Dutch Audio Event 2026 Report Part Two

October 14, 2026

DAE 2026 REPORT PART 2 FROM OSCAR AND KELLY

Dutch Audio Event 2026 Report Part Two
DAE 2026 Report

Join Oscar and Kelly for the second half of our Dutch Audio Show 2026 report from the Benelux region’s largest HiFi Show, held over last weekend.

You can read our DAE 2026 Report Part One here

This is my first time at the Dutch Audio Event, and what a brilliant show it was. Incredibly well organised, very busy both days, and exhibitors had put a lot of effort into their rooms.

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HOUSE OF MUSIC

Starting off in a large room, we had a plethora of kit around the edges of the room from Revival Audio, Wiim, We Are Rewind, ELAC, and Advance Paris. The main demo system featured a trio of MoFi speakers, with the Sourcepoint V10 playing when I was in the room – paired with two X-A1200 power amps from Advance Paris, a MoFi Matserdeck, MoFi Masterphono, X-D500 CD player from Advance Paris, alongside their X-P700 pre-amp – mains conditioning was from Audioquest. This is a system that can deliver orchestral music with huge scale, yet subtlety when needed. It’s big and bold, yet delivers plenty of insight and detail with great soundstaging.

VERY FINE SOLUTIONS

Very Fine Solutions had a static display in this room, of kit from Ikigai, Thrax, MSB, and TIDAL – a well-dressed and great looking group.

GRIMM

Grimm had their passive speakers on demo paired with their PA1 amplifiers, a MU2 streamer, and Dr. Feickert Volare 25 turntable with PW1 phono stage. Easy going, yet well controlled sound in this room, an enjoyable listen. There were some other bits of kit from Grimm on static display around the sides of the room.

ISOACOUSTICS

Isoacoustics had their usual demo setup on show, two pairs of speakers, one with Isoacoustic Gaia Neo feet, the other without. Using Sopra 2 speakers from Focal and a HiFi Rose RS520 streaming amplifier – they A/B between the speakers using a remote, and it’s always an easy to hear the difference between the speakers with and without the feet. The Isoacoustics tend to tighten up the sound, and things snap into focus a little easier.

ERCT

There was a full Mavis setup playing in this room, with AMG turntable, with excellent depth, and a well-balanced sound from top to bottom. They were using the Mavis Master series speakers with active MS 12-600 subwoofer, Mavis SCM600 subwoofer control master, P200 mono amps, MMS-1 tube DAC/Streamer, MP-1, and AMG Viella Forte turntable. The subs were well integrated and not boomy, and the P200 mono blocks were doing a fantastic job with the speakers, with an impressive level of control. Joe from Thivan Labs/Mavis told us that the complete system (without the AMG turntable) of Mavis gear, was under 50,000€….including cables.

They also had another system at the back of the room using Electrocompaniet AW300M mono blocks, and their new EC5 pre-amp, with Fischer & Fischer speakers.

While we didn’t get a chance to listen to this system, Stu and Lin did later on and were suitably impressed. They run the larger Electrocompaniet AW 800M monoblocks at home, with the Electrocompaniet EC5 Preamplifier.

ERCT 2

In the next ERCT room you had Gershmann Acoustics speakers, paired with YBA electronics including the YA302 integrated amp and TM302 streaming DAC, , Audimica cabling and a Keces mains conditioner. The Gershmann Grand Avant Garde 30th Anniversary speakers sounded great in here, with a focus on natural and effortless presentation, great midrange detail and clear yet not harsh treble.

DAVONE

A Danish brand in this room, making quite attractive looking speakers, they had their new Reference 3 Twist-R speakers on demo paired with an Accuphase E-280 integrated amp and Innuos Stream1 streamer with LPS1 linear power supply as the source.

A natural, open, and detailed speaker with good body when called for, easy to listen to yet quite a linear sound.

REFERENCE SOUNDS

Quite a large system in here, featuring the Magico S2 speakers, Dan D’Agostino Momentum stereo amp, Audio Research REF7 pre-amp, Wadax Studio player, Telos master server, Telos Foundation Power and Ground Core, HRS audio racks, and Transparent cabling throughout. You had the sound you expect from Magico, effortless, clean and detailed, filling the room with ease.

There were other pieces from Audio Research, Dan D’Agostino, and Matrix Audio around the side of the room.

