Munich High End 2023 Wrap Up and Alternative View

TrackingAngle hired a local to cover some of the show

First of all, let me introduce myself: I am a musician (non-active), a pro sound technician, and owner of a small recording studio near Munich, Germany, so I have technical and musical production in my background. I do not allow anyone to listen for me or to try to convince me that there is something I cannot hear in a song. You can find more details about me on my LinkedIn profile

High-End is the term that defines the branch of home audio that, in terms of size, power consumption and price, has no limits to achieving sonic perfection. It is Formula 1 of home audio but without rules. High End Munich is a fair that brings together this industry, where people listen to the sound and not to the music and where the ego is counted by tons.

 

Dan D'Agostino launched at the fair the Relentless Epic 800 monoblock amplifier. Now I noticed I forgot to include weight in the second intro paragraph of my review.

Every major section of the new Relentless Epic Mono Amplifiers- power supply, input, driver, and output stages - have all been enhanced.  A new power management topology further isolates the power supply from the entirety of the audio circuitry providing extra protection from the noise the massive power transformers can generate. Its unique heat sink combines copper and aluminum in a thermal engine that wicks away heat from the connected devices. The elaborate elliptical design expands on the venturi heat sink first explored in the Momentum series and makes certain that the Relentless Epic amplifiers run safely and reliably even when delivering its full rated power, and its entire chassis is machined from solid aluminum, for superior shielding, thermal stability and vibration damping.

Another launch, the Momentum MxV Integrated Amplifier, is a modular design that is configurable to a listener’s preferences. The core line stage preamplifier section can be augmented to include a digital streaming and/or a phonostage module. When fully equipped, the Momentum MxV Integrated Amplifier topology is a seamless circuit working as one from input to output. The preamplifier section includes 6 individual left and right circuit boards make up the input, volume control, and output sections. The core topologies have been appropriated from the Momentum HD Momentum Preamplifier including an innovative FET-based input stage.

Analog Audio Design had a small booth with just 2 products, Tape Player TR-1000 and Tape Player TP-1000 Gold Edition, both without differences in their technical specifications. Please check the link for technical specifications.

Chord Electronics launched the Ultima Integrated amp, a 125-watt integrated amplifier benefitting from the latest dual-feed-forward error-correction topology, Chord Electronics’ legendary proprietary ultra-high-frequency power supplies, plus an unmistakable industrial aesthetic. Designed by Chord Electronics’ founder, owner and chief engineer, John Franks, its circuit monitors and immediately corrects audio signals before the output stage. Also takes advantage of the very latest developments in advanced low-distortion power supplies  ̶̶̶̶̶̶̶  devices offering exceptionally low noise and outstanding amplifier operation  ̶̶̶̶̶̶̶  for even greater fidelity. A 4-input design (1 fully balanced and 3 unbalanced), all enjoy individual buffering and are selectively filtered against potential ingress from radio frequency interference; selection switching is via microprocessor-controlled sealed relays. All metalwork is precision-machined from solid aircraft-grade aluminum, including Chord Electronics’ iconic Integra Legs. The fascia sports a 28-mm-thick front panel with a perfectly symmetrical aesthetic, centered around a spherical power on/off control with polychromatic lighting, flanked by illuminated volume and balance controls.

OMA introduced the K5 Turntable the little brother to the K3. K5 shares all the same features as K3 in a smaller, more accessible package.

CNC machined out of a solid block of aerospace aluminum alloy, removable tonearm plate, optional isolation base plinth, optional second arm board, guaranteed for life. Unfortunately, I could not appreciate its sound quality because the demo system had no top end at all.

dCS: the dCS Lina system and Bartók APEX were available to demo in the Headphone Zone; attendees were also invited to demo the Bartók APEX paired with the Lina Master Clock and Headphone Amplifier. dCS Lina was also exhibited by Qobuz and Meze Audio. dCS Vivaldi APEX and Rossini APEX were exhibited in in the dCS room alongside Dan D’Agostino Momentum amplifiers, Nordost Valhalla 2 cabling, Wilson Audio Alexia V loudspeakers, and racks by Bassocontinuo. All dCS products were available to demo at the Audio Reference booth, where dCS Rossini APEX was exhibited by our friends and partners Estelon, Constellation, Nordost, Innuos and VTL.

dCS Vivaldi APEX

dCS Rossini APEX

The best innovative design goes to IO Design. Tech specs: aerospace aluminum and military grade CNC machining precision, proprietary laboratory grade anti-vibration structure, torque wrench precision joints tightening (first ever usage to control the resonances), damped solid steel precision feet with proprietary unidirectional vibration draining flow, structure is resonance frequency controlled, custom loudspeakers drivers’ precision matching (2 woofers 12", 1 custom magneto-planar midrange, 1 custom ribbon tweeter), proprietary crossover design with top quality electronic components, and patent pending tuning solutions for a perfect room’s setup.

Surprises and meetings: Rick Rubin, the famous music producer, was attending the fair. Here you can see him talking with Al Di Meola. Considering the average musical ignorance at the fair, if it weren't for his striking appearance, he would have gone completely unnoticed.

The best sounding system: Lucxar turntables, Extraudio amplifiers and sources and Audionostrum loudspeakers. These 3 brands integrated the best sounding system I heard in those days by far, and it was in Hifideluxe.

Press rumors: colleagues from Italy told me that the creator of holophonic sound, Hugo Zuccarelli is now based in Bologna, Italy, manufacturing self-developed loudspeakers with totally original specifications: 1-way loudspeakers and cylindrical driver without optimizing box but with lateral and rear radiation suppression, and transient reproduction speed of less than 0.4 milliseconds. The latter is not a minor detail, since it implies a transient reproduction speed (extremely short and fast sounds) that would allow to appreciate attacks in music as never before and would be a revolution in loudspeaker development.