Australian Hi-Fi Show 2025 opens in Sydney to record attendance numbers

The organisers of the Australian Hi-Fi Show report record attendance levels to the three-day event so far, with the Sydney Central Hotel near Central Station hosting four floors of suites and rooms containing hi-fi systems and home cinema demonstrations to visitors.

While some exhibits feature the highest of high-end hi-fi, there are plenty of real-world systems hoping to prove to the punters that you don't need a mortgage to bring real hi-fi sound home.

"I've always like the idea of these shows being a great opportunity to 'find your sound'," says Jez Ford, editor of Sound+Image magazine, one of the mastheads behind the event, along with Australian Hi-Fi magazine and the What Hi-Fi? global website. "With so many systems all set up and playing, especially up in the Corridor of Sound up on Level 9, you can walk into a room, listen to a song you know well and realise what you're missing at home listening just on a Bluetooth speaker or your TV. Hi-fi is about making music sound how the artist wants you to experience it, and a good hi-fi system doesn't have to cost the Earth."

The larger rooms at the Show provide space for visitors to sit and listen for longer periods. This can be important to appreciate what you're hearing, says Ford.

"It takes a while for your ears to get used to a room, let alone the sound of a system," he says. "I always tell people to take their time – nobody is going to chase you out of these rooms. Sit and enjoy the music. And the other great thing about Shows is you have experts on hand to answer any questions you have. Often the designers of the gear themselves may be in the room: it's a rare chance to meet and engage with these people."

There are also competitions and prizes at the Show, where you can win hi-fi gear, and vote for your favourite sound of the Show.

You can see the full line-up for the Show here; tickets are available HERE or on the door at the Sydney Central Hotel, Thomas St, Haymarket, a short walk from Central Station.