Axpona 2022: What’s New in Speakers? [updated]

With Axpona happening next week, news of the new have been hitting my inbox. Here are a few new speakers, or speakers that are new to me, that I’m looking forward to listening to.

Pictured up top are the new, revised Avantgarde Trio G3 ($275,000- $480,000/pair), on display in the American Sound room located on the 16th floor in the Presidential Suite Alexander (I hope its big). I’ve heard a number of Avantgarde speakers over the years at shows and always enjoy the experience. Is bigger better?


Plouzané, France-based Cabasse was founded in 1950 (!) and the fully active tri-coaxial Pearl Pelegrina speakers ($29,990/pair) celebrate the company’s 70th anniversary with space-age flair. Only 70 pair will be made stuffed with a ton of tech including automatic room calibration/correction, 4 separate amplifiers totaling 3700 RMS W per speaker power, while the Ethernet input supports Qobuz, Tidal, Spotify, and more. The Pearl Pelegrina will be on display in the Upscale Distribution room on the 7th floor (742/742).

I got to see a pair of the new Cessaro Opus-1 Speakers ($45,000/pair) when I visited Jeff Catalano at High Water Sound, the US Cessaro Distributor. I also got to hear the massive Cessaro Liszt horn speakers which left me very impressed so I look forward to face time with the Opus-1.

Malbork Designs, a company with very little ‘About’ information on their website, will be showcasing their new Warsaw speakers ($65,000/pair)—”with looks to kill and sound to thrill” according to the website in Room 380. I love a thrill!

I feel like I watched the new DeVore Fidelity O/baby ($5700/pair, $995/pair matching oak stands) grow up, having spent some time listening to a prototype pair at the DeVore factory and another location that shall remain nameless. We are going to get to know each other even better next week (and even better some time after that!).

Gayle Sanders, of MartinLogan fame, will be showcasing the Eikon Audio FRS ($12,000/system) in Room 1421, which is similar to the company’s flagship Image.1 system albeit in a simpler cabinet to reduce costs. Also on display will be the Image.5 Active Digital Loudspeaker System ($12,000/system). The Image.5 packs everything you need into two stand-mounts plus the separate Eikontrol Controller offering DSP for room analysis and correction, true 33Hz bass extension at normal listening levels, a total of 4 analog inputs (2x RCA, 2x XLR) and 4 Roon Ready digital inputs (AES, Toslink, Coax, USB). I was floored by the Image.5 system at CAF 2022, but I missed a listen to the FRS, an oversight I hope to correct at Axpona.