IAN RINGSTEAD GIVES HIS THOUGHTS ON HIGH END MUNICH 2022

It was with great excitement after a two-year break that the Munich High End show was up and running again. The industry, dealers, press, and audiophiles were all champing at the bit to show their wares off or for the public to be wowed by the latest innovations.

Sadly, many companies from the Far East still couldn’t travel due to Covid issues and the USA had recently had Axpona so many companies decided due to costs, logistics or other reasons not to make the journey. I get that but the mood in Munich was still exuberant and very positive. The show organisers the High End Society were obviously nervous about the response but they needn’t have been. As always it was run with the usual German efficiency and hats off to everyone involved for a marvellous show.

Having two trade days meant it was easier for the press and dealers to get around more exhibitors and catch up with friends. The show for me is not just about seeing all the fantastic new kit but seeing old friends and making new ones. As a reviewer seeing new potential products for evaluation is vital as I love to experience all forms of HiFi and share my thoughts with the readers to hopefully enlighten them. In an ever-changing world being able to see and hear equipment is a challenge as retailers battle to remain viable amidst ever-changing circumstances and online retail has boomed during Covid. I use it myself, but I do appreciate it doesn’t suit everybody’s tastes or needs.

Having pre-registered we could quickly get stuck in so a cursory look around Hall 1 was made before attending the show press conference and being introduced to this years Show ambassador Alan Parsons. See my press report elsewhere for a detailed insight into a legendary music producer and musicians current view on the music business.

There are four large halls on the ground level of the MOC exhibition centre each bigger than a football pitch, so the spaces are huge. Unless you visit the show it’s very hard to comprehend the size of the venue and as Stuart and Linette have said in their reports impossible to cover everything. Myself and my dear wife Heather who admirably assisted me in making notes and adding her own comments on sound and aesthetics made the decision to concentrate on brands I was particularly interested in or what we came across by chance. There were many companies I just couldn’t spare the time to see, or rooms were too full to see or listen properly.

One of the first brands I saw was Nagaoka from Japan. They are a cartridge and accessory company going back over 40 years with whom in my early retail days of the eighties we had huge success with. Cartridges such as the MP-10, 11 and 50 were extremely popular and sounded great with Linn, Rega, Thorens etc turntables and arms. It was a competitive market then, but they held their end up very well. I would love to see this brand do well again in the UK and be able to sample their current products.

Pathos who are a well-known Italian brand had several amps on show including a mighty beast the InPol Legacy Integrated. Beautifully made with very high-quality components rated at 100W per channel this integrated will certainly turn heads.

A static display on another stand was the German company AMG (Analog Manufaktur Germany) founded in 2011. They make superb turntables that I have seen over the years on the internet, and they are represented in the UK by Select Audio but seem to have a low profile here in the UK. The build quality is sublime and to the exacting standards of Swiss watch manufacturing and I love the compact nature of their plinths and different approach to the usual rectangular plinths on offer. They were introducing a new addition to their range the Giro MKII aimed at the more budget conscious customer. The price is still 9000 Euros but with a tonearm from their range I reckon will not disappoint. I hope I get the opportunity to try one and let readers know my findings. They have two other models on offer the Viella and Viella Forte and several arms with variations of length etc. I spent some time chatting with Markus Losel AMG’s marketing manager to better know the range and philosophy of the company.

Degritter is a brand that has taken the record cleaning market by storm over the last couple of years. Stu and Linette have one and reviewed it very favourably along with many other magazines. I have a decent sized collection of records having collected since the seventies and my love affair with records is still alive and kicking. Because second hand records have become popular again in the last decade the need for a good record cleaning machine is vital for me. I’ve had several from basic units like the Spinclean to motorised vacuum models, but I finally ended up with a Degritter. It wasn’t a snap decision as it is a considerable investment but believe the reviews are spot on and I have not regretted it. It must be one of the easiest high-quality machines to use and although not particularly bulky it certainly is solid and inspires confidence in ownership and long-term usage. Degritters back up service is fantastic as I had a problem recently with the water tank and they immediately sent a replacement free of charge within days. You can’t ask for more.  There stand had quite a few new colour schemes on show which was great to see, and I spoke to them about the possibility of a slip-on dust cover when the machine was not in use to which they said it was likely to be provided in the future. Companies like Degritter are the icing on the cake for me and this industry because they have provided a solution to an old problem with such thought, research and efficiency. Bravo!!

