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Munich High-End 2025: Analogue

Munich High-End 2025 was a fitting sign-off. Next stop: Vienna!

The halls, atria, and rooms of the MOC exhibition space, the Motorworld event hall and hotel, and the Hi-Fi Deluxe show in the Marriott Hotel, five kilometres away in Schwabing, all rang out for the last time with the sound of high-end audio. According to the High-End Society, 22,818 visitors from 92 countries attended to see nearly 1,000 brands showcased by 501 exhibitors.

That often meant hearing inappropriate cover versions of classic rock songs sung by breathy girls playing guitars. However, it also meant that Munich would not see the same assembly of high-performance audio again.

There is too much to see in the High-End show. A definitive report would be unwieldy, unwise, and unreadable. So, any report is a series of edited highlights. This year marked a return to form, after a couple of years of relative paucity of new models. What follows is a personal collection of fascinating new products across five broad categories. The first being ‘analogue’ and covering everything from cartridge to phono stage:

Chord Electronics Ultima

Completing the Ultima amplifier line (at least for now), Chord Electronics has released a flagship dual-mono phono stage. It features three individually assignable XLR and three RCA inputs, as well as XLR and RCA outputs, along with a range of MM and MC settings. The phono stage also features a rumble filter, clip detection, and gain boost. It even includes twin kidney-bean-shaped VU meters to monitor the level. The price has yet to be confirmed, but it is expected to be around £18,000.

Döhmann Audio and Wilson Benesch

Döhmann Audio’s Helix One turntable is one of the most highly respected designs in modern high-end vinyl replay. And designer Mark Döhmann is equally liked and respected among his analogue peers, which is why the new GRAVITON Ti tonearm from Wilson Benesch was launched on the Helix One platform. Derived from the arm fitted to the mighty GMT One System turntable, the £30,000 GRAVITON Ti is the result of state-of-the-art materials and manufacturing science. It features the innovative STAGE One over-arm shielded output system. This is the first time the technology in Wilson Benesch’s arm has been used outside of the GMT ‘ecosystem’. It sounded great in a room that also featured Alieno amplifiers and Cessaro loudspeakers.

Elsewhere at Munich High-End 2025, Wilson Benesch showcased its Prime Meridian turntable system. This system featured APL digital electronics, Karan Acoustics amplifiers, Crystal Cable cabling, and Wilson Benesch’s Omnium loudspeakers with KX infrasonic generators, in a constantly packed room. The cost? Well, if you need to ask…

European Audio Team

Jo No. 10 by European Audio Team is a €7,900 moving coil cartridge with a diamond cantilever. The in-house design uses high-density wood and a hand-shellacked body. This played with the outstanding dynamic range in the Constellation Audio room. On its stand, EAT also showed its new two-motor, 44kg F-DUR turntable (€4,990 without arm, €6,490 with C-Note arm and €8,990 with F-Note arm). It also showcased the fully balanced two-box E-GLO FB and one-box E-GLO S, as well as the E-GLO Petit phono stages, for the first time at Munich.

Garrard

With no new products to show this year, Vivid Audio had a more low-key affair. Instead of playing the usual hi-fi show music fare, it featured a Garrard 301 Advanced with an SME VA-12 tonearm. This classic deck used an Ortofon 2M Mono and Mola-Mola electronics to play a few classic 78s through a pair of Vivid Audio Kaya K90 loudspeakers. Listening to Bill Haley & His Comets provides a fun and exciting counterpoint to a show with dangerously high levels of Diana Krall elsewhere.

Grimm Audio

Grimm Audio is renowned for its exceptional digital audio products. However, at Munich High-End 2025, it was showcasing the new €4,800 PW1 phono stage. Shown in prototype form last year, the highly adjustable FET-based ‘Phono Wizard’ supports MM and MC cartridges, ranging from the lowest output and impedance to the highest. It sounded excellent in Grimm Audio’s room, featuring a Dr Feickert Volare 25 turntable and a pair of the company’s active LS1c loudspeakers.

Kuzma

Kuzma is trying to ‘sapphirize’ almost everything in the LP chain. Buoyed by the success of the Safir 9 tonearm, the company showcased a forthcoming sapphire turntable mat and record weight, as well as announcing the release of a Safir 12 tonearm later this year. However, the star of this future show will be the limited edition CAR 70 moving coil cartridge. With a one-piece diamond cantilever with an integral diamond tip, the entire cartridge will be clad in sapphire. The cost? A cool €35,000! Franc Kuzma had a prototype of the body… in his pocket!

