Audio Show Deluxe 2026 Report
HiFi PiG REPORTS FROM THE FABULOUS AUDIO SHOW DELUXE 2026 LUXURY HiFi SHOW
HiFi PiG’s Stu, Lin, Oscar and Kelly bring you their coverage of Audio Show Deluxe 2026, an event that is about relaxing with the luxury of time to enjoy listening, and experiencing some of the finest HiFi in the world, in an unhurried setting, with plenty of well-thought-out touches to make the weekend something very special.
AUDIO SHOW DELUXE, A HiFi SHOW LIKE NO OTHER
Last weekend saw the fourth edition of Audio Show Deluxe take place at Whittlebury Park, and it continues to grow in both confidence and appeal. When Kris and I first conceived the show, we knew we wanted to create something a little different from the usual audio event. The aim was simple. A more relaxed atmosphere, fewer rooms, and an environment where visitors could genuinely take their time, sit down, and enjoy the music rather than rushing from door to door. We have deliberately kept the show to under forty rooms and focused on what we believe to be the very best of the UK home audio scene, carefully curating exhibitors rather than simply filling space.
Indulge me for a moment, if you would. Kris, my partner in the running of Audio Show Deluxe, had been working on the North West Audio Show for years when Lin and I found ourselves in the UK on the weekend of the late Queen’s death. Lin and I visited our hometown and took my mum out for Sunday lunch, to which we invited Kris. I mentioned that we ought to run a high-end audio show to Kris, and that was the moment that Audio Show Deluxe was conceived. That germ of an idea grew, and the concept you see here is the culmination of countless hours of discussion, refinement, and the odd disagreement.
One of the things that really sets the show apart is the scale and feel of the rooms themselves. Many are large suites that allow distributors to create spaces that feel welcoming and considered rather than purely functional. This year in particular, every exhibitor made a real effort not only with how their systems performed, but with how their rooms felt and were dressed. The result was a series of spaces that invited people to sit, relax, and spend time with the music, which is ultimately what this hobby is all about, and exactly what we wanted to create when Kris and I conceived Audio Show Deluxe on 25 September 2022.
The overall standard was consistently high, with some genuinely memorable listening experiences throughout the weekend. There was a real sense that visitors were engaging more deeply with what they were hearing, and that slower, more considered approach seemed to benefit everyone involved.
Of course, Audio Show Deluxe aims to stand out from the herd and, to this end, we have consistently brought world-class artists to the event. This year, on the Saturday, we booked The King Brasstards, who brought an upbeat and infectious brass-led party vibe to proceedings. On Sunday, we welcomed back Antonio Forcione to perform a mesmerising guitar-led masterclass. Both went down a storm, and the free drinks and canapés seemed to be equally appreciated. It is the small touches that set this show apart, in my humble opinion.
Audio Show Deluxe 2026 welcomed 1041 visitors over the weekend, and whilst that was a perfect number to allow the show to feel lively, it was not so many that the event felt overcrowded. For me, one of the worst aspects of some audio shows we have attended around the world is getting excited about hearing a particular system, only to be met by a wall of people blocking your way, or a room so full that you cannot find a place to sit down and actually listen to the music.
The trip back home for Lin and me is a long one, but it gave me time to look at social media, and some of the comments about the show really did make me proud of what we have created with Audio Show Deluxe. Here are a few to give you an idea of what people thought of the event.
“it was an amazing weekend again. Thank you.” Richard Danis.
“…great day. It is the best audio show.” Ian Govier.
“Some stunning rooms, great demos and plenty of good chat! See you all at Cranage.” Alan McIntosh.
“Not a fan of HiFi shows as a rule, but my compliments to the Audio Show Deluxe organisers, a terrific event. I passed a very enjoyable day there, appreciated some really nice hospitality touches, and the live music performances and presentations were great.” Julian Preedy.
“A fabulous show. Hats off, caps doffed, etc etc…” Matt McNulty.
“Cracking day yet again, and Antonio Forcione was the icing on the cake.” Mark Thompson.
