SoundRebels
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Munich High End 2024
- Thread starter SoundRebels
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Thank you for the wonderful coverage and photos.
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Munich High-End 2024 - Page 4 of 4 - Gy8
Wow. Aries Cerat didn’t fair well.
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Wow. Aries Cerat didn’t fair well.
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Golum
Member
To quote Pierre de Coubertin: "The important thing in the Olympic Games (Munich show) is not to win, but to take part" 
Still, I have nothing but respect for Aries Cerat and their beyond massive effort showcasing that system..not an easy task by any means.
Still, I have nothing but respect for Aries Cerat and their beyond massive effort showcasing that system..not an easy task by any means.
SCAudiophile
Member
And on the page prior a couple more big names got slammed too...
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Yes. Seems like the Wilson/CH room didn’t fair well either. Frankly, that’s a pairing I just don’t see. I mean, on paper it should make a lot of sense: speaker with a lot of lower mid bass energy and a slightly lean in the bass set of electronics. But for the strangest reason it doesn’t work when I’ve heard them together. Montaudio cables were used. Can’t say I’m familiar with them. They appear to be silver plated copper which may contribute to extra leanness. Very odd that it doesn’t work to say the least.
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And yet I received an email newsletter this morning from HiFi+ where Aries Cerat, Wilson and CH Precision were among the rooms cited as best by the HiFi+ reviewers in attendance.
Munich High-End 2024: The Top, Top Fives! - hi-fi+
Horses for courses I guess. I always take these things with a grain of salt.
You do have to often wonder how people listen…especially at shows. That one guy who liked the Aries Cerat also liked the Linn. I’ve heard from numerous people these were the two worst sounding rooms (with the third being the new Vivid’s). Shows are tough….so, we can’t obviously judge from shows.
I do find it interesting that one particular speaker brand that seems to win all the awards is literally owned by NO ONE. I haven’t found a single case - not even on their own facebook page, their website nor searching online where they show an owner.
I can’t say the name…but you can all deduct from recent US based shows.
Better to have a speaker that wins at sales than one that wins at shows.
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Truer words were never spoken.
One would think that critical acclaim (as a function of exceptional performance) would translate into success in the marketplace.
SCAudiophile
Member
Agreed, given the quality of CH amplification and preamps, this looks like more of a cable synergy and possibly other things upstream, plus setup and room treatments. There are any number of great interconnect and speaker cable choices plus proper setup that would result in such pairings doing excellent things together.
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Here are some impressions from the audio fairs in Munich last week:
Our small group typically combines our Munich visit with mountain trips in the Garmisch Partenkirchen and Innsbruck area. However, due to inclement weather this year, we started our journey with a detour to Prague, where we enjoyed a fantastic jazz show by the band CAPTAIN FINGERS at the AghaRTA club.
Arriving in Munich after two and a half days, we postponed our mountain trip until after the exhibition. We attended two exhibitions (one in the MOC, the other in the Marriott Hotel), each showcasing a wide array of high-quality audio equipment. Despite differences in size between the MOC and Marriott Hotel venues, the Hifideluxe exhibition seemed to offer greater value to visitors in terms of sound quality.
Attendance during the two days I visited (Thursday and Friday) was similar to last year, with an attentive audience. Other commentators had already remarked on the sound quality in the show, noting that successful displays were those that were meticulously prepared, rather than relying on chance.
However, I found it disappointing that many presenters used playlists featuring techno and electronic music, which seemed out of place for such an event.
Here are my impressions of some of the systems:
- Lorenzo Audio: While the music system was enjoyable to listen to, the selection of music sometimes felt off, and the Hi Mid sounds occasionally sounded thin.
- TAD: Despite its potential, I found the mid-high sounds too thin for my liking, leaving me wondering if more effort could have been made to improve the overall result.
- VTL\Wilson: A pleasant surprise, as the combination of VTL with Wilson speakers produced excellent music.
- Living Voice: Although the sound quality was not as good as last year, the system managed to impress with jazz music.
- MAGICO S5: Despite a familiar playlist, the room left me smiling, with little to fault beyond the music selection (ordered a pair a couple of weeks ago to replace my S3 2023).
- Gobel + Pillium: This setup did everything right for my ears, although accompanied by a huge subwoofer the smaller loudspeaker was a refreshing look next to all the audio monsters presented at show.
- J-M-F (Hifi Deluxe): A surprising standout, with simple-looking speakers delivering impressive sound.
- Diesis Roma (Hifi Deluxe): Among the most enjoyable stands, offering a colorful yet satisfying sound experience.
- Aries Cerat: While capable of reproducing a full symphonic orchestra, the system's downside lies in its space requirements and design, which may not appeal to everyone.
- Brodman\Zensati: Consistently delivering quality music without much fanfare.
- Alsyvox: A pleasant surprise despite a lack of slam, with excellent midrange performance (can't say the same words on the Clarisys system that was presented at the Marriott).
Unfortunately, I missed out on experiencing Cesario and Vivid Moya this year.
As for the disappointments:
- Goldmud Sound Systems: Lacking in power and credibility.
- CH + Wilson XVX: Thin and unexciting sound, despite previous positive experiences.
- Nagra + Stenheim: Disappointing sound quality, despite the opportunity to purchase HD Vinyl and discs at a discount.
