Right off the bat, I was impressed by the combination of the Kaiser Kawero loudspeakers coupled with a prototype GM70 tubed single-ended-triode amplifier from Ypsilon as well as a new anniversary preamplifier and phonostage. Designer Demetris Baklavas explained that he has now banished all electrolytic capacitors from his equipment, allowing it to achieve a new level of transparency and dynamism. His GM70 amplifier, which sported an enormous hand-wound silver output transformer, was very impressive indeed. Baklavas clearly has the much-lauded Berning Hi-Fi One Reference SET monoblock amplifier in his gun sights. Can he surpass it? If anyone can, this is the guy. For now, I can only report that I returned to the Kaiser/Ypsilon room several days in a row. In a word: captivating.

Then there were the eponymous Cessaro horn speaker from Germany mated to top-flight Alieno hybrid electronics from Italy and a Dohmann Helix One turntable. Ralph Cessaro has been making inroads not only in Germany, but also in America where one Maier Shadi of the Audio Salon in Santa Monica has purchased a pair of the formidable Cessaro horns and SET amplifiers for his personal delectation. On the jazz LP Alternate Blues, it was a real pleasure to hear trumpeters Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard, and Clark Terry playing with such ease, presence and nuance.

The biggest system of all was a Wilson Audio WAMM Master Chronosonic loudspeaker and D’Agostino Relentlessamps and preamp combination.  This demo was staged by Audio Reference of Hamburg and it offered a reminder that big speakers need an even bigger room to flourish. The scale was truly jaw-dropping. But it didn’t quite attain the summits of musicality. The blunt fact is that Wilson Audio has moved on under Daryl Wilson’s leadership—driver technology, capacitor quality, and cabinet construction are all greatly improved—to a far more refined and transparent sound than what constituted the cutting edge a decade or so ago.

Another company that strives to push the boundaries of sound production is CH Precision, which is based in Geneva, Switzerland. CH was debuting its subsidiary company’s new products—the Wattson Audio Madison LE DACand a pair of Wattson Amplifiers. The diminutive 50-watt monoblock amplifiers exerted a vise-like grip on the Audiovector R 10 Arreté loudspeakers. I am eager to hear them on the Avantgarde Trio G3 loudspeakers.

As it happens, those very loudspeakers were also at the show where Avantgarde’s Armin Krauss was streaming some fine music via the Wadax Studio player. I requested that he cue up a recording of trumpeter Wynton Marsalis playing the song “Skid-Dat-De-Dat,” which he did. I was favorably impressed by the large soundstage and dynamics of the Trios in what was inevitably a somewhat compromised space.

What else caught my lynx-eyed vision? None other than the new Rockport Lynx, a fabulous sounding three-driver loudspeaker. The sound gets out of the box with Rockport because it goes to such Herculean lengths to suppress cabinet vibrations. In sum, Josh Clark, the president of Rockport Technologies, had good reason to beam with pride over his company’s latest offering.

Other standouts: VTL’s Luke Manley demoed the company’s new Lohengrin monoblock amplifier, which outputs a hefty 400 watts. From what I could hear, it is worthy of its name (Lohengrin was a legendary knight of the Holy Grail), boasting not only a lot of sonic oomph but also an enviably low noise floor. TechDAS debuted its Air Force IVturntable along with its new air-bearing tonearm called Air Force 10. As always with TechDAS, its turntable offered what can only be deemed a divinely silky sound. Also worthy of note was the small stand occupied by the fantastically talented audio engineer Robert Huber who heads the Swiss company HSE.  I recently had the chance to audition his Masterline 7 phonostage and can testify that it is a sublime piece of equipment that will leave you gaping in awe at its prowess. Huber has also developed a preamplifier that looks rather enticing. Perhaps most intriguing, or at least enigmatic, was a loudspeaker titled Sphinx designed by the Dutch company Siltech. Siltech may be best known for its cable lines, but company head honcho Edwin Rynveld has a restless intellect, prompting him periodically to plunge into loudspeaker design. The Sphinx divulged no secrets but this high efficiency design sounded nimble and potent.

The main mystery that the Munich attendees were trying to divine was how the show would fare in Vienna. Some claimed that the annual gathering is waltzing to disaster by abandoning Munich. But with its rich musical traditions, Vienna should prove an auspicious venue for 2026.

Cartridges

Let’s start with the affordables: “Boron is back with a vengeance,” exclaimed Ed Forth, Global Brand Projects and Partnerships Manager at Audio-Technica Europe, as he ran me through what’s new this year. The new VMx moving-magnet cartridge line upgrades the long- established dual-magnet VM design that features dual “stacked” coils per channel. The top of the line 700 VMx series features die-cast aluminum bodies and all but one model includes boron cantilevers. The costliest in the series the AT-VM760xSL goes for $599.

Ortofon introduced a completely new, moderately priced MC X moving-coil cartridge line replacing the more than a decade old Quintet series. There are 4 models: the MC X10, MC X20, MC X30 and MC X40. All feature stainless-steel honeycombed frames incorporating MIM (Metal Injection Molding) technology, new rubber damping systems, and high purity silver coil wire, plus a newly developed magnet system best. Cantilevers and styli vary from model to model, starting with the MC X10’s aluminum/elliptical combo and culminating in the MC X40’s boron/Shibata. Prices range from $369 to $1199. Also new this year from Ortofon is the attractively priced (and sounding) $5499 MC 90x, a kind of replacement for the classic MC A90 and the later MC A95.

Now onto the “if you must ask, you can’t afford it “needles”: Kuzma, HSE Swiss and Reed introduced new “top end” cartridges, two coiled and one optical. Kuzma’s two-piece sapphire-bodied CAR70 features the Orbray one-piece lab grown diamond cantilever/stylus set into a tubular sapphire holder, thus avoiding any metal in the mechanics. The CAR70 costs $35,000, or the cost of many a car (Kuzma also introduce the 12** version the Safir arm, also $35,000, as well as a sapphire record mat and heavy sapphire record weight). HSE Swiss, manufacturer of the Masterline 7 phono preamp I reviewed in these pages, showed prototypes of two new cartridges, one featuring a boron cantilever and the other an Orbray one-piece diamond cantilever/stylus that HSE Swiss‘s Robert Huber insists is not the one other companies use or have used. Huber showed me the impossibly tiny barely visible coil former used in the cartridges, wound using equally fine gauge wire.

Reed in conjunction with DS Audio introduced a new approximately $50,000 optical cartridge and optical cartridge equalizer/headphone amp combo. Mutech premiered the RM-HAYATE cartridge—a yokeless ring magnet design with a super-low 1.75 ohm internal impedance that manages 0.45mV output.

Though Decca/London didn’t exhibit at the show, I managed an on camera interview with Andy Whittle, who is responsible for the return of the legendary cartridge line. It will appear in an upcoming YouTube video.

Soundsmith introduced an “unbreakable” (or nearly so) Kudos ceramic-cantilevered moving-iron cartridge that Peter Ledermann says took two years to develop. The $19,999 cost is steep but consider that a “re-tip” is only $900. Also new is the $9999 Hyperion MKII-MR, featuring a micro-ridge stylus through-mounted into a cactus needle cantilever offering ultra-low tip mass—12% lower internal moving mass than the standard Hyperion MKII. Re-tip is $950.

DS Audio replicated its entire line of five optical cartridges in mono editions. Phil Spector would be happy. Prices are the same as the stereo versions.

Shure cartridge aficionados JICO, the company that resurrected stylus assemblies for Shure’s V15vXMR cartridge, announced it would soon release a back-engineered edition of the Shure V15 III. Other than lacking the Shure name, it will look identical to the original.

Skyanalog a China-based company that does OEM work for a number of unnamed manufacturers, showed a full line of interesting-looking cartridges made in China but using some Japan-sourced components. The P-1, for instance, with boron cantilever and elliptical stylus costs €600. The REF, a sapphire cantilevered, microridge stylus model goes for €2949. The Diamond 25^th with diamond cantilever sells for €6500. Will we be seeing these in America? Who knows?

Finally European Audio Team (EAT) introduced the curvaceous new $9000 Jo No 10 moving-coil cartridge featuring a diamond cantilever and hand-shellacked body, and Nagaoka was showing its new MP-700 cartridge also shown at AXPONA and still looking for well-deserved American distribution.

Phono Preamplifiers

Chord Electronics delivered on a pre-show promise to show a new “ultimate” phono preamplifier, debuting the ULTIMA phonostage featuring a pair of front panel VU meters. But it’s not quite available. Price will be around $20,000.

Thrax introduced its first solid-state mm/mc phono preamplifier, a handsome fully balanced, three XLR input design, featuring a large display showing all settings and a host of convenience features including polarity inversion and mono.

Musical Fidelity introduced a new, designed and built in the E.U. Nuvistor tube-based “state of the art,” fully balanced, multi-input Nu-Vista 2 phono preamplifier ($12,000) based on the M-F Titan amplifier circuitry, with an optional, massive outboard PSU (also $12,000). Also new is the less costly (around $5000) Vinyl S phono preamp.

Netherlands-based Grimm Audio introduced its compact “cubular” PW1 mm/mc FET-based phono preamp ($4900), featuring RCA and XLR outputs. PW are the initials of the company’s co-founder and chief designer Peter van Willenswaard.

EAT introduced the fully balanced (dual-differential), three-input (2 mc, 1 mm), two-box multi-tubed $18,000 E-GLO FB (fully balanced) and one-box E-GLO S, as well as the E-GLO Petit phonostages. German manufacturer SPL debuted Phonos Duo, a fully balanced version of its attractive Phonos mm/mc phono preamplifier. Front panel control of capacitance, resistance, gain, RCA/XLR inputs, mono and “rumble” filter. Available in red and devilishly priced at $3666.

It was not new this year, but the fully balanced Staltmanis Lab WS8 phono preamplifier—a brand with which I was unfamiliar—in the Zellaton room took the $12,000 Grado Epoch3 moving-iron cartridge to unaccustomed, dazzling dynamic heights!

Turntables and Tonearms

Airon Audio a new Pennsylvania-based company introduced the TH1 a $36,000 unipivot air-bearing tonearm riding on a thin air film and featuring a tensionable carbon-fiber arm wand and a host of innovative set-up and performance features. It looks simple on the outside, but a look “under the hood” reveals complex machining by a long-established machine shop new to the audio market.

TechDAS premiered the new Air Force IV air-bearing platter turntable featuring an attached but outboard motor pod and one-piece 20 pound platter, priced between the Air Force V (built in motor) and Air Force III Premium S, probably around $35,000. It was shown in a few rooms with the $45,000 (10” version) AirForce 10 lateral air-bearing tonearm and in one with The Arm.

Funk Firm had on static display its newest creation, the Kepler turntable that embodies “four decades of physics driven audio engineering. Would love to hear it.

J.Sikora’s Aspire turntable + KV9 tonearm, made its European debut here, but it’s world premier was at AXPONA. Korf Audio showed its new TA-AF9 and 10 full ceramic headshell and arm tube arm (also featuring ceramic vertical bearings)—priced from 3200 Euros and available factory-direct. SME introduced the 3-tower Model 35, a smart step-down from the top-of-the-line 4-tower Model 60, featuring the same (or very similar) bearing, suspension, and power supply and fitted with the new machined polymer Series Vi tonearm (a big sonic step up from the Magnesium arm once the company’s “flagship”). U.S. price TBD.

Pro-Ject’s Heinz Lichtenegger showed me an enhanced version of the company’s E1 entry-level turntable, telling me it’s his “#1 product”. Why? If new vinyl customers have a bad experience with their first turntable, he can’t later sell them the upper models. The E1 now has a 1.5-pound, machined, damped platter instead of a stamped one and the same drive as the more costly Debut (that has also been upgraded). The E1’s tonearm features dealer-adjustable Swiss bearings and a solid plinth. The E1 comes with a new Pro-Ject designed and built MME cartridge. Price is (“hopefully”) $300! More significantly in the affordable department are the new Pro-Ject X9B, X10B, and X12B turntables—stripped-down editions of the Pro-Ject Xtension turntables. No magnetic feet, Delrin instead of aluminum platters, but that brings the price down, from $4000 for the Xtension9 to $2500 for the X9B. Mr. Lichtenegger is a big fan of the out-of-production La Platine Verdier, so he bought the company, and now the legendary turntable is back in production and was on display at the show. Costs $13,995.

Burmester updated Reference line includes the new 257 belt-drive turntable featuring an outboard power supply and an inverted magnetic main bearing with a polished ceramic shaft riding in a sintered bronze bushing. A pair of high-torque 12V motors drive the stainless-steel/polymer sandwich platter, with speed monitored and regulated by an optical sensor. A built-in phono preamp is an available option.

Technics showed its SL-1000R ($24,699) direct-drive turntable with its arm in the main position, plus a Clearaudio tangential tracker and an SME in the two other position. SAT has switched isolation platforms from Minus-K to the Seismion, which SAT’s Marc Gomez says improves sonic performance.

Transrotor added a pair of new turntables to its extensive lineup, but while the older turntables were identified by name, the new ones just said “NEU!” so maybe they’ve so new they’ve not been given names?

Wilson-Benesch demoed it’s one below the GMT Prime Meridian turntable (approximately $270,000), and working with W-B, Döhmann Audio showed its adaptation of the W-B Gravitron Ti tonearm ($40,000) (with TESSELLATE Ti cartridge mounted on the Helix One turntable, complete with an adaptation of the STAGE One interface. The new Supatrac Nighthawk (12** edition appx. $16,000) made an appearance on the Helix One’s rear position.

European Audio Team demoed a new dual motor 97-pound F-DUR turntable (approximately ($5600 without arm, $7500 with C-Note arm and $10,000 with F-Note arm).

KLAUDIO debuted in Europe its Magnezar direct-drive turntable featuring a fully magnetically levitated “liquid-stabilized” platter available in non-clamping ($38,000) and clamping ($50,000) versions. The clamping version flattens both the record’s periphery and center. KLAUDIO’s $18,000 tangential-tracking pivoted arm is extra.

Thorens (which incredibly no longer has United States distribution but hopefully will again soon) showed a new version of the well-received TD124 DD, this one called the “Exclusive,” with a 12** arm, balanced outputs, a thick copper-topped platter (€11,999), and a specially made for Thorens EMT “Tondose” ruby cantilevered cartridge (€4999). Thorens also introduced a completely new lower-cost direct-drive series including the TD 404 DD (€4499) using the same motor as the 124 DD. Includes XLR and RCA outputs and an optional outboard power supply upgrade.

R2R Tape Recorders

Revox demoed the new Revox B77 MKIII ($19,950) and the special edition Alice Cooper edition ($27,950). Revox also has an impressive catalog of 15IPS ½** reel-to-reel tapes for sale. The B77 on the outside looks just like the original. Hopefully what’s inside does too!

Accessories

DS Audio introduced a new, lower-cost version of its groundbreaking record-centering device—a must have for classical music loving vinyl fans. The only difference between the original ES 001 and the new ES 002 is the bottom plate material. The original ES 001 uses tungsten, the ES 002 brass. When used as a record weight, this will make a difference but if you use an electromagnetic cartridge, you may not be able to use this device as a record weight because its magnetism might attract the cartridge and slam it home! Trust me. I found out the hard way. So, this is particularly good news because the ES 002’s price is targeted at $3600 versus the ES 001’s $6000.

Finally, batting “clean up” is the L’Art du Son stylus cleaning fluid and brush created by Martina Schöner. This fluid, she assured me, was safe for bonded styli like those from Ortofon and based on microscopic examination, does a particularly good job removing “baked on” film.

VTL debuted the Lohengrin, the company’s new flagship power amplifier. The Lohengrin retains the driver stage of VTL’s Siegfried and combines it with a new eight-tube output stage. This new output stage, capable of 400W, has a lower output impedance that allows for a simpler and better-sounding output transformer. The design has zero global feedback, wide bandwidth (–1dB at 100kHz), and an adjustable damping factor. The visual design has also advanced, giving the Lohengrin a more modern look. The price is $100,000 per pair, with the first deliveries scheduled for this summer. Driving Wilson Audio Alexx V Carbon speakers with dCS digital source and Kuzma turntable with a Lyra Etna Lambda SL cartridge and Nordost cabling, the Lohengrin produced perhaps the best sound I’ve heard from the Alexx V.

Vitus Audio of Denmark previewed a new power amplifier, the SM-025. It is a reimagining of the SM-011, which is being discontinued. No details are available, but it looks like an interesting design, with its output-stage boards mounted inside a milled-out section of the heatsink, massive transformer, and all-new input stage. The user can select the output mode and power, 40W in Class A or 200W in Class AB. U.S. retail price is expected to be around $65,000 per pair, with availability in late summer.

