High End Munich 2025 - May 15-18

[Jean.Francois]

Hello,
The Munich High End Show offers a unique opportunity to see and hear these most beautiful turntables in the world are also among the most expensive, with some reaching prices of over €170,000.

 

[Arindal]

Where and when this was done and is there any documention as photos from such cool event?

Different events, some more than a decade ago, and unfortunately no documentation, sorry. Gathering recording engineers and having a discussion as well as filling out questionnaires is not as much fun as it sounds.

the O300 is also more than 20 years older than the K+H so rather almost 2 model generations and the KH150 has a bit difference to their other models with its stronger directivity kink.

I am aware of that, but funnily, I preferred the older O300, at least under what would be described as a nearfield constellation.

You contradict yourself there, those are all of similar size, not David vs Goliath

Kii 7 vs the floor stander combo? Rather not the same size. MEG 8" vs. 16" 4-way? Big difference but very similar imaging and tonality. And with Genelec´s lineup, I found the more compact ones to be pretty consistent regardless their size, with some bigger models deviating in a way which I had not expected.

 

[thewas]

I am aware of that, but funnily, I preferred the older O300, at least under what would be described as a nearfield constellation.

I possibly also would as I don't like the form of the DI of the KH150.

Kii 7 vs the floor stander combo? Rather not the same size.

Their width which determines the physical baffle step isn't that different.

MEG 8" vs. 16" 4-way? Big difference but very similar imaging and tonality.

For me there were some significant differences for example on the models with one vs three tweeters.

And with Genelec´s lineup, I found the more compact ones to be pretty consistent regardless their size, with some bigger models deviating in a way which I had not expected.

In my opinion that is more due to different generations, their main monitors were non-coaxials vs the newer near and mid coaxial models but the new generation which started with the 8381 will reduce the difference.

 

[Somafunk]

The Munich High End Show offers a unique opportunity to see and hear these most beautiful turntables in the world are also among the most expensive, with some reaching prices of over €170,000.

Ostentatious…….and I figure they’re perfect for the type of person who chooses to holiday or buy an apartment in Dubai

 

[MattHooper]

Ostentatious…….and I figure they’re perfect for the type of person who chooses to holiday or buy an apartment in Dubai

I can think of a Qatar jet they might suit just fine. “ We have only the biggest and best turntables on our Air Force One. Like nobody’s ever seen before. After listening people come up to me with tears in their eyes….”

 

[Behrelec 37]

thewas

This Ones series makes a more articulate and dense sound image texture from recordings all the way up to the 8381a collection.

But!

The Ones series 83xx, which is this new series from the present future of 2025, is not able to reproduce LIVE - sound reproduction (electric or acoustic) over a long distance in meters to the speakers and the listener as convincingly and believably as the older Master series produces today, much more believably and more enjoyable.

Of course, there are great pleasures available in both product series, which many wonder for a long time how that magic manifests itself in the genelecs, but there are differences in the structural implementation method but also a lot of similarities in the sound structures.

Which is the better product?

The older Master series or the Ones series ????

Here we come to personal tastes and the question of how far away each person wants or would like to listen to music or other audio sources in reality. Distance determines your behavior and level of understanding from genelecs and time.

 

[BeeKay]

Yes, it's not for everyone

Yes. One got to embrace hideously designed stuff. Then it’s probably great to look at.
It may help not to remove the price sticker.

 

[Arindal]

For me there were some significant differences for example on the models with one vs three tweeters.

Certainly true regarding room interaction, but tonality and imaging is not that much different after applying proper room correction. I do not like dome tweeter arrays or line sources at all and always had the feeling these are rather for sound reinforcement purpose and not monitoring.

the newer near and mid coaxial models but the new generation which started with the 8381 will reduce the difference.

Interestingly I perceive the difference between the smaller models, the bigger ones (particularly 8361) and the biggest (8381) to be pretty pronounced to a degree I would expect them to influence mixing decisions, particularly in terms of tonality and imaging.