- Boulder Audio + YG: Failed to meet expectations, with the size of the disappointment matching the anticipation.
To sum it up, I'm probably more fond of horn speakers than I admit, and I don't find most Swiss audio gear to my taste.
Lastly, while there were many other rooms with both positive and negative aspects, these were the ones I chose to highlight. Looking forward to 2025!
Our small group typically combines our Munich visit with mountain trips in the Garmisch Partenkirchen and Innsbruck area. However, due to inclement weather this year, we started our journey with a detour to Prague, where we enjoyed a fantastic jazz show by the band CAPTAIN FINGERS at the AghaRTA club.
Arriving in Munich after two and a half days, we postponed our mountain trip until after the exhibition. We attended two exhibitions (one in the MOC, the other in the Marriott Hotel), each showcasing a wide array of high-quality audio equipment. Despite differences in size between the MOC and Marriott Hotel venues, the Hifideluxe exhibition seemed to offer greater value to visitors in terms of sound quality.
Attendance during the two days I visited (Thursday and Friday) was similar to last year, with an attentive audience. Other commentators had already remarked on the sound quality in the show, noting that successful displays were those that were meticulously prepared, rather than relying on chance.
However, I found it disappointing that many presenters used playlists featuring techno and electronic music, which seemed out of place for such an event.
Here are my impressions of some of the systems:
- Lorenzo Audio: While the music system was enjoyable to listen to, the selection of music sometimes felt off, and the Hi Mid sounds occasionally sounded thin.
- TAD: Despite its potential, I found the mid-high sounds too thin for my liking, leaving me wondering if more effort could have been made to improve the overall result.
- VTL\Wilson: A pleasant surprise, as the combination of VTL with Wilson speakers produced excellent music.
- Living Voice: Although the sound quality was not as good as last year, the system managed to impress with jazz music.
- MAGICO S5: Despite a familiar playlist, the room left me smiling, with little to fault beyond the music selection (ordered a pair a couple of weeks ago to replace my S3 2023).
- Gobel + Pillium: This setup did everything right for my ears, although accompanied by a huge subwoofer the smaller loudspeaker was a refreshing look next to all the audio monsters presented at show.
- J-M-F (Hifi Deluxe): A surprising standout, with simple-looking speakers delivering impressive sound.
- Diesis Roma (Hifi Deluxe): Among the most enjoyable stands, offering a colorful yet satisfying sound experience.
- Aries Cerat: While capable of reproducing a full symphonic orchestra, the system's downside lies in its space requirements and design, which may not appeal to everyone.
- Brodman\Zensati: Consistently delivering quality music without much fanfare.
- Alsyvox: A pleasant surprise despite a lack of slam, with excellent midrange performance (can't say the same words on the Clarisys system that was presented at the Marriott).
Unfortunately, I missed out on experiencing Cesario and Vivid Moya this year.
As for the disappointments:
- Goldmud Sound Systems: Lacking in power and credibility.
- CH + Wilson XVX: Thin and unexciting sound, despite previous positive experiences.
- Nagra + Stenheim: Disappointing sound quality, despite the opportunity to purchase HD Vinyl and discs at a discount.
- Boulder Audio + YG: Failed to meet expectations, with the size of the disappointment matching the anticipation.
To sum it up, I'm probably more fond of horn speakers than I admit, and I don't find most Swiss audio gear to my taste.
Lastly, while there were many other rooms with both positive and negative aspects, these were the ones I chose to highlight. Looking forward to 2025!
This is the third time I've listened to the CH room in Munich—twice with the XVX and once with Rockport. I also have a friend with CH Series 10 electronics and PMC speakers. Every time, I've left disappointed. I really wanted to ask the CH guys if they are okay with such poor demos year after year, whether using their DAC, CD, or the TechDas. With a $1 million room, how can it sound so miserable?
This year, the XVX was also showcased at Hifidelux with Slovenian electronics. In contrast to CH's poor demos over the years, this was the sound you expect from speakers like the XVX.
Honestly, after hearing CH electronics, including sources like Series A, M1.1, and M10, I'm 100% not connected to the sound they produce. The only time I started to enjoy CH electronics was in a friend's setup (Zellaton EVO, Perlisten D212 sub, M1.1, and Trinnov as preamp), but this system is so heavily room-corrected that you can't appreciate it without the modifications.
For me, most (not all) Swiss companies are overrated.
a.wayne
Active member
Did they specify days heard , some setups can go from really bad to very good by the last day Sunday , i have experienced this so many times it’s not funny , so when commenting and or comparing comments , best to be specific on what day..
a.wayne
Active member
Cant find any measured data on CH amplfiers so hard to comment on design...! FMA is still the leader with swiss designed amps IMO ..
Did you read the article in the attached link? If you did you'd know the answer to that question.
Mr Peabody
Active member
I was sorry to read this, "- Nagra + Stenheim: Disappointing sound quality, despite the opportunity to purchase HD Vinyl and discs at a discount.". This was one of my favorite combos a couple years ago at Axpona.
Not surprised VTL sounded good with Wilson. My favorite Wilson set ups was with tubes. Doshi was great with Wilson as well ARC.
Not surprised VTL sounded good with Wilson. My favorite Wilson set ups was with tubes. Doshi was great with Wilson as well ARC.
SoundRebels
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