HIGH END 2025 – Munich – Absolute Sounds – The TEN Collection: HSE, Ikigai, Metaxas, Reed, Trafomatic.
Curated by Absolute Sounds’ founder Ricardo Franassovici, the TEN Collection showcases a selection of exceptional audio creations from master artisans in high-end sound. Although not all TEN brands were officially exhibited at High End 2025, Hificlube.net brings to you those that presented their latest innovations in Munich.
Döhmann Audio
Döhmann Helix One MkIII
Founded by Mark Döhmann, Döhmann Audio is an Australian company specialising in high-performance turntables. Their designs focus on minimising resonances and vibrations, employing advanced engineering techniques to deliver exceptional analogue sound reproduction.
Döhmann Helix One MkIII in the Zellaton room
Döhmann Audio showcased its flagship Helix One Mk3 turntable, paired with the Reed 5T tonearm and the Ortofon Verismo MC cartridge. This setup was featured in the Zellaton room, complemented by Schnerzinger's advanced noise-reduction technology, creating an immersive and sonically refined environment.
I also heard through the grape vine that Döhmann collaborated with Wilson Benesch to introduce the GRAVITON® Ti tonearm. Unfortunately, we were unable to attend the presentation. We cannot be all in the same place at the same time…
Döhmann Helix One MkIII in the Cessaro room
The Helix One Mk3 also featured in a high-end system alongside Cessaro horn speakers and Alieno hybrid electronics, demonstrating its versatility and appeal among audiophiles.
The Döhmann Audio Helix One at the Cessaro room
Note: Sound recorded live in-room with a Nagra SD digital recorder
HSE Swiss
HSE Swiss, led by Robert Huber—formerly of Studer/Revox—is recognised for producing ultra-low-noise analogue components with meticulous precision. As a distinguished member of the Absolute Sounds TEN Collection, HSE Swiss exemplifies the Collection’s emphasis on refined craftsmanship and uncompromising sonic integrity.
At the 2025 Munich show, HSE Swiss introduced two new phono cartridge prototypes: the ML-2 and ML-4. These designs utilise extremely compact coil formers, which reduce moving mass and enhance tracking accuracy, resulting in improved transient response and enhanced detail retrieval.
Dr.Robert Huber presents the latest HSE Swiss products
HSE Swiss Masterline ML-8
HSE Swiss Masterline 8 preamplifier
In an exclusive conversation with Dr. Robert Huber, we also got a glimpse of the new Masterline ML-8, HSE Swiss's flagship dual-mono, fully balanced Class A line preamplifier.
This ambitious design incorporates twelve discrete Class A gain stages and two zero-ohm ultra-low-noise head amplifiers. The ML-8 includes eight balanced stereo XLR inputs, two balanced stereo outputs, and a headphone jack. Each input’s gain can be individually adjusted from 6 to 35 dB. Volume is controlled via a precision 47-step ELMA rotary switch, offering a range from +10 dB to complete attenuation.
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HSE Swiss Masterline 8 preamplifier
With an Equivalent Input Noise (EIN) of -144 dB (22 Hz–22 kHz) and virtually zero Total Harmonic Distortion (THD), the ML-8 ensures a pristine signal path. Its frequency response spans from 1.5 Hz to 1 MHz, and crosstalk exceeds 120 dB. It offers more than 24 dB of headroom—allowing dynamic passages to be reproduced without compression or distortion.
Housed in a CNC-milled aluminium chassis with a 20mm anodised faceplate and gold-plated accents, the ML-8 is as visually refined as it is technically advanced. Options include motorised remote control and an integrated Weiss-designed DAC with AES/EBU, SPDIF, and USB inputs, accessible via Input 8.
HSE Swiss Masterline 8 preamplifier
IKIGAI Audio
Ikigai Sugure Phono
Ricardo Franassovici has always had a penchant for silver (and gold) cables. He was once a distributor of Siltech and Crystal cables, and I still possess a pair of Mandrake silver cables from the eighties that he sent me as a test sample. Silver cables tend to sound bright. However, Ricardo has never abandoned his quest for the magical alchemist who would change that paradigm—until now. Jeffrey Dam is the goldsmith artisan he was seeking.
Ikigai Kangai Ground
IKIGAI Audio, based in the Netherlands and founded by engineer Jeffrey Dam, specialises in high-end audio cables crafted from ultra-pure silver and gold conductors. Drawing from his background in materials science, product design, and audio engineering, Dam aims to create cables that preserve signal purity and reduce listening fatigue.
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Ikigai Kangai Ethernet
The name “Ikigai” derives from the Japanese philosophy of "a reason for being"—a concept that reflects the company’s mission: to enhance musical enjoyment through cables that offer a natural, immersive, and emotionally rewarding experience.
The range includes three levels: Sugure, Kangai, and Kinzan, each progressively more refined in design and materials. While all share a common sonic signature, each brings its own character to a system, maintaining the family’s core values of tonal balance and musicality.
