Munich High End Show 2017

[realhifi]

On 5/21/2017 at 2:14 AM, Nikhil said:

Kharma Room

 

Complete bling ...

Wow, that is a lot of hardware. 

[realhifi]

22 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

 

Yes and no. At a show there are thousands of products. I forget most of the products I see and hear at shows. I remember the stuff that leaves an impression on me and that's only done with specific music and a certain amount of time. Plus, the overall experience of thinking the manufacturer actually cares enough to let me decide what I want to hear is a nice feeling. 

 

Just curious as to what music was playing at the rooms you highlighted so far?

The rooms that you thought were good enough to comment on. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

6 minutes ago, realhifi said:

 

Just curious as to what music was playing at the rooms you highlighted so far?

The rooms that you thought were good enough to comment on. 

All kinds of music. 

[realhifi]

2 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

All kinds of music. 

Just wondered if any of the rooms had that terrible "audiophile" stuff playing that you're railing about lately. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

8 minutes ago, realhifi said:

Just wondered if any of the rooms had that terrible "audiophile" stuff playing that you're railing about lately. 

 

I get it. Totally valid question. 

[Nikhil]

14 hours ago, realhifi said:

 

Just curious as to what music was playing at the rooms you highlighted so far?

The rooms that you thought were good enough to comment on. 

 

IMO the music at the show was very good.  Germany is the home of classical music so that was very well represented but they also played a fair bit of techno/EDM along with a great selection of classics in most rooms.  As if to answer the question, the Silbatone room played Led Zep's "Whole Lotta Love" on those massive M2s. Given the sheer diversity of tastes at the show, the music selection was pretty good.  

 

The room with the most diverse selection in music was the Absolare/Rockport room - they had Tango, Arabic/Turkish, Blues, Classical, etc.  

 

 

[realhifi]

8 hours ago, Nikhil said:

 

IMO the music at the show was very good.  Germany is the home of classical music so that was very well represented but they also played a fair bit of techno/EDM along with a great selection of classics in most rooms.  As if to answer the question, the Silbatone room played Led Zep's "Whole Lotta Love" on those massive M2s. Given the sheer diversity of tastes at the show, the music selection was pretty good.  

 

The room with the most diverse selection in music was the Absolare/Rockport room - they had Tango, Arabic/Turkish, Blues, Classical, etc.  

 

 

Thanks much!  Sounds like a great show. 

[#Yoda#]

Reviewing the recent reports and comments about the HighEnd show and others, it is my conclusion that most well known HiFi journalists and amateur visitors respond more to the bling-bling of a huge battery of power amps, thick speaker cables and impressive monuments of speakers than the final sound quality. However, an objective statement is a very difficult endeavor concerning the circumstances of an audio show.

[The Computer Audiophile]

1 minute ago, #Yoda# said:

Reviewing the recent reports and comments about the HighEnd show and others, it is my conclusion that most well known HiFi journalists and amateur visitors respond more to the bling-bling of a huge battery of power amps, thick speaker cables and impressive monuments of speakers than the final sound quality. However, an objective statement is a very difficult endeavor concerning the circumstances of an audio show.

 

I don't disagree. It's human nature to pay more attention to shiny and large items versus a concept of sound quality that can be difficult to determine under show conditions. 

[EuroChamp]

4 minutes ago, #Yoda# said:

Reviewing the recent reports and comments about the HighEnd show and others, it is my conclusion that most well known HiFi journalists and amateur visitors respond more to the bling-bling of a huge battery of power amps, thick speaker cables and impressive monuments of speakers than the final sound quality. However, an objective statement is a very difficult endeavor concerning the circumstances of an audio show.

 

I totally disagree, at least for my released results. I do not like these bling-bling, but prefer understatement. To bad, some of the very best systems had those thick cables and monuments of speakers.

[#Yoda#]

24 minutes ago, EuroChamp said:

 

I totally disagree, at least for my released results. I do not like these bling-bling, but prefer understatement. To bad, some of the very best systems had those thick cables and monuments of speakers.

Sorry if you're upset about my comment, but I request the reliability of this show events in terms of sound quality in general. Finally it is important how a device or speaker suits to your own existing system and home environment. It's like a scientific model, in principle it is perfect, but...!

[EuroChamp]

Just now, #Yoda# said:

Sorry if you're upset about my comment, but I request the general reliability of this show events in terms of sound quality in general. Finally it is important how a device or speaker suits to your own existing system and home environment. It's like a scientific model, in principle it is perfect, but...!

 

Sorry, I did not want it to sound upset. I agree with you.

 

But when I listen to all systems at the show, all I can do in my opinion, is to tell you what sounded best to me (at the moment at the show). We all know, that at home we would get totally different results.

And, what is interesting to me: I visit the show in Munich almost every year, always the same exhibitors have good sound in their room.

[#Yoda#]

1 hour ago, EuroChamp said:

And, what is interesting to me: I visit the show in Munich almost every year, always the same exhibitors have good sound in their room.

