Mu Munich Notes with Western Electric Lowdown and music

bonzo75

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1. Most rooms were disappointing
2. Western Electric was fabulous, but more on that in the next post
3. Vivid Giya G2 sounded very good, great bass, seamless crossovers, soundstaging, dynamics. Did Mahler 2 explosion open large scale without any problems. Backed by expensive CH Precision boxes and Techdas AF3
4. Lots of Techdas around. The TT has great density, weight, and texture. Throughout the show, TTs sounded better than digital.
5. Steinheim backed by CHP gear and Zensati cables sounded very good. They played an entire Ravel Bolero LP, where you could hear instrument by instrument, cluster by cluster, till it got into the large dynamics
6. TAD had a structured program where they played lounge music for the first 30 minutes. Like one guy commented, I felt like I am stuck in an elevator with a hifi system. But then they played Led Zep's Babe I am gonna leave you, so all is forgiven. Then they moved to classical. Those CR1 standamounts pack a lot
7. My favorite speaker Tune Audio Anima didn't sound good on Saturday, but opened up on Sunday. It was the only room WE aside that had no treatment and were just playing loads of classical and opera.
8. The 100k Live Act speakers at the other show in Mariott sounded good.
9. I should have listened to Blumenhofer more
10. MBL played lounge friendly elevator music.
11. Vox sounded creamy and buttery, but not very real

The WE pic
 

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bonzo75

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Last year, they had brought the top of the line WE http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?14760-Western-Electric-s-first-hifi-speaker&p=267218&viewfull=1#post267218, this year they brought in the bottom of the line WEs. Still outdid all other hifi IMO. Listening to these speakers changes perspective. All other speakers sound like hifi - as other speakers get better, crossovers improve, things seem more seamless, but they all sound smooth. Some sound so smooth that the brass instruments sound like the flute or the clarinet. The Western Electric is real. The texture is to die for. The soundstage is deep, like a real stage. You can hear the imperfections in the crossovers,but they sound real, like those in a concert hall.

The smaller WEs, which are GIP labs reproductions of the WEs, were sitting flat on their base on the floor, you could feel the vibrations and all, yet they sounded magical

I have never heard violin before, anywhere like what I heard on the following LP in the WE room. Audiophile Bill, who is a semi professional musician, and a first trombonist, was lukewarm the first day when he joined me to listen to these speakers, but today he was gaga and will tell you the same thing.

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The following voice was to die for

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I have heard Schubert's Winterriese live twice, but this vocalist was something else.

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The two pianos sounded great on the smaller WEs.

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Maria Callas' vocals were so raw and real

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bonzo75

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The pricing for the GIP labs reproduction of WE ranges from 24k EUR to 200k EUR at least.
 

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bonzo75

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Well, part of the reason I went to Munich was to listen to these WE speakers - I had done all the other speakers last year - so in two days I spent around 5 hours just listening to music in this room. The Tune Audio Anima also is not a hifi speaker, but I find the timbre very real. The brass, the violins...
 

bonzo75

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The 15k EUR Schick TT was killing the Scarlatti everytime in this room. The Silbaton amps were monos, each WE valve costs over 10k
 

Atmasphere

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When I went into the WE room one channel was obviously lower than the other so the center image was skewed. It was pretty annoying and disappointing, as it seemed to have good potential. So I talked to the people running the installation and all they said was 'yes'. I assume there was a language barrier.

This year we had the best sound we've had at a show. Lyn Stanley was also doing demos in our room- at those times the room as so packed there was not even room to stand in the doorway.
 

bonzo75

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When I went into the WE room one channel was obviously lower than the other so the center image was skewed. It was pretty annoying and disappointing, as it seemed to have good potential. So I talked to the people running the installation and all they said was 'yes'. I assume there was a language barrier.

This year we had the best sound we've had at a show. Lyn Stanley was also doing demos in our room- at those times the room as so packed there was not even room to stand in the doorway.

They did have some lose wires and some technical problems which they were fixing now and then. The WE room was not at all about hifi, center imaging, and all that. It did not even have the best integration. It was music in the real sense. Best timbre and tonality I have heard, and most real. One forgets audiophile principles while listening to such stuff. All other rooms were tough to listen to after that - same as last year, but last year the WE speakers were even better
 
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morricab

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They did have some lose wires and some technical problems which they were fixing now and then. The WE room was not at all about hifi, center imaging, and all that. It did not even have the best integration. It was music in the real sense. Best timbre and tonality I have heard, and most real. One forgets audiophile principles while listening to such stuff. All other rooms were tough to listen to after that - same as last year, but last year the WE speakers were even better

I agree with you about the WE system...fantastic. My wife actually cried on a piece of Russian music (she is Russian though) but I have never seen that response from her before...that said about all there was to say.


I disagree with you about the LV system though...I thought it was super realistic and they were only playing great classical and opera pieces...

Tune Audio Anima had great potential but we detected a flaw in it's performance. The low level resolution and microdynamics was not as good as it was on the Macro end. It lost something that hurt it's ultimate realism. I blame the electronics. When I heard this system with "The Lars" swedish tube amps 2 years ago it was really among the very best. Now I would put it in the top 5 maybe but not better.

