Silverstone show, visitor reports.

You cant get 24 Bit 192 off a CD. If someone wants to play high resolution recordings then they will have to use something like a pewter of hard drive thingy to play it.

I had a few records cut for me a few years ago. It all comes off a computer.

 

really?

so ''younger folk'' are apparently people who will buy £10k speakers, £8K amps, £4k of assorted other accompanied bits and pieces, but ....insist on putting an ipod in front?!

 

Hi Rob,

Aimming for the 'younger end', are you sure about that? It's true, there were alot of older people at the show. I didn't notice many young people. I did see more women this year.

If they want to attract the younger end, why are they putting on Rick Wakeman for £35.

The music played in most rooms isn't going to attract them.

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chris, we should have gone to the cona room at least they were using analoge valvulas,
nando.

 

two things that i would like to say, if not more: the heathrow shows at a decade properly organised were a great venue at the time when they had starting hi-fi at an afordable price leading to upper levels, it was supposed to introduce young and up and coming either young or midle aged people to the pleasure of sonic entertaiment, then as always thoughout averice and upstart attitude "i am the man" ignored those who could not aford the items on show but dreamed that they could work hard and save to one day afford to buy, but no ,they decided to ignore all those parents and kids because they were only passengers without tickets, shame i thought the young ones are your future customers, not averice that will be your down fall,
sobing i am,
nando.

 

We seemed to miss the Puresound/Aspara room completely - shame as it sounds like it was one of the better rooms

 

Loved it!

Had a great time - excellent location, lots to see and do and some great kit.

Highlights :
The Soundsmith room - all round excellent.
The EAR Yoshino room - the most 'musical', I could listen to that all day!
The Bose Room - I never found it. Missed it completely. Result!
Lou Reed 'Candy Says' during the Crystal Cable 'Arabesque' demo - the one memorable track of the day.
Lunch - it was very nice and reassuringly expensive!

Lowlights :
The Audio note room - although how they managed to get music coming out of the speakers whilst the sub played a track of someone jumping up and down on a big wodge of 'fart putty' was quite clever!
Volume creep - by the end of the day I couldn't really hear anything above the sound of each room being excited to death!
The signage - it felt like being in one of those lab experiments where they teach mice to navigate around a maze - I failed dismally and never did find any cheese!
The music - There is a reason 'popular' music is so named! Instead we got the usual demonstrator competition to see who could play the most obscure plink-fest. Tedious!

Did two of the lectures - Peter Comeau demonstating that Quad valve amps aren't a very good match for PMC monitors but sound OK with Quad electrostats and Sir Alancom trying to pursuade us that audiophiles need something better than AB(X) testing. Ho hum.:SLEEP:

Overall I thought the sound in the majority of rooms I visited was poor, with a fair few of the demonstrators making apologetic comments about the 'sound' of their room. Hopefully the organisors will stick to this venue and that will give all the demonstrators a chance to get themselves sorted out and make a better fist of it next year. Stick me down for a two day ticket!

 

lol

I attended this one. It was a bose 'conceal the item till the end for a revelation' type event.

On demonstration was the latest sound dock for Ipod, which will be coming out around the £700 mark.

I know the cheaper one quite well - my next door neighbour has one on my reccomendation. It is about £150-£200 ish. It sounds great in my view. The latest Bose sound dock was much better, and I would estimate on my auditions of the B&W zepplin - better than that too. Probably the best sound-dock type device I've heard.

Of course at £700 we are at a high price now, and other alternatives creep in - like seperates, speakers, ipod docks etc. None of these of course are small integrated docks, so I'm sure there is a market for a top of the range small integrated dock.

I'm pleased I attended the bose show.

My gut reaction is that sales of this top of the range bose sound dock will be low, in reaction to the price - but perhaps they expect that.

 

Hi,

Here are some photos









































more to come.

SCIDB

 

wow a proper tape deck,might gave to attend the next on with one of my party compilations

 

........nice pics, i loved that akai reel-to reel i my self have a tascam, i thought it was a very amusing demo, also the garrard vynil cleanig machine, awesome,
nando.

