One of the things I love about the audio hobby is hanging with industry people—those who, like me, have devoted themselves in one way or another to spreading the joy of quality audio, as it relates to both the gear itself and how it’s able to connect us in ever deeper layers to our music.

I don’t know whether the same kind of emphatic bond forms in most industries—I assume there’s a similar sense of kinship when members of any industry gather—but I’m going to assume, without proof, that there’s a greater sense of camaraderie in the audio industry than in most others. Why? Because audio is, fundamentally, a hobby. I don’t care how much an amp costs; it’s still a toy, albeit a luxury one.

The audiophile journey is, by nature, fun—and niche. We’re like big kids sharing the same toys in the same sandbox—a minority who get each other. Because of this, it’s often easy to become instant friends and close colleagues.

That’s what happened with me and Dragan (pron. Dra-Ghan) from Ottawa-based retailer Bliss Acoustics. Dragan is a perennial Canadian Audiofest exhibitor I met about four years ago during one of my reporting runs. Since then, I’ve seen him a handful of times, and each time I feel our bond has grown stronger. So when he invited me to an audio event he organized—to showcase his wares and bring together manufacturers, consumers, and media for an evening of music, food, and schmoozing—I didn’t hesitate. It was not only a way to support him, but also because he carries primo-sounding (and looking) gear, some of which was being demoed publicly for the first time.

Inside Bliss Acoustics—which is actually spread throughout the home Dragan shares with his wife—are five listening rooms, each outfitted with a great-sounding system. Also at the event was another friend I’ve made through our shared devotion to audio: René Laflamme of the audiophile label 2xHD and Swiss manufacturer Nagra Acoustics, one of the lines Bliss Acoustics carries.

Several Nagra components were showcased, including a complete flagship REF setup feeding a pair of AudioNec EVO2 XTREM speakers with external crossovers. To quote René prior the show, “Bliss has just received Nagra’s REF system: the REF PREAMP with dual PSU, the REF DAC with dual PSU, and the REF AMP, which outputs 300 watts, the first 30 in class-A. Shipments of the REF units to customers will begin in 2026, as production takes time.”

He added: “The REF turntable now has an option to accommodate two Nagra tonearms. The HD PHONO features multiple inputs, making it possible to use both a mono and a stereo cartridge, or two cartridges with different technical and sonic characteristics.” The rest of this system included Hemingway Audio Z-Core cabling, a WAY Cables Poetry X RCA digital cable and Intuition X Ethernet cable, a Synergistic Research Ethernet Switch UEF, and Ictra Design Proto AS audio racks.

On symphonic and vocal fare, the sound of this system was big, rich, textured, and effortlessly musical.

“In another room,” René continued, “you’ll find the Series II-S preamp prototype. We’ll begin deliveries next week.” 

That room—the one featuring Nagra’s Series II-S preamp prototype—also included a Nagra HD-X DAC, Nagra Classic PSU, and Nagra Streamer; a CSPort TAT 1M2 turntable equipped with a CSPort AFU 1-2 linear arm and Aidas True Violet cartridge; a CSPort C3EQM2 phono preamplifier/equalizer; a CSPort GM70PA stereo amplifier; and a pair of Devore Fidelity Orangutan O/96 speakers. Rounding out the system were Luna Noir, Rouge, and Mauve cables; a WAY Cables Ethernet cable; a Modulum Arkitek audio rack; a Graphite Audio Classic 100 Ultra platform; and Graphite Audio CIS-40 cable isolation stands.

As is often the case with such events, this one was also an opportunity to meet new people, including manufacturers. One such manufacturer was Ictra Design from Germany, whose co-owners and real-life couple flew overseas to join the festivities and present some of their platforms and racks. These are no ordinary “slabs of wood”—they’re mechanically optimized products. Carsten Tragsdorf and his wife, Inga Tragsdorf, the company’s co-owners, are both mechanical engineers with access to the most precise tooling and measuring equipment.

So how did they get involved in audio design? The answer lies in another industry—the automotive one—where Carsten developed anti-vibration damping technologies for cars that he believed could also be used to isolate audio gear from vibration.

“The design of all Ictra Design products is based on preventing sound transmission,” Carsten told me at the event. “When music is played, airborne or structure-borne sound induces vibrations that are transmitted to electronic or mechanical parts. This results in a chaotic sequence of random local resonances, which are perceived as disturbing by the listener.”

To that end, Ictra’s audio racks and platforms are designed—using the combined principles of sound-wave reflection across materials of differing densities and air-spring–damped construction—to isolate audio components from both forms of resonances.

Housed downstairs were two demos set up in separate rooms. In the larger of the two rooms stood a pair of Audio Solutions Virtuoso S loudspeakers, accompanied by an MSB Premier DAC, Nagra Classic DAC II, CSPort C3PR preamplifier, Goldmund Telos 690 integrated amplifier, Esoteric Grandioso K1X SE SACD/CD player and DAC, Esoteric Grandioso S1X Class A stereo amplifier, Gryphon Diablo 333 integrated amplifier, Gryphon Commander preamplifier, Gryphon StandArt audio racks, and Hemingway Audio cables.

The second, smaller room showcased more gorgeous gear, featuring a Wadax Studio Player, Goldmund Telos 690 integrated amplifier, Nagra Classic amplifier, Kroma Atelier Jovita loudspeakers, Hemingway Audio Z-Core Alpha cables, an HRS SXR audio rack, a Graphite Audio Classic 100 Ultra platform, and Graphite Audio CIS-40 cable isolation stands.

As so often happens at events like this, as I prepared to return home, I found myself regretting not having more time with my friends and colleagues—and with all that great gear I’d seen firsthand but hadn’t had the chance to properly explore. Maybe one day, I mused to myself.

Bliss Acoustics sits discreetly on a residential side street. “My business is by appointment only,” Dragan told me. I left thinking that Bliss Acoustics is the perfect name for the shop: a high-end space with a homey feel, offering blissful musical experiences. Dragan is an unpretentious host who loves audio as much as you and I do. He hasn’t forgotten that audio is, above all, a hobby—one that connects us to each other and to our music.

Bliss Acoustics (By Appointment Only)

Monday-Saturday: 10am-4pm
Sunday: Closed

Tel: (613) 415 4475
info@blissacoustics.com