Out of understandable reasons I have become very cautious when new firmware comes out. I only will make the step when leading members like @Darkebear are happy with the new firmware for a bit longer time. I am rather ok with the current sound with all the tweaking we have done….., however if they could combine the earthiness of 3.8 with the clarity of the current firmware that might be interesting. But I will not be an early adopter and again be frustrated for so many months…..
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Finest Audio Show Zurich 1/2 November 2025
The exhibitors in the nearly 30 rooms at the Mövenpick Hotel Regensdorf/Zurich are primarily manufacturers, importers and specialist dealers in Switzerland. In addition to demonstrations, there were workshops, lectures and special rooms such as the ‘Headphone Area’. The conditions at trade fairs are often not easy, and this was also the case here with extremely different room sizes (from around 12 square metres to around 100 square metres) and, in some cases, conversations in the rooms. I was not surprised that some systems, even those from well-known manufacturers, had difficulties in some cases. However, some were able to impress with careful setup (usually including room acoustics elements). In the following posts, I would like to present three highlights:
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Finest Audio Show Zurich:
A) Highlight: affordable high-end (Spendor A7/2, Cyrus Electronic presented by Audiosphere GmbH Zurich)
It was amazing how well the Spendor A7/2 performed with affordable Cyrus electronics: high transparency and spatial precision with good tonal balance. Very nice voice reproduction, especially with Diana Krall/Bellie Elish, somewhat more diffuse with Sofie Hunger. I was able to immerse myself in the music. The setup and adjustment in the room were just right.
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Finest Audio Show Zurich:
B) Highlight: true high-end (Odeon Semper, Aries Cerat presented by ACS Switzerland)
An absolutely convincing performance: a powerful, room-filling sound image, extremely dynamic vocal reproduction, natural reproduction of classical instruments (e.g. cello), precise spatiality bordering on oversized presentation. Everything sounded lively, present, rather ‘in your face’ but never annoying or shrill. Although these were ‘entry level’ devices from Aries Cerat (DAC Heléne, Hermes phono stage, Protos integrated amplifier), it was an atmospheric and emotionally stirring presentation. With component prices ranging from £13k to £23k, it was by no means the most expensive system at the show. However, the Odeon Semper loudspeakers were expensive (£42k). Horn loudspeakers also remain a matter of taste. For me, they are almost too much. A comparison with classic loudspeakers would have been interesting (they need a decent efficiency rating. The Protos is a 20-watt tube amplifier).
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Finest Audio Show Zurich
C) Workshop: active bass trap and various digital resolution formats (presented by PSI Audio/Weiss Engineering/Mathias Böde)
PSI active bass absorbers AVAA 214 are designed to eliminate bass resonances between 15 and 160 hertz (room modes) and are said to be 45 times more effective than their actual size (60x24 cm). Using various tracks (Tuto, Dominique Fils Aime), the absorbers were switched on and off for direct A/B comparison. With the absorbers, the clarity in the bass and fundamental range and the transparency of the presentation increased. However, to my ears and in the room conditions there, these were rather nuances. I did not experience a direct ‘aha’ effect.
In the second part of the workshop, the same recordings (different data formats from MP3 to CD to high resolution) were presented directly via a ‘Live Box’ all-in-one system from Weiss Engineering. The step from MP3 to CD was particularly significant, and the further step to high resolution was also immediately noticeable. With MP3, transparency, background information and emotionality were lost.
All in all, it was an exciting and impressive day. But after days like this, my back-home experience is always the same: I switch on my mid-price Naim system and enjoy how good it sounds…
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Thank Wilfried, really like this. This is what I intended with this thread to trigger more people reporting about their events and shows….
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If everything goes like planned, I should be at the Leipzig Hifi show this weekend, let me know if you have things you would like me specifically to have a listen to.
Apparently they also have Naim - which has been a long time ago that I saw Naim at a show….
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Looking forward to your report, Bert.
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Your reports are always exciting. The show in Leipzig promises presentations in acoustically optimised rooms on its website. That could be exciting, because this is often a limiting factor at trade fairs. And Naim will be there too. I would also be interested to hear your impressions of Audiophysic, which is not as widespread here in the forum (unlike in Germany and Switzerland).
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Thanks Bert, likewise, appreciate the comment and that you’ve taken the trouble to reference the music.
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I did visit the Leipzig Hifi Show today and will report about in the coming days. It was the first time I visited the show. And it had a kind of special character to it.
- The location called the Alte Druckerei … where I belief the magazine audio test does its testing.
- Not all rooms are bad, some rooms are soundwise pretty ok.
