Ever since the subject of hi-fi at the CES in Las Vegas no longer plays a role, the position of the annual High End in Munich has been clear: it is without a doubt the most important hi-fi trade fair in the world. The rush is correspondingly large - both in the run-up to the stand areas that have been completely sold out over the long term and during the actual trade fair. Hundreds of exhibitors as well as thousands of professional and normal visitors from all over the world met again this year in the Munich MOC to exchange information on the latest developments in high-quality image and sound reproduction.
The high end has long since reached a level that makes really complete reporting absolutely impossible. Therefore, the following overview should only be understood as a very personal and subjective selection. We just took photos and described what we particularly liked.
The organizers do not rest on the success of their trade fair, but try every year anew to offer the visitors something special with special shows, concerts or prominent guests. This year, in addition to the already established special presentation of young hi-fi startups and the lectures of the High End College, the headphones audible in the entrance area and the visit by the well-known Norwegian composer and musician Kari Bremnes were particularly striking. The singer visited numerous exhibitors, was available for an extensive autograph session and discussed the importance of good sound for music reproduction from the artist's point of view with other experts.
The speaker specialist Audio Physic from Brilon presented itself in Munich not only with a new distribution for Germany, but above all with exciting new speaker models. The successful Classic series will be completed with a few new products in the course of the year, but the absolute highlight was the mighty new flagship called Structure in an elegant carbon dress.
The Berlin tinkerers around company boss Thomas Gessler round off their Scientist series at the bottom and basically combine the STERN preamplifier with the HEISENBERG power amplifiers in a single housing. Audionet christened the resulting integrated amplifier the HUMBOLDT, and the mighty device is intended to set new standards in the absolute high-end class.
Traditionally, the demonstration at Avantgarde Acoustic is one of the best - and most spectacular - demonstrations of any high end. This year, too, they lived up to this reputation and demonstrated above all the sovereignty and the resolving power of the noble horn loudspeakers, especially with quieter pieces. A powerful DJ set ensured that the friends of irrepressible dynamics also got their money's worth. There were of course also new products on display, such as a special model of the DUO MEZZO in real piano lacquer and a new matt surface coating, which is now available for all avant-garde horns.
During a well-attended press event, the British manufacturer Chord Electronics announced two new products that should be available later this year. The new power amplifier Étude from the compact Choral series is based on a completely redeveloped amplifier concept, which is expected to find its way into all relevant British devices in the next few years. The HUGO TT 2, on the other hand, represents the further development of the successful desktop D / A converter HUGO TT and is supposed to come close to the sound of the DAVE reference converter, which is almost twice as expensive.
Unimpressed by hip hype and short-lived trends, Clearaudio has been building some of the best turntables in the world in Franconia for exactly 40 years - we heartily congratulate you on this anniversary. But anyone who knows Clearaudio knows that the people of Erlangen hardly need any help when partying. So for the big birthday they treated themselves to a freshly restored VW bus from the fifties, in which, certainly not 100 percent seriously, an InCar turntable derived from the statement was staged in an atmospheric way - an absolute crowd puller in Munich!
But with a whole range of anniversary products, there were also absolutely serious premieres to marvel at, including "Jubilee" versions of the well-known MM and MC cartridges as well as the Reference Jubilee turntable, whose construction principle is somehow familiar to our Herbert Lindemann happened ...
Traditional manufacturer Naim continues to rely on streaming and showed the recently introduced network players ND 555, NDX 2 and ND 5 XS 2 in Munich. All three models combine the latest digital technology with an authentic-sounding analog section, bringing together modern media usage and top sound in a congenial way.