Electronic component manufacturers like Mundorf were displaying their fantastic range of quality capacitors used in so many high-end products now and testament to their dedication to be the best.

The dedicated headphone section was very busy, and we had a brief look there amazed by the vast choice now on offer as portable as well as high end system use has rocketed. I use some Sennheiser Momentums for regular use when at work during my lunch break or travelling to shows like Munich, but I prefer listening through speakers. When I got my first system at sixteen, I couldn’t afford speakers, so I got some Koss Pro4 AA which back in the 70’s were excellent and served me admirably for a year or so. Some audiophiles or people generally prefer headphone use which I get and late-night listening, or disturbance issues solve their problems. Meze had a large stand and seemed popular when we looked but time meant we couldn’t linger.

Auris from Serbia had some lovely valve amps on show, and they have had great reactions from magazines over the last few years. Impressive design and build using wood and metal to great effect. The Fortissimo integrated turns out 100W per channel using KT-120 valves. £14,900 isn’t cheap but it is a real beast.

Kuzma had their extensive range of amazing turntables on a static stand and boy has this company flourished in recent years. The turntables were being used elsewhere throughout the show a sign of their popularity, and I admire their passion to produce the best and keep progressing. They cater for a wide range of budgets and people can either upgrade or move up the range as funds/desire kick in. I particularly wanted to see and hear the new arm with the sapphire arm tube costing £20,000 which I managed to on another day. The resurgence of turntables has gladdened my heart as a hardened analogue fan and although I play cd’s more often at home partly due to convenience, when I have a chance to listen properly then the vinyl will come out to be played in all its glory.

French company Diptyque had a n air-conditioned booth which made for a very comfortable haven whilst we listened to their excellent new reference model at 44,000 euros, I think. They sounded sublime and we had the chance to have a good time trying out choral, classical, popular artists such as Ricki Lee Jones and we sat there thinking can we sit here for the rest of the afternoon. A sound highlight of the show for both of us. I’m sure Stuart will get a chance to try them out soon.

German company Clearaudio had an extensive display of their budget to jaw dropping refence turntables and another company that doesn’t sit still. Like Pro-ject they produce new models on a regular basis so business must be thriving. I admire the superb engineering and thought that has gone into the designs but don’t gasp at the prices. This is engineering excellence which naturally costs a significant amount of money. You can compare it to Swiss watch prices where micro-engineering is equally as Impressive and expensive. If you can’t afford it let those that can.

Electrocompaniet are a Norwegian company very popular in the UK and they had their new NEMO2 AW 800 M power amplifier for all to see. It looked very impressive and is following the current trend for many companies of introducing larger imposing amplifiers for the dedicated enthusiasts wanting to drive larger or difficult load speakers. If you have the space and budget, why not!! Stuart reviewed the reference cd player recently the EMC 1 MKV and was hugely impressed. Clean Scandinavian lines and design.

My next port of call was an all time favourite, German brand Burmester. Since I first clapped my eyes on the reference 808 pre-amplifier back in the late 70’s the iconic chrome plated beauties have mesmerised me. For years Burmester have had four distinct lines of products, Classic line, Top line, Reference line and Signature line covering the more affordable to the truly reference eye watering models. They all look stunning to me and even the cheapest line is superb. I was invited to the launch of some new models in their dedicated listening booth in the Atrium area and throughout the show time demonstrations were in operation. This proved to me that although it is a premium manufacturer at the luxury end popularity has not diminished. Burmester allowed personal demonstrations which was great as otherwise the room would have been crammed most of the show. In an air-conditioned room all was calm and we were treated to the new £97,500 a pair BC150 from their signature line in a more compact form. Every effort has been made to tackle resonance issues using aluminium tubes inside the cabinet as stiffeners and the cabinet is coated with a 4mm thick steel plate and special plastic. There are two air motion transformer tweeters, one on the front the other on the back which is adjustable to tailor the spatial depth to taste. The midrange unit has a new oval voice coil, and the 32 cm bass unit is side firing. Weighing 170Kg each the speaker handles up to 400 W and a nominal impedance of 3 Ohms. The 175 turntable was a tour de force for vinyl lovers and weighs 61 Kg. Deceptively simple to look at it is packed with innovation. There are four motors to turn the platter which is a sandwich of two layers of aluminium and a brass core. There are multiple belts to drive the platter. Price approx. 35,000 euros. The new 217 was also on show at 20,000 euros approximately.  New power amps were on dem as well, the 216, and 218 at 35,000 euros. The amps are very flexible in design and have a new cooling system. With mono or stereo operation, they replace  the 911 model that has been a firm favourite for years and fill a much-needed price gap. Up there with the very best both for sound and looks.

