Vimberg, Métronome, Karan Acoustics, Wynn Audio | FLAX 2024

I would like to think that I am smart enough, seasoned enough, and wise enough of an audiophile to have thought of assembling a system of these exact pairings before, but alas, I have not. Vimberg Mino tower speakers, Métronome for all-in-one digital sourcing, Karan Acoustics for pre and post amplification — all paragons of class, and I didn’t see it coming. Give it up to Wynn Audio for gathering in one place an extremely listenable and high-end system that both enchants and dazzles.

Reporting by Eric Franklin Shook

For several reasons this is a system that is in a league of its own, and not just at this audio show. This is a system that reflects a listener who has heard it all, been-there-done-that, and through years of experience and knowledge, outsmarted the rest and settled into something that is somehow forgiving, glowing, and yet leaves nothing on the table in any sense of musical detail or top-to-bottom richness. Let’s dive into why that is.

Vimberg

Firstly we should look at the system as a whole, then also as a chain of components, with a musical direction from source-to-speaker, with the musical signal receiving both free passage and a push along the way.

As a whole, this system is composed of ultra-high-end derived components, each of which is an example of easily attainable luxuries, technologies, and heritage. Ticking all the ultra-fi boxes, while somehow nixing a few zeros off the bill. It’s all rather astonishing really.

Métronome

The Métronome AQWO 2 is a no frills SACD/CD player and streamer with a bespoke tube output stage, and features navigation that is simple, to the point, and easy to learn if not outright intuitive from the outset. It does everything digital that music can do: disc, stream, decode into analog, and then output a signal in either RCA or balanced, the choice is yours.

Métronome

The AQWO 2 made its world debut at the MUNICH High End show in 2023 with great reception. The Florida Show was the first exhibition of the AQWO 2 in North America, and to us, it looks to elevate the Metronome brand and possibly join the argument for our best-of-show honors.

Karan Acoustics

The electronics of Karan Acoustics are nothing less than legendary, having graced the covers of several print publications throughout the years, and earning numerous awards along the way. In certain electronics circles, Karan Acoustics has been a guiding light for what big-boy high-end wares should be. At the Florida show, nothing seemed to deviate from the script except the new, and more flexible entry price.

Karan Acoustics

Both the Karan Acoustics LINEb Preamplifier and POWERb Stereo Power Amplifier represent a new entry point for the brand, and were also exhibited in a larger system that we first heard at AXPONA in Chicago almost a year ago in 2023. In Florida however, the system is in its most simple installation and despite that registers nothing less than peak performance.

Karan Acoustics

The new POWERb stereo amplifier for example is available as a dual-mono stereo amplifier chassis delivering 2 x 450W, 2 x 800W, or 2 x 1.350W at a range of 8/4/2 Ohm of highly musical, dynamic, and stable power into any loudspeaker, irrespective of sensitivity or impedance profile. Countless details about its development and new features can be found on the company website linked above.

Stay tuned to our channels, as a REVIEW of the Karan Acoustics LINEb Preamp and POWERb Amplifier are forthcoming.

Vimberg

Finally, the end of the chain, where the electrical signal becomes music — the Vimberg Mino speakers.

Doing the job of the microphone in reverse, their output is reminiscent of the TIDAL Audio loudspeakers upon which they draw design inspiration and a production heritage. Sonic attributes by comparison are slightly more lenient to recording quality and warmer by a schosh than those upmarket TIDAL models that reach for more neutrality and seek sonic tailoring elsewhere (like in cables or source components).

The Vimberg speakers are not short on sophistication, and in this masterfully comprised system, do well to show what talent and craftsmanship can be delivered at a price that outright confounds the economics senses of experienced audiophiles.

Wynn Audio