For the past few years, Esprit has used the High End trade shows in Munich to launch its own range of speakers. Following the compact Stella and the Amelia floorstanding speakers in 2024 (review VU#54FR), the more imposing Lisa was added last year (review VU#63 FR), still very much present in the demonstration room in 2026, but this time intended primarily to showcase the entire Eureka Gen X cable range.
For this first ‘High End’ in Vienna (remember that the former venue for the Munich show was no longer available, having been taken over by BMW), it is once again with cables that the French manufacturer is making its mark. And with good reason: the entire range is moving from G9 to the new Generation X.
Teased, as you may have seen over the past three months in various media outlets including VUmètre, this new series is now making its full debut in Austria, with a few minor changes to the catalogue. Previously comprising 10 series, the range has been streamlined somewhat, whilst still offering the option to purchase Alpha models; however, these feature only minor changes to the finish, albeit with modified enclosures and improved aluminium connectors.
To fully embrace the Gen X range, however, you should opt for the Beta series, which focuses on the more conventional cables in a system (speakers, interconnect, mains), but completely redesigned to offer not only better connectors but also a new ring (integrated into the distribution section for the speaker cables) and a shielding system where certain elements have been revised, although it retains the fluidity and protection of the partial shielding introduced with Generation 9.
With this upgrade of the Beta series – one of the most popular since its launch – the Kappa series is being phased out, whilst the Célesta series moves up a notch, whilst also being suitable for all connections: speaker, RCA or XLR interconnect, jumper, S/PDIF coaxial, AES/EBU, USB, RJ45 Ethernet and mains.
The Eterna series now features polarized sheathing on certain models, a feature previously reserved mainly for the Aura series and above (Lumina, Eurêka, Gaïa), which also see their shielding redesigned and their ferrules and connectors improved. And as has been the case for several years (tests VU#56 & VU#58), L’Esprit remains at the top of the catalogue of the brand created by Richard Cesari, now offering from launch exactly the same cables as the Célesta series and above, so if required an RJ45 or an AES, and of course also and above all speaker connection and interconnect models.
Officially scheduled for release at the end of the year, the IN800 is already making an appearance in a pre-production version at the High-End show in Vienna.
The new flagship of the lineup, the IN800 integrated amplifier—which adopts the term “Evolution” to align with the rest of the lineup—simply doubles the amplification stages of the IN400 Evolution, with 16 MOSFET transistors per channel and power output more than doubled, rising from 2 x 160 W to 2 x 350 W at 8 ohms (and 2 x 550 W at 4 Ω).
Although there are now four toroidal transformers—the largest of which is a mechanically decoupled 1,200 VA unit—and the chassis is made of 2 mm steel with a 12 mm micro-blasted and anodized aluminum front panel, the weight remains a modest 27 kilograms (compared to 19.5 kg for the IN400), as does the height at 147 mm, with the rest of the chassis retaining conventional dimensions (443 x 440 mm)—convenient for fitting neatly into hi-fi cabinets.
Purely analog, the IN800 Evolution offers two XLR inputs and three RCA inputs, plus an RCA tape input/output. Added to this is the ability to configure a bypass for one of the inputs, as well as a pair of XLR outputs and another RCA output to send the signal to other amplifiers or subwoofers if needed. The rear panel also features two removable plates for adding the new phono modules (P800 & P820) and a brand-new DAC card (DA800).
We will return to testing in the second half of the year to examine the pure dual-mono architecture, the Darlington transistor driver stages, and the dual-channel MUSE attenuator with common-emitter resistors; for now, we will just note that this new French integrated amplifier features a high-resolution TFT display (480 x 1270) on the front panel, positioned between two understated control knobs (volume and settings).
You will also have to be patient a little longer to find out the final price of this new IN800 Evolution, but feel free to check out our Instagram and Facebook accounts today to learn a bit more about it and see some more photos!
As well as unveiling a high-end version of its new MC X series, the MC X50 – of which we have reviewed the X20 and X40 (test VU#63 FR) – Ortofon is now setting its sights on the stars with its new MC Vertex.
This new cartridge features the new Vertex stylus, developed with cutting-edge linear contact geometry. It has a tracking radius of 4 μm and an extended contact radius of 110 μm, both significantly greater than those of conventional models. This enlarged contact surface improves pressure distribution along the groove walls, enabling more stable tracking and ultra-precise reproduction of the finest details.