Although it made its debut a month before at the AXPONA show, Soulution’s 717 power amplifier ($119k) sounded superb driving the AlsyVox Botticelli, a three-way full-range ribbon that is one step down from the Caravaggio I reviewed last year. The system was sourced by Soulution’s ingenious new turntable in which the platter slowly moves laterally under the pivoted tonearm to eliminate radius-dependent tracking error (see Michael Fremer’s report in this issue).

No product better exemplifies the core amplifier technologies and values of the Danish brand Gryphon than the Antilionpower amplifier. This amp, which has undergone many revisions since its introduction in 1995, features a massive build for its power rating, a huge transformer, banks of high-current output transistors, oversized heatsinks, and stunning industrial design and build-quality. All this hardware is in the service of delivering Class A power without dynamic limitations. I reviewed the Antilion Evo and fell in love with the combination of Class A liquidity with an iron-fisted grip in the bass. In Munich, Gryphon introduced this amp’s successor, the Antilion Revolution that takes the performance to the next level. Everything in this fifth-generation amplifier has been upgraded based on technologies developed for Gryphon’s top-level Commander preamplifier and Apex power amplifier. The Antilion Revolution now sports 40 high-current Toshiba output transistors, the same as in Gryphon’s flagship Apex. Power supply capacitance has been increased to 335,000µF per channel, fed from dual power transformers (plus a third transformer for the control and housekeeping circuitry). As with all Gryphon power amplifiers, stereo and mono versions are available (165Wpc and 180W respectively). The price is $45,000 for the stereo model and $90k for a pair of monoblocks.

Linn Products introduced a new flagship amplifier that showcases some sophisticated design techniques. The Klimax Solo 500 is a complete redesign of the company’s highly successful Klimax Solo. Housed in a compact machined-aluminum enclosure, the Class AB amplifier outputs 250W into 8 ohms and 500W into 4 ohms. This high power in a small enclosure is made possible by a novel cooling system in which the electronics are mounted upside down in a sub-chassis structure composed of a thermally conductive block of aluminum lined with cooling fins. This natural convection system keeps the circuit cool under normal conditions, but when the amplifier is driven hard, two internal fans force air through the network of channels in the thermal plate. The fans are controlled by an FPGA that monitors the circuit temperature as well as the audio signal and sets the optimum fan speed. Another interesting technology in the Klimax Solo 500 is Adaptive Bias Control, a circuit that monitors the bias to each output transistor and adjusts it to the optimum setting. This isn’t to be confused with a dynamic biasing circuit that attempts to keep the output stage biased in Class A operation. Rather, it compensates for drift in the optimum bias caused by temperature and component aging. Price: $32,380 per pair.

Burmester announced a complete redesign of its flagship Reference Line, with a new preamplifier, power amplifier, and turntable. I’ll cover just the electronics here, although details on the new products were scarce. The 249 preamplifier is a modular design that can be fitted with a phonostage, additional line input modules, and a DAC card. The power supply is external, with both chassis clad in classic Burmester mirror finish. The 259 power amplifier can be configured for stereo or mono operation and reportedly requires no warm-up time to reach its peak performance. The new products are all-new, clean-slate designs that are meant to be future proof. Their appearance can be customized far beyond specifying the chassis color, with a wide range of color options and patterns. Burmester recently acquired BCB Electronik of Berlin, one of its suppliers, which enables Burmester to expand its products’ capabilities and customization. No specs or pricing was available at press time, although the new Reference Line products are scheduled to ship in “Q3 or Q4.”

Karan Acoustics, the company founded in 1986 in Serbia, showed a system comprising its flagship LINEa preamplifier, PHONOa phonostage, and POWERa monoblock amplifiers. The products are beautifully built with many custom parts, fully balanced circuits throughout, oversized power supplies, handsome casework, and no coupling capacitors between stages. Even Karan’s stereo amplifiers are dual-mono. The products were presented by Emil Karan, son of founder Milan Karan, who passed away last year.

The Taiwanese company Telos showed a range of unusual power conditioners, grounding devices, and a music server (the latter described below). The news at Munich was the launch of the Foundation Core Series, which brings the company’s technology to lower prices (its top power conditioner is $50k, for example). The Power Core ($15k) provides five AC outlets plus a PowerCon connector to attach a Telos power strip if you need more outlets. The Ground Core offers six binding posts for connecting ground cables between the Ground Core and the chassis of your equipment. Price: $12,000. All the products are built with a solid aluminum chassis.

Robert Harley on Digital Sources

The big news from Munich on the digital audio front was the launch of Qobuz Connect. This is a new app from Qobuz that allows you to control playback on Qobuz Connect-compatible devices without the need for third-party software (Roon, for example). I have yet to listen and evaluate Qobuz Connect, but many manufacturers I spoke with thought that Qobuz Connect offers better sound quality than streaming through another app. Virtually every company making DACs has already incorporated Qobuz Connect in its products. Watch for a full review.

Lumin, maker of well-built and great-sounding digital source components, showed the P1 Mini, a streamer, DAC, and preamplifier. You can use as many of these functions as you like, or all three. The P1 Mini isn’t just a digital-input device with source switching, but rather a full-function analog preamplifier with two analog inputs, making it a versatile hub for systems with analog source components. Digital inputs include USB, SPDIF, and HDMI, with the latter offering stereo input with AV passthrough and ARC (Audio Return Channel). The P1 Mini will decode PCM up to 384kHz and DSD to 512. The volume control is the excellent Leedh, which doesn’t degrade fidelity (I found that Leedh lived up to its claims in my review of the Lumin P1). It also has dual network inputs, one of them for fiber optical, along with dual Femto crystal oscillators with Lumin’s proprietary FPGA clock distribution system found in the company’s upper-end products. Along with this functionality, the P1 Mini features dual ESS Sabre ES9028 DACs and fully balanced circuitry. Price: $6000.

For those listeners with a large digital music library, Lumin showed its L2, a four-port network switch, available with or without drives (4TB or 8TB). Two of the network ports are optical for complete noise isolation. The L2 price ranges from $4200 (no internal storage) to $6600 when fully loaded with 8TB.

Finally, Lumin used the Munich show to introduce its flagship U2X, a digital transport (no internal DAC) that is designed for ultimate performance. The chassis is machined from a solid aluminum block, and the dual-transformer power supply is housed in an external chassis. The USB output is noise-isolated and features a sophisticated clocking circuit for low jitter. The U2X also has 10MHz clock outputs and one clock input for synchronizing the digital components in your system that have clock inputs (or clock outputs). Price: $11,000, with availability in August.

The Spanish company Wadax introduced two optional companion products for its popular Studio Player. The Studio Player, which I reviewed in Issue 359, is a streamer, DAC, and CD/SACD player with a volume control, all in one chassis ($40,800). The new companion products are the Studio Clock ($28,500) and Studio PSU power supply ($29,800), and the Akasa DC Studio DC cable that connects the Studio PSU to the Studio Player. (The Akasa DC Studio is required for the Studio PSU). The Studio Clock is an outboard high-precision clock that improves the performance of the Studio Player, and the Studio PSU replaces the Studio Player’s internal power supply. I’ve found with Wadax’s Reference components that upgrading to the external power supply confers a significant improvement in sound quality. The Studio Clock offers six independently isolated clock outputs that can synchronize multiple components at a variety of frequencies.

The Korean server specialist Aurender unveiled its new three-box flagship server, the N50. The three chassis house, respectively, the power supply, CPU and control electronics, and the audio-output circuitry. It offers dual AES/EBU output for high-speed PCM along with a port for adding an I²S output. The entire design is centered on reducing noise at the source of a digital playback system. It does this through separating the major functions in three chassis for greater isolation, an extensive power supply with cascaded regulation, a galvanically isolated USB output, and isolated network ports. The N50 also features a new high-precision clocking system built around an oven-controlled crystal oscillator (OCXO) under FPGA control. A clock input jack is provided if you want to use an external master clock. As expected, the N50 supports all the streaming services along with being Roon Ready. Price: $35k, with July availability.

Another flagship server introduced at Munich was the impressive Innuous Nazaré. The Nazaré in its basic form is a single-chassis unit that can be expanded to a three-chassis configuration with the addition of the Nazaré Flow digital-audio output stage and the Nazaré Net network switch. The Nazaré Flow will also work with any USB source. Similarly, the Nazaré Net is compatible with any network connection. The Nazaré features massive processing power, new processing boards, and a novel architecture that provides a more direct signal path. The power supply is massive, with 752,000µF of filter capacitance (more than in many power amplifiers), GaN-based active rectification, and NGaN+ regulators. A high-precision USB reclocking circuit reduces jitter. The Nazaré can be fitted with non-standard output ports, such as MSB’s ProISL interface. Finally, the chassis features a new vibration-damping system developed with an outside vibration specialist. The key components inside the chassis are vibration isolated, as is the entire aluminum enclosure. Innuos demonstrated the Nazaré by comparing it to its already excellent Statement server, and I was shocked by how good the Nazaré sounded. In fact, the system with the three-chassis Nazaré at the front end, MSB Cascade DAC, Gryphon Commander preamplifier, Gryphon Apex power amps, and Marten Coltrane Quintet speakers produced one of the show’s best sounds. The full-blown Nazaré system will sell for $88,000 when it starts shipping this summer.

CH Precision debuted its long-awaited 10 Series digital components, the D10 Reference Transport, C10 Conductor, and C10 Master DAC. The transport is an engineering marvel; the CD/SACD disc mechanism itself (which was on display outside the chassis) is a massively built structure incorporating novel ideas executed at the highest level. The transport platform is suspended within the chassis with alpha-gel isolators and is built from a dense brass core encased in aluminum. This disc-spinning mechanism alone weighs nearly 30 pounds. The top-loading design is also ingenious; the disc clamp is built into the cover that automatically locks the disc down for playback, obviating the need to install the clamp manually (and finding a place to put it between discs). Also introduced at Munich was the C10 Conductor, a companion upgrade to the C10 Master DAC, that performs all the digital processing in the C10 Conductor chassis, leaving the C10 DAC to focus on digital-to-analog conversion. The C10 DAC receives upsampled data and a clock from the C10 Conductor via the proprietary CH Link digital interface. The C10 is supplied from an outboard power supply; a second power supply is also available for the ultimate in performance. Prices are $95,000 for the D10 Reference Transport and $75,000 for the C10 Conductor.

dCS unveiled its Lina DAC X network player that adds features to their popular Lina DAC. The new Lina DAC X offers multiple inputs to support playback from external devices (TV, computers, disc transports, servers) along with a volume control for direct connection to power amplifiers to create a complete music playback system. The flexible architecture allows future hardware upgrades, along with dCS’s long history of providing its customers with free software updates. The chassis is machined from a solid aluminum block, and the large front-panel display makes it easy to navigate. Price: $15,500.

French manufacturer Metronome debuted a first in the world of digital audio: a server with music-management software Audirvana Studio that runs natively on the server (a dedicated Linux computer with 4GB of RAM). The new DSAS(Digital Sharing Audio Server) streamer (Kalista’s first streamer) is a compact product that connects to an external DAC (Kalista makes the matching DSC Mini) for music streaming and storage (2TB expandable to 4TB). The DSAS was designed in conjunction with Audirvana, another French company that has long made a highly regarded music management software package. The DSAS comes with a three-year Audirvana subscription. After that, some features remain functional, or the user can purchase a monthly subscription. The price is $5990, the same cost as other products in the DS range (DSS 2 network player and DSC Mini DAC).

A Taiwanese company new to me, but who is celebrating its 20th anniversary, introduced in a passive display its EMP Monster Music Server. With a strong background in AC power conditioning (the company’s main business), the EMP Monster is built around the idea that the power supply is the foundation of high-quality file serving. The EMP Monster features a power supply suitable for a power amplifier. It can be configured as a Roon Core or Roon Ready endpoint with or without an internal DAC. The EMP Monster Music Server will be priced at $40,000 and will be available during Q3 of 2025.

RH’s Best of Show

Best Sound (cost no object): There were so many great-sounding systems at this year’s show that it would be a disservice to readers and manufacturers to pick one or two. So, here are my sonic highlights, in no particular order.

AlsyVox Michaelangelo. This massive full-range ribbon speaker making its debut had an uncanny lifelike immediacy that box speakers simply can’t duplicate. The Michaelangelo has more power, weight, and tonal density than AlsyVox’s stunning Caravaggio XX I reviewed last year, along with 97dB sensitivity. A spectacular debut.

MBL 101-xTreme. This system never fails to stun with its ability to simply disappear as a sound source, massive bass power and impact, and ultra-smooth tonal balance. Plus, MBL’s Jeremy Bryan plays real music, not the usual insipid audiophile pap.

Wilson WAMM. Driven by a massive array of Dan D’Agostino Master Audio Systems Relentless power amplifiers and Relentless preamp in a large room, the WAMM sounded big, majestic, and hugely dynamic. It’s rare to hear the WAMM at a show, and this exhibit showcased David Wilson’s magnum opus in its full glory.

Clarisys Atrium. Another great showing for ribbons was the Atrium, a three-piece (per side) full-range ribbon from Clarisys. Although impractical for all but palatial rooms, the big Clarisys presented one of the most stunning spatial presentations I’ve heard from an audio system. Everything else about the speaker—tone color, liquidity, dynamics—was first rate. Driven by all VAC tube electronics in the largest room in the MOC convention hall, the big Clarisys delivered a memorable experience.

AlsyVox Botticelli. This full-range ribbon driven by Soulution 717 and Soulution’s new turntable, all on Critical Mass Systems racks, was gorgeous sounding. At a much lower price than the Caravaggio XX I reviewed, the Botticelli brings the glories of ribbon technology to a wider audience.

Lorenzo LM1: This unlikely looking speaker (a large rectangular box with horn-loaded tweeter) combined tonal truth, spectacular soundstaging, and startling dynamics. This Spanish speaker is imported by Rhapsody and sells for $250k per pair. The Lorenzo LM1 was a real discovery for me.

Best Sound (for the money): The Bloom stand-mount speaker (€14,900) from Silent Pound, a new Lithuanian speaker manufacturer that incorporates some novel technologies to reduce room reflections. Terrific imaging, wide dynamics, realistic tone color, and exceptional bass extension marked this debut.

Most Significant Introduction: AlsyVox Michelangelo full-range ribbon loudspeaker.

Most Significant Trend: The increasing sophistication of digital audio hardware, exemplified by the Innuos Nazaré, CH Precision D10 Reference Transport and C10 Conductor, and the Aurender N50.

Five Most Significant Product Introductions

Aequo Audio, based in Holland, has been in business for about a decade but is unfamiliar to many North American audiophiles, me included. This could be about to change. The company is poised to introduce two new loudspeakers, the Adamantis passive 3-way ($37,900) and the Ensium 500-watt bass-assisted 3-way ($44,900) that represent the first commercial implementation of a Nanotech material called Diluvite MMC. This “metal matrix composite” has unique physical properties that Aequo has leveraged to both sonic and aesthetic advantage. Diluvite is an extremely inert material that converts vibration into heat: Rapping your knuckles on the enclosure results in an dull thud (and sore knuckles.) In addition to minimizing cabinet resonances, Diluvite can be readily formed into “complex organic shapes” that aren’t just easy on the eyes but also serve to further control vibration. At High End 2025, with the Ensium driven by Westminster Lab electronics, an unidentified recording of Saint-Säens’ Danse macabre manifested rich orchestral textures, great imaging, and plenty of musical detail.

The 3-way, four-driver Magico S2 ($34,000/pair for Softek finish; $39,100 for gloss finish) has replaced the 2-way S1 at the “bottom” of the brand’s S Series. In physical size and sound, the new model has much more in common with the current S3 than the now-retired S1 but is less visually imposing. (It’s also between $11,450 and $13,400 cheaper than the S3.) Sonically, the S2 is every bit a Magico—fast, well-balanced across the frequency spectrum, with a characteristically lean but never cool aural presentation. Over the course of a 15-minute audition in Munich, it was obvious that the new speaker does well spatially, with vocals imaging way out into the room.

Estelon has added to its A series of more affordable products—the floorstanding Aura (€17,500/pair) became available in 2023—with the Aurelia (€14,900/pair, €17,900/pair with stands), the Aurelia Centre (€7500) and the Aurus subwoofer (€13,500). Other than Aura, these “real world” Estelons don’t have the sensual curves that characterize the bigger models, and their enclosures are made of a thermoformed mineral composite rather than crushed marble material used to cast the Extremes, Forzas, and other much costlier models. But you are definitely not slumming if you decide to own a pair of the standmount Aurelias, not aesthetically and not sonically. As played at the Munich show with MSB electronics, they manifested the detail retrieval, tonal consistency, and ease of presentation associated with their larger brethren. And note, tech bros: Instead of traditional stands (€3000/pair) to put on the floor, for the same price you can get an elegant version to support the Auras on a desk or countertop. That should be one helluva nearfield listening experience, though I doubt you’ll get much work done.

