The 2024 Munich High-End Show: Michael Fremer on New Analog Products

The 2024 Munich High-End Show: Michael Fremer on New Analog Products

Mega-dollar tonearms are actually a “factor”—at the very least based mostly on product introductions at High End Munich 2024. Back in 2015 Marc Gomez’s unique $29,000 SAT arm was each a market phase and value disrupter. At this 12 months’s High End, $50,000 tonearms, whereas not commonplace, have been on show at various venues. All costs herein are approximate as greenback/Euro costs have been usually co-mingled.

SAT’s top-of-the-line normal CF1-09 tonearm now prices €60,000. The firm confirmed its €200,000 XD-1 turntable full with Minus Okay isolation platform (add €45,000 for vacuum platter maintain down). The Ti model of the CF1-09 arm that includes an extra armtube-stiffening titanium rod is on the market for €94,000. However, it may be had packaged with the XD-1 turntable for a similar €60,000 value as the usual CF1-09, bringing the full XD-1 price with Ti arm and vacuum maintain all the way down to €305,000. The €94,000 Ti value nearly makes it appear as if the corporate is just not keen on promoting the Ti arm aside from as a part of the XD-1 bundle.

TechDAS confirmed its Air Force 10 radial air-bearing tonearm in prototype type at High End 2023. This 12 months it demoed on its Air Force One Premium turntable the modern completed product in each 10” and 12” editions. Price in America will probably be roughly $45,000 and $50,000. Also launched was the brand new Tech DAS TDC01-Dia diamond-cantilevered cartridge that includes a titanium physique and a super-low 1.4-ohm inner impedance, making it a super match for the present amplification enter of CH Precision’s P10 phono preamplifier. The combo made lovely music by way of Wilson XVX audio system with the Wilson Loke subwoofer augmentation all pushed by CH electronics.

Acoustic Signature launched the €50,000 TA-10000 NEO tonearm accessible in 9” and 12” variations. It options precision pre-tensioned DLC (diamond like coating) ball bearings, VTA “on the fly” and azimuth on the head shell adjustability and plenty of different building options packaged in a wonderful piece of precision German engineering.

Another equally pricey results of precision German engineering is Clearaudio’s newly launched prime of the road Unity radial tracker. It’s a magnetically stabilized carbon-fiber-tubed unipivot design that additionally options VTA “on the fly” adjustability and azimuth adjustability amongst different options. Price can be €50,000.

Wilson-Benesch delivered on its promise to introduce “trickle down” editions of its $370,000 GMT One turntable system that debuted final 12 months (and which I reviewed in Issue 350) by introducing the Prim Meridian, a $270,000 model that omits the energetic suspension system however in any other case is equivalent to the GMT One.

Gryphon took analog followers unexpectedly by introducing a brand new dual-motor Apollo turntable designed in cooperation with Brinkmann Audio’s Helmut Brinkmann. $149,800 will get you a system: the turntable, and a diamond coated Brinkmann arm developed with Denmark’s Aarhus Technical Institute particularly for Gryphon’s new $20,000 Ortofon-developed Black Diamond DLC phono cartridge based mostly upon its MC Diamond however that includes a newly developed elastomer suspension and a diamond-coated titanium physique. Ortofon’s Leif Johannsen instructed me the brand new cartridge’s design was overseen not by him however by others on the firm with the intention to give the Gryphon cartridge some “new pondering.” Gryphon additionally launched a brand new $68,000 Siren phono preamp full with the identical large energy provide used for the Commander preamplifier. The unique aim was to make use of the Commander PSU’s second enter however to make the Siren sing required a separate PSU.

Thorens’ Reference turntable seen in prototype type at HE 2023 was again in its completed version. The closing price is $329,999 and consists of an energetic Seismion-designed energetic suspension and large stand.

I in some way missed the Aries Cerat room, the place the Cyprus-based firm confirmed a brand new $270,000 450-pound turntable that includes a direct-drive motor with a hydrodynamic bearing and an air-bearing tangential-tracking tonearm of the “lengthy off my radar display screen” large-horizontal-mass, moving-rail, fixed-air-bearing selection.

Kronos launched two new $70,000 merchandise. The Perpetual turntable and the Discovery phono preamplifier. The turntable prices roughly 60% lower than the “flagship” $125,000 Discovery turntable, however designer Louis DeJardins says Perpetual’s efficiency comes far nearer to Discovery’s than its value would appear to point. The Discovery phono preamplifier is a collaborative effort between Kronos and Greek electronics producer True Life Audio. Kronos had a powerful presence at High End Munich 2024.

Even Origin Live obtained into the pricey tonearm sport introducing at High End Munich 2024 the $26,000 “two-point” Renown tonearm.

Following the High End present I visited HiFiction (Thales, EMT, Xquisite) in Turbenthal, Switzerland, for the world premiere of the $40,000 Thales Magnifier preamp/phono preamp, a cooperative effort between HiFiction’s Micha Huber and Stellavox Switzerland’s Stephan Schertler.

Back on earth, Supatrac, whose Blackbird Farpoint arm continues to create main worldwide sonic and tech sensations has raised costs as of May 1^st as follows: 10.5”, £4300; and 12”, £ 4700. That means the 12” Blackbird now sells for round $6000. Still a cut price, although till you hear it, you would possibly stay unconvinced. At High End Munich the corporate confirmed prototypes of a new Supatrac Nighthawk arm, the design of which was not constrained by dimension, weight, or manufacturing prices. The arm will probably be accessible This autumn and price £11,900, £12,400, and £12,900 for 9”, 10.5”, and 12” editions. As of the day I’m submitting this meaning the 12” Nighthawk will price round $16,400. Not “cut price priced” however based mostly upon the sonic efficiency delivered in Munich nonetheless a cut price! There’s a £1000 improve path low cost.

Also again on earth and to finish on inexpensive notes, Ortofon launched a brand new line of its Concorde “plug-in” cartridges designed for Technics and different turntables geared up with related bayonet mounts. The new line mirrors the corporate’s long-running and super-successful 2M moving-magnet collection however with one main improve: the Concorde collection lets you change styli and transfer all the way in which up from the elliptical-stylus Concorde Red to the LVB 250 (Ludwig Von Beethoven) Black that includes a boron cantilever and nude Shibata stylus. The normal 2M improve path ends one step up on the 2M Blue. Prices begin at $149 for the Concorde Red. The Concorde Blue prices $249; the Bronze, $399; the Black, $599; and the LVB 250, $999.

Pro-Ject launched three variations of its new T2 turntable, the least pricey of which sells for $549 together with (in America) Sumiko MM phono cartridges. Additional-cost variations that includes built-in phono preamp and/or streaming capabilities are additionally accessible.

Of course, many, many different turntable, tonearm, and phono preamplifier producers exhibited at HE 2024, however their merchandise weren’t new, so they aren’t featured right here. If I left anybody out, my apologies. It was a incredible present!

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May 24, 2024 at 05:42PM