I'm frequently attending to the High End show for more than 20 years now and can tell you that it's usually a matter of personal preferences and habits what is the best of the show.

 

Meanwhile I spend only a short time in the listening rooms of specific exhibitors next to the Atrium because there is usually no significant new experience to expect, respectively no assignment possible what specific device is responsible for the sound quality. If you can't attend on Thursdays (Dealers Day), you can only evaluate a dubious status quo, what is still quite difficult in a crowded room with open doors and suboptimal positioning.

 

This is just one of the reason why many former and some new innovative exhibitors are evading the show itself and present their stuff in external but more suitable places or limiting to a simple booth at the show.

 

The HighEnd show is primarily not a place to listen, it is a chance to talk and get informations, IMHO.

[Ralf11]

2 hours ago, #Yoda# said:

... respond more to the bling-bling of a huge battery of power amps, thick speaker cables and impressive monuments of speakers than the final sound quality...

 

 

it's called a "lek"  

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lek_mating

 

 

[Nikhil]

4 hours ago, #Yoda# said:

Reviewing the recent reports and comments about the HighEnd show and others, it is my conclusion that most well known HiFi journalists and amateur visitors respond more to the bling-bling of a huge battery of power amps, thick speaker cables and impressive monuments of speakers than the final sound quality. However, an objective statement is a very difficult endeavor concerning the circumstances of an audio show.

 

From my perspective, a statement show like Munich expects manufacturers to display their state of the art.  

 

What also comes into play is the limited space available in the Atriums where most of the listening setups are located.  In these high end setups, the mid/low range models were mostly passive displays so there was no chance of getting a listening impression.  Getting a space here is extremely difficult.  Bricasti for example has been trying to get in here for years but had to settle for a passive display in the main halls.  

 

The main halls are on the ground floor are a more open exhibition space.  Here again most manufacturers had passive displays.  Those that did have listening rooms had issues with their rooms due to various factors related to room construction materials, show rules on sound levels, etc.  It's not easy to have a well setup listening room in the main hall area or at least requires a lot of care.

 

This also brings in the cost of participating at the show.  While most major brands are present, the high costs limit participation by smaller brands.  

So if one wanted to cover more budget friendly gear - there were not that many there.  If they were they were as passive displays.

 

 

[EuroChamp]

6 hours ago, #Yoda# said:

I'm frequently attending to the High End show for more than 20 years now and can tell you that it's usually a matter of personal preferences and habits what is the best of the show.

 

Meanwhile I spend only a short time in the listening rooms of specific exhibitors next to the Atrium because there is usually no significant new experience to expect, respectively no assignment possible what specific device is responsible for the sound quality. If you can't attend on Thursdays (Dealers Day), you can only evaluate a dubious status quo, what is still quite difficult in a crowded room with open doors and suboptimal positioning.

 

This is just one of the reason why many former and some new innovative exhibitors are evading the show itself and present their stuff in external but more suitable places or limiting to a simple booth at the show.

 

The HighEnd show is primarily not a place to listen, it is a chance to talk and get informations, IMHO.

 

I follow the thread from the beginning and for me it does not look like a matter of personal taste. All of us liked the same rooms. But please tell us your own experience ...

 

In my opinion there are two major factors: The quality of the equipment "and" the ability of the specific exhibitor to setup their equipment in the less then perfect acoustical room.

Still, some of them were able to show off a quite good setup.

 

Of course, I can not say something about a specific device, but then I would have to test it at home in my well known personal setup.

 

[FredericV]

On 5/25/2017 at 10:20 AM, matthias said:

 

Nikhil,

do you have a video from the Aries Cerat booth as well?

 

Matt

I am the developer of the 432 EVO music server and owner of the 432 EVO brand, which was the main digital source in the Aries Cerat room in Munich 2017. The other digital source was a very expensive CEC transport that was kept as backup, but never used on the show. We also had a very special Vyger turntable.

At the bottom part of this page you'll find several recordings made by Moiz Fidelity, to give you an impression how the Aries Cerat system sounded.

http://432evo.be/index.php/ma17

[toetapaudio]

On 19/05/2017 at 1:08 PM, The Computer Audiophile said:

Fidata

 

 

I have been using a fidata HFAS1for some time and I can confirm it is excellent. If you are looking for a state of the art network audio server than definitely consider the fidata. 

[George Hincapie]

On 5/22/2017 at 2:30 PM, skatbelt said:

On a meta-show-level, I totally agree that something has to be done about the music being played. Let's start a petition to ban Nils Lofgren, Diana Krall, Norah Jones and all the other 'audiophile' rubbish including compositions for timpani's and Irish flutes. I also noticed that almost every room played safe and simple stuff. No big orchestral, symphonic works for example. And in most rooms there was no chance to influence the playlist.

 

Outside. Now.

[skatbelt]

2 hours ago, George Hincapie said:

 

Outside. Now.

 

I don't want to fight with one of the greatest domestiques of all time! 

[George Hincapie]

13 minutes ago, skatbelt said:

 

I don't want to fight with one of the greatest domestiques of all time!