Wam show , WOW how good was that ,

eddie-baby

Wammer
Wammer
Feb 28, 2009
6,813
3,803
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Pembrokehsire
AKA
Eddie
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Brilliant weekend!

Great to see everyone there and the ones that couldn't make it this time were also missed :(

Introduced to a few new faces there as well, great people of all ages and walks of life. The Wam community just keeps getting better here!

Massive thanks to all the organisers for making it happen and of course the Wammers. Great to have Duvet back as well, the Wam/Show was not the same without you. He was on form all weekend as well, from the raffle to the charity auction (that was great fun and entertaining), to the curry house, well done mate (y) Danny kept well oiled there even to the point we were a bit worried for Lurch with the bromance level at the end of play there :D

I went as a visitor this time and still didn't get the chance to see half the show! I kept getting welded to seats as there was some absolutely amazing systems/music playing! The effort people put in never ceases to amaze!

Too many great highlights to list! Keith rattling a fire extinguisher off the wall with his little speakers was amusing tho :D

I'll exhibit next time as I can't get around the rooms anyway so may as well just do my own :)



I did really like Big Rods idea though when I spoke to him. Next time if we could perhaps keep the show on the main corridor rooms and use the side wings etc for sleeping guests might help things a touch. It was a bit of a maze I thought, if it's all on straight runs be easier for guests and wammers navigating room hopping.

Fantastic show though nonetheless! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
 

deggie

Wammer
Wammer
Feb 12, 2011
7,349
3,488
158
edge of birmingham
AKA
keith
HiFi Trade?
  1. Yes
Brilliant weekend!

Great to see everyone there and the ones that couldn't make it this time were also missed :(

Introduced to a few new faces there as well, great people of all ages and walks of life. The Wam community just keeps getting better here!

Massive thanks to all the organisers for making it happen and of course the Wammers. Great to have Duvet back as well, the Wam/Show was not the same without you. He was on form all weekend as well, from the raffle to the charity auction (that was great fun and entertaining), to the curry house, well done mate (y) Danny kept well oiled there even to the point we were a bit worried for Lurch with the bromance level at the end of play there :D

I went as a visitor this time and still didn't get the chance to see half the show! I kept getting welded to sats as there was some absolutely amazing systems/music playing! The effort people put in never ceases to amaze!

Too many great highlights to list! Keith rattling a fire extinguisher off the wall with his little speakers was amusing tho :D

I'll exhibit next time as I can't get around the rooms anyway so may as well just do my own :)



I did really like Big Rods idea though when I spoke to him. Next time if we could perhaps keep the show on the main corridor rooms and use the side wings etc for sleeping guests might help things a touch. It was a bit of a maze I thought, if it's all on straight runs be easier for guests and wammers navigating room hopping.

Fantastic show though nonetheless! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Didnt know you were there eddie ........glad you enjoyed the show.
 

bencat

Amplifier Destroyer
Wammer Plus
Feb 6, 2010
10,311
8,115
208
Liverpool
AKA
Andrew
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I think after this show the very clever team will sort out the best rooms to use and let all the small rooms be used as sleepers . The Team will know better than any of us what were the failings on all sides and they will get addressed . Almost because of the issues and the help and kindness of other Wammers we managed to have music . So maybe that friendly feeling comes having to get over problems and no I am not asking for more problems but maybe people like me make too much of them instead of laughing and just finding a solution . We all still had a great time so let's just make the next one bigger and better .
 

eddie-baby

Wammer
Wammer
Feb 28, 2009
6,813
3,803
158
Pembrokehsire
AKA
Eddie
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Didnt know you were there eddie ........glad you enjoyed the show.
Well there'll be no mistake next show Keith, if you are able to attend of course. I'll be nailed to a room as a solo exhibitor, come and see me bud, I'll have a beer waiting for you. And bring some of your best vinyl to play please, but a CD will do as well of course if we have to slum it to that level, lol :D
 

eddie-baby

Wammer
Wammer
Feb 28, 2009
6,813
3,803
158
Pembrokehsire
AKA
Eddie
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Just thinking back tho there were a few ‘veteran’ wammers (not going to name them) who are always at shows that didn’t appear ….hope the team can encourage them to be around in April
There was quite a few that had prior engagements anyway I think Keith, there was no shortage of people there at all but I do think the next show is going to be something special on the footfall, Wammers and guests. Can't wait for it!
 

lostwin

Tinker Bod
Wammer Plus
Nov 26, 2018
2,469
2,473
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Folkestone, Kent
AKA
Richard
HiFi Trade?
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Well, I’m totally pooped and having a much earned chill in front of the football tonight. Fortunately, the journey back was smoother than the way up (6.5 hours 🙁)

What a great weekend though. Great to meet both familiar members and those I have only previously known from their online posts. I thought there was an excellent spirit in the whole group and a determination to kick start the show again after it’s enforced hiatus. The hotel has the makings of a happy future home.