Anyway, that is quite enough from us. Let’s get to what you are really here for and move on to the main event, the HiFi PiG Audio Show Deluxe 2026 show report, with words by Oscar Stewart and photography by Linette Smith and Kelly Bowden
Stuart Smith, Co-Organiser of Audio Show Deluxe
AUDIO SHOW DELUXE 2026 REPORT
With Stuart as the Co-Organiser of Audio Show Deluxe, Oscar, Lin and Kelly stepped in t bring you the HiFi PiG coverage of the event, more than just a HiFi Show, the event does things a little differently, but of course we know you want to find out just what we were listening to at the event, so here we go, room by room around Audio Show Deluxe 2026.
Please note, all content and photos are the copyright of HiFi PiG Magazine/Big Pig Media LLP and must not be copied or reproduced in any way without the prior, written consent of the editor.
DRIVING SOUNDS
Even before visitors got into the hotel there was a popular display for car audio enthusiasts. Driving Sounds had two demo cars at the entrance to the show, both kitted out with full aftermarket sound systems – a treat for those into high-end sounds on the go.
AUDIO NOTE UK
This show saw the debut of the new Audio Note UK IZOR DAC, something I saw an early prototype of when visiting their factory a while back. They were demoing this DAC with ANK/SPx SE speakers, Meishu tonmeister phono silver signature integrated, CDT4, TT3, PSU3, Tonearm 3 and IO1 MC cart.
As always, the Audio Note UK room stands out with its effortless, natural sound – they always know how to set up a room and the new DAC does make digital sound real, in a way only Audio Note UK know how. Whilst they were mostly playing Jazz when we were in the room, it did give us a good sense of how effortless this system sounded.
BOYER
Next up, we had the first of the Boyer rooms, with a system consisting of the Engstrom ARNE 300B integrated amp, Takatsuki TA300B tubes, Cinnamon Galle DAC, Metronome Le Streamer, Kroma Atelier Thais speakers, Network Acoustics network switch, Bassocontinuo rack, and a full complement of Shunyata Research cabling and mains conditioning.
This was a relaxing room, with some soft jazz playing, in a cosy setting, with excellent clarity and insight. The sound hung in the air, the speakers disappearing, with excellent sound staging and realism. Next up was a vocal centric track, with piano and strings, and this setup did it justice. There was weight to the notes, with effortless detail and scale, a highly enjoyable system.
Kii
Kii were demoing their Kii Seven speakers, in the new silver finish, in this room. They decided to play Take Five, but cranked it up a bit, to showcase how they handle any music, at both low and high-volume levels. These are brilliant active speakers, we’ve heard them many times, yet they never fail to impress, with clever DSP to tune them to the room they are in, you get consistent audio from them wherever they are setup. They deliver punch, dynamics, detail, and energy aplomb, this room is usually one of the most enjoyable, at any show around the world.
We were invited to play a song of our choice, and chose Tentacion by Imminence, and what a sound – from the deepest bass notes, to layered vocals, and acoustic guitars, they deliver it all with such poise and control, never missing a beat, or taking anything away from the recording.
ABSOLUTE SOUNDS
In the first of the Absolute Sounds rooms, you had the DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/Bronze speakers, paired with Trafomatic Glenn mono amplifiers, Lara pre-amp, Phono One phono stage, Thiele TT01/TA01 ZERO turntable and tonearm, Thiele active damping base, and Analog Relax EX300 MC cartridge. Digital wise they had an Antipodes KALA 22 server, and DCS Lina DAC X, and all cabling was from Ikigai.
We’ve heard these speakers before, and this was a very analogue centric room, with a more organic sound, and some interesting sounding Jazz playing. The DeVore speakers always pair well with valves, and this was a very well setup system.
WELLBEING STRATEGIST
Now to relax for a few minutes, a bit of downtime in this soothing space where the gongs fill the air and the soothing aroma of candles fills the room. There is something very meditative about the sound of gongs, and this is a great room to take a few minutes out and regather your thoughts. Kasia and Rob provided a very welcome haven of calm for visitors…and many exhibitors too.
