Hello, SECRETS readers! We are excited to let you know that we will be covering this year’s Munich High-End show for the first time since 2018. Munich High-End 2023 will take place from May 18th to 21st at Munich’s giant MOC Convention Center. This show has long been recognized as the largest and probably most important show on the audio calendar, and with over 550 exhibitors representing over 800 individual brands, it is going to be a beast to cover.
Secrets Editor-In-Chief, Carlo Lo Raso will be our man on the scene bringing you regular coverage, posted on this page and our social media channels, both during and after the show. Several brands will be using Munich High-End to announce major product launches, and we’ll be doing our very best to bring them to you! One of the fun things about Munich High-end is that, while we will certainly see familiar brands and products on display, we will no doubt be bringing coverage of some more unfamiliar, and unusual brands along with just some downright surprises that we will surely uncover. Oftentimes products that we see at this show, that don’t yet have a presence in the US market, find one after showing here. So, in that sense, Munich High-End serves as kind of a “sneak peek” at gear that might eventually find its way to us on this side of the pond.
Every year the Munich High-End Show announces a show ambassador who acts as the public media face for the event. For this year’s show (the 40th anniversary) Jazz-Fusion guitar virtuoso, Al Di Meola was announced as the show ambassador. Al will be at the show’s opening press conference and no doubt be involved in other events over the course of the show. If you are any sort of guitar fan, it’s exciting stuff indeed!
And finally, we want to mention that our Munich High-End 2023 coverage this year has been made possible through the support of our friends at Fidelity Imports. Fidelity Imports is the US distributor for several superb audio brands including Perlisten, Unison Research, Opera Loudspeakers, Goldnote, Audia Flight, Michell Audio, Soulnote, Acoustic Energy, Diptyque Audio, and more. We are grateful for their sponsorship to help us bring you the high-quality show coverage that SECRETS is known for.
So friends, keep an eye on this page along with our Instagram, and our Facebook feeds as we start filling you in on the awesomeness that is Munich High-End 2023 starting next week!
Note that all prices, unless otherwise noted, are in USD.
And so it begins! The sheer craziness of Munich High-End starts now!
First up at the show were the newly announced Linn 360 loudspeakers. The Piano Black versions are active speakers while the golden-brownish colored speakers called “Single Malt” were the passive versions. The active speakers were displayed as part of what the gracious Linn representative coined a “3-box solution” using the Linn Klimax DSM streamer and the Linn Klimax LP12 turntable as the sources. Basically forming a 150K Euro turnkey system!
Being their first new “ground-up” speaker design since 2005, Linn is justly proud of the new 360. The active versions we’re playing during my visit and the level of transparency and effortlessness was immediately apparent. A Scottish Chamber Orchestra track was playing to show off the size and detail of the imaging. Then a Stanley Clarke track revealed tight, abundant, and pitch-perfect bass.
Then, who should I run into just after the doors open but PSB’s Paul Barton and Rob Nichols. They were actually going to get a chance to walk around and explore the show instead of spending it answering questions for press yahoos like me!
Here’s a smidgen of what was going on at the big Focal/Naim display. First was the announcement of the Naim New Classic 300 system, the new limited edition Naim Nait 50 integrated amplifier, and some new custom leather finishes on the Focal Stellia Utopia EVO speakers.
The New Classic 300 series consists of:
NSS 333 streamer – $10,999 USD
NAC 332 pre-amplifier – $10,999 USD
NAP 350 monoblock power amplifier – $8,499 USD
NVC TT phono stage – $3,699 USD
NPX TT power supply – TBD
NPX 300 power supply – $8,999 USD.
Founded in 1973, the New Naim Nait 50 celebrates the company’s 50th anniversary with a limited run of 1973 units for this iconic integrated amp. With it’s classic compact size, 25 watts per channel power output, potent headphone section, and MM phono stage, the price is $3,599 and is scheduled for availability in July.
And then, there are new optional custom leather finishes as on the Focal Stellia Utopia EVO are and interior designer’s dream, but the insane looking gloss wood grain finish on the Grand Utopia EM EVO looked delicious!
