I have spent the last 3 months working myself into such a state of excitement about getting to grips with some Trios at the show that by the time we got there I was as uncontrollable as a fractious toddler who doesn’t know whether to wee themselves or throw their haribo on the floor in a tantrum!

I have lusted after these speakers for some time, I’ve seen/heard their smaller siblings but I want to get up close and personal with the big, bad trios and their full set of six bass horns;

I’ve got to the point where all I need to choose is the colour.  This wavers from cherry red to the light champagne /bronze finish depending on my mood.

I have even mentally designed my ‘lottery winner’ house (Bauhaus inspired, open plan) around these speakers…all this amuses the life out of Mr Hifipig!

The show being the massive beast that it is, the first day (trade) on Thursday vanished with us only having seen a fraction of the exhibitors.  I had worked my way into a horn frenzy in the amazing Silbatone room and was starting to think Avantgarde Acoustic had a lot to live up to.

Never mind, I thought I’ll see ‘my’ Avantgardes tomorrow. 

However, Friday was even more mental, rammed with punters and trade, and everybody else within a 50 mile radius of Munich by the look of it, I got my big toe into the AG room but that was it…..no Trios for me and the haribo was about to hit the floor, Mr Pig accused me of being ‘tetchy’ and feet were stamped!

On Saturday we got there early with the express intention of getting to AG before the crowds, the plan worked, jobs a good ‘un, we’re in and sat in front of what can only be described as the most beautiful speakers I have ever seen. The photos do not do them justice, they are gorgeous and amazing quality and I love them (I’m definitely getting them in red).

The nice German guy from Avantgarde gives an intro speech (mercifully short because he can see we are all getting restless) then he pops on a track by Yello and lets us listen.

Now this is the part where you will probably think that Mrs HifiPig had too much beer in the sunny show biergarten on Thursday, or that her bright red hair dye has addled her brain.

The Trios were so much more than I was expecting, you know when people say they can ‘feel’ the music, I really could.  It started with goosebumps and moved on to spine tingles, incredible is the only word for it.

It was the fullest, most beautiful sound I have ever heard, not my taste in music really but the effect was moving. It bordered on a religious experience (no really, I’m not kidding)

I had been really worried that they wouldn’t live up to my expectations, that I had just believed the hype but it isn’t hype, it is a fact, these have got to be the best speakers in the world.  If they have the power to practically make a grown woman cry at the sound of them then they have got to be special!

Afterwards, I staggered over to the lovely German guy to thank him, (I managed to give my card to him but not get his as I was in such a tizz so I can’t tell you his name), he seemed to understand completely, but then he will have seen the effect his speakers have on people many times.

I had to have a sit down for about 20 minutes afterwards before I was calm enough to continue the show, my next worry was would everything else sound crap after the Trios, crickey I hope not, I’m going to have to sell a child, the cat AND a kidney to afford the Trios.

Now I know they are very expensive speakers, so they should be very good but these things are better than that, whether Avantgarde sprinkle pixie dust on them before they leave the factory or do some other wizardry to them, or just know how to make damn fine horns, they are getting it spot on.

If you like hearing music reproduced in the most amazing way, you MUST get to a show and hear these speakers sometime soon, you will thank me for it and perhaps you can join my Cult of Trios too.

On a cheaper note, there are more affordable options from Avantgade including their very stylish new Zero 1, I am, however far too loved up on the Trios to contemplate alternatives for now, but Mr HifiPig is bound to tell you more about them later.

They also have some lovely amps and other bits of kit but for some reason I was just a bit distracted from looking at anything else in the room.

Linette

Show Report Part 1

Avantgarde Acoustics at Munich High End – Temper Tantrums and Trios

Munich High End 2013 – Newcomers