High End Munich 2025: Michael Fremer on Analog

Cartridges

Let’s start with the affordables: “Boron is back with a vengeance,” exclaimed Ed Forth, Global Brand Projects and Partnerships Manager at Audio-Technica Europe, as he ran me through what’s new this year. The new VMx moving-magnet cartridge line upgrades the long- established dual-magnet VM design that features dual “stacked” coils per channel. The top of the line 700 VMx series features die-cast aluminum bodies and all but one model includes boron cantilevers. The costliest in the series the AT-VM760xSL goes for $599.

Ortofon introduced a completely new, moderately priced MC X moving-coil cartridge line replacing the more than a decade old Quintet series. There are 4 models: the MC X10, MC X20, MC X30 and MC X40. All feature stainless-steel honeycombed frames incorporating MIM (Metal Injection Molding) technology, new rubber damping systems, and high purity silver coil wire, plus a newly developed magnet system best. Cantilevers and styli vary from model to model, starting with the MC X10’s aluminum/elliptical combo and culminating in the MC X40’s boron/Shibata. Prices range from $369 to $1199. Also new this year from Ortofon is the attractively priced (and sounding) $5499 MC 90x, a kind of replacement for the classic MC A90 and the later MC A95.

Now onto the “if you must ask, you can’t afford it “needles”: Kuzma, HSE Swiss and Reed introduced new “top end” cartridges, two coiled and one optical. Kuzma’s two-piece sapphire-bodied CAR70 features the Orbray one-piece lab grown diamond cantilever/stylus set into a tubular sapphire holder, thus avoiding any metal in the mechanics. The CAR70 costs $35,000, or the cost of many a car (Kuzma also introduce the 12** version the Safir arm, also $35,000, as well as a sapphire record mat and heavy sapphire record weight). HSE Swiss, manufacturer of the Masterline 7 phono preamp I reviewed in these pages, showed prototypes of two new cartridges, one featuring a boron cantilever and the other an Orbray one-piece diamond cantilever/stylus that HSE Swiss‘s Robert Huber insists is not the one other companies use or have used. Huber showed me the impossibly tiny barely visible coil former used in the cartridges, wound using equally fine gauge wire.

Reed in conjunction with DS Audio introduced a new approximately $50,000 optical cartridge and optical cartridge equalizer/headphone amp combo. Mutech premiered the RM-HAYATE cartridge—a yokeless ring magnet design with a super-low 1.75 ohm internal impedance that manages 0.45mV output.

Though Decca/London didn’t exhibit at the show, I managed an on camera interview with Andy Whittle, who is responsible for the return of the legendary cartridge line. It will appear in an upcoming YouTube video.

Soundsmith introduced an “unbreakable” (or nearly so) Kudos ceramic-cantilevered moving-iron cartridge that Peter Ledermann says took two years to develop. The $19,999 cost is steep but consider that a “re-tip” is only $900. Also new is the $9999 Hyperion MKII-MR, featuring a micro-ridge stylus through-mounted into a cactus needle cantilever offering ultra-low tip mass—12% lower internal moving mass than the standard Hyperion MKII. Re-tip is $950.

DS Audio replicated its entire line of five optical cartridges in mono editions. Phil Spector would be happy. Prices are the same as the stereo versions.

Shure cartridge aficionados JICO, the company that resurrected stylus assemblies for Shure’s V15vXMR cartridge, announced it would soon release a back-engineered edition of the Shure V15 III. Other than lacking the Shure name, it will look identical to the original.

Skyanalog a China-based company that does OEM work for a number of unnamed manufacturers, showed a full line of interesting-looking cartridges made in China but using some Japan-sourced components. The P-1, for instance, with boron cantilever and elliptical stylus costs €600. The REF, a sapphire cantilevered, microridge stylus model goes for €2949. The Diamond 25^th with diamond cantilever sells for €6500. Will we be seeing these in America? Who knows?

