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This system, largely composed of Viva Audio components—including three world premieres—was supported by a mix of modest and high-end source components.

This room featured multiple world premieres, including the TechDAS AF 4 turntable ($31,500, all prices approximate when converted from Euros), The Wand Dark-Light tonearm ($8200), and the Mutech RM Hayate MC cartridge (Corrected: $9000 after tariffs).

What more delightful way to end the third day of High End Munich than having a cup of tea and a short chat with Jean-Christophe Calmettes, owner of Jadis Electronics? He had some interesting news to share about the French company's two forthcoming integrated amplifiers, the Aria class-AB ($5200, all prices approximate when converted from Euros) and the Ode 30W pure class-A (available fourth quarter 2025, price TBD).

Dual sales manager Lothar Mertens presented the company’s full line of manual turntables, along with an intriguing prototype: the CS 718Q, a manual direct-drive 3-speed model.

L.A.-based dealer Common Wave Hi-Fi is presenting in six rooms in Costa Mesa this year. The one I visited was showing a Luxman PD-151 Mark II turntable ($5995) with Luxman's LMC-5 cartridge alongside other Luxman components from the 100-year-old Japanese maker's limited Black Edition Centennial series.

Reporting on High End Munich is like navigating a blizzard. As I pushed from room to atrium to hall to lobby, products seemed to whiz by me, their presenters vying for attention in this international maelstrom of hi-fi. Amid my mad dash, a small speaker manufacturer from Sweden caught my attention: Guru.

Danish loudspeaker maker Storgaard & Vestskov, a relatively young company, operates from Bornholm, a small island in the Baltic Sea. Their 150,000ft² production hub handles everything in-house: R&D, milling, varnishing, and final assembly.