View Full Version : High End Munich 2025
Pretty good walk-around here for those of us who couldn't possibly be bothered to drag our raggedy arses all the way to Germany just to listen to stuff we can't afford:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZKaD_L3by4&t=1157s
Good sound and picture quality, and unlike some others he cracks on and doesn't linger for ages over some pointless tat.
Still almost three hours if you watch it all in real time.
Lots of the music is the sort of thing you get piped in to the Tiki Bar at the airport Hilton, but what are you going to do?
hifinutt
18-05-2025, 11:34
yes been enjoying the videos , the new LS3 pre amp with s200 power amp from ARC looks good
yes been enjoying the videos , the new LS3 pre amp with s200 power amp from ARC looks good
I also like the look of the S200, with its VU meters. Their valve stuff they can hang onto though, for me.
What possible use are VU meters on a power amp, apart from being a visual distraction?
What possible use are VU meters on a power amp, apart from being a visual distraction?
They look good. Power amps are pretty boring otherwise. Although personally I prefer segmented LED to analogue needles.
If they're properly calibrated they can warn of clipping, which is handy if not essential.
hifinutt
18-05-2025, 13:15
I also like the look of the S200, with its VU meters. Their valve stuff they can hang onto though, for me.
really like the look of the new Arc pre ... the big drawback though is if it goes wrong it goes back to a certain place :doh:
They look good. Power amps are pretty boring otherwise. Although personally I prefer segmented LED to analogue needles.
If they're properly calibrated they can warn of clipping, which is handy if not essential.
I use power amplifiers for their sound and capability - not for their looks. I doubt if the meters have the required ballistics to be anywhere near useful.
Not that it matters to me; my monoblock power amps are hidden directly behind each speaker.
Lawrence001
18-05-2025, 23:30
I love meters and would pay a premium for an amp with them. Everyone has different tastes.
Pigmy Pony
19-05-2025, 05:48
I love meters and would pay a premium for an amp with them. Everyone has different tastes.
That they do Lawrence. And this my taste - just need to find £10k worth of loose change down back of the sofa :)
https://www.audiovenue.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Musical-fidelity-Nu-Vista-800.2.png
Pigmy Pony
19-05-2025, 06:10
Actually no, I think it would have to be this:
https://images.hifiplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/e-650_front_close.jpg
Would have to be the one that also had the grab handles for me:
https://i.ibb.co/rRh0fWgn/1205212-2339563c-accuphase-p1000-2-channels-power-amplifier-120v-us-version.jpg (https://ibb.co/zTgxHk1K)
Pete The Cat
19-05-2025, 10:02
For me those handles have the opposite effect to high end. A bit like mods on a boy racer's hatchback.
Pigmy Pony
19-05-2025, 10:45
Easier for cack-handed burglars to make off with it though.
In the future all microwave ovens will look like that. With one less handle.
This one is quite entertaining:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE_tRPw-jNU
Would have to be the one that also had the grab handles for me:
https://i.ibb.co/rRh0fWgn/1205212-2339563c-accuphase-p1000-2-channels-power-amplifier-120v-us-version.jpg (https://ibb.co/zTgxHk1K)
I have admit it looks handsome. Normally I dislike gold finish on audio gear, but here it looks good.
When it comes to grab handles, they are only required if the item is particularly heavy. That said I have two sets of monoblock power amplifiers that sport grab handles.
The first are a set of extremely heavy Mark Levinson 25W Class A amplifiers, which actually have two sets of lifting handles.
The second are a set of Quad 510 amplifiers, which are not particularly heavy, are designed for 19" rack mounting.
Lawrence001
19-05-2025, 17:49
I have admit it looks handsome. Normally I dislike gold finish on audio gear, but here it looks good.
When it comes to grab handles, they are only required if the item is particularly heavy. That said I have two sets of monoblock power amplifiers that sport grab handles.
The first are a set of extremely heavy Mark Levinson 25W Class A amplifiers, which actually have two sets of lifting handles.
The second are a set of Quad 510 amplifiers, which are not particularly heavy, are designed for 19" rack mounting.
So they need grab handles if they are heavy OR designed for rack mounting?
I thought of Marco when I capitalised the or [emoji16]
And it's champagne finish not gold. Far more sophisticated. (Unless it's real gold of course.)
I have admit it looks handsome. Normally I dislike gold finish on audio gear, but here it looks good.
.
It's heavy - and build quality is fabulous. Its more expensive than an amplifier needs to be, but at least you're getting something tangible for your money. Plenty of more expensive amps that are very ordinary in build and finish by comparison.
So they need grab handles if they are heavy OR designed for rack mounting?
I thought of Marco when I capitalised the or [emoji16]
And it's champagne finish not gold. Far more sophisticated. (Unless it's real gold of course.)
No - I have a rack-mounting preamp (a Levinson ML -10A) devoid of grab handles.
I could equally describe the finish of the Luxman amp as "white gold". Think it sounds 'classier'. ;)
I actually dragged myself over there, for about the 36,682,890th time.
