Vienna Hi-End 2026

[Macca]

I thought all the systems demonstrated in the video sounded crap, but I put that down to the itsy bitsy teeny weeny speaker in my smartphone.

No doubt if I had been there I would have thought differently, but not by much. I would have loathed those large horn speakers that look as if they had come from a decommissioned cinema.

(When I have time, I might see if I can connect my laptop to my DAC using a USB cable, and give the video another go.)

well yes you can't tell anything about the sound quality from a video played back through entirely different speakers, it was just an example of crap demo 'music' that I was highlighting. The quality is irrelevant. If you really want to hear the speakers you have to actually go to the show - which is the whole point of having a show.

[User211]

Pigmy: Someone could get a flavour what I have by buying these.

https://ebay.io/m/BGx3TS

This is insanely cheap IMHO. And They can be maintained by Jon Oakley in Birmingham.

These were refurbished in the states by Rich Murray. They aren't like mine Duettas in that they don't have all the structural changes Jon and I did with mine.

The owner prefers his Scintillas which you can also see in the pic.

There are caveats to owning these. Size, weight, required amplification etc. And you could probably get Jon to make them to a spec close to mine.

Blatant plug. But TBH people seem to not know what these things are these days, which is a great shame.

[User211]

What did you reckon to the venue?

Article here by Roy Gregory effectively saying it's an acoustic disaster

https://gy8.eu/blog/high-end-2026/

I am amazed at what I just read. I don't think that's a fair assessment at all.

There's way more space between the rooms at the ACV. A lot of rooms are so far apart that you can't hear noise breakthrough from other rooms to anywhere near the same extent as Munich.

Granted the third floor was full of tiny rooms. The worst place to be without question.

But at the ACV you don't feel like a sardine. And that's a big plus. Huge, in fact.

I really wasn't that aware of AC and temperatures inside the venue were very pleasant.

So basically, I am calling BS.

I did hear some rantings about the organisation from an exhibitor, together with an accusation they didn't like Germans. Maybe that's why the AG demonstration was so small compared to Munich. Then again, I don't know that for a fact.

WRT to prices of hifi gear, the cost of attending these shows is high, and it has to get factored into the selling price. Think about what is involved in getting these huge systems into the show. It ain't cheap.

[User211]

Let me add I am only talking about the main show and not the two others I also went to. One good, one bad.

[Tim]

I don't mind hearing something new as long as it isn't audiophile crap.

100%

[User211]

100%

Most of it was crap. It always is.

If you like classical it may not be as bad. But I actively dislike it.

[User211]

Don't get me wrong I will say there were some rooms that were definitely a huge fail.

Last year at Munich these speakers sounded fabulous with Audio Research gear.

https://acoraacoustics.com/

Here they just failed totally. Ultra near field listening 3rd floor issue no length to the room.

Another Clarisys room was also dreadful.

[Macca]

I am amazed at what I just read. I don't think that's a fair assessment at all.

There's way more space between the rooms at the ACV. A lot of rooms are so far apart that you can't hear noise breakthrough from other rooms to anywhere near the same extent as Munich.

Granted the third floor was full of tiny rooms. The worst place to be without question.

But at the ACV you don't feel like a sardine. And that's a big plus. Huge, in fact.

I really wasn't that aware of AC and temperatures inside the venue were very pleasant.

So basically, I am calling BS.

Okay that's interesting. Roy Gregory talking BS is nothing new I suppose.

On the German front perhaps they haven't forgiven them for the Anschluss? They bombed our chippy but that was 28 years before I was born so I got over it quite quickly.

Are you going to the NW show at the end of the month or are you all 'showed out' now?

[User211]

No is the simple answer.

I really did enjoy that bake off AoS did when we were both there, though.

[Macca]

No is the simple answer.

I really did enjoy that bake off AoS did when we were both there, though.

That was a good weekend. Keep hoping that place will re-open so we can do it again but must have been shut now for ten years almost.