Nagaoka

Launched earlier this year to commemorate the company’s 85th anniversary, the MP-700 is Nagaoka’s new flagship cartridge. Supplied with or without a headshell, the cartridge uses the company’s unique ‘Moving Permalloy’ derivative of the moving magnet. It also features a boron cantilever and a micro-ridge diamond stylus. The design also allows for a replacement stylus. The cartridge costs €1,299 without a headshell,

Pro-Ject

Pro-Ject had one of the largest stands at the show, with a slew of new products, including electronics. The thing that everyone noticed was the new portable music system, built into a flight case and demonstrated by the cabin crew in a mock-up set of aircraft seats. But what caught my eye was the limited edition, LED lit Elvis turntable in its Artists range, complete with 10m thick glass platter, 9″ arm and pre-fitted Sumiko Rainier moving magnet cartridge. Price is still to be confirmed. The company also launched a 75th anniversary Snoopy limited edition turntable and two new Automat automatic turntables.

SME

Shown to the press and an invited public in April, Munich High-End 2025 was the first public outing for the £35,999 SME Model 35 turntable. Replacing the evergreen Model 30 platform, the three-tower Model 35 draws heavily from the company’s flagship Model 60 in the design of its bearing, suspension system and power supply. It also features the new SME Series Vi tonearm. It was showcased in an outstanding €700,000 system. This included Innuos and Vitus Audio electronics, Göbel Divin Noblesse loudspeakers, HIFISTAY support systems, and a comprehensive loom by Crystal Cable.

Soulution

Soulution Audio’s first turntable is the 787. It’s a 67,500 CHF linear tracking turntable that breaks all the rules. Linear tracking turntables replicate the action of the cutting lathes that make the original acetates from which all LPs are produced. Typically, the arm tracks across the record, but this can create friction. However, in the Soulution 787, the arm stays in place, and the platter and its drive mechanism move! Soulution claims this delivers the low-friction performance of a conventional pivoted tonearm, but with a tracking error of less than ±0.15°. The sight of a platter slowly moving across the top plate is fascinating, and it sounded promising.

TechDAS

The new TechDAS Air Force IV was on show in two rooms. As the name suggests, the turntable sits somewhere between the Air Force III Premium S and V, with the motor located outside the main body of the turntable (similar to the entry-level Air Force V). However, it also features a 9kg platter machined from a solid block, an improved suspension system, and an external belt system borrowed from the Air Force III Premium S. Price and further details are still to be determined.

Thales

Staying with Swiss-designed turntables, Thales introduced its new €27,000 Reference turntable to the Hong Kong public in March this year. This was its first European outing. The turntable features a unique mechanical speed control that utilises a centrifugal governor. This employs spinning weights and magnets to regulate driving and braking torque. It results in a speed control system that not only boasts steampunk-cool vibes but is also more precise and faster-acting than electronic speed controls.

Munich High-End 2025: Amplifiers

Munich High-End 2025: Digital

Munich High-End 2025: Loudspeakers

Munich High-End 2025: Systems and everything else!

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New Origin NCF-UK(R) high-performance power cable from Furutech

21 May 2025: Japanese cable and connector specialist Furutech announces the launch of its brand-new Origin series of cables, crafted to redefine the balance between premium performance and value, making high-quality audio more accessible than ever.

The series kicks off with the Origin NCF-UK(R), a beautifully engineered power cable that features μ-OFC conductors ensconced in triple-layered anti-resonance PVC sheaths. The superb Furutech connectors fitted at either end include rhodium-plated, non-magnetic pure copper connector conductors and high-pressure wire clamps, while the component-end FI-28 IEC connector also features Furutech’s patented ‘Floating Field Damper’ Ground/Earth jumper system to dissipate magnetic interference. Every metal component in both the cable and the connectors undergoes Furutech’s Alpha Process, which combines deep cryogenic treatment and demagnetization to maximize performance.

Furutech’s ‘Floating Field Damper’ solves the biggest problem you didn’t know you had

Even during normal use, cables generate unwanted electromagnetic radiation, leading to potential disturbances. This radiation is most pronounced where the cable is bent or folded. Furutech’s ‘Floating Field Damper’ Ground/Earth jumper system addresses this by incorporating a copper plate that makes contact with the mounting screws, effectively grounding and stabilizing the electromagnetic potential. By absorbing this unwanted radiation, the system significantly reduces electromagnetic vibrations resulting in a clearer and more stable audio performance.