There was also HiFi in here, in the form of Franco Serblin speakers, DCS streaming DAC, and Copland integrated amplifier, providing a refined sonic backdrop to the gongs and instruments.
Kasia also held a larger scale gong bath experience in the Bentley Suite on Sunday, which Lin and Stu were able to enjoy. Lin always says what a fantastic addition to the show the chance to have this kind of relaxation is.
ABSOLUTE SOUNDS
Room 1
In the two main Absolute Sounds demo rooms you had some impressive systems, the first had the Magico S5 speakers, a pair of Nagra HD mono amps, Nagra Preamp II-S, compact PSU, a Constellation Centaur II 500 amplifier (on static display), DCS Vivaldi Apex DAC, Atipodes Oladra, HSE phono stage, Dohmann Helix One MK III, Tech Das Tonearm, Analogue Relax EX1000 cartridge, and a Constellation pre-amp – a huge amount of kit and Riccardo was talking people through the system and his history in the audio industry.
Lin and Stu visited this room on Sunday morning and were treated to a private listening session. Richie Havens “Back to my roots” (a much sampled track for its fantastic and funky piano) was energetic, detailed and great fun on this very high end system. The synergy with Magico and Nagra underpinned the system, prompting Stu to say that this was the best he had ever heard Magico sound.
Room 2
In the second room you had a pair of Wilson WATT/Puppy 50th Anniversary speakers, driven by a pair of Dan D’Agostino Momentum Z amplifiers, (there was also a pair of Audio Research Reference 330M on static display), with Ikigai cabling, Dan D’Agostino Relentless Preamp and Audio Research Reference 6 SE pre-amp, Antipodes Oladra, DCS Rossini transport, Master clock, and Apex DAC. Bill McKiegan of D’Agostino was also on hand to introduce the Momentum Z amplifiers.
They were playing Buena Vista Social Club, and it came across as smooth, and organic, a lovely pairing of Wilson and Dan D’Agostino. 
MOOR AMPS
In this room we heard the new Moor Amps Angel 4 MKII power amps, alongside their new ManaDAC, with the Angel Pre, and Innuos streamer.
They were playing Bad Guy by Billie Eilish in this room when we came in, through the Kudos Titan 505 stand mount speakers with external crossover, it was punchy, tight, and full, handling bass drops with ease. These speakers always have a crisp clarity to them, with impressive bass response from a “small” speaker, and these amps did a fantastic job at driving them to their fullest.
NODE
Node had the production version of their floor-standing Atom 650 speakers, we saw the prototypes last year at Ascot, now they are ready for their official release. They were running these through a full SPL system with mono amplifiers, and a Melco streamer. These speakers use a transmission line design, that’s different to the usual, and has a helical design internally to ensure correct phase – the port is also on the top to prevent energising the floor they are stood on.
For their size, they sound huge, with impressive sub-bass performance, great punch, and natural vocals. They also handle detail well, having crisp clarity, and great transient response. Geoff Castellucci’s cover of The Sound of Silence was played, a great track to showcase deep bass notes, and these handled the track with ease, never sounding boxy, or constrained.
CHORD
The new Chord Quartet was at this show; it’s a new upscaler from Chord and was paired with their Dave DAC, Ultima 3 mono amplifiers, Ultima phono, Ultima pre 3, Rega P10 Turntable, and Innuos Zenith next-gen streamer.
They were running this into a pair of Raidho TD2.1 speakers, and it all paired very nicely, with an open, and spacious sound that handled The Doors – Riders On The Storm with a sense of ease and composure. The transients were highlight here, with the amps controlling the speakers impeccably, whilst delivering plenty of weight and oomph when needed. 
PURITAN
Puritan had a wide range of their products laid out on display, we’ve recently put one of their PSM156 mains conditioners into the reference system, with a few of their Ultimate power cables, and it has made an appreciable difference in sound quality. They are fantastic for filtering out noise in the mains, and it’s great having something that allows you to know your kit is being fed clean power.
