Munich HighEnd 2024

[andromedaaudio]

Come to think of it .

There might be a more practical reason behind all this .
Just the fact that customers / dealers dont wanna deal with ( carry ) push pull tube designs .
Due to the occasional tube failure/ periodical tube replacement/ extra costs

 

[AudioLibertarian]

Come to think of it .

There might be a more practical reason behind all this .
Just the fact that customers / dealers dont wanna deal with ( carry ) push pull tube designs .
Due to the occasional tube failure/ periodical tube replacement

They usually have few burned-in spares, from my experience anyway.

 

[exupgh12]

These sound somewhat mid bass impact deficient from what I ve read, and heard with their Classic Line models.

The sound you hear from a speaker is the result of the room acoustics, electronics, and source—it's not just the speaker alone. If I move my speaker in the room, towing it in or out, the sound can become thinner or more organic, depending on the room interaction.

The Plural Evo are great speakers, but like any speakers, they have their strengths and weaknesses. If you find them interesting, I suggest you hear them in a proper setup. Although I'm a Magico guy (just ordered my S5 to replace the S3 2023), I find the Plural Evo to be one of my favorite dynamic speakers, along with other speakers from Zellaton's Reference line that I've heard.

 

[AudioLibertarian]

By any chance did anyone visit the Ensemble Audio set-up , which was located near the HI-Fi Deluxe's location , at a local hi fi shop?

 

[tima]

The other day I spoke to a mate who’s been over to Munich a few times (but not since 2019) and he’s thinking he might make the trip again next year… so if Western Electric is back 2025 I’ll likely head over next year as well and tie it in with a trip through Italy, France and Spain.

With regards to music at shows while I grew up listening in punk, post punk, pub rock and the EDM rave eras I also listened to jazz and classical from early on (pre teens) so I’ve never had issue with anyone’s music preferences but I do find when assessing gear acoustic instruments are just easier to benchmark against for me. Sure the quality of the music in any genre is important to me but not so much about genres themselves, we all just resonate to a different range of music… it’s not so much about better or worse but just about a different fit for the spirit.

I would ask what is the goal for going to an audio show. If it is to relax and see different systems, then the music used for demonstration may matter less although personally I'd still like to hear some examples of the kind of music I prefer.

If the goal is assess equipment in hopes of narrowing alternatives for a particular interest then, imo, the type of music played is relevant. Again imo, not just any music is appropriate to assessment -- for gauging the abilities of equpiment. Tonality, Dynamics, Timing. I agree that acoustic music is easier to benchmark.

" I don't give two fucks about your review. "

 

[exupgh12]

By any chance did anyone visit the Ensemble Audio set-up , which was located near the HI-Fi Deluxe's location , at a local hi fi shop?

No I did not, Hifideluxe was last minute call before our flight home.

 

[Moiz Audio]

Hi,

I don't know if you can read the Metadata from the photos, it writen 12.05.24 which is Sunday.
We visited Hifideluxe on that morning.

yes u are right. I checked they ran the show from friday to sunday. Thanks for the photos.

 

[Googaliser]

61 pages of vicarious enjoyment - thank you to all who posted. I haven't gone down the vinyl route yet - but this has to be one of the most beautiful pieces of audio equipment I have ever seen. Picture credit @shakti.

 

[morricab]

Just good, or purchase consideration worthy good?

Would have to hear with what I consider better amplification…also they are quite expensive.

 

[orfeo_monteverdi]

I just took a cd folder with about 15 cds …a bit more cumbersome but worked the same // idem, if there is any Munich 2025 for me

So it's not streaming everywhere?
Roughly, what is the percentage of rooms still equipped to spin CDs ?
- this year vs previous years.
- what is the trend? Constantly diminishing? Or a "revival" of physical media?
- so they seem to accept to spin burned CDs too... ( < tima)
Thanks!

 

[morricab]

So it's not streaming everywhere?
Roughly, what is the percentage of rooms still equipped to spin CDs ?
- this year vs previous years.
- what is the trend? Constantly diminishing? Or a "revival" of physical media?
- so they seem to accept to spin burned CDs too... ( < tima)
Thanks!

This was many years ago …very few cd drives at this year’s show

 

[Al M.]