AUDESSENCE

You had the Silent Pound Bloom in this smaller room, paired with EMM Labs DA2i, PREi, MTRS power amp, TXi transport, DS-EQ1 optical phono stage, and EMT 928 turntable, with Nordost cabling. There were other models on static display around the room, and the Silent Pound Bloom sounded excellent in here, albeit being fed with fairly tame music. They definitely sound their best when being pushed a little more, but it was enjoyable in this room.

LINEAR

In here you had Audio Physic Midex speakers, paired with the new Cyrus 80 series streaming amplifier, and a Unitra turntable. This was an impressive system, loads of bass depth yet it was equally refined and controlled, with great vocal presence and clarity too. A fairly simple system, yet one that filled the room with ease, and sounded excellent too.

There was a smaller system at the side of the room on display, with Unitra speakers, Cyrus 80 amp and pre-amp stack, and another Unitra turntable.

STUDO-HIFI / HORN-KULTUR

Horns! Nice looking ones too, the horn-kultur Corneo speakers in here were paired with lovely valve mono blocks, a Studo turntable, and Audreal LP-1 phono stage and XA3200MKIIs pre-amplifier. This was a busy room, the horns attracting a lot of attention, and they did sound quite smooth and natural in this setup.

LINEAR STATIC STANDS

In the foyer Linear had a display of Unitra, Cyrus, and ONNES.

REFERENCE SOUNDS

Wilson Sacha V speakers were paired with Dan D’agostino C2Z pre-amp and a pair of Momentum Z amplifiers, with a full Wadax studio setup, Telos Master Tai Chi, HRS Audio Racks, and transparent cabling throughout. This might be the best setup with Wilson Sasha V speakers I’ve heard, plenty of detail, and insight with huge body and depth backing it up. Impressive sound from this system, punchy, controlled, yet full and effortless.

There was a pair of JBL Summit speakers, along with a Mark Levinson amp on static display at the side of the room.

SYMPHONY AUDIO IMPORT

There were two systems in this room, the one playing when we were in the room was using Rockport Lynx speakers, CAT valve mono blocks, Accuphase DP-1000, DC-1000, CAT SL1 pre-amp, and a TechDAC turntable. The sound was impactful, punchy and dynamic in this room.

The other system had MC Systems speakers, with Matrix Audio streamer, and Soulution 331 amplifier. There were also SIAN Audio Art cables on display.

DRIADE

Driade Speakers in here with external crossovers, impressively deep sound from small drivers, paired with Soul Note A-2 amp and Weiss 202 DAC. Good presence and soundstaging, with great depth and height too.

AUDIO ANALOGUE / AIRTECH

In here you had the New Horizon 303i turntable with Sumiko Starling cartridge, with AirTech VOX Prima phono stage, AADAC, AADRIVE / Lumin U2X streamer, Lumin N1 switch, and ABsolute 3.0 integrated amplifier running into QLN Signature speakers playing. This was a snappy, detailed sound with great body too, and lovely looking gear from the Italians.

There was a second system in this room using the large AirTech ATS01 speakers, along with plenty of kit around the side of the room.

Église Sacré-Coeur du Moustoir, 22 Rue François le Lève, 56100 Lorient

JOENIT

In this big room you had a Chord Electronics system paired with Kerr Acoustic K200 when we were in the room, this is a wonderfully pairing with plenty of hard-hitting bass, and exceptional detail across the board. It’s both linear, and energetic, handling anything you throw at it with ease. A brilliant sounding room, with other products from Chord Electronics, Totem Acoustics, Rega and more around the side of the room.

One of the main things in the stack in this room is the new Chord Quartet upscaler, I’ve heard this a few times and it really is a superb bit of kit.

ACM

Serblin & Son Frankie system running in to No-Limit-Audio Reference One (Series 2) speakers, alongside a Revox reel-to-reel player and Lab 12 mains distribution.

There was also a 2nd system with Node Audio Atom 650 speakers, Perreaux amplifier, Roon core, and also a couple of Valvet mono blocks too. They were using ZenSati cabling in both systems, with some cables on display at the back of the room.

CITY AUDIO TRADE

QLM Prestige Three Gen 2 speakers playing, very deep soundstage, sound coming from behind the speakers, excellent balance and great detail. Paired with an Electric Audio TAE 150 DV integrated amplifier, Merason REUSS DAC, Aurender streamer/server, and Audes mains conditioner.

There was also some kit on static display around the edge of the room, along with Skyanalog cartridges at the back of the room.

SONOS

Sonos were doing a short presentation and demo throughout the show.

