Munich show 2023 Hifideluxe and MOC .

[spiritofmusic]

Was the Wilson Benesch GMTOne TT playing?

 

[Alrainbow]

Elliot it’s very good to read a truly happy post lol.
I was to attend but as I was sick at axpona I needed be cured
I had Lyme disease apparently got it a few weeks before axpona. anyway next year if alive
Nice post Elliot

 

[Uk Paul]

Was the Wilson Benesch GMTOne TT playing?

Yes Marc..

 

[spiritofmusic]

Yes Marc..

And...AND...?!

 

[Audio Addict]

What components were in the Aries Cerat room?

It was the Ianus line.

From freezing a video of the room the equipment was:

Amplifier: QuintEssence Monobloc
Preamplifier: Ageto
DAC: Ithaka
Phonostage: Talos Reference
Prototype Integrated: Protos
Speakers: Aurora

 

[Audio Addict]

View attachment 110230View attachment 110231View attachment 110232
There's a lot going on in those. Hope that helps you visualize what's going on better.

Here is a video interview at the show on the Aurora speakers.

 

[AudioLibertarian]

[I apologize for my lousy English]

In my personal case, the rooms that I liked the most were:

1. Rockport + Absolare
It was one of the two rooms that really managed to surprise me. A big, wide, full and natural sound that made me feel like I was listening to live music. Although it seemed to me that the first day was the best, during the following days it did not disappoint me either.
View attachment 110318

2.Grimm Audio
A humble room in terms of equipment and money invested in the system, but a sublime and delicate sound, which I could have continued listening to for 4 days. In fact, I spent 3 separate days and each time I was amazed by the new MU2 (with built-in DAC), with the small Class D amps and small monitors that were able to fill the room.

View attachment 110305

3. Alsyvox + Pilium + Lampizator
Lampizator is a brand that I know perfectly, since it is a central part of my system, but I had never been able to listen to Alsyvox or Pilium, and the synergy between the three brands surprised me very pleasantly. Pilium also collaborated in several other rooms, and although in all of them he sounded quite spectacular, in this one he managed to stand out much more.

View attachment 110306

Undoubtedly, this ranking is totally subjective, and is based on the performance of the systems at the specific time I listen to each room, as well as my personal tastes, so it can differ greatly from other opinions.

It was an enriching experience to be able to listen to so many different systems, many of which will never reach Chile, the country from where I traveled.

Those speakers playing in the Grimm room were NOT the Grimm speakers, but the old, legendary Ensemble PA-1 monitors, if my eyes do not deceive me. I saw the video of that room and it was plainly evident to me, that the actual Grimm speakers (which to my ears are miles away in the sonic signature from the Ensemble PA-1) were shown at the room's entrance in a static dispaly. Now why would the Grimm play this trick and use other company's speakers is anyone's guess....

 

[morricab]

It was the Ianus line.

From freezing a video of the room the equipment was:

Amplifier: QuintEssence Monobloc
Preamplifier: Ageto
DAC: Ithaka
Phonostage: Talos Reference
Prototype Integrated: Protos
Speakers: Aurora

Talos Signature.

 

[jbrrp1]

Funny old game isn't it - thought FM acoustics was dire this year, but good last year and can't think of a single room with Wadax in that I enjoyed.

I agree that the FM Acoustics presentation was rather underwhelming, especially given their price tags. The speakers had real resonance issues in the mid and upper bass that I found distracting. I couldn't imagine living with that. Could be room and placement, but you'd think they'd attend to that, especially given that they are there before...

 

[jbrrp1]

So much to say about high end - first time I've gone for all four days, and still could have done more. Spoke to more designers this year than in the past, which adds something really special to the experience, especially when you own their kit.

Two interesting experiences.....

We were in the Alsyvox room early today and I asked Bob to play something orchestral with big dynamics to get a handle on how the speakers scaled, so he played Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances which fitted the bill perfectly. The sense of space the orchestra inhabited was played out perfectly, and critically didn't collapse during the tuttis - impressive stuff. We then stepped across the hall to listen to the Kroma Mercedes and by shear fluke they played the same track. Immediately the colouration of a (very good) box speaker relative to a panel was evident, and the Kroma didn't provide the same sense of space for the orchestra. Really fascinating experience.
The second one was visiting the Diptyque room and hearing Malia + Boris Blank, then going straight into the Western Electric room and hearing the same album. The Diptyque was light and agile with plenty of air and space, while the WE room was denser, warmer, darker. Both good (I personally prefer the Diptyque style), and more a case of different rather than better / worse.

My other observation is there were two rooms that stood out because the curators of the music had clearly put a lot of thought into their choices, and spoke to us about why; one was the big Stenheim / Dartzeel room, and the other was the Audioquest (CH digital, Riviera amps, Rockport Orion speakers), both of which were already impressive rooms but the experience was much elevated by the "DJs".

Alsyvox was Best of Show for me, even with the clear room resonance that they had to overcome. They are just so free, open, and full-range! An audio mate who had heard this exact same system the week before at Emile's Taiko headquarters said they were significantly better there. I've got to get there some time!

I was disappointed in the Kroma's. They were fizzy bright, kind of phasey sounding to me on Day 1 and I never went back in. I suppose I should have, but it is a big show, and I returned to other rooms that piqued my interest more.

That Stenheim + DartZeel room was disappointing on the first two days, but really came around by Day 4! And, yes, the musical selections are simply wonderful!

