Munich Hi-End 2014 Hi-Fi Show Report

Silbatone, some opera, a talk from the owner, and some Led Zep!:rocker::ROFL:

If the sound goes a bit duff, it is probably me putting my finger over the mics on top of the Sony camera. As Kedar will tell you, you just had to be here to witness just how amazing this sounded. It doesn't come over on the video on my 2nd system.

I got curious as to what the inside speakers sounded like just by themselves. 18K Euros just for those. We asked them to just play those alone and they were still just flipping amazing - sound flying all over the room and images projected like sound rays off the rear walls. Just mad, but just soooo involving and damned entertaining. OK there was some audible distortion but it just didn't seem to matter. The video sound comes out far coarser than experienced in reality.

I also have Joe Roberts talking about the system with a massive spanner in his hand for some reason, and after a beer or two. If anyone wants to see it, I'll post it. He seemed to be enjoying himself, and why not?

This video is 7 minutes long. You'll probably need to be a horn enthusiast to watch it all I guess.

Please watch these videos in full screen HD.

39 Silbatone slideshow pics here.. Enjoy

The scale the Sibatone system achieved was just unparalled by any other system there. To mine and many other people's minds it was almost a **** take, I am sure.

Years ago when I used to go to hi-fi shows, I always used to think the systems using the oldest tech sounded the best. It wasn't 100% a solid rule, but it did seem to be pretty reliable. These days, with the tools available to engineers, it is unlikely anyone would design anything like the Silbatone system.

In some sense it reminds me of the reggae systems used by blues clubs in the 1980s over here. These used huge horns and were typically valve driven. They'd knock out high SPLs with massive bass effortlessly. Supremely enjoyable for that kind of music. Would have loved to have tried some Dennis Brown or Gregory Isaacs on this. It may not be as bass optimised as some of those systems, but I'm sure it'd be interesting

But hold on. These old horns were actually being driven by some seriously expensive valve kit. Check out Silbatone for more info and GIP Laboratory .

I'm going to sling Joe up anyway as I know some people will enjoy it. Not necessarily ML types I know but some will.

Justin thanks that was very interesting , I would love to hear those Western Electrics. Very jealous but glad you got to enjoy

repman yup lucky Europeans I guess. Maybe they'll make it to RMAF one day, in which case go!

The ML pics look better in this slideshow.

Tron, Cessaro Liszt, TW Acustic.

Nice gear. I like the TW Acustic TT. 29K Euros without the arm, but those copper bits look fantastic. Seems like a heavy weight non-suspended design. Extremely well engineered. Well, it looks it anyway.

The Liszt horns are very nice sonically. As with most horn hybrids, in my opinion the dispersion from the horn makes it extremely difficult to blend with cone drivers. They just don't emanate sound in the same way. The same is true of the Avant Garde cone hybrids.

Full horn systems, like the AG Trio obviously don't have that problem, nor the Silbatone or some of the other horn systems you'll see later.

The Tron amps as ever look very nice, and this system was up there as one of the better offerings. Visited a few times. Good sign. 17 photo slideshow here.

Good porn, Justin. Thanks.

The first video comes up as "This video is private".

This is worth reading on Western electric speakers - there are guys making them here http://www.lencoheaven.net/forum/index.php?topic=7616.0m

Joe roberts also commenting on it. For those in the 50k plus bracket, this is the one. Maybe lower for some models, but 100 seems more likely. Summits till then

The Cessaro liszt are my next favourite, they have the best midrange I have heard. Best for jazz, classical, and opera, western electric aside. The TAD drivers are unbelievable. The ones for the show were new and they take 6 months to break in properly. Luckily I have heard them in the distributor's room. I have heard their entry level model as well. The liszt is 100k pounds retail.

The tune audio anima and the cessaros are much superior to Avantgardes in my opinion. The drivers in the cessaro are also expensive. The TAD driver is 6k, while the western electric small speaker driver is 25k

Bernard said:

Good porn, Justin. Thanks.

The first video comes up as "This video is private".

Click to expand...

Which post number do you mean Bernard? Hard for me to tell without checking them all which is a drag.

Hola chicos. I am speechless when I can see and read all what you had to walk and to listen all these kinds of audio gear. Even your finance effort to be at the show. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. You are the ones! Regards from Costa Rica!

Bernard said:

Good porn, Justin. Thanks.

The first video comes up as "This video is private".

Click to expand...

Bernard, that video is probably not from the show

User211 said:

Which post number do you mean Bernard? Hard for me to tell without checking them all which is a drag.

Click to expand...

Post # 21.

All good now. Thanks Justin - I reckon they were getting pretty good sound (for a show) in that room from what I could hear.

Those Cessaros are just awesome! Love them.

Anyone else got problems with the video in post #21? It is marked public in my YouTube settings.

Anyway, Tune Audio Anima, Modwright, Morch, Amazon. Demo'd by Jack of BD Audio.

Heard these in 2011. If they were mine, I'd drive them with all tube electronics as with the Aries Cerat (look vile, though) amps in 2011 they sounded much more spacious and involving. OK with the I am sure much cheaper Modwright kit, though. They are very good horns - Kedar was mad on them for quite a while. Slideshow here.

If you follow the slideshow links make sure you actually select slideshow from the menu and you will get much bigger images.

Here's the video. I use a Morch tone arm and the man was there. I spoke with him and I wasn't really sure he understood what I was saying. Seriously good sound with my 25 year of Michell GyroOrbe deck. Very natural, easy flowing tonearm in that situation. I've had it years and will keep it years.

#21 post video is private for me, too. Thanks for all the fun, Justin

Sussed it - #21 should be fine now and is essential viewing

Vox Olympians, Audio Note Japan, Living Voice etc

In the first video the Living Voice OBX R2s are playing (the smaller speakers you see later). In the 2nd video, the Vox Olympians at £375K (price without the subs). I'm pretty sure these were £175K a few years back. Inflation, hey? But this is an expensive finish. Still mad expensive by anyone's imagination. Diminishing returns set in £345K ago, LOL. The total price of all the kit in here just defies belief to mere mortals.

Toys for very rich boys no doubt. In all honesty I preferred quite a few of the other systems sonically, but some might really like what this gear does. If it is to your taste it certainly is splendidly made gear. You will need to be a multi-millionaire to apply, though.

Love the quirky looks of the Olympians. Very imaginative. Full marks to Kevin and Lyn (spelling?) for setting the room out well, being friendly, and being a lot more accommodating than Magico, for instance. More on that later

The smaller OBX R2s are actually very good little speakers and are really quite popular here in the UK.