LYSSNA

Interesting little Lyssna speakers in here, they have a monitor, and a monitor + bass module. The monitor + bass module were playing in this room paired with the new Cambridge Audio Evo 300 streaming amp. Impressive sound, very detailed, yet never harsh, and the bass module adds a lovely bit of body to the sound without overpowering it. These are small, quite discreet speakers that do not sacrifice sound quality for looks, I like the design and the sound is excellent too – a brand to watch that’s for sure.

Stu and Lin popped in here too later and heard the comparison between the two set ups. The system is designed to be modular, so you can start with the small monitor and add the bass module later if you wish. A great concept….and sound.

DUTCH & DUTCH

We’ve seen these active speakers at a few shows and they are excellent, with great sound and excellent features too. They have built in room correction amongst other things. They had their 6C playing in the room with the 8C on display around the edge of the room. The 6C were doing a brilliant job at filling this room with full, punchy sound.

LIVET

In here you had T&A along with Inakustik cables, with a demo system consisting of the T&A A-3100 HV power amp, SDX-3100 HV streaming pre-amp, Solitaire S 430 floor-standing speakers, and Inakustik Reference cabling. They were doing a talk on the amps and cabling whilst we were in the room, it was interesting to hear that most of their cabling is made fully in Germany.

AUDES

Big M5 speakers from Audes in here, with Audes DT-3600 mains conditioner, NS-84 pre-amp, and NS-120 power amp, with a Holborne Analog 3 turntable as the source.

There was another setup at the side of the room with some Audes Alto 1 standmount speakers, Wadia CD player, and Holborne integrated amplifier.

DAE-2026-Oscar-Pt1- (377) > (397)

DYNAUDIO

This room was packed, clearly a very popular brand over in the Netherlands. There was a range of their speakers around the edge of their room, along with a range of Octave amplifiers.

The main demo system used an Octave HP 300 SE pre-amplifier, Auralic streamer, Octave RE320 power amplifier, Audioquest Niagara mains conditioning, and a pair of Dynaudio Confidence 30i speakers. As it was so busy, I didn’t get to have a good listen, but from what I did hear, it was an excellent room with the Octave amps doing a great job at bringing out excellent musicality from the Dynaudio.

LUXMAN

There was a static room with a display of Luxman amps, along with a small demo system paired with some Dynaudio speakers too.

RHAPSODY

Wilson Benesch 3zero Reference speakers, paired with their infrasonic generators in this room, with TLA amplifier, CH Precision, Pink Faun Scion, grounding boxes, Dohman turntable, Audioquest cabling, and more. There was a lot of kit in the system here, and it was a system that can go deep with plenty of refinement too.

NEW TRANS TEC

This room had a Quad setup playing, using new 303 mono blocks paired with a Platina Stream into their ESL2912X electrostatic speakers, which had a very snappy and crisp sound. There is still good bass to back it up, giving them a well-balanced sound that didn’t stray into sounding harsh. There were other bits on static display around the sides of the room.

AUDIO GROUP DENMARK

In this room you had the Borresen A1 playing with a pair of their BM2 bass modules, running out of the Aavik I-188 integrated amp, and SD-188 streaming DAC. AGD always impress at shows, they really know how to get the best out of their kit in rooms, and this was no different. The A1 + BM2 combo sounds superb when well-integrated, giving you huge power and scale with lightning-fast transients, an impressive setup and one that is always a joy to listen to. They put on Antigravity by Sohn and wow, this was special, perfectly placed vocals, deep pulsating and hard-hitting bass, and a huge soundstage.

Dutch audio event 2026 report
dae 2026 report

OUR MUSICAL SOUL

In here you had some Lab12 kit, alongside Lampizator, Lumin, Grimm, and JM-Reynaud speakers. The demo system used a pair of JM-Reynaud Auralis speakers, Ypsilon Phaethon neo or Lab12 Integre 4 mk2 (the Lab12 was playing when I was in here), Lampizator Atlantis 5 TRP DAC, Grimm MU1 streamer, and SwissCables cabling. A smooth, full sound in this room with plenty of detail too, quite easy to listen to yet insightful when needed.

LYNGDORF / RADIANT ACOUSTICS

Radiant Acoustics Clarity 66 floorstanders, with Lyngdorf TDAI-2210 amp, these speakers did a great job at filling this large room, there was a good amount of impact, energy, and detail. I do quite like the fairly neutral tuning of these speakers, they lend their hand to multiple genres with ease. There were a few other amps, and speakers, from Lyngdorf around the room.