A more conventional option that I thought was really good was the Perfect 8/ Ypsilon system. This had realistic dynamics, both micro and macro and gave a very realistic soundstage and image density. Tone was also superb...I am surprised more are not commenting on this system.

Another good one that seems to have flown under the radar was Avantgarde + AudioPax + Lampizator. It was a bit forward but otherwise superb, dynamics, transparency, tone was all quite natural.

Finally, I thought Ascendo + CAT was a worthy true high end system...not the last word in anything but well balanced, good soundstage and image and good tranparency and tone.

I also did not really hear the Blumenhofer system but it seems it was killer.


Biggest disappointment? Cessaro...again. I have yet to hear a system from them perform like the size and costs suggests

I am also still waiting for Lansche to move away from those crappy Mola molas and put some good tubes on their superb Cubus speaker. I have heard the previous version of this speaker (called the Goa) with KR Audio amps and it was sublime. At the show the last two years it sounds very...synthetic.

I didn't get to hear Ralph's amps in action this years sadly I missed it somehow...othewise I would have popped in to say hi at least.
 
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Atmasphere

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I didn't get to hear Ralph's amps in action this years sadly I missed it somehow...othewise I would have popped in to say hi at least.

What?? Ya missed the new Mk3.3 demo! I think we had the best sound we've ever had at a show....

We had Lyn Stanley in our room and when she was performing I couldn't get in the room either.
 

hongkongfoufou

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Mar 3, 2018
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1. Most rooms were disappointing
2. Western Electric was fabulous, but more on that in the next post
3. Vivid Giya G2 sounded very good, great bass, seamless crossovers, soundstaging, dynamics. Did Mahler 2 explosion open large scale without any problems. Backed by expensive CH Precision boxes and Techdas AF3
4. Lots of Techdas around. The TT has great density, weight, and texture. Throughout the show, TTs sounded better than digital.
5. Steinheim backed by CHP gear and Zensati cables sounded very good. They played an entire Ravel Bolero LP, where you could hear instrument by instrument, cluster by cluster, till it got into the large dynamics
6. TAD had a structured program where they played lounge music for the first 30 minutes. Like one guy commented, I felt like I am stuck in an elevator with a hifi system. But then they played Led Zep's Babe I am gonna leave you, so all is forgiven. Then they moved to classical. Those CR1 standamounts pack a lot
7. My favorite speaker Tune Audio Anima didn't sound good on Saturday, but opened up on Sunday. It was the only room WE aside that had no treatment and were just playing loads of classical and opera.
8. The 100k Live Act speakers at the other show in Mariott sounded good.
9. I should have listened to Blumenhofer more
10. MBL played lounge friendly elevator music.
11. Vox sounded creamy and buttery, but not very real

The WE pic

I agree with you.

Big system are not their level.
Big system with Wilson Audio , even with Dan Agostino doesn't sound good.
 

bonzo75

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I agree with you.

Big system are not their level.
Big system with Wilson Audio , even with Dan Agostino doesn't sound good.

hi you quoted my 2015 post. That is one way to bring the dead to life

 
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hongkongfoufou

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hongkongfoufou

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For me, i think I have all see what I want.

Best demo are TotalDac, Marten Audio, Orpheus for the High End.
For HifiDe Luxe, best demo are JMF, FM Acoustic, Audionote UK, Linkwitz Audio(original) and Ubiq Audio.

And which arrives first ?
Can't say : not the same source, not the same room...difficult to say.
 

hongkongfoufou

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I have discovered yesterday the stand Western Electric. I like it. The sound is good.
 
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bonzo75

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I have discovered yesterday the stand Western Electric. I like it. The sound is good.

they were the best sound of the show in 2014, 15, 17 and 19. And after first hearing them in 14 I used to travel only to listen to them. They did not come last year but good to know they are coming back again. Makes most other rooms sound broken. Stay in that room for a while they play lots of great music, all genres
 

hongkongfoufou

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For the headphone's amplifier, iFi Audio has a new model !!!!
This headphone's amplifier accepts all brand and have a many possibilities to listen a headphone even with an eletrostatic headphone.
They have special memory per brand.
I try to post photo the next week.
I have just arrived at home.

This is the new product for the High End, and this product is not on their website !
 

Kingrex

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Not a western electeic, but my friend Howard had a similar style Altec reproduction speaker I spoke of in the past. Big 15 cell multi cell. Large horn bass cabinet with 2 x 15" EV in the center. I cried to Dylan. I have never before or since heard Simon and Garfunkel be as you are at the actual show again. No one would buy the complete set for $20k when he moved. He broke up the set and.sold the bass cabinet. I so wish I had a place to store them. That was the best horn experience I have had.

Junkie on a private thread has had great praise for the WE room. And on his channel. He also liked the IO Design a lot.
I'm a big fan of Open Baffle. I don't ever think about replacing mine. I'm still looking for the correct amp. There is going to be a set of Found Music Blade amps at my house, as well as Jazdocs, arriving June 20th. My intent is to purchase a set. That will pretty much round out my stereo.

Then, maybe then, if I get my 5 acres and barn, I may circle back to large horns.
FWIW, I heard these a month ago. Amazing. Custom GM 70 amp powered it. 20230316_143708.jpg
 

bonzo75

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Junkie on a private thread has had great praise for the WE room. And on his channel.
this contradicts with what Keith said above. And I don’t know who junkie is
 

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