Cool Gales Bath Audio Fest 2016

[User211]

What sort of music where they playing? As in, were they playing it safe or taking requests?

The German Physik room was controlled and the CAD/Brinkmann/Eclipse room seemed so. Anywhere else was pretty easy going. I was making vinyl selections in the Sonus Faber room. Wish I had picked the new James album (which looked really nice on vinyl - ace cover recommend buying) as I really I liked it when I got back home via TIDAL.

[User211]

You could do a critique of the coffee and sandwiches.
I was very taken with the sound of the Mayer room, but when he put on Dark Side Of The Moon, I thought it really showed up the age of the recording. A comment that shocked his lady, it seemed. But I spoke as I found; it's probably her favourite LP! The amps seemed really transparent to me, but the speakers were so vivid that multi-tracked studio recordings probably get harshly treated.
Unfortunately I don't have the level of knowledge needed to have a serious conversation with Thomas, or Frank Schroder who was also there. But that phono amp is making me twitch; maybe I should see if I can actually make the line stage first?
I tried all the other rooms (all 5 of them!), and the best I can say is that the coffee was welcome! The Eclipse speakers sounded like shouty little boxes, the Sonus Fabers were thick sounding, and they all seemed to be trying too hard with little result. But hey, we all listen differently, and like Justin I like ribbons, in fact I just hate boxes! That's why my boxes are so heavily damped. I would do without them if I could, but in my room that would be hard to do.
The atmosphere was really friendly, I think it was quite a family affair, so if I was local I would go again, but a five hour round trip was too much! For one room I actually enjoyed.

I agree about DSOM it does sound dated these days. In fact as a recording I don't believe it is really that great though it still sounds nice. Quite a bit of weird LF on it too.

Big planars have a similar problem to boxes. They need to be super rigid IMHO - especially Apogees. If the frames don't stay put and hold the huge bass panels still, there's a loss of definition.

[User211]

I think I'll leave this thread as it is folks. Can't think of much else interesting to say.

[Spectral Morn]

Justin I think I speak for everyone if I say that we all really enjoy your show reports and excellent pictures.

Many thanks for taking the time to post these and your commentary.

What sort of music where they playing? As in, were they playing it safe or taking requests?

Yes indeed

[User211]

Oh go on then... the "too much Disaronno" hangover has cleared

CAD/Brinkmann/Eclipse











I'm going to have to disagree with Richard. This is the best I have heard Eclipse loudspeakers sound, and I have heard them a few times.

All in all, pretty damned clear and uncoloured sounding. And pretty spacious to boot in the large room. Nice big sub too, not that the material played was exercising it when I was in there, which is a shame.

The sub is an Eclipse one, and it looks pretty damned nice. TD7255WKM2. Nice, unpretentious model number then. Probably quite expensive looking at it. Some Mateo Monero, Maurizio Belladona or Trentemoller at 95DB would most definitely be in order here, I thought. But would the crowd in there have even vaguely appreciated it? Faces and appearance wise, maximum stereotyping applied, I think not. We're talking Bath here. It is quite posh and cultured

[User211]

Little Brinky mono. Quite cute, really.

[User211]

Actually, stepping in from the Sonus Fibber room's dense, thick, warm mid-band into the Eclipse room could not really have been more of a contrast. Whilst spacious and quite precise in its imaging, the soundstage was ultimately quite thin. Which is to be expected given the tiny nature of the Eclipse satellite's driver's, I suppose.

And onto the German Physik's. I have heard various models and they always sound almost squeaky clean and clear, to the point of sterility. I am not a fan of anything Chord - one of my least fave manufacturer's, and I don't think it the two are a match made in heaven.



Dave DAC in use, so serious money, and some digital server the salesman was talking bollocks about. In fact, the bollocks factor was so high, I had to walk out. And when I was outside, another chap came out complaining he was talking utter bollocks too, completely unprompted by me. Not only me then! I didn't ask but it was obvious from what he said he was a software engineer.

[doodoos]

I was impressed by the quadraspire x ref. rack. Had a chat to he who builds them and was most impressed. Should I need another stand....

[User211]

I was impressed by the quadraspire x ref. rack. Had a chat to he who builds them and was most impressed. Should I need another stand....

And from your sig surely the Lyra in use in the Meyer room LOL.

[awkwardbydesign]

I was impressed by the quadraspire x ref. rack. Had a chat to he who builds them and was most impressed. Should I need another stand....

Many many years ago, someone I didn't like was demoing Quadraspire racks at a show. He lifted a CD player, while it was playing, form a steel stand (Target?) and moved it to the Quadraspire. I wanted him to fail, but damn! The improvement was obvious. And repeatable. I still haven't got over it!