Superior damping and noise reduction

As its name suggests, the Origin NCF-UK(R) also features Furutech proprietary Nano Crystal² Formula (NCF). Pioneered by, and exclusive to, Furutech, NCF is engineered to combat static electricity, deliver superior vibration damping and neutralize unwanted electrostatic noise, resulting in a cleaner, more accurate soundstage free of coloration, and allowing the true essence of the audio source to shine through.

Specifications: Origin NCF-UK(R) power cable

Conductors: 7 bundles x 35-strand Alpha-treated μ-OFC; 0.18mm x 3 cores ≈ 9AWG (6.22sq.mm).
Connectors feature Alpha-treated pure-copper rhodium-plated conductors, plus an insulation body incorporating Furutech’s NCF compound.
Main cable fixing clamp designed to improve grip and reduce mechanically and electrically induced distortion.
Furutech’s patented ‘Floating Field Damper’ Ground/Earth jumper system.
Polyethylene insulation designed to withstand high voltage and heat, for lower capacitance and better mechanical damping.
Triple-layer RoHS-compliant, ultra-flexible, lead-free PVC sheaths designed to provide improved vibration isolation, with the inner sheath incorporating an NCF compound.
Shield comprising 9 x 24 strands 0.12mm Alpha-treated μ–OFC conductor, braided.
RoHS-compliant nylon yarn braided outer sleeve (19.0mm diameter approx.).
Length: 1.8m (approx.).

**Furutech’s Pure Transmission technology**

Furutech’s Pure Transmission technology is designed with meticulous attention to every aspect of power and signal transfer, addressing common challenges such as contact resistance, EMI and RFI rejection, through optimized engineering solutions. By leveraging the finest materials and advanced processes, and combining these with an unwavering commitment to build quality, Furutech strives for exceptional performance.

Pricing & availability

Furutech’s Origin NCF-UK(R) power cable is available now, priced at £925 (inc. VAT). European and North American versions are also available.

Ideon Audio Announces Absolute Stream META

14 May 2025: Ideon Audio, a global leader in high-end digital audio, proudly announces the launch of its latest innovation, the Absolute Stream META, handcrafted to redefine streaming performance regardless of your favorite streaming service of choice. Engineered and perfected for audiophiles, music lovers and home theater enthusiasts alike. The Absolute Stream META server enhances any system by delivering better dynamics, less jitter and distortion and a much better rendering of digital files and streaming, sure to elevate the listening experience.

No-Compromise Design for Unparalleled Performance

The new META version now has an internal Roon core, powered by Ideon Audio’s own high quality linear power supply, which elevates the Roon streaming experience significantly, compared to traditional external Roon core devices. Additionally the META is equipped with a 4TB solid state internal harddrive (8TB available). Finally a seamless integration of Qubuz, which means you will also be able to choose to play directly through Qubuz without needing to go through Roon first. All other streaming services such as Tidal, JRiver, etc., etc. will also work flawlessly with the META. Feel the sound like never before

Whether playing music, or even music videos from Youtube, the listening experience is free of distortion and jitter, delivering a natural, musical sound combined with organic resolution and detail .

Built for Versatility and Seamless Integration

The Ideon Audio Absolute Stream META will work perfectly and seamlessly with DACs from any brand, including of course Ideon Audio own DACs. Ideon Audio believes that any one component they build, should be able to function perfectly with any brand’s DAC, not inventing limiting connections that makes it complicated for music lovers to connect with any of their current favorite gear. So whether you prefer to stream music using Roon software, directly through Qubuz, or prefer listening to your own downloaded files, the META is up to the task.

Future Proof Protection and Longevity

All Ideon Audio’s devices are available with a 7 year warranty, signaling the companies confidence in their in-house build quality and choice of ultra high-end components, occupying each Ideon Audio device. The Absolute series is furthermore milled out from a solid piece of aluminum, to further eliminate any virbrations to interfere with the sound quality.

A Visual and Sonic Statement

With a sleek black or sliver aluminum finish, and milled out from a single block of aluminum, Ideon Audio’s Absolute META stream, not only performs at the highest level but also looks stunning.

AVAILABILITY & PRICING

The Ideon Audio Absolute Stream META is available now through authorized Ideon Audio dealers with an MSRP $24,000 USD. The small version, the Ideon Audio EOS Stream is also available now with an MSRP of $14,000, and features all the same features.

Ideon Audio will have both streamers at the MOC Munich High End show 2025.

Peter Bruntnell: Houdini and the Sucker Punch

UK Americana singer-songwriter Peter Bruntnell’s last album, 2021’s Journey To The Sun was a sparse and stripped-back, pandemic-era solo record. This time around, we’re in more familiar territory.