The Lithuanian loudspeaker manufacturer Silent Pound—don’t ask about the name; I haven’t a clue—brought two speaker models to Munich, the floorstanding Challenger II (€28,000) and the Bloom stand-mount (€14,900.) Both are designed with the same fundamental principle in mind: “Silence the Room” is the Silent Pound motto. Two key design features serve to minimize room interference. First, a unique dipole bass transducer reduces the amount of acoustic energy radiating into the listening space by close to 5dB. Second, a patent-pending midrange enclosure promotes a highly dimensional presentation and, to my ears, an exceptional evenness of top-to-bottom frequency response. In a very small room, I requested some very dynamic and bass-heavy material (large-scale symphonic music, big band, etc.)—and, if blindfolded, would have thought I was listening to a bigger speaker in a much larger space, far away from any room boundaries. I texted RH to come and hear the Bloom, and he was similarly impressed. Silent Pound has dealers in 14 countries, though not as yet in North America. Cofounder and CTO Audrius Balciunas told me the company is working to address that deficiency.

Voxativ’s Alberich bass module was designed to accompany their Hagen back-loaded horn mini-monitor. Together, they comprise the Alberich² System, a modular full-range loudspeaker with a frequency response of 20–33,000Hz and a price starting at €17,900. (In case you’re not a German opera buff, Alberich and Hagan are the father/son villains in Richard Wagner’s Ring cycle.) The Alberich² is an active design, with a 500-watt Class D amplifier on board, and there is, as well, the capacity for a user to adjust several key parameters—level, crossover frequency, and phase—to optimize performance in a specific listening environment.

Auspicious Debuts

When audiophiles think of the ELAC brand, they may think of the Andrew Jones era and the many lower priced models that are currently sold by Music Direct, Crutchfield, and B&H. These are, for sure, products with a high performance-to-price ratio. Many are unaware that ELAC is a German company with a history dating back close to a century, and their catalog includes plenty of pricy, no-compromise gear. The latest example is the Concentro M807 (€22,000/pair) that was proudly introduced at High End 2025. It’s an elegantly contoured 4-way bass-reflex design, weighing in at 137 pounds per side. The high-midrange element is comprised of six small drivers, arranged concentrically around ELAC’s venerable JET 6c AMT tweeter. 4.5” low-midrange drivers are positioned above and below that grouping, and there are two downward-firing 10” woofers. A selector on the rear panel allows the user to choose one of five modes that alter the mix of direct and diffuse sound to best suit the room’s acoustic character.

Manger Audio’s p2 (€15,600 per pair) isn’t a new speaker but sports a redesigned version of the Manger driver, the “bending wave” transducer invented by the brand’s founder, Joseph W. Manger (1929–2016.) His daughter, Daniela, an engineer who has run the company for decades, explained that the latest interation utilized in all Manger models has a stronger motor system, revised damping parameters, and a redesigned chassis—all resulting in improved linearity, less distortion, and superior dynamics. The Manger driver operates from 340 to 4500Hz and is mated in the p2 with a traditional 8” woofer in a sealed enclosure. Manger had plenty of quality vinyl on hand with which to demo the speaker; the familiar Reference Recordings Symphonic Dances (Oue/Minnesota) sounded terrific.

The Piega Premium 801 ($10,000 per pair) is the first product from the Swiss manufacturer to feature a horn-loaded ribbon tweeter, a good-sized one that operates down to 2500Hz, positioned above five identical-appearing cones, one of which is a midrange transducer, two are woofers, and two are passive radiators. Bass was certainly authoritative. This is an active loudspeaker design with functions that can be controlled with the supplied remote.

A new Dutch company, Sphinx Audio-Engineering is on the verge of releasing two loudspeaker models, the Element 3and the Element 5. Both invoke ancient Egypt with an exquisite, sculpted appearance, the enclosures fabricated from a “stone-like material” not unlike the Corian^® utilized for kitchen countertops. The price of the smaller Element 3 is expected to be $38,000–$40,000 per pair. Sphinx isn’t actually a new brand, having been first established in the 1980s but now “reimagined” thanks to the resources of Siltech and Crystal Cable. The enclosure is ported to the front, featuring a proprietary system to optimize bass performance known as “Zero Gravity” that targets compression artifacts to reduce distortion. Bass output is adjustable with rear-panel switches; LF output is rated down to 23Hz.

My friend and colleague Alan Taffel had positive things to say about the PMC Prophecy7 he heard at AXPONA this year, and I was equally impressed with the British manufacturer’s Prophecy9 ($12,999/pair.) Extended bass is produced by a pair of custom-built high excursion 5” woofers implemented in a transmission-line design, combined with a patented airflow technology (“LaminairX”) that greatly reduces the audibility of port chuffing. Soft dome tweeter and midrange drivers are housed in a profiled baffle with a unique waveguide. Prophecy speakers are used at the Teldex studios in Berlin, and the company representative proudly played two Haydn selection recorded there—one for chorus and orchestra, the other a keyboard concerto—to great effect.

In the Auer Acoustics room, I was handed a small block of tankwood, a compressed natural wood product that’s used to construct the cabinets of the company’s Versura line of loudspeakers, including the top-of-the-line V4 (€45,000/pair.) The stuff is dense and heavy, and although the speaker doesn’t visually overpower a room—the front baffle is less than 9” wide— each V4 weighs well over 200 pounds. Bass is prodigious but articulate, down to 20Hz, we’re told. Yet the speaker can be light on its feet: Nothing got in the way of appreciating the pyrotechnics of a solo violin playing a Paganini etude.

The Wilson Benesch Horizon ($39,000) had actually debuted in the UK earlier this year, but Munich was its first appearance at an audio show outside of England. The Horizon is the least costly model in Wilson Benesch’s reference line of floorstanders, sharing technologies utilized in the company’s most ambitious products. The room was very noisy but, from what I could hear of L’histoire du soldat, powered by Lumin amplification, the Horizons demonstrated the characteristic dynamic nuance and tonal accuracy of other speakers from this elite manufacturer.

Wolf von Langa (the man) was playing his Wolf von Langa Sensitivity+ standmount speaker ($11,000/pair, plus $1000 for stands), a two-way design that eschews his favored field-coil technology to bring a top-notch product to market at a lower price. The driver complement includes an AMT tweeter, a cone midrange, and two passive radiator woofers. For a small speaker, dynamics were excellent.

Revival Audio, located in the Alsace region of France, had its newest product on hand, the Atalante 7 Évo (€9390/pair.) The speaker definitely has a retro look to it—boxy, with a furiniture-like dark wood finish. It’s another 3-way, this one sporting a 15” woofer with an unusual basalt sandwich construction. The –6dB low-frequency output was 23Hz, and bass performance was subjectively very good: A walking acoustic bass line was even and well-deliniated. A robust stand that gets the 32-inch-tall speaker up another foot in the air is included in the price.

Among the least expensive speakers I came across at High End 2025 were the Triangle Borea BR04 bookshelf model, at $550/pair, with stands an additional $279/pair. It’s a 2-way model that actually can be located on a bookcase, countertop, or workdesk because the port faces forward. The tweeter is a 25mm device that’s crossed over to a 6” mid/bass driver; the frequency response is given as 44Hz to 22kHz. Unusual at this price point is that there are two sets of binding posts per speaker, and biwiring is an option. Vocals had considerable presence, and synth bass had gratifying impact and extension.

Scansonic is a sort of minor league affiliate of Raido Acoustics offering four lines of loudspeakers—L, M, MB, and Q. The MB and Q series products are built in Denmark by the same people who craft Raidhos. The M series products are made in China, a fact that Scansonic seems to obsfuscate in its slick brochure. It shouldn’t matter, as the M models are also built to a high standard…but audiophiles can have biases against Asian-made gear. The M30.2 sits at the top of the M series line, a robust 3-way floorstander priced at €3500/pair. The speaker stands 43” tall and weighs about 55 pounds. The drive units include a neodymnium ribbon tweeter, a 4” mid/woofer with a honeycomb cone, two 6.5” woofers, also with honycomb membranes, and two passive bass radiators with paper diaphragms. With Vivaldi, pop, big band, and large-scale orchestral fare—with anything you threw at them—the M30.2s sounded excellent when played loudly. I would strongly suggest you don’t worry about the China aspect if this is your budget for full-range loudspeakers.

One reason High End 2026 will be held in Vienna is that the Munich Olympic Center simply can’t accommodate everyone who wants to strut their stuff on the world’s biggest stage for perfectionist audio. In recent years, an increasing number of brands excluded from the MOC have set up shop across the street at MotorWorld München, a large automotive-oriented mall with shops, restuarants, hotels, meeting rooms, and, of course, hundreds of rare and valuable cars to purchase or just oggle. Certainly, the oddest Motorworld exhibit space is a decomissioned railway car outside the main building in which I found the small loudspeaker manufacturer Airplain. (That’s right: A company called Airplain in a railway car at MotorWorld—trains, planes, and automobiles.) Their Model 5 (€20,000/pair) had an AMT tweeter positioned in a relatively tall but slender baffle above four 4” Purifi cones; the speaker delivered a satisfying rendition of my go-to orchestral test track, Bernard Haitink’s 2010 performance of the Allegretto from Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 15. It was well worth the trek over from the MOC, though it will be nice to, presumably, have everything under one roof next year.

In Other News

I was told that the OePhi Reference 3, made in Denmark and heard in its near-finished form at High End 2025, will sell in North America for around $20,000 per pair. High frequencies are handled by a 1.5cm true ribbon tweeter that’s mounted in a sub-enclosure that protrudes from the main structure of the cabinet. Combined with a midrange driver and a pair of woofers sourced from Purifi, the system functions from 25 to 40,000Hz, providing an easy load for the hARtmonoblock amplifiers that were driving it via OePhi’s own cables. The simple oak finish was beautifully executed. Another prototype that seems promising is The Pylon Audio Amethyst Gamma, an all-out audiophile effort from an established Polish manufacturer. The speaker is striking in appearance—the enclosure is wood applied to a composite material. The drivers were designed in house and the sound was noteworthy for a complete lack of coloration and excellent front-to-back layering. The company representative steadfastly declined to give even a ballpark estimate of the expected price.

Among the most distinctive-looking products in any category were those from Once Custom Sound, a brand established in Turkey (I defy you to name another Turkish loudspeaker manufacturer.) These curvy, whimsically shaped transducers included the Nar, priced at €24,900/pair. Exotic as it appeared, the Nar is fairly conventional in its design, with drivers sourced from ScanSpeak— a 7” Illuminator paper cone woofer and a ¾” ring dome tweeter.

Among the strangest back stories I encountered at High End 2025 was that of the Indiana Line Utah 8 (€1650/pair). The brand came into being in the late 1970s in Salt Lake City and subsequently moved to Indiana. But it wasn’t economically feasible to make loudspeakers at a low price point in the U.S., and the company went under. It was subsequently resuscitated by an Italian firm, Alcor, who kept the name because it was felt that an American association would be good for sales. In 2006, the brand was taken over by another entity—Coral—and Indiana Line has established itself as one of the best known Italian loudspeaker brands (even if the typical owner has no idea where Indiana or Utah can be found on a map.) The Utah 8s may be pretty pedestrian looking but, sonically, they represent good value— a worthy consideration for a home-theater installation or in a fledgling audiophile’s first system.

Qobuz Connect

Well ahead of High End 2025, industry attendees were invited to a 90-minute press conference to be given by Qobuz, promising that a consequential announcement would be forthcoming. Although I secretly hoped that Qobuz might be telling the assembly about plans for streaming full-resolution immersive content—a Dolby TrueHD Atmos option—most in the audience of several hundred industry people were already aware that this would be the official roll-out of Qobuz Connect, a technology that’s been in the beta-testing phase for some time now, and aims to make the streaming experience more user-friendly.

Several representatives from the company recounted Qobuz’s history since its founding in 2007, contrasting its business model and operating practices to those of a certain malignant Goliath—Qobuz will never have a free, ad-supported subscription option, they pay the rights holders of the music they stream more generously, there’s an emphasis on non-compressed content—and reported on the growth of the service’s utilization in various markets. (The word “Spotify” wasn’t uttered for at least the first 20 minutes of the presentation.) Qobuz launched in the United States on Valentine’s Day, 2019, and American subscribers now account for 23% of Qobuz’s audience—more than in France, where the company is based. But there were some issues that could make using the service clunky, especially if a listener used multiple devices in the course of their music consumption.

Qobuz Control centralizes music control for subscribers, controlling playback with the Qobuz app, regardless of where the service is being used. It will be easy to switch between different devices—say, from a portable, headphone-based system to one’s serious indoor rig—without missing a beat, so to speak. The playback queue is synchronized across all of one’s devices, and optimal audio quality is assured. Access to all the editorial content, provided by the human curators that work for Qobuz, will be available, whatever device is being utilized. Around 60 hi-fi brands have already signed on and will be providing owners with the necessary firmware updates. The service is available to Quboz subscribers with the Studio or Sublime plans at no additional cost over what they’re currently paying.

Immersive Audio at High End 2025
The (Very) Good, the (Not too) Bad, and the Ugly

To this point, immersive audio demonstrations at audio shows have been a big disappointment, not making a good case at all to audiophiles with little or no experience with spatial music of any kind. There were four such demos at the Munich show, and I heard three of them; scheduling problems precluded my attending the one offered by Lyngdorf Audio, which I certainly regret.

Over at MotorWorld, Cabasse was playing a new product called The Pearl Theater. The system is “scalable,” in the sense that the user decides how many channels he or she wants. For $9990, one gets a 5.1.2 speaker complement—seven identical 7.5cm spherical satellites and a subwoofer, plus a versatile AV receiver and two peripheral 50-watt amplifiers that communicate wirelessly with the main unit to power the surround and height channels. The presentation began with Mad Max on screen, never a good sign, the high-ceilinged, rather reflective space progressively filling with automotive mayhem and explosions. On the video monitor, I noted a chamber music demo option, which I requested, to be rewarded with the most incoherent performance of (I think) Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet I’ve ever heard—too loud, with absolutely no sense of an ensemble playing together in a real space. I fled.

SVS did better in one of the small prefab listening rooms (“cabins”) in Halle 3. The 5.1.2 loudspeaker array (all SVS, of course) included two Ultra Evolution Titan floorstanders in front ($4000), an Ultra Evolution Center ($800), two Ultra Evolution Nanos ($900) for surrounds, two Ultra Evolution Elevations ($900) as height channels, and a pair of SB17-Ultra RIEvolution subwoofers ($2700 each.) The AV receiver was a Marantz Cinema 40 ($3500) and discs were played on a vintage Oppo. The demo began with a movie (A Star Is Born) but soon made its way to a Steve Wilson immersive mix that gave much more of a sense of the potential for spatial music to provide an audiophile experience.

But there was a full-bore immersive audio experience at High End 2025 for a lucky few who had planned ahead and signed up for Kii Audio’s demo in a large Black Box Theater kind of space, accessorized with abstract, dimly glowing sculptural forms suspended from the high ceiling. The small number of reserved spots had been long claimed by the time the show began (there were seats for 20 at a time and the Munich show reportedly had close to 23,000 visitors this year), but I showed up anyway on Friday morning to beg and plead. The guy at the door pointed to an empty seat in the back row and I sat down just as the lights were going down.

The 7.1.4 speaker array included a trio of Kii Three speakers for the front left, center, and right channels with BXT active bass stands, plus a total of eight Kii Sevens for the surrounds, rears, and four height channels. (The total estimated cost of the loudspeakers was €80,000.) A Lyngdorf MP60 processor ($15,600) sent signal to the powered speakers via Ethernet.

With only the dim illumination afforded by those hanging sculptures, the music began. I had no idea of what to expect but recognized it immediately—an audio show staple of recent years, “Liberty” by the Norwegian singer/pianist/songwriter Anette Askvik. Askvik’s pure, plaintive, unadorned vocal, sparingly accompanied by electric piano, cello, sax, and minimal percussion, filled the space completely, enveloping the audience in a sensual embrace. It was ineffably beautiful. A second song by the same artist followed, then the house lights came up to a round of appreciative applause. And there she was in a bright yellow dress—Askvik herself, along with the engineer responsible for the immersive mix. She spoke convincingly about how she felt the engineering we’d just experienced had advanced the musical meaning of her music.