As an exhibitor, it never seems as if there is enough time to see many of the other rooms, but the dozen or so I managed to spend a few minutes in displayed all the amazing variety of approaches possible in this hobby a nd great sounds to boot.

Sat here now, I’m not sure I would ever attempt to haul the Snells again to a future show, but I hope that those who dropped by my room enjoyed what they heard. Nevertheless, I am well up doing it again with something a little more compact in the future.

Thanks to all the show organisers for all the time invested and it sounds like plans are already being formed for the next show. It’s a unique event, so if you were waivering and didn’t make it this time (or the train strike prevented you), don’t hesitate to come along for the next one.
 

rabski

Everything in moderation
Staff member
Dec 2, 2006
32,873
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173
Kettering
AKA
Richard
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Well, I’m totally pooped and having a much earned chill in front of the football tonight. Fortunately, the journey back was smoother than the way up (6.5 hours 🙁)

What a great weekend though. Great to meet both familiar members and those I have only previously known from their online posts. I thought there was an excellent spirit in the whole group and a determination to kick start the show again after it’s enforced hiatus. The hotel has the makings of a happy future home.

As an exhibitor, it never seems as if there is enough time to see many of the other rooms, but the dozen or so I managed to spend a few minutes in displayed all the amazing variety of approaches possible in this hobby a nd great sounds to boot.

Sat here now, I’m not sure I would ever attempt to haul the Snells again to a future show, but I hope that those who dropped by my room enjoyed what they heard. Nevertheless, I am well up doing it again with something a little more compact in the future.

Thanks to all the show organisers for all the time invested and it sounds like plans are already being formed for the next show. It’s a unique event, so if you were waivering and didn’t make it this time (or the train strike prevented you), don’t hesitate to come along for the next one.
Nooooooooo. You've simply got to bring them again. Even with the far too brief listen I got on the Sunday (could just about get my head round the door as your room was rammed) they sounded spectacular 😍
 

DUVET

Administrator
Staff member
Sep 7, 2021
3,976
15,200
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58
Middle
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Well, I’m totally pooped and having a much earned chill in front of the football tonight. Fortunately, the journey back was smoother than the way up (6.5 hours 🙁)

What a great weekend though. Great to meet both familiar members and those I have only previously known from their online posts. I thought there was an excellent spirit in the whole group and a determination to kick start the show again after it’s enforced hiatus. The hotel has the makings of a happy future home.

As an exhibitor, it never seems as if there is enough time to see many of the other rooms, but the dozen or so I managed to spend a few minutes in displayed all the amazing variety of approaches possible in this hobby a nd great sounds to boot.

Sat here now, I’m not sure I would ever attempt to haul the Snells again to a future show, but I hope that those who dropped by my room enjoyed what they heard. Nevertheless, I am well up doing it again with something a little more compact in the future.

Thanks to all the show organisers for all the time invested and it sounds like plans are already being formed for the next show. It’s a unique event, so if you were waivering and didn’t make it this time (or the train strike prevented you), don’t hesitate to come along for the next one.

Or come Friday next time and make it a 3 day weekend ;)
 

savvypaul

NVA Hi-Fi
HiFi Trade
Jan 11, 2017
7,083
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Durham Uk
nvahifi.co.uk
AKA
Paul
HiFi Trade?
  1. Yes
Next time if we could perhaps keep the show on the main corridor rooms and use the side wings etc for sleeping guests might help things a touch.
A different view would be to alternate show room and sleep rooms, so that you have a buffer between each room during the show itself. It could help improve the 'Signal to Lurch ratio' :ROFLMAO: 🔊
 

Non-Smoking Man

Wammer
Wammer
Mar 31, 2009
6,482
2,522
158
Chichester W. Sussx.
AKA
Jack lambert
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Thanks to all the organisers who did a great job in revitalising the Show.

Thanks to Peter Quortrup's organisation, Audionote for contributing and adding a little bit of gravitas to the occasion and to Supra Cables for having a stall. Darko, who knows jessica_k, whom I was helping and supporting in her debut show, spent some time in our room chatting to the two of us and displayed a tremendous grasp of his subject and was an excellent representative of AN (UK) (room 208).

I liked the venue and I felt like this would be our new home - it WAS like Scalford only better, especially the floors. The staff were lovely, weren't they?

I understand our scouts werent able to see all the rooms, hence there were one or two mismatches, such as the wondrous Klipsch Cornwalls in the staff broom cupboard! Ady, the exhibitor, was actually alongside me at dinner and expressed an iota of disbelief on opening his door for the first time, but, in the spirit of the Wam, got on with making the best of the lot that was given him - doing a good job in the process and entering the Wam Show 'Hall Of Fame' in the process.