Next door to Burmester was the Technics room. You could comment sublime to the mass market producer of quality consumer electronic audio products. Technics has a warm place in my heart because for nineteen years I sold their excellent range of products. I lost count of the SL1200/1210 mk 2 turntables I sold to aspiring DJ’s and their general range of hifi was a huge seller for us. People criticise the brand as a mass market Japanese manufacturer that some hifi snobs disregard, but I have always been impressed by the quality and reliability. Of all the brands I sold Technics had an incredible reliability rate and the SL1200/1210 only failed due to user error or abuse and could usually be sorted by a simple fuse replacement or soldering iron repairing a broken connection. Like most mid-market companies, the late nineties and early noughties was a tough time for them. Now they have been like a Phoenix rising from the ashes and hit the road running. Turntables are back in a big way and their range is fabulous now. They were showing off the new 50^th anniversary SL1200 range in multi colour options that were stunning.  The Grand Class G700 series really piqued my interest. I’d seen press releases earlier in the year and I particularly wanted to see the new SU-700 M2 amplifier and SL-G700 multi-digital player. For £2200 I reckon the SU-700M2 amplifier will be a knock-out with what it offers as an all-round package. I’m keen to hear it at home. Technics are on a roll and long may it continue.

TAD were next along the row of rooms and are a reference brand in every way that I have seen at many shows in the UK. Like Stuart, my expectations are always high regarding the sound but when I leave the room underwhelmed maybe re-evaluation is required. Again, it could be the programme material used. I must spend more time at the next show I see them at and investigate.

In the far corner of the Atrium was Audio Reference. Here Oligarchy bling is on show. Dan D’Agostino electronics never cease to amaze me visually and aurally. It’s super macho and in your face, so love it or loathe it makes a massive statement. The electronics seem to get bigger every time I see them, and the new Reference power amp looked superb to my eyes. The fit and finish is like a Swiss watch but being the size of a coffee table, my lounge would struggle to fit one in. I think my better half would notice. Anyway, she didn’t like the styling. The range has increased somewhat over the last few years and I’m sure it will continue to grow. Wilson loudspeakers were abundant in varying colour options and an orange pair were being driven by VTL valve amps. Another system that comprised of all Dan D’Agostino electronics and Wilson Audio Chronosonic XVX must have cost £600,000 to £800,000. The tiny Tune Tot by comparison showed the other end of the spectrum scale.

The Vertere room was shared along with Epos loudspeakers re vamped by Karl Heinz Fink, the company’s new owner. Vertere were hoping to demonstrate their new tonearm, but production and supply issues had delayed its launch, a shame but a common theme currently. The room was extremely busy when I attended, and the air con wasn’t working so I had to depart before I melted.

Octave Audio had a nice airy room which was quieter when I wandered in, so I was able to dwell and admire the various valve amplifiers and the main system was playing through A Thornes TD124 DD turntable which II saw used elsewhere a few times, some Audio Physic Cardeas speakers using some very impressive floor standing mono blocks the Jubilee SE. They were n a fetching finish having a central vertical stone strip that set them off nicely and a bit different to the usual form factor. The amp outputs 400W and costs a cool £82,500. Of course, they do a range of cheaper units for mere mortals. Nice to see a quality product range catering for all pockets.

Wilson Benesch is a room I always visit, especially as I am a Sheffielder where they hale from.  I have followed them from their inception with their turntable and seen then grow into a prosperous company specialising in mainly speakers these days, but they surprised me by having a new reference prototype turntable on show. The speakers being used were the new Omnium towers at £98,000. The turntable was yet to be finalised as regards price and was a fascinating design which I am sure will be highly sought after for review. Little was being said about it so wait until it is officially launched. The power amps were Audionets new Heisenberg mono blocks which I think are about £100,000 a pair. The system in the room sounded very good and had the Torus sub-woofer hooked up as well.

