Stereo Times’ High End 2014 Munich Report
Overwhelmed would be considered an understatement!
No matter how many times I’ve attended the High End Show in Munich, Germany, its sheer size never ceases to amaze. Held every second week in May, this was easily the largest and most anticipated show I have ever visited thus far – eclipsing the remarkably huge Singapore High End Audio event I attended back in 2000. Held once again in the humongous Munich Order Center (MOC), which is about a 30 minute drive from the Munich Airport.
The statistics from the High End press committee sent via email boasted 452 exhibitors (+25% growth from 2013), from over 40 countries and nearly 18,000 visitors at this year’s event. This, the committee statement read, “the significant increase of exhibitors and exhibition space made this year’s High End 2014, the biggest show of its kind.” Now in its 33rd year, the High End is has become the event to show off one’s wares. So much in fact, there are now two other local high-end shows held in Munich at the same time but in smaller venues (hotels).
Munich, located on the southern slope of Bavaria, it also serves as the state’s capital (and is also home to my favorite automobile, the BMW). Munich is also a great tourist town so if you’re planning to come to any future High End shows, plan an extra couple of days extra because you’ll want to see this gorgeous city. It certainly has become among my favorites places. Unfortunately, the weather is almost always rainy around the month of May, so be sure to bring an umbrella and a raincoat.
The MOC is a wonderful location for fun loving music lovers like myself because it’s very well lit and has tons of open space that features three levels, a huge atruim, a seating area, a restaurant, multiple cafes (both in and outdoor), and designated smoke areas for nicotine fiends.
Advertising was everywhere to be found. Even in the bathrooms.
And once again, Key and I hit the ground running. Here’s only a glimpse as to what we thought of as worth a photo. There was so much to see and so little time. Oh, what to do!
Although the High End show’s official start date (Thursday, May 14th), was only open to the press, perusing along Miles Davis Avenue, it looked as though there were lots of press indeed.
And of course, there was plenty eye candy to see…..
Corum Audio
DMA Multimedia specifically designed the DMA-06 ($4500) high-end server for high-end audio and entertainment enthusiasts who also enjoy watching the latest movies/games through their audio system. As a movie buff, I’ve kept and eye on DMA Multimedia since it debuted at Munich High End back in 2010. The unit is slim, lightweight, operates wirelessly via any smart device and can be easily hid behind a flatscreen television. The company is owned and operated out of Baden Switzerland, by electronic and software designer Daniel Mayerthaler (above photo), who also provided an impressive demo featuring DMA Multimedia technology filmed at High End 2014. That video is avaiable via Youtube right here. Intrigued, I asked for a review sample after this insightful presentation and am expecting delivery on the DMA-06 in the not too distant future.
Anatosio Vardaxoglou of Audio4Soul of Bulgaria, designer of reference caliber high end digital amplifiers, was one of those featured in the High End Newcomer section.
Naum Dorkham was quite excited to also have the new VIVO loudspeakers from South Africa here at High End 2014 (the word out is they’re being assembled in the Audes facility located in Estonia) Using a single coax driver, this floor stander (model shown on the left above) has a projected US retail price of $2995.00. I think that makes the VIVO among the most affordable loudspeakers I’ve seen at this show. I should have a review pair in the not too distant future and I look forward to sharing my findings.
Guess who I bumped into right off of Edvard Grieg Blvd? Robert Lee of Acoustic Zen showing off his Crescendo loudspeakers with Triode Corp’s beautiful sounding electronics. Of course, it was a delight to know Acoustic Zen has finally made it over to the biggest two-channel event on the planet, but I also noticed that he too had to suffer from the new-comer blues by being placed in a shoebox sized, 1″ sheetrock walled makeshift room. Ouch!
Burmester Automotive Group had a nice demo that featured Burmester Systems in some great German automobiles.
Finally got a chance to hear PS Audio DSD DirectStream DAC and have to confess the differences I heard, in a small makeshift room were pretty impressive. Keep in mind, the music I heard was first played back in standard Redbook (16/44.1) then upsampled to what Paul McGowan, president of PS Audio, claims is 10-times greater than that of DSD resolution (2.8MHz). I do know the immediate differences were: greater ambiance, definition in bass – especially imaging – and just an overall more natural feel to the overall recording. With the DirectStream DAC capability of upsampling anything can you throw its way via its seven digital inputs, I find its $5995.00 retail price rather impressive.
Okay, enough of the Halle space. Time to go upstairs where the big rooms and really good setups reside….
I sure got a huge surprise when walking in the Stein Music Room this year. Wiener Lautsprecher Manufaktur, of course from Germany, had an arsenal of active loudspeakers stretching across this rather large room. What’s more amazing was I’d never heard of them. Dressed in a beautiful white satin finish, I noticed the big and multi-drivered Franz model (90,000 €), the most auspicous as it hails at this company’s reference. I believe its own internal amplification drives its multi-array of woofers (4) only, however, the Stein Music components drove the midrange and tweeter section with amazingly positive results. So much so, I came back to room at least a half-dozen times hoping to catch another glimpse of the Franz model in rotation, since it seemed to be on demostration every other hour or thereabouts. Yes, it’s a lot of speaker and just by looking at it, I would have a hunch that its perhaps a little too complicated lacking that “single voice’ sound we all thrive for. Not true. Whatever they’ve got going on – in its obviously complex crossover – it’s doing something that caught my attention in short notice. Especially with regard to its top end openness compliments of that open baffle, elongated bipolar ribbon super tweeter. Yeah, I think the sound was often played too loud, and too often. But when I could get Holger Stein to convince the designer to turn the music down, that was when I finally got a chance to hear how absolutely delightful and well balanced this speaker system performed. A standout performer!
Backes & Müller, a German loudspeaker manufacturer that claim to have built the first active loudspeaker back in the mid-seventies, was hugely popular at High End 2014. Showcasing their latest active Line Series (above photos), the company appears to be the biggest and most successful loudspeaker manufacturer I’ve never heard. And for good reason. Here in the States, audiophiles abhor active loudspeakers despite the huge technical disadvantages their passive counterparts attempt to side-step but never fully avoid. For example: poor power sensitivity/efficiency compromises normally go hand in hand alongside sluggish impulse response measurements and crossover phase problems. In fact, these problems are so common, we’ve come to accept and live with them as is. However, Backes &
The Backes & Müller Series 100 Coaxial Horn Cylinder Wave Emitter active loudspeaker is among the elite of reference caliber loudspeakers available today. On a recent trip to their facility (located in Saarbrücken), I had the pleasure of hearing the Series 100 for an extended period of time.
On certain levels, for example: clarity and dynamics, the Series 100 proved to be the best I’ve experienced. With a near $1,000,000 sticker price, they ought to be. On the other hand, the company debuted their smaller Series 200 (above, listed at somewhere around $500k), Although I did not have the chance to hear them in Munich, I do know they are merely a cost-friendlier version of their outstanding flagship model housed in a better looking cabinet.
Karem Kucukasian, president of Absolare, should get some kind of award for matching the visual look of Absolare Passion components with their sound: GORGEOUS. I’ve seen the maturation of the Absolare brand up close and personal having visited Kucukasian’s home and facility in Istanbul, Turkey back in ’09 (see that article here). One thing’s certain, Absolare is not for the feint of heart audiophile looking for some bang for the buck. It’s a (wealthy) music lovers dream system that’s attractive enough to be placed right in one’s dining room. No, I did not say you can place a pair of Rockport Altair loudspeakers in your dining room. Unless
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