This Vertex diamond is mounted on a cantilever made of solid diamond. It is integrated into a chassis and core manufactured from titanium using selective laser melting, with the aim of creating a mechanically hyper-stable structure and minimizing resonance. A sophisticated magnetic system, featuring a non-magnetic armature, reduces moving mass and eliminates unwanted interactions. Combined with high-purity silver coils, this process helps to ensure a signal of great stability and linearity, with a transient response of very high performance.
The mechanical behavior is also controlled by a proprietary, patented Wide Range Damping system, which uses a platinum disc between two dampers made from rubber compounds. Developed and manufactured by Ortofon, the MC Vertex aims to deliver the very highest analogue resolution, with a completely natural sound, great transparency and precise spatial definition. Of course, reaching for the moon comes at a price – in this case, 14 999 € including VAT.
Unveiled at the Axpona show in Chicago in April and soon to be featured in Europe at the Vienna High End, the Magico S7 2026 is reshaping the top tier of the American manufacturer’s lineup.
Weighing 3 kilograms (or 6 pounds) less than the M6 (174 kg each versus 177 kg), the S7 2026 stands out by retaining the 3-way, 5-driver configuration that defined the previous model (read our review in VU#3 FR).
Now, the S series is topped by this newcomer—an unexpected development, given that its creator, Alon Wolf, would stop at the S5 and then move the listener on to the M series. The most imposing model in the range at 142 cm tall, the S7 is thus the only ‘S’ model to feature five speakers, since the other three columns in the series (S2, S3, S5) are limited to four.
Developed like an ‘M’, the 2026 S7 benefits from a new NFS (Near-Field Scanner) robot to measure its acoustic behavior throughout the three-dimensional space surrounding it as early as the development phase, in order to establish a complete acoustic map of its sound dispersion. This comprehensive data helps to precisely refine performance both on-axis and off-axis, delivering the most exceptional possible precision, coherence, and realism.
The exceptionally deep aluminum cabinet is designed using cutting-edge 3D simulation technology, which minimizes internal resonances while maximizing rigidity. Its curved front panel reduces diffraction, while its damping almost completely eliminates coloration. But above all, this optimized structure significantly increases the internal volume—from 135 to 180 liters compared to the previous S7 model—resulting in an extended bass response (+5 Hz lower), which is simultaneously denser and even more impactful.
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The S7’s drivers uses Gen 8 Nano-Tec cones—composed of an aluminum honeycomb core covered with a graphene-reinforced carbon fiber membrane—which offer exceptional rigidity, low mass, and superior damping, thereby ensuring extremely low distortion. A newly designed, third-generation speaker chassis further improves force distribution, suspension geometry, and airflow, thereby enhancing both precision and reliability.
These drivers are housed in a third-generation chassis. They consist of the 1.1-inch (28 mm) pure beryllium tweeter coated with diamond from the M series,
a 6-inch Nano-Tec Gen 8 midrange driver featuring an aluminum honeycomb core covered with a graphene-reinforced carbon fiber cone, and three vertically aligned 10-inch Nano-Tec Gen 8 woofers, designed to reduce bounce effects and smooth the response throughout the room. All are unified by Magico’s proprietary crossover, developed using the finest components from Mundorf and Duelund—the Elliptical Symmetry Crossover (ESXO)—in a three-way design with Linkwitz-Riley slopes, engineered to ensure perfect coherence across the entire audible spectrum.
Solen pays homage to its 1990s “Tiger” with a new integrated amplifier based on a 3-stage hybrid architecture.
Premiering in Vienna on June 4, the Lynx combines a transistor-based input stage and power stage with a tube driver stage. To ensure signal linearity throughout the entire circuit, the input stage features transistor junction compensation, while components manage local negative feedback in the power stage without imposing any significant negative feedback on the overall structure. Total harmonic distortion is measured at around 0.02%.
The driver stage consists of triodes configured in a push-pull circuit, which transfer the signal to the amplifier stage with a nominal output power of 50 watts per channel into 8 ohms, or 65 watts per channel into 4 ohms in Class AB. The power supply is dual-mono to optimize channel separation and thus the signal-to-noise ratio, while the volume control for the preamplifier section uses switched resistors.
Housed in a white chassis featuring four black feet running the full height of the amplifier, the Lynx supports speaker cable connections exclusively via banana plugs and up to five analog sources via RCA terminals. The price has yet to be determined but is expected to be in line with the French manufacturer’s other products. We’ll have more details for you starting Thursday!