The Pure Audio Blu-ray disc, which holds both 7.1.4 Atmos and Auro-3D versions of the program, as well as 5.1 DTS-HD and high-resolution LPCM stereo programs was on sale at a booth near the theater and I practically flung my credit card in the direction of the salesman without asking the price. This is progress. This is good.

ANDREW QUINT’S BEST OF SHOW

Best Sound (Cost no object)

The Clarisys Room. No question. This system, featuring the six module Clarisys Audio Atrium loudspeakers ($785,000) plus VAC electronics, an Accuphase DF75 active crossover, Pink Faun and Lampizator digital components, a Kronos/MySonic Lab analog front end, and AudioQuest cables, was bound to impress simply for its complexity, cost, and ability to render large-scale music without any suggestion of stress or compression. But it may have been the natural rendering of space that was most impressive: I felt as if I could get up from my seat and walk forward among the orchestral players or big band musicians I was listening to. Remarkably, the effect was just as good with small groups. This was as convincing a simulacrum of live music—any kind of live music—as I’ve ever heard.

Best Sound (Cost considered)

In the Real (Audio) World where most of us live, the capacity to play music that’s loud and low is an eternal challenge. If the family or condo association doesn’t constrain you, the typical listening room will. The speakers from Silent Pound—both the Bloom stand mount (€14,900) and the Challenger II floorstander (€28,000) take the room out of the equation, without any room treatment, to a remarkable degree.

Most Significant Trend

Maybe it was just some sort of sampling error but, 60 years after Oskar Heil invented the technology, it seems like utilization of Air-Motion Transformer (AMT) high-frequency drivers, is becoming increasing common. Even just a decade ago, they were sort of exotic. I don’t think I heard the word “beryllium” spoken once the entire weekend.

Most Random Demonstration Music Trend

For as long as I can remember, female jazz vocals have been the favorite genre in stereo stores and audio shows, so much so that it’s become a cliché. For some reason, deep-voiced men were all the rage in Munich. If I hear “16 Tons” one more time, I can’t be responsible for my actions. Is the antidote and hour or two of Nora and Diana?

As fate would have it, the first room I visited showcased the three-way (320mm-wide woofer, 25mm-wide midrange/tweeter, 5mm-wide supertweeter) $200k AlsyVox Botticelli XX ribbon loudspeakers driven by Soulution’s new 717 amplifier,  POY-winning 727 linestage preamplifier, and OPOY-winning 757 deemphasis unit, and sourced by Soulution’s extraordinary new 787 linear-tracking turntable/tonearm with moving platter and DS Audio Grand Master EX optical cartridge. The first cut I listened to, from Sheffield Lab’s The King James Version D2D LP, told the tale—phenomenal body, color, weight, and attack on all instruments with sensational realism on baritone sax! The Harry James ensemble sounded like an actual big band going all out in a club. The system was equally gorgeous and lifelike on Patricia Barber’s (digital) cover of “Black Magic Woman” and on Reference Recordings’ “Omphale’s Spinning Wheel.” If you’re going to start a show right, this was the way to do it.

The €450k, four-way, 7-driver (4 Accuton woofers, Accuton lower-mid, and Accuton Diamond upper midrange and tweeter) Gauder Berlina RC 15 with 60dB/octave crossovers and built-in driver-time-alignment adjustments was being tri-amplified by Octave Audio tubes and sourced by dCS and Clearaudio. Norah Jones’ “My Dear Country” and BS&T’s “Spinning Wheel” sounded stunningly clean and clear— neutral and natural on voice, guitar, drum, cymbal, bass, and piano, with no trace of the analyticity that sometimes makes Gauders sound more like technical instruments than music reproducers. This was the best showing of a Gauder loudspeaker I’ve heard, and a sensational follow-up to the superb AlsyVox Botticellis.

In a nearby room, Florence’s Rosso Fiorentino showed its €65k 3.5-way, six-driver (two woofers, two midranges, one tweeter, and one super-tweeter) Pisa floorstander driven by Rosso electronics and sourced by Weiss and Bergmann with Ovation cables from Kubala Sosna. The sound was dark, rich, and listenable with exceptional recovery of depth and decay and very deep-going, naturally rounded bass. An excellent showing.

The €150–€180k Kawero Mina four-driver three-way floorstander in a two-part trapezoidal enclosure was being driven by Ypsilon tubes and sourced by an Air Force turntable. The Mina had a lively, neutral sound with fairly well-defined bass and very good attack on drums. An open, boxless presentation, slightly on the dry side.

Lansche Audio’s $180k  Jubile three-way, 6-driver (with plasma tweeter), fully active floorstander was sourced by a KLAudio turntable with Reed SF optical cartridge and EQ unit (developed in cooperation with DS Audio). The sound was lush and bottom-up on strings. Bass instruments were a little tubby and underdamped in this room, but drum rolls and guitar strums were very nicely delineated. A good presentation save for the bottom-most octaves.

Up next was Wilson Audio’s $135–$151k five-driver, four-way Alexx V multi-ported floorstander driven by VTL Lohengrin monoblocks and sourced by a Kuzma table with Safir 9 arm and Lyra cartridge. The sound was downright superb on a Cécile McLorin Salvant vocal—sweet, dense timbre and vivid dynamics on voice, piano, drums, and bass, with particularly superb definition on the fiddle. This was a great old-fashioned sound, not boxless or neutral or analytically detailed but simply terrific in presence and immediacy thanks to its dynamic alacrity and gorgeous tone color. It is no wonder that David Wilson used VTLs as a reference. Here it was a hand-and-glove fit and equal in sonics to the best I’d thus far heard.

The smallish €65k two-and-a-half-way Goebel Divin Comtesse floorstander powered by Riviera Audio and sourced by Wadax and a Kronos table was surprisingly delicate sounding. No bombast or aggressiveness here, just a dark, lively, mellifluous presentation (on a percussion ensemble recording, no less). These smallish speakers played much bigger than their demure size would suggest—filling a moderately large space, with good stage depth, too. Very nicely done.

The $198k Tidal AP1 8-driver fully active loudspeaker had (once again) a rich beautiful bottom-up sound with slightly underdamped but quite listenable bass and excellent midrange and treble tone color on instrumentals, and a detailed but non-analytical presentation on strings, winds, and brass. A better than decent showing.

The seven-driver four-way $140k Mingus Septet Statement driven and sourced by Audia Flight and wired by Signal Projects was yet another lovely-sounding exhibit, prettier than it was realistic, perhaps, and a tad shouty on Billy Raffoul’s “Dark Four Door,” but otherwise beguilingly dense in color and dimensionality and heavy-hitting on drums and synth on Depeche Mode’s “Cover Me.” An enjoyable presentation.

The 3-driver three-way $80k Rockport Lynx floorstander, which had impressed me at AXPONA, was again being driven by Absolare and sourced by Wadax in Munich. The Lynx threw a very large soundstage, which, unlike that of several of its competitors, was considerably freed up from its box, with gorgeous tone color on voice, chorus, and harpsichord continuo and terrific stage depth and choral imaging at the rear of the stage. A superior sound!

The €147.5k Audiovector R10 13-driver, multiway floorstander (with 8 five-inch woofers front and back grounded to the chassis and dual tweeter open to the rear) was driven by Soulution and sourced by Naim. Unfortunately, the speakers were being played very loudly, so vocals were a bit shouty and piercing on fortes. Bass, on the other hand, was very full and deep. This was a good presentation overall, but closer to the familiar MOC sonic profile of the past than other exhibits.

The newly updated €60k 4-driver three-way Peak Consult Diablo, powered by CAD and sourced by Reiki Audio, had a very natural reedy sound on sax and excellent piano tone on a jazz quintet recording. A little on the dark side overall with silvery transients that lent a touch of natural brightness to the presentation, it was quite satisfyingly listenable.

The €148k Albedo Altesia SGS seven-driver floorstander in a D’Appolito configuration was driven by Mytek, sourced by Soul Note, and wired by Faber. The Altesia was particularly nice on vocals, which had a free-floating forwardness with a touch of bright energy that gave voices increased separation and presence. It was also downright gorgeous on piano tone, save for deep bass notes, which were slightly underdamped. Though the Albedo was just a bit too large for the room it was in, it was otherwise quite impressive (as it was at AXPONA).

The huge, €225k, rectangular-horn-loaded Lorenzo LM1 four-driver four-way floorstander was powered by Ypsilon and sourced by Lampizator and SAT. “Omphale’s Spinning Wheel” was well done, albeit a little flattish in aspect, giving it a one-dimensional presentation. Dead Can Dance had the same flatness of aspect. Same for “St. James Infirmary,” although Satchmo’s voice was quite realistic, forward, and present with less sibilance than I’m used to on this cut.

€88k Kroma Atelier Callas 4-driver four-way driven by Engstrom and sourced by Wadax had, once again, a flattish presentation, without the front row immediacy of the Lorenzo but with tighter bass.

The $50k 3-way Wilson W/P 50^thAnniversary with subs driven by VTL, sourced by dCS, and wired by Nordost was also a little on the thinner, brighter, flatter side, with the subs sticking out just a bit as separate sound sources. The WATT/Pups threw a wide stage with decent depth and good outside the box imaging but lacked dimensionality and lower midrange body on Teddy Swims’ “Simple Things.”

The €150k Zellaton Stage Ultra 3-driver three-way floorstander driven by TLA, sourced by SDS Audio Reed and Dohman turntables, and wired with Schnerzinger cable sounded extremely fast and hard-hitting on The Reddings’ The Awakening. These were not your grandpa’s Zellatons, which could blow a driver if you looked at them sternly. The new Zellaton cones were so much more dynamic than the older ones, without any perceivable losses in resolution or tonal naturalness, that they amounted to a very impressive sea change in the Zellaton sound. Michael Rabin’s “Thais” was also beautiful, Dean Martin superb on “I’m Confessing.” A best of show contender.

The $299k 8-driver YG Acoustics XV Studio l with separate sub tower driven and sourced by Vitus was very neutral, hard-hitting, and deep-going on an Infected Mushroom track. A little chillier in tone color and more tightly controlled than, say, the Zellatons but with a disappearing act that was at least as good as that of the Zells.

Acora Acoustics’ $218k, three-way, five-driver (one 1.25** beryllium dome tweeter, two 4.5** midranges, and two 12** woofers) VRC floorstander in a massive, solid-granite enclosure was here being driven by VAC and sourced by VPI. Gorgeous again on a choral recording with organ (Marianne Mellnäs Cantique de Noël), it was also terrific on Syd Lawrence’s D2D big band LP, combining just the right blend of color, speed, resolution, and body with terrific staging. Another BOS contender.

€100k Viva Verticale horn-loaded three-way driven and sourced by Viva electronics sounded dark, dense, and solid. There was no horn-like treble beaming on Allan Taylor’s “The Stranger,” perhaps a very small bit of cupped-hands coloration on voice but beautiful tone on guitar and deep-going bass that was just a little thick in texture but had nice growl and extension. A lively presentation seen through a glass darkly. This was a speaker I very much liked in spite of its limits.

$66k Estelon XB Diamond three-way 3-driver hourglass-shaped floorstander sounded simply lovely driven and sourced by MSB and wired by Ikigai. Offering a neutral sound of great delicacy and fine texture, the XB was slightly limited in bass extension but extremely natural in the midband—one of the more realistic exhibits on vocals. The diamond tweeter was just a little hot in the treble, but the presentation was otherwise entirely of a piece. An excellent showing.

AlsyVox’s giant, three-panel, €486k flagship Michelangelo introduced at the show and driven and sourced by Omega Audio and Thuono Audio, offered up the best disappearing act yet, with electrifying transient response, neutral to warm tone color, and outstanding resolution on Ravel’s Rapsodie Espagnole. The Turtle Creek Chorale was reproduced with much the same sensational realism and ambient recovery that the Acora VRCs managed to generate on choral music at AXPONA in Chicago. The Michelangelos are the hardest-hitting planars I’ve ever heard with sensational attack, timbre, and decay, making them sound fabulously realistic on a solo drum recording—perhaps the best I’ve heard a drum kit reproduced. Though the room was a little small for these huge panels, they were nonetheless unquestionable BOS contenders.

$150k Wilson Benesch Omnium with IGx infrasonic subs driven by Karan Acoustics, sourced by WB and APL, and wired by Crystal showed much better in Munich than they did in Chicago. Extremely neutral and natural on Vanessa Fernandez and Jacintha recordings, they were as realistic on voice as any other display I’d heard thus far.  Almost completely free of enclosure and driver coloration, with an unusually seamless blend of subs—which were simply inaudible on their own—they sounded like a single system. Definitely BOS material.

The big, €249k, five-driver, D’Appolito-configured Gobel Divin Noblesse driven and sourced by Vitus was very damn good (to my surprise, given past setups) on Sarah Barailles, Tom Jones, and Leonard Cohen. Minus the slightest trace of hardness on Tom’s voice (which is on the recording), they were otherwise natural in color top to bottom, making for a very entertaining listen.

Well…this is gonna sound familiar, I’m afraid, but what am I supposed to do? I call them as I hear them, and the $500k MBL 101 X-Treme MKII sourced by MBL’s C41 streamer and driven by four MBL 9011 monoblocks were the best in the deep bass, the most boxlessly open in staging, the most delicate in the treble, the most three dimensional in imaging, the hardest-hittting in the midbass, and the most naturally rich in tone color top to bottom of any speaker in Munich. In short, they were Best of Show…again, Superb on synth, bass, and voice on VTT’s Vital Tech Tones. Nat Cole on “Route 66” sounded there, as did the muted trumpet, bass, and piano comping him. Charlie Hunter Quartet’s “Day Is Done” was marvelously realistic on drums, bass, congas, percussion, and vocal. Marc Cohn’s voice and those of The Blind Boys of Alabama were in the room with me on “One Safe Place.” The winner and still champion.

A second set of the $50k Wilson Audio W/P 50th Anniversary three-ways, driven this time by Constellation’s new Revelation 2 electronics and sourced by a dCS Rossini, sounded fuller-bodied than the earlier pair of W/Ps. While they didn’t generate the widest stage I heard, they resolved instrumental colors and textures very well, and their bass was denser in color than that of Constellations of the past. Dean Martin voice sounded superb on “I’m Confessing”; guitar, and piano were also very good. An impressive showing.

The 4-driver, three-way, €185k Avalos Sound Design Wave Series quasi-elliptical acrylic-and-Panzerholz floorstander powered and sourced by Goldmund sounded unusually dark, rich, dense, and beautiful in tone color—really quite lovely, without a trace of the analytical, just black velvet smoothness and beauty. On “Bye Bye Blackbird,” Patricia  Barber’s voice, though a touch digitally flat in aspect (but that’s the recording), had a beguiling whispery breathiness, while her piano sounded in the room and Marc Johnson’s upright bass developed a nice bottom-octave growl. The speakers did a good disappearing act too, on Robbie Robertson’s “I Hear You Paint Houses.” A contender.

The €165k Avantgarde Trio G3 spherical horn three-way with twin, outboard, downward-firing, ported subs had superb color and texture on voice and guitar on a Tom Petty cut. The subs sounded a wee bit exposed here but were, nonetheless, terrifically powerful, deep-going, and detailed, making the low end of Hanne Boel’s “After Midnight” sound fabulous. This was one of Avantgarde’s best presentations at Munich—very close to MBL save in staging, imaging, and subwoofer blend. Another contender.

Clarisys debuted its statement $785k Atrium ribbon loudspeaker—a huge, 4-way, three-panel system comprising separate infrasonic woofer, midbass, and midrange/treble columns. All the 0.60mm-thick ribbons are bipolar, eliminating phase cancellation. Powered by VAC and sourced by Pink Faun and Kronos, the Atriums had an airy, open, neutral presentation. Though they were being played a little too loud for where I was sitting, making vocals just a little aggressive on fortes, they still sounded very much like MBLs in their free-floating boxless imaging on Annete Askvik’s “Liberty,” with terrific reedy sax, airy well-defined drums, good synth, and that extremely expansive stage without any enclosure coloration. They also did an outstanding job on piano with Jui-Sheng Li’s recording of Scriabin Preludes—producing as natural a keyboard sound as I’ve heard on digital (and correctly sized, for once). Another BOS contender.

Always impressive, Kharma introduced its six-driver $650k Enigma Veyron 2VC floorstander with carbon-fiber “C” diaphragms and a new motor system. Driven by Kharma electronics and sourced by MSB and JC 4 Reference, they sounded outstandingly neutral and boxless (as usual) on everything I listened to. A wonderfully clear window on the music—and yet another contender.