Houdini and the Sucker Punch, which was produced and mixed by Bruntnell and mastered by Peter Linnane (organ and synth) at Patch Hill Audio, is a full-band record that sees him back in rootsy Americana mode, but putting his own British spin on it, with nods to classic bands including The Smiths and The Beatles, as well as US acts like The Byrds and Pavement / Stephen Malkmus.

For this outing, Bruntnell, who was born in New Zealand but grew up in New Malden, Surrey, is joined by his long-term cohorts Mick Clews (drums), Dave Little (electric guitar) and Peter Noone (bass), plus some special guests: pedal steel player, Eric Heywood; Son Volt/ Uncle Tupelo’s Jay Farrar on piano; guitarist James Walbourne (The Pretenders, The Rails); cellist Laura Anstee, and Mark Spencer (Son Volt) on Hammond organ and piano.

The superb title track, which opens the album, is classic Bruntnell – irresistible and melodic alt-country with a plaintive undercurrent.

It’s followed by the sublime and jangly ‘The Flying Monk’, with Bruntnell’s guitar on ‘Johnny Marr setting’ and, if that wasn’t good enough, it has a neat lyrical homage to The Smiths’ ‘Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others’: “Saint Joseph told the rebel as he emptied a yard of ale…”

If we’re talking classy British guitar pop, then The Beatles also get a look in – ‘Head Smashed-In Buffalo Jump’, which was inspired by touring the US with Son Volt, is soaked in Revolver-era psych and Fab Four vocal harmonies, with synth and organ only serving to expand this head-spinning cosmic trip.

From spacey shenanigans to a song that Bruntnell says has a “very vibey feel” – the hopeful, anthemic and epic ‘Let There Be A Scar,’ which also has organ and harmonies, but adds a touch of Everly Brothers, Neil Young’s ‘90s grungy stadium rock, and even the pop sensibilities of Deacon Blue.

Guitar gunslinger James Walbourne fires off some ace twanging on the playful and galloping Wild West adventure that is ‘Yellow Gold’ – Bruntnell is on bouzouki duties – while things are taken down a notch with the yearning ballad, ‘Sharks,’ which has a lovely melancholy feel thanks to Laura Anstee’s mournful cello.

‘No Place Like Home’ is upbeat and jangly Americana – the Byrdsy guitars ring out like ‘The Bells of Rhymney’ – and first single, ‘Out of the Pines’, has a fuzzy, Stephen Malkmus-style guitar intro and, for anyone who knows Bruntnell from his years slogging away on the Americana gig circuit, some wonderful, bleary-eyed opening lines: ‘I’ve never been much good at getting up in the morning – singing after dark has been my tune…’

Talking about the song, he says: “No one likes getting up and going to work in the morning. I used to be terrible at it, on account of my extensive social life.”

A much more sedate pastime is referenced in the pedal steel-laced, moody and haunting R.E.M-esque ballad, ‘Stamps of the World’ – think ‘Country Feedback’ from Out of Time.

“As a child I was an avid stamp collector,” explains Bruntnell. “I had the finest collection of Penny Reds in New Malden.”

The closing song, the stripped-back ‘Jimmy Mac,’ finishes the record in a suitably subdued mood – Anstee’s sad cello makes a reappearance, creating a gorgeous, autumnal ambience, while Dave Little’s twangy guitar evokes Glen Campbell’s eerie and melancholy pop masterpiece, ‘Wichita Lineman.’

When I reviewed Bruntnell’s last album for hi-fi+ I said he deserves much more recognition. A few years before, NME went even further and said his music should be placed on school curriculums.

If you don’t know Bruntnell’s music, then it’s time to do your homework – start with Houdini and the Sucker Punch and then work backwards.

You’ll thank me for it, and, after that, there’ll be no escape.

Back to Music

Franco Serblin Accordo Goldberg

Accordo is the two-way stand-mount loudspeaker the late Franco Serblin designed for the brand that would carry his name. The original Accordo remains in the Franco Serblin catalogue. Recently, that company released a variation of the Accordo with a larger cabinet and mid-bass driver. In upscaling the enclosure, the company moved the crossover network from the stand back into the speaker cabinet. Containing the most cerebral, Bach-esque pun in audio naming, the variation is the Franco Serblin Accordo Goldberg stand-mount loudspeaker.

Moving the crossover into the loudspeaker makes the design more conventional than its smaller, older brother. It also allows a wider choice of speaker stands—at least in theory. No one will use the Accordo Goldberg without the matching stands. This isn’t because the stand has some magic properties but because they combine to look and sound beautiful! Over the following few pages, you’ll often read variations on the ‘look and sound beautiful’ theme.

