advertisement


National audio show - what are you looking forward to?

jandl100 said:
... I vote for the "Shhh, I'm listening" T-shirt - very appropriate!
Click to expand...

And there, in a nutshell, is the disabling problem with these shows. One group of people want to sit and listen, another group want to examine the gear and question the experts. The two activities are in direct opposition to each other. The only answer is two rooms, one for music, one for exhibiting gear. But that is too expensive. So both main activities get done badly.
I suspect that the 'timed, ticketed' demos growing in fashion are an attempt to deal with the problem.
 
That's a very valid point Peter. I'll be happy to speak to people in the corridor whilst music is playing, and will suggest that we have a few minutes interval in between music for questions so when the music starts, there can be hush, then another short break before the next music, to allow more questions. Not ideal but hopefully it'll help.
 
paskinn said:
And there, in a nutshell, is the disabling problem with these shows. One group of people want to sit and listen, another group want to examine the gear and question the experts. The two activities are in direct opposition to each other. The only answer is two rooms, one for music, one for exhibiting gear. But that is too expensive. So both main activities get done badly.
I suspect that the 'timed, ticketed' demos growing in fashion are an attempt to deal with the problem.
Click to expand...

I completely agree - didn't think I would find myself writing that!

Pac1 said:
That's a very valid point Peter. I'll be happy to speak to people in the corridor whilst music is playing, and will suggest that we have a few minutes interval in between music for questions so when the music starts, there can be hush, then another short break before the next music, to allow more questions. Not ideal but hopefully it'll help.
Click to expand...

Good idea, gets my vote :).
 
My experience, as a pamphlet-collecting nerd of over 30 years, is that there's always something, usually of a lower price and completely unexpected, which grabs the attention and gets one re-enthused about hifi. The cliche, which is usually true, that some of the top-end systems sound the least interesting, is at least worth reinforcing every so often. Last time I went to Whittlebury there was a megabucks German system which sounded dire to me, with one (ONE) very wealthy-looking individual listening to it. Conversely a fairly inexpensive Danish setup sounded lovely.

Nice day out and a good setting.
 
I hope to be at the show this year - it is a great location & an enjoyable day out! I don't attend shows like this to purchase anything but I do find it reassuring to see that there are still people with more than a passing interest in reproducing music in the home environment! Sadly, the 'audience' demographics typically show that this hobby is rarely of interest to the 'iPod generation' which is most unfortunate....
 
I'm going Sunday (taking a friend who's never been to a show before, but like audio).

Not sure I get all the negativity here, I guess it depends on your expectation of a "show". I wouldn't go to a Motor show and expect the manufacture let me take the car off the stand for a spin. So why would I expect a first class demo in square crowded hectic hotel show room?
For me it's a chance to look at stuff I would never normally bump into, unless I did a tour of the whole country visiting every back street dealer I could find.

If something looks interesting then I'll take some details and make later appointment or do further research.

This year I'm looking for some headphones suitable for travelling and perhaps an add on dac/head amp to use with an iPhone/Pad. Then look for some vinyl.
The seminars are often quite good.... The room acoustic was worth sitting in on last year. Though sometime for me they are a little over simplified to cover a wide spread of audience. (but as an engineer I probably always want more detail ;)

Re the comments on poor service and dealers. In my view, it may again be my background but the issue is Hi-Fi is basically a technical engineering based subject to which too many have no background. No training, education or actually logic/common sense!
No qualification are needed or regulations in place to say who can open up a dealership, sometimes it shows. Seeing how some dealers in the past have bashed around a turntable with an electric screw driver with no mechanical sympathy is scary.

Enjoy the show for what it offers, the entry cost is a very small percentage of most peoples upgrade budget.
 
Here now. But early but interesting to see what's around. Last show I went to was Bristol about 4 years ago.
 
Some snaps from today's wander:


Listening to Hugh Maskela by cliffpatte, on Flickr

This setup was cool, and the music was swinging


Tannoys in the Pink by cliffpatte, on Flickr

These Tannoys were awesome


Teddy Pardo by cliffpatte, on Flickr

Listened to digital and analogue in TP's room - what a charming man - the sound was a bit dry tho'


Horny somethingLLO II by cliffpatte, on Flickr

These were great, but the name was too long to remember ...


Straussmann and Tannoys by cliffpatte, on Flickr

Best sound in the show by far - can't beat a good horn, Tony L

There are more on my flickr page ... https://www.flickr.com/search/?q=national+audio+show&ss=2&ct=0&mt=all&w=21117491@N03&adv=1
 
I'm not sure whether best sound in show was those horns (which were superb) or the vinyl rig in 'High fidelity international'. Dunno what it was, all American, big class A amps, but utterly natural, unforced, unfatiguing. Dissapointed with the Teddy room, something not right there, lacking body to be frank. And I'm afraid I found those drainpipe Pluto speakers with the Doctor Who eye looking at you very engaging. Different presentation, but very listenable nonetheless. And I don't want to start a row here, but a very convincing Russ Andrews cable dem had me grinning in amazement.
 
Those horns were Acapella high violoncello II's. A shade over £40k but the best sound I've ever heard.
 
brumjam said:
Those horns were Acapella high violoncello II's. A shade over £40k but the best sound I've ever heard.
Click to expand...

The Acapella Violons were at 40k, playing with integrated Acapella amp that costs 70k, and an Einstein CD player which is 10k. And don't forget the Shun Mook resonators under the components.

Easily the best sound of the show. couldn't stand dCS Wilson Alexia for the nth time. Heard that in Munich too. Went in there multiple times to run out again. Lampi 7 blows the Vivaldi 100k stack (IMO, of course)

There is also a "Chasing the Dragon" room, where a recording engineer is showing off his work on classical recordings, directly cut in recording venues. He is playing an expensive turntable with a 4k clamp through small focal speakers. But he and Acapella are the only two playing music, like classical and stuff. Also Audionote. Had a nice listening session in the big Audionote room where they played some specially recorded Debussy LP. The Chasing the dragon room also has the Mook resonators under Soluution integrated. And Zensati speaker cables worth 20k.

Was interesting to see what the difference was when the same track was payed through the dCS dac through the transport and through the Aurender x100L
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top