View Full Version : The MCRU Weekend Audio Fest
The date is the weekend of 17-18th August 2013.
Venue MCRU Towers, Huddersfield. The event is over the 2 days, saturday and sunday. I have some guests invited including Keith Martin the M.D of Isotek who will be giving talks on mains issues throughout the 2 days with his famous demos of mains conditioning. In addition there will be a VPI RCM in use throughout the day for "free" record cleaning for all attendees. If I manage to persuade Chris Green the furutech importer to bring his LP flattener that will be here too.
Other guests are to be confirmed. The day is about socializing, listening to the systems on dem, weather permitting sitting on my patio with a nice view over the grimescar valley drinking ice cold stella and talking about music.
A full bar service will be provided along with the very best repast from M+S to include snacks and nibbles.
There will be 3 hifi systems in use throughout the 2 days, one consisting of all valves and the other solid state, the 3rd will be assembled from anything the guests decide to bring with them.
Anyone who would like to stay over in huddersfield on saturday night and travel home sunday there are plenty of decent B+B's just down the road which I can book for you if you let me know nearer the date. To make it clear I won't be paying for your room. If there are enough stopovers we can go out for a curry on saturday night which I will pay for!
So feel free to express your interest so I can get an idea of how many will be arriving, anyone living close please feel free to attend both days.
Perhaps this can be a sticky so we can keep track more easily as to who is attending.
Hope to see as many AOS members as possible and please let me know if you would like to attend.
Regards from The Mains Man
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/themainsman/The%20Ultimate/dfbc6247.jpg
Big Vern
11-05-2013, 20:48
Hi David,
Sounds like the makings of a rather splendid event...I will need to check schedules/WSWMBO (at ALL times - no exceptions), but please register my interest for confirmation asap.
May well do a stop over as Stella and the M62 would not be a good combination :eek:
Thanks very much - will let you know
Best Wishes,
Nice one, dude. I'll be there on 17th (all day, from whenever it starts). No stop over needed. I'll drive back to sheepyland late on the Sat night.
Can we bring some of our own kit and put it into one of the systems being demonstrated or it is simply to listen what you have there? :)
Marco.
Nice one, dude. I'll be there on 17th (all day, from whenever it starts). No stop over needed. I'll drive back to sheepyland late on the Sat night.
Can we bring some of our own kit and put it into one of the systems being demonstrated or it is simply to listen what you have there? :)
Marco.
It's whatever suits the masses mate. I have a space in my front room which is for bake off type materials! Not cakes or buns either...:lol:
So bring your Techy of course and we can hook it up to a phono stage and someone's amps and speakers, and of course I will plumb your Techy into my own system to see if it betters what I have (by the time August arrives there will be at least 4 top end TT's gracing my den along with yours)
All is good.
H'okey dokes, daftee, sounds good. I'll bring some choons too, otherwise we'll be listening to Sister Sludge (sorry, Sledge) all day!! :lol:
Marco.
H'okey dokes, daftee, sounds good. I'll bring some choons too, otherwise we'll be listening to Sister Sludge (sorry, Sledge) all day!! :lol:
Marco.
:lol:
not so these days chief
kate bush-50 words for snow
bobby womack-the bravest man in the universe
jennifer warnes-the well
plus much more :)
oh and plenty of norah of course
Lol... So, in other words, anodyne, hi-fi demo pishanto for tasteless dafteeees? :eyebrows:
I'll bring some slightly more 'off the wall' material... Are you familiar with Nurse with Wound, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs or Monster Magnet?
NbfxNoYxMhI
oIIxlgcuQRU
jEuWWB_IvSo
Marco.
Scottish mafia should be in attendance....well, 2 so far. :)
Nice one Dave, should be fun.
Always good to put faces to names, hopefully a few of us here will take you up on the kind offer.
some of this stuff would be good...I'll bring it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0AIjnQ8t30
(how to clear a room in 5 minutes)
Lol... Madness! Anyway, be good to finally meet up, Gaz :cool:
No doubt that David will have a nice wee 'shill-shilleree' payment waiting for you, too!! :eyebrows:
Marco.
Audio Al
11-05-2013, 22:48
Hi Dave
Will the 2 days have different events or will they be the same events on both days ?
If the content is different on the 2 days I would like to attend both days
I would travel up on Friday so I will be rested and ready to go Saturday stay Friday and Sat in the B&B and return home Sunday
Regards
Allen
Quality, ma man... Bring some top-notch PISHANTO! :exactly:
Marco.
Audio Al
11-05-2013, 22:53
Quality, ma man... Bring some top-notch PISHANTO! :exactly:
Marco.
If accepted , I will see what I can do :eyebrows:, You may be surprised:lol:
Ali Tait
11-05-2013, 22:56
If accepted , I will see what I can do :eyebrows:, You may be surprised:lol:
Scottish mafia should be in attendance....well, 2 so far. :)
Nice one Dave, should be fun.
Always good to put faces to names, hopefully a few of us here will take you up on the kind offer.
some of this stuff would be good...I'll bring it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0AIjnQ8t30
(how to clear a room in 5 minutes)
Aye, make it three. Should be a good do.
If accepted...
Yes, I forgot, there is an in-depth initiation test first. Wear some clean underpants.
Marco.
Audio Al
11-05-2013, 23:03
Wear some clean underpants.:eek::eek::eek:
Oh I just remembered I have to clean the worms on my lawn that day :)
S'ok, shweety, I'll look after you :eyebrows:
Marco.
