Munich 2019

Verity Audio's system paired their Lohengrin IIS Reference loudspeaker system (110,000 Euros/pair) with the following electronics: A new preamplifier with active crossover, the Monsalvat Pro-4 (64,000 Euros) is designed to work with the loudspeakers; two Verity Audio Monsalvat Amp-60 Reference power amplifiers ($58,000 each), which I reviewed in the June 2019 issue; a Melco N1ZS/2A music server (9,975 euros); a TW-Acustic Raven Black Night turntable (29,500 Euros) with Raven 12 tonearm (5000 Euros) and RPS 10 phonostage (6,000 euros), and a Dynavector XV-1 S MC cartridge (4500 Euros).

Also in the system was a Sieveking Sound Quantum Noise Resonator (1200 Euros), Vibex 11-outlet Power Bar, Cardas Clear Beyond cabling, and Quadraspire SV2T equipment rack with Bronze upgrade. This system delivered solid, full-range sound that lacked only the last iota of transparency—not bad for a room at a show. The system also nailed the spaciousness of the organ on soprano Jessye Norman's recording of "Ave Maria,"

Verity also introduced, in a much smaller system that I did not have time to audition, the new Verity Audio Lakmé loudspeaker ($14,000/pair U.S.). Lakmé, which as two passive radiators and one active woofer per speaker, was designed for young people, which means, its panel color can be changed. (Panels are designed to remain on the speaker during playback.) The Lakmé has 89dB sensitivity, a minimum 6 ohm impedance, and a frequency response of 35Hz-25,000kHz.

The other two new products in this system were Verity's Amp-45 (25,000 euros), a trickled-down version of the Amp-60, and Verity's Pre-2 DAC/preamp (25,000 euros), a trickled-down, single-box version of the three-box Monsalvat Pro-6 DAC/Pre. The Pre-2 has 8 DACs per channel, 23 power supplies, can handle up to 32/384 and DSD256, and, in addition to two sets of analog inputs (which are digitized), has USB, SPDIF, AES, and I2S inputs.