Roy Gregory and his impressions of the Munich SHow 2023

[Kenc]

In the followup blog, about the Munich Show "It's a Wrap". https://gy8.eu/blog/its-a-wrap/4/ Mr. Gregory comments on two internally powered speaker systems at different ends of the price spectrum (Vienna Acoustics and Tidal Audio) as possibly representing the future of high end audio. I would humbly tend to agree. I think the days of massive separates are destined to be limited to a niche market and more compact form factors and integrative approaches will be favoured, assuming of course that they are well-engineered and perform. I acquired a pair of powered Kef LSX's shortly after they came out and remain satisfied with them in a casual listening system. I have Kef LS50 Metas (and KC 62 sub) driven by a NAD M10 in another unobtrusive system and I very happy with this for movies and music. Finally, in my main system, I replaced my electronics with the relatively minuscule Tidal Prisma full function amplifier and Tidal Intra amp - and while it's no Bugatti Royale, the sound of my Contriva G2 speakers is the best I've had.

I just finished looking at the Audio Research factory tour with Fremer. Nice guys it seems. I owned various of their products - SP 11, 15, Classic 60 and 120 amps and others. My favourite for the money was their 100.2 solid state stereo amplifier. The tour seemed to emphasize their laser etching, and chassis/remote control finishing. I just hope they can develop some integrative products because building massive tube amps is just not going to cut it going forward imho.

 

[AudioHR]

Meanwhile I have zero interests to read some obscure comments after listening to all rooms at HE Munich by myself and making up my mind.
Thank you

Matt

An interesting comment and I know where you are coming from as far as the drama Or the need for these reviews. Still a little drama stirs the blood, lol!

I did not attend this years Munich show but I went last year. Like you I visited many rooms and I know what I thought sounded good. They were not necessarily those touted by the audio press but that's OK I am always interested in other viewpoints. It gives me at least some reference of where a reviewer might be coming from.

Personally I really enjoy the shows. I don't think you can make a definitive judgement on components but it is interesting to view the contenders and see how they present themselves. I really enjoy the up and comers as their passion often shines through. As far as the industry leaders, well some seem to be able to lead by example...as in producing a first class demonstration... others sadly not so much!

 

[Lee]

The thing about Munich is that it’s really a B2B show for the most part. The rooms are not very conducive to good sound. Think walls, loads of crowd noise, many static displays…and the live displays are often set up in large spaces that are not really listening rooms.

The Florida show is much better in this respect given the mostly soundproof rooms.

But Munich is fun and everyone is there and you get a real sense of how big the industry Is and find new brands that are largely unknown but still very cool.

 

[Hi-FiGuy]

In the followup blog, about the Munich Show "It's a Wrap". https://gy8.eu/blog/its-a-wrap/4/ Mr. Gregory comments on two internally powered speaker systems at different ends of the price spectrum (Vienna Acoustics and Tidal Audio) as possibly representing the future of high end audio. I would humbly tend to agree. I think the days of massive separates are destined to be limited to a niche market and more compact form factors and integrative approaches will be favoured, assuming of course that they are well-engineered and perform. I acquired a pair of powered Kef LSX's shortly after they came out and remain satisfied with them in a casual listening system. I have Kef LS50 Metas (and KC 62 sub) driven by a NAD M10 in another unobtrusive system and I very happy with this for movies and music. Finally, in my main system, I replaced my electronics with the relatively minuscule Tidal Prisma full function amplifier and Tidal Intra amp - and while it's no Bugatti Royale, the sound of my Contriva G2 speakers is the best I've had.

I just finished looking at the Audio Research factory tour with Fremer. Nice guys it seems. I owned various of their products - SP 11, 15, Classic 60 and 120 amps and others. My favourite for the money was their 100.2 solid state stereo amplifier. The tour seemed to emphasize their laser etching, and chassis/remote control finishing. I just hope they can develop some integrative products because building massive tube amps is just not going to cut it going forward imho.

agree...so B&O was way ahead of their time

 

[cjfrbw]

Review made me laugh. RG doesn't mind toppling a few grandees with elan. I don't know that I would take his word for it, but it is kind of refreshing compared to audio double speak, audio thesaurus poetry, and ego sparing diplomacy.

