Grimm Audio: Building the Dream

audioXpress visited Grimm Audio in The Netherlands to learn more about the people behind this unique company, its products, and philosophy. There's nothing better to learn about product development than to visit an audio company and learn from its history and business journey. As a relatively young company, Grimm Audio has consistently put its mark on both the pro audio and hi-fi scene and Jan Didden shares what he learned about their unique in-house development philosophy. This article was originally published in audioXpress, July 2023.

TAD Laboratories of Japan launched its latest OEM product, the ET-703a Super High Tweeter. This new driver is a fine-tuned model of the company's ET-703 super high frequency horn tweeter, which has been highly acclaimed in the loudspeaker industry. With a frequency response from 5kHz to 45kHz at 8 ohms, featuring a triple-slit rear compression design with a 35mm voice coil, the ET-703a is promoted as one of the world's most efficient and broadband reproduction drivers for super high frequencies.

According to the High End Society, the High End 2023 show in Munich was an outstanding success, with praise from participants and exhibitors. The promoters have now evaluated the results, and confirmed the outstanding impact of High End 2023, which ended on Sunday and attracted an international audience to the MOC Event Center in Munich from May 18 to 21. The International Parts Supply Show (IPS) B2B area of the show was confirmed as a model to expand in the future.

Professional Monitor Company, or PMC, the British audio speaker company known for its Advanced Transmission Line designs, had one of the most important product launches at the 2023 High End Munich show. Expanding its well-deserved reputation from the professional studio monitor market, PMC continues to offer great hifi designs that leverage the same engineering principles. The new PMC Prodigy1 bookshelf and Prodigy5 tower speaker take the very essence of what makes PMC for our enjoyment.

"Undeniably Meridian" but also "a new dawn for the company", the presentation of the new Meridian DSP9 Digital Active Loudspeaker was most likely one of the most significant engineering efforts that debuted at the 2023 High End show in Munich. A more compact, single-cabinet evolution of the extraordinary DSP8000 XE speakers, this new active, digital, DSP-smart design is simply close to perfection for those willing to spend over $80,000 USD.

The world’s first wireless lossless headphones, Unity will be available to try out at Munich’s High End show. The Swiss-brand will offer demos of the headphones in Halle 3 booth M12/N05 from May 18 to 21, at the MOC in Munich. Unity first launched in April during the 2023 NAMM show, offering convention-goers a chance to hear the difference of Wi-Fi quality audio lossless streaming. While the headphones are also geared toward audio professionals, they are also for those willing to invest to never be restricted by Bluetooth. The Unity headphones are available now in Anthracite Gray for $2,199.00 USD.

An icon and a legend, the Bowers & Wilkins Nautilus ultra-high-end loudspeaker as always been available as a made to order item at the Bowers & Wilkins factory for 30 years. To mark this milestone, Bowers & Wilkins has created a unique pair of Nautilus finished in a stunning Abalone Pearl paint, a dramatic finish that perfectly commemorates this landmark anniversary.

Infigo Audio, a Canadian company that designs and manufactures amplifiers, DACs, and cables for consumers who are ready to invest in exquisitely designed electronics, announced its latest Method 6 two-channel amplifier. The new Method 6 (SRP: $20,000) features many of the same attributes as the brand's Method 3 monoblock amplifier and features a Class A architecture, but with a unique design that maintains a low temperature that is not typical of Class A amplifiers.

Polish audio manufacturer HEM continues to introduce new high-end audio products under its brand Ferrum. First it launched the HYPSOS hybrid power system, followed by the OOR headphone amplifier, and the ERCO USB-C DAC with headphone preamp, establishing a new reference in quality and price for a desktop high end design. Now, the company introduced the new WANDLA, a flagship DA converter that can also be powered by the HYPSOS.

Daniel Hertz, the company founded by Mark Levinson, is pushing its Maria amplifier range for high end residential audio as a flagship for the brand. The Maria amplifiers, designed by Mark Levinson and the Daniel Hertz team, feature the company's unique Class D chipset and processing technology, said to deliver an experience better than pure analog from any digital content. All amplifiers come in a single chassis combining DAC, preamplifier, and power amplifier stages with analog, USB, coax, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth inputs.