Munich 2019

Turntables and More at High End Munich 2019

Michael Fremer  |  May 15, 2019

Vertere DG-1 (photo: Michael Fremer)
The days are over of aimlessly wandering around the MOC searching for turntables and other analog accouterments. This almost two hour video covers just what I saw on opening day (press day) at High End Munich 2019! And it's not padded with "drive by" footage.

Among the highlights was the international debut of the costly "state of the art" TechDAS Zero turntable (if you have to ask the price you can't afford it) and at about an hour in, the radical new Wilson-Benesch GMT ONE System turntable (price TBA). The W-B is packed with new technology along with serious upgrades/updates to what the company offered in its original Full Circle turntable.

Also introduced at the show was the circa $4000 Vertere DG-1 Dynamic Groove 'table/arm combo from a company best known for it's costly products. A video will soon post of the press conference hosted by veteran turntable designer Touraj Moghaddam introducing the 'table.

In the video embedded below you will see Sculpture A cartridges A.3 and A.4, the insides of which are based on the venerable Denon DL-103. I didn't know what these were when I shot the video and no one was around to tell me. You'll see many new turntable brands that all have interesting designs including the Pre-Audio 'tables from Poland with built in micro-compressors for their air-bearing tone arms and the Takumi TT Level 2.1 from Holland that packs a great deal of quality into a reasonably priced package. This is just day one's coverage and there's way more to come of the show and of course of the "grand trek" across Europe including factory tours of CH Precision, darTZeel and HiFiction (Thales/EMT) as well as GZ Media and Optimal Media. I was everywhere, man and aside from losing my luggage twice (both times it didn't make the flight connections, everything worked out as envisioned.

I missed a few events at High End Munich including a press conference in which Jennifer Warnes introduced a new record and a signing opportunity with artist/musician Klaus Voorman (Revolver cover, etc.). However, my friend Ricardo Franassovici, who imports high performance audio throughout Europe and who is friends with Voorman did manage to catch up with him at the event:

There's so much more to edit and post including the panel I hosted at Making Vinyl Berlin so stay tuned to AnalogPlanet!

COMMENTS
Ortofan's picture
Submitted by Ortofan on Wed, 2019-05-15 10:52

... near the beginning of the video.
Leif now needs to do some work on the 2M series so that the guy from the HiViNyws channel can get over his infatuation with Nagaoka cartridges.

ianhvn's picture
Submitted by ianhvn on Wed, 2019-05-15 17:11

Hi fellow vinyl buddy, i have been listening to my Goldring 1042, Grado Black1, Green1, (not2) past few days and ever as regularly, besides the Nagaoka carts. I have always been highly, strongly, firmly recommending to my U.K. friends the 1042 and 1006 over the MP-200 and MP-110 because of the performance-price ratio in the U.K. :-D !!!
Warmest Regards and may you have a lovely journey through Mr Michael Fremer's video taken with much effort.
~ ian.

Ortofan's picture
Submitted by Ortofan on Thu, 2019-05-16 15:20

... the Audio-Technica VM740ML, which was tied with the Nagaoka MP-200 based on the results of this comparison test:
http://soundadvicevinyl.com/2017/12/04/under-1000-moving-magnet-cartridg...

Also, does any store at the Adelphi sell the moving-magnet cartridges made in Japan by Excel, and which are sold in the USA by LP Gear under the Vessel brand name?
https://www.lpgear.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=...

garyalex's picture
Submitted by garyalex on Wed, 2019-05-15 10:58

That Takumi table looked very interesting. I hope to hear more about it.

Luke's picture
Submitted by Luke on Wed, 2019-05-15 21:50

Wow, that Wilson Benesch turntable - I now have a new 'if I win the lottery' favourite! Love all the tech and it looks revolutionary (no pun intended). Also will be great if/when that tech trickles down to something more (I would guess) affordable. We brits do it best ;)

Mikey - did they say it has a phono amp in the control system? (I guess they mean the black box with the green lights) A truly wholistic approach - love it!

swimming1's picture
Submitted by swimming1 on Fri, 2019-05-17 06:56

Hey Michael How about some music reviews?Cheers,Chet

Michael Fremer's picture
Submitted by Michael Fremer on Mon, 2019-05-20 22:58
Watch the two hour video that includes 100 in-print all-analog reissues worth owning? I would have thought that would keep you satiated while I cover this show. I can't do two things at once and young Malachi can only write so many record reviews. He's got school!
JanS's picture
Submitted by JanS on Fri, 2019-05-17 08:13

Love the WilsonB and the Einstein.
And the Trax as well. If I understand it correctly, it’s based on my good ol’ trusty Dual 701...

JanS's picture
Submitted by JanS on Fri, 2019-05-17 08:15

And the Thorens R2R and new ‘Table looked classy as Hell

Wimbo's picture
Submitted by Wimbo on Sat, 2019-05-18 01:19

for these videos Michael.
Once again, well done mate and thanks.

TC's picture
Submitted by TC on Sat, 2019-05-18 13:24

I was there for only one day, so I had limited ability to cover all the rooms. Also, I don’t always know where to look. So even though I personally attended Munich High End this year, I still saw things in Michael’s video I didn’t find on my own.
I did hear the new Western Electric 300B integrated amp, which was great because I think now I’m going to get one once it’s released in the fall. But the line was so long to hear the Thorens tape deck on headphones that I didn’t have the patience to wait. I never got into the Dan D’Augustino room because they had it closed off for the press. Why they did that on day two, when they had already had a press only all day just the day before, escapes me. A number of members of the public were turned away, and were pretty disgruntled. It didn’t make sense. For various reasons, you don’t get to hear everything you want to anyway, even if you’re physically present. So thank you, Michael. The coverage is great, but the cacophony in some of the rooms was difficult.
That Wilson Benesch ‘table makes me want to mortgage the house!

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