Finally European Audio Team (EAT) introduced the curvaceous new $9000 Jo No 10 moving-coil cartridge featuring a diamond cantilever and hand-shellacked body, and Nagaoka was showing its new MP-700 cartridge also shown at AXPONA and still looking for well-deserved American distribution.

Phono Preamplifiers

Chord Electronics delivered on a pre-show promise to show a new “ultimate” phono preamplifier, debuting the ULTIMA phonostage featuring a pair of front panel VU meters. But it’s not quite available. Price will be around $20,000.

Thrax introduced its first solid-state mm/mc phono preamplifier, a handsome fully balanced, three XLR input design, featuring a large display showing all settings and a host of convenience features including polarity inversion and mono.

Musical Fidelity introduced a new, designed and built in the E.U. Nuvistor tube-based “state of the art,” fully balanced, multi-input Nu-Vista 2 phono preamplifier ($12,000) based on the M-F Titan amplifier circuitry, with an optional, massive outboard PSU (also $12,000). Also new is the less costly (around $5000) Vinyl S phono preamp.

Netherlands-based Grimm Audio introduced its compact “cubular” PW1 mm/mc FET-based phono preamp ($4900), featuring RCA and XLR outputs. PW are the initials of the company’s co-founder and chief designer Peter van Willenswaard.

EAT introduced the fully balanced (dual-differential), three-input (2 mc, 1 mm), two-box multi-tubed $18,000 E-GLO FB (fully balanced) and one-box E-GLO S, as well as the E-GLO Petit phonostages. German manufacturer SPL debuted Phonos Duo, a fully balanced version of its attractive Phonos mm/mc phono preamplifier. Front panel control of capacitance, resistance, gain, RCA/XLR inputs, mono and “rumble” filter. Available in red and devilishly priced at $3666.

It was not new this year, but the fully balanced Staltmanis Lab WS8 phono preamplifier—a brand with which I was unfamiliar—in the Zellaton room took the $12,000 Grado Epoch3 moving-iron cartridge to unaccustomed, dazzling dynamic heights!

Turntables and Tonearms

Airon Audio a new Pennsylvania-based company introduced the TH1 a $36,000 unipivot air-bearing tonearm riding on a thin air film and featuring a tensionable carbon-fiber arm wand and a host of innovative set-up and performance features. It looks simple on the outside, but a look “under the hood” reveals complex machining by a long-established machine shop new to the audio market.

TechDAS premiered the new Air Force IV air-bearing platter turntable featuring an attached but outboard motor pod and one-piece 20 pound platter, priced between the Air Force V (built in motor) and Air Force III Premium S, probably around $35,000. It was shown in a few rooms with the $45,000 (10” version) AirForce 10 lateral air-bearing tonearm and in one with The Arm.

Funk Firm had on static display its newest creation, the Kepler turntable that embodies “four decades of physics driven audio engineering. Would love to hear it.

J.Sikora’s Aspire turntable + KV9 tonearm, made its European debut here, but it’s world premier was at AXPONA. Korf Audio showed its new TA-AF9 and 10 full ceramic headshell and arm tube arm (also featuring ceramic vertical bearings)—priced from 3200 Euros and available factory-direct. SME introduced the 3-tower Model 35, a smart step-down from the top-of-the-line 4-tower Model 60, featuring the same (or very similar) bearing, suspension, and power supply and fitted with the new machined polymer Series Vi tonearm (a big sonic step up from the Magnesium arm once the company’s “flagship”). U.S. price TBD.

