A year in HiFi shows

As this is the final Sunday Thoughts of the year, it feels like the right moment to take a breather and look back at what 2025 has meant for us at HiFi PiG. It has been a year dominated by HiFi shows, by travel, by conversations, and by the simple pleasure of being around people who care about music and the kit that brings it to life. If nothing else, 2025 has confirmed that we really do get about a fair old bit.

For us, the show year traditionally begins in February with the Bristol HiFi Show, and once again it proved to be a brilliant way to kick things off. Bristol has an enthusiasm that is hard to replicate, and this year was no exception. We spent the weekend doing what we always try to do at shows, covering every room we possibly can. That means long days, sore feet, and the occasional difficult decision not to wait around for ticketed or timed sessions when the schedule does not allow it. Sorry to those exhibitors, but there are only so many hours in the day.

On Saturday morning at the Bristol Show we handed out a whole load of cupcakes to the folk queuing to get in. The pink and black HiFi PiG cupcakes seemed to go down a treat and you can expect similar in 2026. We also gave away a good number of our “I’m A HiFi PiG Fan” fans, which continue to pop up in unexpected places throughout the year. Just as important as the rooms, though, was Sunday afternoon in the bar. Sitting down with friends, readers, and exhibitors to share a drink and a bit of craic matters to us enormously. Shows are social events, not just collections of equipment, and organisers and exhibitors forget that at their peril.

March brought us to something rather closer to home, in organisational terms at least, with Audio Show Deluxe near Silverstone. This is a show I organise alongside my partner Kris Sawicki, who also runs the North West Audio Show, and it continues to be one of the most personally satisfying projects I have been involved in. The idea behind Audio Show Deluxe is straightforward: to present the very best of UK HiFi in an environment that feels relaxed, unhurried, and welcoming. Check out this year’s event.

The origins of the show go back to a Sunday lunch with my late mum. We were in the UK after the cancellation of the Ascot show following the death of the Queen, and during that lunch, I rang Kris and asked him to join us. Somewhere between the starter and the main course, I said something along the lines of “We should put on a high-end show in the UK”. There was no plan, no venue, no date. We agreed to make five phone calls there and then, and if there was no interest, we would drop the idea. All five rooms sold immediately – even though we had no date and no venue at that time. That was that, we had a show to organise.

2026’s Audio Show Deluxe sold out to exhibitors almost as soon as the 2026 dates were announced, which tells us we are doing something right. The quality of exhibitors remains exceptional, and we have some wonderful musicians booked to entertain visitors. It is shaping up to be something special once again, and I very much hope to see many of you there.

While we were tied up at Audio Show Deluxe, Oscar and Kelly headed north across the North Sea to cover the Oslo HiFi Show for us. Jon will be taking on coverage duties there this coming year, continuing our aim to broaden both our geographical reach and the voices behind the writing.

April is traditionally Axpona month, and while Linette and I made the decision not to attend this year for a number of reasons, Oscar and Kelly once again stepped up to cover AXPONA. It remains one of the largest HiFi shows in the United States, though the venue can be challenging. For those of us with acrophobia, navigating high floors and open atriums is not always the most comfortable experience, but the scale of the show is undeniably impressive.

May took us to Munich for what would be (perhaps) the final High End Munich at the MOC. It felt like the end of an era. The show has defined the global HiFi calendar for years, and saying goodbye to Munich was emotional for many. Looking ahead, 2026 will see the event move to Vienna. We have already visited the new venue, and I think it has real potential. There has been some backlash, particularly from German distributors, but the reality is simple. The new owners of the MOC said the show could not continue there. What was the High End Society supposed to do?

Rumours continue to do the rounds about future plans, including talk of a refurbished MOC and a possible return. Personally, I am waiting for an official announcement before drawing any conclusions or spreading tittle-tattle. Vienna, though, promises to be fascinating. It comes just a week after the Eurovision Song Contest, so the city should be buzzing with music and creativity. Who knows, perhaps a few Eurovision visitors will wander into the HiFi halls and add a little extra colour to proceedings.