Size matters

Unless explored closely and side-by-side, the original Accordo and Goldberg variants look nearly identical. They have the same asymmetric arch shape, which, from the top down, resembles a pair of wooden quotation marks. They have the same essential form factor, whatever angle you view them from. Neither looks ‘stretched’, ‘shrunken’, ‘overblown’ or ‘miniaturised’. It’s a tribute to the original design that you can increase its cabinet volume so markedly and retain perfect proportions. That was one of the reasons why Franco Serblin remains so well-respected more than 11 years after his passing.

The on-paper differences between the two stand-mounts are comparatively minor. The Goldberg cabinet is 4.5cm taller, 5cm wider, and 7cm deeper. It has a 180mm microsphere mid-bass with an aluminium dust cap. Compare this to the 150mm sliced paper cone with a phase plug used in the original. All of this, and the internal crossover, adds an extra 7kg to the loudspeaker’s total weight.

Now, look at what they both share. They have the same Ragnar Lian-designed 29mm silk dome tweeter. This description is typical of Franco Serblin and harks back to the days when he was making and designing loudspeakers. Most companies would simply say ‘Scan-Speak D2905’ because that is the 29mm silk dome from the company’s Classic series. And it really counts as a classic, both in terms of popularity and longevity.

The Lian’s share

The driver was designed by one of the founders of Scan-Speak, Ragnar Lian. Serblin would always credit the man, not the company. It was his way. Lian has not had input into the D2905s used in the Franco Serblin Accordo Goldberg, because Ragnar Lian passed away in November 2008, aged 75. But holding people in high esteem doesn’t stop when they pass away. That was the Franco Serblin way, and that sense of respect has been passed down to Massimiliano Favella the designer of the current line.

The cabinets of both rear-ported speakers are made from solid wood decoupled with aluminium/magnesium components for internal resonance control. And even though they are sited in different places, both crossovers are designed to be phase coherent.

The raw specifications don’t show many significant differences, either. They both have a rated sensitivity of 87dB. The nominal impedance rating of the Goldberg is seven ohms, against the slightly more challenging four ohms of the original. You also get a notional 39Hz lower frequency response cut off against the 40Hz of the Accordo. While Franco Serblin is extremely conservative in its ratings, these specs tell you nothing about the real-world performance.

Real-world ease

In the real world, the Accordo Goldberg is an easy loudspeaker to drive, but a hard one to drive well. In that respect, it’s a little like classic Franco Serblin designs from the 1980s. Yes, you could run it from practically any amplifier on the market today, but you’d probably not want to. This speaker needs some driving, but that’s more about quality rather than quantity. In particular, the high-frequency performance of an amplifier marks it out as a good or ill partner for the Goldberg. Any hint of brashness or ragged treble extension from the amplifier and it gets translated to the speakers. Something with a bit of power, but smooth and detailed power is absolutely perfect.

Similarly, installation needs some care and attention, but this is not a speaker that demands nanometre-precise set-up. There is a distinct point where the sound ‘snaps’ into focus. That’s likely to be a sharp toe-in, where a beam from the centre point of the speaker crosses in front of your nose. You also need to be especially careful about having the loudspeakers level from front to back, but the knurled knobs above the chromed, fan-shaped baseplate make that relatively easy. The loudspeaker is also provided with handy floor-protecting spike feet. Because of the layout of the speaker, a completely rigid loudspeaker is unlikely, but you should aim to have the loudspeaker barely moving even when you try to move it with your hand on the top plate.

More than looks

This is not a loudspeaker sold on looks alone, although those looks make the Franco Serblin Accordo Goldberg very appealing, indeed. But in some audio circles, that’s the kind of talk that gets you burned at the stake. There’s an inherent hair-shirtiness to some audiophiles, who seem to think, “If it looks good, it sounds bad!” This is usually closely related to those who think everything in audio sounds the same and any audio device that uses a chassis that’s even remotely better made than a cereal box is a crazed spendthrift who spends their money on unnecessary luxuries, like bread and shoes.

Here’s the thing. If it sounds good, that’s usually because it was well-engineered. If it looks good, that’s also usually because it was well-engineered. And very often the people who work on the sonics work with the team that work on the aesthetics. In smaller companies… it’s the same team. And by ‘team’, I mean ‘person’. Having a product that looks good is no impediment to its sound. They can do both. They can look good and sound good. A guy who made nice looking and great sounding loudspeakers proved that back in the 1980s.

His name was Franco Serblin.

All the world’s a stage!