V

This was many years ago …very few cd drives at this year’s show

...and probably a lot of bad Wi-Fi.

 

[morricab]

V

...and probably a lot of bad Wi-Fi.

No idea on that front

 

[Lagonda]

you do know I was only joking Milan

As long as i im not forced to listen to chamber pot music once i turn 60, all is good !

 

[Lagonda]

Come to think of it .

There might be a more practical reason behind all this .
Just the fact that customers / dealers dont wanna deal with ( carry ) push pull tube designs .
Due to the occasional tube failure/ periodical tube replacement/ extra costs

It's often cheaper to buy a decent sounding tube amp, than a good sounding SS amp, most of the good ones cost serious money, personally i will take a good SS amp over tubes any day of the week. What happened to your infatuation with Gryphon Apex from last year, did the reality of cost hit you !

 

[Lagonda]

61 pages of vicarious enjoyment - thank you to all who posted. I haven't gone down the vinyl route yet - but this has to be one of the most beautiful pieces of audio equipment I have ever seen. Picture credit @shakti.

And not even a brand he carries ! That German creation looks like it is going to open up a wormhole when you play 45's !

 

[andromedaaudio]

It's often cheaper to buy a decent sounding tube amp, than a good sounding SS amp, most of the good ones cost serious money, personally i will take a good SS amp over tubes any day of the week. What happened to your infatuation with Gryphon Apex from last year, did the reality of cost hit you !

Honestly im sitting frontrow already for a fraction of the price .
In 22 it sounded really good on Kroma ls and wadax.
Last year i saw only audiovector with the gryphon amps and this year gryphon with their own speakers.
After hearing also Pandora / Memphisto this year the urge kinda went away.
For solidstate its really good.

My prioriities shifted to digital , the wadax studio player.
But the way my gold / silver mining stocks are going lately its hard to take some chips of the table

 

[andromedaaudio]

Ps i asked ken Stevens.

Do you think cables matter he said yes.
I guess i have been wrong all along , lol.

Upgrade in due time within the CAT brand is probably the best solution .

The latest CAT jl5 incarnation has teflon circuit boards and improved cabling plus some other things ken told me.

Ps i do use also teflon insulated internal wire in certain cases

 

[gleeds]

Destination audio
Lampizator.

Those are great photos of the Destination/Lampizator room, Andromeda!

For me, the Destination Audio Lampizator room was the best of HE2024. I arrived at HiFi Deluxe around 6:30 pm Saturday after a long day at the MOC. To say Sam and Lukaz's room was an oasis of music is putting it mildly. While I have experienced Destination's big Vista horns at length in the US, I had never heard the Nika's before. These manageably sized three-way horn wonders based on classic JBL drivers were near perfect. Powered by Destination Audio's in-house GM-70 integrated amplifier and fronted by a Mac Mini plugged into the incomparable Posidean DAC, I and a few other lucky folks bathed in Sam's selection of great tracks. This system totaled approximately $150,000 and was hands down better than most mega-systems displayed at the main event. Darrin of Audio Limits in Nevada is the US importer for DA. I hope they will bring the same system to The Show - Orange County early next month so more people can experience what I did.

Other favorite rooms:

VAC/Von Schweikert exhibited the new VAC 220 mono amplifiers with the value-leading VSA ESE Reference speakers in a stunning new Maserati Bianco white finish. They were good on Friday, but once the Esoteric CD player/DAC relaxed on Sunday, the sound took on a new dimension that was belied by the speaker's modest cost.

Zellaton exhibited its new Reference series speakers and used the superb and pricey YS electronics and Scherzinger cabling.

Boenicke Audio was playing his limited-production W22 loudspeakers. Sven used his cables, amplifiers, and new DAC to create some of the show's most emotionally engaging sounds. The man is undoubtedly one of the business's most creative and innovative designers.

In the Clarisys room early on Sunday morning, Florian was a great host to Angus and me. He played some kicking electronica powered by the big CAT monoblocks and made fantastic sounds despite the cozy room's tough dimensions.

Overall, it was a fantastic show with more examples of good sound than last year's event.

 

[andromedaaudio]

@ Lagonda MBL sounded really good this year .