Hi End Munich 2025

[heliumflight]

High End Munich 2025 is the annual showcase of biggest launches from the heaviest hitters in the hi-fi industry, and this year continued that trend with a raft of audio products to get mouths watering and wallets sweating nervously. This is no doubt the porn of HiFi and the enemy of every lady killer.

https://www.whathifi.com/tech-events/high-end-munich-2025

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helium

 

[Passive_audio_enthusiast]

High End Munich 2025 is the annual showcase of biggest launches from the heaviest hitters in the hi-fi industry, and this year continued that trend with a raft of audio products to get mouths watering and wallets sweating nervously. This is no doubt the porn of HiFi and the enemy of every lady killer.

https://www.whathifi.com/tech-events/high-end-munich-2025

--
helium

And this is the last one at Munich. From next year it’s at Vienna. I live in Germany and wanted to go this time, but held off again due to work. Now I have to travel a long way for this. I had been to this show before and to see things around it takes atleast two full days. Don’t know if the scale will be same at Vienna next year

 

[Gvtpraj]

Visited Munich high-end this week. I have been visiting it since last 5-6 times and it was least interesting this time. Spent most of the time in multi-channel demo rooms. Here are few pics:

 

[Gvtpraj]

Don’t know if the scale will be same at Vienna next year

The high-end people were saying the event venue in Vienna is much bigger than Munich event center. I hope the scale will be the same, because the Finest Audio Show happens in Vienna every year and lot of the same exhibitors exhibit there too.

 

[Nikhil]

I was at the Hi End Munich show last weekend. I could attend the show on the last two days and as a result spent most of time in the atrium areas of Hall 4.1 and 4.2 where most of the heavy hitters are located. I have to say that the show is a remarkable spectacle for any fan of audio. It was great to hang out with some of fellow audio enthusiasts from India who happened to be there at the same time.

I still haven't been able to get time to pen down my thoughts on the show but here is a link to my Google Drive with all my photos and videos from Munich. Please let me know if you have any questions and I will be happy to answer. I am still traveling in Germany right now so will reply when I get back later this weekend.

Munich Hi End 2025 · May 17 – 18 📸

Shared album · Tap to view!

photos.app.goo.gl

 

[Sushant Sharma]

Wow Nikhil. What an experience it must be. Did you hear the GIP lab and big western electric speakers? Enjoy the rest of your trip.

 

[heliumflight]

Our HFV mod Mr. Nikhil was there for the event and shared images

Munich Hi End 2025 · May 17 – 18 📸

Shared album · Tap to view!

photos.google.com

 

[Nikhil]

Wow Nikhil. What an experience it must be. Did you hear the GIP lab and big western electric speakers? Enjoy the rest of your trip.

Sushant,

Follow the link and watch the videos of the Western Electrics. The GIP labs were not playing when I visited. But listening to the big Western Electrics was a once in a lifetime kind of experience.

I have recorded a long but interesting system demonstration over 3 video clips. Not sure if you can hear the gentleman speak but it's a fascinating experience.

Regards

.

 

[rainbowsong2000]

Missed to meet you Nikhil.. I was there on Saturday 17th unfortunately one day was not sufficient... Indeed the Atrium 4 was a extravaganza some pics for our friends.

 

[Analogous]

I was at the Hi End Munich show last weekend. I could attend the show on the last two days and as a result spent most of time in the atrium areas of Hall 4.1 and 4.2 where most of the heavy hitters are located. I have to say that the show is a remarkable spectacle for any fan of audio. It was great to hang out with some of fellow audio enthusiasts from India who happened to be there at the same time.

I still haven't been able to get time to pen down my thoughts on the show but here is a link to my Google Drive with all my photos and videos from Munich. Please let me know if you have any questions and I will be happy to answer. I am still traveling in Germany right now so will reply when I get back later this weekend.

Munich Hi End 2025 · May 17 – 18 📸

Shared album · Tap to view!

photos.app.goo.gl

View attachment 91164 View attachment 91165

What a treat Nikhil! Thanks for sharing the pictures and specially the videos.
Do you know what speakers were being used in the Grimm audio room? They sound ossum

 

[bornfi]

What a treat Nikhil! Thanks for sharing the pictures and specially the videos.
Do you know what speakers were being used in the Grimm audio room? They sound ossum

It is their own.

 

[bornfi]

I read somewhere that this was the last year in Munich and starting next year it will be in Vienna.

 

[Gvtpraj]

I read somewhere that this was the last year in Munich and starting next year it will be in Vienna.

Yes, High-End is shifting to Vienna from next year.