Regular readers will know that Linette has been organising Women In HiFi events at Munich and elsewhere around the world for years. This year, she took part in a panel discussion at the show, and she already has plans for Bristol and several other events in 2026. This work remains close to our hearts and will continue to be a key HiFi PiG initiative, though, obviously, I’m not directly involved.

June brought us back to the UK and one of our absolute favourite events, the North West Audio Show. HiFi PiG is the proud media partner of this show, and for me, it remains the most people-focused event on the UK calendar. With around sixty rooms and a genuinely excellent social atmosphere, it feels like a gathering rather than an exhibition. If you go, make time for the bar. You will find like-minded people keen to chat and welcome you. Many attendees make a full weekend of it, and I would not miss it for the world. I’m especially looking forward to seeing my old mate Tommy at the show again!

July saw Oscar and Kelly head to that there London for CanJam London, while Gyula, our Asia correspondent, travelled to Top Audio Show Shanghai. This pattern of spreading out, covering multiple continents simultaneously, has become increasingly common for us and is something we intend to build on.

August was a personal highlight, with Linette and I travelling to the Hong Kong High End AV Show, where we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. Hong Kong remains one of my favourite cities in the world, and the show reflects its energy. It is friendly, busy, and has a unique atmosphere that makes it stand out. For me, it is consistently one of the best shows of the year.

A little later, Oscar and Kelly visited the Ascot show for the day, while Linette and I headed to the Netherlands for the Dutch Audio Event. Held in an old religious building, the venue is a bit of a warren, and you certainly get your steps in, but the show is superbly run. With cheap flights and an excellent rail network, it is firmly marked as a must-visit on our calendar.

October was enormous. We travelled en masse to Poland for Audio Video Show Warsaw, which may well be the largest HiFi show in Europe right now. Spread across two hotels and the National Stadium, it is vast, buzzing, and brilliantly supported. Adam and his team do an outstanding job, and the social side of the event is second to none. Warsaw itself is a wonderful, affordable city and well worth exploring.

Later in the month, Gyula covered High End Asia Singapore for us. Looking ahead, Linette and I will be visiting more Asian shows in 2026, and HiFi PiG will be a media partner with several events in that region. It is an exciting prospect, and we look forward to meeting a whole new group of readers.

The final shows of the year had a slightly different flavour than our usual calendar. Linette and I made a last-minute trip to Madrid for a small event organised by our friend Ignacio Victores Fernandez Jardin of Elektra Hi End Audio Distribution, held at the Est ArtSpace. The concept of combining high-end audio with art in an intimate setting is something we have been considering for some time, and this show confirmed our belief that there is real potential there. We even came away having added to our modest art collection.

At the same time, Gyula was in Taiwan covering the TECA Taipei International Audio Show, which was celebrating its forty-sixth year. That kind of longevity is remarkable and speaks volumes about the strength of the HiFi scene there.

And that, basically, was our year in HiFi shows. Alongside these events were countless brand visits, dealer open days, and smaller gatherings. To everyone who stopped us for a chat, asked for a photo, or simply said hello, thank you. We are genuinely humbled by the warmth and generosity we encounter around the world, and it is a huge part of why we do what we do.

Looking ahead, 2026 is already shaping up to be even busier. The calendar is filling fast, but there may still be room for a few more events. If you are running a show and would like us to attend, get in touch. And if you see us at a show, please do not be a stranger. Human connection matters. It matters in life, and it matters in HiFi. We are, for the most part, one big happy (ish) family of music and audio lovers, and we will continue to try to spread that message wherever we go and in whatever we write. And if you want to know when and where the shows are happening, you could do much worse than to check out our HiFi Diary.

May 2026 bring everyone of you peace, good health, and prosperity. Thank you for reading my Sunday Thoughts’ ramblings throughout the year, and thank you to our sponsor BOYER. I hope it has entertained you and perhaps made you think a little about where this hobby of ours is, and where it might go next.

All the very best,

Stu

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