Loved the Audioquest room, too. Rockports are outstanding, and were well-supported. I ducked in there every day.

 

[jbrrp1]

At the HiFi Deluxe venue there was an outstanding sounding speaker: the Marco Serri Design "Gladiator" speaker (ugh, to the name!). Huge, imposing, distinct looking (and ugly, to me) speaker of high efficiency and high impedance that sang full range and evenly. I heard almost nothing to quibble with on this new entrant! They were driven by a complete chain of electronics and cabling by the same company. SET amps. Truly lovely sound, and very impressive. Pretty f'ing expensive (I believe they said MSRP of 285k EUR). One to watch, though. ~750 lbs. and 7 feet high.

 

[kjartanb]

I saw Fremers youtube videos on Munic 2023, and even if the different items are pretty nice and well-made, the prices are far through the roof.
This is prohibiting recrutement into hifi.
In the 70s and 80s, one could buy decent stuff when studying and dream realistically of being able to afford the expensive stuff once in a job. But now, 50-100k (€/$) per component is not unusual and even more for the most exclusive pieces.

 

[Rexp]

Those speakers playing in the Grimm room were NOT the Grimm speakers, but the old, legendary Ensemble PA-1 monitors, if my eyes do not deceive me. I saw the video of that room and it was plainly evident to me, that the actual Grimm speakers (which to my ears are miles away in the sonic signature from the Ensemble PA-1) were shown at the room's entrance in a static dispaly. Now why would the Grimm play this trick and use other company's speakers is anyone's guess....

Probably because Grimm speakers are digital, designed to be used with the MU1 streamer not the MU2 DAC.
Can you share the video please?

 

[DasguteOhr]

AE woofers good choice for without baffle, for tweeter i would use a other mundorf model works complete as dipole

Air Motion Transformer Dipole · 65x128mm · Neodym

Mit Resonanzlinearisierung ist eine Übernahmefrequenz von 2 kHz möglich. Mit einer Empfindlichkeit von 93 dB bereits für Röhrenfreunde geeignet.<br /> <br /> · Sehr linearer Frequenzgang<br /> · Unkritischer Impedanzverlauf<br /> · Ausschwingverhalten optimiert auf Dipol-Einsatz

www.mundorf.com

 

[jbrrp1]

Having read through more comments here from show-goers, I have to echo Elliot's observation: it is astonishing how clearly differently we all hear! I have strong aversions to some systems that other thoughtful audiophiles clearly love, and vice versa. No system does it all (although the Alsyvox one comes close for me!) and it gets down to what sins we can live with and what ones we cannot. I have yet to hear a horn speaker that appeals to me at all (sorry, Ked), as I cannot unhear the "cupped hands" going on. The best ones for me (i.e. least offensive) were the Cessaro smaller offerings, probably because they only use a tiny horn. But that's just me. Others clearly couldn't live with what I adore. It's great that there are so many cultivated options out there for us all, and it's important to relax and not pontificate on what's proper sound.

 

[kodomo]

Here are some WE12b movies from the show. Even if you do not see them on screen, it is them playing but I am sitting in the front row center and camera lens can not cover the span.

You don't know what love is excerpt

Cantate Domino, Christmas Song excerpt. When the whole choir joins you hear what it is all about. None of the systems at the show had this!

Whole lotta love, Led Zeppelin

 

[heihei]

I saw Fremers youtube videos on Munic 2023, and even if the different items are pretty nice and well-made, the prices are far through the roof.
This is prohibiting recrutement into hifi.
In the 70s and 80s, one could buy decent stuff when studying and dream realistically of being able to afford the expensive stuff once in a job. But now, 50-100k (€/$) per component is not unusual and even more for the most exclusive pieces.

We commented on this too - when I first went to High End in 2017, 20k for a speaker seemed quite a lot. Today that seems a very cheap speaker. Clearly overall inflation has had a decent impact, but still.......

 

[andromedaaudio]

We commented on this too - when I first went to High End in 2017, 20k for a speaker seemed quite a lot. Today that seems a very cheap speaker. Clearly overall inflation has had a decent impact, but still.......

I think you can still buy a top notch system for 50 K secondhand.
Most of the price hikes are not justified by performance in sound

Its getting more and more like a luxury industry where buyers are attracted by looks.
Look what i have !!

I think it makes more sense to judge high end audio by looks these days at a show like munich.
Its more fun and just.
Forget about SQ.

D AGOSTINO WILSON taking the prize

 

[jbrrp1]

I certainly agree with the Luxury Brand element invading this market. Tidal closed their doors to consumers on Day 3, and on Day 4 they won't let mere consumers hear their flagship Bugatti (name!) offering, saving that for audio royalty only. So consciously cultivating exclusivity that it is offensive. It's a bad look, but they must have decided that it works for them. Weird to me.

 

[andromedaaudio]

I certainly agree with the Luxury Brand element invading this market. Tidal closed their doors to consumers on Day 3, and on Day 4 they won't let mere consumers hear their flagship Bugatti (name!) offering, saving that for audio royalty only. So consciously cultivating exclusivity that it is offensive. It's a bad look, but they must have decided that it works for them. Weird to me.

I didnt know they were closed saturday.
Day 4 sunday i was twice in the room.
They had the bugatti sector cordoned off.
They split the room in 2 with a rope
I found the tidal crew being very friendly.
Its also possible its partly a bugatti marketing decission .
Bugatti is off course a top notch luxury brand which knows how to maintain exclusivity for high rollers.

Kharma was another example this year .
All looks no sound