Klangschloss Greifensee turns 20 – and yet remains true to itself. Even in its anniversary year, the Swiss event demonstrates why it holds a special place in the crowded HiFi calendar. Instead of getting bigger, louder, and more spectacular, the focus here is consistently on peace, concentration, and genuine listening experiences. At the same time, new ideas provide fresh momentum.
Anyone familiar with Klangschloss knows: this show works differently. Historic rooms in the castle and the neighboring Landenberghaus replace sterile hotel rooms; creaking floorboards and winding corridors create atmosphere instead of a typical trade fair bustle. The result is an almost decelerated form of listening. Many exhibitors have been involved for years and have firmly established their rooms. This ensures continuity – and makes changes all the more exciting.
Despite all the reliability, there is also something new to discover in 2026. The most striking addition is the so-called “Blind Date.” In a separate room, an anonymized speaker is set up for a listening test. No brand name, no price tag. Visitors are asked to estimate what they are dealing with: size, age, price range. The concept is simple but effective. It forces you to focus on the essentials: the sound. And it shows how much expectations usually influence our hearing.
Legendary Landenberg Sessions
The Landenberg Sessions, recorded with the legendary Jecklin Disk in a purist 2-channel process, were once again the absolute highlight. From the top: Grisons singer-songwriter Martina Linn with her accompanying musicians Clemens Kuratle (percussion) and Rafael Jerjen (bass). Marcela Arroyo (bottom), with a mix of Argentine music, jazz, and folk, was accompanied by guitarist Quique Sinesi and accordionist Patricia Draeger (not pictured). (Photos: Stefan Schickedanz)
The session format remains a central element. The Landenberg Sessions have long been at the heart of the event, combining live music with high-quality recording and playback technology. In 2026, performers include Stefanie Boltz, Martina Linn, and Marcela Arroyo. The concerts are recorded directly using the straight2tape process and transmitted as a HiRes stream to other demonstration rooms on the same day. With this, Klangschloss Greifensee pursues a concept that is rare in its consistency.
This comparison becomes particularly impressive after the concerts: recording engineer Ralph Zünd presents the freshly recorded tracks in the concert hall via a reference system consisting of the Cabasse La Sphère EVO. Here, you can experience very directly how close modern high-end systems come to the live experience – and where the differences lie.
Top-Tier Presentations
Klangschloss remains versatile even away from the demonstration rooms. The AAA record fair in the Landenberghaus is a regular destination for vinyl collectors, while the Analog Bistro offers space for conversation. The program is complemented by lectures in the nearby parish hall. Topics range from classic BBC speaker concepts and time-aligned playback to music history.
HiFi and music journalist Lothar Brandt, originally from Germany but also well-known in Switzerland through AUDIO Swiss, was visibly in his element again during the vinyl lecture at the community center. He gave it his all and thrilled the audience with an – as you can see in the photos – exceptionally lively presentation. (Photos: Stefan Schickedanz)
What sets Klangschloss apart is less the sheer volume of new products and more the style of presentation. It’s not about quick impressions, but about conscious listening. Less comparison stress, more concentration. That’s exactly the appeal, especially for experienced HiFi enthusiasts who don’t just want to see equipment, but want to truly understand sound.
Even after 20 years, the concept remains remarkably consistent. Klangschloss changes carefully without giving up its identity. For visitors, this means plenty of familiarity, but always enough new things to stay curious. And the best moments still happen when you simply take the time to listen.
STEREO GUIDE Highlights of the HiFi Show at the Castle
The Wilson Sabrina floorstanding speaker delivered a perfect performance paired with Dan D’Agostino electronics at Klangschloss, which once again lived up to its name in this large room. (Photo: Stefan Schickedanz)The Sound Kaos speakers, manufactured by Martin Gateley in Switzerland, performed at their best with electronics from South Korean manufacturer Enleum. Here, the Vox 5 floorstanding speaker is playing, while the compact Vox 3 waits on the sidelines for its turn. (Photo: Stefan Schickedanz)With Nagra (electronics) and Stenheim (speakers), two legendary Swiss brands joined forces at Klangschloss for an outstanding demonstration. When the author entered the room, he felt as if Harry Belafonte were standing on stage in front of him. In fact, it was an analog record recorded at New York’s Carnegie Hall in the late 1950s. (Photo: Stefan Schickedanz)Markus Thomann founded Klangschloss in Greifensee near Zurich, a small, fine HiFi show of a special kind. Here he poses with the vinyl pressings of the Landenberg Sessions. (Photo: Stefan Schickedanz)Weiss Engineering showcased the LIVEBOX, a music center with innovative crosstalk-canceling technology and room support. The company founder, Daniel Weiss, is known for professional Swiss high-end audio technology. (Photo: Stefan Schickedanz)The Boenicke Audio W5 are Made in Basel and bravely filled a large hall on the upper floor of Greifensee Castle with sound. (Photos: Stefan Schickedanz)Christof Faller (Illusonic) demonstrates the advantages of 3-channel stereo – an approach already discussed in the late 1950s when stereophony was introduced. Thanks to Illusonic’s years of development work, a natural upmix from two to three channels is achieved, which significantly stabilizes the spatial imaging and practically eliminates the classic sweet spot. In combination with the new Klangwerk VOCE speaker, this creates an exceptionally homogeneous and realistic soundstage that impresses regardless of the listening position. (Photo: Stefan Schickedanz)The Fink Team Episode 2 (outer) provided goosebump moments in the Sacom room. (Photo: Stefan Schickedanz)A true passion project for Harry Pawel (Pawel Acoustics) remains the EMT JPA 66 MK3, which many visitors already experienced at Klangschloss last year. The tube preamplifier was created in close cooperation with his brother Markus and with the participation of Jules Limon – it is still carefully handcrafted today in their own factory in Switzerland. (Photo: Stefan Schickedanz)As in the previous year, Erich Meier was represented with a stand at the “Headphone Kitchen.” For Klangschloss 2025, he brought an improved version of his Amoenus Axternus software. It enables spatial sound with ordinary headphones. (Photo: Stefan Schickedanz)Thanks to Ruark Audio, affordable one-piece music systems like the R410 from the under 1,500 Francs/Euro class were also on display in the stairwell. (Photo: Stefan Schickedanz)
The founder and editor in chief of STEREO GUIDE has been testing for over three decades as a hi-fi expert for print and online magazines such as AUDIO, stereoplay, LowBeats or FAZ Kaufkompass. In addition to cultivated music playback, he likes fast cars - including classic cars - with rich sound. He also reports regularly on this topic, not least on this platform.
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