This year I took it just easily. One full day, loosely wandering from one stand or room to another, trying to catch at least a glimpse of everything but probably missing more than I think. The second day, normally spent at the Show, I devoted to Munich’s art museums. Not that the Show would have disappointed me. It is still the best on the global level, and I was glad, after some less benign years, to see so many people (mostly men) around, different geographical regions being nicely represented and that, in addition to some obvious fancy showstoppers, there were enough familiar demos from the past years creating a homely feeling!

While browsing my photos (less than ideal quality, as always) afterwards I noticed that many of them represented systems in which the sound did not point to the speakers (cabinets) but was noticeably detached from them, in other words, systems with an airy, spacious and intangible sound. Technically that meant that many of the systems that stuck to the camera lens and to the surface of my subconscious featured dipole or omni-directional loudspeakers, such as the below panels by the French Diptyque. The very find sound of this system boded well for the entire exhibition!

Being an proud owner of ESL63s (dedicated to digital sources and TV), and the former owner of ESL57s, I was happy to see two rooms occupied by QUAD dipole electrostatics, the bigger one with QUAD’s own electronics, and the ESL57 with EAR Yoshino.

Another example of a dipole speaker from Italy: AlsyVox panels consisting of a push-pull ribbon woofer together with a ribbon mid/super-tweeter. These speakers have garnered well-deserved attention at every fair they’ve been demoed (HERE at the Highend Stockholm), and this time was no exception!

Here’s, too, an open back speaker that I would have liked to listen for a longer period of time had I had more time: Wolf Von Langa‘s WVL 23216 LONDON, with two Field-Coil-Dipole-Bass-Midrange-Drivers, and a Dipole-Twin-Cone-Field-Coil-Fullrange-Driver. The amps are by AirTight. A really peaceful and relaxing sound but far from dull!

The legendary Thorens SoundWall HP 600 loudspeaker, a three-way dynamic loudspeaker based on the open baffle principle (dipole). In its modern state, the speaker features 12 x 150 mm dynamic woofers per side, together the “Dynamic Dozen” reaching down to 40 Hertz. In the upper part of the panel, two midrange drivers surround two tweeters, the latter working back-to-back. A friendly natural sound (especially jazz) from the Thorens’ New Reference turntable with some extreme techniques and plus 200 000 euro price.

Here’s a record-breakingly open and transparent sounding system, but not obtained with a dipole speaker. The speaker is BAYZ Audio Counterpoint 2.0’s featuring the Bayz Radial Tweeter (360 degree omnidirectional) and two 240 mm woofers in the C-tube. The loudspeakers were driven by JMF amplification/cables. When everything falls into place this loudspeaker can deliver such an immensely immaterial and spacious sound that is generally favorable just about to any music, but excels with eg. baroque vocal music. From Show to Show, the BAYZ system keeps amazing me, always ending up to my top 3 or so list. Well done!

Another long-time favourite of mine is the French loudspeaker manufacturer AudioNec and its unique DuoPole mid/tweeter unit that is able of doing miracles! In the Evo 3 speaker, the DuoPole 31 cover frequencies from 400 Hz to 10 kHz, surrounded by 4 woofers mounted in a d’Appolito configuration. Plus a super tweeter for > 10kHz. The sound evoked positive vibes, as always.

Here we have an entirely different approach (not a dipole nor omni) but with equally great results: Orhestralls flagship ‘horizontal’ speakers. A very relaxing and freely breathing sound especially with large scale classic music. Don’t know how they do it.

Common to all above examples (add to that mbl’s extreme omni system, if you like) was the high probability of demo music being classic or some other art music. That suits me, and may explain my bias. But I believe there’s more to it than the demo music, and my guess is that it has to do with the non-intrusive manner in which they reproduced the sound/music. They envelope the listener in a right way. The sound and the listener are two different entities (not forcing immersivity), yet the sound is able to communicate the musical message brilliantly. As von Longa puts it: “You can easily listen to the flow of music for hours and let the single source sound roll over you in one continuous calming wave.”

OTHER SYSTEMS THAT STUCK IN MY MIND

Boenicke Audio’s W22 offered a bigger-than-life type of sound with no obvious distracting factors.

Vivid Audio‘s seashells (here Giya G1 series 2) are famous for their huge soundstage, this time joining Audionet’s pre- and power amplifiers.

SoulNote appears again to be on everyone’s lips. Here with YG Acoustics loudspeakers.

Their latest speaker model, Estelon X Diamond Signature Edition, with its signature sound, put up a good show together with top gear by MSB, Pilium, dCS, and Crystal Cable.

I want to stop here for a moment. The French speaker manufacturers have their own distinctive idea of how a good system should sound, and often are able to argue, technically and phenomenologically, for their conception. Their approach may appear modest but in reality it is grossly underrated. They know what they’re doing. Below Davis Acoustics’ brand new The Stage loudspeaker in the caress of lustrous Jadis electronics. A well thought out sound!

Voxativ was showcasing their new Anadagio loudspeaker with two distinctive features. One, the speaker featured their latest field coil driver, and second, the folded bass horn, taken from the Ampeggio Due, is redesigned to allow the slimmer shape. A distinctive Voxativ sound!

The Swedish Marten presented an exclusive system, Marten Coltrane Quintets with Halcro mono blocks and JORMA Paragon cables. Top highend in all respects!

TUENTABLES

Classic tonearms on a vintage Thorens turntable.

Why not! Almost everything else has been seen? European Audio Team (EAT).

Kuzma XL AIR with its air bearing and 44 kg bronze platter. Total system mass 120 kg.

Acoustical Systems‘ belt driven A*Stellar Reference turntable with the 36 layer multimaterial platter, adjustable push-pull magnetic bearing, air suspended plinth and double-point brushless DC motor.

MONUMENTALS

When the size doesn’t matter or when it does matter: Lyrovox Karlemagne Monoliths powered by the Swiss CH Precision via AudioQuest cables.

Brodmann’s Signature Series JB205 contains of two main and two active bass towers, powered by Viola Labs amps through the ZEN SATI cable jungle behind the speakers. The turntable system was Rui Borges’ impressive Pendulum Reference & Supreme-Analog Tangenta tonearm.

Sigma Acoustics modular monsters with canEVER amplification and Tourbillion turntable from Italy.

Peak Consult is a world-class Danish loudspeaker manufacturer whose smaller models I’d love to get my hands/pen on. This monument is their Dragon Legacy.

Vivid Audio Moya M1, a cartoonish like loudspeaker full of imagination!

SYMPATHETIC

Advance Paris furniture.