Following my trip to Copenhagen for the unveiling of Audiovector’s new Trapeze Reimagined loudspeaker, I followed the audiophile herd to Bavaria for High End Munich. With over five hundred exhibitors and more than 22,000 visitors it is probably the world’s largest hi-fi show, and therefore the perfect place for Audiovector to officially launch the Trapeze Ri.

The show’s home is the MOC Event Centre in the North of Munich, and the striking glass building features four halls, and multiple levels and corridors full of audio temptations for the duration of the show. High End Munich pulls visitors from across the globe and definitely should be on every hi-fi lover’s bucket list.

I have been lucky enough to attend several times and I enjoy the friendly, buzzy atmosphere and discovering the latest in audio technology. There are thousands of products to enjoy: from the retro relaunches to the fantastically futuristic, there is always something to catch the eye (and ear). Which brings me to Audiovector’s Trapeze Reimagined loudspeaker.

When Ole Klifoth, the company’s founder, designed the original Trapez in 1979, he must have had a telescope looking at the future as its form still looks current today. The Trapeze Reimagined has taken the original Trapez design template and run with it – the loudspeaker of 2024 looks like it has visited from the future that Ole saw.

Audiovector’s room at Munich displayed the Trapeze Ri perfectly, a pair were positioned front and centre for demonstration purposes, and a stunning line up of speakers in different finishes ran down the right wall. I positioned myself at the back and watched the impressed expressions on the faces of the visitors as they entered.

It is at this point at a show that I am usually a little anxious. Whilst plenty of the visitors will be attracted by an exhibitor’s brand name, there will be those who have been lured by the press coverage that my company is responsible for. My concern is always whether the attendees will think that the product will live up to the media hype we have generated. Thankfully, with the Trapeze Ri, I need not have worried. Once the speakers started playing, the combination of detailed sound and Danish design meant that everyone was more than happy. 

The vibes in the room were further improved once glasses of Champagne started being handed out. As I have said before, Danish hospitality is excellent – so no Prosecco here. There were two reasons for the Champagne: to mark the launch of the new loudspeakers, and to celebrate the running of Audiovector being passed from Ole to his son Mads. This combination created a bit of a party atmosphere.

If you ever fancy hosting a party in your home, I strongly recommend that you audition a pair of Trapeze Ri. The speakers are perfect for everyday listening but really come alive when you pair them with a dance anthem and turn them up. They genuinely are fun to listen to for extended periods of time without any sense of musical fatigue.

On the Friday night of the show, I was invited to join the Audiovector team and its partners for their annual Munich dinner. Distributors from across the globe were present and this gave me the opportunity to ask them which hi-fi titles have the most impact on what their customers buy. I was delighted to hear that it is the UK press that has the most influence on loudspeaker purchasing decisions. Croatians, Romanians, Indians, and Australians are all reading reviews that originate in the UK, with What Hi-Fi, Hi-Fi+ and Stereonet considered the most influential. 

This supports what I have always believed, if you want to read an authoritative, impartial, and intelligent review of a hi-fi product that has not been influenced by advertising money, then choose a UK based publication.

And if you want a fun and stylish loudspeaker that will take you into the future, audition Audiovector’s Trapeze Reimagined.

Matt Tasker (Ammonite Media), May 2024