Pro-Ject’s Heinz Lichtenegger showed me an enhanced version of the company’s E1 entry-level turntable, telling me it’s his “#1 product”. Why? If new vinyl customers have a bad experience with their first turntable, he can’t later sell them the upper models. The E1 now has a 1.5-pound, machined, damped platter instead of a stamped one and the same drive as the more costly Debut (that has also been upgraded). The E1’s tonearm features dealer-adjustable Swiss bearings and a solid plinth. The E1 comes with a new Pro-Ject designed and built MME cartridge. Price is (“hopefully”) $300! More significantly in the affordable department are the new Pro-Ject X9B, X10B, and X12B turntables—stripped-down editions of the Pro-Ject Xtension turntables. No magnetic feet, Delrin instead of aluminum platters, but that brings the price down, from $4000 for the Xtension9 to $2500 for the X9B. Mr. Lichtenegger is a big fan of the out-of-production La Platine Verdier, so he bought the company, and now the legendary turntable is back in production and was on display at the show. Costs $13,995.

Burmester updated Reference line includes the new 257 belt-drive turntable featuring an outboard power supply and an inverted magnetic main bearing with a polished ceramic shaft riding in a sintered bronze bushing. A pair of high-torque 12V motors drive the stainless-steel/polymer sandwich platter, with speed monitored and regulated by an optical sensor. A built-in phono preamp is an available option.

Technics showed its SL-1000R ($24,699) direct-drive turntable with its arm in the main position, plus a Clearaudio tangential tracker and an SME in the two other position. SAT has switched isolation platforms from Minus-K to the Seismion, which SAT’s Marc Gomez says improves sonic performance.

Transrotor added a pair of new turntables to its extensive lineup, but while the older turntables were identified by name, the new ones just said “NEU!” so maybe they’ve so new they’ve not been given names?

Wilson-Benesch demoed it’s one below the GMT Prime Meridian turntable (approximately $270,000), and working with W-B, Döhmann Audio showed its adaptation of the W-B Gravitron Ti tonearm ($40,000) (with TESSELLATE Ti cartridge mounted on the Helix One turntable, complete with an adaptation of the STAGE One interface. The new Supatrac Nighthawk (12** edition appx. $16,000) made an appearance on the Helix One’s rear position.

European Audio Team demoed a new dual motor 97-pound F-DUR turntable (approximately ($5600 without arm, $7500 with C-Note arm and $10,000 with F-Note arm).

KLAUDIO debuted in Europe its Magnezar direct-drive turntable featuring a fully magnetically levitated “liquid-stabilized” platter available in non-clamping ($38,000) and clamping ($50,000) versions. The clamping version flattens both the record’s periphery and center. KLAUDIO’s $18,000 tangential-tracking pivoted arm is extra.

Thorens (which incredibly no longer has United States distribution but hopefully will again soon) showed a new version of the well-received TD124 DD, this one called the “Exclusive,” with a 12** arm, balanced outputs, a thick copper-topped platter (€11,999), and a specially made for Thorens EMT “Tondose” ruby cantilevered cartridge (€4999). Thorens also introduced a completely new lower-cost direct-drive series including the TD 404 DD (€4499) using the same motor as the 124 DD. Includes XLR and RCA outputs and an optional outboard power supply upgrade.

R2R Tape Recorders

Revox demoed the new Revox B77 MKIII ($19,950) and the special edition Alice Cooper edition ($27,950). Revox also has an impressive catalog of 15IPS ½** reel-to-reel tapes for sale. The B77 on the outside looks just like the original. Hopefully what’s inside does too!

Accessories

DS Audio introduced a new, lower-cost version of its groundbreaking record-centering device—a must have for classical music loving vinyl fans. The only difference between the original ES 001 and the new ES 002 is the bottom plate material. The original ES 001 uses tungsten, the ES 002 brass. When used as a record weight, this will make a difference but if you use an electromagnetic cartridge, you may not be able to use this device as a record weight because its magnetism might attract the cartridge and slam it home! Trust me. I found out the hard way. So, this is particularly good news because the ES 002’s price is targeted at $3600 versus the ES 001’s $6000.

Finally, batting “clean up” is the L’Art du Son stylus cleaning fluid and brush created by Martina Schöner. This fluid, she assured me, was safe for bonded styli like those from Ortofon and based on microscopic examination, does a particularly good job removing “baked on” film.