WILSON BENESCH / TRILOGY
Like their Bristol setup, Wilson Benesch paired with Trilogy for this room, and had their brand-new Greenwich turntable on demo – this was its debut at the show. They were using their Resolution 3Zero speakers with a pair of IGx Infrasonic generators, Trilogy 995R mono amps, 915R pre-amp, HSE Audio Masterline 7 phono stage, CAD 1543 MKIII DAC, and Innuos ZEN next-gen server. The new Greenwich turntable was kitted out with their GRAVITON Ti armwand, and TESSELLATE Ti-S Sapphire cartridge.
This was an ethereal sounding room, with sound emanating from every corner, far from the speakers positioned in front of us. This room was very well put together and the synergy between components was fantastic, a real aural treat for sure.
Later on, Lin was in there when Richard Bates, now working for Trilogy, was playing disco and the audience were lapping it up, and on Sunday, Pink Floyd was the order of the day and also sounding epic.
DECENT AUDIO
Decent Audio showcased a pair of Scansonic MB8B speakers, paired with SPL M1000 mono amps, Diamond DAC, Elector preamp, Phonos Duo phonostage, Dual CS 718Q pre-production turntable, AIM USB/network cables, and Van Den Hul interconnects and speaker cables. They also had a range of other AIM cables at the back of the room, a first in the UK, and the Dual pre-production turntable mentioned was also a show debut.
These big Scansonic speakers had a real subtlety to them, they sounded utterly convincing in their tonality and timbre. They have great drive when needed, yet for a big speaker they didn’t sound overwhelming at any point. An easy going, yet insightful sound that made you want to listen for hours on end.
INNUOS
Innuos had their flagship Nazare Music Streamer and Server on demo, with a Statement Next-Gen and PhoenixNET in the system as well. These were running into an MSB stack, a Gryphon pre-amp, and a power amp, feeding a pair of Marten Parker Quintet Diamond Edition speakers with Audioquest mains conditioning and cabling. Lateral Audio Stands provided the support for all the gear.
The Innuos room always delivers, and the Marten speakers had a deep soundstage with impressive timing and dynamics. There was a crisp sense of clarity from these speakers, cymbals had plenty of energy and sparkle, luckily never straying into harshness.
Stephen and Niall were expertly running demos to compare the previous flagship Statement with the new Nazare and playing a wide selection of music. Innuos really do believe in letting people judge their products by hearing music that they know and love…a great approach.
CAS
CAS had a pair of YG Acoustics Hailey 3.2 paired with Vinnie Rossi Brama pre + mono, Bel Canto black 2-piece dac, Avid TT, Nexus tonearm + Boron cart, and the world debut of the new Avid Velsonic phono stage which has its own separate PSU. Cabling throughout was Cardas Clear Beyond and they were using Hifistay racks.
Around the side of the room, they had a static display of Boulder, Bel Canto, Avid, and more YG acoustics models.
A big, punchy system that filled the room with ease, this is a system that has both excellent clarity, and bass solidity, offering up loads of insight whilst getting your foot tapping along to the music. It’s another one of those systems where you could easily get lost in the music for a few hours.
AV TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
In this room, you had a pair of Zellation Plural Evo speakers paired with EMMLabs electronics including the TXi, DA2i, and PREi. This was a big room, yet the speakers didn’t struggle at all, with plenty of bass presence and control. They are big speakers, and can shift some air, they go about this is a controlled way, though, and have control and detail without ever losing track of the bassline. This was expertly demoed with the Ghost Rider “Stronger” ….a HiFi Show favourite for showing off the bass agility of a system like this.
BOYER
Into the big Boyer room, and you had the full Wadax Studio player system with the Studio PSU, Studio Clock, Wadax Akasa cables, Kroma Atelier Callas speakers, Orpheus Lab H Three M800 mono amps, H Two 33BD pre-amp, Network acoustics switch, and PSU, along with a full complement of Shunyata cables and mains conditioning with Bassocontinuo racks.
