High Fidelity strikes back: Paris Audio Video Show 2025 proves sound is serious business

High-fidelity audio is making a comeback, and nowhere was that clearer than at the Paris Audio Video Show 2025. From vinyl-spinning masterpieces to pocket-sized powerhouses, this year’s event proved that sound — real, rich, goosebump-raising sound — is back in style.

Crowds at PAVS 2025: Paris' audiophiles packed the Palais des Congrès, all chasing that perfect note.

There’s something in the air, and it’s not just the thump of bass from a €5,750 subwoofer. High-fidelity audio, the art of listening to music and movies exactly as intended, is having a moment. At this year’s Paris Audio Video Show 2025, held at the Palais des Congrès from 25–27 October, it was clear that high-end audio is still very much alive and kicking.

While Saturday saw shoulder-to-shoulder crowds filling demo rooms and queueing for listening sessions, I was lucky enough to slip in early on Friday night. The calm before the audiophile storm gave me a chance to take in the gear properly, to sit, listen, and let the music (and the machinery) do the talking.