Show Report: Munich High-End 2018 - Music Kermesse!
May 20, 2018 18:21:33 GMT
Crispy, timjthomas, and 1 more like this
Post by z3d on May 20, 2018 18:21:33 GMT
INTRO
This year I had the opportunity to visit this great show in Munich because of my crazy and lovely girlfriend which gifted me a 3 day trip there for my birthday..
Of course she knew what was going on between 10-13 May there but I didn't and the surprise was outstanding.
A big thanks to her for this awesome experience!
So, let's move to the Show: the biggest in the world.
Nearly all the Hi-fi brands of the world gathered there for 3 days.
A big public visiting the show from many different countries; I could locate German (of course!), Italian, French, English, Spanish, Dutch, Czech, Russian, Polish, Swiss, Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese, Korean
and American people there, what a blast!
This is a show where the best of the best hi-fi speakers, amplifiers, sources (either digital and analog), headphones and in-ear monitors are available for listening and for admiring.
As high-end products it's not solely the raw performance which counts but also the aesthetics and the feelings play a big role there; brands push really hard on this to generate the desire to own suchexclusive devices and indeed some of them are really out of the budget for 90% of us.
I will post pictures of both speaker systems and headphones/iems with some comments along the way.
My listening impressions are not to be taken seriously and are not objective since the conditions were the following:
- high external noises when listening to headphones and iems
- only a portion of the music tracks used by brands was known to me
- the format and compression of the music tracks used in the rooms were mostly unknown
- a perfect sit during speakers listening sessions was not possible all the time
- the listening time was most of the time not more than around 5-10minutes which is not enough for me for valuable impressions
That said, enjoy the report:
ENTRANCE
SPEAKERS
The finish was astounding, one of the best of the show for me.
I did these shots for Frans: I know how much he loves this kind of devices!
I fell in love with this seat, I would seriously like to have one for my headphone listening time!
Cool looking and good sounding speakers which use 3 Dynaudio drivers (classic line, not custom).
The artwork remind me those of PPI-Art series car audio amplifiers of 90'.
Had a pleasant time there also chatting with the man who ran the demonstration.
Porsche and Mercedes equipped with Burmester audiosystems; they provide to the user many controls to get the desired sound signature and music enjoyment in the vehicle. Their 3D system is really interesting, it provides an expansive soundstage which I enjoyed a lot.
Interesting room with a balanced sound.
Unique shape, I thought the bass would be non-existent; this is not the case but of course, don't expect big rumble.
The amplifier in the first picture is a big monoblock amplifier of 57.2 x 28.0 x 82.6 cm per 220Kg: not something that goes unseen!
Minimal and very cool-looking turntables: I like!
"Some" tubes driving a pair of Dynaudio Consequence mk2 speakers. Great sound!
Great looking full horns and a big horn-bass array in the angle. Horns available in different colours and materials as does the body of the speakers.
On the first song I wasn't really impressed, it sounded good but not astounding; on the following tracks, I had a blast: a great tonality and the best soundstage of the show for proportions and depth!
Probably the busiest room of the show. I couldn't sit properly and did not enjoy the big MBL much; some years ago though I had a proper listen to their little model and liked them.
One of the biggest stands was the Focal one; couldn't listen to the big Utopias because the other rooms near them complained about the sound pressure level: ouch!
HEADPHONES AND IEMS
Great build quality and materials, lightweight and a smart gymbal system which includes three sliding contacts to connect the drivers to the cable.
The headphones were paired with different Woo-Audio amps; I didn't like the WA7 but liked both WA11 and WA33. The latter was to me one of the best of the show.
I had also a nice chat there with Heinz Renner (who developed the AKG K1000) which was really kind answering my questions and giving me some technical insights of the product.
The sound was good but the tonality is not my cup of tea; I see now why people like them though.
New Sennheiser closed headphones (HD820) paired with their new top of the line amplifier (HDV820).
I liked this headphone a lot; it is really similar to my HD800 in soundstage but has a hint of warmness to it and..it is closed!
If you need a closed headphone and can spend 1500€ don't look further, it is great!
I like this kind of aesthetics, clean and solid.
The sound also was good.
Vision Ears, a great IEM maker from Cologne (Germany). The build quality of the shells and the colours of the faceplates are gorgeous; these get the award for being both the best-looking and the best manufactured IEMs of the show!
I had a nice time there both listening to their entire lineup and also chatting about technical stuff with Amin Karimpour, co-founder of the company along with Marcel Shonen.
The model I liked the most was the VE-8, even over their new top of the line universal IEM "Erlkonig".
