advertisement


WigWam Scalford 2014 pics etc

Bob McC said:
Moving a Naim pre amp the optimum distance from the power amp is clearly beneficial.
Power supply even more so.
I'm surprised you don't notice it.

If the owner wasn't that bothered it makes the Yamaha comparison rather a waste of time doesn't it?
Click to expand...

I agree. The reason Naim kit in particular needs attention to spacing is due to the fact they use much bigger transformers than you'll normally find in audio gear. The Hi-Cap uses a 500VA transformer, for example. Stack them too close together and you lose all the benefit of them being separates in the first place.

Mr Tibbs
 
The Wilson Sophias sounded really good, the big room made it a bit easier to make them work, but they still needed a lot of power on tap to fill the room with music.
 
Interesting how people hear things and of course it could have been the music but I found the Wilsons very sibiliant. I can understand that the larger than life presentation could be exciting.

When I heard the Quadraphonic system it did provide a sort of 3D sound, it sounded like there were 3 speakers, 2 in the usual postion and one at the back mid. It seemed noticeably inferior to a modern 5.1 system. However Serge must have used the speakers without taking any measurements, I estimate they had a bandwidth of ~100Hz.
 
That room is just too big and too empty, it just needs furnishing/treating, standing at the back there was too much h/f .
Keith.
 
Great show with massive effort from everyone.
We were lucky enough to be in the room next door to the stacked ESLs, and being a big fan and owner of 57s that was very handy indeed
They sounded wonderful particularly on simpler music and especially music from the same era as the 57s, where the limitations of the small room weren't so intrusive. Unmistakeable mid and top transparency and coherence and they certainly play plenty loud in this configuration. Brilliant effort, demonstrating that these things can work well and that stacking does overcome most of the limitations of a single pair.

The other interesting room for me was the Quadraphonic demo arranged by Serge. Never even seen let alone heard a quadrophonic record so hearing this actually work was a first.
It does work - very well in fact, and thanks to Serge for the considerable time and effort building the decoder and associated bits. Being fair to Serge, I think the demo was intended to show how the system works, not a demonstration of top notch audio.

I had the shakes and a hangover from too much guiness consumption, followed by about three hours sleep which made operating the TT fun, and I'm blaming that on Mr Toy :)
 
Robert said:
Great show with massive effort from everyone.
We were lucky enough to be in the room next door to the stacked ESLs, and being a big fan and owner of 57s that was very handy indeed
They sounded wonderful particularly on simpler music and especially music from the same era as the 57s, where the limitations of the small room weren't so intrusive. Unmistakeable mid and top transparency and coherence and they certainly play plenty loud in this configuration. Brilliant effort, demonstrating that these things can work well and that stacking does overcome most of the limitations of a single pair.

The other interesting room for me was the Quadraphonic demo arranged by Serge. Never even seen let alone heard a quadrophonic record so hearing this actually work was a first.
It does work - very well in fact, and thanks to Serge for the considerable time and effort building the decoder and associated bits. Being fair to Serge, I think the demo was intended to show how the system works, not a demonstration of top notch audio.

I had the shakes and a hangover from too much guiness consumption, followed by about three hours sleep which made operating the TT fun, and I'm blaming that on Mr Toy :)
Click to expand...

Which quadrophonic system was Serge using, Robert? QS, SQ, or CD4?

Chris
 
CBS SQ.

I think Serge had special dispensation to play Pink Floyd records, given they were generally banned :)

'Money' sounded very impressive and demonstrated the system well.
 
Robert said:
CBS SQ.

I think Serge had special dispensation to Play Pink Floyd records, given they were generally banned :)

'Money' sounded very impressive and demonstrated the system well.
Click to expand...

I've got an old Pioneer QD210 SQ decoder festering in the loft, I think. Next time I'm up there I'll dig it out. There's also a JVC 4DD-5 CD4 demodulator.

There may even be my old JVC 4MD-20X Shibata tipped cartridge knocking about somewhere, but god knows where. That was a seriously nice sounding cartridge, by the way. Here's the original spec (courtesy of vinyl Engine)
Specifications

Application: playback of 4-channel or 2-channel discs

Structure: magnetic

Stylus: Shibata 4DT-20X

Output: 2.0mV

Channel balance: 0.5dB

Frequency response: 20 to 60,000Hz!!!!!

Stylus pressure: 1.5 to 2.0g

Load: 47 to 100kohms


I may dig that lot out & have a play.

