Munich HIGH END Show Report 2017
Big Sound By APL Hi-Fi With...
Artesian Audio, Kronos, VAC, Von Schweikert Audio, And ZenSati 
High End Society Munich Germany
HIGH END 2017 Show Report By Steven R. Rochlin

  One of the best sounding rooms at HIGH END 2017 was within the APL Hi-Fi on the upper floor that featured Artesian Audio, Kronos turntable, VAC vacuum tube amplification, Von Schweikert Audio's very large speakers and cables by ZenSati. It was as if some of the very best high-end audio manufacturers teamed up and ensured great synergy. Which brings up a good point that just choosing great gear is not a guarantee to reaching audio nirvana. Yet when you get all the right gear mating well together, the results are, well, what i heard within this room. Of note is that Enjoy the Music.com just reviewed the  VAC Renaissance Preamplifier Mk V with MM/MC phono stage. But first, here's a complete listing of the gear.... 

Kronos Pro – Turntable – Kronos Audio - $38,000
SCPS-1 – Power Supply – Kronos Audio - $13,500
Black Beauty – Tonearm – Andre Theriault- $8,500
Ultimate 4D – Cartridge – ZYX Audio- $4,400
DNP-MR – Music Server – APL Hi-Fi - $10,000
DSD-MR – Digital Audio Converter – APL Hi-Fi - $40,000
DTR-MR – Digital Audio CD/SACD Transport – APL Hi-Fi - $20,000
PSD-10 Special Carbon – Reference Power Splitter – APL Hi-Fi - $13,000
Statement – Phono Stage – VAC - $80,000
Statement – Line Stage – VAC - $75,000
Statement 450 iQ – Monoblock Power Amplifiers – VAC - $120,000/pr.
ULTRA 11 – Loudspeaker – Von Schweikert Audio - $295,000/pr.
Shockwave V12 – Subwoofer – Von Schweikert Audio - $11,500/ea. (used for active room correction)
Silenzio Line – Interconnects, Power Cords and Speaker Cables – Zensati Cables – $708,400
Exoteryc – 4-shelf Rack – Artesania Audio - $7,000
Exoteryc – 3+3 tandem Rack – Artesania Audio - $10,000
Exoteryc – Turntable Platform – Artesania Audio - $3,400
Aire Platform – Monoblock Platforms – Artesania Audio - $3,700/ea.

Wish such great care taken during setup and implementation, it was wonderful to hear such a wide variety of music sounding exquisite! Everything from subtle delicacy to outright power-house boldness came through within any sense of stress or strain. There was a complete freedom of speaker location as images floated about within the room. Enjoy the Music.com reviewed the Kronos Sparta 0.5 Turntable as we upgraded it to full Sparta at this link.

Even ZenSati cables were all carefully laid out to reduce any interactions. In fact i overheard the manufacturers talking about doing this partnership again for next year's show because the results were so great. Bravo guys and many thanks for the musical pleasures here at HIGH END 2017 in Munich. Without a doubt this was one of the very best sounding rooms at HIGH END 2017!

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