From May 18 to 21, the High End trade fair in Munich brought together players and enthusiasts from the world of hi-fi. Among the new products on display, headphone and DAP manufacturers had some nice surprises in store for visitors. Yamaha exhibited its high-end YH-5000SE headphones combined with a dedicated headphone amp, HiFiMAN unveiled three new products while Dali revealed its new iO-12 headphonesfor the first time in Europe. On the Technics stand, we discovered the EAH-AZ80 True Wireless earbuds. On the audiophile side, Astell&Kern showed its latest model: the A&futura SE300.
Yamaha YH-5000SE hi-fi headphones with headphone amp
Once again, leading hi-fi manufacturer Yamaha delighted fans of exceptional models. During the High End trade fair in Munich, the Japanese brand exhibited its Yamaha YH-5000SE hi-fi headphones combined with a dedicated headphone amp. This high-end model is equipped with Orthodynamic (Planar Magnetic) transducers and has a design that combines originality and functionality.
Dali iO-12 headphones, a first in Europe
Among the European manufacturers, Dali revealed its new Dali iO-12 headphones for the first time in Europe. The latter follows the Dali iO-4 and Dali iO-6 which are real successes, rated 5 and 4.5 stars respectively on our site and winners of numerous awards from the specialized press. Equally promising, this model can work with a wired or wireless connection and has a long battery life of 35 hours. This new model is equipped with active noise cancelling to ensure uncompromised hi-fi listening. The Dali iO-12 hi-fi headphones are also the first to incorporate the manufacturer’s proprietary SMC magnet technology into the 50mm transducers. By eliminating distortion, it offers a more detailed sound.
HiFiMAN reveals three new devices!
HiFiMAN went big this year. The manufacturer took advantage of the High End trade fair in Munich to highlight three new products. Among them, the Arya Organic headphones. In the pure tradition of the manufacturer, the latter use Planar Magnetic headphone technology. The HiFiMAN EF600 headphone amp was also featured on the innovative stand. Very versatile, the successor to the EF400 model adopts a Bluetooth receiver and takes on the role of amp, R2R DAC and headphone stand! After headphones and amplifiers, HiFiMAN completed its new collection with the HiFiMAN Svanar earphones. They use topological transducers to ensure balanced and detailed sound from 5Hz to 35kHz and a custom-designed acoustic chamber.
Technics and its EAH-AZ80 True Wireless earbuds
For its part, Technics exhibited its latest True Wireless EAH-AZ80 earphones. These are now the manufacturer’s highest-end model with ANC and two ambient sound control modes. Unlike the Technics EAH-AZ60E, they feature new 10mm drivers and a design that maximizes wearing comfort. The Technics EAH-AZ80 True Wireless earphones will go on sale at the end of the month for €299.
Focal represents “Made in France”
In Munich, aficionados of French products visited the Focal stand. The manufacturer from Saint-Étienne presents its Focal Bathys hi-fi headphones, released in late 2022. Three models were available to try, combined with the Naim Uniti Atom HDMI stereo amplifier.
The Astell&Kern A&futura SE300 DAP
On the audiophile side, Astell&Kern released a new device that made a strong impression. The Korean manufacturer unveiled the A&futura SE300 DAP, which integrates a DAC R-2R composed of 96 resistors for analog signals. Ultra complete, this model features a 5-inch Full HD 1080 × 1920 touchscreen, 128GB internal memory with support for microSD cards up to 1TB, 2.4/5GHz dual-band Wi-Fi, DLNA networking, USB digital audio output. Finally, the A&futura SE300 DAP can be used as a USB DAC with a Mac or a Windows PC. This new model is expected to hit the market in June.
To make sure you don’t miss anything from the High End 2023 in Munich, check out our blog for all the latest vinyl and hi-fi news.
