Reporter: Carlo Iaccarino
The show took place from May, 9th through May, 12th 2024 at the M.O.C. facilities, in Munich, Germany
Originally written: May, 2024
Website with plenty of resources: High End Society

Obey to the orders

We left off with the list of SoundsClever proposals, with a maximum price of Eur 5,000.
But these do not exhaust the reports of the stuff that I found interesting and at a price that was not unaffordable. So I continue to respect "halfway" my orders, and I will point out some other solutions that have caught my attention.

Let's start with EMOTIVA.
This is a US manufacturer that has become famous for offering quality products at prices that have always been very accessible for the US market. No secret, but a recipe also common to other brands: direct sale, plus design and assembly in the USA and production of the pieces (as far as I understand) in China.
However, I believe that the success of companies like this also depends a lot on a factor external to the company: the direct sales model cannot ignore the possibility of unconditional returns after a trial period. So, in order to make the game work, you need a logistical infrastructure that allows and guarantees the transport of goods to and from the end customer at low costs: it is clear that if an ocean is placed between you and your customers, this becomes unfeasible.
But now, Emotiva has set up a warehouse and spare parts center in the Netherlands, and is therefore ready to also serve European customers with the same unconditional return policy after a 30-day trial period.
Let's take a look at this manufacturer's proposals.
Here is an example of a stereo system:

- one XDA-3 DAC/preamplifier; it is balanced; it can convert signals up to PCM 768/32 and DSD 512 (the Chip DAC is the ESS ES9038Q2M); it has several digital inputs (one HDMI-ARC) and one analogue input (whose signal is kept in the analogue domain throughout, and it is never converted into digital); it also sports an analogue volume control, of the resistor ladder type, and a headphone output; it costs slightly less than € 1,000,
- one XPA-DR2 stereo power amplifier, rated at 500 W/ch/8 Ohm; it is balanced and it is built in modules (you can add a third channel module); it costs about € 2,500,
- a couple of Airmotiv XT3 floor-standing three-way loudspeakers equipped with an AMT tweeter, for about € 2,800.
Here is the rear view of the electronics, showing their connectivity.

And here is a close-up of the loudspeakers.

In the first part of this report, I wrote about Dolby Atmos, so here is a couple made of the BASX MC1 13.2-channel preamplifier/processor that can also decode this standard, and the BASX A11 11-channel power amplifier. They can be yours for a total sum under € 3,500. If you are wondering why the power amplifier lacks 4 of the 15 channel provided by the processor, I think that the answer is simple: this couple is thought of as an add-on to your existing stereo system, and, as usually happens in A/V installations, the ".2" signal is supposed to be sent to one (or two) active subwoofer(s)...

The processor's back panel was so full of connections that I had to take 3 photos in sequence to make sure I got them all; I'll spare you, showing you only the "treat" of the double output for the subwoofers, also balanced: I imagine the latter are needed for the long connections that cross the large cinema rooms in the homes of US customers. Nearby you can also see the 4 analogue line inputs, the coaxial and optical SP/DIF digital inputs and part of the many analogue outputs for the various channels.

What are you saying? Do you want to set up just a simple stereo system? Emotiva has various solutions: I would like to point out two of them: the BASX TA1, costing around € 700, and the BASX TA2, costing around € 1,200. They differ in the number of inputs and output management capacity, but, fundamentally, they are the modern version of the old receiver, the heart of many "first systems" of our youth.

Please, forgive me if I have dedicated so much emphasis to this brand. Emotiva had already dipped their toes in the waters at the 2019 High End show, and I've had my eye on it for some time. So, I'm happy that it's now available to us in the same way as it is in the US market. I think it offers a large series of devices for every need and it seems to me that all its production responds to criteria of pragmatism, without useless excesses. After all, the company's motto is: "rethinking high end". They appear to be the most interested in avoiding compromises that would jeopardize the reputation of the brand: I don't think they want to risk being lumped in with the many other oriental manufacturers of cheap devices, against whom they could never win a competition based only on price.
In short, I think it is convenient for everyone that such a company is commercially successful; and this thought certainly aligns with the instructions received from Lucio :-)

And now, lets' go to three speaker proposals that also intrigued me due to the listening quality and the asking price.
They are not low price by traditional standards (or our editor's standards) but I believe them to still be affordable to many.

Let's start with our transalpine cousins, ATOHM, a company created by Thierry Comte, former designer of Triangle and which has long enjoyed deserved, independent fame.
Atohm produces a complete series of loudspeakers and drivers, and now also electronics, including an amplifier equipped with various circuit peculiarities. There is DSP processing, but also a circuit - dedicated to coupling with the Atohm speakers of the GT series - which allows you to control the overshooting of the speaker or its overheating even when the amplifier supplies high power, to avoid damage: it is not a banal compression of the signal, but a proprietary circuit that acts by altering the electrical parameters of the generator-load "system".
The system assembled for the exhibition included a good overview of the entire line of devices. Below is an overall photo: you will notice the Gallic touch of the setup :-)

All sounded good, as usual. But what really raised my interest was their new SCIROCCO 1.24 two-way stand-mounting loudspeaker, for about € 1,500.

