Jason Victor Serinus

Munich 2025

Munich Was Wunderbar. Vienna's Next—If You Can Afford the Room

Jason Victor Serinus Jun 22, 2025

This photo of the vast Munich venue, taken near closing time on the last day of the 2025 audio show, wraps up Stereophile's coverage.

Despite the impact of the Trump tariffs, Munich attendance figures were again impressive. With 323,000 square feet of exhibition space—that's seven and a half acres!—High End Munich '25 welcomed 10,562 trade visitors from 87 countries; 11,675 consumer attendees from 63 countries; and 581 media representatives from 43 countries. While the Munich event may not be audio's most popular—depending on how you count attendees, the Hong Kong, Warsaw, and AXPONA shows may attract more unique visitors—it is unquestionably the meeting place for consumers and distributors.

Munich 2025

Wave of the Future? Innuos Nazaré Hits Munich

Jason Victor Serinus Jun 20, 2025

As I type these words, an Innuos Nazaré music server/streamer ($50,000) with 8TB of internal storage is en route to my home in Port Townsend for review. The Portuguese company's new flagship, named after the deepwater canyon off the coast of Nazaré that generates some of the world's largest waves, made its official debut at this year's High End Munich. The unit is expected to begin shipping in September.

Munich 2025

Exhausted? Fighting a Cold? Try a Dose of Burmester

Jason Victor Serinus Jun 20, 2025

At High End Munich, Burmester launched an entirely new Reference system—except for the BC150 Reference speakers ($218,000/pair). Debuts included the Reference 249 modular preamp ($55,000) with optional MC phono stage ($5000) and DAC ($10,000); the 257 turntable ($55,000) complete with an arm, cartridge, and a sensor that constantly adjusts speed; and the 259 stereo amplifier ($90,000, bridgeable to mono).

Munich 2025

Ride of the Valve‑kyries: VTL Unleashes the Lohengrin

Jason Victor Serinus Jun 20, 2025

Twelve years after VTL released its Siegfried Reference monoblock, the California‑based company is poised to launch its little brother, the Lohengrin Reference monoblock ($100,000/pair). Smaller though it may be, with fewer tubes and less power, VTL says that Lohengrin amounts to "a new benchmark for musicality and realism."

Munich 2025

Audiovector: the Sound of 26 Drivers Driving

Jason Victor Serinus Jun 20, 2025

Because editor Jim Austin praised the Audiovector R 8 loudspeaker so highly, I was eager to hear its new, larger sibling. So when the Danish company debuted its R 10 Arreté flagship ($165,000/pair) at High End Munich, I arranged an audition—and a meeting with CEO and owner Mads Klifoth.

Munich 2025

Smaller, Sleeker, Still Estelon

Jason Victor Serinus Jun 20, 2025

To celebrate its 15th anniversary, Estelon unveiled its new A‑Series Aurelia (17,900 euros/pair with stands), Aurelia Centre (7500 euros/each), and Aurus (13,500 euros/each).

Munich 2025

GAIA Goes Neo: IsoAcoustics Plants a Firmer Foot

Ken Micallef, Jason Victor Serinus Jun 20, 2025

Ken says: At High End Munich, IsoAcoustics introduced its new GAIA Neo and GAIA-TITAN Neo series of isolation feet. Designed for both consumer and OEM use, the Neo models improve on the established GAIA line with updated engineering. The first custom versions will be integrated into the new JBL Summit Makalu, Summit Pumori, and Summit Ama speakers, as well as the Marten Coltrane Extreme loudspeakers—all of which debuted at the show.

Munich 2025

Tiny Dancer: Métronome Introduces the DSAS

Jason Victor Serinus Jun 16, 2025

Métronome unveiled its very first music server, the small but mighty Métronome x Audirvāna DSAS ($6950, due in September), in an all‑French system. This “Digital Sharing Audio Server” (DSAS) uses Audirvāna Studio to manage both local and streaming music. It includes 2TB of storage (expandable to 4TB) and comes with a free three‑year subscription to Audirvāna.

Munich 2025

Manger's Red-Hot p2 Speaker: Attractive and Exacting

Jason Victor Serinus Jun 16, 2025

A chance encounter with Daniela Manger, CEO and engineer of Manger Audio led me to the exhibit with the company's latest offering: the striking red, p2 floorstander ($15,000/satin matt lacquer - $17,900/Ultra high gloss), whose optimized driver has a stronger motor for faster response and more transient information. The specified frequency range is 30Hz–45kHz.

Munich 2025

Qobuz Connects, Solomon Detaches

Jason Victor Serinus Jun 16, 2025

From Munich's English Gardens to the Marienplatz, all audiophiles seemed to be talking about Qobuz Connect. I sat down over lunch with David Solomon to get the skinny.