 

[Mart68]

Hello,
The Munich High End Show offers a unique opportunity to see and hear these most beautiful turntables in the world are also among the most expensive, with some reaching prices of over €170,000.

In terms of 'beautiful' I'd rather have the Technics SL1500 in white:



Added to which, since the medium itself is the limitation here, performance will be close if not identical to those telephone number monstrosities.

 

[AdrianusG]

Ostentatious…….and I figure they’re perfect for the type of person who chooses to holiday or buy an apartment in Dubai

Pfff, there are a few of them I actually like (by looks!), however most of them i would not want in my house even if I could afford them, (and if I were into vinyl), which i'm not!
some of them, likely the most expensive ones at that, I would even call hideous, but that's just me I guess.

 

[thewas]

Certainly true regarding room interaction, but tonality and imaging is not that much different after applying proper room correction. I do not like dome tweeter arrays or line sources at all and always had the feeling these are rather for sound reinforcement purpose and not monitoring.

My experiences are quite similar there.

Interestingly I perceive the difference between the smaller models, the bigger ones (particularly 8361) and the biggest (8381) to be pretty pronounced to a degree I would expect them to influence mixing decisions, particularly in terms of tonality and imaging.

I think the size, price and directivity range is just huge (bigger than an almost every other brand) so the physical differences will dominate, on the other hand I think with the newer models like Ones and 8381 they will get smaller.

 

[Arindal]

I think the size, price and directivity range is just huge (bigger than an almost every other brand) so the physical differences will dominate,

In a way yes, but the differences seemingly have more impact than what would be expected from differently sized speakers. When trying to apply room correction on 8341A and 8361A for a comparison, I found it to be impossible to get a match. The closer I was getting tonal balance to each other´s, the more severe the differences in imaging and reverb perception became.

 

[Jean.Francois]

Hello,
here are 3 new shorts at the Munich show

 

[Ken1951]

View attachment 451586
I forgot to post some pictures of this €1 million system - given the size of the room it was in it had pretty impressive volume but I can’t imagine a room in any house needing something like this:

View attachment 451583

View attachment 451584
I took some extra picture of the cabling and the setup:


View attachment 451582
View attachment 451587

View attachment 451585

Give me near infinite money - - - and I would not even want anything that looks like this. Pure absurd garbage. Who cares what it sounds like?

 

[mocenigo]

The best sounding audio system in Munich is MINE! Because I built it!

 

[mocenigo]

I

Hello,
The Munich High End Show offers a unique opportunity to see and hear these most beautiful turntables in the world are also among the most expensive, with some reaching prices of over €170,000.

I always found them horribly tasteless bling.

 

[Audionaut]

The best sounding audio system in Munich is MINE! Because I built it!

Namely?

 

[mocenigo]

Namely?

You did not get that it was a joke
Still it is an excellent system.
Topping D90 (very first generation, no MQA)
Topping Pre90
Power amp with neurochrome universal buffer and first generation Eigentakt modules — at the time there was a four month lead time for Hypex PSUs so I have a different solution (connex + two linear superregolated supplies).
Self built speakers with modified Beyma TPL150H (3D printed rephasing plug and larger back chamber), Visaton TL16H supertweeter, FaitalPro 300 woofer — and a ripole sub per channel, each with 2 Goldwood 15” sound reinforcement speakers and a Hypex fusion to drive them.

 

[Jean.Francois]

Hello
An unforgettable listening experience with a 1935 Western Electric horn system. Originally designed to sound the grand cinema halls, this historic masterpiece of audio engineering delivers an absolutely breathtaking realism. From the very first notes, the illusion is complete: a full symphony orchestra or choir seems to materialize right in front of the listener. Every voice, every instrument takes shape with a physical presence, precision, and emotion that defy both time and modern technology.It’s an extraordinary sonic journey, made possible by the intact magic of this legendary system. The High End Munich Show is one of the rare places in the world where such a demonstration can be experienced—where living history meets acoustic perfection.

 

[Purité Audio]

Acoustic perfection!
Compare to a contemporary Danleys set up