What a fabulous finale! An au revoir for the ages to the Bavarian capital at High End Munich 2025. München, du wirst uns fehlen. Excitement awaits the industry in beautiful Vienna… but that’s a story for the future. For now, we rejoice at the delights provided in spades at Munich’s last hurrah. I have to take this opportunity to mention the special part HIGH END Munich has played in this publication’s story. Back in 2017, at a meeting at the show’s vibrant Press Centre, SoundStage! founder Doug Schneider and I signed on the dotted line and committed to bringing SoundStage! Australia to life (fun fact: this year, the SoundStage! Network celebrates a whopping 30 years online). Then, just as fast as a flashing 300B, we were up and running in July of that very same year. The rest, as they say, is… you know. So, what vibed with me? What were the coolest exhibits of 2025?
Audio Multiplicity
Just as a recap, it should be reiterated that for over two decades now, High End Munich has been the global platform for unveiling the best in audio. It’s visited by thousands of industry professionals, technology journalists and regular consumers. All have a link in common: they are passionate about music, the extraordinary equipment that reproduces the artform, and the resultant fidelity in sound reproduction.
Audio activities aside, the show organisers appointed music industry artist Anette Askvik as the 2025 ambassador. Well, if you’ve attended any show around the world, you’ve heard the ubiquitous track “Liberty” by the Norwegian singer-songwriter. It’s an engaging, well recorded track that showcases the artist’s superb vocal talent. In addition to Askvik’s special introduction event on the X-Pert stage, several seminars and live demos on a variety of subjects, among them on analogue audio, ‘Voodoo or Science’, ‘Women in Hi-Fi’ and more, were also held throughout the four days of the show.
Oh, and as a special talk-of-the-town outrageously OTT event, the gargantuan Wilson Audio WAMM Master Chronosonic loudspeakers, augmented via dual WAMM Master Subsonic subwoofers, were shown publicly for the very first time. The WAMM Master Chronosonic speakers were supported by the best from dCS, D’Agostino Master Systems, and Nordost. This was a $3 million system!
Back in 2022, I had the great pleasure of listening to David Wilson’s magnum opus when Sheryl Lee and Daryl Wilson warmly welcomed me into the Wilson home in Utah. It was an intimate and revelatory evening of music that I’ll never forget. More on that below.
As usual, the various Atriums, breakout rooms and dedicated demonstration areas were employed to showcase the over 1000 brands from 500 exhibitors. Attendee numbers were stated as approximately 23,000 from 92 countries while nearly 600 audio journalists from 43 countries around the world hit Munich’s MOC.
So, we bid auf wiedersehen to MOC München as we welcome a new chapter at the Austria Centre Vienna in 2026. “… The music is weaving, haunting notes, pizzicato strings... the rhythm is calling...”. Yeah, IYKYK.
On with the report. I’m selecting my favourite rooms of the show as I heard them upon my visit with whatever music was playing at the time. It’s a show, not a forensic examination under controlled conditions. Chance plays a hand here. So, as always, mileages may vary depending on a myriad of circumstances. This is just my bob’s worth. So, which exhibits made the cut this year?
In what was the biggest display of high-end audio opulence, renowned German distributor Audio Reference – a yearly constant across Atrium 3.1’s entire front wing – assembled a confluence of some of the best components available in the industry. Amounting to US$3m, no less. This is in addition to the wide variety of the company’s brand portfolio also on display. In the multi-million-dollar system we had Vivaldi Apex from dCS and VPI Industries’ Avenger Titan Direct as sources. D’Agostino Master Systems Relentless preamplifier and Relentless Epic 1600 monoblocks drove Wilson Audio’s WAMM Master Chronosonic with WAMM Master Subsonic subwoofers. Stromtank’s flagship S6000 Alpha provided the AC power source and Bassocontinuo the audio racks while all was tied with a mix of Nordost Odin Gold and Odin 2 cables, with a sprinkling of QB10 Reference for AC distribution. Audio Reference proprietor Mansour Mamaghani put this on as a fitting farewell to the MOC. At my session (pre-booking was required due to the high demand), a short intro by Dan D’Agostino segued to Wilson Audio’s Peter McGrath presenting select recordings. Such potent dynamics, musical flow and sheer scale magnitude I have not experienced… ever. Be it at a show, a fine-tuned private residence (barring my WAMM encounter at the Wilson home), or anywhere outside a ‘live’ acoustic event. At least dynamically, this system was, in my opinion, as close as hi-fi gets to the real thing. Period.
