MUNICH HIGH END
Our pick of this year’s intriguing and unaordable wonders on show
Asmall drop in visitor numbers was blamed on the sunny weather, but High End Munich in May this year continued its reputation for hosting the highest-end and most eye-wateringlypriced audio equipment on earth.
The image above shows the wellappointed room used by Netherlandsbased Kharma to demonstrate a milliondollar system with its new speakers, the Enigma Veyron EV4-D speakers, paired with Enigma Veyron electronics — and some rather impressive bamboo side diffusers, also from Kharma. The new EV4-D speakers on show continue Kharma’s implementation of its Omega F drivers, the F standing for ‘0-Foucault currents’, because absolutely no iron is used in the magnet motor-system. The EV-4D uses one 7-inch and twin 11-inch Omega F drivers, topped by 1-inch and 2-inch concave diamond tweeters. The Kharma brand is distributed in Australia by Audio Magic: www.audiomagic.com.au
Arcam had already shown prototype new amplifiers at the start of 2018 in Las Vegas, as part of its HDA range, and had the SA20 (below) in more finalised form at High End 2018, along with a new streamer/CD player, the CDS50, aimed as direct replacement to the CDS27, again including UPnP and CIFS streaming up to 24-bit/192kHz in addition to CD and SACD playback from the disc transport. The SA20 amplifier is intended as a replacement for the company’s current A29, and uses the company’s hybrid Class G amplification, while a lower model, the SA10, sticks with Class-AB, as did the A19 it will replace. Arcam is distributed in Australia by Advance Audio.
The Friday night Astell&Kern party in Munich hosted by iriver saw the launch of not only two new high-res players but two whole new lines of players, completing a full refresh which began last year with the SP1000. That SP1000, launched last year at Munich, introduced the flagship ‘A&ultima’ range. iriver has now added the SE100 (pictured left), first player from a stylish new premium ‘A&futura’ line, and the SR15 from a new standard line to be titled, a trifle less excitingly, the ‘A&norma’ line.
The A&futura SE100 premium status includes a slim aluminium-alloy body with diamond-patterned glass back plate, while inside it’s equipped with the ESS SABRE ES9038Pro DAC, with four-channels of dedicated processing per left and right channel, playing files up to 32 bit/384kHz PCM audio and Quad DSD natively. It features an updated amplifier design and noise control technologies, an Octa-core CPU, five-inch touch screen, 128GB internal storage, support for fast charging, and battery life quoted around 10 hours.
The A&norma SR15 is from a new “standard line”; its DAC is the Cirrus Logic CS43198, offering playback up to 24bit/192kHz PCM audio, and single-rated DSD natively, while the solid aluminium alloy body is closer to the design cues of the AK70 series.
The latest fruit of the A&K Siren Series collaboration with Jerry Harvey Audio is a high-end IEM called the Billie Jean (left), featuring the patented freqphase waveguide technology from Jerry Harvey Audio in a 2-way balanced armature design. While wearing your Billie Jeans may not cause the steps beneath your feet to light up as you prowl and prance around the neighbourhood MJ-style, they do incorporate a new internal Acoustic Chamber Sound Bore design claimed to bring a wide soundstage and incomparable dynamic range to in-ear performance. They’re already listed at $479 at www.addictedtoaudio.com.au
The turntable pictured below is the long-awaited Synergy turntable from British engineering and specialist high-end audio company SME, finally revealed at Munich, and promised for release in October. The Synergy comes complete with a magnesium tonearm fitted with a moving-coil cartridge and a built-in phono stage — while the turntable is completely new, the arm is the highly acclaimed SME Series IV. The cartridge is an ‘exclusive series’ Ortofon MC Windfeld Ti, fitted with a Replicant 100 diamond stylus.
The SME Synergy’s main chassis is machined from a solid billet of premium-grade aerospace aluminium, supported by four large polymer isolators inside adjustable feet; the 4.6kg platter is itself machined from aluminium alloy damped with an isodamping material exclusive to SME. The reflex clamp ensures the largest possible platter contact, even with warped records.
It’s driven by a three-phase, brushless out-runner motor with eightpole neodymium magnets and three integrated Hall Effect sensors whose three speeds are adjustable, with final speed maintained by a high-performance microprocessor optimised for motor control.
The ultra-compact battery-powered phono stage made for SME by Nagra and is housed within the Synergy’s main chassis. It uses individually selected and matched bipolar transistors combined with audiophile-quality capacitors and precision MELF (Metal Electrode Leadless Face) resistors, with the MC input transformers designed and wound in-house by Nagra.
Pure Music Group distributes SME in Australia, and informs us that the SME Synergy is to retail here for $26,800. For more information, contact them via www.puremusicgroup.com.