Munich Hi-End

[Dialectic]

It’s a strange world. More hifi exotica than hi-end. But it seems there’s a market for this.

Indeed there is. I'm not sure how much of the customer base is in Europe, but that so much of the gear emanates from Europe (and is shown at this trade show in Munich) perhaps heightens the cachet that this strange stuff carries among audiophiles in the Far East.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

It’s a strange world. More hifi exotica than hi-end. But it seems there’s a market for this.

Only if you presume that you are seeing a truly unbiased random sampling.

 

[tomchris]

From a design standpoint, I find the offerings from various brands underwhelming. A lot of weird stuff and gaudy cables rather than something well thought out.

Has anyone noticed something interesting?

 

[dedobot]

I lost in the thread ,interesting things, but I can't resist

 

[Vuki]

...

Has anyone noticed something interesting?

I noticed that even the major audio magazines - Stereoplay and Audio were not there.
Nothing really new and exciting there. Except, as always, Silbatone's vintage Western Electric system.
And, yes, Andrew Jones' new loudspeakers sounded great.

 

[Purité Audio]

Reached page one hundred of Leo’s myhiend and losing the will to live amongst the sheer extravagance the most outrageous thing yet, Jason Kennedy’s shirt,


Keith

 

[FrankW]

the sheer extravagance the most outrageous thing yet, Jason Kennedy’s shirt,

Clothing fashions at an audio fashions show.
I don't know if it's the energy situation in Europe right now, but I saw several things that appeared to be combinations of loudspeakers and HVAC units

 

[DJBonoBobo]

Reached page one hundred of Leo’s myhiend and losing the will to live amongst the sheer extravagance the most outrageous thing yet, Jason Kennedy’s shirt,


Keith

Probably it was a gift from the little mole?

 

[boXem]

From a design standpoint, I find the offerings from various brands underwhelming. A lot of weird stuff and gaudy cables rather than something well thought out.

Has anyone noticed something interesting?

Several Atmos demos, and in general much more attention to room acoustics.

 

[boXem]

I went there for you yesterday morning. They sound good, at least with the music that was played.
This picture seem to have intrigued people since the sweet spot was almost impossible to reach...

Magico supposedly measured and optimized their room acoustics. Someone there please comment on how the new S3 sounds in this room.

View attachment 286413

 

[boXem]

Probably not the best environment to assess judgment, but I trust your professionalism, so I'll ask: How was Perlisten?

They were having an Atmos demo together with StormAudio. That was one of the things I was the most interested into. But only select people could access to it, and guess what...

 

[Vacceo]

They were having an Atmos demo together with StormAudio. That was one of the things I was the most interested into. But only select people could access to it, and guess what...

That's a shame.

 

[Dj7675]

Anyone attend the StormAudio / Dirac ART demo?

 

[Vuki]

To me the most immersive sound at the show was vintage Western Electric system and not only this year. Really.

 

[computer-audiophile]

I noticed that even the major audio magazines - Stereoplay and Audio were not there.
Nothing really new and exciting there. Except, as always, Silbatone's vintage Western Electric system.
And, yes, Andrew Jones' new loudspeakers sounded great. View attachment 286711

20 years ago I found it more exciting, and I know some people who have such large speaker systems from WE, Altec and Klangfilm at home. With them it usually sounds very good, especially if they have been screwing around with it for a long time. At the fairs or scene meetings with makeshift setups it does not work. There it's just something for the eye.

 

[tomchris]

Anyone heard the coaxial ribbon speakers from Piega?

 

[Vuki]

Anyone heard the coaxial ribbon speakers from Piega?

Master line source was presented.

 

[Purité Audio]

To me the most immersive sound at the show was vintage Western Electric system and not only this year. Really.

Well cinema horns designed for theatres with hundreds of seats, scale even in the large room at the MOC is impressive they are very coloured though.
Keith

 

[Theodore8]

For this reason, I am very disappointed with NAGRA, for example. I can still remember their old tape recorders, which were fine mechanical devices that made sense in the professional recording context of the time. Today they pander to 'oligarch hi-fi'. Their new turntable I find completely off.

No surprise here.

The NAGRA brand was spun off by Kudelski Group a few years back to Audio Technology Switzerland SA. d.b.a. “NAGRA Audio”. Even though it advertises as being in business “since 1951,” today it has no operational link to Kudelski Group, the technology firm that produced the recorder you mention. Today, NAGRA Audio operates indeed as a money machine living off the past legendary status of its recorders, and its use under license of the “NAGRA” brand. Hence the out-of-place turntable.

Kudelski Group has since refocused exclusively on digital TV equipment and does business as “NAGRA KudelskI.”

A sad story indeed. But not too dissimilar to what happened to NakamishI or Western Electric.

 

[Theodore8]

Anyone heard the coaxial ribbon speakers from Piega?

PIEGA is in a bind. Too expensive even for its home market of Switzerland, no brand recogntion outside of it, and zero technology advantage. And please, an aluminum enclosure for a loudspeaker is not a technology advantage.