Buzzing bedlam was also taking place at the Harman International display. Here, there was a ‘new products’ explosion showcasing new 600 series goodies from Mark Levinson and Summit series from JBL. From ML I saw the new № 626 Preamplifier/DAC, the № 632 Stereo Power Amplifier and the vertically oriented № 631 Monaural Power Amplifier. The new electronics from the great brand look very promising. Meanwhile, the new JBL Summit line of loudspeakers was blowing up. Shown in beautiful ebony gloss veneers, the Ama standmount employs a HC4 200 mm mid-bass driver plus D2815K 38 mm compression driver in an optimised HDI horn flare. Pumori ups the scale via a three-way configuration featuring the same tweeter and mid-bass arrangement but now introduces a dedicated 250 mm woofer. Summit’s large top-of-the-line Makalu introduces a bespoke D2830K 75 mm compression driver mated to the 200 mm mid-bass which is now augmented by a 300 mm woofer. The Malaku, in a system featuring the № 626 Preamplifier/DAC (№ 519 provided the streaming source) and the № 632 Stereo Power Amplifier sounded superbly detailed and very dynamic while the integration between the compression/horn and the cone drivers was well sorted. Again, promising stuff we can’t wait to get our hands on.
Always admired Rockport Technologies speakers, ever since the iconic Merak and Sheritan two-box design. In the TechDas and CH Precision room, I heard the excellent electronics matched to the elegant Lyra speakers, with the system sounding sweet, yet detailed and with meat on the bones throughout the midrange. The low registers wer also superbly controlled. I enjoyed the way vocals were naturally projected into the room while the soundstage presented with great width, depth and height. System support was provided by the debuting TechDas Air Force IV turntable with Air Force 10 tonearm and TDC01 Dia cartridge and CH Precision 10 series digital (including the new CH Precision D10 Transport). Further 10 series components provided the remainder of the electronics signal chain. Cables were via Argento while AC products were Shunyata.
VTL showed the new Lohengrin Reference monoblock amplifiers, which effortlessly drove the Wilson Audio Alexx V loudspeakers. Lohengrin Reference features 400 watts on-tap, an improved transformer, wide bandwidth, and is zero global negative feedback design. Lohengrin monos were matched to VTL’s TL-7.5 Series III Reference Linestage and TP-6.5 Series II Signature Phono Stage mated to a Kuzma Stabi R Turntable (Lyra cartridge) and dCS Rossini Apex DAC with matching clock. Cabling by Nordost. The transient attack on offer here was outstanding, as was the system’s dynamic expression. VTL amplifiers are renowned for their solid-state-like control throughout the low frequencies. The tradition continued here, with the Alexx V’s woofers held with vice-like tenacity. Appropriate without being too show-centric, Bea and Luke Manley’s music selection was wisely chosen to highlight the system’s strengths. Kudos.
Stenheim showed in an exhibit which was decked-out with a wide mural depicting a library… was it, appropriately for 2026, the Austrian National Library in Vienna? I jest. The company debuted the Alumine subwoofer (two of in the system), supporting the Alumine 2 SE standmount speakers (read review here). They were even on standby for the formidable Ultime Two floorstander. Electronics provided by Boulder Amplifiers who showed the new 1151 power amplifier with further electronics from Master Fidelity’s NADAC D, NADAC C and the new – and rather unique – NADAC L preamplifier. This was a very ‘fast’ sound through the midrange, with excellent tonality and an almost sweet top-end. Very enjoyable.
I’ve had the mixed pleasure of hearing top level Kharma International speakers on countless occasions at a variety of audio shows. Although at various levels of success – due to room acoustics, the music being played or my inability to obtain an appropriate listening location – there have always been several qualities which have been consistent while others were compromised. This time, in a custom room-within-a-room setup, the beautiful Enigma Veyron 1D was sporting the company’s new Omega C-Driver upgrade. I heard superb tonal qualities through a fleshed out midrange which projected vocals with exceptional realism. The low frequencies – sometimes a sticking point in the past – were well handled and nicely nuanced via Kharma’s own amplification, Goldmund preamplification, plus the J Sikora turntable mated to CH Precision phono stage. MSB Technology, Accuphase and Antipodes Audio Oladra (my review here) provided digital source signals. Kharma also debuted its new Exquisite Reference Power Distribution component.
Visually impressive, always a high performer, that encapsulates the ZenSati presence at MOC for many years now. Outfitted with the company’s #X flagship cables, the system comprised all-Vitus electronics while the speakers were downsized from previous years. That may have been in terms of sheer physical scale, however, in terms of performance, the Menja four-box loudspeaker system from Danish relative newcomer Storgaard & Vestskov – also known as SV-Audio – performed with a humongous scale in the large area. This was a wisely curated system which showed the strengths of each component as delivered by the neutrality of the #X cables. Despite a slight room-related bass hump, which provided extra meat without going too far into booming, I heard stunning dynamic expression, superb levels of sweet detail and a midrange that played vocals with excellent presence.