Canton are Germanys largest producer of loudspeakers, and their room was a plethora of old and new models of all shapes and sizes. The fit and finish was exemplary on all the models displayed and I really liked their styling. In my retailing days Canton were popular in the UK and it’s nice to see they are being distributed again and the reviews I’ve seen have been excellent. They do a smart wireless range with active amplification that will appeal to modern homeowners requiring no fuss minimalist systems that blend in seamlessly. As well as reference models there is a home hifi range for the mass market and custom in wall install products for home cinema etc. Looking at the pricing which is easily done on their website I was amazed what superb value the ranges are compared to their competitors. I can see why they’re so popular in Germany.

AVM impressed me a few years ago at Bristol and are distributed by PMC. Yet another high-quality German manufacturer whose range and quality are superb. I had talked to one of their marketing people whose English was excellent (puts us Brits to shame) and reminded me of the depth and quality of manufacturers in Germany and Scandinavia particularly. PMC of course were in the same room showcasing the Fenestria floor standers and mighty fine there were sounding. PMC are prominent in the UK and have a large range of speakers covering all options and pockets. Of course, they also have a strong position in the Pro market as well. I did some research into their pro range and was flabbergasted by the array on offer so in a fierce market they must be very successful. Pro and domestic audio are very different animals but the companies that do both prove dedication to both markets does work and can work in harmony.

Way cables are a specialist manufacturer whom I first reviewed one of their excellent silver cables many years ago. Miroslav is passionate about his product and uses only the finest and purist silver combined with cotton insulation and when you first feel and experience their cables it is a real shock to your normal expectations of cable design. Ways outside the box and lateral thinking is amazing bucking the traditions of decades. They are truly artisanal being handmade by expertly trained technicians who take two whole days to make one set of speaker cables. Miroslav always shares a room with various companies at the many shows he attends and exhibits at. This time he was with a Austrian company Wiener Loudspeaker Company who I must admit was a new one to me. Based in Innsbruck they have an extensive range of speakers and superb electronics which on the demonstration models had Perspex inspection top covers so you could admire the build quality. I love to see the innards of any component and mimics what car fans aways want to see under the bonnet of cars. Manufacturers must go that extra mile today in order to attract the discerning customers and justify the higher prices. High end audio is a luxury item so pride of ownership should be one of the key elements as well as superlative sound. I couldn’t get any price information and there is nothing on the internet, they won’t be cheap, but quality never is. A fascinating brand to explore another day.

Along the corridor was German company Kawero with some imposing floor standers, their flagship model the Kawero Grande. A two-piece design, the detachable top section containing the tweeter and mid-range units sit on top of the base section holding the bass units. An extremely exotic design that sounded rather nice. Thomas Chippendale would have been proud of the fit and finish of these beauties.

Much nearer to home was Fyne Audio from Scotland a company I first saw at Bristol a few years back when these ex-employees of Tannoy loudspeakers who decided to relocate and effectively put them out to pasture said let’s start our own company. My wife and I have visited their factory and listened in their demonstration room to an excellent choice of music including Infected Mushroom. Having been very successful with their current modern range customers were requesting designs reflecting Tannoys glorious products of decades ago which I remember well. Munich therefore was the perfect place to launch their new Vintage series. As soon as we entered the room nostalgia struck me of the old Tannoy range. The designs have been revamped with a modern twist to reproduce the styling craved by many foreign customers with up-to-date technology in the drivers and crossovers. The look is unique, and I personally feel suits an older styled home, but the Far Eastern market has always loved Tannoy and I am sure this range will prosper. Hats off to Fyne for taking the brave decision to step out and invest in the Vintage series.

Golden Ear from the US had their attractive slim floor standers the Triton Reference playing. These are a lot of speaker for the money, £10,999, packed with technology and drivers. DSP technology and active sub woofers combine with sophisticated drivers including a folded – ribbon tweeter to great effect.

Gryphon Audio never cease to astound me with their new models and prices. The Apex stereo power amp caught my attention because as I photographed the back panel, I noticed it had two mains’ inputs, not the usual one. Being pure dual mono, it produces 210 W into 8 ohms and doubles into 4 ohms. At £87,500 it’s pure state of the art and top of Gryphons new flagship range. They are a true luxury brand up there with the best and popular around the world. The Danes continue to deliver.