It’s strange. We use the word ‘soundstage’ a lot in audio reviewing, but rarely think of it in terms of the sound being ‘a stage.’ The Franco Serblin Accordo Goldberg goes some way to addressing that. But, in the same way I am wary of the hair-shirted getting the wrong idea about a loudspeaker that looks this good, so I am concerned that what I am about to write conjurers up visions of ‘luvvies’ talking about playing ‘the Dane’: The Accordo Goldberg gives music a sense of the theatrical!

No, that doesn’t mean it turns every piece of music into an opera, but it maximises the feeling of a performance taking place in front of you. We often discuss that in the abstract, even when the music is holographic and you’re transported into the studio or the concert hall, it’s always an ‘observational’ event. Maybe the drama of the music is the more important aspect.

It’s a little odd saying this because a lot of my listening notes describe a three-dimensional soundstage and how enticing that was. In fact, from a purely observational ‘listening test’, the review would be all about the loudspeaker’s ability to form a wonderful three-dimensional soundstage in front of the listener. But, the more I listened to the Accordo Goldberg with my critical listening facilities put into ‘park’ for a few hours, the more I was drawn to that feeling of enjoying the performance, not just the music.

Brutalist ambient

Oddly, this applies to even the least performance pieces of music. For example, take the brutalist ambient electronica of ‘Rocksavage’ or ‘Daresbury Laboratory’ from retro-futurist Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan The Nation’s Most Central Location [Castles in Space]. There’s no performative aspect to this. Musically, it’s like reading a report on cement production from the 1970s. But regardless, you feel a theatrical connection to the music that doesn’t happen too often.

That music grips you. And getting back to the word ‘soundstage,’ that might be the reason for that theatrical connection. It really is the defining feature of these loudspeakers; a layering of sound that is usually the stuff of electrostatic loudspeakers and point sources. It didn’t matter what you played, that sense of dimensionality and staging was always present and a central focus of the sound. One of my go-to tests for staging is ‘Memphis Soul Stew’ by King Curtis {King Curtis Live at Fillmore West, ATCO]. It’s a slow-build way of introducing the band, musician by musician. It’s basically a live feed taken off a mixing desk back in 1970.

Who’s who

The track is a complete roll call of ‘who’s who’ in funk and soul, with Jerry Jermont on bass, Bernard Purdie on drums, Cornell Dupree on guitar, the Memphis Horns… essentially one of the best funk bands this side of The JBs. The mix gets heavier and harder to process as layer upon layer of talent takes their bow, but within this wall of sound, you can follow individual instruments through the whole mix. Rhythm guitar legend Cornell Dupree for example. On the Accordo Goldberg he’s always there, just slightly stage right, always on the beat and in the pocket, and playing the sort of licks that are impossible for the rest of us, and just another couple of bars for him.

This track also highlights a Serblin trait, that has always held. The combination of horn section and King Curtis’ sax playing is bright and sometimes too intense. This music can get almost aggressive played through the wrong speaker. The Accordo Goldberg, however, is perfect for taming brightness. They manage to convey the excitement of the music without making it sound too exciting.

This track is also a test of scale and level. Put simply, if it copes with the band at full stretch, the next album can be Tool’s Fear Inoculum [RCA] played loud. Or it could be Infected Mushroom or Mahler. It means the loudspeaker can move from a small band to a large orchestra and back again with confidence. That’s not something you normally hear from stand-mount speakers, whatever the price. It can play surprisingly loud, too.

Composed performance

Are there downsides to this composed performance? Well, I guess those who are wanting wide and expansive soundstages instead of precise and holographic experiences between the loudspeakers will not warm to the Accordo Goldberg’s big ball of sound in front of the listener. In some respects, that describes a lot of large scale orchestral works, where the listener wants the impression of hearing instruments at the back of the hall. Put simply, those bass and percussion instruments get a little closer here, and some will prefer something wider.

That aside, the obvious limitations of stand-mounts not being honking great floorstanders with 12” bass drivers apply, with the caveat that the Accordo Goldberg plays bass surprisingly deep and surprisingly well for a relatively small loudspeaker, and in the kind of rooms where a speaker like this will end up, too little bass is rarely the problem. In fact, in most rooms, the Accordo Goldberg’s bass, and its volume headroom, glorious soundstage, relaxed charm and sense of the theatrical all combine to make a loudspeaker that deserves a serious listen.

High-end cliché

There’s a cliché in high-end circles; “the pictures don’t do it justice.” This is usually a get-out clause to justify something that looks like it was hammered into shape. That’s “hammered into the shape of a broken Dalek made of dropped cheesecake, with a finish to match.” However, in the Franco Serblin Accordo Goldberg, it’s because they are so damn pretty. The eye is drawn to the shape and finish in photos, but the real thing is exquisite.

