Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Jun 19, 2022 17:45:47 GMT
Thanks for that macca Great to get a look at what was there. |
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Post by pete on Jun 19, 2022 17:52:26 GMT
Excellent commentary and thoughts on equipment, really enjoying them, Looks like an excellent show,
Thanks for posting the pictures
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Post by antonio on Jun 19, 2022 17:59:02 GMT
macca Another thank you for posting pic's and a little on your thoughts, pleased you enjoyed the YG Acoustic speakers, one of our favourites
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Post by brian2957 on Jun 19, 2022 18:02:06 GMT
Great post. Thanks Martin, really enjoyed the pictures and commentary  |
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Post by macca on Jun 19, 2022 18:03:25 GMT
Allchris Audio - based loosely on the celebrated Celestion Ditton 66. He always uses EAR amps which I don't like but still a good sound - for £3.5K (I think) worth considering.  Active ATC in the 'Chasing The Dragon' room. Sorry about the pic, they were big but they were also far away.  Graham Audio LS - something or other. Heard these before too and I quite like them even though I'm not much for BBC derived speakers. We got to listen to 'Money' on vinyl though so extra marks for that. Recommend these if you want something that won't overpower a small room but still has some body to it.  can't recall what these speakers were called but although they look impressive they were not so good, congested mids:  TAD speakers, forget the model but doesn't matter I can't afford them and neither (probably) can you. Could have sat in here all day, great sound, lots of detail but not chucked at you. Probably my runner-up for best sound at the show.  But the winner was: Kii - these things are just ridiculous. Better than what they have in studios. A youth asked for some tune I never heard of to be played to test the bass. It was monumental. They were jammed into a small room, but it didn't matter. One of the few rooms where I was compelled to ask the price - £27K for the lot but if you don't need stupid SPL then you can just get the head units for fifteen grand. If I was still working I would have to think of reasons not to and probably fail.  |
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Post by electronumpty on Jun 19, 2022 18:10:54 GMT
Great pics , thanks.
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Post by macca on Jun 19, 2022 18:17:09 GMT
macca Another thank you for posting pic's and a little on your thoughts, pleased you enjoyed the YG Acoustic speakers, one of our favourites YG Acoustic - that's it, think I called them YPG, I'll go back and fix it. yes they were very good indeed, my first words to the bloke were 'What are these speakers?' Suspect the bigger models are superb. |
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optical
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Post by optical on Jun 19, 2022 18:23:25 GMT
Brilliant stuff macca thanks for all that. Awesome pics and notes |
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Post by firebottle on Jun 19, 2022 18:24:07 GMT
I've heard some big YG speakers (£45k) and they sounded good to me.
Totally agree about the Kii, they were utterly amazing.
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Post by sq225917 on Jun 19, 2022 18:40:08 GMT
The kiis were as I expected, big money, big sound. The D&D disappointed again, so anodyne sounding. The big tads were great as was the Marten Gryphon set up in brady's room.
The surprise was the new kef actives, so close to perfect for only 6k. Fugly though.
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Post by macca on Jun 19, 2022 18:43:09 GMT
The kiis were as I expected, big money, big sound. The D&D disappointed again, so anodyne sounding. The big tads were great as was the Marten Gryphon set up in brady's room. The surprise was the new kef actives, so close to perfect for only 6k. Fugly though. That Doug Brady Marten system sounded rotten when I was in there but as I said might have been the turntable set-up. Didn't realise the amps were Gryphon. Mega-money. |
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Post by macca on Jun 19, 2022 18:43:21 GMT
Forgot one Falcon Acoustics Transmission line loudspeakers, based on the IMF 200. Despite the bad room you could tell these were good. We could have had the demo pair for £2100, which was tempting. The kit is £2800 - well worth it if you have the space for them and are handy enough to knock them up.  |
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Jun 19, 2022 18:47:20 GMT
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Post by macca on Jun 19, 2022 18:49:05 GMT
shows for me?
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Jun 19, 2022 18:53:27 GMT
Not sure what happened but I didn't have the replies either. Must have been a glitch, all good now. They look amazing 🤣 Crikey....serious stuff. |
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Post by macca on Jun 19, 2022 19:07:44 GMT
it was a good show, I really enjoyed it. Quite a lot of youngsters (under 40s) there, wasn't all us old geezers.
I now know what a £16 chicken burger tastes like too. (Outstanding, if you want to know. Which it bloody well should do at that price).
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Jun 19, 2022 20:08:13 GMT
it was a good show, I really enjoyed it. Quite a lot of youngsters (under 40s) there, wasn't all us old geezers. I now know what a £16 chicken burger tastes like too. (Outstanding, if you want to know. Which it bloody well should do at that price). Ironically, I didn't make a lot of effort to go as I would have been on me todd, turns out I know loads of folks who went. I'll make the effort next year. |
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Post by macca on Jun 19, 2022 20:36:17 GMT
Just don't take large amounts of cash or your bank card with you.