Boyer has outdone themselves this year, firstly, the room looked fantastic with the lighting and plants, secondly, the sound simply oozes out of the speakers with a liquid fluidity. So far, this was probably the most realistic sounding setup at the show, no matter the track, this setup handled it with ease. There is a huge sense of space, the layering, detail, and sheer scale is impressive. This is the kind of system that lets you get lost in the sound, it immerses you, and you are part of the soundscape. It renders music in such a natural way, transporting you into the heart of the recording yet, it doesn’t sound like it’s trying to show off, or be flashy. Nothing is trying to fight for your attention, every part of the mix is given the same attention, and it is a sound that just flows effortlessly.
Boyer was also kicking off their 10th Anniversary celebrations at the show, with Stu and Kris surprising Guillaume and the team with a stunning birthday cake!
SYMPHONY DISTRIBUTION
Symphony had a full Esoteric setup with the Grandioso N1T network transport, Grandioso K1X SE SACD player, Grandioso C1X pre-amp, and a pair of Grandioso S1X power amps – these were running into a pair of Kerr Acoustics K100 speakers via Montaudio cabling and they were also using Montaudio racks.
This system was playing some quite easy-going music, and the big Kerrs managed to deliver everything with ease and composure. For such a large speaker, they delivered the music with great accuracy, the transmission line design allowing them to sound both deep, and tight. We got to listen to Angels by The XX, and they handled the low bass drops with ease, whilst allowing subtle details to shine through, a clear, and detailed speaker with effortless bass. These are fun when they want to be, and with electronic tracks they can deliver plenty of energy and punch – the guys in the room let them play a bit louder with some dance music and the system came into its own. Next up, they put on some Rage Against The Machine, and once again they delivered such a punchy and energetic performance, with great separation and control.
KARMA AV
Karma AV had a 7.4.4 surround system setup, using Perlisten speakers, and Primare electronics. They had some rather large subs in this room, which delivered a lot of bass in here, I found this worked better when showing off movie clips rather than audio, as it was very much like being in a high end cinema with a lot of bass to give the cinema experience added oomph. This was a great demonstration of what a good surround setup can deliver, with accurate spatial cues, and the extra channels give the sound believable positioning and an added sense of air.
AUDEN DISTRIBUTION
Always extremely popular with visitors, Auden once again pulled all the stops out to delight the attendees. They had a setup using a pair of Hegel H30A power amps, a P30A pre-amp, D50 DAC, Viking CD player, Amphion Krypton 3X speakers, using Audiomica interconnects and speaker cables, alongside MusicWorks power and isolation products, with an Innuos ZENith Next-Gen streamer.
We did get to play Tentacion by Imminence in this room too, and it gave us chills, the sound had impressive depth to the soundstage, and the bass was truly bottomless. These gave a hauntingly good reproduction of this track, delivering it with impeccable weight, depth, and nuance. These Amphions are fantastic speakers, and the Hegel really keep them in check, never losing control whilst allowing the drivers to do their thing.
As ever, Bill and the team had taken great care with the room, with plenty of gear from their brands in addition to the main system. It was a very pleasant place to spend time, with the new lighting effects making it feel calm and relaxed and like being in a different world.
STRATTON ACOUSTICS
Our first room on the 2nd floor was Stratton Acoustics, with their new Element 6 and Element 8 stand mount speakers. We saw these at AXPONA last year, however these new version are the final production models, and they are now ready for release. They had a Vertere DG-X turntable playing, with the Calon phonostage and Mystic cartridge, new Luna power supply, and new DG-X isolation platform, running into an Electrocompaniet EC 4.8 MKII, and a pair of AW 300M mono amplifiers. They were also using Vertere cabling throughout the system, and it all worked very well together.
