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Bristol Hifi Show 24to to 26th Feb 2023

What day did you listen to them? I was there Friday..... Alan Shaw posted on his forum, that after the first two days.. They decided to switch back to the passive crossovers which were also in the box.

I'm not sure if they made this clear to people on Sunday, but it sort of defeats the point.

Saturday. Surprised as the reaction to them seemed to be very positive.
 
I believe the objective was to try them with DSP/active Xovers as a Concept and work in progress with a view to perhaps release a version commercially.. At least according to the gentlemen in charge on the day.

I found this both interesting and forward thinking for a brand with more traditional heritage. That is not to take away anything from their other/passive designs. The medium sized standmount next door (M30.XD) sounded very good indeed with Hegel amplification.

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The music better make up for that ghastly picture...just plain bad to look at if you where in there.

Yes, he certainly has an eye for ladies. Whilst talking to him he introduced my partner and I to his Purchasing Manager. She is something to behold (and her partner seems cool too).
 
Grzegorz's video might give the impression that it was quiet chez SUPATRAC, but in fact a lot of the time it was like this:

beholdsupatrac.jpg


There were quiet spells, but often it was standing room only. I wished I had requested more chairs. Occasional listeners would remain in the room for an hour or more to really take in what they were hearing, and many requested a/b comparisons between the 1210G and 1210Mk5/Blackbird. I'm sure I didn't recognise some notable visitors, but I couldn't miss Roy Gandy, Alan Sircom and Rafael Todes.

Having just listened with headphones I'm not sure why the bass in my room sounds messed up in Grzegorz's video, but it wasn't that bad in reality. I make no great claims for the relatively portable speakers I bought a week before the show, but they were good enough to give pleasure and reveal a bit of detail, dynamics timbre and soundstage. The buzz which one (Hungarian?) listener noticed from the Mk5 was a nuisance but I didn't have the time or energy to track it down.

The system was
SL-1210 Mk5
229mm/24⁰ Blackbird
AT VM540ML
Linn Uphorik
Creek OBH-22
KEF KC62
Behringer A500
KEF LS50 Meta passive

When I played a bit of Louis Armstrong to Roy Gandy on Saturday morning I noticed a slight sibilance/scratchiness. On Sunday afternoon I swapped styluses between the 1210G and Mk5/Blackbird and found that I had been doing a/b comparisons throughout Saturday and Sunday with a slightly less-worn/cleaner stylus on the G. It didn't really matter as the dynamics were the biggest difference.

Thanks to all who made the effort to show up and listen - I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.
 
Thanks to all those who have shared their experience and opinions of the show on this thread - maybe one year soon I’ll get my shit in a soc and get my lazy ass to Bristol.
 
If Grzegorz's video is any indication, then the grand tradition of the British hi-fi show is alive and well.

Room after room after room of lowest common denominator muzak accompanied by incessant chatting (to drown out the music?).

Honourable exception - Yamaha! (Also, a few seconds of solo piano in the Kog/Soulnote room that threatened to become interesting.)
 
Grzegorz's video: This is the future! i'm all for it but I would suggest in fairness the only way to evaluate sound difference is by playing the same track. Also videographer must sit in the hot spot. Close up shots of the speaker will inveriable pick up some clipping as this is an unnatural place to evaluate and enjoy sound. Other than that pure genius and a sensible way to evaluate the sound from home btw when a symbel sounds like a symbal your onto something! Thank you Grzegorz's
 


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