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Post by mayebaza on Jun 19, 2022 20:57:22 GMT
Thanks for the short, sweet and spicy report 👍🏿
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Bigman80
Grandmaster
The HiFi Bear/Audioaddicts/Bigbottle Owner
Posts: 16,398
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Post by Bigman80 on Jun 19, 2022 21:04:07 GMT
Just don't take large amounts of cash or your bank card with you. Not much chance of that at the minute. We're striking next week. |
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Post by stevew on Jun 20, 2022 8:46:13 GMT
Great write up Martin and agree with all your comments. Didn’t see as much as I would have liked, as my mate had to get off to a Father’s Day lunch.
The Kii’s were amazing. Mind you, when we first sat down we didn’t realise they had just started a demo of the built in dsp.
Sounded like a disco bar in Germany. Then when then switched in the room correction they were fabulous. Then they revealed we were only listening to the standmount section.
Went home to see if I had £15k down the back of the sofa.
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Post by ijrussell on Jun 20, 2022 9:50:58 GMT
I was looking forward to going to this but ended up working until 3AM on Sunday morning. It looks like I missed a really good show.
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Post by macca on Jun 20, 2022 9:54:39 GMT
Great write up Martin and agree with all your comments. Didn’t see as much as I would have liked, as my mate had to get off to a Father’s Day lunch. The Kii’s were amazing. Mind you, when we first sat down we didn’t realise they had just started a demo of the built in dsp. Sounded like a disco bar in Germany. Then when then switched in the room correction they were fabulous. Then they revealed we were only listening to the standmount section. Went home to see if I had £15k down the back of the sofa. no-one has ever agreed with all my comments before... I missed quite a few rooms which I have done every time I've been there, I only realise it when I read other people's reports. I think there must be a whole section of the place that I never find. I never saw Audionote, NVA, Living Voice and a few others. Not that I needed to listen to Audionote again, I know what their schtick is and it's not for me. Plus the time goes so fast, we were there at 10am and left gone 4pm and it wasn't like we spent ages in every room. I'm also crap at asking them to play requests, most of the demonstrators seem to have no problem doing that if someone else asks. I don't know why other than as I used to be a salesman ('It's a tough racket') I don't like to waste their time when I've no real intention of buying. It does annoy me the absolute shite music that a lot of them play. So boring, although thankfully was spared London Grammar (did spy one of their LPs but thankfully it wasn't put on). There was no bloke hitting a block of wood while a bird warbles though. That must have got played somewhere just I wasn't there at the time. Last time I was there it seemed to be ubiquitous. I think I'll make a deliberate attempt to exploit them more next time, get them to play The Godfathers or Thin Lizzy so we can have a good time  |
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Post by macca on Jun 20, 2022 10:01:52 GMT
Just found out the Accuphase CD transport is the thick end of £18K so that's that hope dashed.
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Post by stevew on Jun 20, 2022 13:06:25 GMT
Great write up Martin and agree with all your comments. Didn’t see as much as I would have liked, as my mate had to get off to a Father’s Day lunch. The Kii’s were amazing. Mind you, when we first sat down we didn’t realise they had just started a demo of the built in dsp. Sounded like a disco bar in Germany. Then when then switched in the room correction they were fabulous. Then they revealed we were only listening to the standmount section. Went home to see if I had £15k down the back of the sofa. no-one has ever agreed with all my comments before... I missed quite a few rooms which I have done every time I've been there, I only realise it when I read other people's reports. I think there must be a whole section of the place that I never find. I never saw Audionote, NVA, Living Voice and a few others. Not that I needed to listen to Audionote again, I know what their schtick is and it's not for me. Plus the time goes so fast, we were there at 10am and left gone 4pm and it wasn't like we spent ages in every room. I'm also crap at asking them to play requests, most of the demonstrators seem to have no problem doing that if someone else asks. I don't know why other than as I used to be a salesman ('It's a tough racket') I don't like to waste their time when I've no real intention of buying. It does annoy me the absolute shite music that a lot of them play. So boring, although thankfully was spared London Grammar (did spy one of their LPs but thankfully it wasn't put on). There was no bloke hitting a block of wood while a bird warbles though. That must have got played somewhere just I wasn't there at the time. Last time I was there it seemed to be ubiquitous. I think I'll make a deliberate attempt to exploit them more next time, get them to play The Godfathers or Thin Lizzy so we can have a good time Might have to go and have a lie down, as I’m agreeing with all you said here as well. Don’t know why exhibitors think it a good idea to play bass heavy techno ( or whatever it’s called) to an audience that’s mainly bald or grey. Hey ho. Mind you, one bloke was so engaged in conversation he wasn’t playing anything. I must mention the NEAT guy though.. brilliant sounds out of such a diminutive box. I was looking round the room for the sub. And beautifully presented music as well as going low. Well done. Paradoxically one of the nicest sounds of the day was from also using Klipsch Heritage (£7k)... but in the Ikon room. Lovely. Really lovely. My mate says he will probably get a pair. |
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Post by macca on Jun 20, 2022 16:08:34 GMT
Interesting re the Klipsch. I didn't like the Cornwalls much, as I said, and I never got to the room with the Heritage.
