High End Munich 2025 trade show – bigger than ever

High End Munich 2025, Europe’s largest hi-fi event, brought together over 22,000 visitors and hundreds of exhibitors from all over the world. The event once again offered a staggering array of products, new products, and demo rooms. The range was so extensive and diverse that it was sometimes challenging to make sense of the whole thing – especially since not all of the products on display clearly represented the traditional high-end concept. On the other hand, this very diversity is indicative of the development of the industry: sound quality, design, technology, and the experience are increasingly forming a multi-layered whole.

At the end of the article there is also a video compilation of the fair, featuring various clips from the huge range of events at the fair.

Held at the MOC Event Center in Munich, High End Munich 2025 was not only the most significant high-end audio event of the year, but also a historic closure for an era. The four-day trade show (May 15–18, 2025) attracted a record 22,818 visitors from 92 countries – and said goodbye to Munich before moving to Vienna in 2026. The theme of the event, ”Passion for Music,” was visible and audible everywhere. Exhibitors numbered 501 from 42 countries, and a wide range of new products were on display, representing both technological innovation and a nostalgic return to the fundamental values of sound.

The scale of the event was also its challenge. There was so much to offer that it was practically impossible for a single visitor to get a comprehensive overview. There was everything from tube amplifiers to smart devices, from record players to online services, and from speakers to acoustic solutions – but also products whose connection to actual high-end remained unclear. The abundance inevitably also created a certain kind of confusion: the whole began to fall apart, and even the impressive demos and product presentations struggled to stand out. This report does not aim to cover everything, but highlights a few key phenomena and observations that stood out amidst the exceptionally rich offering.

One of the most talked-about launches at the trade shows was Mark Levinson’s new 600 Series amplifier series, which combines an analog signal path and a digital core. The flagship model № 626 offers 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD support, and received a lot of attention thanks to its technical specifications and finish.

On the digital side, Audiolab introduced the D7 and D9 DACs, which continue the legacy of the M-DAC with a modern twist. In the photo Audiolab D9 DAC

Analog sound enthusiasts were treated to several interesting new record players. The Thorens Coturn CT-01 is a compact and portable player that combines Swiss design and German engineering. The Dual CS 718Q, on the other hand, represents a classic direct drive design with semi-automatic operation and offers both XLR and RCA outputs. Created in collaboration with the Pro-Jet and Peanuts comic series, the Charlie Brown themed special record player brought a touch of humor and nostalgia to the fair – without compromising on sound quality.

Notable was the strong presence of Chinese manufacturers. A good example is the impressive booth of Chinese company Cayin, which featured a bewilderingly wide selection of beautifully crafted and ambitious tube amplifiers. Tube technology seemed to be a growing trend among exhibitors as well.

The fair had some kind of headphones. Yamaha introduced the new YH-4000 model, which continues the manufacturer’s orthodox tradition. The headphones combine a silver-colored microperforated diaphragm, hybrid ear pads, and the ”more traditional” wooden shells of the YH-3000 (pictured) in a “more traditional” dynamic model. They are designed to provide a neutral and precise reproduction that is suitable for both critical listening and enjoyment.

On the speaker side, British PMC introduced the new Prophecy Nine model, which brings studio-grade sound quality to home use. The speakers utilize Advanced Transmission Line bass technology and Laminair ports, which together guarantee exceptional dynamics and presence.

Audiovector from Denmark, on the other hand, presented the R10 Arreté speakers, whose price tag of almost 150,000 euros says it all about their ambitious design.

The Tribe Tower loudspeakers from Canadian company Totem Acoustics made an impression on the trade fair audience, especially thanks to their immaterial and open sound reproduction. Despite the compact housing, the loudspeaker created a wide and three-dimensional sound image, where the position of the instruments and the song were clearly distinguishable – without a localized source of sound. Particular attention was also paid to the bass reproduction: the loudspeaker reproduced depth and control on a significantly larger scale than its size would suggest. Tribe Tower is built around two small mid-range/bass units and a tweeter, and, as is typical of Totem, the internal damping and housing structure have been acoustically meticulously finished. It was one of the few small speakers that stood out among the abundance of options.
A separate video also features an interview with Totem’s owner Vince Brussese.

Particularly interesting for Finns were the sections of Genelec and Amphion. Genelec presented a new version of its flagship model 8381A, a waveguide-based, adaptive point source speaker. The speaker offers 126 dB SPL and power of almost 6 kW, as well as a GLM calibration system that optimizes the sound according to the room.

Amphion, in turn, presented updated versions of its Argon and Krypton series, which emphasized natural repetition and Finnish craftsmanship.

At the Amphion booth (and also at several others), the new Pure Audio Streaming service was played in multichannel format, offering high-resolution, surround sound streaming (e.g., 7.1.4 AURO‑3D, binaural and lossless stereo). The demos were impressive in terms of their immersion and studio-quality sound. The service was in an early adopter phase at the High End Munich 2025 trade show, and the official launch is scheduled for July 25, 2025. For more information: pureaudiostreaming.com

The trade shows also featured the most diverse technological innovations. For example, the new GAIA Neo series from IsoAcoustics introduced new solutions for isolating speaker stands, which are said to improve sound clarity and reduce vibrations. In the AVPlus tests Previous IsoAcoustic products received quite a good reception (that is, not necessarily anything really “crazy”).

The Wadax Reference DAC and CH Precision components, on the other hand, shone as top-notch digital solutions.

And that's not all: Check out our video compilation from the fair, featuring various clips from the huge array of events.

Videos are also available to watch individually From the AVPlussan Highend Munich 2025 playlist.

And it's also worth checking out these other High End Munich 2025 exhibition reports from around the world:

 SoundNews – High End Show Munich 2025 Full Report

HiFi Pig – High End Munich 2025 Show Report

The Absolute Sound – High End Munich 2025: Loudspeakers $50k and Up

TechRadar – Best of High End Munich 2025​

​