Voxativ showed its €75k 9.88 floorstander—essentially a modular augmented one-way with an AC-4nP wideband driver in the top cabinet,  a 0.1 midrange in a separate cabinet beneath it, and Voxativ’s active RiPol bass in a third cabinet below the other two. Driven by Voxativ 845 amps and sourced by a Voxativ server, the 9.88s produced a rich, dark, lovely sound on The Castellows “Hurricane,” with single-driver coherence and sonic uniformity and virtually undetectable crossovers (yes, it has crossovers) at the lower midrange and bass. This is a greatly improved speaker with a unique of-a-piece beauty and naturalness to its sound—the best “affordable” (or, at least, quasi-affordable) offering in my component category.

Gershman showed its 3-driver three-way Black Swan, powered by TLA’s TSI 300 and sourced by a Pink Faun server. The Swans sounded quite lifelike on Jazz Sabbath’s “Paranoid”—powerful deep-reaching piano with smooth natural unaggressive treble, tuneful jaunty synth, realistic ” trombone, sax, electric and guitar, and potent drums and bass. A very nice showing!

The €380k Pallas by Aries Cerat is a huge, semi-active, 4-way horn-loaded speaker with what appears to be acrylic-coated wooden spherical horns and eight powered side-mounted wave-guided woofers. The Pallas generated very clear, clean sound, a bit on the bright side on piano crescendos but otherwise quite natural. I detected a little sonic discontinuity with the otherwise very well controlled and deep-reaching woofers, but not much. A big powerful sound that I rather liked.

The €140k SV Audio Menja is a twin-column multidriver floorstander with separate woofer tower and 13 total drivers. At Munich it was driven and sourced by Vitus and wired by Zen Sati. The Menja generated a huge deep soundstage with a neutral tonal balance and absolutely tremendous bass weight on drums and lower-pitched instruments. A shade dry and lean in timbre overall but sensationally powerful and open.

The €120k Raidho TD3.10 5-driver (with tantalum, ceramic, and diamond membranes plus single-ended ribbon tweeter), three-way floorstander was driven and sourced by Moon. The Raidho was quite attractively musical on “I Hear You Paint Houses” with truly lovely mids and treble. It was also wonderful on Tom Jones and Hans Theessink. The speaker had that rich dense Raidho sound with much improved linearity in the power range and bass. A gemutlich and eminently listenable loudspeaker that we should review.

The $200k Stenheim Ultime 2SX driven by Boulder 1151, sourced by Master Fidelity pro DAC, and cabled by Hemingway was much more neutral with Boulder electronics than with the VTL bear Stenheim showed within Chicago, but not as gemütlich. A bit bright in the upper mids on piano, though the piano’s bass was superbly controlled, rich, and natural. Ultimately, I preferred the gorgeous VTL presentation in spite of the lightning power and sock of the more analytical Boulder.

The Wadax Studio Player and Pillium electronics sourced and powered the $74.5k four-driver, three-way Magico S5 2024. The sound was notably neutral with terrific depth of stage and a touch of reediness on female vocal. Though fairly realistic, the S5 sounded less warm and dense in color than the S3 2023. Arguably, it was less hi-fi than the S3, but it was also marginally more old school Magico and less musically enjoyable.

JV’s Best of High End Munich 2025

Best Sound of Show (cost notwithstanding): MBL 101 X-Treme MKII

Best Sound of Show (cost considered): Voxativ 9.88

Best Speaker Introduction: AlysVox Michelangelo, Clarisys Atrium, and Zellaton Stage Ultra (tie)

Most Coveted (for review): AlsyVox Botticelli, Voxativ 9.88, and Zellaton Stage Ultra (tie)

TechDAS showed its Air Force 10 radial air-bearing tonearm in prototype form at High End 2023. This year it demoed on its Air Force One Premium turntable the sleek finished product in both 10” and 12” editions. Price in America will be approximately $45,000 and $50,000. Also introduced was the new Tech DAS TDC01-Dia diamond-cantilevered cartridge featuring a titanium body and a super-low 1.4-ohm internal impedance, making it an ideal match for the current amplification input of CH Precision’s P10 phono preamplifier. The combo made beautiful music through Wilson XVX speakers with the Wilson Loke subwoofer augmentation all driven by CH electronics.

Acoustic Signature introduced the €50,000 TA-10000 NEO tonearm available in 9” and 12” versions. It features precision pre-tensioned DLC (diamond like coating) ball bearings, VTA “on the fly” and azimuth at the head shell adjustability and many other construction features packaged in a beautiful piece of precision German engineering.

Another equally costly result of precision German engineering is Clearaudio’s newly introduced top of the line Unity radial tracker. It’s a magnetically stabilized carbon-fiber-tubed unipivot design that also features VTA “on the fly” adjustability and azimuth adjustability among other features. Price is also €50,000.

Wilson-Benesch delivered on its promise to introduce “trickle down” editions of its $370,000 GMT One turntable system that debuted last year (and which I reviewed in Issue 350) by introducing the Prim Meridian, a $270,000 version that omits the active suspension system but otherwise is identical to the GMT One.

Gryphon took analog fans by surprise by introducing a new dual-motor Apollo turntable designed in cooperation with Brinkmann Audio’s Helmut Brinkmann. $149,800 gets you a system: the turntable, and a diamond coated Brinkmann arm developed with Denmark’s Aarhus Technical Institute specifically for Gryphon’s new $20,000 Ortofon-developed Black Diamond DLC phono cartridge based upon its MC Diamond but featuring a newly developed elastomer suspension and a diamond-coated titanium body. Ortofon’s Leif Johannsen told me the new cartridge’s design was overseen not by him but by others at the company in order to give the Gryphon cartridge some “new thinking.” Gryphon also introduced a new $68,000 Siren phono preamp complete with the same massive power supply used for the Commander preamplifier. The original goal was to use the Commander PSU’s second input but to make the Siren sing required a separate PSU.

Thorens’ Reference turntable seen in prototype form at HE 2023 was back in its finished edition. The final cost is $329,999 and includes an active Seismion-designed active suspension and massive stand.

I somehow missed the Aries Cerat room, where the Cyprus-based company showed a new $270,000 450-pound turntable featuring a direct-drive motor with a hydrodynamic bearing and an air-bearing tangential-tracking tonearm of the “long off my radar screen” large-horizontal-mass, moving-rail, fixed-air-bearing variety.

Kronos introduced two new $70,000 products. The Perpetual turntable and the Discovery phono preamplifier. The turntable costs approximately 60% less than the “flagship” $125,000 Discovery turntable, but designer Louis DeJardins says Perpetual’s performance comes far closer to Discovery’s than its price would seem to indicate. The Discovery phono preamplifier is a collaborative effort between Kronos and Greek electronics manufacturer True Life Audio. Kronos had a strong presence at High End Munich 2024.

Even Origin Live got into the costly tonearm game introducing at High End Munich 2024 the $26,000 “two-point” Renown tonearm.

Following the High End show I visited HiFiction (Thales, EMT, Xquisite) in Turbenthal, Switzerland, for the world premiere of the $40,000 Thales Magnifier preamp/phono preamp, a cooperative effort between HiFiction’s Micha Huber and Stellavox Switzerland’s Stephan Schertler.

Back on earth, Supatrac, whose Blackbird Farpoint arm continues to create major worldwide sonic and tech sensations has raised prices as of May 1^st as follows: 10.5”, £4300; and 12”, £ 4700. That means the 12” Blackbird now sells for around $6000. Still a bargain, though until you hear it, you might remain unconvinced. At High End Munich the company showed prototypes of a new Supatrac Nighthawk arm, the design of which was not constrained by size, weight, or production costs. The arm will be available Q4 and cost £11,900, £12,400, and £12,900 for 9”, 10.5”, and 12” editions. As of the day I’m submitting this that means the 12” Nighthawk will cost around $16,400. Not “bargain priced” but based upon the sonic performance delivered in Munich still a bargain! There’s a £1000 upgrade path discount.

Also back on earth and to end on affordable notes, Ortofon introduced a new line of its Concorde “plug-in” cartridges designed for Technics and other turntables equipped with similar bayonet mounts. The new line mirrors the company’s long-running and super-successful 2M moving-magnet series but with one major upgrade: the Concorde series allows you to change styli and move all the way up from the elliptical-stylus Concorde Red to the LVB 250 (Ludwig Von Beethoven) Black featuring a boron cantilever and nude Shibata stylus. The standard 2M upgrade path ends one step up at the 2M Blue. Prices start at $149 for the Concorde Red. The Concorde Blue costs $249; the Bronze, $399; the Black, $599; and the LVB 250, $999.

Pro-Ject introduced three versions of its new T2 turntable, the least costly of which sells for $549 including (in America) Sumiko MM phono cartridges. Additional-cost versions featuring built-in phono preamp and/or streaming capabilities are also available.

Of course, many, many other turntable, tonearm, and phono preamplifier manufacturers exhibited at HE 2024, but their products were not new, so they are not featured here. If I left anyone out, my apologies. It was a fantastic show!

Stenheim showed two upgraded versions of its excellent Alumine 5 SE (well-reviewed by Jonathan Valin) called the Alumine 5 SX and Alumine 5 LE (Limited Edition). Both models include, among other upgrades, a new plinth machined from a solid aluminum block that raises and supports the speaker while also reducing enclosure resonances. Although the LE is limited to just ten pairs, it is joined by the Alumine 5 SX which also features the new support base without the tweaky upgrades (and gold-leaf adornments) of the LE. The SX also includes a control panel on the rear for adjusting the tonal balance to your room and tastes. There are grounding posts on both models, a feature that is becoming more popular on speakers and electronics as the industry begins to recognize the importance of connecting an audio system to a dedicated grounding device. The new plinth is available separately as a retrofit ($13,500) for Alumine 5 SE owners. Driven by Nagra electronics, the $97,500 Alumine 5 LE threw a large and well-defined soundstage with an engaging musicality that had me returning to the room twice more during the show.

Germany’s T+A introduced the new Criterion line that feature transmission-line loading. Company founder and loudspeaker designer Siggy Amft explained the design details of the transmission line using a cut-away enclosure. Quite a bit of engineering went into the transmission line’s shape and the placement of damping within the line. T+A demonstrated the $16,490 Criterion S240, which has two woofers, two mid/woofers, and a magnesium-dome tweeter in a nicely finished enclosure. It looks like a lot of speaker for the money. Deliveries begin in June.

Magico used the Munich show to formally introduce the new S5 2024, a larger version of the amazing S3 2023 that wowed me last year (and Jonathan Valin in his review in Issue 347). With a substantially larger enclosure and a pair of 10” woofers coupled to a 6” midrange, the S5 had a much more energy in the power range than the S3, which was demonstrated in the same room last year with the same electronics and front end (including a Wadax Reference DAC). The S5’s bottom end was big and powerful, with a strong physical presence. It didn’t sound quite as lithe and light on its feet as the S3, which could have been due to a room resonance. Price: $74,500.

After enjoying listening to the Achema from Italian speaker maker Albedo, I asked the company founder/designer the price. Based on the excellent sound quality and superb fit ’n’ finish, I was expecting to hear a number north of $30k. But he told me the Achema has a U.S. retail price of $16,500. The Achema is a two-and-a-half-way floorstander with transmission-line loading (as are all models in the company’s portfolio) with slightly different sized mid/woofers (160 and 175mm) mated to a dome tweeter. The enclosure is fitted with exterior metal side panels that reportedly tune cabinet resonances. I also learned that Albedo has been in business for more than 20 years and makes several more ambitious models, including the $140k diamond-tweetered Atesia.

Scansonic of Denmark showed the new MB8B (15,000 euros), a tall and slim floorstanding speaker with a ribbon tweeter featuring dual 8” woofers with a carbon-fiber midrange and ribbon tweeter. Scansonic’s parent company, Raidho, produced terrific sound from two different models, the all-new X2.6 and the long-standing flagship, the TD6. The 2.5-way X2.6 features Raidho’s two 6.5” ceramic-coated woofers, a ribbon tweeter, and premium crossover components. The drivers are all designed and built in Denmark. The speaker also introduces a new foot design with decoupling ball bearings inside. The X2.5 simply disappeared as a sound source, filling the large room with a wide, deep, highly defined soundstage populated with tangible images. The X2.6 shared the stage with the mighty TD6 ($210k euros). Based on the X2.6’s huge soundstage, one could believe that the TD6 was playing, not the smaller speaker. The X2.6’s bass was more than adequate to fill the big room. On a price-to-performance basis, the 21,000 euro Raidho X2.6 was one of the show’s most remarkable debuts. I was also greatly impressed by the TD6, which was among the best sounds at the show. Both speakers were driven by Moon electronics including the company’s new 891 network player and massive 888 monoblock amplifiers.

To commemorate the company’s fiftieth anniversary, Wilson Audio showed (but didn’t demonstrate) a special edition of the WATT/Puppy. The retrospective speaker has the same dimensions and look of earlier generations but is built with modern drivers and materials. The WP went through eight iterations from 1986 to 2011, until the WATT/Puppy became the Sasha. Wilson showed the new speaker on a rotating turntable alongside a vintage example.

Florence’s Rosso Fiorentino showed but didn’t demonstrate its new Arno, a mid-sized speaker priced at 12k euros. The Arno features drivers completely designed and built in-house, a first for Rosso Fiorentino. These highly sophisticated new drivers will likely find their way into future speakers from this Italian speaker specialist. The Arno featured a luxurious leather-clad enclosure that only the Italians seem able to do.

Another speaker shown but not demonstrated was Rockport’s upcoming Lynx. This new three-way floorstander bridges the gap between the company’s $47k Avior II and the $133k Orion. The Lynx features an aluminum enclosure cast in a single piece (plus the plinth) that is finished in a textured coating rather than high-gloss paint. This finish, new to Rockport, is reportedly how the company can offer a cast-aluminum enclosure at this price ($74,500). To damp resonances, the cast enclosure undergoes multiple applications of a special damping material that greatly increases its weight. I was invited to handle the Lynx, which felt like it was made from solid lead. Significantly, the Lynx features the same midrange and tweeter found in the company’s superb $190k Lyra flagship. Deliveries begin in September.

Dynaudio showed several new products including a Black Edition of the Contour 20 with a new crossover, better parts, Dynaudio’s Esotar 3 tweeter, and a larger port. The $8k stand-mount will be available in October. The company has also taken its excellent Confidence 20 stand-mount (reviewed by Neil Gader in Issue 338) and turned it into an active system with electronics and DSP control built into the stand. The speaker has analog and digital inputs with an integral 192/24 A/D converter. The crossover is implemented in the digital domain and features driver-protection programming as well as frequency contouring. Finally, Dynaudio showed a new Contour Legacy, a slim floorstander intentionally designed with a 1970s retro-look, complete with walnut enclosure. Inside, however, are Dynaudio’s advanced drivers and high-end crossover parts (Mundorf, etc.). Price: $14k.

When I walked into the show’s largest room and saw the massive, almost cartoonish-looking Cessaro Zeta horn system, my first thought was that this odd-looking contraption could never work or sound “of a piece” from top to bottom. That prejudice was instantly dispelled seconds into the first piece of music. Simply put, the Zeta was absolutely stunning in its realistic portrayal of instrumental timbre, dynamics, imaging, and ability to conjure up the illusion of the physical presence of musical instruments. This was particularly true on brass instruments—the trumpet and sax on Basie Jam or an Art Blakey album, for examples. It was like being transported to the recording studio by a time machine. The many design details are too extensive for a show report but suffice to say that the conception and execution are heroic, including the ability to articulate each driver in two axes, including the massive upper horn, for perfect time alignment at the listening position. The five-way system has a sensitivity of an astonishing 112dB. Huge and impractical for all but a very few, the $600,000 Cessaro Zeta nonetheless demonstrates the potential of horns when realized with this level of execution.

Another horn that sounded excellent was a redesigned version of the Bob called the Bob-L from Stein Music, with six 12″ side-firing powered subwoofers with DSP crossover. The front drivers are passive, with three 10″ front-firing woofers and a horn midrange and tweeter.

At the other end of the spectrum, Harbeth showed a tiny stand-mount that is part of the NLE line (“New Listening Experience”). Using the same drivers as the company’s P3 in a smaller cabinet, the NLE-1 is an active system with a DSP crossover. Designer Alan Shaw told me of an experiment in which they played two otherwise identical speakers, one fitted with a traditional analog crossover and one with a DSP crossover, for more than 100 listeners (who didn’t know what they were evaluating), and every single listener preferred the speaker with the digital crossover. Price: 3000 British Pounds.

