News from the High End 2018, part 2

In search of the perfect sound, we once again traveled to Munich. Here, at High End 2018, we have discovered interesting products for our customers.

The manufacturer Oppo Digital had scared many home cinema in April with the announcement that it would withdraw from the market. Here in Munich, Panasonic shows a very high-quality UHD Blu-Ray player that could be an alternative to the Oppo devices. The DP-UB9004 seems to offer all the necessary features for this. Keyword multi-HDR: Besides static HDR10 and HLG, the new player supports Dolby Vision as well as HDR10+. It should be launched in August, and the price will probably be €999.

The name Cocktail Audio sounds droll at first, but the devices from the Korean manufacturer Novatron are quite unique and offer excellent value for money. Now Cocktail Audio introduces a music player for the demanding music lover, the X45 Pro. Reference-quality DAC and output amplifier are said to provide even higher sound quality, and a more powerful processor for smoother operation. The whole thing is in a solid aluminum case and should then cost from about €4,500.

Cambridge Audio celebrates 50th anniversary and presents here the new Edge series. With these devices, the British manufacturer wants to “show the competitors the ropes”, so to speak. And the first impression is indeed very promising:
The circuit design, mechanical workmanship, and touch quality really do meet the highest standards. Ok, the whole thing won’t be cheap either: the integrated amplifier is supposed to cost 5.000,-€, the network player/preamplifier 4.000,-€ and the power amplifier 3.000,-€. We are curious!