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Thread: A visit to Mr and Mrs Firebottle

  1. #1
    Join Date: Mar 2016

    Location: West Bromwich

    Posts: 121
    I'm Neil.

    Default A visit to Mr and Mrs Firebottle

    Me and the other half had a short half hour drive over to Alan and Shirley's Black Country abode last night, first of all the welcome we received was fantastic. We were made to feel right at home and it was a pleasure to spend a good couple of hours there.

    First thing that hit me walking into Alan's listening room was his Quad 57's, I'd never seen a pair in the flesh before but damn their impressive and are now on my list of wants .

    After a bit of a chat we got down to some listening, Naim cd player, Firebottle KIN and Firebottle AIR were the first bits of kit we had a listen to, I think this was through some Goodmans Mezzo 3's if I remember correctly. Zeppelin was the first cd to get played. WOW now please bear with me, I'm crap at explaining what I hear so go easy, as soon as I heard the first few notes I was amazed, then the vocals oh man...... sweet, crisp and right there in front of me, incredible.

    Alan switched to the Quads, I went and got a cd from the car, Alice in Chains-Unplugged one of my fav acoustic albums and one I know very well.
    I knew as soon as I heard the Crowd at the start of the album this was gonna be special, it sounded like sitting in with the crowd not just a load of static how crowds can sometimes sound, it really added to the atmosphere of what is a great album, 3 dimensional audience realism lol gotta love it!!!
    I was thinking it couldn't get much better, Alan told me it could!!!

    The Vivant was added, also a Lenco 75, first vinyl was London Grammar-If you wait. The vocals on this sounded truly haunting, I have never heard anything like it,fantastic. Instruments were dancing all around the room, It sounds daft but to me it was like 'watching' a huge tv without any picture, I could look around the room and 'see' the different sounds in different places....mad!!

    Alan's Monoblocks next, few more pieces of vinyl, Dire Staits and a bit of classic Jazz.
    This was the icing on the cake. everything was there but just more of it, holographic is the word I think I could use. If I had Alan's system I could quite happily live with it for a lifetime. Hopefully I have done it justice with this little write up.

    I came away with the AIR, had it on a couple hrs last night and 90% of today. I'm over the moon with it. It has certainly improved my system and I know for sure I'll be dealing with Alan again in the near future his pieces of kit are that good. You lucky lot who are going to MiBO are in for a treat I tell ya....

    Thanks again for a great night Alan, looking forward to the next time.

  2. #2
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,624
    I'm Geoff.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Shadow Moses View Post
    First thing that hit me walking into Alan's listening room was his Quad 57's, I'd never seen a pair in the flesh before but damn their impressive and are now on my list of wants .
    That happens to nearly everybody who's never heard a pair before and then hears some properly set up. They are stunning in the right system and environment.

    Glad you enjoyed yourself at Alan's .
    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

  3. #3
    Join Date: May 2011

    Location: Glasgow

    Posts: 7,718
    I'm Brian.

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    Nice write up Neil . I've heard Alans phono stage and it's very good indeed . I've also heard the Quads and came away gobsmacked after hearing them for the first time . Unfortunately they won't fit in my listening room . A few months ago I was lucky enough to get my hands on a GL75 and after some work it's singing in my system .
    Regards
    Brian

    Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment . (Rumi )


    Korus Computer Audio music server
    JustBoom DAC . HRT Musicstreamer 2
    Amplifier : Sony TA FB740R
    Speakers : Tannoy 637
    Interconnects : MS Audio / Klotz MC5000 .
    Speaker cables : Western Electric 16AG

  4. #4
    Join Date: Oct 2011

    Location: Charente, France

    Posts: 3,531
    I'm Nodrog.

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    Welcome to the club

  5. #5
    Join Date: Oct 2012

    Location: The Black Country

    Posts: 6,089
    I'm Alan.

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    Here's the picture, also posted in the Gallery.
    I thought to myself it looks a bit like a hi-fi shop, apart from the spaghetti of all the wires on show.



    After MiBO the stats will be hung up again

  6. #6
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: gone

    Posts: 11,519
    I'm gone.

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    I love decently fettled and well set up Quad 57. I'd take them before any of the subsequent Quad stats that I have owned and heard (quite a few) in terms of immediacy and musical involvement.
    But the 57s really do need to be raised at least 15 inches from the floor in order to start to strut their stuff, ime.

    I've not heard suspended 57s way up in the heights, like Alan usually has, and my humble brain reels at the thought!
    Last edited by jandl100; 30-10-2016 at 08:53.
    .

  7. #7
    Join Date: Oct 2011

    Location: Charente, France

    Posts: 3,531
    I'm Nodrog.

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    Mine looks like that all the time!

  8. #8
    Join Date: Oct 2011

    Location: Charente, France

    Posts: 3,531
    I'm Nodrog.

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    Quote Originally Posted by jandl100 View Post
    I love decently fettled and well set up Quad 57. I'd take them before any of the subsequent Quad stats that I have owned and heard (quite a few) in terms of immediacy and musical involvement.
    But the 57s really do need to be raised at least 18 inches from the floor in order to start to strut their stuff, ime.

    I've not heard suspended 57s way up in the heights, like Alan usually has, and my humble brain reels at the thought!
    They do work surprisingly well. One advantage is that you can lean you head back on the sofa and still have the ears pointing - well sort of - at the speakers. Most relaxing, no perching on the edge of the seat to get the best effect!

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