Chris
 
h.g. said:
They look nice but the tweeter/mid arrangement is going to have a very poor directivity.
Click to expand...

I can only ask, if you have heard them as when our little group had a first hearing and that was before they had,had time to bed in directionality was something that they certainly were not short of quite the reverse I would have said.
oldie
 
oldie said:
I can only ask, if you have heard them as when our little group had a first hearing and that was before they had,had time to bed in directionality was something that they certainly were not short of quite the reverse I would have said.
oldie
Click to expand...

I liked them, one of the more 'vivid' sounding of the horn systems on demonstration. I wasn't convinced by the bass integration though - I never seem to be when direct horn loading is matched with rear.
 
YNWOAN said:
Well, not when I was there - I didn't hear any Floyd though, a bit of Tubular Bells and something else.
Click to expand...

I heard that too and agree is wasn't the best demo - all too distant and weak.
The Floyd had much more punch and solidity.

By 'worked' I mean does the positioning thing as it should. I'm not commenting on the audio quality which was inevitably limited by the tiny actives at the front, equally tiny passives at the rear (which cost Serge £10) and a massive and oddly proportioned room.
 
I wasn't there and haven't heard these' La Scala' type horns...although they look a tremendous effort, beautifully realised.
A friend, who did listen to them for quite a period, told me that they were very directional, so much so, that the top disappeared when he stood up or moved around. Whether this is correct, and how much it matters, only time will tell. Personally, it wouldn't be a problem because I sit in the same spot; the 57 beams quite a lot, but that didn't stop it becoming a classic. There are always compromises with speakers, always.....
 
The Event Opals didn't sound great compared to previously, including a boomy bass. They were nearly blocked by the Meridians to be fair.

The DSP6000s were good in the bass thanks partly to the Anti-Mode I presume. But otherwise they were strident IMHO (was the Anti-Mode trying to correct mid/high frequencies too?) I've heard DSP5200 alone sound far better elsewhere.

Putting all the above together with previous impressions of these fine brands, I conclude the room was the culprit.
 
Pac1 said:
Audio Note J. Peter Qvortrup bought the rights to Snell designs after Peter Snell's passing (in fact he bought up a lot of the existing stock, including cabinets before manufacturing himself). Drivers are I understand from Seas manufactured specially for AN.

They also make the "E" and the "K" but not the "A"
Click to expand...

And if you have an old pair of Snell's A J or K's which are knackered, you can have them converted to AN spec using a kit from Audionote, a good friend has just had his shagged type E's converted to AN E's, he's chuffed to bits.
 
Speaking as an exhibitor I'd just like to thank anyone who came along.
We are all enthusiasts, both here and on the Wam, and it needs exhibitors showing their kit and attendees paying their money to work.
Please dont forget this is not a commercial show.
We're not trying to sell stuff.
Just happy to be there amongst like minded individuals.
Soundwise, it aint easy.
Many only got access to rooms at 0900hrs, the show starts at 1000hrs.
In terms of music, if you dont like what's playing, ask for something else.
I personally was delighted to play anything anybody asked me, irrespective of my tastes. I use the word "taste" in respect of my music very loosely. ;-)
It was a really fun weekend and I sincerely hope the paying public got something out of it.
Hope to see you next year.
Cheers
Steve
 
Robert said:
The other interesting room for me was the Quadraphonic demo arranged by Serge. Never even seen let alone heard a quadrophonic record so hearing this actually work was a first.
Click to expand...

I never found Serge's room this year, I'd have liked to hear that. I've never yet got to see everything!

On a similar subject I've always fancied hearing the DBX compressed / expanded records. They sound absolutely bloody terrible played normally (as one would expect). I found a stack of them at a car boot or market stall ages ago for about 50p a throw, direct cuts, half-speed etc, some still sealed. Once I realised they sounded like crap on a normal TT I bunged them on eBay. Did all right some of them too. Always wondered what they'd have sounded like with the little DBX box thingy.
 
Robert said:
I heard that too and agree is wasn't the best demo - all too distant and weak.
The Floyd had much more punch and solidity.

By 'worked' I mean does the positioning thing as it should. I'm not commenting on the audio quality which was inevitably limited by the tiny actives at the front, equally tiny passives at the rear (which cost Serge £10) and a massive and oddly proportioned room.
Click to expand...


No, I understand, I meant the same thing - the phantom positioning trick didn't work at all for me or my mate Dave.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top