Munich 'Hi-End' Show

[DHT]

Did anyone else visit the Munich show over the weekend?

[Marco]

Hi DHT,

Unfortunately not, but I would love to have been there

It's probably the best hi-fi show in Europe. What was it like - do you have any pics?

Marco.

[DHT]

It certainly is an incredible show, rather puts the UK ones into perspective, a friend took loads of photos, I shall purloin them, stuff there that you never see in the UK, and some pretty good sounding rooms for a Hi-Fi show, definately worth a visit.

[Marco]

I completely agree with you. The Munich show is a different ball game altogether.

Primarily the biggest difference is that generally the Germans are much more serious about hi-fi than we are and also tend to spend big money on seriously hi-end kit.

They tend to think more 'out of the box' than we do and in terms of equipment are not afraid to go outside of the mainstream, whereas in Britain enthusiasts, in the main, are 'bargain hunters' who operate in the low to mid echelons of the marketplace buying mainly mass-produced mainstream hi-fi.

Basically, outside of the US, the Japanese and German markets are where the 'big players' are in hi-fi, so the Munich show reflects this. I intend to go sometime myself and check it out

I'd love to see some pics, so see what you can do.

Marco.

[Marco]

A link to some pictures if you're a Naim fan...

http://forums.naim-audio.com/eve/for...5/m/4102962417

The use of a DPS turntable is interesting, as normally an Avid is used, again as supplied by James Almey of Tom Tom Audio.

Marco.

[DHT]

My God the Naim forum is fucking dull.

[Steve Toy]

The Naim forum is just that these days - a forum about Naim whereas back in 2001/2002 it was pretty much a general flat earth hi-fi forum.

Lets not slag it off though.

[Marco]

Indeed. However it now lacks a certain je ne sais quoi

Marco.

[Neil McCauley]

I completely agree with you. The Munich show is a different ball game altogether.

Primarily the biggest difference is that generally the Germans are much more serious about hi-fi than we are and also tend to spend big money on seriously hi-end kit.

They tend to think more 'out of the box' than we do and in terms of equipment are not afraid to go outside of the mainstream, whereas in Britain enthusiasts, in the main, are 'bargain hunters' who operate in the low to mid echelons of the marketplace buying mainly mass-produced mainstream hi-fi.

Basically, outside of the US, the Japanese and German markets are where the 'big players' are in hi-fi, so the Munich show reflects this. I intend to go sometime myself and check it out

I'd love to see some pics, so see what you can do.

Marco.

Again I find myself in agreement with you. There's a 'fun' aspect in Munich that is sadly lacking at Heathrow. The show, and it is vast, has a real 'buzz' about it. In 2005, I heard 4 of the greatest systems of my life there. None imported into the UK.

1.The full Burmester system was magical.

2.The Lumen White Silver Flame speakers (which I went on to buy despite an RRP of £18k) driven by Ayon and using North Star digital ran it a close second.

3. The Mal Valve system with prototype hybrid electrostatic was astonishing. Impractical, but astonishing.

4.The Magneplanar 20.R via Jeff Rowland power amps was outstanding.

Even the finest of my own home grown systems, damn good though they are, don't quite capture the wonder and majesty of those 4. Interestingly, most of the makers mentioned above hadn't ANY interest {at that time) of being represented in the UK. They just didn't see us as a worthwhile market!

[Togil]

My 3rd Munich show, it happens to be my home town although I live in England.

Best sound, I thought : Vitus monoblocks, preamp and CD player through some large German speakers whose name I've forgotten. Vitus is available in the UK now

Most desirable German product NOT available in UK : Octave valve amps

Greatest disappointment : Wilson Duettes sounded really terrible through the Musical Fidelity Supercharger

Hans