Audio Reference of Hamburg, in collaboration with many of its distributed brands, set up a mind-blowing system at Munich High End, valued at well over $3 million. At its heart were Wilson Audio’s WAMM Master Chronosonic loudspeakers ($685,000/pair)—Dave Wilson’s final design—and a massive Wilson Thor’s Hammer subwoofer array ($25,000/each).
The setup also featured four eye-catching D’Agostino Relentless monoblocks ($349,500/pair), a three-piece Relentless preamplifier ($165,000), a full dCS Vivaldi front end (roughly $90,000 total), and a VPI Direct Drive turntable that wasn’t in use during my audition. Completing the rig were Nordost Odin 2 cables and power treatment, two hefty Stromtanks, and Italian-made Bassocontinuo racks.
The visual presentation—Munich’s version of concert-hall elegance meets Hollywood glitz on the Met Gala red carpet—telegraphed part of the system’s intent. But thanks to audio engineer and Wilson brand ambassador Peter McGrath, who cued up both his own recordings and those of others for the press, the system’s musical raison d’être came equally to the fore.
I had heard the WAMM once before, also with the Vivaldi front end, but in Dave Wilson’s sedate, heavily damped living room. Listening to the system again in Munich, from a prime seat, was a thrill. Images were massive, colors vivid, and the impact breathtaking. Kudos to McGrath for playing one of his MQA (Master Quality Authenticated)–refreshed recordings of Stravinsky’s "Firebird Suite" along with tracks by Spanish singer Buika and Bobby Bass’s version of "The Wellerman."
I doubt anyone who experienced this Holy Trinity of sound, price, and visual drama will forget it any time soon. With full orchestral fare, the system brought me closer to the impact of the real thing—from a prime seat in a lively concert hall—than any audio rig has ever taken me.
The visual presentation—Munich’s version of concert-hall elegance meets Hollywood glitz on the Met Gala red carpet—telegraphed part of the system’s intent. But thanks to audio engineer and Wilson brand ambassador Peter McGrath, who cued up both his own recordings and those of others for the press, the system’s musical raison d’être came equally to the fore.
I had heard the WAMM once before, also with the Vivaldi front end, but in Dave Wilson’s sedate, heavily damped living room. Listening to the system again in Munich, from a prime seat, was a thrill. Images were massive, colors vivid, and the impact breathtaking. Kudos to McGrath for playing one of his MQA (Master Quality Authenticated)–refreshed recordings of Stravinsky’s "Firebird Suite" along with tracks by Spanish singer Buika and Bobby Bass’s version of "The Wellerman."
I doubt anyone who experienced this Holy Trinity of sound, price, and visual drama will forget it any time soon. With full orchestral fare, the system brought me closer to the impact of the real thing—from a prime seat in a lively concert hall—than any audio rig has ever taken me.
