Monday 30 May 2022

Munich HiEnd 2022

After an absence of two years we are back at the Munich HiEnd show in Atrium E 220 with Definitive Audio and Bemax Audio

 

SJS Model 3 phono, Model 7 line and Model 5 power amplifiers with Kuzma and Grand Prix Audio turntables and showcasing the fourth generation Auditorium OBX-RW4 from Living Voice loudspeakers. 


Gratifyingly, several initial reports listed ours as being one of the best-sounding rooms at the event.


"In a way, the room was the opposite of every other at the show. There was no attempt to ‘out hi-fi’ other rooms. Rather than the focus being all about the sound, it was all about the music. This was a system to melt your heart because there was nothing getting in the way–sonically speaking–of that happening. Yet this wasn’t one of those systems where musicality comes at the expense of sonic performance. Rather, one got the feeling that all the music was there–and that nothing was missing from the sound, either."


"Living Voice was running the latest Auditorium OBX RW4 compact floor-standers. Those expecting to see (and hear) the Vox speakers were beguiled by sound that was both delightful and extremely engaging and, while the Kuzma R/Safir and Grand Prix Monaco/4Point14 front-ends (with CAR-60 and CAR-50 cartridges respectively) were obviously playing their part, don’t overlook the contribution of the SJS electronics."


"Possibly taking my crown as the most favourite among favourites was the room with Living Voice loudspeakers supported by SJS electronics and Kuzma and Grand Prix Audio analogue sources."


"This is the kind of system that, once installed in your home, would deliver a lifetime of musical pleasure, leaving you to concentrate solely on exploring music."


"This was a truly memorable room three years ago, and it was equally memorable in 2022."


"With Mari Samuelsen’s rendition of ‘Violin Concerto (Second Movement)’ by Philip Glass the system was heartbreaking, I ordered the vinyl there and then but getting it to sound this good at home will be a challenge."


"When a system is ‘just right’ like this it’s difficult to tear yourself away, and the Living Voice system was a real treat to listen to. The scale of the music playing defied the relatively small size of the LV loudspeakers and the dynamics on offer were incredible."


"Living Voice took a break from the magnificent horn systems it usually demonstrates to reveal the capabilities of the rather more approachable OBX-RW4 floorstanders. These sounded superb with Kuzma and Grand Prix Audio turntables allied to SJS tube amplification…"


"The sound of the show so far… There’s something quite special about the OBX-RW4 speaker when used with the other equipment on display in this room."




Friday 20 May 2022

Model 7 Premier Silver

SJS Model 7 Premier Silver linestage preamplifier takes its bow at Munich HiEnd this week with Living Voice and Bemax Audio.


This special version of the Model 7 is built in a copper chassis and features silver foil coupling capacitors, silver wound output chokes, and pure silver wire for all signal and power supply links. 


Using single ended 6111 triodes, and a valve rectifier with choke input power supply, the Model 7 engages with the musical performance.