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The North West Audio Show (Cranage Hall) 2017

This is an excellent show. It's actually got kit in each room that is different to the next door room! Very friendly, easy parking etc. I obviously do stuff that is more DIY/enthusiast centred and didn't feel out of place. All the rooms were run by enthusiasts mainly, not marketeers. Busy Saturday, not really today but I highly recommend a visit next year, this one should definitely be supported.

Stefan
 
orangeart said:
This is an excellent show. It's actually got kit in each room that is different to the next door room! Very friendly, easy parking etc. I obviously do stuff that is more DIY/enthusiast centred and didn't feel out of place. All the rooms were run by enthusiasts mainly, not marketeers. Busy Saturday, not really today but I highly recommend a visit next year, this one should definitely be supported.
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I'll confess that having been out of the Hi-Fi loop for years most of what I listened to today was unknown to me. However I had a really enjoyable day. Also I managed to avoid buying the £950 mains cable that was on offer. The £4.50 hog roast sandwich was much better value and was bought instead.
 
First one I've missed for a few years, I usually enjoy it, a nice mix of kit and not rammed the way the old London shows were.
 
Good show, great kit, decent sounds and a huge variety
And all free. Could of had more mobile music and headphones.
 
As a first time exhibitor at the North West Audio Show I was very pleased that the 'feel' of the show was much more relaxed and friendly than the usual shows that I've done before. For me, Sunday was actually busier than Saturday and there was barely a moment to spare at any time. The only shame is that, as an exhibitor, I did not have the chance to wander round to see and hear what everyone else was doing.

Cranage Hall is a lovely hotel and I'll definitely be doing it again next year.
 
clivem2 said:
Attendance today wasn't high but I must say the show was very good. Quite a few decent sounds, better than I'd expected from hotel rooms, some of the rooms were of better proportions than is often the case with hotels.
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Sunday was definitely busier than Saturday.
 
I went yesterday and thought it was really excellent. Free parking, free entry and a complimentary glass of bubbly on entrance - every show should be like this! In fact I would go so far as to say that this and the Wam show are THE shows to attend. It wasn't uncomfortably busy but I couldn't get into a few of the rooms such was the level of attendance. Very well done to everyone involved in the organisation of this - I will certainly be going again next year!
 
I also exhibited again and had a good time with good numbers visiting the room on both days. The organisers and the hotel both succeed in creating a nice relaxed vibe about the event which is a welcome change from most commercial shows. I was doing it alone this year so didn't get to see much of it but I did catch a bit of the live music as the show closed on Saturday. He was excellent.
 
There for 10am on Sunday. To be greeted with a welcome drink by the organisers sets the standard for this type of event. Very civilised! Visited every room, although some only fleetingly. Accompanied by a friend who was curious about improving on his old 90’s midi stack - quite telling having this neutral pair of ears along for the ride, with observations from “that’s utterly dreadful” to “this is brilliant, lets stay for a few more tracks”.


Enjoyed the following…

Neat: Never heard the Iota or Iota Alpha before. Impressed, especially the diddy Iota. Voodoo. The only word for the scale of sound from these tiniest of boxes. Less so with the Motive SX3. A bit shouty for me.

Audio Note / Audio Counsel: Both rooms played soulful music, but the bigger room seemed to be plagued by bass boom.

Puresound & Heco Direkt: Could easily live with this set up. Need to investigate Heco further, but wonder how successfully they would pair with Naim electronics.

Pearl Acoustics: Liked the sound from these beautifully made speakers. Interesting if expensive. My buddy really liked the sound from this room.

Ovation High Fidelity: Ovation amplifiers driving KEFLS50’s sounded rather good, especially in a tiny room.

Computer Audio Design. The CAD room had a really clean detailed sound. A little lean perhaps, but not fatiguing. Their electronics were powering Neat Ultimatum XLS.

Music First: Very engaging, organic sound from the reel to reel tape, powered by the Quad monos into Graham speakers.

Fanthorpes: Really liked the sound from the PMC floor standers, although can’t remember the rest of system - was getting system fatigue by this point.

Living Voice speakers: Again, a first time to hear these speakers and thought they were very good - fed by a Voyd turntable (I think - not sure on the amplification).



Slightly disappointed by….

Kralk Audio: I just found the sound too lean. Heard two sets of speakers (the new KA2 & Elite MK2) and I dearly wanted to like them, but I just don’t think they are for me - the same conclusion I came to last year.

Brian & Trevors: First time I’d ever heard ATC speakers (SCM50 I think) and came away unmoved. Everything was there in spades, scale, detail, excitement and energy but somehow that system just did not connect - especially disappointing considering the cost of equipment in the room.

Tannoy: The new Tannoy range were playing in the Baird room and I thought they were interesting and had something, but did not quite hold my attention. May investigate further though.


Unimpressed by…

Appleton room: The giant red horn speakers and valve amp set up. My mate concluded his midi system didn’t need upgrading!


All in a superb venue and show and congratulations to the organisers and exhibitors.
 
BlueYeti said:
Fanthorpes: Really liked the sound from the PMC floor standers, although can’t remember the rest of system - was getting system fatigue by this point.
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The electronics were some highend luxman, and an innuos server (can't remember what the TT was). I think this was my favourite and would never have imagined pmc and luxman together.

I've heard luxman twice recently (dali epicon the other time) and they have made quite an impression on me. Lovely stuff IMO and making me wonder whether my Leben stays!
 
you'll be wanting the SQ 38u I'm selling soon then :)

Blatant plug apart, I think this is the best venue of all the shows, great location/parking/ease of admission. Not overcrowded, 2 days to choose from and good rooms with hardly and sound spill (unlike the Wam show). Yes the Wam show is mre fun, informal, mixed and amateur...or it was...?
 
eddieedwards said:
The electronics were some highend luxman, and an innuos server (can't remember what the TT was). I think this was my favourite and would never have imagined pmc and luxman together.

I've heard luxman twice recently (dali epicon the other time) and they have made quite an impression on me. Lovely stuff IMO and making me wonder whether my Leben stays!
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Ah, Luxman & Innuos - thanks for confirmation! Just could not remember the combo.
 
Not having attended a show for years it was interesting that the preferred methods of replay seemed to be LP and streaming not CD. There were two rooms with reel to reel (one digital, the other analogue) both sounded very good.
 
My dear, CD is soooo yesterday.

serious tho...yoof buys streamer, or vinyl.
It's only a few oldsters who know what CD IS!?
 
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