Munich High End 2024 Show Highlights
Showcased below are some of the components and systems that I found interesting, in no particular order. Please note that I did not have time to visit all the rooms, and this should not be considered complete show coverage.
Audionet Mach and Schrodinger
Audionet presented their new “almost affordable” pre- and power amplifiers, which were demonstrated using a pair of Vivid Audio Giya G1 series 2.
Based on HEISENBERG and STERN, Audionet has shrunk the battleships to fast cruiser format, maintaining the iconic design by legendary Hartmut Esslinger of Apple fame. The new pre amp is called MACH, named after eminent Austro-german physicist Ernst Mach for its fast sound. The designers at Audionet feel the power amplifier is both there and not there at the same time, hence it is named: SCHRÖDINGER. Of Schrödinger’s cat fame, among other reasons. Named after Erwin Schrödinger of the same nationality.
The music playing when I visited did not strike a particular chord in me, but of course, that does not say anything about the components’ capabilities. Having heard the Heisenbergs, I am biased to expect quite a bit from these newcomers.
Grimm Audio MU2 and PW1
Grimm Audio celebrated its 20th anniversary and showcased the MU1 and MU2 servers using LS/1C (for carbon) active loudspeakers and Crystal Cable Minissimo speakers, respectively. The MU2 was connected directly to a Halcro Eclipse Stereo power amp, driving the Minissimos and its own subwoofer via a simple 150Hz passive crossover.
The “C” affix for the LS/1s stands for Carbon, as the Beryllium tweeters have been substituted by new Carbon designs. The “digital” setup with LS/1s sounded very much as it always does: confident, robust, neutral, and excitingly expressive.
A Wilking Delta turntable made from 5 layers of birch plywood with a Benz cartridge was used as an extra source for the MU2 and to showcase their new PW1 Phono Stage. I was unaware of the turntable brand until now, which is a shame since it is apparently a Dutch company!
Size-wise, the Halcro amp may seem like overkill for the petite Minissimos, but sonically, it was a match made in heaven. As impressively linear and expressive as the LS/1s are, I found the “analog” system more engulfing and more emotionally involving.
The MU2 looks exactly like the MU1 but can be discerned by its silver disc (versus the gold disc on the MU1)
Grimm PW1 (after designer Peter van Willenswaard) MM/MC Phono stage. With a projected price of 5.000 euros, it will be available later this year and will likely be featured in an upcoming review here on HFA.
Separate MM and MC inputs, and RCA as well as XLR outputs.
A sliding panel on the bottom reveals a multitude of DIP switches to make the required settings
Great coverage, Christiaan. Are you certain that the new Halcro preamplifier was hooked up and in the signal path? Several show photos show XLR in (analog source) and out on the back of the new MSB Cascade DAC. The volume display on the DAC also suggests that it was acting as both DAC and (passive) volume control.
Good question! As it turns out, the Equinox was indeed not used all the time. Part of the demos have been done with the volume control of the DAC directly connected to the monos. Alas, I can no longer ascertain if what I heard had the Equinox in the signal path or it it was the MSB Cascade DAC connected directly.