Two well-known French high-end audio brands, Kora and Diptyque Audio, debuted new products together at High End Munich.
An Innuos Statement music server and streamer ($18,900), a Kora CD Player 140 ($6300, all prices approximate when converted from Euros), and a Kora DAC 140 ($8150) fed Kora's new CSA 2120 stereo amplifiers ($30,600 each), which offer 120Wpc into 8 ohms, and the new CSA 1200 monoblocks ($51,000/pair), rated at 200W into 8 ohms. O2A cables connected the works.
The electronics ably drove Diptyque's new Reference MKII ($53,000/pair), a 3-way ribbon planar available in six colors. It's rated at 89dB/1W/1m at 4 ohms, with a stated frequency range of 22Hz-44kHz. The speaker has a serious physical presence, measuring 73"×28"×15.0" and weighing 194lb. A full Stereophile review is forthcoming.
"Each bass cell [of the Reference MKII] is powered by two independent windings (vertical and horizontal), composed of ribbons," states the Diptyque website. "This exclusive architecture allows the mylar membrane to vibrate 22µm using hundreds of small square motors... which ensures total vibration control, guaranteeing deep, linear, distortion-free bass with unmatched efficiency compared to existing isodynamic systems."
Despite my usual reservations about ribbon speakers, this system delivered superb musical reproduction. Quentin Dujardin's "Blues for M&N" wasn't just romantically atmospheric-it was punchy, emotive, and immersive, with the acoustic guitar and accordion arrangement wrapping around me. Though front-to-back depth was limited, likely due to room acoustics, the system itself vanished.
Roger Waters's The Dark Side of the Moon Redux, his solo reinterpretation of the Pink Floyd classic, delivered monsoon-sized atmosphere, unfolding a densely layered soundstage that grabbed me by the throat. Every detail-from the textured snare drum and vocal to the pulsing organ and guitar-was practically in my lap, drawing me deep into the performance.
The electronics ably drove Diptyque's new Reference MKII ($53,000/pair), a 3-way ribbon planar available in six colors. It's rated at 89dB/1W/1m at 4 ohms, with a stated frequency range of 22Hz-44kHz. The speaker has a serious physical presence, measuring 73"×28"×15.0" and weighing 194lb. A full Stereophile review is forthcoming.
Despite my usual reservations about ribbon speakers, this system delivered superb musical reproduction. Quentin Dujardin's "Blues for M&N" wasn't just romantically atmospheric-it was punchy, emotive, and immersive, with the acoustic guitar and accordion arrangement wrapping around me. Though front-to-back depth was limited, likely due to room acoustics, the system itself vanished.
Roger Waters's The Dark Side of the Moon Redux, his solo reinterpretation of the Pink Floyd classic, delivered monsoon-sized atmosphere, unfolding a densely layered soundstage that grabbed me by the throat. Every detail-from the textured snare drum and vocal to the pulsing organ and guitar-was practically in my lap, drawing me deep into the performance.