The contrast between the grille finials’ chrome and the cabinet’s rich satin finish is excellent. Add that distinctive patterned leather front behind the grille ‘strings’ and the slight chamfers cut into the sides… delightful. The product name is Serblin’s signature laser-etched into the base of the stand, with ‘Accordo’ and ‘Goldberg’ on the finial. The only negative is that the company name is repeated on the back panel on a transparent sticker. I’d prefer that it was either embossed or just not there.

And that’s the thing. If you are at the point where you are forced to discuss labels, you are not looking at a loudspeaker with many strikes against it. This is one of those loudspeakers. It has a sense of charm as all loudspeakers that carry the Franco Serblin genome do. But it’s not simply some nice sounding loudspeaker from a bygone age brought back. This is also a powerful and exciting loudspeaker designed to make anyone take notice. And yes, it sounds as good as it looks!

Technical specifications

Type: Two-way, rear ported stand-mount loudspeaker
Drive units: 29mm silk-dome tweeter, 180mm microsphere cone, aluminium dust cap
Frequency Response: 39Hz-23kHz
Nominal Impedance: 7Ω
Minimum Impedance: 3.8Ω at 5.5kHz
Sensitivity: 87dB/2.83V/1m
Dimensions (HxWxD): 40.5x24x43cm
Stand height: 74cm
Weight: 25kg per pair, stands 16kg
Price: £8,888. Stands £2,798

Manufacturer

Franco Serblin

www.francoserblin.it

UK distributor

Absolute Sounds

www.absolutesounds.com

+44(0)208 971 3909

Benchmark DAC3 B

Benchmark Media Systems’ no-nonsense approach to all things audio is rare today. The company doesn’t make products with mind-bogglingly heavy chassis. It doesn’t use components made by the Capacitor Ancients or circuit boards resting on magic pads made from panda eyelashes. It doesn’t charge its customers like a wounded buffalo. And it doesn’t opt for rare file formats that no one has ever used, despite enthusiasts thinking they sound clever. All that might be a double-edged sword in the Benchmark Media Systems DAC3 B digital converter.

Why? The Benchmark Media Systems DAC3 B’s on-paper specifications are truly impressive if you know what to look for. If you don’t, and digital audio is another game of ‘bigger is better,’ the DAC might not immediately stand out. For example, MQA and anything above DSD64 are MIA; for some, that means it is DOA!

PCM tops out

Similarly, PCM tops out at 24bit, 192kHz through USB and the same pathway process 2xDSD and 4xDSD through DoP 1.1, but it does process these files natively. Coaxial S/PDIF bumps the PCM figure up to 24bit, 210kHz but optical is resolutely 24-bit, 96kHz. There’s no AES/EBU for audiophile CD replay or Ethernet connection for streaming. Audiophiles might be disgruntled at those numbers; although, in fairness, that’s not a group known for being easily gruntled.

In addition, the fit and finish of the DAC3 B is very ‘studio’ (there’s even optional rack-mount ‘ears’ that help reinforce that pro-audio heritage). It has good, solid RCA and XLR outputs, but unlike many DACs on the domestic audio circuit, these aren’t ‘name brand’ connectors, lovingly plated with bragging rights grade materials. As a DAC with a built-in switch-mode power supply, its case doesn’t need to be huge or made from inch-thick aluminium. Those with interconnects so thick and heavy you could use them for mooring a cruise-liner will grumble that their ‘peak butchness’ wire could lift the DAC off its equipment table. Still, even the most ‘light the pitchforks and sharpen the torches’ angry audio mob will like the Benchmark name etched deep into the DAC3 B’s front fascia.

Power in reserve

The beating heart of the Benchmark Media Systems DAC3 B is the ESS Technologies’ ES9028PRO converter chip. The DAC3 B runs internal digital processing and conversion at 32-bits, summing the ESS chip’s eight converters into two output channels. This gives the DAC3 B 3.5dB of headroom above 0dBFS, meaning the DAC3 B has overload protection not seen on other DACs. It also has the latest version of Benchmark’s jitter attenuation system (UltraLock3) and doubles down on the digital demon with its multi-mode asynchronous USB system. This is effectively two asynchronous systems in one; controlling the transfer of data into the DAC, and further controlling that data as it moves from buffer to conversion. Benchmark also uses the distortion compensation facilities built into the ESS chip to reduce second and third order distortion.