Harman were showing one of my favourite American brands Mark Levinson which I drooled over back in the 80’s and 90’s. Samsung bought Harmon out a few years back and I attended their launch of the Harmon luxury brand shop in Munich in 2019 and dedicated Mark Levinson store. The brand has continued to develop and is certainly far more prominent in the UK now. The JBL Summit series Everest DD67000 were being played but I have to say they didn’t overwhelm me. I have attended many shows where JBL have been used and all their models have had a similar effect on me. Maybe I need to hear them at home. JBL are hugely popular in the US where they hail from and are particularly popular with jazz and rock fans.

In contrast Marten, a luxury Swedish loudspeaker brand, were sounding rather fine. The Mingus Quintet 2 statement at £54,500 were being driven by US brand MSB Audio M500 mono block amplifiers at £125,000 a pair and using Jorma cables and power blocks. Their top of the range Coltrane Supreme 2 are £400,000. I’ll have two pairs please!!  If I were a multi-millionaire, they would be on my list or in one of the several listening rooms. Looking at Marten’s extensive range it’s like a child walking into a sweet shop and not knowing where to start.

Italian brand Audia Flight and their Alare Labs speakers sounded great. I’m familiar with Audia Flight through its popularity here in the UK but Alare Labs were unfamiliar. Their Remiga 2 speakers were very fetching at 70,000 Euros and beautifully made. They are a cost no object design with highly sophisticated drivers and components in a beautiful cabinet.

Cardas Cables from the US and Verity Audio from Canada were sharing the same room and both brands are well liked and popular in North America and here in Europe.

Totaldac was a room I was expecting a lot from because they have a very good reputation and Stuart and Linette had said how impressed they had been. My wife and I sat down but after a few minutes we both looked at each other and said shall we go. Something just wasn’t working for us and if you read my forthcoming report on the Hi Fi Deluxe show in the Marriott Hotel it was a very different affair. It just shows that moods, music and many other factors can affect the performance of a system.

Interestingly further along the corridor we walked into Audio Physics room, and they had the new Spark stand mounted speaker on dem. A lot of good reports have been made about the Spark but once again we both felt there was something lacking. I certainly won’t judge them on that performance and in a known system and room I am sure they will so much better.

Ortofon were in a room with Audiovector speakers and quality electronics from Mark Levinson, Einstein and a TechDas turntable. The cartridge was the new flagship the Verismo and it sounded wonderful as it should do. A nice combination to relax to.

Back to the main halls and I wanted to see some familiar brands and Thorens were showing their full range on a static display. A loved brand I am very familiar with having owned several of their iconic models it was great to see the newcomers such as the TD1500 that has been well received. The TD1600 and 1601 were a big hit when they came out and the TD124DD at £7999 seems great value compared to the competition. For the budget conscious where the super decks are too rich for a lot of pockets Thorens has a model to suit all.

EAT were over the aisle from Thorens and also had a large choice of beautiful turntables to ogle at. Every time I see them their range has grown.

Also nearby was of course Pro-ject who must have the largest range of any company out there. Also, their extensive range of electronics were everywhere and whenever I look at Henley’s website to catch up on the latest models it takes me ages to scroll through. Never a company to stand still.

Copland had a few new models on display, and they really impress me with superb build quality and design and of course great sound to boot. Another brand I’d like to own.

Away from the show in a separate hotel, the Bayeriischer Hof, Musical Fidelity and Triangle were celebrating their 40^th anniversary of the Nuvista range with a new preamplifier and PAS power amplifier. Also, there will be a Nuvista phono stage and CD player. Finally, a new M8X turntable based on Anthony Michaelson’s designs. The rest of Musical Fidelity’s range is extensive and suits all pockets.

Triangle were displaying all their loudspeaker models and ranges and especially the world premiere of the Magellan Anniversary edition. Triangle have really upped their game over the last decade and are a rival for any brand out there now. On show were drive units and crossover components for people to admire the build quality. Speaker design continually changes and improves to a point now where it is quite mind boggling what is being produced. Exciting times for the audio industry. Using the Nuvista electronics to drive the Magellan’s I feel many listeners will be mightily impressed when they hear them.

