2023 Munich High-end show - a laid back coverage

Zanden_Mr

PRELUDE to M. O. C. 

Isn't it auspicious for some, last time I attended the famed Munich high-end show at M. O. C. Exhibition Centre was 12 years ago, the Chinese zodiac calendar has also 12 years too. 

It was 2011 when I visited M. O. C. for the first time with AE duo and reported on the forum my impression of the show. Now 12 years later, I'm officially retired from my hectic working career and am looking to enjoy LIFE !

Fellow AE comrades who know me fairly well especially those who have heard my horn system driven by entire full suite of Zanden electronics could discern the sound has improved gradually over the years. I am curious to hear if there is any huge improvement in some of the systems at the show, fingers crossed.

Let's take a reality check, my impression over the decade on sound improvement. The most effective way is not by constant upgrade of your hi-fi components (shock and horror to many) but proper treatment of room acoustics as well as tackling electrical, EMI and radio frequency interferences. My humble opinion is once you have a good and compatible set-up, your system should be able to 'sing'  once aforementioned problems have been effectively dealt with.

In my dictionary, a good sounding system should be musical, has natural timbre and lots of harmonic decay plus micro and macro dynamics. Just go to a live concert performance regularly for at least a year, then you'll understand what I mean. However, if you've never been to a classical concert, I can bet your system will sound shit to my discerning ears. 

How can any serious audiophiles know how good or bad his/her system is without making an objective comparison to the real thing. Case in point, I was walking the streets of Liverpool last week and heard a trumpet sound from far away, instantly, the tonality, timbre, harmonic decay and its macro dynamics tell my aural receptors the sound is coming out from a real instrument. Last weekend, I was strolling along Camden Market in London, I heard someone singing with a guitar inside an English pub, immediately I could discern it was a love gig.

So dear audiophiles, if your hi-fi system does not give you a fake/or vague illusion that you are listening to a concert or some acoustic instruments, you are just wasting time and money on your proud system.

More to follow during the show. 

Mr Z

Zanden_Mr

Day 2

As I travelled from Paris to Munich on Friday, I only arrived to M. O. C. around 5pm, so proper visit of the show only starts today.

I deliberately chose a hotel far away from the venue to enjoy life - peace & tranquility. It has typical Bavarian ambience and even serves German sparkling wine. I loaded my stomach with pretty delicious food to skip lunch. 

Zanden_Mr

Zanden_Mr

There's music in the foyer

Zanden_Mr

Even a German cow wants to sing along.... 

Zanden_Mr

Now we're off..... 

Zanden_Mr

Pretty spacious shuttle ride to the venue... 

Zanden_Mr

Arriving at one of many entrances

Zanden_Mr

First up, a walk around the ground floor where booths and small listening rooms (built by make shift plastered board, unlike those nasty ones at HK high-end show, M. O. C. installed split aircon to keep noise to minimum).

To my surprise, the room sounded not too bad as there is no glass window. To my surprise again, two rooms which captured my attention were Kondo and Western Electric.

Manufacturer of the former was showcasing a full suite of their flagship gear driven by a very rare pair of Jensen speakers. The sound was very like Japanese people - very polite, it sounded pleasant but rather unengaging and dull.

Zanden_Mr

To my surprise again, the Western Electric room sang miles better than Kondo room using it's 300B integrated amp partnering with it's newly developed speakers (still a prototype). The sound was very transparent with good imaging. After knowing the price of the integrated amp, I told their senior representative WE can easily raise its price by 100%.However, this really nice U. S. gentleman told me the company's policy is to make their products more affordable so that they are within reach of younger audiophiles (just at a glance, although I may be wrong, the average age group of visitors in the show to me is 45-50).

Zanden_Mr

On the ground level, there were a lot of turntable manufacturers, most of their products were on silent display except the famous Thorens which showcased their flagship turntable. Obviously, being an avid LP user since 1973, my impulse was to enter the small room to hear their own system. After 10 mins of listening, I was not impressed. The sound was a bit clinical and lacked dynamics. I said to myself, some very learned audiophiles told me most HEAVY and gynormous turntables sound dull and unengaging.

Zanden_Mr

The bigger and heavier they are, the more you have to pay.... 

Zanden_Mr

I later tried to give myself a small torture by subjecting my body to bass slams after hearing this system with the most bass, I sat for 12-15 minutes and left as I'm sure had I stayed for another 10 mins, I may throw out the nice food I consumed earlier ! 

This picture is very deceptive as I'm sure nobody could imagine the crazy bass this system can produce... 

Zanden_Mr

Just a quick distraction.... Have you seen such a thick acoustic forest of AGS branches. I Marvel bro, your setup looks a bit naked. 

Zanden_Mr

I'm sure we all have seen many conventional speaker designs and configuration, below I'm sure will many speaker designers a run for their money of how to solve phase problem with this design....

Zanden_Mr

I have also stumbled across many new acoustic treatment fixtures, see some below... 



I think these wood blocks weigh a ton