Was at the Munich High End Show last weekend, it was busy on Saturday. Saw loads of interesting kit, nothing really stood out this year. The Western Electric’s room is always good, they always bring the oldest speakers they can. The brought a 97 year old speakers and for a 97 year old speakers, it gave up very little to newer designs. The speakers was driven by a 5W per channel amp, it played loud as it was very efficient. Fleetwood Sound Company’s room was good and sounded nice, not sure if it was the wine. I had 2 glasses of wine, they offered more but I declined as I told them anymore and I will be on the floor, as all I had so far was toast and coffee for breakfast. They were playing the Deville's, for stand mount speakers it was large and it's the smallest speaker they do. What did stand out was a company with a Nakamichi Dragon, I was intrigued and had to go and see what it was all about. Turns out to be an online auction site www.catawiki.com The guy saw me looking at the Dragon and said did I want to listen, I showed him the Sony WM-DC2 on my belt and he said you came prepared. I listened to their music which they had recorded on a TDK SA90. I then took out what I was playing which was on a TDK MA-XG, they were impressed. The guy wanted to hold the MA-XG as he had never seen one in the flesh before. I played it on the Dragon, then I got another out of my bag to play on the Dragon. Guess what the Dragon ate it, I tried it twice more and it did the same. They were so apologetic and said the Dragon was serviced and it was a clients that still yet to pick it up, I said to them you better let the client know that it eats tapes. We joked and I said, I never liked the Dragon anyway. They gave me up to €75 off voucher. See attached image of my DC2 with the Dragon
P.S. If anyone goes to the www.catawiki.com to buy anything, let me know as I have the money off vouchers. They are €25 off each if you buy anything €75 or more, I have 3 vouchers. I will more than likely use 1 myself, so I will have 2 going spare for anyone that is buying something from that site. They are valid till the end of the year.
This thread just popped up for me? Holy cow, it ate your tape? Maybe a few more adjustments? I love that you showed up with equipment, did you AUX in on anything else? I didn't know Western Electric was still in business, do they sell new equipment and bring the museum pieces for display? I bought a set of early 70's Frazier Speakers from a local ice rink, lot's of horns and Dixielanders for the main speakers. They only need around 15 watts max to light up the neighborhood, I'm not a speaker tech but some of the old efficient speakers are mind-boggling when you hook up a tiny amp to them. Some of my late 80's bookshelf speakers need big power to sound right.
I never leave home without my life support system (Sony WM-DC2). Western Electric are still going, they came to the show with 2 vintage speakers which are not for sale but they had a newer smaller speaker which is very much for sale and still produced today. The only other thing I listened to that stood out are the Sennheiser HE 1 flagship headphone system at £50K and the Flagship Warwick Acoustics (formerly Sonoma Acoustics) Aperio headphone system £32K. I listened to the Sennheiser HE 1 as I have tried to listen to it before, but you had to book and the queue was long so never bothered. This year I got to listen to it, it sounded amazing dynamic open detailed with big sound stage but too much bass for me. After bumping into Jude Mansilla of Head-fi, we had a discussion about the Sennheiser HE 1. I told him I liked it but too much bass, he disagreed and told me he had one and loves it. For my tastes I lean towards brighter end of neutral and Jude leans towards the bass end hence we disagree. He told me to listen to the Warwick headphones and let him know what I think when we meet next at CanJam London. I loved everything about the Warwick Aperio, it did everything the Sennheiser HE 1 can do but with less over blown bass end. If I was buying, I’ll pick the Warwick Acoustics Aperio. See attached pic Sennheiser HE 1 on left and Warwick Acoustics Aperio on right.
