Heathrow Show - is it worth it?

Anyone know who's exhibiting at the HFN show this September?
Is it worth going, at £8?
And will each room sound rubbish, what with it being only a single in an airport hotel?

I went into my local (Shrewsbury) hifi shop a couple of days ago to ask about full range speakers, and was told by the chap my only option was to go to the show as "esoteric" manufacturers weren't available eslewhere!

 

Isn't £8 cheap for having another confirmation, that your system sounds better than everything there?

 

dunno

i've never been to a hifi show but might try and get to this one and expect the worst in a bad is good kind of way. i've visions of a rooms crowded with the kind of crazies you might find at a drum clinic.

lee,ian - you up for it?

 

Hi Leonard,


here is a link of the companies who are going to be there.

http://www.hifinews.com/content/show2005/exhibitors.htm

There usually is a ticket on the cover of Hi-Fi News. This should appear on the next issue out.

I hope to be going down.

The rooms can be a mix bag. You will find some very bad sound rooms at the show. Sometimes this is with gear that can sound very good.

It can be good for looking at hifi porn in real life, picking up bargains and having a good listen to stuff that does sound good. Also it can be good when they play your own discs & records.

It can be bad when rooms are crowded, stuff sounds awful, reps get snotty and don't play you records & discs. Also companies may not be deming the stuff you want to hear.

At shows, I have enjoyed sounds from Definitive Audio, MAX and Audionote rooms to give some examples. I have even enjoyed Big Tones rooms at the shows.

Another good reason for going to shows is that it give you a chance to meet up with some of the forum regulars. Last show I went to, I met up with Sideshowbob (Ian) and we seemed to spend more time in the bar.


SCIDB

 

No one form the forum got a room there??

 

They've been phoning round asking for 'interested parties' who maybe up for a 'mutual deal' to display there. I feel its not the force it once was. Wm

 

Shows are funny things. Last time I went to a show (when it was in Hammersmith) Sugden got excellent sound from their room and the guy in the room was chatty and very helpful. At the same show VYGER were demoing there very big turntables and really seemed disappointed I wasn't a distributor - I felt sorry for them.

However, there always seems to be a company with low powered valves putting out nice music next to a room doing a home cinema demo who simply try to be as loud as possible.

It's quite enjoyable to have a stroll round and actually see/hear stuff in the flesh but too many times some of the gear I'd like to hear is on static display only.

Each show I've been to, I think about 5 now, I'm always glad to get back and listen to my own system - although normally return with a quantity of vinyl which makes it an expensive trip.

 

That's my problem!
Plus it's a 3 hour drive each way, so the bar's a bit of a no-no..
But I notice it's a 2 tickets for £8 deal if you buy in advance - does that work out cheaper than the one on the front of HFN?
And I'd quite like to check Lee's speakers (Lema), and Usher produced surprisingly good sounds last time I went (8 years ago?)

 

Come on, for a day of entertainment £8 isn't bad!

 

I find HIFI shows are often disapointing I just end up listening to £2000 system and thinking so what becuase of accustics of the room are so awful.

 

go because its a laugh to meet everyone and have a drink.

You get 'some idea' of what kit sounds like, even if its a bit vague and room-centric.

I'll be there for a laugh.

PS if anyone does see a mag with a free ticket - stick up a post to say so!

Cheers
Chris

 

Its a bit of a treck from Yorkshire so will probably give it a miss this year, thet are a bit dissapointing from experience.

 

I found it great to meet people with similar interests. The porn was good too.

 

I agree with Bottleneck and Tenson. Just treat it like a day out, meet people and have a chat or two....

 

good day out, but a long way to go from here.

 

Eat before you go or be prepared to pay through the nose for a sandwich that probably fell off a nearby plane.
Take your own music unless you are happy to listen to the American Beauty soundtrack in every other room, or some beautifully recorded drug addled goat herder playing a theremin on an obscure label.
Accept that the acoustics are iffy in most of the rooms and that it is impossible to listen critically with so much background disturbance. But don't accept any excuses from an overzealous rep for poor sound quality on the day. Unless he looks like a nightclub bouncer.
Talk to the regulars that make this hobby so interesting and entertaining: Max Townsend, Ken Kessler, Tony Faulkner to name a few.
Be staggered by the variety of sound and everyone's interpretation of what is perfect.
Listen to kit that you have read some reviews for – it may help you better understand how a particular reviewer describes sound quality in future.
Revel in schadenfreude when you hear just how over the top and unmusical some of the most expensive systems can sound.
Enjoy the sound of your own system when you return home.
But above all, go. I have been six times since 1988 and although often disappointed by some supposedly aspirational kit have always come away with at least three positive experiences, for example: Border Patrol / Living Voice Avatar OBX-R; Resolution Audio CD / Border Patrol again / Audio Acoustics (how much???); SD Acoustics SD1; a hilarious 'Wayne's World' moment in one of the theatres listening to a surround sound demo by Linn / PMC playing Bohemian Rhapsody turned up to 11.
If you don't go you may miss out on a gem that could shape your listening in future.

 

I like the American Beauty sound track...

 

And from here, too. One of the few things I remember from my only visit to UK was the "Penta Show" in 1984.


Regards,

L.

 

Well I shall probably make it down, it's only about 50 miles for me and I do like to see what's going on even if the sound is not quite up to par (which it often isn't).

I also like to people watch and find it quite amusing to see people's snobery outwardly displayed in various characteristics

 

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