Despite the small size, the sound filled the not small room and, above all, it was balanced, fun to listen to, far from British "shoeboxes", and also far from certain sharp sounds that were once associated with French speakers. I don't know how much of the good result depended on the "magic" of the processing performed by the amplifier, but I cannot fail to point out the excellent final result.

I close with an overall photo of the models on display, which I hope also highlights the refined aesthetics of these products: let's be clear, with the other, larger, speakers, the sound acquired fullness, completeness, etc. etc.; but it didn't give me the same pleasant surprise as listening to the little guy, even in the show's critical - and criticized - listening conditions.

Let's get back to ELAC, that we already met among the Soundsclever proposals.
In their listening room this manufacturer exhibited the "usual" system with the thin electronics of the Alchemy series, designed by Peter Madnick (former designer of Audio Alchemy) who gave voice to the new Concentro S 507.2 "towers", which a visitor had decided to listen in near field :-)

The photos make it seem bigger than it actually appeared in person thanks to the shaping of the edges, but it is still a demanding speaker, even in terms of the price of € 12,000.

But, in my opinion, the same system performed much more surprisingly with the new two-way stand-mounting loudspeakers from the popular Debut series, which should have very affordable prices.

Faithful to the settings of the Debut line, it is a small-sized loudspeaker which, however, sounded strong, full, complete and, above all, it seemed to me that the sound was always clean and non-fatiguing even at high volume. Probably, much of the character of this speaker is due to the dome tweeter, which they said was developed from scratch specifically for this new series of loudspeakers, which also includes floor-standing models and a central channel for A/V systems.

And now, an old glory of home audio: HARBETH. At the helm of this cornerstone of the British (and therefore global) school of Hi-Fi there is still the stainless Alan Shaw who, despite his age, brought to the exhibition something new that is absolutely far from the reassuring and traditional image of this manufacturer: the NLE-1 loudspeaker, for about € 3,500.

Upon entering the room, at first glance I thought I was in the presence of yet another small, two-way British mini-speaker entirely focused on the quality of medium frequency reproduction. But then I saw the emphasis on the programmatic acronym New Listening Experience, and the science fiction graphics, and I investigated further.
Yes, it is a small two-way bookshelf loudspeaker,

but its peculiarity can be understood from its B-side.

In fact, two cables arrive, neither of which are loudspeaker cables: from the left, the first is the one that carries the DC for the power supply (the power supply unit is external) and the second is the one that carries the analogue signal, which is internally converted to digital and entrusted to a DSP for crossover and speaker driving. The DSP also allows you to adjust the response both by inserting a kind of loudness for low volume listening, and to adapt to the placement and the acoustic effect you intend to recreate. This may clash with audiophile sentiments but remember; this speaker was initially created for mixing desks and immersive systems where manipulating the signal is normal. It is produced in two versions, one Pro, and the other Domestic: the latter also has Bluetooth connectivity and streaming capabilities. It goes without saying that the sound of the system was pleasant, certainly far from the stylistic features of the staid British shoebox, so many may not like it; the bystanders, however, showed that they appreciated the sound produced by these little ones, with a much bigger voice than their size would suggest. the price is high, but you have to consider that with the speakers they also give you amplifiers (of the switching, Class-D type, often found in small active loudspeakers) and a sound processor; and the home model can even constitute an entire system.

Betraying my orders

I would like to point out a room that struck me both for the originality of the products and for the pleasant sound I heard there.
These are two French exhibitors: KORA and DIPTYQUE.
Kora produces electronics: its amplifiers are characterized by a particular circuitry, patented under the name of Square Tube. From what they explained to me, it is a circuit that uses four valves (hence the name...) for the amplification of the voltage signal and a circuit with transistors for the current which - don't ask me how - is not part of the signal amplification. In terms of approach, it reminds me a bit of that of the Alieno amplifiers by our very Neapolitan engineer, Fulvio Chiappetta, but my technical ignorance prevents me from going further in the comparison. Diptyque produces magnetoplanar loudspeakers with dipolar emission, contained in a very elegant structure wich, in my opinion, harmonizes better with the furniture than traditional Maggie-style screens.

Here a close-up of the two speakers that alternated in operation: the large DP 160 MkII, from € 22,000, and the less large DP 115, from € 9,200. Here you see them in the standard white or black livery, but they can be ordered in a customized version, choosing from 160 RAL colors.

And here is a group photo of the Kora electronics, with a seemingly more anonymous aesthetic than the elegant panels. This company produces a phono preamplifier, a CD player, a DAC, integrated amplifiers, a preamplifier and two power amplifiers. The 70 W/ch provided by the TB 140 integrated amplifier, costing around € 4,700, were able to drive the smaller speakers effortlessly. You can glimpse, on the ground, the two monoblocks used to drive the larger speakers: the uncovered one shows the banks of small power supply capacitors, an option that they told me they chose to guarantee superior speed in the discharge and recharge process. The LP-spinner is a solid TransRotor.

