High-End Vienna 2026 Marks Successful Transition from Munich, Showcasing New Products and Teething Room Issues

High‑End Vienna 2026, held June 4‑7 at the Austria Center Vienna, marked the high‑end audio show’s first chapter in its new home. The event drew 23,106 visitors—10,603 trade attendees, 11,957 consumers and 549 media representatives—according to the High‑End Society. The shift from Munich was accompanied by a modest uptick in international guests, especially from the United States and Asia, which helped counter a decline in domestic turnout noted at the previous Munich edition.

The new venue presented a handful of teething problems. Reporters noted that the lower‑floor rooms were disrupted by noisy air‑conditioning units and sound leaking through ventilation ducts. The High‑End Society and exhibitors agreed that these issues would be rectified in the following year. Despite the challenges, the overall reception was positive, with many visitors praising the quality of the listening rooms and the breadth of product demonstrations.

Abbingdon Music Research (AMR) returned with its Luna series, featuring the Ingenii digital platform, the Medii pre‑amplifier and John Curl‑designed 800‑W per channel Procellarum mono power amplifiers. Because of space constraints in the main hall, the products were displayed in a booth. AMR’s complete amplifier package is priced at approximately £450,000.

French loudspeaker maker Atlantis Lab partnered with Japanese Triode to present a high‑performance listening room. The AT31 Pro floorstanders were played through Triode’s TRV‑CD6SE CD player and the new Junone 845SE integrated amplifier. The AT16 model, priced at €2,680, was highlighted for its sound quality, while Triode’s Muashi amplifiers were noted for their value.

Audio Group Denmark showcased the Børresen BM2 bass modules, a folded‑diaphragm design derived from the BM3 units launched earlier in the year. The BM2, priced at €9,000 per pair, was paired with the company’s A1 stand‑mount speakers.

Audio Reference, a German and Austrian distributor, set up an extensive multi‑room installation. One room featured a Trinnov/Perlisten system with dCS’s new sixteen‑channel MCD‑16 digital processor. Other rooms displayed equipment from SME, dCS, D’Agostino and Wilson, including a Wilson Audio Autobiography and a Velodyne 1812 subwoofer.

Chord Electronics debuted its Quartet Scaler prototype, designed to work with the DAVE DAC and an Innuos server. The system was driven by an Ultima PRE, Ultima 3 mono power amps, and a Rega RP10 turntable with a phono stage. The setup used Chord Company cables and was paired with passive ATC SCM50 loudspeakers.

Constellation Audio presented its Statement Mono amplifiers in a room that also featured Wilson Audio Sasha V floorstanders. The amplifiers were capable of delivering 1.7 kW per channel into an eight‑ohm load.

Göbel High‑End launched the Divin Monarque loudspeakers, priced at €469,000 per pair. The speakers use proprietary twin 15‑inch bass drivers, twin 8‑inch midrange units and a central AMT high‑frequency unit. The system was paired with a Wadax Atlantis digital front end and Vitus amplification.

Swiss company Goldmund displayed its Gaia active speakers in a gallery‑style layout. The company also played the speakers in a dedicated listening space, with music curated by DJs and recording engineers.

Kroma Atelier set up a small but complete system featuring Thais loudspeakers, an Engstrom Arne integrated amplifier, a J Sikora Aspire turntable/arm with a Kagami Ema cartridge, and an Engstrom M‑Phono phono stage. Digital audio was provided by a Cinnamon Galle model II DAC.

Innuos demonstrated its Nazaré server, NazaréNET switch and NazaréFLOW reclocker, played through EMM Labs electronics and Marten loudspeakers. The room also displayed prototypes of the NET and FLOW for the Stream and ZEN lines.

Marten and Jorma introduced the new Dexter range, including the €25,800 Duo stand‑mount and the €58,800 Quintet floorstander. The speakers were paired with a TechDAS Air Force 20 turntable, Goldmund Eidos digital source, Mimesis phono and pre‑amp, Telos 800 power amps, and Jorma Statement cables.

ProAc presented the Response DB1 with a new DB1R ribbon tweeter option. The system included classic Aesthetix amplification, an Origin Live turntable, AudioQuest cables, and finite‑element stands.

The High‑End Society described the Vienna edition as a “successful debut” that “opened a new chapter in its success story.” The event’s attendance figures and the positive reception of new product launches suggest that the transition to Vienna will be sustained in future editions.

The show’s next iteration will likely address the room‑acoustics issues noted this year and continue to showcase the latest high‑end audio innovations.