Report from Munich, High-End Audio 2015 Part III
Report from Munich, High-End Audio 2015 Part II – by a young German audiophile
This was only my second time at the Munich High End. I’ve been to a number of other shows – mainly the CES in Las Vegas. The difference between CES and Munich is that in the latter, one gets to share the show with many enthusiasts eager to explore their hobby and meet fellow hobbyists, while The High End Audio side of the CES feels much less personable and enjoyable. To put it differently: CES equates to business men on a mission. Munich, on the other hand (while having a business raison d’être) very much embraces that kids in a candy store mentality and consumer friendly feel that the CES is lacking. (Please pardon me for digressing a bit)
Here to the important bits of my story:
I only had about 3 hours at the main part of the show (located at the M.O.C.). Hence, I had to focus on a small number of exhibitors. In retrospect this was great. It’s all too easy to get sidetracked. While it’s cool to peruse and discover new stuff, it also tires you out – leaving less time and energy to attentively listen to the things that truly interest you the most. Last year, I wandered the halls with little aim and after a while things started to get blurry. It does take a lot of energy to refocus each and every time when entering a new room. Some rooms are quickly dismissed, luckily my choices had no real misses among them. Here is what I heard.
1. Cessaro horns with their own tube electronics: while not a miss outright, a big disappointment to me. I have great memories of the smaller Cessaro speaker I’ve once heard at the CES with Zanden Electronics. This large horn system however, sounded nothing like its price tag. Show conditions? Perhaps. But, other exhibitors manage to make their complex systems sing. I’ll still want to give their larger systems a listen, but they are no longer on top of my auditioning list (last years display of theirs was disappointing to me as well)
2. Magico and Constellation: I stumbled into their room And didn’t stay long. Less obviously whizz bang hifi than I’ve heard Magico sound like before (their big horn system being the perfect example here in my book). This had potential. Didn’t stay long enough and don’t very much care for this new, albeit a lot more refined, version of the “Krell Crowd” as I like to think of them and other companies at the upper echelon of “high end”. Just not my cup of tea!
3. Tidal: met one of their U.S. dealers there, Doug White. Very nice gentleman. We exchanged a few words, together with Tidal’s proprietor (forgot his name). Tidal’s owner is also refreshingly down to earth and approachable. I like their company in general. The sound here was very detailed without being analytical. The hyper expensive drivers in their speakers didn’t shout “here I am.” I liked this ultra refined sound quite a bit, but I am not sure about their ability to grab me by the balls and get me dancing, or to generally make me forget about the fact that I am listening to a stereo and not music. Perhaps too much refinement and detail CAN be a bad thing. Don’t know! But, I want to hear more from them!! (Did I mention the looks – WOW!!)
4. Next up Perdect 8 on Ypsilon electronics: I really like Ypsilon. Heard them sound great with Tidal Speakers for example. The Perfect 8 speakers were the opposites of the Tidal school of refinement and understatement. Here the sound was dominated by exaggerated highs . Very hifi-ish. Not my kind of speaker.
5. Living Voice’s Vox Olympian horns. Unfortunately only got to listen to classical music here. The room was full and I was lucky to get a spot right smack in the sweet spot. Sometimes you feel a system before your brain can rationalize the sound. Not talking about deep bass. I felt an instant calm and relaxation wash over me. The only other time I felt like this was when listening to the top of the line Audio Note digital stack some years ago. In a word: THIS was music nothing more nothing less. Forget about detail, driver integration, sound staging, on any other term used to describe hifi. This was the least hifi I’ve ever heard a stereo sound. Even the term stereo doesn’t apply here. One could call this transcendental. I don’t want to get lost in superlatives, but this is without a doubt the most musically ENGAGING and REAL sound I’ve ever heard! (North of a million Euros one would hope so)
7. Blumenhofer & Einstein: didn’t stay long, but I really liked what I heard. I was still jaded from the Living Voice Kondo Demo, but while this didn’t hypnotize me, it definitely got my feet tapping! My short take: I want to hear more and I’ve never heard Einstein sound this open and unencumbered. Want to hear more from both companies!
8. Kaiser Kawero: my young (blessed by her audiophile virginity) friend loved this sound. I have to agree! Worth noting: There was a very nice company representative there who was (like the gentlemen from Tidal) refreshingly non-elitist and approachable. These speakers have the largest external crossovers known to men (together with AN-E Sogons perhaps) that I know of. Altogether impressive!
9. Wilson Benesch: Used to be my cup of tea, but not anymore. I didn’t have to be long in their room to notice that this was not the sound that I am looking for.
10. Wolf Von Langa (vinyl savor): didn’t seem impressive and/or noteworthy on first listen, but I am intrigued by the concept of field coil drivers and tubes. Want to give them another try for sure. Sounded a bid bland and non involving here today unfortunately.
11. Estelon Extreme Speakers: want to hear more of these for sure! Similar to Marten Speakers in their driver compliment, but certainly on another plane entirely looks and execution wise.