The final day of the show gave us a chance to catch up on missed products or photo opportunities.

Franco Serblin loudspeaker are beautiful Italian designs that are fabulous to behold. The various models were being driven by another favourite brand of mine Accuphase from Japan. The combination was sumptuous and hard to fault for visual elegance. The sound probably won’t suit everyone’s taste and purist would say they suit classical music first and foremost because the design aim is to replicate what a musical instrument does when being played due to its design and materials used. There will be many aficionados who won’t listen to the critics as they will be very happy with their choice.

Hi Fi Rose, were launching their new integrated amplifier the RA 180 and the MOC had huge advertising pictures of it all over the building. This amplifier has had an awful lot of build up and a much is expected of it. I didn’t get a chance to hear it, but I did play with the controls and admire its build quality and many innovative features. There will be many reviews of this model over the next few months.

Audio Research since being bought out have had a lot of investment put into them to develop the range considerably. Black and silver are no longer the normal finishes on offer, many colour options are now available, and I particularly liked the white option. Also, a new integrated was on show was the I/50. It is available in six colour options using Cerakote which has a long-lasting look. Two audio modules can be added a DAC and phono stage. The output is 50 Watts per channel hence the model number and a headphone socket for personal listening to suit. I really like the two Lexie Tubes which give display information for input selection and volume. It has a full function metal remote control. An optional valve cage can be added. I see this selling in large numbers, and I want one. It retails for £5198.

On a static stand I met up with an old friend Arthur Koubesserian of Pink Triangle fame. I’ve known Arthur for 40 years and when I was in retail The Audio Centre in Sheffield was one of the first dealers to sell the legendary Pink Triangle turntable. A valid alternative to the Linn Sondek LP12 times have changed and Arthur moved on to form The Funk Firm. I spoke to him about three years ago at another show and it was there that he told me about his dream to build the ultimate turntable as a swansong to retirement. The result has been his Keplar turntable. Named after the famous astronomer Johannes Kepler who is best known for his three laws of planetary motion. These laws are Planets move in orbits shaped like an ellipse. A line between a planet and the Sun covers equal areas in equal times. If you look at the turntable it has positions for up to three tonearms and these can be rotated when the user wants to use another arm and cartridge. The platter has vacuum suction and drive can be either belt or direct drive. Arthur has five patents and hopes to release it later in the year. Price is not certain yet but £35,000 approximately for the turntable and then whatever arms the owner wishes to add. Arthur’s own arm design the Raptor-Zs is about £12,500. The arm has zero tracking error, resonance and feedback. I can’t wait to see what the reviews are like and hopefully hear it at a show soon. Supply issues due to the current global situation had affected Arthur’s hopes of demonstrating at Munich like so many other companies.

Vitus Audio from Denmark formed in 1995 had several of their smaller designs on show and the design form is sublime to my eyes. So beautifully finished the quality is evident. Looking at Vitus Audio’s website I discovered that their brand image was based upon concrete because it has a monolithic quality and minimal architectural appearance. Concrete tends to have sharp clean lines when used in construction. Their larger amplifiers certainly remind me of this quality. The attention to detail in all aspects of design and build are extraordinary and considerable investment has been made. There are three main product lines and a bespoke service as well. The founder Hans Ole Vitus has a stunning personal collection of classic turntables that will be installed at the company’s new dedicated listening facilities later this year. Amongst them some rare Micro Seiki models. Vitus Audio products start from £11,000 and climb to nearly £200,000. Stupendous audio.

More down to earth audio was to be seen in the International Audio Group room where the new relaunched Mission 770 speakers were being shown along with Laxman’s new L- 595A SE integrated amplifier which is limited to 300 units globally. The L-595A SE is an analogue only unit selling for £11,000 and looks superb but has yet to be reviewed. I suspect because it is a limited-edition demand has meant all the stock has been sold so review samples may not be available.  The Mission 770 are a totally revised version of the classic design form the 80’s which I used to sell and was very popular back then. Now £3,500 they have stiff competition and time will tell how well they sell.

Living Voice, a UK company, make some fantastic speakers and usually at Munich demo their top range four-way horn speakers the Vox Olympian, but this year they had a far more modest set up with the Living Voice OBX- RW4 in Santos wood. The whole set up was complex and expensive, but boy did it sound good. Living Voice is run and designed by Kevin Scott based in Long Eaton in Derbyshire not that far from where I live. The crossovers were housed externally in matching wood veneered boxes and the system sounded sublime. It truly was spot on. Using a Kuzma R turntable and the new sapphire tonearm in a stunning orange finish was the icing on the cake. Analogue heaven.