GINEOS

Gineos make covers for Sonos speakers, in various different colours, along with ceiling mounts for speakers too.

DB MODULE

Some interesting modular speakers in this room, with various tweeter models, alongside some other models in the room. They were using Moon Audio and Naim kit to run them, along with some Class-D amplifiers in the system too. A slightly different kind of take on modular speakers, with a fairly easy-going sound signature.

SEMMAA AUDIO

Some quite clean sounding stand-mount speakers in this room, they were playing the larger of the pair running out of an Eversolo DMP-A6 streamer into a YcA Atama I amplifier. The finish of the speakers is impressive, whilst kicking out big sound for their size, with good authority along with excellent clarity.

PAI AUDIO VIDEO

This was an AV room, with kit from Primare and Perlisten playing movie scenes – we saw a scene from Avatar (the latest one I believe), and it gave you extremely accurate spatial cues from the film. Then we heard Comfortably Numb Live and it gave me goosebumps, this was a great demo to showcase what a good surround sound system can deliver, and it’s always a fun experience to sit in these rooms. This was one of the best AV systems I’ve heard, it had been set up very well.

DAUDIO

I know Stu is quite a fan of these speakers, and they had their smaller model on demo when we were in the room. These were paired with a sub, and had great clarity and detail, letting the sub fill out the low end with a very seamless crossover point. Great little speakers, great sound, and an interesting company.

We didn’t hear the larger MOB 2.5 speakers playing, but Stu has reviewed these and you can read that review here.

MIKA

In here you had a range of IAG brands alongside Canton, the demo system we heard playing had the Wharfedale Evo 5.4 paired with the Leak Stereo 230 amplifier and Trustream streamer. For a more affordable system, this was impressive, with a good level of detail and clarity, tight yet articulate low end, and a slightly warm tilt. The dedicated midrange driver works well here, allowing vocals and the like to really cut through with great tonality.

At the other end of the room, they had a setup using a Mission stack with Canton speakers.

GIK

GIK had a few of their panels on display, along with a team to talk to about the products, always a great display.

AUDIO WIZARD

Show exclusive reveal: these active speakers use Hypex class-D modules with DSP, alongside purifi and scanspeak drivers. A rather unique design with punchy sound too, all made in the Netherlands too; they come across as engaging, yet detailed.

SYSTEM AUDIO

We’ve seen these speakers a few times, and they fit nicely into modern homes. They make a range of active speakers using WiSA and you can link them wirelessly via a hub, allowing for multi-channel setups too.

DIMEX

Dimex put a lot of effort into this space, with a few different demo setups. The had Atohm speakers with a sub running out of a Cambridge EX stack. Elsewhere they had the AX, CX and EX range from Cambridge on display, with another setup using the new Evo 300 streaming amp with Lyssna monitor speakers. On the other side of the room, they had the new L/R Active speaker range from Cambridge, including both the S, M and X – mostly playing the X at the show which sounded superb in this space. This was a room that was open, airy, and fun – this is how you attract new people into this wonderful world of audio.

VINYL / CD SALES

There was a stand here selling CD’s and Vinyl.

KEMPENZAAL

There was a big expo hall with various brands showing off kit here, there were a few demos going on, but it wasn’t the best room for acoustics, so here are plenty of photos.

KAD

KAD had their K5-Evo active speakers on demo, with rear firing drivers along with the front ones – impressive sound that is deep and full with great timing and accuracy, they were paired with a Grimm MU1 streamer.

HEADPHONE ZONE

In some of the alcoves in the area near the Auditorium we had a little headphone section, Sennheiser were there with their range of both wired audiophile headphones, alongside their more portable Bluetooth models.

Yamaha had both closed back, and open back models on demo, both paired with their rather unique looking headphone amplifier.

Next up was a retailer specialising in earphones, and source components, from a lot of the smaller companies. You had models from Unique Melody, Symphonium, and Letshouer – a real pleasure to see these models outside of CanJam.

Then on to a retailer who sell the Grell OAE2, along with plenty of other kit from Dekoni, iFi Audio, Fiio, Shanling, Fosi, JDS Labs and more. A really good selection of kit here, and it was clearly popular with the visitors. I’m convinced that the headphone zone could easily have been bigger, judging by how popular the booths were, and it was great to see some of the more specialised brands getting some exposure here.