 

[keroo1099]

Gives one a good sense of the SQ with a decent set of headphones if you have 3 hrs to spare. The ease with which the horns played blew me away.

 

[kratu]

Gives one a good sense of the SQ with a decent set of headphones if you have 3 hrs to spare. The ease with which the horns played blew me away.

This video has quite a good recording quality compared to others. It gives a sense of scale with some of the speakers also allows us to "compare" each of those systems. Since all of them are recorded with a single device and everything is standardised.

 

[Nikhil]

What a treat Nikhil! Thanks for sharing the pictures and specially the videos.
Do you know what speakers were being used in the Grimm audio room? They sound ossum

Grimm has their own speaker called the LS1c (need to check the model). Serious speaker.

LS1c - Grimm Audio

The LS1c is the flagship of our LS1 active loudspeaker series. It is named after the revolutionary TPCD Carbon Composite tweeter that we developed in cooperation with driver manufacturer Seas. Even more important is that we rebuilt all elements of the LS1 design from the ground up: the...

www.grimmaudio.com

 

[Nikhil]

Missed to meet you Nikhil.. I was there on Saturday 17th unfortunately one day was not sufficient... Indeed the Atrium 4 was a extravaganza some pics for our friends.

Glad you made it for at least the one day. I was in Germany on work and managed to visit on the last two days.
All the setups sounded much better on Sunday probably as the exhibitors managed to crack the rooms towards the end.


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[Nikhil]

I read somewhere that this was the last year in Munich and starting next year it will be in Vienna.

Yes the MOC in Munich is being raised to build a new venue.
Incredible place though in terms of memories of past shows held at the MOC.

Yes, High-End is shifting to Vienna from next year.

Yup. Vienna is supposed to be a bigger venue than the MOC.
It's going to be interesting on what one can expect at Vienna but it's a fantastic city to visit.


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[Nikhil]

Some observations from Munich ...

Best room was the Clarisys VAC system which just flattened the competition. This was a huge system which was a cinema setup in terms of scale. They easily topped the Silbatone Western Electric room which is really saying something because the Silbatone WE rooms have become almost sacred at Munich. It was pretty much the Clarisys VAC room followed by the Silbatone WE room and then the rest. Period.

I have recorded a demo of the Western Electric system over three videos. Not really sure if the commentary came thru but this was on Sunday and it was a really nice demo of what had been achieved almost a 100 years ago by WE. The system played music across several genres. On most occasions this would have been best of show.

Wadax dominated digital being in about 9 rooms.
Lampizator was also well represented in some of the top rooms.

Best small system (to my ears) was the Fink Team room. They featured a special edition of their KIM speaker "Farewell MOC" to commemorate the last Munich show.

I was lucky to have Anne Bisson sing while I was at the Grandinote room. See my videos of her singing for us live. Grandinote makes some serious gear but is difficult to hear outside Europe.

VAC needs more attention. Apart from the Clarisys room, the VAC Acora system also sounded very good.

Wilson Benesch is another. Probably among the best. Their room with Karan gear was top notch.

Kharma is probably one of the brands that does high end right. They do it all. And they do it at a very high level.

...

I was looking forward to the Rockport Absolare room but this year their system was not at the level they usually play at. Something was just a bit off.

Another let down (for me) was the TIDAL Audio room. Just no idea what their room was about.

Marten is a brand I really like. The Marten Audia Flight room was really nice but the other Marten setups were puzzling. The Marten Engstrom setup in the Jorma room was passive for the most part.

Avantgarde always has a great presence at Munich. But this time their room was so full at all times that I just could not get a decent listen.

YG Acoustics had a fantastic showing but I just did not get enough time to listen. I got to hear the XV Studio 3 but missed out on the Gemini which is their giant all out offering from their Ultimate range.

The JBL Mark Levinson room was a large lounge type of setup. The new look Mark Levinson is pretty neat and I have to say the sound from their setup was not bad at all.

ESD Acoustic had a huge system that played mostly large orchestral music. The scale of the system was impressive and their passive product displays showcased their wide repertoire. Again another very busy room that was hard to get a handle on. Being from the PRC these guys attract a bit of negative attention which is unfair. Seen up close this truly is art and function at a scale that is probably not possible elsewhere.

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[heliumflight]

Sushant,

Follow the link and watch the videos of the Western Electrics. The GIP labs were not playing when I visited. But listening to the big Western Electrics was a once in a lifetime kind of experience.

I have recorded a long but interesting system demonstration over 3 video clips. Not sure if you can hear the gentleman speak but it's a fascinating experience.

Regards

.

Please send 3 video clips