The Element 8 were playing when we were in the room, with an 8” mid-bass driver they are not small speakers, yet they didn’t overpower the room in any way and delivered clear and crisp audio with impactful low end and great control. Stratton have put a lot of work into making the cabinet as rigid as possible and this shows when it comes to the sound, allowing the drivers to do the heavy lifting. A fantastic system, that has plenty of groove, attack, depth, and energy.
They handled any kind of music but rap and electronical really showed what they could do, a case of a small speaker producing a sound much more huge than it really had any business doing…fantastic.
The finish on the speakers is exceptional, with design cues from luxury watches, including the Guilloche pattern on the baffles, which extends to the back panel and the stands. There really is nothing else out there quite like the Stratton speakers.
SOUND DESIGN DISTRIBUTION
Sound Design had a pair of Vivid Audio Giya G4 speakers, in a gorgeous finish, paired with an Onkk Q SDD turntable with matching PSU, Carisma Signature YYZ Reference cartridge, Grimm PW1 phono, Grimm MU2 streamer, Halcro Equinox pre-amp, Halcro Eclipse stereo power amp, and Accusound XD cabling.
John Hiatt – Feels Like Rain got played in this room, and Mr Dickie is an impressive speaker designer, with the Giya G4’s sounding lovely, with convincing tonality and great body to the sound. The whole system was well matched, and the Onkk turntable is a great looking bit of kit. A natural sounding system in this room, with both great detail, alongside excellent punch, and deep bass extension.
Next up was some reggae, and this was a little groovier, with articulation and dynamics being a strong point here, an engaging system when called for.
ANATECH DISTRIBUTION
Big Martin Logan electrostats were in this room, they had the ESL 11A on demo with a Bluesound Node Icon as the source, and an Accuphase A-48S power amp with C-2300 pre-amp.
They were playing an orchestral track when we were in the room, and these speakers scale nicely, with a big, open sound. This was quite a clean sounding setup, with a slightly more neutral sound that the Accuphase amps take the edge off – this is why synergy is so important. I have a feeling these speakers could tip into slightly bright territory with the wrong amps, yet the pairing with Accuphase works very well here. Next up was some female vocal jazz, and it was full, smooth, yet still open and clear overall.
SIGNATURE AUDIO SYSTEMS
In here you had a full Audio Group Denmark setup, with Borresen C1 speakers, Aavik U188 streaming amp, I288 integrated amp, Aavik R188 phonostage, Ansuz cabling, Ansuz A3/C3 power units, Ansuz D3 network switch, and a Technics SL-1000 with DS Audio DS-E1 cartridge.
The C1’s sound is so much bigger than the speakers look, these put out a depth of bass that you simply wouldn’t expect for their size. You get perfect imaging and great sound staging, and Borresen speakers do have a certain energy to them that I personally find highly addictive. They deliver plenty of insight, with a slightly more up-front and engaging presentation, that never sounds fatiguing. You can read Stu’s recent review of the Borresen C1 here.
TECHNICS
Technics had their new SL-1500CS turntable on demo, alongside an SL-1200GME, SB G90 M2 floor standing speakers, SB CX700 active speakers, SU-R1000 amp, and SL-G700 M2 streamer.
They always play an eclectic mix of music in this room, and this was no different, with plenty of electronic tracks that demonstrate the drive of the system. They were playing through the floor standing speakers and they deliver brilliant bass for their size, with snappy transients and bundles of energy. It’s always a blast in the Technics room, and these tracks give you a great sense of what the system is doing, and it was way too easy to stay in this room for a fair few tracks.
CYRUS
Cyrus had their new 80 series integrated amp paired with a pair of Kerr Acoustics K200 speakers, they also had a Cyrus turntable, Phono stage with external PSU, CD player with external PSU, Chord Sarum cabling throughout and a Chord mains distribution block. Around the sides of the room there were other Cyrus models on static display.
Brilliant sound in this room, utterly effortless with bundles of depth and energy. The new 80 series amp does a brilliant job at driving the speakers with ease and composure, without taking away any energy or detail. This was another one of those systems that just sounded so effortless and natural, that you could easily spend way too much time just listening in this room. Sadly, we had more rooms to cover and had to move on, what a cracking system.