 

also the new project t/t was awesome both in looks and sound, i hope that one day the "hi-fi " show may come back to london, but i don't mind where it is held so long as the atmosphere comes back and attract younger enthusiasts to the trade and more affordable hi-fi is available as a starting point with a view to future members to upgrade, i think that averice of the trade should try and bring back the young to hi-fi but as i am leaving in the past i proably not to see that coming back,
nando.

 

Hi,

Some more photos























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more nice pics on what was a nice day out, good to see old faces and new ones,
nando.

 

Hi,

More to show



























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Hi,

A few more














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Noel Keywood, publisher

I've just seen your comments on my LP v CD demo at Whittlebury and need to give you a postscript to explain.

A few people complained about the sound from LP and in particular, James Henriot of Whest Audio (who uses an Ortofon Per Windfeld) felt there was a problem - and there was. I remembered afterward that the Icon Audio PS 1.2 phono stage I used, which tested correctly beforehand, only works properly at full gain. Unfortunately, we used the output level control to equalise level to CD and treble was -4dB down at 20kHz as a result. So there was a problem and I can only apologise to all those who came and were disappointed. It torpedoed all the work we put into the entire demo.

It was my intention to compare LP to CD, not to try and prove it sounded "better". It sounds different and I prefer it, but not everyone agrees. I deliberately used an 'affordable' LP replay system with Ortofon 2M Black cartridge in SME M2-10 arm, to avoid being accused of unfair bias in favour of LP. Next time I will use a Rega RB301 or SME V perhaps, likely with an Ortofon Cadenza Bronze (my preference), with a CD player of similar cost.

I took ten LPs and their equivalent CDs. As I explained at the time, in some cases the LP sounded worse than the CD, due to the use of a poor cutting master, cheap re-cycled vinyl or a bad cut. I invited the audience to make up their own minds as to which they preferred and most preferred the vinyl. All the same, next time I will ensure LP isn't obviously afflicted. Although I was trying to be even handed in the comparison, it's perhaps unrealistic to be playing bad LPs at a hi-fi show.

I recently visited Metropolis Studios and was given a half speed cut, high quality pressed, 200gm 45rpm version of tracks from Eleanor MvEvoy's Yola album. Sound quality is extraordinary; it's like listening to a master tape and I will use this also at any future demo. I've suggested to Metropolis they make this available for purchase, by the way, so everyone can hear what LP can really do. This will make a few jaws drop.

The first time I did this demo, at Manchester Show in 07, all went well but it was a Hi-Fi World demo alone and we arranged all replay equipment. At Whittlebury I asked Martin Colloms and Peter Comeau to participate, introducing a lot more complication and problems I had not anticipated. Electrocompaniet offered us a system then told us the loudspeakers would not be ready in time. I decided to use the PMC IB2 monitors Martin had ordered but Friday night they sounded awful, because they had been built specially but had not been run in (but nobody told us). The Bryston amps didn't work, Martin said (PMC said they did, he missed the rear power switch!) so a Krell was dragged in at the last moment. We ended up using Peter Comeau's Quad CD and preamp, driving Martin's Krell power amp driving PMCs that did a good job, but still would not have been my choice! I suspect they needed much more running in. Next time we will again use an all-Hi-Fi World system, worked out and tested in advance, to avoid the pandemonium!

So my comparison wasn't - er - too good in the end, I have to admit. I am disappointed too, because a lot of work went into it, all the same. So please accept my apologies - and thanks to all that came. I hope I will get it right next time.
Noel Keywood, publisher

 

The show was set in a great hotel in my view, a bit far to get to from where i live but worth going to with great guys like dev "choufer" rob holt, and happy simon "tenson" and chris "bottleneck",
the question that i would like to ask is will it be held at the same place again next year and who might be the organiser ?
nando.

 

Welcome to the forum Noel.

Nando, I don't have an issue with the location of the show, it was more central and not too difficult to get to. I thought the real issue was the poor floor organisation and the lack of signs. As Rob said we missed out on some rooms and found others by accident.

 

Hi Nando,

I agree with Dev, I don't have an issue with the location. It needed to be more central. Getting to Silverstone is alot easier than getting to Heathrow. You are not stuck in that car park called the M25.

It seems that the organisers, The Chestergroup, will be doing it again next year in September. There is still a london show in March and also a Manchester show in January.

I also agree about the signage but things like that sould improve for next year. I did like the size of some of the rooms.

SCIDB