Gershman Acoustics had a great showing of the 30^th anniversary edition of its Black Swan, which features a separate woofer that fits between the “wings” of the midrange/tweeter module. The woofer enclosure incorporates a bass trap for a smoother bottom end. The $95k speaker sounded superb on a variety of LPs, with the MOC listening room and speakers disappearing into a beautifully rendered soundstage. The tonal balance was very smooth and natural, and bass articulation was excellent while not sacrificing weight and power.

Göbel High-End, known for its large and ambitious speakers, introduced the smaller, more affordable (59,000 euros) Divin Comtesse. Based on the company’s bending-wave technology, the diminutive three-way floorstander features an 8” woofer, 8” midrange, and a massive AMT tweeter mounted in an aluminum waveguide. The woofer and midrange are of Göbel’s own design. Sensitivity is 89dB. Despite its relative shortness, the Divin Cometesse sounded like a much bigger speaker, projecting images well above its height. The bass was superb, combining articulation with plenty of weight in the powerband. The Divin Comtesse was an extremely impressive debut.

Berlin-based Voxativ demonstrated a newly reconfigured version of the speaker that beguiled Jonathan Valin back in Issue 289. In this new three-enclosure configuration, called the 9.88 System, the company’s 6” full-range driver is mounted in the top enclosure, a mid/woofer in the middle enclosure, and dual, powered 12” woofers in a push-pull arrangement mounted in the slot-loaded bottom enclosure. Despite the three enclosures, the system sounded smooth and continuous, bringing deep-bass extension and bottom-end dynamics to the wonderful midrange qualities that make Voxativ speakers special.

Audiovector founder Ole Kilforh was on hand to show a newly reimagined version of his first speaker, the Trapeze, featuring the same wedge shape as the 1979 original but built with modern drivers and crossover components.

DALI, an initialism for Danish Audiophile Loudspeaker Industry, introduced the new Rubikore series, a trickle-down line from the company’s flagship Kore project. The line has five models including two floorstanders, a bookshelf, on-wall surrounds, and a center channel. All feature Clarity Cone Technology for the bass and midrange drivers, along with DALI’s long-standing Hybrid tweeter that combines a dome tweeter and a ribbon supertweeter on the same faceplate (the bookshelf uses only a dome tweeter). The two floorstanders are priced at $5999k and $4499, respectively. The entire series is designed and built in Denmark. I’ve noticed a trend for European manufacturers to bring production of their lower-priced products back in-house rather than rely on Chinese manufacturing.

The Spanish cable manufacturer Fono Acoustica has entered the loudspeaker market with a new company called Avalos Sound Design. The first product from the company is a large floorstanding three-way featuring a cabinet made in Germany from Panzerholz and acrylic in a thermo-formed composite. The dual 10” Audio Technology woofers and tweeter are all wired with top Fono Acoustica cable. The elegant-looking speaker is available in a wide range of wood veneers and finishes.

Although they are not new models, I’d like to recognize a number of speakers that have been previously introduced but sounded superb at the show. The Estelon XB Diamond Mk.II driven by MSB amplifiers with an Aurender and dCS digital front end produced a gorgeous sound. Von Schweikert had a good show with their VR-55 SE driven by VAC electronics. The previously mentioned Raidho T6 was also superb, combining fabulous imaging, realistic timbres, and a powerful sense of presence.

Although my colleague Alan Taffel and I agreed to name the five most impressive systems, I’m going to cheat and name six, three of which feature alternative loudspeaker technologies (alternatives to cones, at least) and three that delivered superb musical performance without the megabuck price tag.

I’ll start with the MBL 101 X-Treme MKII driven, naturally, by all-MBL electronics including the company’s new $11k C41 Network Streamer. I returned to MBL’s room four times to confirm my impressions that the X-Treme is truly a one-of-a-kind transducer. It does everything spectacularly well and has no apparent shortcomings. My second mega-system pick is the Cessaro Zeta horn system described earlier. My third is the AlsyVox Caravaggio full-range ribbon that I reviewed in the July/August issue. Although not quite as impressive as AlsyVox’s demo last year, and a touch short of the performance I hear in my home, the Caravaggio nonetheless takes its place as one of the world’s great loudspeakers.

My three more modest systems that I found musically compelling were satisfying in their own ways. The first is the Magico S3 2024 ($44k) driven by the new Wadax Studio Player, a disc transport, DAC, streamer, and digital preamplifier in one chassis. The Studio fed the new Audio Research Reference 330M monoblock power amplifier—with no need for a preamp thanks to the Studio’s built-in volume control. The system sounded like music, not hi-fi, with a warmth and liquidity missing from many systems at show. Next up was a perennial Munich favorite, the Rockport/Absolare room. The Rockport Atria II ($38k) was driven by Absolare’s excellent Integrated Amplifier that combines tubes in the front end with a solid-state output section. Again, this system produced an engaging musicality that drew me into the musical performance, not the sound. Finally, the Wilson Sasha V powered by the new generation of Constellation Audio electronics from the Revelation Series was perhaps the best I’ve heard the Sasha V sound, which is saying a lot. Constellation’s newly updated series appears to be a winner; watch for our full review. All three of these systems were musically communicative and delivered the essence of what high-end audio is all about.

RH’s Best of Show

Best Sound (cost no object)
MBL 101 X-Treme MKII (see above).

Best Sound (cost considered)
Andrew Jones’ MoFi 888 loudspeaker, driven by Aesthetix electronics, is the obvious choice. How the 888 can deliver that level of sound quality for $5k is a mystery. The Raidho X2.6 at 21,000 euros delivered the sound quality of a much more expensive speaker.

Most Significant Introduction
Wadax Studio Player. The Spanish company has finally trickled down its state-of-the-art digital technology to a convenient and more cost-effective product.

Another swing-for-the-rafters DAC came from MSB, which debuted the $95k Cascade DAC/Pre. The unit consists of separate power supply, analog and digital chassis, with a glass fiber cable connecting the latter two, as well as a sophisticated R2R ladder design. MSB says the Cascade is a ground-up design that incorporates everything the company has learned about digital in the last ten years. The new model replaces its Reference DAC and currently stands atop the MSB mountain. But watch this space: MSB promises an even more elaborate (and more expensive) DAC in the coming months.

Clocking in at $49,900 was Ideon’s Epsilon Meta. Compared to its predecessor, the Meta gains a revamped power supply, and an output stage with switchable gain settings. Being in the analog domain, the latter feature allows the DAC to drive a preamp at an optimum level while eliminating the resolution sacrifice inherent in typical digital volume controls.

Another new DAC, the cAQWO 2 (pronounced cee AH-kwo two), heralds from France’s highly regarded Metronome Audio. This DAC is all about giving users sonic options. For instance, there are two completely separate DAC chains, one employing the ESS 9039 DAC chip and the other an AKM 4499EX—both among the best money can buy. Users can switch between them on the fly. For even greater sonic tweaking, users can select from six unique filters offered for each DAC chain. There is also an optional tubed analog output stage, which gives users the choice of tubed or solid-state output modules. The base price is €29,650, and the tube module runs €2190.

In Munich, Hi Fi Rose was doing what it always does, which is to deliver a lot of functionality and performance for the money. Its latest release is the RD 160, a pure DAC with some nifty features. Chief among these is a “hidden” screen that appears when the unit is powered on but completely vanishes when it’s powered down. The screen can display such things as a signal-path flowchart and even VU meters. There’s also a volume control and an external clock input. Internally, all modules are isolated from each other, and the analog section is fully balanced analog. The DAC boasts a stupendous 132dB signal-to-noise ratio. Available in August, it will retail for approximately $6k.

For those needing a DAC but on a smaller budget than even the Hi Fi Rose allows, San Francisco-based WiiM Audio comes to the rescue with its new Ultra streaming DAC. Outfitted with a top ESS DAC chip, the Ultra includes a bevy of features you rarely see on DACs at this—or, frankly, at any—price. These include a phono input, sub out, HDMI ARC port, touchscreen, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 6, room correction, and both graphic and parametric equalizers. The price? Just $329.

Ones and Zeroes: Digital Sources

One of the most surprising launches of the show came from Wadax. No one expected a company that made its name with bespoke digital separates to come out with an all-in-one box—let alone a (relatively) affordable one. But that’s the Studio Player, a CD/SACD transport/streamer/DAC with volume control. Wadax says the new model is a “distillation” of its reference gear, and, indeed, the Studio Player’s DAC module is identical to the one found in the Atlantis Reference DAC. The $39,800 ticket may (or may not) sound steep until you consider the wealth of trickle-down technology and the fact that achieving equivalent functionality in Wadax’s reference components would cost over $400k! The Studio Player sounded terrific, too. (See “The 7 Best-Sounding Rooms” below.)

Munich had its fair share of music servers. One of the most impressive was Ideon’s Absolute Stream Meta ($24k), which is a 4TB server that also streams. With faster memory and a hybrid linear/switching power supply, the unit promises great performance. Plus, it supports a built-in Roon Core, making an external Roon server superfluous. I hope this idea catches on.

Innuos, which already makes quite a few servers, filled out its lineup with two new models. The ZENith NG server has a GaN power supply and many other upgrades to the standard ZENith. A fully modular unit, the NG starts at $18,900 and goes up from there, depending on storage capacity and options (e.g., streaming). Innuos also released the ZEN NG. At approximately €9500, the ZEN is just down from the ZENith NG in the revamped product range.

Many audiophiles still have a library of shiny discs; many even claim they sound better than other digital sources. For them, Metronome launched two new products that will spin both CDs and SACDs. Hot on the heels of the alluring AQWO 2 CD/SACD player/DAC launched here last year (€19,990) comes the AQWO 2+, the new model is essentially an AQWO 2 with an external power chassis. The idea is to remove all power-generated noise from the main box, and Metronome says the sonic difference is appreciable. The 2+ goes for €26,800. (Note that it’s not possible to upgrade from an AQWO 2 to a 2+.)

Metronome’s second new spinner is the tAQWO 2. Unlike the AQWO 2 and 2+, the “t” is a pure transport with no built-in DAC. But there’s a touchscreen interface, as well as SPDIF, AES/EBU and I²S digital outputs. Importantly, all these interfaces will carry DSD information from an SACD in the DoP PCM format, making the transport compatible with most external DACs. The price is €30,350, plus €2k if you’d like the optional streaming module.

Power Amps Aplenty

One fact the industry has taken close to heart is that even digital sources ultimately need a power amp to drive speakers. Thus, there were power amp introductions galore. A number of these new amps, such as those from Audio Research, Constellation, and Soulution, represent the dawn of new eras from their manufacturers.

In case you haven’t heard, Audio Research Corp is under new ownership. The venerable company was recently purchased by Val Cora of Acora fame. The first fruit of the new team is the Reference 330 tubed monoblock ($90k/pair), a ground-up design that’s “a break with anything ARC has ever done before” effort, according to Cora. The KT170-based unit puts out a healthy 330 watts. (All output figures are into 8 ohms.) The 330 could be heard driving Magico S3s and the combo was a sweet one (see below).

Although management hasn’t changed at Constellation, the company is going through something of a renaissance, updating its entire line for the first time in 10 years. The new products are distinguishable by their fetching champagne finish and Series 2 nomenclature (e.g., the Inspiration Series 2 integrated amp). Inside, all the new models employ switch-mode power supplies, which the company says reap big sonic benefits. First out of the chute are the Revelation Series 2 models, including the new 250 watt/channel stereo amp ($30k) that was performing brilliantly driving Wilson Sasha Vs (see below). Performance Series 2 and Reference Series 2 components aren’t far behind. Also showing, on static display, was the forthcoming Statement power amp, a behemoth of a halo piece that will put out 750 watts/channel in its stereo version or 1500 watts in the monoblock. Pricing and availability are TBD.

Also in the midst of a wholesale revamp, Soulution revealed its 717 flagship stereo power amp, a mate for the 727 preamps recently featured in a glowing TAS cover story by JV. The 717, which replaces both the 711 and the 701, puts out 150 watts/channel and can also be configured as dual mono or bridged mono. Bandwidth is a staggering 2MHz and the price is equally lofty at over $100k.

Speaking of huge amps, the poster child for such products, Boulder, surprised everyone by introducing the 861 PowerAmp stereo amp. Unlike many Boulder models of yore, the 861 is downright petite. In fact, it’s the smallest and—at $9500—least expensive amp Boulder has ever produced. The 861 puts out a modest 50Wpc but is said to be high current. Yet Boulder didn’t disappoint its high-power Goliathan amp devotees. The company launched a new flagship monoblock, the 3050, which puts out 1500 watts and costs a cool $305k/pair.

While many others were scaling up, VTL was scaling down its well-known Reference 600 Siegfried monoblock. There’s now a Reference 450 that looks like a Ref 600 Mini-Me. With “only” 450 watts (versus 600), the new model is also less expensive at $70k compared to the 600’s $100k.

TotalDAC is expanding beyond its namesake products into speakers, amps, and even cables. In Munich, the company was showcasing the Amp-1 Sublime, a single-ended, high-voltage design with a solid-state gain stage. A stereo (130 watts/channel) or monoblock (500 watts) version can be yours for €25k. NB: The Sublime sounded fabulous driving TotalDAC speakers (€70k/pair).

New from Swiss stalwart Goldmund was the Telos 800 stereo power amp. The 300Wpc unit continues Goldmund’s pioneering use of wide-bandwidth circuitry and extensive mechanical grounding. The Telos 800 costs $89,000, and I’m curious enough about its sound to have requested a review sample.

Octave was showing its latest, the Jubilee Ultimate push-pull 140-watt tubed monoblock. The unit features a transformer with a 10–80kHz bandwidth, which is extremely wide for tubed gear. There’s also a sophisticated power-protection system and adjustable bias that allows the amp to be optimized for specific speakers. Price is $150k/pair.

Finally, Vitus showed the final prototype of the SM025, coming in October for €40–50k. The amp will be switchable between 25–30 watts Class A or 150–200 watts Class AB. Users will also have a choice of two output stages. Vitus also introduced a phonostage card for the SIA-030 integrated amp. The card will go for €7–8k.

In Other Analog News

Though power amps dominated Munich’s analog news, they weren’t the only stories. TAD, for example, proudly showcased the gorgeous new C700 preamplifier ($68,500), which sports a new low-noise FET input stage, dual-mono construction, direct wiring to and from the transformer, mechanical grounding, and a custom ladder-resistor volume control.

Sadly, there were very few new integrated amp announcements, but one came from the irrepressible Dan D’Agostino, who was showing off the new Pendulum ($15k). This integrated is in the vein of many of the latest such models in that, besides an amp and a preamp, it also includes a DAC (with Roon and MQA), a streamer, a phono module, and a headphone amp. Shod with typically beautiful casework, the Pendulum’s price and rich feature set should bring DD excellence to a wider audience.

Germany’s own T+A announced that it will shortly be revamping its entire E Series electronics. This is the company’s entry-level lineup, with each component selling for under $10k. The new models will be trickling out beginning at the end of the year, starting with the R1200 E, a disc player/streamer/DAC/power amp.

Many of the best-sounding systems at the show were graced with Crystal Cable, which prompted me to give their room a visit. There, I found a wealth of new products. The company is celebrating its 20^th anniversary with limited editions like the Infinity power cord (€18k and up, depending on length), which features nine conductors of monocrystal silver shielded with gold. The technology will soon migrate to a whole range of speaker cables and interconnects. Not to be outdone, sister company Siltech showed the prototype of its Master Crown series, a full line of flagship cables and cords that will be available by the end of June. HMS of Germany was also in the room, having been purchased by Crystal and Siltech. The HMS products complement those of its parents by being copper (rather than silver or silver/copper variants) and much more affordable—they start at just €250.

The 7 Best-Sounding Rooms

The Constellation/Wilson Room. I visited this room several times and never heard it sound less than engrossing and lively. I already knew from my review of the Wilson Sasha V that the speaker had verve and could produce great tonal variety, gobs of air, and a wealth of inner detail. Now I know that the new Constellation Revelation Series 2 electronics, wired with Shunyata cable, match the speakers point for point. The combo was absolutely dynamite.

The Stenheim/Nagra Room. Here, the illustrious Stenheim Alumine 5 (in SX guise), driven by Nagra Classic electronics, all connected with Crystal Cable, produced stunningly realistic sound. Music came through with an unforced naturalness that was unique in the show. The system held listeners captive with openness and unbridled dynamics.

The Estelon/dCS/Pilium Room. There was nothing showy about this room; but, given a chance, it proved that the Estelon X Diamond remains, as JV observed, one of the greats. In Munich, it was doing its usual superb job. With dCS’ top digital stack as the source and big Pilium electronics, the sound had purity and richness in equal measure.

