On September 19, we welcomed more than 700 music lovers to our showroom for the Vancouver Audio Festival 2026. It became our most successful event in 40 years, and we have our community to thank.
Our listening rooms were busy throughout the day as guests discovered systems, shared favourite tracks, and spoke with our team. Seeing so many people come together to enjoy music made the day special for all of us at Hi-Fi Centre.
Thank you for being part of it. Here is a look back at the day, along with how to arrange your own listening session.
A Day Built Around Listening
The festival ran from 10 AM to 5 PM at our downtown showroom, 23 West Pender Street. It centered on one idea: hear the equipment properly, at your own pace.
Each room was a curated listening space with its own system. Manufacturer representatives were on hand to demonstrate the equipment and answer questions. Demonstrations were not time-limited, so visitors could listen carefully and compare systems without feeling rushed.
Many visitors stayed for extended listening, moving between rooms, comparing notes, and discovering one system after another.
The Systems Visitors Heard
Bowers & Wilkins Nautilus
The orange Nautilus loudspeakers were a memorable sight in one of the listening rooms. Paired with Classé amplification and Weiss digital-to-analog conversion, the system let visitors hear this distinctive design in action.
KEF Muon
The polished aluminum KEF Muon loudspeakers drew a crowd throughout the day. Partnered with Burmester amplification and a Linn streamer, they formed one of the festival’s most striking systems.
Bowers & Wilkins 803 D5
The Bowers & Wilkins 803 D5 loudspeakers played alongside Rotel Michi separates and a Weiss DAC. The system offered visitors another perspective on the brand’s high-performance sound approach.
Luxman and KEF R3 Meta
A Luxman L-100 Centennial integrated amplifier powered two pairs of KEF R3 Meta speakers. One pair used IsoAcoustics GAIA Neo isolation feet, allowing visitors to compare playback with and without speaker isolation.
KEF Prize Draw Winners
The KEF prize draw gave us another reason to celebrate. Congratulations to our three winners:
| Prize | Winner | Product |
| Grand Prize | James S. | KEF LS50 Wireless II speaker system |
| Second Prize | Ian M. | KEF LSX II wireless speaker system |
| Third Prize | Amanda K. | KEF Muo portable Bluetooth speaker |
Thank you to KEF for supporting the draw, and to everyone who entered. We hope the winning systems bring many hours of listening enjoyment to their new homes.
Thank You for Making It Special
An event like this takes a lot of preparation. We are grateful to the manufacturer representatives, presenters, and our team for the work that went into every demonstration.
Most of all, we are grateful to Vancouver’s audio community. Your curiosity, thoughtful questions, and enthusiasm made the festival what it was.
If you could not make it on September 19, we would love to welcome you for a private listening session. Book a demo and tell us which systems interest you so our team can arrange your visit.