Ikigai Kangai Coaxial
But who better than Jeffrey Dam himself to showcase his work to our readers?
Metaxas & Sins
Kostas Metaxas has never followed the conventional path. Blending art and engineering, his creations stand out as sculptural expressions of audio excellence. At High End 2025, Metaxas & Sins unveiled a fresh array of products that reinforce the brand’s status at the crossroads of high design and high fidelity.
Metaxas MX5 Mixer
Among the highlights was the MX5, a compact Class A five-channel analogue mixer that doubles as a phono stage and tape preamplifier. Equipped with Cardas transformers and encased in a distinctive Metaxas chassis, the MX5 is tailor-made for vinyl and reel-to-reel enthusiasts who seek versatility without compromise.
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Metaxas MX5 doubles as a phono stage and tape preamplifier
Also introduced were three new electrostatic loudspeakers: Emperor, Czar, and Prinz (see video below). These are CNC-machined from solid aluminium and incorporate bespoke toroidal step-up transformers with exotic cores and pure litz-wire windings. Unlike traditional panel speakers, they are easier to drive, deliver horn-like dynamics, and produce full-bodied bass—breaking free from the limitations usually associated with electrostatics.
Metaxas Ikarus INT amp
While discussing his work with us, Kostas Metaxas had them playing Pink Floyd in the background—a fitting sonic backdrop to the bold visual and acoustic language of his designs.
Finally, the Tourbillon reel-to-reel machine was proudly on display—an homage to haute horlogerie, featuring a precision direct-drive motor and available in playback-only or record/playback versions.
Metaxas & Sins Torubillon
Designed for 10.5” reels and finished with gold-plated elements, it includes an optional battery-powered supply for field use—melding practicality with pure indulgence.
Reed Audio
Reed Muse 3C + Reed SF Cartridge + Reed EQ-PS
At a time when many analogue manufacturers refine existing paradigms, Reed Audio from Lithuania arrived in Munich with a concept that challenges convention and invites deeper reflection: optical cartridge technology.
The star of their presentation was the Reed SF, a revolutionary optical cartridge that abandons traditional coils and magnets in favour of a laser-based reading system. This design reduces moving mass and mechanical interference, promising greater accuracy and lower distortion.
Reed Muse 3C
Built with a sapphire cantilever and Shibata stylus, the SF tracks at just 1.5–2 grams, reading grooves with minimal friction and maximal detail. The aim is clear: a purer, more transparent way to enjoy vinyl records.
Reed EQ + Reel PS
To support this new format, Reed also introduced the Reed EQ, a phono stage specifically tuned for optical cartridges. It features precise RIAA equalisation, balanced (XLR) and unbalanced (RCA) outputs, and a convenient mono switch. Power is provided by the dedicated Reed PS external supply, designed for absolute electrical stability and noise suppression.
The Reed EQ also doubles as a headphone amplifier to listen to vinyl directly from the Reed SF cartridge.
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Reed Muse 3C
At the heart of the demonstration was the elegant Muse 3C, a dual-base turntable designed to accommodate two tonearms. This setup allowed Reed to showcase both conventional and optical playback in parallel, suggesting not just a new product, but a bold step toward the future of analogue.
Jonas Valclukynas showed us around. Thank you, Jonas!
Trafomatic Audio
Ricardo Franassovici (Absolute Sounds' Curator of the TEN Collection with Saša Čokić (Trafomatic Audio).
Trafomatic Audio
The founder and CEO of Trafomatic Audio is Saša Čokić, a Serbian engineer (and former rock star) renowned for his expertise in transformer design and tube amplification.
Trafomatic Audio Rhapsody integrated Class A tube amplifier
He established Trafomatic in 1997, initially focusing on manufacturing output and power transformers for various hi-fi brands. In 2007, Čokić expanded the company's scope by launching Trafomatic Audio, dedicated to producing high-end tube amplifiers and preamplifiers.
Trafomatic Audio Rhapsody integrated Class A tube amplifier
In Munich, Trafomatic Audio presented its flagship Rhapsody Class A integrated amplifier, a culmination of decades of expertise in valve amplifier design.
This amplifier, known for its rich tonal character and dynamic performance, was a highlight of their exhibit. I have booked for a test asap.
Trafomatic Lara preamplifier
Additionally, the Lara preamplifier was featured, demonstrating Trafomatic's commitment to delivering exceptional audio experiences. In a notable collaboration, Trafomatic Audio's electronics powered the Tune Audio ANIMA loudspeakers, celebrated for their 109dB sensitivity and 15-inch down-firing woofers. They played Dire Straits with aplomb.
Listen below to Dire Straits reproduced by the Trafomatic Rhapsody amplifier through Tune audio Anima speakers recorded live in-room wit ha Nagra SD digital recorder at 96/24.
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