High End Munich will become High End Vienna from 2026

The High End Audio Fair takes place in the German city of Munich every year in May. The fair has grown so much into the city that audio magazines use the abbreviation HEM everywhere, which of course stands for High End Munich. From 2026, however, it will become HEV, which stands for High End Vienna, because from that year the fair will be held annually in Vienna, the capital of Austria.

HEM will become HEV from 2026

The international audio trade fair High End will change location in 2026 and move from Munich to Vienna. The High End Society, which organizes the fair annually, announced this ground-breaking step at the annual meeting of the stakeholder group, which is an important milestone in the future of one of the world’s leading audio technology fairs.

The best fair conditions with new standards

On May 15-18, 2025, High End 2025 will be organized as usual at the MOC Event Center in Munich, Germany. More than a year later, the audio fair opens its doors for the first time in May at the Austria Center Vienna (ACV). The first-class venue in the heart of the Austrian capital has been extensively renovated in recent years and equipped with the latest digital technology. Various modern rooms of different sizes offer excellent presentation opportunities. Additional halls and large halls are available for the free standing section. In total, ACV has 26,000 square meters of exhibition space on several levels in the main building and adjacent halls. This means that exhibitors find the optimal conditions for their various needs.

All companies participating in the Finest Audio Show in Vienna in November 2023 have already seen this with their own eyes. The continued positive feedback and the current registration numbers for this year’s FAS Vienna confirm the impression that the High End Society has made a very good choice with ACV for the new home of the High End Audio Fair.

High End Vienna: the next level for a traditional event

High End Society justifies the change of location with promising perspectives and optimal opportunities to further develop the top class. ACV provides a modern, future-oriented framework for this. “Austria Center Vienna scores points not only for its excellent exhibition conditions, but also for its progressive environment, which raises the level of excellence and guarantees its success for years to come,” says Stefan Dreischärf, head of the organization. After more than 20 years at the same exhibition center, the time for a change was chosen carefully. The decision to move the international audio fair to Vienna represents departure, innovation and the future. “We are convinced that with this move we can take High End to a new level and we look forward to the opportunities this change can offer us,” Dreischärf emphasizes the important step.

Vienna shines as an attractive fair and music city

The cosmopolitan city located along the Danube impresses with its international atmosphere, traditional history and excellent cultural offer. Year after year, the Austrian metropolis attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world. Vienna is easily accessible, and as the music capital of the world, it provides the perfect backdrop for the High End, where everything revolves around excellent music reproduction. Together with excellent logistical conditions, Vienna is an ideal choice for the organizer. “The new location creates a perfect connection to our trade fair and also creates a beneficial atmosphere for all parties involved,” adds Stefan Dreischärf.

High End Vienna: association approval

The board of the High End Society, a stakeholder group for high-quality sound and image reproduction, has actively supported the further development of the successful High End and fully supports the decision. “We see the move to Vienna as a great opportunity to make High End even more attractive, strengthen it as the industry’s most important international meeting place and make it future-proof,” says Jürgen Timm, chairman of the board of the association. “We look forward to a new era in a top-class trade show tradition that has existed for more than 40 years.”

The strong community of the High End Society looks forward to the upcoming fairs, for which the move from Munich to Vienna is a groundbreaking step towards a promising future, the release said.

Below is the agenda for the next four High End audio fairs.

High End Munich 2025: 15–18 May 2025
High End Vienna 2026: 28.–31.5.2026
High End Vienna 2027: 6–9 May 2027
High End Vienna 2028: 25–28 May 2028