High End Munich Becoming High End Vienna
Starting in May, 2026, High End Munich is morphing into High End Vienna, with the first Vienna High End scheduled for May 28-31, 2026. The surprise move from Munich’s MOC to Vienna’s ACV (Austria Center Vienna) follows what is now understood as a trial run that drew 66 companies and approximately 4000 visitors to Vienna’s ACV in November 18-19, 2023.
High End Munich Canceled for 2021
Due to the ongoing pandemic threat, High End Munich 2021, which had been rescheduled to September 9-12, has been canceled for this year.
High Rez Help
Both SACD and DVD-Audio have been slow finding their way into higher-end players. Sony dominates the market for SACD, and the other major consumer electronics manufacturers are trickling out DVD-A and universal players. The few exceptions include SACD machines from Classéhttp://www.stereophile.com//digitalsourcereviews/474/">Classé; and Accuphasehttp://www.stereophile.com//digitalsourcereviews/340/">Accuphase;. Soon to be added to the list: Linn.
High-Brow Streaming
Sam Tellig loves 'em and consistently sings their high-quality/low-buck praises as a cheapskate favorite ($6.99 per CD!). And now, classical music label Naxos">http://www.naxos.com">Naxos of America is blazing new paths with its announcement last week that it and Liquid">http://www.liquidaudio.com">Liquid Audio have inked an agreement to digitally distribute downloads of selected Naxos recordings to leading retail and music web sites in the Liquid Music Network.
High-end Audio Predictions for 1998
Who wouldn't want to know what's in store for the extreme audio devotee? So we rolled a special set of aluminum Tiptoes, read the auspicious signs (you've got to understand how the tips point), and divined our first set of predictions. We'll have more next week, if the Mpingo dots line up just right.
High-End Audio Writer Anthony H. Cordesman Passes
Anthony H. (Tony) Cordesman, who wrote high-end equipment reviews for Audio, Stereophile, and The Absolute Sound (TAS), died suddenly last week.
High-end audio-industry veterans have new jobs
As of October, Meridian America's new VP/Sales, replacing the late Ross Keim, was industry veteran Andy Regan, who started his high-end career at Manhattan retailer Sound by Singer. Most recently, Regan was VP/Sales at cable manufacturer AudioQuest. Not uncoincidentally, Joe Abrams has moved from cable manufacturer MIT to AudioQuest.
High-End Clicks & Mortar?
Selling consumer-electronics gear over the Web has begun to glow white-hot in the last year, with dozens of companies turning up the competitive burners (see related">http://www.stereophile.com/news/10514/">related story). It will likely be a tough business, with the inevitable shake-outs and mergers taking place as retailers test their strategies and brands on the public's pocketbooks.
High-End Faces
Medford, Long Island–based manufacturer Shahinian Acoustics has announced a recapitalization and a manufacturing-facilities expansion to meet demand for its quasi-omnidirectional loudspeakers. In a related development, Vasken Shahinian has succeeded his father as president and managing director.
High-End Munich Canceled
(February 28) High End 2020, aka Munich High End, has been canceled “due to the current worsening trend with respect to the spread of the novel coronavirus.”