FACTORY VISIT
Having had the opportunity to visit the High-end Show in Munich in 2022, I was invited to meet Thomas Blumenhofer and his team at their headquarters in Walkertshofen, a sleepy municipality district of Augsburg in Germany.
Set amongst the gently rolling hills of the farm district of Bavaria, the factory sits in tranquillity to contrast the hubbub of the city and what a lovely place proved to be in discovering it.
Here is the brief photo diary of my time spent there.
As I entered the premises, it was clear that the brand's reputation worldwide is high just by looking at the number of loudspeakers being processed; consolidating that, the craftsmanship during the building process was among the best I have seen. Andrea Vitali, business developer and sales manager, was kind enough to detail all the steps required to produce their loudspeakers. I must admit this experience blew my mind. He first guided me to a room reserved for all veneers to settle in; the pungent smell of fresh wood still vivid in my mind.
Among a large array of standard as well as more exotic veneers, one that stood out was a one-time limited batch of reclaimed wood from a pontoon in Venice called “Venetian Briccole”; Andrea explained that these samples were initially used in parking spaces for the gondolas and were previously submerged in the water’s lagoon for the past 25 years! The unique bleached, textured look is only achievable when this wood ages underwater for a very long period; I wasn’t expecting to see anything like that. This, however, reinforced the dedication Blumenhofer Acoustics strives for in bringing something genuinely unique and beautifully crafted; nowadays, we don’t often get the opportunity to purchase a “one-off” product, let alone when offering great value.
Seeing raw materials taking shape is something that usually mesmerises the DIY enthusiast in me, but here the quality of craftsmanship was outlined by its unconditional precision; the rawness of the textures at play enhances the cabinet’s design concepts like a glove; this could be best described by an exquisite balance of raw artistry with well-defined stroke lines, almost Picasso-esque if that makes sense. Reaching such understated quality resembling a one-off creation requires more than mere calculations; materials can only come together with poise, grace and near abstract-looking design from something within that you either have or you don’t, I thought.
Venturing deeper into the factory made it easier to appreciate the skills required for these creations to take place; the slight OCD in me when seeing the matching veneers of each pair of loudspeakers was fulfilling and satisfying. We glanced at the crossover technology and (understandably) were advised not to share too much information. However, suffice it to say that all parts are of top-tier quality, benefitting from an unusual yet very effective way of decoupling within the speakers. This, in turn, allows the crossovers to be unfazed by internal cabinet vibrations to maintain a coherent sound during playback, regardless of volume.
Lastly, we entered the listening room above the factory, and what a sight it was! The wall of vintage HiFi was only eclipsed by the sheer number of stunning creations at its opposite end. Nothing has the same emotional impact and scale as a big speaker, but here Thomas and his team have reached a bar so high it redefined my concept of the so-called “High-End”. I’ve been blessed by listening to arguably some of the world's best systems. Still, here, every trait from the house's signature sound was absolute: transparency, scale, complete control and world domination were blended in the most liquid, cohesive and effortless 3D sound that one can experience outside the real thing, leaving me wondering what exactly had struck me between my ears. The Gioia and Corona series easily stole the show here, but what was even more remarkable is the signatures across all ranges are very alike in presentation, consolidating there is a Blumenhofer speaker for every room and budget.
What an amazing experience this was! Spending time with like-minded people made me even prouder to represent Blumenhofer Acoustics in the UK. These products will select you more than the other way around, and their unflappable honesty might be a bit of a shock for some. Still, those who appreciate the clearest sound reproduction and the closest to a one-off creation with an outstanding fit and finish will certainly cherish these products for a very long time.
Carlo M.