Bristol Hi-Fi Show 2009

Bernard said:

Justin, please continue to post them. I, for one, enjoy the pictures. I consider the prices to be only of academic interest as I can't afford them, so I don't get my knickers in a twist about them.

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Agreed! Bring on more audio porn, Justin!

User211 said:

Exactly, Bernard. And let's face it, even this more affordable gear is STILL damned expensive, really. So what, though? No point in getting upset about it.

Expensive out-of-reach products exist in fashion, jewellery, cars, houses etc. Some inevitably offer poor value. Live with it - don't get upset about it!

And if hi-end hi-fi didn't exist, there'd be nothing to aspire to. So I like the fact it exists.

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Post of the day!

OK - just for the hell of it, let's go right up to the top of the food chain. Here's the Focal Grand Utopia, captured in stunning high definition video. Outside of real life, you won't see any better than this. Simply a stunning video.

To put it on YouTube would be sacrilege.

Here's the link: http://www.filesavr.com/sdc11451

Just click on it, enter the password, and download - it's about the size of 4 MP3s.

GET IT NOW!!! It will not stay there. You will need Apple's Quicktime to watch it, or some HD drivers for Media Player.

This site is much faster than it was. It's a 3 minute download on a 1 meg connection. Go for it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoGYx35ypus

'nuff sed...

Dreamer said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoGYx35ypus

'nuff sed...

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Nice recovery...

Hey, you know, it might just be possible to have a £500K system and be 100% dead miserable.

Thanks...

I figured a comedy bit was going to be received much better than the half-page essay I'd originally intended on posting...

User211 said:

Well OK, but you did refer to the whole thread! No worries...

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I can see how you can misunderstand this - sorry!! I was referring to the Garrard, and that it would be a suitable candidate for the [OTHER] "Overrated equipment" thread. Make more sense now?

What's that Hamish? Time for some Linn, you say? Oh alright then...

Here we have the Linn Klimax active speaker, a ripNAS server/ripper/streamer that's presumably is so new it doesn't feature on the website (http://www.ripnas.com/?gclid=COjwm7GF_ZgCFQ5GQwodpFUgmg), a Klimax DS (same sort of device) and a Klimax Kontrol. Linn never could spell properly. No LP12 in sight!

If my memory serves me correctly, a Linn system I heard many years ago (LP12/Ekos/Troika LK1/LK2 amps, and Isobariks) blew this away. That was a brilliant system, very organic, fluid, stacks of bass weight, great imaging etc. Not as pretty as this one, though. I 100% take the former - it was just brilliant. One of those systems you hear that just sticks in your head.

Looks like Stereophile have reviewed some of this kit in this show from what I saw on the newstands yesterday. The Bryston CD player, the Sugden amp, and some stuff I am yet to post. They liked the CD player - which looks much nicer in silver on the cover - and the Sugden. I agree - both sounded very good to my ears. So they are right some of the time

Nice Oracle CD player http://www.oracle-audio.com/product_cd1500.html?id=cd_1000&info=info. Gap in my knowledge, here - I don't know what the rest is. However, the reason for the post is the Townshend Stella speaker stands. This system sounded very nice, and I have to say I am not sceptical that those stands do something. Even though I don't know the speakers, I could tell that the stands were having some definate effect. It's hard to put into words, though.

I'd love to try the stands on my Ascents, if they'd hold them. If anyone has tried or does in the future on any other ML, please post about it.

http://www.townshendaudio.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=79&Itemid=158

Loricraft record cleaner... NOT £12.5K this time

Info & prices here: http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:6EUBLMa654wJ:audiofederation.com/dealership/prices/loricraft/index.htm+lorricraft+record+cleaner+price&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=uk

Looks like those are Cabasse speakers. Can't find that particular model, they must be new.

Yup - you're right cstory. Just next in the photo sequence I have some more Cabasse. They don't look as though they are going to work well, do they? Well typically they are partnered with a sub, and work they do! Really well, in fact.

See link for the models: http://www.cabasse.com/en/

Staying on the French theme - here's a nice looking piece of kit - the Carat i57.

"The unit benefits from the same design care as the separated elements of Carat 57 series with a black finish and a brushed aluminum touch. The i57 holds a high-precision CD player with Burr-Brown PCM1732 24 bits/96kHz DACs, a AM/FM RDS radio tuner and a stereo amplifier delivers 2x 50W / 8Ω or 2x 80W / 4Ω with a distortion less than 1%. The i57 is equipped with bass, treble and balance settings and all basic play controls can be done through the joystick on the front panel. Carat did not forget about MP3 users because the i57 has a 3.5mm jack auxiliary input. This nice audiophile system retails for around 1,200€."

http://www.carat-audio.com/

Isn't this tasty looking piece of kit your excuse for a 2nd system?

No flash and flash shots, just for the hell of it.

Tannoy Definition DC10Ts being driven by Carat separates... whilst I'm no fan of the really big Tannoys, this system was sounding pretty OK to me. To be honest, I'd rather live with this than Tannoy Westminster Royals....

Below - a shot of Carat gear from elsewhere in the show, suffering from the necessity of flash. Check the pics on the website - they are better than these.

User211 said:

Staying on the French theme - here's a nice looking piece of kit - the Carat i57.

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Looks like a cross between Primare and Electrocompaniet...

amey01 said:

Looks like a cross between Primare and Electrocompaniet...

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And a dash of Copland.

Adam and Bernard - totally, utterly and completely!!!

OK - bone to pick with Meridian time - I spoke to the man at the door of the demo room after he let the queue in - he said the demos were once every 30 minutes. So I left, then came back 10 minutes later. I then queued for 20 minutes. I got right to the last person for a seated position - and he would let no more in, even though there was clearly standing space inside the room - and lots of it.

I lost my cool and stormed off. Missed out on the DSP8000 loudspeakers. So, Meridian, all you are going to get here is a really bad pic of a Meridian F80 and iPod dock. Cos that is all you deserve.:devil: Even this little sucker wasn't playing. It isn't cheap at around £1500.

Monitor Audio Platinum PL300 and PLW15 sub. Also, Leema Pyxis/Altair IV monos £3925/£8325 pre/power. The power amp is good for 1.83kW into 2 Ohms. So if you think your Logans need boat loads of power, here's an option

Not loud enough to make any real assessment whilst I was in there... but it was sounding pretty sweet. Ribbon tweeters always seem to go down well with me.

The pre/power combo are reviewed in Hi-Fi News April 2009, along with the Spire. SQ rating 85% - 1 less than the Spire... whatever that means

Rega P5 - nice looker http://www.rega.co.uk/index2.htm. Also Totem Acoustics loudspeakers http://www.totemacoustic.com/. Can't remember what the red box is - I have seen it before... but it escapes me at the moment.

Nothing special here sonically, but plesant enough.