The net result is a DAC that delivers lower distortion, lower noise, less passband ripple, faster signal switching and locking onto signals and a more linear frequency response. But, y’know… set against that it doesn’t do a grade of DSD where you’ll be lucky to find more than five tracks worldwide.

A dog in the fight

Audio people love their analogies, and they are usually car, watch, or camera-related because they are often common interests. Not this time though; we’re at the dog show. There seem to be two kinds of DACs in the world; floofy show dogs and utility dogs. The floofy things are high maintenance, sit in a handbag and draw ‘cooing’ sounds from admirers. Utility dogs just get on with the job. The Benchmark Media Systems DAC3 B is very much on the utility side of things.

It doesn’t do the sort of immediacy and fireworks that many audiophile designs make such a song and dance about. Neither does it do that warm, round and cuddly sound that represents much of the other half of audiophile digital conversion. There is no magic to the DAC3 B’s sound… in a good way; no tinkly, unrealistic treble, no running-away-with-itself dynamics or plummy bass. It hands all the fireworks over to other parts of the system.

I’m used to DACs at its price being more impressive and seemingly detailed than the DAC3 B. But this isn’t that kind of DAC. Calling the company ‘Benchmark’ more than fits the bill; it’s a true benchmark in audio. In the proper sense of ‘something by which other products are judged’ and not ‘this is the best thing on the planet.’

Should it be lean?

It’s not that it’s ‘more neutral’ than other DACs. Instead, it asks the question; should this rival DAC really be ‘lean’ or ‘bright’ or ‘dark’ in the first place? It should be just a neutral component in the chain; well-engineered, yes, but engineered toward the goal of removing itself from making an impact on the sound, rather than stamping its footprint on the music. The Benchmark Media Systems DAC3 B is very much in the ‘leave no trace’ school of good audio.

This all sounds like ‘damning with faint praise’ and it’s not meant to be, but the DAC3 B’s signal-processing goals are so at odds with what audiophiles have come to expect from a DAC it’s hard to describe the performance of a DAC that is singularly competent. It doesn’t trade bass for speed or accuracy for excitement and consequently those wedded to one of these aspects of a musical presentation will find the DAC3 B wanting. It isn’t at all. Yes, if you compare it to a DAC that has been artificially tailored to produce a particular sound, it won’t sound the same, but that doesn’t mean the tailored one is ‘right’.

This is a DAC that’s uniformly good at everything. It resolves well, has good imaging properties, although it’s wide more than deep, and there’s not much height information coming through. Vocals are articulate and project well, standing proud of the image if that’s in the mix. There’s a good sense of dynamic range too, neither overblown or insipid. It keeps pretty decent time, too. You could play any piece of music through the Benchmark Media Systems DAC3 B and it returned an honest, accurate performance in all cases.

Bring on the LA4

I would have stayed being ‘okay’ with the DAC3 B were it not for another box that came with the DAC. The small £2,999 LA4 balanced line preamplifier also has ‘studio-chummy’ styling, and also happens to be one of the most transparent preamps I’ve heard.

Putting the two Benchmark products together suddenly made the DAC3 B talk sense to me. You don’t want the DAC to make its mark; it should sit in the background gently letting digital music turn analogue. That earlier ‘utility dog’ analogy was wrong; the DAC3 B is like the invisible yet super-competent musical butler. It doesn’t guide your music’s hand, it just makes sure that hand is available when needed. Couple a DAC with no intrinsic character with a preamp that does the same and suddenly that neutrality is something to strive for. There’s no magic here… just cool-headed enlightenment. And it’s great.

With all that digital headroom on tap, the DAC3 B shines in a way almost all other DACs cannot. It takes the recordings audiophiles find vile and offensive and makes them more approachable. Even that famed casualty of the Loudness Wars – Metallica’s Death Magnetic – gets a shot at redemption here. Sure, it’s still completely undynamic, to the point where even the silences are too loud, but that extra few dB above full-scale means the DAC isn’t screaming in pain at 0dB… and neither are you.

Not for show-offs

The Benchmark Music Systems DAC3 B isn’t the DAC for fireworks or showing off your system. Instead, it makes a balanced, honest sound that allows you to sit and listen to music for hours. That is what makes Benchmark’s products consistently popular with audio engineers. You don’t want ‘bright’ if you sit at a mixing desk 10 hours a day.

Maybe it took the fabulous LA4 preamp to see that neutrality in a positive light, but once there, it’s hard to step back. It may need that level of system rethink to find out just how little digital magic you really need, but the Benchmark Media Systems DAC3 B will wait for you to catch up.