Before moving on though, we got to listen to I’m Not Ready To Go by Hazlett, and this is possibly one of the best systems we’ve heard this track through, it was rendered with beautiful detail, yet when the bass line kicks in it sounded wonderfully full, yet never bloated. Pitch-perfect vocals and guitar, effortless room-filling bass, and tons of detail to boot, simply stunning.
DEFINITIVE AUDIO
Some jazz was playing in this room when we went in, through a pair of Living Voice R80 OBX speakers, SJS Model 10 mono power amps, Model 5 stereo power amp, Model 4 pre-amp, Model 3 phono stage, Audes DT-3600 mains conditioner and Consolidated Audio cabling. They had two turntables in the system, a Kuzma XL Air with Safir 9 tonearm and Safir 12 tonearm, with CAR 60 and CAR 50 cartridges respectively. Along with a Kuzma R turntable with Kuzma 4P14 tonearm and CAR 50 cartridge, they also had various bits on static display at the side of the room.
This was a very smooth, analogue room, that played Jazz well, with good depth, space, and body. Whilst not my music of choice, it did sound natural and spacious, with that subtle analogue warmth and body that make it very easy on the ear.
KOG AUDIO
KOG had a pair of T&A Solitaire S530 speakers paired with an MP 3100 HV streamer and PA 3100 HV amplifier, all cables were from Tellurium Q.
They played The Pot by Tool and it sounded fantastic, with tight and punchy bass that hit hard and yet never lost composure. The bass line was super tight and articulate, whilst vocals had great air and space. This was a brilliant song to play, demonstrating the snappiness and control of the speakers, whilst never sounding fatiguing, it was a system that wanted you to headbang along with the song, delivering tight drum hits and the timing was spot on.
They also had another system at the side of the room with Soul Note electronics, a TransRotor Jr turntable and a pair of JosephAudio speakers, this was also using Tellurium Q cabling throughout.
SYMMETRY
Chasing the Dragon were running the demo while we were in this room, with Mike Valentine talking through some of the recording process and how they mic’d up the recording session.
They had quite a range of kit in this room, with a Nagra tape deck, Brinkmann electronics, Gryphon CD player, HRS Taurus turntable, Shunyata research mains conditioning, and Kroma Atelier speakers.
Chasing the Dragon make some fantastic recordings, and the naturalness of the track they played off tape through this setup was quite astonishing. A high level of detail shone through, without ever sounding bright, the fundamentals delivered with appropriate weight, and the dynamic range from a classical recording really put it through its paces. A wonderful listen, and the recording truly captures the scale of the orchestra, with the system playing giving it a real sense of scale too.
HENLEY AUDIO
Henley had two main systems in this room, we listened to System 1 which had the Roon Nucleus Titan, HiFiRose RS130 streaming transport, Rotel Michi Q5 CD player/transport, X5 Series 2 integrated amp, and a pair of Piega Coax 611 speakers.
System 2 consisted of an EAT F-Dur turntable with f-note tonearm, LPS2 power supply, Ortofon Verismo cartridge, Musical Fidelity Nu Vista Vinyl S phono stage, 600.2 integrated amp, and Piega Coax 611 speakers.
They were using MW stands throughout, which are new and look fantastic…keep an eye on this new British HiFi rack brand as they are definitely going places.
As mentioned, system 1 was playing when we were in this room, and it sounded brilliant, the Piega speakers are excellent with control, detail, and body aplenty. There is good energy and it’s a speaker that retains perfect transients as well as delivering articulate and deep bass without missing a beat. Even in this larger room they had no issues delivering clean, yet full sound.
MUSICWORKS
Musicworks had an Accuphase setup using the DP-770 CD/SACD player, C-3900S pre-amp, A-300 mono amplifiers, Peak Consult Sinfonia 2026 speakers, with MusicWorks supports and mains conditioning, and Audiomica cabling throughout.
