When the D/A converters conquered the market, some saw it only as evolutionary dead end. For traditionalists, a DAC could only be a part of a CD player. However, people who ten years ago saw the future in combining the hi-fi with music files stored on a computer, were also not convinced that DACs are a final solution. Some time later, the servers playing music from built-in hard drive or external memory sticks were born, and then the first streamers appeared. Today, the situation is quite predictable. DACs are on the rise - they are better, bigger and more advanced. Hegel is one of the companies that knows the world of DACs very well. The Norwegians produced them when the market was not so big, and since then they have been constantly developing their products in this segment. I had a chance to review most of them - the HD2, HD11, HD 12, HD20 and HD25. Now the company has decided to reach even further with the new flagship model - the HD30.

The mere mention of the Sonus Faber's name immediately attracts attention, and not without reason. This is one of the most recognized manufacturers of high-end speakers and - at the same time - one of the first major companies that have decided to go beyond the audio market and turn tu artists, architects, even people from the fashion world. Surely it would not be so successful if the Italian speakers were just ordinary, angular boxes with drivers. For many years, Sonus Faber has been setting standards and creating fashion copied by others. Sleek lines described by the designers as the 'shape of the lute' inspired many other designers, but the performance was difficult to forge. Italians remain faithful to natural materials and rely on everything that is beautiful, exclusive and - what can I say - expensive. In addition, they show photographs illustrating different stages of production, from covering the leather, polishing wooden boards to grinding metal decorative elements. They do not launch new models during the exhibitions, but rather in amphitheaters. Their speakers can be found not only in music lovers' homes but also in museums and art galleries, as well as in exclusive cars like Pagani Huayra.

Audio Video Show in Warsaw is the second biggest hi-fi show in Europe, and this year it just got bigger. Some say it's not much smaller than High End in Munich now and we are not surprised. The event was able to grow so much thanks to the new venue. In recent years the show was held in three hotels in Warsaw, but even four or five hotels wouldn't provide the necessary room for 135 exhibitors and more than 10,000 visitors we had this year, so the organizer of the show replaced one of the hotels with... The Polish National Stadium. Not the football pitch of course, but rather 60 VIP rooms and many, many stands located on the corridors. For the first time in history, the Audio Video Show included a special headphone zone with more than 50 brands showing their products and allowing visitors to listen to every one of them, much like the CanJam, but to us - even more interesting.

Heinz Lichtenegger is one of the most interesting and forward-thinking people in the audio industry. The founder of Pro-Ject is known for his unwavering love for vinyl records and turntables. He is one of those who always believed in the power of vinyl and more - he's probably largely responsible for the renaissance of this medium. All turntable lovers should know his products - many of them have started their analog adventure with a Pro-Ject, and even those who do not use vinyl certainly associate the company with Box Design units. Where did it all come from, and what plans does Heinz have for the nearest future?

Cabasse is recognized as one of the best known loudspeaker manufacturers, and one which gives us very interesting products, especially in the high end segment. Founded in 1950 by Georges Cabasse, the firm inherited not only its creator's name, but also his genius as his special gift, a memory for sounds led him to design one of the most original and striking loudspeakers on the market. On the company's website we also found that Cabasse's roots go back to 1740 and a luthier who crafted the first violin signed Cabasse. Interesting, isn't it? And what about the present day? To learn more about that we conducted an interview with Delphine Dall.

Sennheiser's world of headphones is actually 70 years of chasing the white rabbit. The story of headsets bearing this logo - the name of the brand's founder - started for good in 1968, when the world's first open-back headphones, HD 414, revolutionized the market. By the end of 1969, over a hundred thousand pairs of them were sold, and more than ten million unto this day. The introduction of unipolar electrostatic headphones in 1977 was the next milestone for the German engineers. I am speaking about the 2000 model, which in some ways was the ancestor of one of the best headsets in the world - the Orpheus HE 90/HEV 90 electrostatic headphones, presented in 1991. As regards the equipment for home and personal use, the company has focused on designer Momentum series and lifestyle Urbanite headphones, introducing new wireless and in-ear products from time to time.

OPPO's equipment is very interesting although the brand has a relatively brief history. The company hasn't started neither from headphones nor from audio devices. Instead it's an example of a modern company with a purely technological profile, focused on consumer electronics. Its headquarters is located in Mountain View, California, so practically in the heart of Silicon Valley. This is shown not only by its products, but also by the entire background, organized in a flawless manner, typical for really large, wealthy corporations. If you take a moment to look through the company's website, its Facebook page or Instagram profile, you will immediately understand that this is definitely not another garage manufacture, which was more successful than anyone could have imagined. Here, it seems that everything has been well planned and calculated.

Gradient is a company which may not have the widest offer and isn't trying to fight for the title of the largest speaker manufacturer in the world, but offers some of the most interesting models on the market. Moreover, there are no exceptions to this rule - each set from Finnish factory is something special, unique, and sometimes even a little odd. In the entire history of the brand there wasn't a single moment when someone decided to design just an ordinary speaker with ported MDF enclosure, several dynamic drivers, all without any frills. Gradient is always a guarantee of original, interesting vision. In the current offer we have Evidence floorstanding speakers, entirely covered with a grille, Revolution dipole sets with a triangular mid-high module and Helsinki 1.5, which are totally crazy. At a glance you know that these are not standard speakers. However, a person who thinks that Finnish designers create these sets under the influence of strong drugs, and their sole purpose is to draw attention at the exhibitions, is completely wrong. All these inventions have a strong theoretical and practical background, and the fact that the company has existed since 1984 confirms the effectiveness of their actions.

Among the speakers we can distinguish some types made for specific applications, such as center channels, wireless active speakers or subwoofers. Each has its place in a stereo or home theater, but their makers rarely focus on a particular type of speaker. Manufacturers try to satisfy every customer and offer everything, including these very specific products. There are several specialized factories among which subwoofer specialists tend to be the strongest group. REL was founded in 1990 by Richard Edmund Lord.

Audiovector is one of the most recognizable Scandinavian loudspeaker manufacturers with a true legacy and dozens of awards. They participate in all major events, and now intensively develop active wireless speakers. The company has over 22,000 fans on Facebook and keeps up with various technological innovations. If you truly want to discover the philosophy of the company, you have to meet its founder - Ole Klifoth. This friendly man has been running the company for 37 years with the help from his son, Mads. In addition to the audio equipment, he's also interested in Scandinavian and American literature, and in his spare time he listens to jazz, rock and blues in a wooden house, deep in the woods.