Audio-Technica boot. I really enjoyed their AT-HA5050H tube amplifier paired with their ATH-W1000Z or ATH-W5000 headphones (can't remember which one).
I didn't like their new ATH-ADX5000 headphones though.
The build quality of Denon headphones is astounding!
I also enjoyed the sound coming from the D7200 which was musical and involving.
Great build quality!
I listened to their Polaris, Andromeda, Orion, Lyra II, Vega and the new Atlas. The last three were my favourite.
Honestly I thought I would enjoy Andromeda the most but it wasn't the case, I found them to be too polite.
These were driven by Sony WM1Z and NW-ZX300 and I could use them also to drive my newly acquired JVC FX850. Both DAPs didn't impress me.
There I listened to Jerry Harvey Roxanne II and JH13. I preferred the latter, the Roxanne didn't impress me. These were driven by Astell & Kern A&futura SE100 and A&ultima SP1000 DAPs.
A new manufacturer there, Sonoma Acoustics.
They offer the headphone along with their amplifier/dac unit: these come together.
The sound is balanced and effortless; I enjoyed them and could easily recommend them since they sounded good with very different kind of music.
You get the unit as it was intended to sound and you can't screw up the sound by swapping sources, amplifiers or cable there. You buy the combo, sit and listen.
That's a big plus nowadays!
I liked the aesthetics and also the comfort but the build quality should be improved; magnesium and other fancy materials are used but the swivels creaks and squeaks and the frames don't seem to be very solid.
STAX. SR-L500, SR-009 and the new SR-009S driven by Stax SRM-T8000 electrostatic amplifier.
The LR500 is mid-centric and not much extended on both ends, lacking both deep bass and air in the highs.
The SR-009 and SR-009S are different beasts and I enjoyed them a lot. This could be due to the amplifier, the show conditions or anything else but this was the combo with which I'd replace my HD800 with!
Also, the build quality of both the amplifier and the headphones is great.
I was really interested in listening to the new Cayin N5ii because I was looking into a DAP do buy and it was either this or the Sony NW-ZX300 (rising sun version, not european one).
The build quality is good and also is the sound but what really didn't stand up for me are both the UI which I find old-looking and "cheap" and the screen contrast and colours which are the opposite of ink-black, vibrant and saturated.
Their amplifiers sound good and I enjoyed both their HA-300 and HA-1A MK2; I really like the aesthetics of the latter with the polished wood finish and the tube glowing through the glass! (sorry no pictures of it)
Out of curiosity, I had to stop a while at Astell&Kern boot to listen to some of their DAPs.
KANN, A&futura SE100 and A&ultima SP1000 were used to drive my JVC FX850 and I really liked their sound signature (no, they are not 100% neutral).
A second-hand KANN could be an option for me but the thing is just too bulky for portable use!
Utopia, Elear and Clear: the one I preferred was the Clear.
I also like the build quality, the finish, the materials and the aesthetics a lot!
The cable they come with is a no-go for me though. Sennheiser HD6** is the perfect cable to me.
VARIOUS THOUGHTS
I listened to Fiio X7ii but wasn't expecting much but hell I was wrong!
The AM3B module that was used gave a bit too much rumble on my FX850 but the soundstage width, the layering and separation were really good.
Also, the build quality, the feel in hand and the portability are great (by today standards, sure it's not like a Sandisk Clipzip!).
I think the perfect companion for my FX850 could be this DAP with an AM3A module slapped in it which should be leaner/more correct in the bass region.
I feel a bit dazed about the cables that come with the majority of IEMs and headphones; okay, I should say that none were microphonic but they are bulky, heavy, prone to tangling and not very supple: I really don't get why companies don't use simple cables à-la Sennheiser HD6XX!
If an all-black rubber cable is not high-end enough they could just glitter them or use some fancy connectors and call it a day!
I went also to Dan Clark (Mr. Speakers) table but I was tired and it was late so I could just listen to Ether Flow. Dan was busy talking with some people about his new VOCE electrostatic headphones so I couldn't chat with him, next time maybe!
I thought I would find Ether correct and extended but a bit polite and bass-lacking. I was wrong.
These sounded great and I see now why Frans liked them that much!
The build quality is great and also is the comfort, even if the HD800 or the Focal offering is more comfortable to me.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
I think that every so-called Audiophile or Music Lover should attend a show like this at least once in its life!
It's all about the vibe and the positive energy that surrounds you when you walk there.
I wasn't there to buy a € 400K speaker system or some TOTL headphones but I enjoyed the show for what it was and what it represents: Music Kermesse!
