AXPONA 2026….Wow, What a Show!
AXPONA 2026 was strong from start to finish, with consistent attendance throughout the entire weekend. The energy was strong throughout, with many of the world's leading high-end brands showing their latest work.
We were pleased to host the Nirvana B room alongside our U.S. distributor Audioshield Distribution, in partnership with Raidho Acoustics and Kimber Kable as well as in Room 1141 with EnKlein Cables and HiFi One. It was one of our most refined EMM Labs demonstrations at AXPONA to date.
Connecting with U.S. customers and dealers in person was a highlight, as was hearing the range of systems and ideas across the show floor. We hope you had the opportunity to explore and enjoy it as much as we did.
We also hosted a special presentation with 12-time Grammy-nominated producer Carlos Castro of WaterSound Studios, who shared selections from his upcoming HiFi-focused label. A longtime user of our original 8-channel DSD studio converters — the DAC8 MkIV and ADC8 MkIV that helped establish EMM Labs in high-end audio — Carlos brings a producer's ear to everything he plays. Watch the video below for more on the project.
If you visited our room, we would be interested to hear your impressions. Feel free to reach out and share your thoughts.
Congratulations to the winner of the $5,000 AXPONA contest credit, redeemable with Audioshield Distribution toward an EMM Labs or Meitner Audio system upgrade!
A Session with Carlos Castro
We were pleased to host LA-based producer Carlos Castro in our room at AXPONA 2026.
During the session, Carlos presented new recordings featuring Latin artist Elyan, offering a first listen ahead of releases from his forthcoming HiFi-focused label, Surconic. The presentation gave attendees a closer look at his approach to recording, production, and playback in a high-resolution environment. Listeners had the chance to close their eyes and be taken away by Elyan’s gorgeous vocals and instrumentation.
It was also a great opportunity to reflect on Carlos’s long-standing relationship with EMM Labs, while discussing his upcoming projects and the direction of Surconic.
Watch the video above for a little sneak peek of his music with Elyan and stay tuned for more music and news from his Surconic label.
The Meitner MA3i Gets a Review Update by Jason Victor Serinus in Stereophile Magazine
Following his 2022 review of the Meitner MA3, Jason Victor Serinus returns to evaluate the latest in the Meitner lineup, the MA3i. His listening notes are, as always, thorough and considered.
The full review appears in the May 2026 issue of Stereophile, available on newsstands now.
“Meitner’s MA3i Integrated DAC brought everything together for me. It presented music with soaring and pleasing treble, a natural midrange, and solid bass. Far more than the sum of its parts, its sound was so complete and honest that I had no reservations using it to review recordings and share favourites with friends…
In its price range, I doubt you’ll find an equally up-to-date, well-built, reliable integrated streaming DAC manufactured in North America that sounds as good. It deserves a place in many audiophile systems.”
As you can see, Ed approves!
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