Accompanying exhibits that combined products from Basso Continuo, Dan D’Agostino, dCS, Krell, Meridian Audio, Nordost, Perlisten, Velodyne, Vicoustic, VPI, VTL, Western Electric, and Wilson Audio (among others) were a host of industry luminaries. Among these were Dan D’Agostino and Burhan Coskun (D’Agostino Master Systems), Joe Reynolds (Nordost), Luke Manley (VTL), Charles G. Whitener (Western Electric), and…
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Mansour Mamaghani’s Audio Reference, one of Munich’s top high-end showrooms, again filled a massive exhibit space in the MOC with multiple display areas dedicated to major brands.
Voxativ owner and designer Inès Adler and head of marketing Christopher Owens debuted Andagio, “their newest horn-loaded model meticulously optimized for their exclusive range of field coil drivers,” the press release stated.
The base model costs $32,900/pair, equipped with the paper-coned AC-X field coil driver, the Andagio is also available with higher-resolution drivers including the wood-coned AC-X2 at $36,900/pair. In the video, Ines Adler introduces the Andagio and discuss its features and sound.
The Andagio can also be fitted with a “hybrid field coil driver,” the…
Assisted by IAD Audio’s Thomas Henke, I learned about Quad HiFi’s relaunch of their beloved 33 preamplifier and 303 power amplifier, which were available and very popular from 1967 to 1985. (Stereophile’s Spin Doctor, Mike Trei, owns an original set in perfect working order). Also on premiere, the new Quad electrostatic loudspeaker, the ESL 2912X (app. €17,000), a floorstander in the lineage of the classic Quad ESL 57. (Mike has those, too.)
Henke told me that the new Quad components will be available within six months. The 303 will offer 60Wpc, cost approximately €1500 apiece…
Tannoy consultant/designer Danny Cooklin gave me a proper introduction to the company’s forthcoming 70th Anniversary Autograph 12 loudspeaker, which was in the prototype stage at High Munich.
The Autograph 12 is built around Tannoy's current 12" concentric driver with an AlNiCo-magnet motor on the mid/bass driver. “The new design retains AlNiCo for the legendary midrange Tannoy is known for while employing a dedicated neo-magnet for the tweeter, a redesigned waveguide, and many other improvements to form a new flagship driver design for the brand,” a press release stated.
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Air Tight Managing Director Yutaka "Jack" Miura was in Munich to introduce the new Air Tight Stereo Power Amplifier ATM-1 (price TBD).
A Primary Control Kinea turntable (€17,900) with new Primary Control Solaris Tonearm (TBD) and Air Tight Opus-1 cartridge (€13,500) fed an Air Tight ATH-3 S SUT (€2677) then an Air Tight Reference Phono Stage ATE-3011 (€27,500).
An Air Tight Control Amplifier ATC-7 (€30,000)) drove the same company's new ATM 1E Mono Power Amplifier (TBD) or the not-as-new ATM-3211 Mono Power Amplifiers (€78,000).
Speakers…
Big components need a big room and a big man to explain it. Nick Döhmann talked turkey and then some regarding his new Döhmann Helix One Mk3 turntable ($70,000) with a new 10.5” Supatrac Nighthawk tonearm (£12,500), and Air Tight Opus 1 cartridge.
Amplification was the same tricked-out, tube-powered bonanza I saw in in Jeffrey Catalano’s High Water Sound room at AXPONA: Acustica Applicata’s new Alieno Tube Phono Stage (€35,014), Line Preamplifier ($75,000), and the new Alieno 150-120 LTD stereo amplifier (€56,107). The 150-120 LTD allows use of either 300B or 2A3 tubes—150Wpc…
When Jason Victor Serinus arrived at High End Munich 2024, he found the scale and scope of the show to be truly impressive, as you'd expect from the world's largest two-channel audio expo.
Room reports are now posting, so check our homepage for more coverage.
The electronics of Borg.Audio’s Christian Gunther look like they're straight off the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. With their retro-futuristic visual style, you’re bound to either love or hate them. Though I didn’t hear them at Gunther’s static display, I’m already in the first camp.
Gunther premiered a number of products at High End Munich, including the Aria phonostage ($24,000), Vero phonostage/recorder ($24,000), Solo headphone amplifier ($17,000), Solo Base preamp/streamer/recorder ($12,000), Solo 3X mono amplifiers and active crossover ($15,000 apiece), and Mass…
Not every exhibit in Munich is colorful, but many are. Walking through the exhibit halls, I was inspired to try and catch some of the most striking.
The newest thing from Technics is this Lamborghini-inspired SL-1200–variant turntable. Here’s hoping it doesn’t run fast—but I’m not holding my breath.
While we’re on the Lamborghini theme: I’m not sure whether to consider this a table radio or a console audio system, since it’s quite large.
Many products from German high-end manufacturer Burmester have a mirror finish—though the company now offers a…
“Dear Ken,” wrote Thuono Audio’s Eleonora Bonollo, “you are welcome to come to our stand in Halle 2 n. G05, where I can show you our turntables and tonearms. Our TH400-model turntable will be playing with Grandinote on the second floor, whereas our TH350 model turntable will be playing at the Motorshow rooms just in front of the MOC.”
Fueled by caffeine and the relentless search for intoxicating hifi, I rounded a corner in Halle 2 and there they were: a trio of Thuono Audio turntables. These weren't just record players; this was record spinning as art, the combination steel/aluminum/…