The typical audio fest is something like Axpona in Chicago. You visit a monster hotel with a hundred plus rooms of music blasting all at once. Because they’re hotel rooms, nothing sounds especially GOOD. Everything sounds LOUD. There’s almost nothing affordable in the building.

Virtually every room features speakers (cables too?) that nobody can afford. A system running a quarter mil is dirt cheap. There are many systems running a million buxx or more.

It’s Disney World for audiophiles. It can be fun if it doesn’t hurt your ears too much, but it’s not particularly educational. It’s certainly not reality.

What about having an audio experience in Milwaukee where you can actually hear equipment in good listening rooms, at the volume of your choice, without dozens of rude people talking above the jet engine volume of the music? Further, what if the gear being used is something you can actually afford? Appealing yet?

Well, you can do that at Audio Emporium. You can visit Thursday, Friday & Saturday without an appointment. You can visit Tuesday or Wednesday by calling ahead and making an appointment.

We are closed Sunday and Monday.

Speakers

At Axpona you’ll find mostly speakers where the company bought Scan-Speak drivers and screwed them into cabinets made of epoxy resin or aluminum. They weigh 160-300 pounds and run $40k on up. You’ll also see bookshelf speakers with the same drivers in ornate cabinets for about half that price. The black magic is included in the pricing.

At Audio Emporium we sell speakers you can actually afford.

Bryston-Axiom

These two outstanding Canadian companies merged some years ago. They make speakers in Canada (not China) in their own house. They don’t just buy drivers from a vendor, be it Scan-Speak, Seas, Vifa etc.

Axioms run $650 – $1900 per pair and have a 5 year warranty.

Bryston runs $1000- 20k per pair and has a 20 year warranty. Bryston’s A2 at $4000 per pair is among the best full range values in our biz.

Bryston’s powerful bass response and smooth top end set their speakers apart from the big advertisers.

Magnepan

Magnepan of Minnesota makes totally unique, dipole radiators. They don’t have the noises or problems of stats. They run a grand to $22k per pair, with the sweet spot of the line running $3-6k per pair.

Magnepans are eminently affordable and compete with crazy expensive Axpona panels by Alsy Vox ($200k+) and Diptyke ($30k+). Those sure are fun to see, but if we put them all in the same room and blind fold you… Magnepans are right there with them at a fraction of the price.

Atohm

Atohm speakers are from France with a 7 year warranty. They’re beautiful musically and aesthetically. If you want a gorgeous, moderately sized speaker in your home with the capability of playing at strong volume levels, Atohm might just hit the nail on the head.

Klipsch Heritage

K Heritage models are made in Arkansas. They have lovely wood finishes. They have horn based drivers to give you powerful volume levels. If you want to your music to be loud and proud, K could be up your alley.

Electronics

Atoll

Atoll of France makes the best electronics lineup I’ve ever experienced! The quality of Atoll is simply astonishing for the money. It’s within spitting distance of the big boys without charging you for bells and whistles.

Integrateds run $1200-7k.

Preamps run $1500 and $2500.

Power amps run $1500-3900.

CD Players run $900-3k.

The quality of Atoll’s sound is smooth and muscular- unlike any like priced gear from China.

Atoll CD players bring a warmth and smoothness to the medium that has happily surprised many of our customers. They’ll make you fall in love with your silver discs.

Bryston

Bryston of Canada makes among the best separates in the marketplace. Nothing is cleaner and quieter.

We audiophiles sometimes get ridiculous about the differences of electronics sounding like roses vs daffodils. Well, when you get near the top of this pyramid, the differences are quite small. When you’re in that neighborhood you might remember that Bryston has a 20 year warranty while the other guys run 3 or less.

Bryston has been a family owned company since 1963. Virtually all other brands have been bought and sold a handful of times and the iconic name on the face plate is now simply a marketing badge.

Without Driving To Chicago

Without driving to Chicago and getting your brains blasted out… you can visit Audio Emporium right here in Milwaukee and have a much better shopping experience. You won’t have to scream over aircraft sound pressure levels to have a conversation about what you’re hearing.

In most cases you’ll be able to choose your music and listening levels. It actually sounds civilized, doesn’t it?