A surprise contender amid the costly high-end exotica at HEM was a relatively affordable system comprising Canor electronics driving FinkTeam speakers. Aptly named MOC Farewell Edition, the company’s KIM standmount speakers are a homage to High End Munich’s grand finale. There was a terrific sense of warmth and solidity to the sound here, with sibilant recordings being suitably tamed while retaining detail. It was a simple system which illustrated clearly that elegance and minimalism can play with the very best. Canor also showed its Verto D4S DAC and Virtus I4S integrated amplifier from the new entry level electronics line.
I saw a whole lot of exhibits employing Marten speakers. That’s for a reason too… the company produces exceptional products which perform superbly and are built to high standards. One of the standouts was in the Innuos exhibit where the company showcased its new flagship spare-no-expense Nazaré music streamer/server. Support came via MSB Technology for the digits and the extraordinary Gryphon Audio Commander preamplifier and Apex power amplifier which drove the Marten Coltrane Quintet speakers. Innuos’s Statement, the company’s previous topper was on standby for comparisons. The sound was powerful, authoritative and musically delightful, a sonic signature expected from the stature of the components at play.
The Vitus Audio room featured a whole bonanza of the company’s excellent electronics. On show were the Vitus Audio SCD-025 Mk.II transport/SD-025 Mk.II DAC aided by Innuos’s ZENith Next-Gen and a SME Model 35 Silver turntable hooked to Vitus Audio SP-103 Mk.II phono stage. Preamplification came by way of Vitus Audio SL-103 Mk.II feeding SM-025 mono amplifiers. Cabling provided by Crystal Cable’s Art Series. All the paraphernalia was capped by the imposing Göbel Audio Divin Noblesse towers. The system sounded superbly controlled given the room’s somewhat restrictive dimensions, which is both a credit to the Vitus Audio gear and the Göbel Audio speakers’ ability to adapt to challenging room acoustics. I heard a large scale sound with full low frequencies, detailed high and mids and an overall excellent tonal precision.
The room within a room scenario always pays dividends for Magico. Through many years at the MOC, Magico’s bespoke acoustic space has been conducive to wringing the best sound quality from the components at hand. This year, the company showed its new S2 medium-sized floorstanding speaker which was supported via a compliment of Wadax and the acclaimed Antipodes Audio Oladra (my review here) digital sources. Pilium preamplification and power amplification provided the juice while all was tied to VYDA Laboratories cabling (my review here) and Telos Audio Design Earthe Grounding Monster and Monster Power Station AC products. Artesania audio racks were used for kit support. Again, Magico’s Alon Wolf, Jeff Fritz and the team drew a seamless, full-bodied, extremely musical sound from the setup. Bass was tight and nuanced and I heard excellent detail combined with ease and openness throughout the mids and highs.
An under the radar brand, to me until now, was Spain’s Kroma Atelier. This was a system that sounded very well integrated, dynamically powerful, deeply grounded in well-controlled low frequencies and superbly detailed. Kroma Atelier’s Callas large floorstander features all-Purifi Audio cone drivers and an ATM tweeter in an attractively rounded, gloss painted cabinet. Sources were TechDas and the almost ubiquitous Wadax, with preamplifier and power amplifiers from Sweden’s Engström. Also from Sweden was Jorma cabling and Solid Tech racks. As alluded to above, this was an outstanding sounding room. While I’m familiar with the system’s other components, I’m hoping to hear more from Kroma Atelier’s products.
Significant Others
Gryphon Audio’s Rune Skov presenting new Antileon Revelation monos driving EOS 5 loudspeakers with Ethos source and Commander preamplifier.
Marten’s own exhibit impressed with the new Coltrane Quintet Extreme, seen here with Audia Flight’s excellent Strumento № 8 Signature.
Aequo Audio Ensium speakers feature ‘Assisted Bass’ and advanced ARPEC DSP with Taiko Audio, Playback Designs and Westminster Lab.
Founder Edwin Rynveld with Sphinx Audio Engineering’s near-finished prototype Element 5 speakers.
YG Acoustics massive and elegant Gemini flagship loudspeakers made quite the splash at Motorworld.
Wilson Benesch Eminence speakers with Karan Acoustics’ top electronics (Wilson Benesch also showed its new Graviton Ti tonearm) and Crystal Cable.
Totaldac’s powerful arsenal of digital sources (including new d1-CD CD Transport), power amplifiers, d110 speakers, and proprietary cables.
Constellation Audio’s new Revelation 2 electronics driving Wilson Audio The WATT/Puppy loudspeakers.
MSB Technology and Antipodes Audio with Estelon loudspeakers.
Simple but great sounding T+A system with Symphonia streaming amplifier and Talis S330 speakers.
Aries Cerat once again brought the A-game with its electronics and prototype of giant Pallas horn speakers.
… Edgar Kramer
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