Norddeutsche HiFi-Tage is Germany’s largest HiFi show after the Munich High End. It was held at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Hamburg from 4 to 5 February. I had never visited such a show before, and I was very curious to discover how some very expensive systems would perform and what is possible in terms of audio reproduction.
The show was located not far from my home and had free admission, which sounded like a perfect invitation. In the end, I found myself in a wonderland-like labyrinth consisting of many rooms, each with its own character and sound. I had the chance to enjoy a cosy atmosphere and some very impressive systems, although the limitations imposed by the relatively small hotel rooms were obvious.
Hand-made in England, the Exposure XM5 integrated amplifier and XM3 phono stage made quite an impression. Rated at 60 watts per channel (8 ohms), the amplifier comes complete with a Hi-Res DAC, MM phono stage, fixed AV input, USB, optical, and BNC inputs.MM & MC input switch plus adjustable loading and gain switches on the rear panel of the Exposure XM3 phono amplifier.This system, consisting of Dali Spector 6 loudspeakers (€600 per pair), driven by the Exposure XM5 integrated amplifier (€1,500) and a MoFi (Mobile Fidelity) turntable, made quite an impression on me.Fisher & Fisher SN 70 — compact loudspeaker made from natural slateThe Fisher & Fisher SN 170 loudspeakers, also made from natural slate, were paired with an Electrocompaniet CD player and integrated amplifier, placed on Hi-Fi Racks Limited equipment supports.The Innuos Zen MkII music server was feeding KEF LS50 loudspeakers. Designed to minimise power noise, which has a significant influence on sound quality, it features a linear power supply, ultra-low-noise USB output, and a medical-grade mains filter.The Innuos Zen MkII music server was sitting on top of a beautiful Quadraspire rack.Odeon Tosca loudspeakers with full Aqua digital stack, Grandinote Proemio line preamplifier, Grandinote Celio phono preamplifier, and NAT SE1 Single-Ended Mono Block Power AmplifiersThe Odeon Tosca loudspeakers, driven by NAT SE1 monoblock amplifiers, were among the most involving systems at the show, creating a very deep and well-defined soundstage.The Big-Diamant coaxial loudspeakers from Live Act Audio were paired with an EternalArts preamplifier and OTL monoblock amplifiers. Despite the lack of sufficient space in the room, one could easily sense the enormous potential of this system.Omnidirectional horn speakers from Duevel — Planets, Enterprise, and VenusOne of the pleasures of visiting such shows is discovering new music along the way.The Graham Audio LS5/9 loudspeakers were paired with an EAR 834 push-pull stereo integrated amplifier, EAR 88PB phono stage, and EAR Disc Master turntable.The Harbeth P3ESR monitors were driven by a Creek Evolution 100A integrated amplifier, a Starter turntable with The Wand tonearm, and a Croft phono stage.There was also something special for headphone lovers. Grado RA1 headphone amplifierThe Ballfinger M 063 represents a 21st-century approach to analogue reel-to-reel tape technology. Its processor-controlled transport system uses specially developed, brushless DC disc motors with direct drive.The GamuT B67 reel-to-reel tape machine was, by far, the best tape transport I had ever heard. I listened to some tape recordings of The Doors, and the reproduction was stunningly realistic.GamuT RS3i stand-mount loudspeakersA small library of tape masters in the GamuT roomVoxativ Hagen and Zeth full-range loudspeakersA representative from Avantgarde Acoustic explaining how horn speakers work