I returned to this room several times because the sound interested me a lot. They never played songs at very high volume or with organ and timpani that descended into hell. When they played a variety of "normal" repertoire at higher volumes, I never felt that these small speakers lacked anything at the higher or lower frequencies.

Another proposal that struck me was that of SVS. It is a US manufacturer, specialized in Home Theater and, in particular, subwoofers, amplified and otherwise, as shown in the following explanatory photo, which shows devices whose price varies from € 750 to € 4,000.

This year, too, they set up the usual demo of a multi-channel system for home video, playing clips from movies, but also from live concerts. The peculiarity of the system lay in the use of their new series of speakers, the Ultra Evolution, openly designed with the performance in an audio-only system in mind. They really emphasized the R&D work that led to these speakers in terms of both the drivers and geometry of the cabinet.


They also candidly admitted that they were not the first to devise the development of the speakers symmetrical with respect to the tweeter and ideally arranged along an arc, rather than all on the same straight panel... :-)
The prices are certainly not entry level; but this manufacturer has always been very concrete, always offering prices that are never exaggerated. In fact, for the three towers we have the Ultra Evolution Tower at € 3,600, the Ultra Evolution Titan at € 5,000 and the Ultra Evolution Pinnacle at € 6,000; the Ultra Evolution Bookshelf loudspeakers, on the other hand, cost € 1,500.
These were set up as a multi-channel system for A/V demonstration so I can tell you little about how each unit sounded as if we were to use them in a two channel system. But I have to say that even with the musical videos the performance wasn't bad at all; quieter listening in an audio-only system would be interesting.

I continue with another manufacturer of whose performance I speak highly every year: TOTEM.
At the head of this Canadian speaker manufacturer is always the volcanic Vince(nzo) Bruzzese, of undisclosed Italian origins. I greatly regret that his busy schedule did not allow me to attend one of his engaging demonstrations this year; nevertheless, what was shown to me interested me a lot. Although Totem produces speakers for the high segment of the market (but not very high...), equipped with special home-made speakers and - as Italian loudspeaker expert Gian Piero Matarazzo says - with half a crossover inside, this year's novelty was a more traditional small two-way bass reflex bookshelf loudspeaker with rear outlet, the Loon Monitor, for € 1,700, pictured here with a Beak on it, the traditional Totem accessory which promises to reduce disturbances caused by diffractions/reflections of high frequencies on the cabinet.

Their demonstration was conducted by driving them with a Kin Amp integrated amplifier, costing around € 900, which in turn received files taken from a streaming service from a mobile phone via Bluetooth. Of course, a demo without pretence of audiophile asceticism, but very effective in terms of ease of use and pleasant listening (here too, dispelling various preconceptions of mine...). Totem also showed the rest of his production. Here we see the Loon Monitor next to the other small bookshelf speakers, the Kin Play, amplified, for € 1,400 and the Bison Monitor, for € 2,700.

And here we see the actual demonstration system, with the two towers, the Element Metal V2, costing approximately € 20,000, and the Bison Twin Tower, costing approximately € 5,000.

I reserve the last report for the Germans of T+A.
This year I had the honor of having David Nauber demonstrate the product to me. David who chaired the Canadian CLASSE' is now CEO of the North American division of T+A.
T+A has greatly diversified its product range, from lifestyle products to those more dedicated to hardcore audio.
Let's start with the Caruso cubes, which bring together a CD player, a streamer (also from local network resources), a tuner and an amplifier in a single chassis.

The smaller one is the Caruso-R and costs € 3,200.

The bigger one is the Caruso, and inside it also has several speakers (a bit like Naim's Mu-So), and costs € 3.300.

Nauber also directed me towards the DAC 200, costing € 6,200.

It features 4 Burr-Brown DAC chips for decoding PCM signals, to which it applies filters developed by T+A; for 1-bit decoding (DSD) and internally developed converter. The software with which it drives the USB interface chip is also proprietary. Furthermore, Nauber has emphasized the presence of an analog input and, above all, a discrete analog volume control which also qualifies the device as a high-level preamplifier. Below is a photo of the interior of this device: on the right you can see the resistor and relay column for volume control and, on its left, the block with the DAC chips.

You can place the DAC 200 in a system between MP 200 CD-player and streamer, for slightly less than € 5,000,

and the A 200 power amplifier, whose price I forgot to scribble down - can you forgive me? :-)

Much emphasis was also given to the introduction of a new user interface, called Navigator which, more than a simple GUI, is proposed as a complete way to control all modern T+A devices and to manage music files as you wish. This project was not born as a closed product, but they plan to continuously adapt it to customer requests, which T+A urges us to send.

Pit stop

For now I'll end my second part here, postponing my further reports to a third part, which I predict will be more "visual" than "chat" :-)
HERE you'll find the first part of this report.

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