Estelon impressed me hugely the first time I saw them at Munich and now they had a new flagship model in the Extreme Mk 2 at £200,000 approximately. The designs are strikingly beautiful and one of my all-time favourites. They also sound as good as they look.

Totem had their usual fun and family friendly room trying to appeal all ages and the theme was of a North American truck stop with oil drums to give a grungy vibe. Totem want audio to be fun for everyone and their product range is wide to encompass youngsters who want neat convenient active systems with flexibility to the purist market of high-end speakers The cheaper Kin are neat and affordable, and I have tried them at home being very impressed. I used to own a pair of Arro’s which were excellent, and regret having sold them. They cost twice as much now at £1895 a pair Twenty years on, that’s inflation for you. At the opposite end of the scale the Metal V2 a culmination of ten years research at £15,995. The speaker does not require any crossover in the signal path of the torrent woofer due to the design of the drive unit and the tweeter only needs one component in the simple crossover. The whole build and design are exemplary. I spent a few minutes talking to Vince Bruzzese as I do every time, I meet him at a show. I first spoke to him back in 2001 in London and it was that show which clinched my decision to buy some Arro’s. Vince is a gifted designer whose dream and passion along with his vice president sales and marketing partner Lucy Lentini have an incredibly successful Canadian business. Long may it continue.

Audiovector are a HiFi Pig favourite and Stuart and Linette have invested heavily in their speakers being their current reference in the R6 Arrete they loved and bought. The Danes seem to have really embraced audio and quality hifi to a point where the number of companies for such a small nation is incredible.  Audiovector started in 1979 by Ole Klifoth and currently Mads Klifoth , Ole’s son, is CEO and owner. I’ve known Mads a few years and he enthusiastically greeted us to fill us in on his latest products. Unfortunately, he had a German distributor listening to the range so we couldn’t spend much time chatting and hope to meet up at a future show soon. A fabulous product range covering all budgets and worthy of consideration.

Lyravox were over the corridor in one of their three rooms, and I first experienced their range last year at the UK audio show in Daventry. Based in Hamburg, the product range is fascinating and complex in design. Just one aspect of the design is the speaker cabinet is coupled to the floor through a baseplate made of acoustically optimised technical stone. The extra weight of the baseplate improves the overall stability of the cabinet and the weight distribution within the speaker. The specially formulated artificial stone has ideal acoustic properties, combining hardness with internal damping, making it the ideal interface between cabinet and floor. There is an extensive list of all the speaker designs attributes which would fill a whole article. All the speakers are active designs using the latest class D technology. Models in the range are the Karlotta 28,900 euros, Karlsson 16,000 euros, Karlsson Tower no price details, Karlina 19,200 euros, Karlos 12,800 euros and Karl II 62,800 euros. Seriously technical and desirable.

Grandinote from Italy had their Mach two speaker playing with a Funk Firm turntable as vinyl source, Shinai integrated amp, Celio phono pre amp and Volta streamer/DAC. Distinctive designs built to last and sounding very nice.

The final room I had tried to get into several times during the show and in previous years failed to get into because it was so full was Swiss legend Nagra formed seventy years ago. I have loved their distinctive design from day one and their professional limb of the company is beyond reproach in sound recording. The hifi side consists of the Classic line which is adorable to my eyes and ears and has the qualities of the finest Swiss watch makers in compact bundles of sheer joy. Simply exquisite. Above that is the High Definition line and the one product I particularly wanted to see was the new 175,000 euros turntable. Fortunately, there was one on static display at the back of the large but crowded demonstration room. Beautiful to behold and gorgeous to the touch and feel. Yes, I did have a play with the controls. Rather like sitting in a luxury Mercedes or Bentley and fiddling with the instrument controls.

So that was it for another year. Covid, world recession and the current war in Ukraine didn’t dampen the return of Munich high end for the many showgoers and manufacturers keeping the faith. Let’s hope the Audio Video Show Warsaw goes ahead in October this year because like Munich it is a superb show.

Ian Ringstead

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