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Robert Schryer closes out his Toronto Audiofest coverage with some final notes and takeaways.
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Chicago’s listening bars offer a new kind of nightlife, where hi-fi sound, curated vinyl, and craft cocktails take center stage. From Charis to Parachute HiFi, each space delivers a distinct, music-first experience.
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Music and vinyl expert Claude Lemaire highlights essential recordings—and the best pressings to seek out—for your LP collection, indexed by year of release.
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Christopher Wallace’s final moments—captured just hours before his murder—anchor this account of his last night in L.A., the drive-by shooting that followed, and the decades of unanswered questions that still haunt it.
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Eversolo introduces the DAC-Z10, a high-end DAC and headphone amplifier featuring dual AKM decoding chips, Fully Isolated Architecture, R2R volume control, and FPGA-based clock reconstruction for precise, low-distortion high-resolution audio. Available in December.
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Shanling’s new ECZero AKM portable CD player lands in the U.S. via Forte Distribution, blending AKM DAC tech, dual amps, and Bluetooth 5.3 in a sleek, $349 design aimed at serious CD-loving audiophiles.
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Wynn Audio showcased two high-end systems featuring standout gear from Kalista, Kondo, and Vimberg—offering vivid realism, from nuanced piano timbres to trumpet notes that seemed to materialize in the room.
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EQ Audio Video wowed with two epic setups: a Borresen T5/Aavik system offering visceral, lifelike sound, and a Dolby Atmos home theatre rig with Monitor Audio Cinergy speakers that rivaled the live concert experience.
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Angela-Gilbert Yeung’s Integrated Separate System—linking power supplies across preamp and amps—drove Fink Team Borg speakers with striking purity, lifelike tone, and exceptional transparency in a concept-rich, sonically convincing demo.
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Hearken and Northstar delivered mesmerizing vinyl playback via Ilumnia’s Magister Novus speakers and a Reed/Hana front-end, with standout tone, texture, and imaging.
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In a standout demo, Guy Bélanger played live harmonica over his Postcards from London album, with Davis Acoustics’ “The Wall” speakers and Atoll electronics delivering bold, full, and lively support.
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Toronto Home of Audiophile demoed a Pass Labs–powered system with Gershman’s Grand Avant Garde speakers, delivering detailed, tactile sound with liquid tone, vivid colour, and supple bass.
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Rega’s Naia turntable and Aethos amp, paired with Monitor Audio Platinum 200 3G speakers, delivered sweet highs, sharp timing, and fatigue-free detail—marking a strong return with new Canadian distributor Stéréogroup.
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Sonic Artistry’s room fused sonic and visual illusion, with Acora MRC-2 speakers and a Trinity College Dublin backdrop creating jaw-dropping soundstage depth on a Nordost-cabled system.
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Being in a band is all about gigs. The challenge is getting them. Writer and touring vet Frank Doris gives tips on how to do it, even if it’s the part he likes least about the business.
