CanJam NYC 2026

Intro.

In theory, this should have been the 10th anniversary of the CanJam NYC show, since it started back in 2017, but given the pandemic-related cancellation of the 2021 show, it was my 9^th CanJam visit in The Big Apple. Actually, while talking to Jude about this, he reminded me that in 2006 they held their 1st International HF Meet in NY, dubbed the original NYC CanJam. Either way, and while repeating myself every year, 2026’s show raised another bar as the biggest CanJam NYC to date, or maybe even the biggest CanJam show to date? For sure, the number of manufacturers, retailers, and distributors from around the world visiting the show went up this year like never before. And once again, they had to use every square inch of the main floor, without a lounge area as in the past, to squeeze in extra rows of tables.

This year, even that wasn’t enough, and the show spilled into the area outside of the Broadway Ballroom, with a dozen tables leading to the elevator area, barely making it before violating the fire code of the building. And just like every year, I visited it for only one day on Saturday, but at least this year I had a legitimate excuse. Because of spring break, I needed to pick up my daughter from college on Sunday. Needless to say, even 2 days wouldn’t have been enough to cover everything, and I know I left a handful of manufacturers disappointed by not stopping by their tables, for which I sincerely apologize.

As I always say, unless you’ve lived under a rock, CanJam Shows is a well-established international phenomenon, spreading across the globe from NYC, SoCal, Chicago, and Dallas to London, Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and even Dubai. For those in the US and Canada, CanJam is a big deal because we don’t get as many audio shows focused on portable and desktop audio gear for audiophiles. Also, on this side of the pond, we don’t have as many physical audio stores as in some other countries, especially in Asia. Brick-and-mortar locations are rare here, so many purchases are made blindly, and paying a restocking fee when you change your mind can add up.

I get excited to see and talk face-to-face with many manufacturers and retailers, and to test new products before committing to review them. But the biggest source of excitement comes from the chance to meet in person people from our ever-growing Watercooler Head-Fi community, another expanding phenomenon in its own right, with head-fiers from around the world discussing audio- and non-audio-related topics and encouraging each other to empty their wallets (the ever-popular HF greeting of “Welcome to Head-Fi, sorry about your wallet!”). It is a great mini community where head-fiers talk about anything, regardless of price or personal sound preferences. You can spot a Watercooler member at the show wearing magnetic tags with their forum name, as well as those of manufacturers and retailers who are joining the group! This year, the NYC show brought in Watercoolers from around the world who are now part of the Traveling Team.

The CanJam Show is being held on the weekend in the Broadway Ballroom of the Marriott Marquis Hotel located in Times Square of Manhattan, a two-day event, and you do need both Saturday and Sunday if you are serious about trying most of the products, though, as already mentioned, even 2 full days is not enough anymore. I usually attend only on Saturdays and focus on portable gear, driving to Manhattan (from NJ) and reserving a parking spot across Times Square in advance to save time and money. On the way to the show on the 6^th floor of the hotel, while walking across Times Square, it also became a tradition for me to note cosplay performers soliciting tourists for pictures (and money while taking them). One interesting change this year: the Marquis Theater, located on the ground floor of the hotel, was hosting the Broadway show “Strange Things – The First Shadow,” making the place go wild in the evening as I was leaving.

In my usual disclaimer, I used to write CanJam reports to report what I saw at the show, helping people discover new stuff, and bringing up names of brands and products they were unaware of. In the last few years, I have added more details, including short impressions and other background info, which is why my reports are longer and take a few weeks to finish. Plus, this year it took me an extra few weeks to even get to the report because I was overwhelmed at work. It is impossible to do an accurate sound analysis in a noisy environment in a short time while being surrounded by a ton of people. I’ve noticed that sometimes people quote my show reports as reviews, but they’re not. I will review a product when I have a chance to spend more time with it, doing focused testing and measurements in a quiet environment. Also, the mentioned prices are suggested retail, with many manufacturers and retailers offering show discounts and special deals when you contact them directly. Now, with this disclaimer out of the way, get a bucket of popcorn, and let’s proceed to find out what I came across at the CanJam NYC 2026 show!

Overview of the Showroom.

Just like in the last few years, I’m starting this report with a brief showroom overview. After skipping the main waiting line to pick up my Media Press pass, I race down the aisles before the main crowd of attendees pours in. This allows me to take more pictures of the tables with manufacturers and retailers putting the finishing touches as the show is about to begin. You can get a good idea of the show’s scale and the majority of manufacturers and retailers in attendance, since I can only cover a small fraction of the day in the report. A picture is always worth a thousand words, as long as it is not blurry, which happens when I rush with my phone camera and under the neon lights from the ceiling. For your enjoyment, this section contains only pictures without any comments. Also, if you see an empty booth, don’t assume there were no attendees. It just means I was able to take a picture before the main crowd got to the showroom floor.

Click to scroll through the slideshow: