprising MP3100HV G3 CD/SACD/Media player (powered by a Taiko Audio Extreme server), a PA3100HV amplifier and a pair of Solitaire S530 speakers. The other system (playing when I visited) showed the latest v2 versions of Soulnote’s D-2 DAC, an E-2v2 phono stage (fed by a Transrotor turntable) and A-2v2 integrated amplifier. This was fed – via Tellurium Q cables) to a UK newcomer: Joseph Audio, and the company’s Perspective 2 Graphene floorstanding loudspeakers. We hope to look at many of these products soon.

Luxman

To celebrate the company’s centenary, Luxman has introduced a new Class A integrated amplifier, the L-100C. Delivering 20W into an eight-ohm load and 40W into four ohms, the amplifier delivered a wonderful performance played through a pair of DALI EPIKORE 9 loudspeakers and Chord Company Music cables, with the audio electronics resting on MW Stands Cyntaf stands.

Moor Amps

The Angel-4 stereo power amplifier from UK electronics experts Moor Amps is a 75W/8Ω unit that has recently undergone a radical change. Externally identical to the original, the Angel-4 Mk II now features a similar three-island power supply to the company’s flagship Angel-6. This has effectively tripled the capacitance in the Angel-4 power supply, lowering impedance in the process. This also requires changing the power supply routing and PCB track lengths. The result is a significantly better power amplifier. Existing Angel-4 users can factory-upgrade to the new Angel-4 Mk II.

MW Stands

‘Cyntaf’ is the Welsh word for ‘first’, and this being the first – and possibly, ‘only’ – stand by bespoke stand-maker MW Stands.MW Stands director Michael Wall hand-builds each stand – a careful combination of hard maple and Welsh slate, using constrained layer damping throughout and the sort of joinery that is the stuff of hand-made furniture. Audio Show Deluxe 2026 was a soft launch for the company, with more details to follow at High-End Vienna 2026. Watch this space…

Nagra

The first product in Nagra’s new Series II range that sits between the HD Line and the Classic models, the Preamp II-S draws from the company’s JAZZ tube preamplifier and marks the return of the much-loved Modulometer derived from the iconic IV-S open-reel recorder. This was the centrepiece in the Absolute Sounds room that featured both dCS and Döhmann Audio front ends, with Nagra HD power amps, Ikagai cables and culminated in Magico loudspeakers.

Node ATOM

Best known for its Hylixa spherical speaker, the new ATOM range appears more conventional. However, with its monocell damping enclosure and up-firing helical transmission line, Node proves that looks can be deceiving. A 525 three-way stand-mount and the ATOM 650 three-way floorstander are expected soon.

Peak

Peak’s return to form shows no sign of letting up. The three-way, floorstanding Sinfonia draws from the company’s top Dragon Legacy, but in a more room-friendly, slightly more financially attainable form. These loudspeakers were singing in a large room with a system comprising Accuphase electronics, Audiomica cables and MusicWorks power and supports.

Stratton Acoustics

Stratton Acoustics introduced the two new speakers in its Element series, first seen at AXPONA 2025. The Element 6 is a two-way stand-mount featuring a 1.2” waveguide-loaded soft dome tweeter and a 6” carbon-fibre mid-bass driver. The Element 8 has the same tweeter with an 8” carbon-fibre bass unit. Both have a reflex-loaded cabinet made of an acrylic-silica reinforced polymer matrix and aluminium front and rear baffles, and are best used on their dedicated aluminium decoupling stands. They are designed taking cues from watchmaking rather than cabinetmaking and deliver an impressive look and sound.

Technics

The dust has barely settled on the SL-1200GME turntable, but Technics showed the excellent new SL-1500CS for the first time. Updating the popular SL-1500C direct drive turntable, the main change is the inclusion of the excellent vibration-reducing, hyper-accurate ∆˚∑ Drive system first seen in the SL-1200GR2. As with the previous model, it includes a built-in phono stage and comes shipped with an Ortofon 2M Red moving magnet cartridge.

Vinni Rossi

A name well-known in US circles but less recognised on this side of the pond, Cambridge Acoustic Sciences has added Vinni Rossi to its portfolio alongside brands like Aurender, AVID, Bel Canto, Boulder, Cardas, and YG Acoustics. The company’s new Brama range, including preamplifiers, mono power amplifiers, and an integrated amplifier, was showcased and demonstrated. The balanced only, 200W integrated amplifier uniquely employs 300B power tubes in the preamplifier stage and MOSFETs for the power section. Build quality, looks, and feel are off the charts!

Wellbeing Strategist

It’s not just about electronics. Sound therapy practitioner Kasia Richter uses the resonant frequencies of gongs to help listeners shift their brainwaves into slower alpha and theta states. The gong baths are a regular feature at Audio Show Deluxe, and many find them intensely relaxing and report thinking more clearly after a session.

Wilson Benesch

Wilson Benesch launched its ‘entry-level’ turntable, arm and cartridge combination at Audio Show Deluxe 2026. The new Greenwich turntable uses the core drive and mechanical architectural basis of the company’s GMT One, and allows listeners to upgrade from the Greenwich to the GMT One in stages, using the Graviton Ti tonearm and Tesselate Ti cartridge (this time, the Sapphire version; diamond and boron versions are also available). This sat in Wilson Benesch’s R1 Carbon Rack alongside the HSE Masterline 7 phono preamplifier, Trilogy’s 915R preamplifer and 995R mono power amplifiers (as well as an Innuos ZEN NG server and CAD 1543 MK III DAC bringing up the digital side) into a pair of Resolution 3Zero loudspeakers and IGx Infrasonic Generator.

Zellaton

After a long absence, Munich-based Zellaton is back in the UK. Audio Video Technology Solutions showcased a pair of Plural Evo three-way floorstanders featuring Zellaton’s distinctive three-layer rigid foam membranes, which have been in production for over three generations. This was driven by a full EMM Labs system, connected with Schnerzinger cabling and Giga Cancelling interference suppression products. The room also included an extensive array of Nihon Onkyo Engineering Acoustic Grove System diffusors.

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