After more than two decades in Munich, HIGH END arrived in Vienna for the first time this year. And so, a new era begins!

For many of us, Munich had become a pleasant ritual. Same venue, same routes through the halls to the same rooms, a familiar rhythm that returned every spring. Leaving that behind inevitably brought a degree of uncertainty. Would the new venue work? Would Vienna capture the same atmosphere? Would the industry embrace the change? And perhaps most importantly… for how long would we continue to accidentally say “Munich” when talking about the upcoming preeminent high-end show?

Yet if there was ever a city that felt like a natural home for an event dedicated to music, Vienna is the one.

From the moment we arrived, any apprehension quickly began to fade. Looking out across the beautiful sun-kissed greenery surrounding the airport, the pace already felt calmer, the setting more open, and the city itself seemed to bring a different energy to the event. Vienna carries music in its DNA. It is impossible not to feel that history when you are there, and somehow it felt entirely right that the next chapter of HIGH END should begin in a city so closely associated with musical culture.

For Boyer Audio, the move to Vienna also arrives at a particularly meaningful moment. 2026 marks ten years since Boyer Audio (initially The Shunyata Distribution Company) was founded. What began with a single brand has grown into a carefully curated collection of seven manufacturers, each chosen not simply for technical excellence, but a shared commitment to craftsmanship, innovation and character. Walking through the shows and seeing every one of those brands represented in Vienna was a rewarding reminder of how far we’ve come.

#1 World Distributor 2025

The week delivered plenty of highlights. First off, we were honoured to receive recognition from Shunyata Research as its number one distributor worldwide for 2025! This is a proud milestone in a partnership that stretches back to our earliest days. And what a cool award! The “X” refers to the new "X" tech that underpins the amazing new “X” power and signal cables, as well as power distributors and ALTAIRA ground hubs. X = TAPc tech (learn more about it here under TAPc) but also = a great 10th year birthday gift for Boyer Audio.

It’s always such a pleasure to hang out with the Shunyata team. Grant, Richard and Scott were on duty in Vienna with back-to-back meetings throughout the four days, but we had plenty of time after closing time to share drinks, dinner and lots of laughs. We often talk about Shunyata in the context of incredible technology, patents and scientific innovation — all true — but the company wouldn't be what it is without the wonderful personalities behind it. Their curiosity, generosity, enthusiasm and sense of humour are impossible to separate from the success the company has enjoyed over the years.

Thank you!

The Coveted Golden Pig Award

We were excited about this room for months before the show — how could we not be? Full Wadax ATLANTIS Reference digital front end, Engström ERIC ENCORE power amps, and last in the chain the incredible Maribel speakers from Kroma. This was bound to be good.

Still, in a show so stacked with many incredible rooms, you can’t expect to be honoured with Sound of the Show awards, or indeed the Golden Pig Award, Hifi Pig’s recognition of not just best sound, but best experience overall. Would the acoustics work out? Would people even find the room, given it was at Vienna Sound Fest a few minutes walk outside the ACV’s main HIGH END action?

We needn’t have worried — this room was completely packed in the evening and both sounded and felt fantastic. DreamAudio put this one together in collaboration with all brands represented. Beyond the amazing system, this room was elevated with presentations by Jason Ford, bringing selections from his highly curated vinyl archive of limited pressings and audiophile-grade releases, chosen as much for their sonic character as their rarity. And there’s more? Yes! Live music performances by Reema and Alon Lotringer (and associated presentations of analogue recordings by LowSwing Records) delivered the crowds and an emotional resonance that really brought the room to life.

And as if that still wasn’t enough - fine wine and jamón, reminiscent of our recent visit to Madrid Sound Fest.

It was everything we dreamed of, and a worthy award winner — congratulations to all involved 👏.

Wadax Studio DAC Collection: -2.82

Watching the Wadax Studio stack growing ever taller over the past two years has been glorious. What started as the Studio Player unit — a solid product in its own right — became the three-box Studio Player Collection, and has now reached its peak (or has it?) as a totem pole of sonic and aesthetic achievement in the form of the Studio DAC Collection: two PSUs powering the Studio DAC and Transport, with the Studio Clock at its centre. This room didn’t just sound great, but was also beautifully lit and decorated, as much a joy to look at and photograph as it was to listen in.

In terms of sheer variety and quality on display, this was Wadax’s biggest show presence to date. Products spanned six rooms and included the Studio Player Collection, the Studio DAC Collection, and the “king of kings” ATLANTIS Reference. This was an unprecedented range of the Spanish company’s capabilities. A pleasure to see Javier, Leticia, Cayetano and Brandon (though unfortunately on crutches — wishing him a swift recovery!) all present for what is arguably the pinnacle event for Wadax thus far.

Eagle-eyed (or “bat-eared”?) visitors will have noticed the Shunyata Research DENALI-X power distributor and ALTAIRA-X grounding hub in the Wadax room.

Engström, Kroma, Argento: 0.94

We really enjoyed this room’s warm, welcoming, easy atmosphere. Trust Sweden’s Engström to deliver this feeling. The brightness of the room, the beautiful white Krion Kroma Callas speakers, the wooden floor, the Swedish archipelago backdrop (which is not just evocative of where the brand was born, but literally the place), the glass of the LARS amplifiers, the Artesanía racks and stands, Wadax Studio Collection and Engström’s MONICA and brand new M-OPTIC looked great on the rack with the Thales turntable — it all worked beautifully well together, both aesthetically and sonically. A premium system for sure, but one that you could picture sitting comfortably in the right home.