- Most suppliers tried to display reasonable affordable systems. Sometimes even real affordable. So not falling over flagship systems. Naim/Focal also had a very basic system at display.
- Also some focus on audiovisual aspects - they had a real amazing cinema setup I will describe later.
The attached song was for me new and never heard it on an audio show…, and I liked it - I guess many of you will know the artist.
The best system I heard at the show was a Arcam setup with JBL speakers and Audioquest cabling, the reddish picture.
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Naim/Focal - Part 1
Today in Leipzig I started with Naim/Focal on the 4th floor. They had divided the space in section with some products on display like the new classic series, and the Naim Uniti Headphone Editions with several Focal Headphones and a small Naim Focal system in the other section. The speakers were the Focal Aria Evo X Nr. 1 driven by the Naim CI Uniti 102.
Ulla Meinecke - nothing special, ok, with a not bad soundstage
Nina Chiba - a bit afraid that today we get too much into German music…., bass is dry, of course not having the depth which we are used from bigger systems. Decent overall sound, but missing a bit aggression…
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Naim/Focal - Part 2
Anette Askvik - afraid that I will hear this one multiple times today, some freshness for shows would help. One can predict what you at least will hear in a day…Misding the depth I am used to, and the edges of the sax etc…, soundstage is however decent.
Yosi Horikawa - timing good, missing depth and decay,…. nice track with percussion
Dominique Fils - if I would downgrade I would not get down to this level as I would just miss too much of what I like. Would at least need to be the new classic 3 level….
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Naim/Focal - Part 3
Ranji & Ghostrider - atmospheric sound in this track. They cranked up the volume, and the system deals now much better with getting the bass and the impact of this song accross. So volume is definitely a trigger in this system.
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Thanks for the details @BertBird
Thank you, Bert, for your initial assessment of the Leipzig Hi-Fi Show and Naim’s presentation. Entry-level systems are probably the best sellers. Nevertheless, it is a pity that no new classic system was demonstrated. Well-known standard titles such as those by Dominique Fils-Aime or Anette Askvik may help to evaluate a system. Yosi Horikawa was new to me; it’s a special audiophile experience for in between.
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Naim / Focal - Part 4
Please as always keep me floating with this report by every now and then post a short response. I can only post 7 or 8 consecutive posts and I am then blocked from posting further on this thread until somebody answers.
I went on listening to the Unity Headphone Editions with Focal Utopia and Focal Stellia.
First shortly Utopia - I shortly listened but got annoyed by the sound from the room and the talking behind me which was overpowering my listening experience. So then I switched to the Stellia to afterwards again move back to the Utopia to compare.
With the Stellia I at least was sufficiently separated from the other noise in the room. Chris Stapleton - dead row sounded good, just not sure if I would get warm ears after extended listening. Lambchop Is a woman - nice sounding, but not all colors. Boris Brejcha Gravity - not sure if I could listen to this music on headphones for extended time. Garland Jeffrey Spanish Town, have the feeling that the decay of the bass is too short. Big Sugar Diggin’ a Hole.., missing a bit scale. Alan Parsons Eye in the Sky…., does it sound it bit too polished.
Again went back to the Utopias. Even at highest volume can’t fully bond out background noise. Not sure also if the unity has enough volume if I can still listen to it at 100 and can’t go beyond it…, or perhaps I missed something. Stevie Ray Vaughan Tin Pan Alley …, yeah more color and refinement around notes in comparison with the Stellia. Asking myself if this stuff is properly run in, remember that in earlier opportunities I head with these setups that I heard more depth in the sound picture and more live… ended with Louis Amstrong It Ain’t Mean A thing.
Would be very interested in the comments of people who own a unity headphone edition about what they think about the combination with the Utopia and the Stellia. Is there a strong development of the sound with burn in. Satisfied with overall sound. Is the unity strong enough to drive the Utopias. Etc etc… would be really interested - as this system might fit me as a second setup when I want to isolate myself with the music without negatively affecting my girlfriend.
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I will intend to finish the report mid coming week. So you can expect many more posts from me. To end today - another nice song I heard today and I didn’t know this artist. Ps. I belief Shazam must have been wrong - must have heard it from the studio album, it’s the more engaging version…. The other is a crazy product offered by a company called Block….
So ok, two bonus for you all today. This is a quite interesting version of the famous Coldplay song. Give it a chance. I belief mister Castelucci will become also a standard on audio shows - while your system needs to be very good to play this one (what is happening with the low low bass in your system), give it a try or one of the other ones from him…
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Possible they had set max volume to a lowish number. 100 then equals whatever max they selected. Even my A&K can go too loud to listen to on my Utopias.