The UK Audio Show
This was the first Audio Show in the UK since Covid. It was well attended when I went on Saturday and well organised observing all the Covid rules. The overall sound quality of the rooms was good. And there were some stand out rooms which I mention below. I was able to re-make contacts with people from industry and the whole atmosphere was very friendly. It was also good to meet Wam acquaintances and exchange stories of great and less good sounding audio.Anyway, onto the rooms.
Starting at the Audionote room, which was, as usual, making some great sounds. They had an interesting item on display that I do not believe is for sale any longer.
The main Audionote system
Audionote Es in their favourite corner position
The new super valve for the Ongaku!!! No, just an interesting light that is no longer for sale.
The Fink room had a Pass Labs amplifier powering their speakers,
The sounds from the Fink speaker had excellent high frequencies from the ribbon tweeter and the bass was well integrated, making for a good sound.One of the best sounding rooms at the Show, the room from Audio Consultants. I must revisit them as they are local to me.
A Luxman D-10X CD/SACD/DAC player feeding the AVM amplifier A6.2 Master Editions amplifier (and a Luxman 590 AX Mk 2 Class A amplifier used later) and Kudos Titan T707 speakers. Nice natural sound with a real 3D sound-stage.
Closer view of the AVM amplifier. An interesting amplifier from Germany.
And the Luxman amplifier with a great feel to all the controls and a super smooth full 3D soundstage. This system played the Doug MacLeod Reference Recording with realism and in the room presence. I have since bought the CD.
Unusual speakers from BayZ Audio, the Courante 2.0 in the Chord Electronics room.
The Bay-Z speakers were powered by Chord Electronics with a Dave DAC, this was some serious electronics.
And here is the beast. So good, I returned later on in the day after the public had gone home.
And Accuphase were showing what they could do and making some really smooth, easy to listen to sounds. Accuphase and Luxman amplifiers within a few rooms of each other.
And to complete the magic trio, of course Leben...
A real Audio oasis in the Music First Audio room with a Nagra reel to reel playing through the LongDog amplifier into some great LS3/5as. It was easy to just relax into this great sounding system. Ideally suited to the room.
Small and perfectly formed. These speakers do not do thunderous bass or ripping treble, fortunately. Only music.
Silbatone amplifiers with TAD speakers. I have not seen or heard Silbatone amplifiers before but they have a superb reputation by going to Munich with some serious horn loaded speakers. And the sound quality achieved showed why they have such a good reputation.
TAD Speakers. Superb looks and sound, but expensive.
Art Audio amplifiers. I had a great conversation with Tom Willis the manufacturer. He is making some great amplifiers (SET) with distinctive looks. Tasteful glitz.
The amplifier was playing through these solid wood loudspeakers that were there to showcase the cables. The wood came from the trees lost during the Sevenoaks Storm in the UK. They sounded really interesting and the synergy with the amplifier made for great sound quality.
The source was a great turntable.
In the second Audionote room, AN Ks in the corners powered by the sublime Cobra EL34 integrated amplifier with a built-in DAC and it is fully remotely controlled. Unusual for Audionote and great value for money.
Here is the all in one Cobra. It is aimed at people who want to have taste of a good valve amplifier but without all the hassle of multiple boxes and cables.
Another view of the Cobra and not the unique stand under the table.
Icon Audio were there with a whole room of lovely valves including these KT 150 monoblocks. I like the copper tops.
And more even valve amplifiers from Icon.
And this is what was feeding the system.
In conclusion, a great show that had an interesting range of audio to see and enjoy. It was great to meet old and new acquaintances and maybe, just maybe, things are getting back to some form of normality.