Vienna next year, no more Munich.
Which is good as flying from Bristol was a drag as Amsterdam stop is required.
Clarisys doing modern day Apogees was interesting. Spoke to the main man Florian for a bit about things planar magnetic.
Ever feel as though your system lacks scale?https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250520/2d614ce44ffc35e2bd860a26f0d83b4d.jpg
I actually dragged myself over there, for about the 36,682,890th time.
Vienna next year, no more Munich.
Which is good as flying from Bristol was a drag as Amsterdam stop is required.
Clarisys doing modern day Apogees was interesting. Spoke to the main man Florian for a bit about things planar magnetic.
Ever feel as though your system lacks scale?https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250520/2d614ce44ffc35e2bd860a26f0d83b4d.jpg
Combined audio and grow room. Nice!
Combined audio and grow room. Nice!That set of planar panels is Florian's personal set. It definitely does scale.
In the evening at a pub by Marienplatz there were some dudes who work for Audi smoking 31% THC weed they got from the pharmacy.
WTF is a pharmacy dishing out weed that strong for, I wondered? I didn't grill them on it, but it did seem odd!
That set of planar panels is Florian's personal set. It definitely does scale.
In the evening at a pub by Marienplatz there were some dudes who work for Audi smoking 31% THC weed they got from the pharmacy.
WTF is a pharmacy dishing out weed that strong for, I wondered? I didn't grill them on it, but it did seem odd!
I have a pal who gets it on prescription. He showed me the selection and its massive. Plenty at 27 percent and higher. IIRC there were some in the forties. Have to check that with him next time I see him.
One thing about going to Munich is I never want to buy anything when I am there. I must have been there 10 or more times.
When I get back I don't buy anything because of the shows either.
Nothing in my system reflects any Munich visit.
Curious.
Lawrence001
20-05-2025, 18:30
I actually dragged myself over there, for about the 36,682,890th time.
Vienna next year, no more Munich.
Which is good as flying from Bristol was a drag as Amsterdam stop is required.
Clarisys doing modern day Apogees was interesting. Spoke to the main man Florian for a bit about things planar magnetic.
Ever feel as though your system lacks scale?https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250520/2d614ce44ffc35e2bd860a26f0d83b4d.jpgJust looked at your kit list and realised I spoke to you outside the show!
Just looked at your kit list and realised I spoke to you outside the show!NHS Nicotine Man? Can that really be you? LOL.
Lawrence001
20-05-2025, 20:03
NHS Nicotine Man? Can that really be you? LOL.That's me! Annoying things but they seem to do the job 99% of the time.
That's me! Annoying things but they seem to do the job 99% of the time.The sure sign is you let that roll up go out. When you really need a smoke, there's no way that would happen.
Lawrence001
21-05-2025, 18:48
I'd say my roll ups go out about 1 in 5 times at least. Must be the way I roll them [emoji38]
Three and a half hour walkaround - and this is only part one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdNbyXtb55I
Three and a half hour walkaround - and this is only part one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdNbyXtb55IWhen I first started going there no one did videos. I was like a God for doing so.
Nowadays, I am beat beyond belief to even start trying.
I do like watching the videos to get a contrast between what I actually heard and what comes across from them.
Unfortunately, the disparity between even the best efforts and what you actually hear when there is quite large even when replayed on a decent system/good headphones.
Vienna next year so looking forward to the change.
Even the wife wants to go. She did Munich once but that was enough for her. No interest in hi-fi but she did enjoy having a look around the city.
When I first started going there no one did videos. I was like a God for doing so.
Nowadays, I am beat beyond belief to even start trying.
I do like watching the videos to get a contrast between what I actually heard and what comes across from them.
Unfortunately, the disparity between even the best efforts and what you actually hear when there is quite large even when replayed on a decent system/good headphones.
.
I never pay attention to the actual sound since I can listen to my laptop speakers anytime :)
I just watch the videos on high speed and pause them when I see something interesting.
Pigmy Pony
25-05-2025, 10:55
I just watch the videos on high speed
Accompanied by that Benny Hill music :)
When I first started going there no one did videos. I was like a God for doing so.
Nowadays, I am beat beyond belief to even start trying.
I do like watching the videos to get a contrast between what I actually heard and what comes across from them.
Unfortunately, the disparity between even the best efforts and what you actually hear when there is quite large even when replayed on a decent system/good headphones.
Vienna next year so looking forward to the change.
Even the wife wants to go. She did Munich once but that was enough for her. No interest in hi-fi but she did enjoy having a look around the city.
The same problem applies to those You Tube videos by audio enthusiasts where they try, for example, to demonstrate the 'sound' of different cables, or in the most absurd case I have seen, the difference between OFC and OCC copper. Regardless of how you listen to these YT videos, the actual medium is IMHO, hopelessly inadequate to reveal the supposed differences
Conversely, YT clips of audio shows also fail to demonstrate how awful the sound often is from some manufacturer's demonstrations. :D
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