The Cessaro/Alieno Room. This was the only system I heard that delivered truly life-size scale. Of course, to achieve that the Cessaro horns had to be even larger than life. Indeed, they were so big that you could literally crawl into the bass driver. Completely impractical, but undeniably riveting.

The Wadax/ARC/Magico Room. Wadax boldly showed off the all-in-one capabilities of the aforementioned Studio Player by fronting an entire system with it. The streamed signal then passed through Shunyata cable to Audio Research’s equally new Reference 330 monoblocks, and on to the Magico S3 2023. There’s something, well, magical about these speakers, and they were as bewitching as ever in Munich. The Wadax exhibited no digital sheen whatsoever, and the ARCs held everything together seamlessly. This system sounded like a wine that’s easy to drink but doesn’t lack for complexity.

The Rockport/Absolare Room. Rockport’s Atria IIs were in a fairly large room, but that didn’t seem to faze these modestly proportioned speakers. At $38k/pair, they’re clearly giant killers. The overall system had plenty of scale and openness, perfect imaging, and mighty good bass, too. This was also among the most musically engaging systems I heard. TAS has never gotten around to formally reviewing these speakers, which are now well into their lifecycle, but if we had, I suspect they’d be candidates for our top awards.

The MBL Room. See Best Sound below.

BEST OF SHOW

Best Sound (Cost no object): The MBL Room. On a wide variety of music, the MBL 101 Mk II x-Tremes, backed by row upon row of high-powered MBL amplification, were exemplary and highly musical. There was no sharpness to the sound, and imaging was spookily lifelike. The system threw off tight, subterranean bass effortlessly. Most impressively, there was no compression of choral music dynamics—a first in my experience.

Best Sound (Cost considered): The MoFi Room. Ace speaker designer Andrew Jones has done it again, this time with floorstanding towers that sell for a ridiculous $5k/pair. Here, they were backed by Aesthetix electronics, and the combination yielded whip-sharp transients, an ultra-wide soundstage and stompin’ bass. Indeed, Jones says his new babies have an in-room response down to 20Hz! Choosing a winner in this category was a no-brainer.

Most Significant Trend: Outlandish Pricing. $90k is the new $50k. Manufacturers seemed to have no qualms about pricing new products at stratospheric levels. This trend was not only the most significant, but also the most discouraging.

Most Lust-Worthy Product: The Wilson-Benesch GMT^® One Turntable. It looks impressive as all get-out, costs $370k, and MF says it’s the best. What could be more lust-worthy than that?

Best Joke of the Show: Dr. Roland Gauder of Gauder Akustik was explaining to Robert Harley and me why he avoids all-aluminum enclosures, preferring instead aluminum interspersed with dampening ribs. “We tried pure aluminum. The cabinet rang so much we had to switch the speaker off at three in the afternoon for it to be silent by dinner time.”

Best-Sounding Streamed Tracks: Go to Qobuz and search on “Best of Munich 2024.” A playlist of that name will appear in the results. These were the best-sounding tracks I heard in various Munich exhibitor rooms.

For the discerning audiophile who demands the ultimate in finesse and dynamics, the “Andagio” can be equipped with the world’s first and only “hybrid field coil driver,” the AC-XHB, priced at $69,900. This innovative driver is unparalleled, combining a neodymium magnet ring to induce passive magnetism with a field coil and power supply that render it electromagnetic. The AC-XHB features a wooden cone crafted from tonholz, a revered material traditionally used in violin making, and is complemented by a supple goat leather surround.

Remarkably, the AC-XHB achieves a magnetic force of 24K Gauss within a 10mm gap—the most potent magnet motor ever developed. This formidable engineering enhances sonic performance through precise magnetic field control and ensures exceptional linearity and minimal distortion. The result is a sound of unparalleled clarity and detailed expression, bringing every nuance of the music to life.

Every configuration comes with the N1 linear power supply as standard, designed to provide a pristine 12V DC voltage. Voxativ also offers three other improved power supplies that offer greater control and sophistication: a battery-powered version, a super-cap version, and, at the highest level, a tube-based configuration.

In celebration of the world’s largest international high-end audio show, Voxativ will present “Andagio,” equipped with the AC-XHB and powered by the upgraded Voxativ N2 battery power supply ($12,900). This model boasts an automotive-grade cell that maintains a stabilized 12V charge for up to 8 hours and recharges automatically while in use. The entire system will be driven by the Voxativ T805 SET Integrated Amp ($34,900), featuring 805 tubes in a pure Class-A design with a KT66 driver stage and an ECC83 input stage. The T805’s substantial 120-lb (55-kg) unibody housing is anodized in Berlin black and carved from a single 150-lb (68kg) aluminum block.

Voxativ founder and chief engineer Inés Adler Dipl.-Ing will be present with her team from Berlin and the USA to introduce these groundbreaking products alongside timeless models like their modular 9.88 System and the reborn Ampeggio, a Stereophile product of the year.

Just as their home city, Berlin, Voxativ stands at the crossroads of glamour and grit, offering provocative, award-winning designs and handcrafted electronics that reveal the emotional truth of the music.

Michael Fremer’s Day 1 Analog Show Coverage | Munich 2023

Michael Fremer’s Day 2! | High End Munich 2023

High End Munich 2023 Day 3 | Fremer’s Show Coverage

The CH Precision P10 is a major but evolutionary step up from the single-chassis P1, which could be upgraded with the optional outboard X1 power supply. The P10 is a two-box design with a “mandatory” outboard power supply. Among the performance improvements are a 5dB quieter noise floor compared to the already exceptional quiet P1’s. Gain has been increased to 78dB in 3dB steps, and there are now four independently adjustable inputs: two voltage-gain (instead of a single one) and two current-sensing inputs. Also new is stereo/mono switching, selectable local/global feedback, and a remote control. There are now seven optional EQ curves in addition to the (mythical) so-called “Neumann pole,” selectable for all EQs. The P1/P10 comparison at High End 2023 made obvious the improved sonic performance. There’s also a 4-chassis dual-mono version. If you must ask the price, you can’t afford it.

Madnick’s feature-filled dual-chassis-in-a-single-box design includes selectable front panel 40, 50, 60, and 70dB gain settings, nine selectable loading choices, plus a roll-your-own-resistor option via convenient rear-panel RCA jacks, subsonic and mono buttons, and a front-panel meter pair for output monitoring and azimuth setting. The MasterPhono features both voltage-gain and current-sensing inputs via RCA or XLR jacks (three in total), as well as single-ended RCA and balanced XLR outputs. A remote control selects inputs, gain, mono, metering, subsonic filter, and mute.

Wilson Benesch debuted and spun vinyl on the final iteration of its “assault on the state of the art” GMT One turntable that featured a new integral W-B phono cartridge (there will be two new W-B cartridges). Company co-founder Craig Milnes delivered an impressive presentation covering all the tech behind the direct-drive motor (measured torque ripple is 0.001342Nm) and the Graviton tonearm (video available on the TAS and TrackingAngle YouTube channels). The turntable’s base price is “around” $215,000. The Graviton Ti Titanium tonearm is $34,000, the aluminum version is $26,000. Add the $26,000 isolation stand and the total approaches $277,000. The cartridges have yet to be priced.

Thorens introduced in early May its brute of a “New Reference” turntable to celebrate the company’s 140^th anniversary, designed by a team headed by industry veteran Helmut Thiele. The company brought two to the Munich show: one to display and one to play in a soundproof room on the show floor featuring new Thorens speakers designed by Thiele and Audio Physic-founder Joachim Gerhard. The turntable features a sophisticated Seismion active isolation system, a three-phase German-made motor, a hydrodynamic bearing, and a massive POM-and-aluminum platter, among other design attributes. Cost with two tonearms—the Thorens TP 16 and one from Thiele—is 220,000 Euro.

Japanese air-bearing-turntable specialist TechDAS introduced its eye-catching pivoted air-bearing Air Force 10 tonearm, shown for the first time in Munich, that’s been in development for three years. The working prototype features a hybrid bearing mechanism in which horizontal movement is via an air bearing and vertical movement uses a more conventional tungsten pivot and ceramic-ball bearing design, which provides an effective mechanical ground. The arm’s bearing-containing structure is of tungsten and titanium, while the detachable tapered arm tube is a hybrid two-layer design featuring an inner CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics) construction and an outer one of DLC-coated magnesium alloy. The approximately five-pound arm will be available in both 10” and 12” versions. Cost including the small pump required to pressurize the bearing will be approximately $40,000.

Oswalds Mill Audio introduced the new Richard Krebs-designed OMA K5 turntable with a new Frank Schröder aluminum tonearm created specifically for the K5. The table was on static display last year without arm. The table is a more compact, less costly version of the circa $300,000 K3 introduced last year, though it uses the same sophisticated “bespoke” direct-drive motor and control system in a shinier, chrome-like package. Price without arm is $119,000. The arm price is TBA, as is the price of the handsome optional isolation base that contains the three speed-choice buttons. OMA’s Jonathan Weiss pointed out the table can accommodate any tonearm. An outboard linear power supply is standard. OMA’s tube-based PSU standard on the K3 is available on the K5 as an extra-cost option.

Back in less rarified air, Design Build Listen’s Simon Brown, inventor of “The Wand”—a moderately priced ($1995 and up with the 12** top-of-the-line edition wired with Nordost cable costing around $3000), high-performance, carbon-fiber unipivot tonearm—showed a prototype of a new, highly sophisticated, fully adjustable, tapered carbon-fiber tube tonearm that he said would be priced similar to the “Kuzma 4Point.” Very cool-looking arm I’m keen to review once it’s been released! Brown also showed a new two-platform version of his turntable featuring a battery-powered motor supply built into the new lower platform, which sits on IsoAcoustics feet. Price will be around $8000. The table was nice, but the arm was worth repeated looks.

Speaking of moderately priced, innovative products, the Supatrac Blackbird is a new, unique, U.K. patented, sideways, “non-wobbling” unipivot tonearm design available in any length you choose. It’s sort of like a cross between a Kuzma 4 Point, with two vertically stacked points and a hanging suspension similar to a Well-Tempered arm, though there’s more to it than that, so look online (www.supatrac.com). Prices start at around $2600. I found this in the “Start-up” area and am eager to review. A few variants are on their way!

Brinkmann introduced its new 12.0 tonearm priced at $4490 versus the company’s 12.1, costing $6500. The lower cost is in part due to its unipivot design as opposed to the more costly gimbaled bearing arms.

Takumi sounds Japanese, but the new Takumi Turntable Level 3.1 introduced at the High End show is manufactured in The Netherlands. It features a thin-walled titanium armtube and a D.C. motor that drives an aluminum subplatter fitted with a Delrin platter. The fit ’n’ finish appears outstanding, and the 2495 Euro price makes this an attractive, moderately priced alternative to many better known similarly priced turntables. It’s not being imported to America at this time.

Acoustical Systems’ Dietrich Brakemaier introduced the finished version of his massive multi-level Astellar belt-drive turntable first shown at last year’s High End, featuring a “super-low resonant frequency,” air-spring suspended base, a Maxxon motor, and counterwheel located on another platform—a unique push/pull magnetic-bearing system that securely levitates the platter but prevents it from bouncing is located on yet another platform, and a top one that can accommodate four pivoted arms and one tangential-tracking one. The 44-pound platter features 36 layers of pressurized “organic material” within an aluminum platter topped with POM. As with almost everything described here, there’s much more to the design than we have space for. The approximately $88,800 Astellar is based on Brakemaier’s almost cartoonishly enormous 540-pound Apolyt turntable, one of which was on display in the A-S booth. Brakemaier says he sold six of those! The Astellar is yet another turntable I’m keen to review.

Mark Döhmann demoed the Mk 3 version of his Helix One turntable (appx. $100,000), which was introduced last fall and made its Munich debut this May. Upgrades include a new advanced composite bearing, a new D.C. power supply, a new drive system, improved platter design, a new composite arm board, and a new resonance-control record clamp that he says is a major advancement.

Acoustic Signature, which also manufactures in Germany some very large turntables, introduced the new Verona NEO, which will sell in the United States for approximately $12,500 without arm. It can accommodate two 9” to 12” arms and features a plinth of wood, aluminum, and brass. As with all Acoustic Signature turntables the price includes a 15-year warranty.

Pro-Ject introduced the circa $1200 Automat A2, an upgrade to its A1 fully automatic 3-speed turntable released last year and made in Germany at the same Black Forest factory Pro-Ject’s Heinz Lichtenegger purchased a few years ago that once manufactured the four-letter turntable beginning with the letter “D.” That factory also manufactures Rekkord turntables, which is an older design Lichtenegger also still manufactures and markets at lower price points. Pro-Ject also introduced a literal wall of affordable new tonearms, two dozen in total, though many are variations on a few themes, differing only in length and tube material.

E.A.T. (European Audio Team), owned and operated by Heinz’s wife Jozefina, introduced a new brass-and-concrete turntable priced at 8000 Euros that looked interesting, but I missed the name. She also showed an unusual grape or, as she called it, “resurrection”-colored turntable priced at 15,900 Euro. It was a one-off, but it was snapped up day one by someone with fanciful tastes. E.A.T. introduced a new line of balanced, vacuum-tube-based phono preamplifiers priced from 2500 Euros (“e-glo 2”) to 8000 Euros (“e-glo”). The “e-glo CB” at 4500 Euros sat in between.

Goldnote, which recently changed American distributors, introduced its new three-input Class A PH-1000 phonostage, to which you can add both an outboard PSU-1250 power supply and/or a Tube-1012 buffer stage. It’s also available with built in preamp. Both versions include a headphone amplifier. The configurability and the touchscreen operating system are identical to the Florence, Italy-based company’s less costly PH-10 phonostage, but the circuitry is completely new. The basic PH-1000 costs 11,000 Euros. Goldnote also introduced a new, beautiful “flagship” 10^th anniversary Mediteraneo X turntable featuring a triple-layer aluminum/stainless steel/walnut plinth, aluminum/POM platter, and adjustable-torque motor drive system. Cost is 11,000 Euros.

Lithuania-based Reed introduced the new Muse 3A, an approximately 15,000 Euro turntable available in red, white, or black and capable of accommodating three tonearms. It comes with a single motor, but a second can be added. Reed also introduced the new approximately $4500 2B tonearm.

Poland-based Pre-audio introduced the air-bearing tangential-tracking GL1102N turntable priced at 12,000 Euro. Speed can be controlled and precisely set using a computer interface. The company’s least expensive AU turntable is priced at under 5000 Euro.

Zavfino, based in Nova Scotia, Canada, had on static display the ZV11X turntable featuring a German-made motor-control system and a custom arm designed by the aforementioned Helmut Thiele. The company showed turntables priced at 4200, 6800 and 13,000 Euros. The individual manning the booth told me Zavfino specializes in tonearm wire, which it has supplied over the past 15 years to many arm manufacturers.

Vitus showed the Mk2 version of its SP-103 phono preamp, now with four inputs. It’s claimed to have an even lower noise floor than the original and is priced “around $30,000.” On static display and not wired up was the Mk III version of Vitus’ Masterpiece MP-P201 phono preamp, due out in June.

The Swiss-made HSE Masterline is among the most beautiful phono preamps currently being manufactured, though I’ve never heard one. The 75,000 Euro Mk2 version was introduced at the show, but it wasn’t being used. On the same rack was the new Whest Audio 60Se Pro, priced at £7600. Years ago, I reviewed one of the designer’s first efforts and was very impressed!

Bulgaria-based Thrax upgraded its Orpheus phonostage to a Mk3 Signature edition, using all triode tubes, a floating inner structure, and nano-crystalline inductors. The price is $24,000.

The term “game changer” is often used and most often abused when referring to high-performance audio gear, but it’s appropriately used to describe the new Adamant Namiki one-piece diamond cantilever/stylus assembly first introduced (that I know of) by Audio Technica in its limited edition $9000 MC-2022 moving-coil cartridge. More recently DS Audio introduced it in its $22,500 Grand Master EX optical cartridge, which was being used for the first time in Munich in a few High End rooms. I played records in the Marten room using the Grand Master EX and the sound was explosive, as it also is on the Audio Technica that I reviewed and bought to add to my cartridge arsenal. It’s a game changer!

