Firebottle NVA bake off TBA?

I have a lot of respect for the way you’ve handled this, Oliver. You’ve been very forthright in respect of your initial loyalty tempering your initial thoughts, you’ve stuck at getting a resolution to this bake off and you’ve logically argued why the current bake off isn’t right. You and SavvyPaul have both made progress and deserve credit. On paper it shouldn’t be hard to organise, but it never pans out that way.

Nobody can alter what has passed, so any energy put into it won’t help. I’ll say again to anyone involved and wanting to see a bake off: Before you post, ask yourself whether your comments will take you closer to or further away from your goal.”

Good luck

I have moved these threads here to form the start of a thread for what wil hopefully be a future Firebottle/NVA beke off or bakeoffs.

Whether, when, where and how this happens will be down to the protagonists. This thread is to facilitate any arrangements or discussion and is only here for posts that help move things forward. It’s not for regurgitating the past and it’s certainly not for dragging other people into the fray. It needs to stay on topic. I won’t be as tolerant of any nonsense here, in fact I will be completely intolerant, so please don’t go there.

For my part, I have tried to help because a bake off was offered and it was accepted. I’d therefore like to see it happen because that seems fair to me. That’s as much as need to be said about how we got to here. Let’s now focus on the future and not the past.

If those involved prefer to conduct discussions via PM here, of by other means. all good by me. I’m simply providing a space and opportunity.

Looks like this could happen at MCRU in August. Not sure of a date. Being reported on HFS with Alan in the conversation so can be seen as legit.

Looks like talks have failed.

Personally, I'd give this up. There is just too wide a gap to be bridged. Anger all around it and more interest in over who was right, rather than a solution.

Hi Paul,

If i'm being honest, i am more interested in the pub grub and ale! I wouldn't attend with the Vivant. It's up to Alan to do that, as i said i wouldn't get involved. The bakeoff wont solve anything at this point. I have both at my house (in Wizard form rather than Vivant) and I know, in an unfamiliar system, the choice between the two would be VERY difficult. Now a bakeoff with the Paradise! That would interest me.  

I am walking away from this forum war. It hasn't progressed towards any solution in the last three years. It also has diverted me from what i started on this hifi journey for, the best sound i could get. Which is what i want to get back to rather than all this rivalry bullshit. The only progress between the forums has been personal, where people like yourself and i can converse like humans!!!!

The fact that those willing to negotiate and come together  have to meet on neutral ground (Thanks Westie!) says a lot. I know i am not banned at HFS but i have no interest in returning there. If the bakeoff does happen, i will read about it, like everyone else.

Well that's one person at least 😂😂

Seriously, I love this hobby and it's twist and turns. I've raced through a lot of gear and yes, possibly didn't explore some of it as much as I could have in terms of tweaks and such but I've enjoyed it and I've lost very little money on it.

Factoring in the SPOTFIRE cables, I have been pleased to contribute to peoples enjoyment of their systems. The feedback has been outstanding and I am just really happy they have been so well recieved.

I have just put together a tonearm cable which is to the same principles as the SPOTFIRE and was in use yesterday at the Bakeoff. So I'm looking to get that off the ground too. No price yet and final cosmetic decisions are yet to be made. The first one is sold though. Can't be bad!

The Wizard phonostage is currently having its circuit diagram transferred to software for a PCB by one of the most respected hifi builders in the country and Europe. It could either go on sale as a PCB and BOM for a DIYer to enjoy or as a built kit. Building your own phonostage enhances the enjoyment. I'm not sold on that idea yet. Just want to build one first and see how that sounds for personal pleasure. There are a few Phonostages that already occupy that space in the market so it will probably be a DIY kit.

I have plans for an Isolation shelf I want to build. It converts vibrational energy into friction but that's proving a challenge to get the tooling required to build a prototype.

So, you can see, I have loads going on and to continue in the Phonostage battle bullshit is just waylaying my own plans.

I don't care if I only ever build one Wizard, one Isolation shelf or one more pair of cables. I just want to be going in that direction again.

Thanks mate. I will add that I'm currently some way off being ready to promote anything just yet.

The cables are a marketable item but Marco and AoS have been very kind in allowing me to run a forum build offer there. I will stay there for the time being and once people get sick of them i may put them on eBay lol

The Wizard is some way off. The test PCB will be ordered when I get the file from (insert your own guess) and find a reputable supplier. As he's doing it for free, I am happy for him to take as long as he likes lol.

The shelf is just a drawing at the minute. Materials are decided. Dimensions are decided and it's just about getting one built and tested. The very rudimentary one I made performed better than my Compact laminate and soborthane platform and that's an achievement.

It's nice to know that I can share it all here and will do when the time comes.

Hi Paul,

Thanks you for the open invite to your bakeoffs. Who knows, if i am round your way, I may just pop in!

The SPOTFIRE should be here in about three weeks. If you still want a listen, I will email you an we can sort out the details.

The SP10 MK2 is a wonderful thing and probably the only thing I'll never sell. IIRC Dave Brook has one but it won't have the Phonomac AT1010 on it. Personally, if Dave offered to do a SP10 MK2 with Kontrapunkt b (I know he has both) with a SME V against my MK2, Kb and AT1010, I'd be very interested in that.

That would be worth the drive.

An interconnect cable that Oli has knocked up.

I have TIS and SSPMk2.

Oli is sending the Spotfire for a cable bake off that we have planned for later this year, at my place...

The SPOTFIRE are cables I made to meet my desires from a cable. I sent them out on loan to get some opinions and most folk who had them, bought a pair. It's safe to say I'm very pleased with the feedback. People have voted with their wallets. A good sign.

RG316U is the one, not the basic one and despite technical specs for the cable, it seems you need to be careful where it comes from.

Rather than buy some otherwise unknown cable and risk criticism about the plugs not being suitable either (phono plugs have capacitance issues too I remember from some time back and posh looking ones can be very ordinary under the fancy jackets), why not borrow the official Sidcup-made stuff via the loan scheme to remove another variable. I do appreciate Sommer seem to make good wires (I was sceptical I admit), but it's so easy to give avenues for cries of 'foul' here. Probably doesn't matter one iota, but just to be sure before you start. I'm trying to help, not hinder, whatever the outcome..

I think it's only Jez Arkless who reckons that. Even I think interconnects can sometimes make a (small) difference. And I've got dozens of the bloody things to prove it

😂😂

To be fair, I am not really fussed about the result as the NVA phono2 I have here responds better to the NVA super sound cord(? I forget the name, single wired version) cable surprisingly. Not.

The RG316U isn't the most balanced sounding of cables and seeing as the NVA phono2 has a bass lift from 100hz. The SPOTFIRE don't hide it, unlike the RG316U (NVA cables are made from this) Which sound leaner and a bit bass light IMO.


Savvy asked for a loan and as he's been a decent fella, I am happy to oblige.