Quickly doing a check-in with the folks at Perlisten, Dan Roemer and Erik Wiederholtz are all smiles as show opens up for a couple of reasons. First, Dan introduces me to the new, limited edition S7t. This special version of Perlisten’s already killer S7t has several special refinements over stock. This includes reworked, higher excursion bass drivers, an updated DPC array with a massive aluminum heatsink, upgraded crossover with tighter tolerance parts, new thicker bass plate with custom made isolation feet from IsoAcoustics, and radiused side panels with a carbon fiber finish. Each of the 50 pairs of loudspeakers will have their final crossover parts graded and hand matched by CEO Dan Roemer along with each pair being measured and verified on the company’s Klippel measuring system. Results will be included with each pair that Dan will sign and certify. Price will be finalized soon with availability in the fall.
Erik has been working with the folks at Storm Audio and DIRAC on what promises to be an amazing HT theater demonstration that I will get to experience tomorrow. A fully kitted-out Perlisten home theater system utilizing DIRAC’s new ART system courtesy of Storm Audio’s AV processors. Now that should be something!
Here is a video of my interview with Dan Roemer discussing the new Limited Edition Speakers.
DALI is celebrating its 40th Anniversary and it did it at Munich High-End with tremendous style! First the company premiered the Epikore 11 loudspeakers (40K Euros). With much of the technology of the flagship DALI Kore speaker trickling down to this new model which will be about half the size and price of the Kore and adding in a new tier above DALI’s Epicon series. Having heard the KORE speakers personally, the new Epikore 11 sound very much in the same vein as their kin. Powerful, musical, and dynamic. Especially as they were hooked up to the new NAD Masters M66 preamp and two M23 power amps being run in mono.
A word on the M66. This preamp is something I personally, along with a few other people I know, have been eagerly waiting for. A 2-channel preamp with room correction, bass management and correction for up to 4 subs (courtesy of DIRAC), and most importantly utilizing some of the highest quality parts in the signal chain. If it performs as well as I think it could, it will be a complete game-changer leapfrogging over anything else that is comparable.
To kick off the anniversary celebrations DALI CEO Lars Warre and founder Peter Lyngdorf spoke candidly and emotionally about DALI’s founding, it’s history, and it’s future. It was pretty inspiring to listen to the both of them and how obviously passionate they were about the company.
And finally the new DALI iO-12, DALI’s latest ANC headphones. The company is positioning these against the likes of the Mark Levinson No.5909 and the Focal Bathys. Plus, like the the 5909, these were are designed to sound like a superb pair of passive headphones when the power is completely off. Initial impressions are that DALI isn’t fooling around and the iO-12 are serious competitors both in the sound and comfort department. Price is TBD and availability will be in the fall.
High-End 2023 Ambassador, Al Di Meola, his wife, and guests got a chance to listen to tracks from the recently released “Saturday Night in San Francisco” on this over the top VPI, Wilson, D’Agostino, DCS system. Fellow New Jersey dude, Mat Weisfeld worked the room as Ad hoc announcer and general ball of positive energy! Al seemed pleased with the results!
TAD was sounding exceptionally good at High-End Munich 2023 with the CE-1TX loudspeakers winning ears over with their trademark sound quality.They legitimately qualify as some of the best stand-mounted loudspeakers I have ever heard.
But the company was also premiering a brand new Evolution Series Preamplifier called the TAD-C1000. The new preamp is a true Dual Mono design from input to output, it also has twin transformers, a highly accurate and ball-bearing-smooth volume control, and uses a new complimentary FET first stage. It’s made to match the rest of the 1000-series Evolution line which includes the D1000TX disc player, the DA1000TX DAC, and the M1000 power amplifier. Price is TBD. Visiting the room also gave me the pleasure to catch up with TAD CEO Shinji Tarutani and Kazuto Ohkura which is always a treat.
Moon by Simaudio has just launched their new North collection of components and while they had static examples of each of the series gear on display, in use were the 791 Network Player/Preamp and the 761 Power amplifier, driving a pair of Dynaudio Confidence 60 loudspeakers. Tremendous looking and sounding room! The volume control remote alone was a work of art. I almost felt naughty using it!