Other new cartridges in use and on display at High End 2023 include the Acoustical Systems Palladian X Boron cartridge featuring a hollow boron cantilever filled with a damping liquid that’s, of course, sealed. The body is titanium, and the price is $12,000. Phasemation introduced the PP 5000 featuring a diamond cantilever and a natural diamond line-contact tip priced at $15k. DarTZeel debuted a pair of super-low internal impedance cartridges, though the spokesperson couldn’t give me either their names or prices. One is black, featuring a ruby cantilever and Geiger stylus, and the other is “darTZeel red” and features a titanium coil former and diamond cantilever with a “special tip.” Both sounded really good!

Finally, Soundsmith introduced a new series of cartridge variants to go along with its newly introduced transimpedance phono preamplifier: the Hyperion MKII ES-TI and Sussurro MKII ES-TI. Soundsmith’s Peter Ledermann also introduced two cartridges he claims are “unbreakable”: the IROX BLUE-ES and IROX ULTIMATE-ES. In addition, he introduced a new Hyperion iteration called the Hyperion MR “featuring not only additionally reduced internal moving mass but now a ‘Micro-Ridge’ stylus.”

Even more analog products were introduced at High End Munich 2023, but I’m out of space, so watch the videos on The Absolute Sound’s YouTube Channel!

Is the quality of sound reproduction at the Munich show inferior to that experienced in Rockville, Tampa, or Schaumburg, as is often repeated? Certainly not, if the comparison is with a small hotel room. But maybe it really doesn’t matter all that much because, above all else, the yearly Munich event is about commerce. Plenty of gear is on “static display,” with gleaming prototypes, dramatically lit, silently wait for their turn at next year’s show. Pricing hasn’t necessarily been finalized. Especially during the two trade-only days, company reps meet with dealers and distributors at a small table in the manufacturer’s room to discuss specifics, music playing a few yards away. Additionally, there are rows of small, soundproof spaces designed for private transactional encounters.

Still, High-End Munich is the ultimate place to hear new products, and I’ll do my best to report on as many as possible from my assigned categories. Another standard trope from Munich show reports is the heartfelt apology for products overlooked in the florid abundance of audio gear that is this event. I’m past that. At High-End Munich 2023, I encountered more than enough terrific new stuff to know beyond any doubt that the health of this industry is robust. Maya Angelou may have said it best: “Forgive yourself—no one else will.”

So, here are 45 or so new products that got my oft-divided attention at High-End Munich 2023.

At a Thursday morning press conference, Naim introduced its 300 series components that include the NSS 333 streamer ($10,999), the NAC 332 preamplifier ($10,999) that borrows the much-admired volume control from the Naim Statement, the NAP 350 monoblock amplifiers ($8499) and the NVC TT phonostage ($3699), as well a couple of new external power supplies. Also proudly presented was a 50^th Anniversary product, the NAIT 50 ($3699), a 25Wpc integrated with retro styling, a phonostage, no remote, and what Sales Manager Jason Gould referred to as “a good old-fashioned toroidal transformer.” The product will be made in a limited edition of—you guessed it—1973 units.

NAD launched its C 3050 stereo amplifier ($1399), another nod to the 1970s, at least in terms of the look of the component—a rectangular box with a faux wood top and a busy front panel with a couple of VU meters that are probably unnecessary. Inside, however, the C 3050 is an up-to-date piece of electronic gear with BluOS streaming, Dirac Live room correction, and NADs unique HybridDigital UcD amplification circuit. JBL presented its Classic series, which includes both electronics and loudspeakers. The system looks like it’s traveled from 1973 (love those orange grille covers) but, as with the Naim and NAD gear, the sound is very much 2023. The JBL system was getting some impressively controlled bass production—not what I remember from 1973, when I can remember anything at all.

At a morning press conference on the first day of the show, the French manufacturer Métronome introduced the AQWO 2 (€19,000), which replaces the good-selling AQWO that’s been around since 2018. In a larger chassis with a higher resolution touchscreen, it adds streaming capability to the earlier product—Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, Deezer, and Internet radio via vTuner are “embedded”—as well as PCM decoding up to 384kHz and DSD up to 512. Fans of the earlier model will be happy to know that discs still load on top. Another French company, B. audio played its new Alpha One streaming integrated amplifier (preorder price, €15,990.) Expensive, for sure, but this small box does it all, and it’s obvious no corners have been cut. The DAC is of the Sigma/Delta type, and B.audio’s patented SRJ clock management process is said to reduce jitter to exceptionally low levels.

Another presser was held by AVM across the street from the M.O.C. at the Drivers & Business Club Munich. The German company spent much of the pandemic tripling production capacity at its Malsch factory and has a bunch of new products to show for it, including the CS 30.3 all-in-one media player (€3990, €4790 with chrome faceplate). The company also demonstrated its first-ever loudspeaker, the aluminum-clad Audition CB 2.3 (€2990), something I’m mentioning as I didn’t spot RH among the motorcycles and sports cars.

T+A was playing its R 2500 R multisource receiver, an all-in-one component (streamer, disc drive, DAC, broadcast/Internet radio, 250 watts of amplification) that’s at once a “lifestyle” product—the single box will be popular with the non-audiophile member of a domestic dyad—and the potential hub of a no-compromise music system. For example: Like T+A’s stand-alone DACs, there are separate paths for the PCM and DSD processors—a double differential quadruple converter with four 32-bit D/A converters per channel up to 768kbps, and T+A’s True 1-bit converter up to DSD 512.

The production version of the Dan D’Agostino Relentless 800 Mono amplifier ($194,500/pair) was introduced at High-End Munich 2023. It’s promoted as a “smaller platform” than the Epic 1600, and I suppose it is but…well, don’t expect to bring one home under your arm. 800 watts into 8 ohms, 1600 in 4. Hopefully, you don’t need more than that.

At €21,800, the Gryphon Audio Designs Diablo 333 is a bit more powerful than the model it replaces, the Diablo 300. Some technologies from the current Gryphon flagship amp, the Apex, have made it into the 333—newer, superior parts (“ultra-fast, low-capacitance pre-driver transistors”) are said to improve both “musicality and…measured performance.” With Gryphon EOS 2 loudspeakers, both dynamic impact and subtle orchestral detail were excellent on István Kértesz’s 1960s recording of the “New World” Symphony—the exhibitor’s choice, not mine. A wonderful performance, but not one I usually think of as “demonstration material,” so that’s something. Pretty reasonable price for a top echelon amplifier, too.

Trilogy Audio Systems—founder Nic Poulson remains the principal designer—showed off the new hybrid 994 monoblock (€12,000) that occupies the middle position in the manufacturer’s range of power amplifiers, between the 993 stereo and the 995R monos. Like the other two, the 994 employs a 6H6 “supertube” in the signal path before a compound output stage. There’s no negative feedback, and the rated power is 140 watts into 8 ohms, 200 watts into 4. That’s in Class AB mode; the 994 can also run in Class A up to 20Wpc into 8 ohms.

Soulution has a new offering in its 7 series, the 727 linestage (€55,000.) The manufacturer emphasizes that the new preamplifier is no mere “upgrade” but an entirely new design that’s resulted in a reduction to the noise floor of 20dB and higher common mode rejection. In service with Soulution amplification and big Clarisys ribbons, the sound was commanding, though not at the cost of nuance and detail.

Audio Group Denmark, well known to elite audiophiles for Børresen (loudspeakers), Aavik (electronics), and Ansuz (cables) debuted a completely new brand, Axxess, promoted as “available at a more modest price.” The initial offering is three streaming amplifiers, the Forté 1 (€5000), Forté 2 (€7500), and Forté 3 (€10,000), which vary in the number of active Tesla coils (the low-noise, current/voltage-producing elements in Aavik electronics for over a decade) and dither circuits, among other things.

Chord Electronics showed its new integrated amplifier, the ULTIMA, a 125Wpc stereo piece that nested comfortably beneath that manufacturer’s elegant Classic DAC. Electrical shielding has been painstakingly applied to reduce RFI to a minimum and, played through Bowers & Wilkins floorstanders, there was a gratifying ease to the presentation.

Musical Fidelity resurrected the Nuvistor tube for its Nu-Vista electronics range more than 15 years ago and in Munich introduced the Nu-Vista 800.2 integrated amplifier ($9900). There are five pairs of high-current power transistors per channel and the 800.2 delivers 330Wpc into an 8-ohm load, 560Wpc into 4, and a whopping 1000Wpc (peaks) into 2 ohms—the amp should drive just about anything without breaking a sweat. Plenty of line-level inputs and outputs are provided, and the copper binding posts are quite substantial, facilitating bi-wiring.

For a small country, Greece has a remarkably vital audio community—manufacturers, distributors, magazines and, of course, enthusiasts. HARt Lab (the logo is next to impossible to read—I wandered Hall 2 for ten minutes before finally locating its booth) builds five products—two preamps (Tune Two and Tune Four, 25,000€ and 31,000€, respectively) a pair of big monoblocks (Tune Five, 64,000€), a dual mono two-channel amplifier (Tune Three, 30,000€), and an integrated amplifier (Tune One). There’s a phonostage, DAC, streamer, and headphone output in both preamplifier models and in the integrated, a web-based remote control (as well as a physical one), and removable side panels with several choices of high-gloss automotive finish including B&W blue, Ferrari red, and Lotus yellow.

Two new assault-on-the-art headphone amplifiers were well received. The Yamaha HA-L7A headphone amplifier (price approximately $5k), which has been teasing enthusiasts in prototype form for some time, could actually be heard at this year’s Munich show. The DAC section is based on the ESS 9038Pro chip that will handle PCM to 32-bit/384kHz and DSD up to 11.2MHz. The brilliant Brits from dCS were featuring their lower-priced Lina line, introduced in 2022, which includes a Network DAC, a master clock, and a headphone amplifier ($9750.) The output stage is Class AB, allowing both linearity and efficiency. The sound is neutral, and the small form factor case doesn’t get especially hot.

SPL is a German company that has produced electronics for recording professionals for decades and has more recently moved into the high-end consumer market. Unique to SPL components is what the manufacturer refers to as VOLTAiR, or “120V technology”—the operating voltage inside of the audio device is four times that of a typical IC-based op-amp. This is said to greatly increase dynamic range and maximum output levels, and to improve signal-to-noise ratio. A new product introduced in Munich was the Diamond D/A Converter (€2499), which can accommodate six digital sources and features an external word clock and analog volume control.

HiFi Rose, headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, added to an already comprehensive lineup of sophisticated electronics—a CD drive and a couple of media players as well as several streamers and a beautiful integrated amplifier. The RS130 Ultimate Network Transport (price TBD) is intended to connect digitally to an external DAC. There’s fiber-optic connectivity via both Ethernet and USB; other noteworthy features include a high-precision OCXO clock and network streaming from an SSD cache. HiFi Rose is distributed in the U.S. by MoFi in Chicago.

The Italian electronics manufacturer, Ångstrom Audiolab was eager to show off (silently) its lower-priced Zenith Series electronics, in which the ZIA100 integrated amp ($10,000) is the most recent to reach market. A look inside was offered: The Zenith products have printed circuit board with meticulously rounded traces, as opposed to the discrete point-to-point wiring of the pricier Stella models. The company is planning a more visible U.S. presence in the near future.

Eastern Europe, especially the countries once under the control of the USSR, are playing an ever-increasing role in the high-end ecosystem—and it’s not just Estelon. A Hungarian company I was previously unacquainted with (though they do have an American distributor, Mark Sossa of Well-Pleased AV in Virginia) is Audio Hungary, which has been building tube preamplifiers and power amps for a decade. Brand new is the Qualiton A35, a 35Wpc Class AB design that features a transformer made in-house and a proprietary bias control. The price is around $5000. Also from that corner of the world, I made the acquaintance of Ferrum Audio, from Pruscków, Poland. Ferrum is Polish for iron and the company’s small rust-colored cases are quite attractive. Premiering at Munich was the Wandla DAC/Preamp ($2795), which uses the ESS Sabre ES9038PRO DAC chip and offers PCM resolution up to 768k/32-bit and DSD 256. Weighing in at just under four pounds, this compact device accepts a wide range of digital inputs.

Moon by Simaudio recently introduced its North Collection—six new components at three different price/performance tiers. At the entry level are the 681 streamer/DAC ($12,000) and 641 integrated amplifier ($11,000); in the middle, the 791 streaming preamp ($16,000) and 761 power amplifier ($14,000); and, for the most ambitious end of the range, the 891 streaming preamp ($25,000) and 861 power amp ($25,000.)

Edgar Choueiri, the scientist behind Theoretica Applied Physics, was tirelessly demonstrating the new MkIII version of the BACCH-SP adio stereo purifier ($26,000 base price), the most advanced crosstalk-cancellation device yet developed; it was our Technology Breakthrough Product of the Year for 2022. Choueiri reported that, with the latest example of JansZen Audio Valentina A8 loudspeakers ($12,750), he was achieving 16dB of crosstalk cancellation (XTC) in his M.O.C. room. This latest iteration of the product, which employs the tenth version of the XTC filter, features a more powerful CPU that allows for more accurate head tracking. Owners of earlier BACCH-SPs can upgrade to current status for between $2000 and $3500, depending on the model and vintage.

Ideon Audio, whose top-of-the-line Absolute Epsilon digital products graced the cover of TAS Issue 327 last year, has a new trio of less expensive components—the eos DAC (9700€), the eos Time reclocker (6000€), and the eos Stream (a streamer, of course, 9900€). All three together cost about half of what the Absolute DAC alone goes for. Yet, many design principles have trickled down to the new products from above. I wish I could have heard them; surely the opportunity will come up before long.

The Nagra Classic DAC II ($18,500) employs the same digital engine as the company’s flagship HD DAC X. The discrete Class A FET output stage produces a signal characterized by second-order harmonics, the intent being to emulate the sound of tube gear. High-resolution formats sounded great, but Nagra is justifiably proud of the DAC II’s performance with 16/44 Red Book. An external power supply is an option.

There were new streamers from two manufacturers that specialize in that product category. Bluesound introduced the NODE X Premiere Wireless Multi-Room Streamer, ten years after the release of the original NODE. The DAC chip is the well-regarded ESS Sabre ESS9028Q2N, and a lot of attention has been given to the headphone amplifier. A whole-house system is readily configured. The price? $749. Lumin was demonstrating its new U2 Network Music Transport ($5000)—in modern digital lingo, a “transport” is a streamer plus a renderer. It featured an all-new, higher-resolution processor that decodes PCM up to 768k and DSD 512 and will upsample DSD 256.

The Czech company Audiopraise, in business since 2004, is usually out of the spotlight, devising digital circuits for others: Several years ago, I reviewed a replacement board for Oppo players that did indeed improve the performance of Everyone’s Favorite Disc Player. Audiopraise has since started selling electronics with its own name on them, including the Avarice dejittering and upsampling unit and the VanityPro multichannel HDMI Audio Extractor ($1599). Brand new was the AP Link, a transmitter/receiver that can transmit 32 channels of digital data over an Ethernet cable of significant length.

Andrew Quint’s Best of Show

Best Sound (for the money)

Neither the YG loudspeakers nor the Burmester electronics behind them in the audio chain are inexpensive, but given the prevalence of six-figure products in both product categories, everything I heard in YG’s room struck me as the kind of value proposition a real-world audiophile could invest in. I visited YG’s exhibit three times and heard four loudspeakers—Tor ($10,500) and Ascent ($19,000) from the entry-level Peaks product range, the Vantage 3 Live (a powered speaker, $65,000), and the new Hailey 3 ($63,400). With all kinds of music, the sound was spacious and realistically detailed, musically engaging even at the very end of four long audio days.

Best Sound (cost-no-object)

The Tidal for Bugatti project—owners of a Bugatti automobile, and others, can purchase a bespoke loudspeaker that not only picks up design elements of the iconic roadsters but also speaks more generally to the concept of ultra-high-end design and industrial execution. What we heard was astounding: holographic imaging, instantaneous transients, and a completely neutral rendering of color and texture. I can’t afford either the car or the speaker, but I’m glad I’ve been able to experience at least one of them.

Best Demo

You don’t expect an A/B comparison at a show this busy, but it was a little slow in the Trilogy/Wilson Benesch/Computer Audio Design room and CAD’s Scott Berry was happy to accommodate me. Berry had a new product, the USB Control ($750) which gets inserted into a component’s firmware update port. With the device in place, an already excellent-sounding system was clearly improved—less closed in, with a more extended top end and greater harmonic richness. Berry feels that the unpleasant aspects of digital sound are due to high-frequency noise, which his doodad addresses. I can only say it works.

Most Notable Trend

Retro styling of components, specifically 1970s aesthetics, seems to be all the rage, allowing manufacturers like JBL, NAD, and Naim to celebrate their longevity in a continually evolving market. Go for it! Fire up one or more of these products and throw on a copy of Boston’s first album. No one has to know that you’re actually streaming.