Hope you enjoyed my report and sorry for any typos that you found while reading.
This year I had the opportunity to visit this great show in Munich because of my crazy and lovely girlfriend which gifted me a 3 day trip there for my birthday..
Of course she knew what was going on between 10-13 May there but I didn't and the surprise was outstanding.
A big thanks to her for this awesome experience!
So, let's move to the Show: the biggest in the world.
Nearly all the Hi-fi brands of the world gathered there for 3 days.
A big public visiting the show from many different countries; I could locate German (of course!), Italian, French, English, Spanish, Dutch, Czech, Russian, Polish, Swiss, Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese, Korean
and American people there, what a blast!
This is a show where the best of the best hi-fi speakers, amplifiers, sources (either digital and analog), headphones and in-ear monitors are available for listening and for admiring.
As high-end products it's not solely the raw performance which counts but also the aesthetics and the feelings play a big role there; brands push really hard on this to generate the desire to own suchexclusive devices and indeed some of them are really out of the budget for 90% of us.
I will post pictures of both speaker systems and headphones/iems with some comments along the way.
My listening impressions are not to be taken seriously and are not objective since the conditions were the following:
- high external noises when listening to headphones and iems
- only a portion of the music tracks used by brands was known to me
- the format and compression of the music tracks used in the rooms were mostly unknown
- a perfect sit during speakers listening sessions was not possible all the time
- the listening time was most of the time not more than around 5-10minutes which is not enough for me for valuable impressions
That said, enjoy the report:
ENTRANCE
SPEAKERS
The finish was astounding, one of the best of the show for me.
I did these shots for Frans: I know how much he loves this kind of devices!
I fell in love with this seat, I would seriously like to have one for my headphone listening time!
Cool looking and good sounding speakers which use 3 Dynaudio drivers (classic line, not custom).
The artwork remind me those of PPI-Art series car audio amplifiers of 90'.
Had a pleasant time there also chatting with the man who ran the demonstration.
Porsche and Mercedes equipped with Burmester audiosystems; they provide to the user many controls to get the desired sound signature and music enjoyment in the vehicle. Their 3D system is really interesting, it provides an expansive soundstage which I enjoyed a lot.
Interesting room with a balanced sound.
Unique shape, I thought the bass would be non-existent; this is not the case but of course, don't expect big rumble.
The amplifier in the first picture is a big monoblock amplifier of 57.2 x 28.0 x 82.6 cm per 220Kg: not something that goes unseen!
Minimal and very cool-looking turntables: I like!
"Some" tubes driving a pair of Dynaudio Consequence mk2 speakers. Great sound!
Great looking full horns and a big horn-bass array in the angle. Horns available in different colours and materials as does the body of the speakers.
On the first song I wasn't really impressed, it sounded good but not astounding; on the following tracks, I had a blast: a great tonality and the best soundstage of the show for proportions and depth!
Probably the busiest room of the show. I couldn't sit properly and did not enjoy the big MBL much; some years ago though I had a proper listen to their little model and liked them.
One of the biggest stands was the Focal one; couldn't listen to the big Utopias because the other rooms near them complained about the sound pressure level: ouch!
HEADPHONES AND IEMS
Great build quality and materials, lightweight and a smart gymbal system which includes three sliding contacts to connect the drivers to the cable.
The headphones were paired with different Woo-Audio amps; I didn't like the WA7 but liked both WA11 and WA33. The latter was to me one of the best of the show.
I had also a nice chat there with Heinz Renner (who developed the AKG K1000) which was really kind answering my questions and giving me some technical insights of the product.
The sound was good but the tonality is not my cup of tea; I see now why people like them though.
New Sennheiser closed headphones (HD820) paired with their new top of the line amplifier (HDV820).
I liked this headphone a lot; it is really similar to my HD800 in soundstage but has a hint of warmness to it and..it is closed!
If you need a closed headphone and can spend 1500€ don't look further, it is great!
I like this kind of aesthetics, clean and solid.
The sound also was good.
Vision Ears, a great IEM maker from Cologne (Germany). The build quality of the shells and the colours of the faceplates are gorgeous; these get the award for being both the best-looking and the best manufactured IEMs of the show!
I had a nice time there both listening to their entire lineup and also chatting about technical stuff with Amin Karimpour, co-founder of the company along with Marcel Shonen.
The model I liked the most was the VE-8, even over their new top of the line universal IEM "Erlkonig".
Audio-Technica boot. I really enjoyed their AT-HA5050H tube amplifier paired with their ATH-W1000Z or ATH-W5000 headphones (can't remember which one).
