Joseph Audio Joins Forces with Flow by Allegro, Pre-Audio, Master Fidelity, Way
Jeff Joseph pops up in all the fashionable places, and when he does—whether it's at Capital Audiofest, AXPONA, or here at High End Munich—his sound is always stellar. Today’s lineup was consistent with the pattern
Korf Audio
Austrian analog manufacturer Korf Audio introduced their new flagship series of ceramic tonearms, the TA-AF series, at High End Munich, including the TA-AF9 “premium tonearm” (€3200) on static display at their booth but also live on a TechDAS V turntable in the Engstrom room.
Lansche Audio, Thrax Audio, Hachidori, Inc., Dyrholm Audio
This large system employed a reel-to-reel deck and a DAC for sources, abetted by a new product designation, at least for me, a combination tape/phono stage.
Luphonic Labs
Manically energized after watching Dua Lipa’s “Illusion” video on repeat for all nine hours of my flight from Newark to Munich, I was ready for some calming turntable action. The off-white colors of Luphonic Labs’s turntable line caught my attention, their curvy design aesthetic and retro appeal comforting my jet-lagged brain.
Marten’s Coltrane Quintet
I cannot recall a single instance where I was less than thoroughly satisfied—thrilled, usually—by the sound Marten loudspeakers made at shows. Given how tricky show set-up often is, Marten’s track record of stellar sound is no mean achievement.
MBL wows once again
“MBL always sounds great at shows” is an axiom so often repeated that it could serve as an audiophile mantra, but it accurately describes the experience of hearing a full-range, air-filled presentation that, in Munich, was open, alive, and just plain fabulous.
More stuff from Munich: Q Acoustics, Cambridge Audio
I get excited when a room showing “budget" gear knocks me for a loop. As is sometimes the case, a well-curated, carefully set up budget system can make music in spades, hitting the high notes of tone, staging, and dynamics.
Munich: Abbey Fonn / Nick Getz / Wilson XVX, D’Agostino Relentless, VPI Titan, Nordost, Stromtank
As one of Munich’s most prestigious distributors, Mansour Mamaghani’s Audio Reference again pulled out all the stops in a huge, glass enclosed central Atrium space that showcased more brands than there is space to list.
Nordost’s Brand new Leif Series 3
Nordost’s entry-level "Leif" line of cabling has just taken a major step forward with the introduction of Leif Series 3 ("Leif 3"). Gauge and terminations on the entire Leif series—White Lightning 3, Purple Flare 3, Blue Heaven 3, Red Dawn 3—have been upgraded.
Quad HiFi, Lumin, E.A.T., Luxman, Silent Angel, Beaudioful
Assisted by IAD Audio’s Thomas Henke, I learned about Quad HiFi’s relaunch of their beloved 33 preamplifier and 303 power amplifier, which were available and very popular from 1967 to 1985.