Timo Engström, Kroma’s Miguel Carvalho, Wadax’s Brandon Lauer, Jason Ford and Argento’s Ralph Sorrentino all contributed to the playlist and presentations in this room. A wonderful place to relax and spend some time. Kroma’s Callas speakers are our current favourites at Boyer Audio and this room reminded us why.

“The $118k Kroma Callas three-way, five-driver floorstander (two AMT tweeters, two 8” anodized aluminum midrange drivers, one 10” anodized aluminum woofer), driven by Engström and sourced by Wadax and DS Audio, sounded fairly neutral in balance on Voya Con Dios’ “Something’s Got a Hold on Me,” reproducing the background singers with dimensionality, individuation, and lifelike timbre and dynamic, both as individuals and as a group. Cannonball Adderley’s “Autumn Leaves” came across with a wonderfully appealing golden glow on Nat Adderley’s cornet and sweet dark timbre on Cannonball’s alto sax. A very good showing.”

-The Absolute Sound

Cinnamon Audio: 2.67

What a lovely little room! It may not have the glitz, glamour and sheer scale of the spectacle that was DreamAudio, but this Cinnamon Audio - Engström Hifi+Product of the Year ARNE integrated - Kroma Thaïs speaker combo wowed listeners at last year’s Audio Show Deluxe (our small room) and did so again in Vienna. People stayed in this room for quite a while and took a real interest in the Cinnamon brand.

The feedback from this room was amazing, and given its relatively modest presentation, it means people were really listening. There’s a certain magic to how these brands interact, and we’re keen to explore it more.

Cinnamon Audio is the latest addition to our line-up and we’re so pleased to have them. The Galle DAC Model II and Transport were all present here as three beautiful (and on the face of it, identical) units. We’re as impressed with their sound as we are with their build quality and stunning rough industrial finish. These are components that are a real pleasure to look at, touch, and deeply satisfying to integrate into your system.

The Galle DAC & Transport received the Editor’s Choice Award from The EAR last month. Read the review here!

David Baker of Audio Therapy writes: “Standing at 1m tall, the Thaïs are a loudspeaker that won’t take over a room and work well in a typical UK living room”. We wholeheartedly agree and believe this applies to all components in the system, which all have a wonderful “low-keyness” that allows you to picture them living happily in a listening space.

Orpheus Lab

You wouldn’t have expected it walking into wide open Hall X5, but tucked just around the corner of the entrance was a door into the wonderful world of Orpheus Lab. A real standout room with some major new product premieres: the epic 135kg Heritage H Three M1400 Opus II Power Amplifier, and the A Four N200 Network Integrated Amplifier. Laying eyes on both of these was a real privilege and something we’ve been very excited for.

Paired with the Kroma Irya speakers, this room produced serious sound that could really punch you in the gut — in an awesome kind of way. We kept coming back here throughout the four days and staying for a long time. Thanks to Kroma’s designer-extraordinaire Javier Millán for handing us control of the playlist for a good half-hour on Saturday afternoon — it was an experience!

Pleasure to see Tiago Novo of Orpheus Lab again, who let us know they have learned a tonne from the development of their “behemoths” (what we like to call the H Three M1400’s) and have loads of exciting plans for future products. We can’t wait to see what comes next for Orpheus Lab and hope to visit the source in Switzerland soon to get a taste. The synergy with Kroma is undeniable and something we are very keen to build on.

Bassocontinuo

Bassocontinuo’s Lorenzo and Aurora were showing off some new audio racks from the Italian manufacturer. More than just technically sound creations — which they absolutely are — these racks have a wonderful tactile quality that didn’t go unnoticed with visitors to their stand. Many a passerby would be compelled to run their fingers across the various textures on show, a testament to the handcrafted quality that oozes from every surface.

On show here was the brand new updated Aeroline F2 2.0 (above) and the equally brand new, more classically luxurious, Essenza (below). Where Aeroline speaks in the language of carbon fibre, structure and technical precision, Essenza brings a more minimal and architectural kind of beauty, with marble and fine finishing giving it a sense of permanence and elegance. Both reflect the same underlying idea: that support, resonance control and visual presence are not accessories to a serious system, but part of the system itself.

We had a great time in Vienna.

Great equipment, great rooms, great sound. But ultimately and always most importantly, we’re reminded that this industry is about great people. Manufacturers who spend years refining details that most may never notice. Dealers who know exactly what a customer is searching for. Fellow distributors, reviewers, designers, engineers and music lovers who all come together in the same rooms, listening, talking, laughing, comparing notes, making plans. Vienna was a great setting for all of this, and we’re excited about returning here in the years ahead.

Thanks to everyone for their hard work in putting on a show to remember. We thoroughly enjoyed it.

Shoutout to our friends at AirT Audio! This room (pictured above) looked and sounded fabulous, and the Avalon Acoustics Saga speakers picked up the distinction of Best of Show (cost-notwithstanding) from The Absolute Sound! Really fantastic, rich sound coming off the reel-to-reel as well. We’ve always enjoyed the mood in their Munich rooms but they’ve really outdone themselves here, also with more space to play with. Well done!