B&M specialized audio shop in Bonn

At the end of my Germany assignment 14 years ago, I purchased the German-made active speakers B&M Sigma, so expensive shopping considering it as if I were jumping from a cliff. These speakers have a built-in multi-channel amplifier, ceramic inverted dome for mid-to-high, and an AFB woofer—a product of the ambitious 1980s. Naturally, I brought them back to Germany for this time, but recently, I’ve been hearing hum from the left channel, and the desire for an overhaul has arisen. Visiting the “Active Speaker and Spanish Wine Shop?” Johannes Krings http://www.johannes-krings.com/index.html, it appeared unchanged from 14 years ago, with the same storefront and the proprietor, a slightly heavier but still bearded man. He remembered our conversation from 14 years ago, which was heartening. However, the maintenance estimate was “If you send it to the manufacturer, it’ll be €1800; with us, it’s a bit cheaper.” Quite a hefty price. I couldn’t give an immediate response on the spot, so I said, “Hmm, I’ll take it back and consider it.” I wandered around the shop, where high-end speakers were still on display, and listened to a demo, further stimulating my material desires before leaving.

Edit: It turned out that Mr. Krings stopped his business some years later from this post, and I found recently he had past away in 2022. RIP.

In front of the store, there is an arrangement of old Citroëns. You can catch a glimpse inside the store through the small window with a grid behind them.
The analog turntable, appearing as if it came from a magical land, is truly beautiful. The sexy curves of the SME tonearm and the intricate mechanics of the weight groups maintain their charm, unchanging even after decades.
Here’s our Sigma-chan. It features a row of white ceramic units from Thiel & Partner (ACCUTON), commonly used in luminous white speakers. The one in the middle was accidentally broken by my daughter (it’s as fragile as an eggshell). I ordered a replacement unit, but the cost was quite high, running into tens of thousands of yen for just the unit. The small silver dot on the lower center of the woofer is a microphone that listens to the low frequencies it produces and adjusts accordingly.

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