The fully equipped downstairs "studio" featured a full contingent of each model Avantgarde makes. I would have loved to take any of these systems for a spin but, considering all our new CDs and the usual custom samplers, it was probably just as well that we didn't overstay our welcome while the firm's principals Holger [left and right from an earlier do at Bob Visintainer's in NYC) and engineer Matthias (below, same event) were absent. Nothing like having your personal HiFi rig inspected while you're out, never mind by one of those pesky audio journalists in the American press. Naturally, the inside track on upcoming Avantgarde novelties would have to be ridden some other day.

But even without the hoped-for benefit of their presence, my visit to Avantgarde Acoustics proved enlightening. How often, for example, do you see a buck and man doing the wild thing or a bear give great foot to an intrepid hunter?

While Sonja characterized the essence of Aleuthian art as the eternal struggle betwixt man and nature, some of the imagery depicted also suggested what could be mistaken for more playful encounters.

This avantgarde combination of modern and tribal art, the juxtaposition of cold stone and warm carpet, the interplay of light and shadow and the overriding atmosphere of culture, care, style and good taste proved to be a highlight of my travels to the Fatherland and I look forward to returning when this firm's chief operators can fire up the audio equipment, talk shop and share secrets.


The bronze piece of a warrior styled in a rather ferocious hairdo requiring buckets of reindeer lard to stay put now bids us adieu until my forthcoming report from the HMS laird outside Leverkusen completes the second half of my audio-related aspects of 6moons' visit to Teutonia. Call it the land of the cute SMART diesel cars, very addictive sausages and the best bread and speakers in the world.
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