Dallas, Texas. The 2026 Southwest Audio Fest.

Represented by brands both old and new, the finest in home audio reproduction was on display for attendees to hear. Show organization and layout was commendable, and the Sheraton Downtown Dallas was a lovely venue with ample parking and crisp AC. Special thanks to organizers Lou Hinkley and Gary Gill for their hospitality and support before, during, and after the show. Dinner after setup day was particularly excellent!

Let’s take a look at some of the rooms.

The ASC booth was on full display upon entering the Marketplace.  A wall of TubeTraps kept the noise level in the room calm, particularly for those in close proximity to it! Unfortunately, most of the wall was dismantled by day 2 for depoyment to exhibitor rooms in need, and TubeTrap fans ready for an upgrade.
Axiss Audio of Nashville and Eleven Hifi of Little Rock know how to make a room sound great. Mix amazingly refined speakers with top-end electronics, add a heaping tablespoon of TubeTrap room treatment…magnifico!
Show organizer Lou Hinkley also happens to be a top-tier woodworker, and his Daedalus loudspeakers are works of sonic and mechanical art. Local northwest-sourced lumber, hardwood inlays, master joinery, and a gorgeous mirror finish combined with a natural full-range sound that we could listen to for hours… and hours…
Spiritual Sound Cables teamed with Unique Home Audio to demo the Prodigio (formerly Popori) WR1 electrostatics. We appreciate a good execution of planar/electrostat technology as much as the next audiophile, but the bass depth and dynamics on these was truly impressive. The TubeTraps definitely helped with that!
Long time TubeTrap enthusiast Scott Walker used them in a large suite to help tame the bass range emitting from the Estelon Extremes. The resultant sound quality? Extremely excellent.
Large, ultra-high-end speakers deserve large, ultra-high-end acoustic treatments.
Across the hall, Scott Walker’s Von Schweikert Audio room was another example of no-holds-barred sound quality that left almost nothing wanting. Powerful, effortless, graceful…and the system included the appropriate “shock absorbers” that these speakers deserve.
Even the best engineered loudspeakers obey the laws of physics. Bass builds up and releases from corners! TubeTraps reduce this tremendously.
Pilot Radio demonstrated their new power amplifier and a pretty trick phono stage preamp. Coupled with the high-efficiency DeVore Fidelity loudspeakers, the result was superb. Once again, TubeTraps in the corners add just the right touch of control to keep the sound tight without drying it up excessively.
The Audiophile Junkie led a rollicking late-night listening session with giveaways, lots of nostalgic name-that-tune fun, and a thorough demonstration and explanation of the importance of room testing, DSP and acoustic treatment. With the BACC engaged, the sweet spot provided truly shocking imaging.
The Vitorla model from Prodigio was a marvel of sound staging. As much as we appreciated the chance to put up our banner in this great room, the location was not ideal for delivering the mind-blowing imaging this system was capable of. Acoustics first! So it was moved back a bit to avoid delivering a strong early reflection.
A pair of TubeTraps flanking a subwoofer reduces the strength of the side wave, cleaning up the delivery of the “good” part of the bass. Yes, sometimes less bass = more bass!
There is no “bad angle” for the Daedalus speakers. Notice the tiered stack of TubeTraps in the corner. It can deliver the best of both worlds, as the larger Model-16 occupies the tri-corner while the smaller Model-13 effectively scatters up at ear level. Try it in your setup!
One more close up view shows the beautiful work. And did we mention this cabinet is supremely inert, strong and non-resonant. Nice job, Lou!
Back to the Axiss Audio/Eleven HiFi room, the Gauder Akustik loudspeakers deserve a close-up as well. The TubeTraps almost completely eliminated the “head end ringing” between the front wall and the speakers. When the front wave from the speaker has no interference from the back or side waves, delivery is clean and pure.
Krystal Clear Audio built a luxurious demo room for their Burmester loudspeakers, with TubeTraps playing a subtle yet critical role. While TubeTraps are built with performance and effectiveness as primary goals, we think they add a certain humble charm to a space dedicated to the enjoyment of music. We hope you agree!