Talking of another hall of famer, Rabski completely turned his system round from when I was present when initially setting up to produce one of the sounds of the Show. (But then then we both love a bottle, though in his case, that's now in the past tense.) It's a shame he couldnt stay for Sunday's curry night as I'm certain that he would have been accorded the credit he deserves for sticking with us and doing a great job when the speeches were being made. I'm sure Duvet and Paul appreciate what a stalwart he has been over the last couple of years, as do we all.

Worthy of a mention as a debutante was Richard (Lostwin) who went out of his way (from Eastbourne) to show his Snell A's. They put up an impressive display driven by a John Wood push pull and a phono stage and pre that put in an appearance at my bake off. His excellent system reminded one or two of us of Dom's efforts a few years ago with the same speakers, when he stole the show. Really well done there.

The social side of things was a joy - loads of people whom I knew from the past were there and it was great to see them. Andrew, Paul, of course (great job sir), Julian, Rick, Tony J, Keith (great effort, no, amazing effort), Steve 57, Taut and Jester, plus friends from the south coast inc. Lurch and Chrisph and Jules_s both of whom were on hand to help where needed (well done them!), Richard, Ian, Pete etc. etc..and also diceman (JP) and his friend Kevin who came as punters this time, but may bring a system next time - watch this space!

A dark horse was a guy called James from Norfolk - he was opposite me at dinner and mentioned he was a late entrant and not in the programme, but that he had brought a Be driven pair of horns. We raced up to his room to have a listen, clutching a pint Speedracer had bought me, eager to hear them (sorry Brook I should have been courteous enough to have sat with you then and supped it there), dragging a few inquisitive folk with us. I urged James to maintain contact after the show as I would love to hear his complete system, of which this was only a small part.

Spare a thought for Speedracer and Wizmax who spent most of both journeys struggling in limp home mode, but soldiered on regardless (medals in the post) and a mention for a certain Wammer who paid for all of our curries on Friday out of his own pocket. I wont name him but thankyou - great wamming there.

The Show did quirky too, eg., the shy man who had an active system that resembled the results of a 'Scrap Heap Challenge' with 4, no less, Naim tweeters at the top of his personal Christmas tree. Classic..

Other stuff went on and these are just a few snippets from my own Wam Diary.
I have to thank Jessica, my co exhibitor, and congratulate her on the performance of her own designs in the system and for her demeanor and patience throughout the 4 days.

Finally, a shout-out for Bazzer who manned the Charity Bring And Buy. (How does he stay so annoyingly slim?)

Jack NSM
 
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harv

Hard working slacker
Wammer Plus
Jan 5, 2006
1,722
235
163
deepest S.London, ,
AKA
erm... guess
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I have to thank Jessica, my co exhibitor, and congratulate her on the performance of her own designs in the system
It was really nice to meet you and Jessica and spend some time listening to a really lovely system. Also many thanks for sharing your freshly brewed coffee and making my Saturday morning so pleasant :cool:
 
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yespsb

Newbie
Wammer
Jan 15, 2019
117
101
63
North West
AKA
paul bristow
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Even though I have been interested in all things audio for more than 30 years this was my first audio event, as such I arrived with a mixture of curiosity and anticipation. My first reaction was this is bit odd and anorakish, an hour later I was enjoying it and after two hours I was fully immersed and loving it. Every exhibitor was welcoming and more than happy to help my understanding of their system.
To everyone involved I would to offer my sincere thanks, it's an amazing demonstration of passion, knowledge and individuality and it had a genuine feel good factor. ATB Paul
 

Jailbreaker

Wammer Plus
Wammer Plus
Jan 12, 2020
88
111
88
East Warwickshire
AKA
Brendan
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
My first show and what a great experience. I know it has been said but thanks again to the organisers, the exhibitors and a whole host of people that must work tirelessly behind the scenes. For me it was great to be able to put some faces to the names I regularly see on the forum. Forum comments like Lurch will be on the door have more meaning for me now (what a wonderful system he had) even if I no longer sleep well at night. I learned that I will have to be more organised next time as I missed some rooms that I would loved to have visited due to the maze that was the hotel and their unique (read random) room numbering system. I also came away from the show with my first ever valve amplifier (thanks Jessica) and more importantly wonderful memories.

I should also mention how welcoming everyone was and the willingness to discuss their system and just generally chat about hifi. I never at any stage felt like a newbie that didn't belong and that is a credit to forum community as a whole. I am still amazed at the patience with which bencat explained how his DSP worked, to say nothing of the enthusiasm and joy on his face when he played a song by the Rankin family at an excessive volume.

There were too many great setups to mention (has anyone got a pair of Gale 401's for sale?) and it was wonderful to see such an eclectic mix of systems that I am sure is unmatched by any other audiophile show.

I wish it was more frequent than just once a year.

Well done everyone.
 
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