Some rather easy-going female vocal music in this room, it sounded natural and open, with a focus on detail and clarity. There was good depth when called for, and the bassline dug deep when needed, yet the music playing didn’t give the system much to play with.
DALI / LUXMAN / CHORD COMPANY
Luxman had their 100th anniversary L100 amplifier on demo, alongside the DA-07X DAC and NT-07 network streaming transport, playing into a pair of Dali Epikore 9 speakers, with a complement of Chord cables.
A clean sounding system, with good depth and clean vocals, the Epikore have a nice crisp top end that is detailed without coming across harsh. A highlight in this room was the stereo imaging, these seem to image very well for a large speaker, with plenty of space and great layering. Whilst not the most fun sounding system, this pairing of Luxman and Dali did deliver in terms of realism and detail. Female vocals sounded great here, with a huge amount of clarity, whilst the low end had ample presence when required.
BLACKWOOD
The last room of the show for us, and what a treat this was, Blackwood are from Croatia and this new speaker from Mario is rather impressive. They are an open-baffle design, and they were running it off their own amplifier, called the Solaris, using a HiFiRose streamer as the source.
Now, I know that the whole “speakers disappear” thing gets mentioned quite a lot, but these really do just that, Mario has designed these in such a way that the drivers are essentially idling at most listening volumes – creating such an effortless sound that oozes from the speakers, with incredibly low distortion. Nothing was missing here, the vocals perfectly centred whilst the bass filled the space with ease, trumpets coming out from a pitch-black background, and dynamic shifts stop as quickly as they start – with absolutely no overhang. This was a truly effortless sounding system, disappearing into the space and leaving just the sound.
Mario played us Wolf Totem by The Hu, and what a last track to hear in our coverage of this fantastic show, these speakers give such an epic presentation of this song, the width and depth of the sound stage are huge, and they never once sound congested, easily picking apart each layer of this song. They deliver power, energy, and pack a punch, whilst always staying in control, never a hint of bloat or harshness anywhere. What an experience!
THE GOLDEN PiG AWARD
The Golden PiG Award is still a relatively new addition for us, but it has quickly become something rather special. It is not simply about how a system sounds. It is about how a room feels. It is about that moment when you step inside, take a seat, and feel yourself unwind as the outside world quietly slips away. It recognises those exhibitors who create something more than a demonstration. Something considered, welcoming, and memorable.
At Audio Show Deluxe 2026, choosing a recipient was no easy task, we discussed it at length between us. The standard across the show was remarkably high, and there was a genuine sense that every exhibitor had taken great care in creating spaces that invited visitors to slow down and stay a while. That attention to detail matters. People travel, plan, and invest their time and money to attend these events, and they deserve to feel not only welcomed but truly looked after. Our sincere thanks go to every exhibitor at the show for the care, thought, and dedication they brought to their rooms. The overall atmosphere you created made the experience all the more rewarding for visitors, and it is precisely that collective effort that made choosing a recipient for the Golden PiG Award such a wonderfully difficult task.
With that in mind, and after much thought and discussion, the decision was unanimous.
This year at Audio Show Deluxe, the Golden PiG Award goes to Kasia Richter, The Wellbeing Strategist.
Kasia’s room offered something unique. It was an oasis of calm within the show. Soft lighting and gentle scents encouraged you to pause, breathe, and simply be present in the moment. At the heart of it all was Kasia’s gong bath experience, which she later shared with a larger audience in the Bentley Suite on the Sunday.
It may not be what you would typically expect at an audio show, but that is precisely the point. From the very beginning, Audio Show Deluxe has aimed to create moments that stay with you. Experiences that go beyond the expected. With the help of Rob, Kasia created something beautifully balanced. Deeply relaxing, quietly immersive, and at the same time gently uplifting.
It was, without question, one of the most memorable experiences of the weekend, and it was a weekend filled with joyous experiences.
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Oscar Stewart
Linette and Stuart Smith
Additional photography by Kelly Bowden
