With Axpona kicking off in just 15 days, it’s just about time to head to the airport and get in line.
I say 15 days away because Axpona’s Industry Mixer takes place on Thursday, the night before the show officially opens its doors to the world of hifi enthusiasts. Most exhibitors will have spent the day getting their rooms set up which I understand is easier said than done. Stuffing hifi systems into small hotel rooms or locating them within extra large ballrooms with shaky walls is in no way an ideal scenario but that’s kinda obvious to anyone in attendance.
What may not be obvious is people deal with less than ideal situations all the time but we manage. Make do. When it comes to listening to music, what’s the worst thing that can happen—sound not to your liking? Music not your taste? As Colonel Kurtz uttered—The horror! The horror!
Axpona promises 750 brands represented in “230+ high-fidelity listening rooms, thousands of products in the Expo Hall, Ear Gear Experience, Car Audio Showcase, live performances, educational seminars, and cutting-edge audio demos.” Last year’s show saw nearly 11,000 intrepid listeners in attendance and the fine folks behind Axpona are expecting even more this time around. I hope the Renaissance Schaumburg elevators have been eating their Wheaties.
All to say Axpona is a really big show—the largest in the US—and I look forward to mixing and mingling and seeing what I can see. Shows are a great place for the business of hifi to happen which in my case means keeping an eye out for new gear to ideally coax into the Barn for review, saying Hi! to old friends, and talking shop after hours with like-minded souls. I don’t mean to slight the Barn mice but they are mostly quiet and hate talking about hifi.
See you there!
Location:
Renaissance Schaumburg
Hotel & Convention Center
1551 N Thoreau Dr, Schaumburg, IL, 60173
Show Hours:
Friday, April 10, 2026: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday, April 11, 2026: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday, April 12, 2026: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
That’s a photo of my 2019 Axpona show coverage kit bag. I still use the very same bag from France’s Bleu de Chauffe (1), the same pens from Zebra Sarasa (8), and the same Stanley & Sons Apron Bag (10) where I keep small cables and magic potions. I have new business cards, my Fujifilm X-T5 with the Fuji XF23mmF1.4 R LM WR lens replaced the Panasonic Lumix rig (but I still use that same strap), a pair of older Sony wireless noise canceling headphones simplified my in-flight listening, and I still bring a notepad (7) more for nostalgia than writing.