Biggest Surprises of 2012

[S-Man]

Very curious about your system Dave.
Any chance you could post up some details in the what's your bits and bobs thread?

Yes, I'll do that. I also received a couple of PMs about how we achieved the sound, if it's not too self indulgent maybe I should should include our system building philisophy.

[Howlindawg]

if it's not too self indulgent maybe I should should include our system building philisophy.

Please do.

[SergeAuckland]

Maybe because he's gone his own way and cares not of others opinions of his system. He's his own man and I'm sure there are many who wish they had his confidence. Good on him. His hifi is like his fashion sense. Confident and unique yes, to my tastes, no not really.

Vive la difference!

S.

[wee tam]

perfect description of a perfect gent , maybe we would all do well to realise its only ourselves we are trying to please , and do what he does shrug the flack off and get on with it

Maybe because he's gone his own way and cares not of others opinions of his system. He's his own man and I'm sure there are many who wish they had his confidence. Good on him. His hifi is like his fashion sense. Confident and unique yes, to my tastes, no not really.

[f1eng]

Serge's system was certainly one of the best sounding systems at the show.
IMO.
I enjoyed all the systems I listened to but probably would't choose to live with some of them. Only one system sounded awful when I was there, and it was early on, probably before it was properly set up.

[gjm]

Yes, I'll do that. I also received a couple of PMs about how we achieved the sound, if it's not too self indulgent maybe I should should include our system building philisophy.

Please do.

By all means, please start a thread. Different people have very different approaches to putting a system together.

[rdf]

from another posting elsewhere ish , 1,000 new members since scalford

bringing with them 1,000 new cable threads

[Fatmarley]

Did anyone get to hear the Edingdale speakers ? (If you didn't like them, send me a PM please)

I'm only asking because i'm tempted to try something similar for my next diy project...

[Pete the Feet]

The biggest surprise of the day for me was on hearing all those marvellous systems at Scalford, I heard a really great system when I dropped off Dave Cattlin in Rochdale. He has got shut of all his Naim kit which consisted of a multitude of boxes and replaced it with an Accuphase integrated which sounded just right. I noticed a couple of rooms at Scalford had Accuphase amps and they too had a great sound, very easy on the ear and non fatiguing.

[nak]

It was my first visit to the show and I was very impressed with it all. I had limited time due to having to get back and go to work but once I'd got my bearings I managed to find most of what I wanted to hear.

It sounds like I missed some great systems though and I didn't get much time in the rooms but I was amazed with the whole thing. To think that this is an amateur show and people are willing to cart their pride and joy for others to (hopefully) appreciate is great. I've not heard much from the hifi world and to have such a variety of stuff on show was great to see and hear. It has made me think about upgrading though. My wife is impressed to say the least.

I enjoyed every system in one way or another but a few that come to mind are the open baffle speakers, Rockmeisters system, the Kuzma tt playing an album brought in by that Kostas guy, Myrmans system and Bobc's room with the Tannoys playing Mirror in the bathroom. I've since bought The Beat's lp and it sounds nothing like it did in that room.

To top it all I won a prize on the raffle too.

Big thanks to Coco for testing my tubes , you're a star.

Looking forward to next year.

[S-Man]

Please do.

'Tis done:

http://www.hifiwigwam.com/showthread...08#post1218908

[Cyclopse]

What can be done for £100 from ebay purchases. If you get the synergy right its heaven.

[steveeg]

Had another super year at Scalford - many thanks to all who organised and exhibited.

Pleasant surprises were for me -

• Those little Linn (Kanns??) speakers right up against the wall, driven by an 80s amp - wonderful, musical sound. Shame we didn't get to hear a CDP in the system to compare with the ripped PC source.
• the Cheap as Chips room - lovely systems, easy chaps to talk to.
• the Zingalis. I had a similar response on listening to the Zingalis as I did on learning that Lily Cole got a double first from Cambridge: disgust that something so pretty performs so well.
• The various systems sporting open baffle speakers. All sounded great to me.
• That they let the owner of THOSE horns out of care to come and exhibit at the show - and he didn't even have to wear a straitjacket in among the general public.
• Still getting totally lost in the maze of rooms despite it being my third year there. Scalford is the perfect Sunday redoute for the inhabitants of the Wam.
• BIG Tannoys EVERYWHERE
• Listening to Japanese animé OSTs on some very little Tannoys.

Surprises that were neither pleasant nor unpleasant but still surprising -

• The paucity of Young DACs
• The lack of appearance of any LV speakers - I seem to recall rather enjoying them in previous years.

Non-surprises but nevertheless enjoyable moments included -

• JonR's Harbeth's sounding great ... yet again!
• Gromit's Royds sounding great ... yet again!

Wish I had chilled out a bit more and really sat and listened at length in some of the rooms. I did get round everywhere but at the expense of not spending more than 5 or 10 mins in each. I did at one point try going round in a three with my brother and a pal, but just found it awkward as invariably there are never three spare seats in a room. Call me selfish, but was much easier to dart around on my own and squeeze into the odd spare chair in a room, or squeeze into a foot of spare floor space.

Steve

[v1nn1e]

steveeg - know what you mean about getting to hear systems for very long - we were nowhere for more than 5-10 mins and still didn't get to every room. We did manage to get back to 3-4 rooms of systems that had stood out for us.

I enjoyed having someone else with whom to compare notes but it was tricky squeezing in to some of the rooms!

[steveeg]

I enjoyed having someone else with whom to compare notes but it was tricky squeezing in to some of the rooms!

Good point actually and something that I didn't realise at the time. It does help if you have someone else listening with you. Often they can point out or articulate elements that otherwise you would have missed.

[wee tam]

i took the most trusted ears (after mine) the wife's , theeee most critical listener i have ever come across

Good point actually and something that I didn't realise at the time. It does help if you have someone else listening with you. Often they can point out or articulate elements that otherwise you would have missed.

[amcluesent]

My biggest surprise, just got my exhibition kit unboxed and back together again last night!