That's the only time I ever heard Klipsch. Wouldn't damn the whole range based on that but suspect none of them will be my sort of thing.
One benefit of going to these shows is it does give you an idea of what approach will work for you and what won't. Took me twenty-five years to figure out what I liked and how to get it, I think if I'd gone to some shows when I was younger that would have helped me a lot.
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Post by misterc on Jun 20, 2022 16:48:52 GMT
Just finished decanting the whole show equipment, now throughly shattered. Time for a cider or two methinks 
A thoroughly wonderful show for the real world, great organisation, event and the staff at Cranage Hall are absolutely first rate no question. Kris and his team for showing the reat of the Audio show oransizers how it should really be done. The Coherent Team:- Anne, Peter, leigh, Matt and myself would like extend a big thank you to all those that dropped by to say hello and stayed for a listen. A great positive vibe was about the place all weekend and not just from the visitors even the trade boys had smiles on their faces which there hasn't been in a while.
had a catch up with a few of the Audio Additct guys plus a lot of long term friends and customers for the north of England. This show we set out out to make a very involving and music sound that would engage on many levels, rather than to go 'Hey boys' look at us we have the best polished PA system at the show  Maybe we are maturing 
As we all listen for different aspects and traits within the music and what will float one person boat will torpedo another all of that was very evident at the show. Personally I'm not sure to can obtain a good indication of a system ability to deliver a quality sound imho IS not by standing at the back of the room with 15 other people or sticking your head in a door while trying to see if Pink Floyd/ Eric Clapped out/ Nils L are playing but as I mentioned we are all different!
I did spend time this show to visit a great many room to actually have a listen rather than a quick, three rooms caught me ear for being musical and had the ability to make you listen which were smaller, lesser know brands and set ups whoch imho played music very well no question. There were far to many big names which were under performing badly, knowing these particular brands very well it was disappointing to hear well below their best even given the room situtaion which @ Cranage is better than most and doesn't sport long glass walls and open spaces unlike a certain infamous UK show Organisers flagship product.
The North West seem to have more music lovers than kit lovers and box swappers plus they have pleasant and welcoming manner, they were the usual audio 'We know considerabily more than yow!' groups who had owned every audio piece in exsistance, but that is available at any public domain event and if they were not in atttendance show life would be dull
The Kii towers are a great and deliver an awful lot of bang per buck instant wow and zero grain if you have a tricky room worth a serious audition they will take some beating. They don't quite do it for me, but other they will be nirvania. Had a pair of Kii monitors for a few years now a lot to like when originally lauched just over £8K four or five ears ago. They are not a long term listening prospect for myself I really do like higher amplifier bandwidths, but thats me.
A lot of absolute clowns equipment about, also a lot of home grown equipment showing promise to come which was really nice to see.
Alan trousers once again were the shinning light of the Sunday proceedings, thanks to Steve W for dropping in, Martin B, Macca thank you for your comments, it did a while to get my breath back after reading them, however thank you we did mix the music up greatly so at least there would be one or two tracks that would appeal to more listeners.
Simon (Sq) and myself had a long chat I suspect we are both mellowing in our old age
Many thanks to all that dropped by see you next year
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Post by sq225917 on Jun 20, 2022 18:33:20 GMT
Lol. Who you calling old
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Post by misterc on Jun 20, 2022 19:37:35 GMT
Well Simon, I have to give msyelf some comfort as I've hit 55 now
Three other items really stood out at the weekend show, the first being these bad boys  , the second is on the third self down on the left hand rack, the shock on peoples faces when they found out they were listening to a 26 year old dac Finially the last stand out 'item' was a room that was displaying re imagined 'Briks' & the IN-famous six-pack 135's. While I may not be naim best brand ambassador this took audio reproduction to new heights of sonic grimness and without question the best method of non invaisive inner ear wax removal yet devised or unfortunately listend to albeit very, very briefly as I was walking past the pre show 'warm up' an in tune sex pistols concert had better sonic benefits than the prototype sonic weapon that was being developed in that 'exhibitors' suite
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Post by lurch on Jun 20, 2022 19:43:29 GMT
So you spent the weekend in ya slippers & PJs then?
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Maybe we are maturing 
