Voxativ brings David & Goliath systems to the High End Munich 2019 /  by Christopher Owens

At the annual HIGH-END show in Munich this week, Voxativ GmbH will be presenting a tale of two systems on opposing walls that represent the fringes of the Berlin-based family of handmade full-range systems.

In one corner will be the new all-in-one €7,900 giant killer, Absolut Hagen system, consisting of Hagen 5” full-range monitors, integrated Absolut Box with wireless DAC/Custom DSP and speaker cable. With the factory-configured DSP in play, these small but mighty horn-load monitors reach down to a surprising 45Hz for a linear low-frequency response. Simply connect wirelessly via a smartphone, and the millions of songs available digitally from around the world come to life in an engaging new way. With a system like this, no tweaks are necessary - just plug and play.

On the other extreme, reigns the iconic Ampeggio Due making its unbridled return to Munich outfitted with the newest version of the AC-XHB hybrid field-coil driver sporting leather surrounds, paper cone enhancements and N2 battery power stores. Driving the Due will be the Voxativ T211 SET Integrated paired with streaming music via the Swiss-engineered Medua DAC + matching MAN-301 server from Weiss Engineering. Altogether, this Goliath of a system retails for €140,000.

This diverse range of Voxativ-quality systems demonstrates the extremes that Voxativ goes to provide pure listening experiences to the broadest range of music lovers.

For more info, please visit the international Voxativ team at The HIGH END, MOC München, Atrium 4.2, Room E222.

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First AXPONA impression of Absolut Hagen by Jason Victor Serinus for Stereophile /  by Christopher Owens

Absolute Hagen AXPONA 2019 Stereophile

Voxativ's deceptively simple-looking Absolut Hagen System ($7900 with Voxativ speaker cables), which consists of a Voxativ Absolut Box 30Wpc class-AB integrated amp, complete with custom DAC with DSP, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth aptX, and a pair of Voxativ Hagen single-driver loudspeakers, took advantage of a Samsung S10 Android phone to stream music wirelessly from Qobuz via aptX Bluetooth. The Absolut Hagen System, which used optional Synergistic Research cabling in the demo, can stream files up to 24/192. Thanks to built-in DSP, it is claimed to descend flat to 45Hz. 

Surprisingly, the system's sound on Ane Brun's "Halo" was very smooth, warm, and much nicer than I had expected. Even more astonishing was the wonderful sound on Musica Nuda's cover of The Beatles' "Come Together." If I wasn't taken by the first selection I heard, soprano Anna Netrebko's performance of Puccini's "O mio babbino caro"—the aria I whistled as "The Voice of Woodstock" in the Emmy-nominated Peanuts cartoon, She's a Good Skate, Charlie Brown—it's mainly because her grand diva approach is all wrong for the music. Granted, her A-flats were glorious, but the singing lacked steadiness and sounded a bit dowdy lower in the range. Happily, the sound on the other selections was so good that Netrebko's missteps soon passed me by.

I can't believe it. I ended the show listening to a classic by The Beatles. As tired as I was, I left the Voxativ room remembering dancing to The Beatles in the basement of Amherst College's Alpha Theta Xi, and realizing how much happier I am now than then. I can't attribute that entirely to great music, but it sure has played an important part in my transformation. 

Here's to many more decades of great sound. May the joy be with you.

Read JSV’s first impression of our new Absolut Hagen System from AXPONA19

An early preview of Hagen Absolut at NDHT Hamburg Show /  by Christopher Owens

The intrepid John Darko attended the recent Hamburg show and was one of the first to experience a prototype of this new system approach (working title was Hagen Digital - referring to the DAC/DSP in the Class AB amp enclosure - now launched bundled with Hagen monitors as Hagen Absolut.) We also have plans for a Zeth Absolut. More details to come — with an MSRP of USD$7900 for Hagen Absolut. Check out John’s video below, read more on his fine online magazine:

We are also building out a page on this site (click below)

Voxativ debuts T805 Integrated Amp and 9.87 Fieldcoil Edition System at RMAF18 /  by Christopher Owens

Voxativ debuts T805 Integrated Amp and 9.87 Fieldcoil Edition System at Rocky Mountain Audiofest 2018

Berlin, Germany - Oct 1, 2018.

At the Rocky Mountain Audiofest this week in Denver, Voxativ GmbH is marking the US debut of the new T805 SET Integrated Amplifier.This is the Berlin born brand’s first higher-powered 30Wx2 tube integrated amplifier capable of driving a wider range of low to high-efficiency loudspeakers offered across the high-end audio marketplace. Now any loudspeaker can experience the pure Class-A high power of a Voxativ SET amplifier.

The Voxativ founder and chief engineer, Holger Adler Dipl.-Ing, will be in from Berlin to present their first implementation of 805 tubes in a pure Class-A design with KT66 driver stage in triode mode driven by the ECC83 input stage with an internal DC-coupled circuit absent of any interstage chokes. Similar to the T211, the 120lb (55kg) unibody aluminum housing of the T805 is anodized in Berlin blackand milled from a single 150lb block of aluminum. All coupling capacitors are Mundorf and power transformers are custom-designed by Voxativ’s chief electronics engineer. 

This integrated amplifier is also equipped with a volume-controlled preamp output stage to directly drive without signal loss any outboard active speakers and woofers like the Voxativ Pi-Bass and Z-Bass modules. This is relevant to this week’s debut for it will be driving the first US presentation of a fieldcoil editionof the recently awarded TAS Golden Earwinning hybrid-active 9.87 Systemin Summit Tower Suite 5000.

Suite 5000will be made all the more special in partnership with California based Synergistic Researchwho will be powering, cabling, grounding and treating the entire room with its TAS Golden Ear Awardwinning UEF Technologies. This room will also have on static display the powerful yet petite Voxativ Hagenmonitors with special five-inch full-range drivers. Across the hall in Suite 5004, attendees will also be able to hear the Voxativ Zeth-Bloudspeaker system with active Z-Bass modules driven by Lyric Audio electronics.

Like their home city, Berlin-based Voxativ Acoustic Technologies is world-renown for provocative designs poised at the intersection of glamour and grit. Voxativ's collection of award-winning full-range loudspeakers and bespoke electronics are elegantly handcrafted designs that resolve the emotional truth of your music.

Die Berliner Voxativ GmbH ist wie ihre Heimatstadt weltberühmt für provokative Entwürfe voller Glamour und Mut. Die Voxativ-Serie von preisgekrönten Fullrange-Lautsprechern und maßgeschneiderten Elektronik ist elegant handgefertigte Designs, die die emotionale Wahrheit Ihrer Musik lösen.

(Rocky Mountain Audiofest, Marriott Hotel Denver Tech Center, Summit Tower Suite 5000)