Kal reviews the Yamaha Aventage BD-A1000 universal Blu-ray player and remarks "a sharp-looking, great-sounding machine that will play any extant digital format well. It sounded better in my better system, where I could really relish its low-frequency performance." He also takes a listen to the Meridian 861 Reference v6 Digital Surround Controller and ponders "how to reconcile the internal complexity of Meridian's 861 Reference v6 with the disarming purity of the sounds it reproduces?"

A typical display at the M.O.C. was open, airy, and comfortable, made to resemble a well-designed modern home&#151very much unlike the typical hotel room at many of our US hi-fi shows, which are often dimly lit, stuffy, and completely uncomfortable.

Time and time again during the Munich High End Show, I was impressed by the ways in which hi-fi was presented.

The issue of cost, which is so often prevalent at our shows, also seemed nonexistent in Munich. Even the issue of sound, our reason for existence, seemed easy to overlook in light of the pure fun, obvious physical excellence, and, yes, sexiness, of the displays in Munich.

The Munich Show was not only promoting and selling sound, but was promoting and selling a way of life. In Munich, and perhaps in all of Europe, the idea of enjoying a certain high-quality “lifestyle” was eagerly embraced; meanwhile, here in the States, such an idea is often derided.

Why?

If hi-fi were presented in the States as it was at the Munich show, we might not have such silly questions about attracting a younger audience, attracting women, or even whether the hobby will survive. We would be too busy enjoying ourselves&#151stopping for a Spaten in the sun before heading on to the next exhibit&#151to waste time and life with any of that foolishness.

NAD gear really gets around. The stuff was all over the Munich High End Show, which made me feel sort of proud to have NAD’s C 316BEE (review to come in our July issue) in my own system.

Rosemarie was dressed to perfectly match this lovely, simple system: Dynaudio’s small and capable DM2/6 loudspeakers ($800/pair), matched with NAD’s C 565BEE CD player, C 165BEE preamp, and C 245BEE amplifier.

“Just sit right here and look pretty,” I told her.

“What?”

“I said, ‘You look so pretty.’ What did you think I said?”

The press kit reads: “Home is where we can do exactly what we please. It’s freedom to breathe, live, love, and play together with music as a dedicated companion….”

Does this man look tired? Not at all. In fact, he seems tireless.

“Do you have any new products?” I innocently asked Hans-Ole Vitus, Vitus Audio’s uncompromising founder and designer.

His eyes went wide.

“Yes. I hadn’t slept for two weeks leading up to this show because I’d been worrying about all the new products.”

This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com

I’ve heard so many conflicting opinions on the Ultrasone Edition 10 that I just had to get my hands on a pair. At $2,749, you’d reckon the praise ought to be a little more consistent. So I gave my buddy Todd (the Vinyl Junkie) a call to see if he had a pair I could play with, and sure enough, he had a slightly used pair for me to audition.

Wow! What an experience!

The world’s sexiest record-cleaning machine? Possibly. This Hannl Mera ELB (€2670), housed in orange acrylic to look like hot lava, offers programmable cleaning and suction functions for quiet operation and quick drying.

Don’t like orange lava? (What’s wrong with you?) Potential owners can customize their Mera ELBs. Pick your favorite colors and clean away.