I didn't like their new ATH-ADX5000 headphones though.
The build quality of Denon headphones is astounding!
I also enjoyed the sound coming from the D7200 which was musical and involving.
Great build quality!
I listened to their Polaris, Andromeda, Orion, Lyra II, Vega and the new Atlas. The last three were my favourite.
Honestly I thought I would enjoy Andromeda the most but it wasn't the case, I found them to be too polite.
These were driven by Sony WM1Z and NW-ZX300 and I could use them also to drive my newly acquired JVC FX850. Both DAPs didn't impress me.
There I listened to Jerry Harvey Roxanne II and JH13. I preferred the latter, the Roxanne didn't impress me. These were driven by Astell & Kern A&futura SE100 and A&ultima SP1000 DAPs.
A new manufacturer there, Sonoma Acoustics.
They offer the headphone along with their amplifier/dac unit: these come together.
The sound is balanced and effortless; I enjoyed them and could easily recommend them since they sounded good with very different kind of music.
You get the unit as it was intended to sound and you can't screw up the sound by swapping sources, amplifiers or cable there. You buy the combo, sit and listen.
That's a big plus nowadays!
I liked the aesthetics and also the comfort but the build quality should be improved; magnesium and other fancy materials are used but the swivels creaks and squeaks and the frames don't seem to be very solid.
STAX. SR-L500, SR-009 and the new SR-009S driven by Stax SRM-T8000 electrostatic amplifier.
The LR500 is mid-centric and not much extended on both ends, lacking both deep bass and air in the highs.
The SR-009 and SR-009S are different beasts and I enjoyed them a lot. This could be due to the amplifier, the show conditions or anything else but this was the combo with which I'd replace my HD800 with!
Also, the build quality of both the amplifier and the headphones is great.
I was really interested in listening to the new Cayin N5ii because I was looking into a DAP do buy and it was either this or the Sony NW-ZX300 (rising sun version, not european one).
The build quality is good and also is the sound but what really didn't stand up for me are both the UI which I find old-looking and "cheap" and the screen contrast and colours which are the opposite of ink-black, vibrant and saturated.
Their amplifiers sound good and I enjoyed both their HA-300 and HA-1A MK2; I really like the aesthetics of the latter with the polished wood finish and the tube glowing through the glass! (sorry no pictures of it)
Out of curiosity, I had to stop a while at Astell&Kern boot to listen to some of their DAPs.
KANN, A&futura SE100 and A&ultima SP1000 were used to drive my JVC FX850 and I really liked their sound signature (no, they are not 100% neutral).
A second-hand KANN could be an option for me but the thing is just too bulky for portable use!
Utopia, Elear and Clear: the one I preferred was the Clear.
I also like the build quality, the finish, the materials and the aesthetics a lot!
The cable they come with is a no-go for me though. Sennheiser HD6** is the perfect cable to me.
VARIOUS THOUGHTS
I listened to Fiio X7ii but wasn't expecting much but hell I was wrong!
The AM3B module that was used gave a bit too much rumble on my FX850 but the soundstage width, the layering and separation were really good.
Also, the build quality, the feel in hand and the portability are great (by today standards, sure it's not like a Sandisk Clipzip!).
I think the perfect companion for my FX850 could be this DAP with an AM3A module slapped in it which should be leaner/more correct in the bass region.
I feel a bit dazed about the cables that come with the majority of IEMs and headphones; okay, I should say that none were microphonic but they are bulky, heavy, prone to tangling and not very supple: I really don't get why companies don't use simple cables à-la Sennheiser HD6XX!
If an all-black rubber cable is not high-end enough they could just glitter them or use some fancy connectors and call it a day!
I went also to Dan Clark (Mr. Speakers) table but I was tired and it was late so I could just listen to Ether Flow. Dan was busy talking with some people about his new VOCE electrostatic headphones so I couldn't chat with him, next time maybe!
I thought I would find Ether correct and extended but a bit polite and bass-lacking. I was wrong.
These sounded great and I see now why Frans liked them that much!
The build quality is great and also is the comfort, even if the HD800 or the Focal offering is more comfortable to me.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
I think that every so-called Audiophile or Music Lover should attend a show like this at least once in its life!
It's all about the vibe and the positive energy that surrounds you when you walk there.
I wasn't there to buy a € 400K speaker system or some TOTL headphones but I enjoyed the show for what it was and what it represents: Music Kermesse!
Hope you enjoyed my report and sorry for any typos that you found while reading.