 

[Audiohertz2]

In the followup blog, about the Munich Show "It's a Wrap". https://gy8.eu/blog/its-a-wrap/4/ Mr. Gregory comments on two internally powered speaker systems at different ends of the price spectrum (Vienna Acoustics and Tidal Audio) as possibly representing the future of high end audio. I would humbly tend to agree. I think the days of massive separates are destined to be limited to a niche market and more compact form factors and integrative approaches will be favoured, assuming of course that they are well-engineered and perform. I acquired a pair of powered Kef LSX's shortly after they came out and remain satisfied with them in a casual listening system. I have Kef LS50 Metas (and KC 62 sub) driven by a NAD M10 in another unobtrusive system and I very happy with this for movies and music. Finally, in my main system, I replaced my electronics with the relatively minuscule Tidal Prisma full function amplifier and Tidal Intra amp - and while it's no Bugatti Royale, the sound of my Contriva G2 speakers is the best I've had.

I just finished looking at the Audio Research factory tour with Fremer. Nice guys it seems. I owned various of their products - SP 11, 15, Classic 60 and 120 amps and others. My favourite for the money was their 100.2 solid state stereo amplifier. The tour seemed to emphasize their laser etching, and chassis/remote control finishing. I just hope they can develop some integrative products because building massive tube amps is just not going to cut it going forward imho.

Active has been here forever , no way its gonna replace getting help to lift a 200lb beasty into place and diming lights on start up ..!

 

[andromedaaudio]

The thing about Munich is that it’s really a B2B show for the most part. The rooms are not very conducive to good sound. Think walls, loads of crowd noise, many static displays…and the live displays are often set up in large spaces that are not really listening rooms.

The Florida show is much better in this respect given the mostly soundproof rooms.

But Munich is fun and everyone is there and you get a real sense of how big the industry Is and find new brands that are largely unknown but still very cool.

Well but i d rather buy of of what i hear in munchen then based on what they write in magazines / blogs/ or as you tube influencers

 

[nirodha]

Well but i d rather buy of of what i hear in munchen then based on what they write in magazines / blogs/ or as you tube influencers

Or whatsbestforum

 

[Lagonda]

Or whatsbestforum

If you have been around here for a while, you get a feeling for who is just promoting the latests products from a preferred manufacture, and who is more honest in their assessments. I never buy something because everyone is talking about it, i wait and se what they keep a couple of year later.

 

[nirodha]

If you have been around here for a while, you get a feeling for who is just promoting the latests products from a preferred manufacture, and who is more honest in their assessments. I never buy something because everyone is talking about it, i wait and se what they keep a couple of year later.

I have been around for a century . For what it is worth: I never buy something nobody is talking about. This is a subjective hobby. Subjective because of taste, subjective because of financial interests. Most of us are looneys anyway.

 

[andromedaaudio]

Audio is just like cars / motorcycles .
Test ride baby .

I used to just buy a lot of secondhand gear and switch along the way ( buy and sell ) ,and then see what sticks

 

[cjfrbw]

If you have been around here for a while, you get a feeling for who is just promoting the latests products from a preferred manufacture, and who is more honest in their assessments. I never buy something because everyone is talking about it, i wait and se what they keep a couple of year later.

Yes. A one year cooling off period from the initial professed eargasms, fanfares and money stampedes can do wonders for assessing the proper status of an audio component.

 

[PYP]

In the followup blog, about the Munich Show "It's a Wrap". https://gy8.eu/blog/its-a-wrap/4/ Mr. Gregory comments on two internally powered speaker systems at different ends of the price spectrum (Vienna Acoustics and Tidal Audio) as possibly representing the future of high end audio. I would humbly tend to agree.

me too in the sense that it could represent a growing segment of the future market. In between those two you have systems like the Grimm Audio LS1, LS1a and LS1be as just one example (with three variations). There should be more reporting about this direction.

The Vienna Acoustics is a really nice design since it reduces the cables to a minimum. Something like that could be attractive to a first-time buyer or a second system or for someone who decides to downsize. Any design that brings more people into the hobby is a good design.