Ali Tait
11-05-2013, 23:25
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/4465/kevinbaconanimalhouse.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/19/kevinbaconanimalhouse.jpg/)
:lolsign:
Here's one I took from the last gathering...
http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/139/coconuttersc.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/23/coconuttersc.jpg/)
It's amazing what a few cans of Bucky and a line of Charlie can do! Never thought much of those 'cable isolators' anyway....
And then there was this:
http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/2339/caption052512.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/4/caption052512.jpg/)
Fook knows how that one came about...
Marco.
As its less than a couple hours drive from the toon I'll join yous if that's OK. Might book a bnb if people are popping out for a few beers and a Ruby later on.
Nice one Dave.
PS.. If anyone fancies a little meet up before then there's always this http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=25563 all AoS members welcome
http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/2339/caption052512.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/4/caption052512.jpg/)
he looks a bit like the Oyaide M.D :lol:
very nice chap
apparently last year he fell asleep in his chair at the munich show and Furutech who were just down the corridoor were taking the michael all afternoon
day 1 is beer, grub, music, record cleaning and isotek demo
day 2 is hangover, record cleaning, beer, isotek demo, grub
I may introduce extra bits to make the sunday more interesting
Stratmangler
12-05-2013, 12:40
... kate bush-50 words for snow ... plenty of Snorah of course...
You trying to prevent folks from turning up? :eyebrows:
You trying to prevent folks from turning up? :eyebrows:
It's a Ken Kessler recommendation! :ner:
Audio Al
12-05-2013, 14:07
Its a long way for me to travel for one day
I may introduce extra bits to make the sunday more interesting
So this would be good for a 2 day stint ;)
Unless you are aiming for more people through put , if so I fully understand
It's a Ken Kessler recommendation! :ner:
I don't care if it's a fooking Ken Barlow recommendation - it's still shite (even though I own the album. However, I can think of much more interesting music to play at a bake-off).... Oh, and if I hear any Snorah Jones, I'll be tying you up by the balls with one of your 'Ultimates'!! :trust: :D
S'ok, if nothing else is achieved by your wee get together, I'm make sure that your musical horizons are broadened! ;)
Marco.
Ken Barlow was a funny name to compare to considering what's happening! I thought you liked Mr Kessler?
You trying to prevent folks from turning up? :eyebrows:
Hope it's not you dude, you are invited of course and bring Mangler Junior too!
Ken Barlow was a funny name to compare to considering what's happening! I thought you liked Mr Kessler?
Indeed - and right now, Ken Barlow is more 'infamous' than KK (hence why I used his name)! ;)
Yes, I like KK's style of writing/hi-fi reviewing, and no doubt he's got good taste in music, but just as I don't require him to tell me what kit to buy, I also don't require him to tell me what music is good! Unlike others, I don't need 'gurus' to follow, in terms of my interest in hi-fi and music. I have the capacity to think for myself.
'50 Words for Snow' is fine as inoffensive background music, at home, whilst sipping a glass of Gevrey Chambertin, but you need something a bit more, shall we say, 'challenging', for playing at a bake-off :exactly:
No disrespect, dude, but your musical choices are all a little bit 'safe'. However, you're not alone in that respect.
Marco.
The music that has been playing most at MCRU Towers over the last month is...........
Nils Lofgren - Acoustic Live
how about that?
I'm make sure that your musical horizons are broadened!
Good luck with that, I have given up trying :-)
C'mon, get a bit of Moondog on....
TBH my music tastes have broadened because I have been listening to a lot of DSD material this last month and none of it is mainstream, I mean who the hell is Eric Bibb? :lol:
Good luck with that, I have given up trying :-)
Hahaha... Now that doesn't surprise me. I'd have thought that since he's been hanging around with you, he'd have learned something in that respect! Have you not played him any Little Feat? ;)
Marco.
Stratmangler
12-05-2013, 19:27
TBH my music tastes have broadened because I have been listening to a lot of DSD material this last month and none of it is mainstream, I mean who the hell is Eric Bibb? :lol:
Eric Bibb is fantastic - I first heard him in the late 1990s, and have a wealth of material by him.
Been to see him live on a few occasions too :)
Ali Tait
12-05-2013, 20:50
Aye Eric Bibb is good stuff, great recordings too. Saw him at Glastonbury a few years ago.
The music that has been playing most at MCRU Towers over the last month is...........
Nils Lofgren - Acoustic Live
how about that?
Decent, but still very much 'hi-fi demo' music, especially if you're referring to 'Keith Don't Go'. It comes into the same category as 'Money', by Pink Floyd, 'Tin Pan Alley', by Stevie Ray Vaughan, 'Hotel California' by The Eagles, etc, etc, i.e. well-recorded decent music, but DONE TO DEATH at hi-fi shows!!
Wait to you hear the sort of stuff we'll be playing at the AoS show... ;)
Boring old farts with middle-of-the-road musical tastes can leave their pipe and slippers (and incontinence pants) at the door!! :lol:
Marco.
Theres a DSD sampler album with a track of his on it, "Needed Time".
acoustic guitar sounds spookily in the room. Great recording.
Decent, but still very much 'hi-fi demo' music. It comes into the same category as 'Money', by Pink Floyd, 'Tin Pan Alley', by Stevie Ray Vaughan, 'Hotel California' by The Eagles, etc, etc, i.e. well-recorded decent music, but DONE TO DEATH at hi-fi shows!!
Wait to you hear the sort of stuff we'll be playing at the AoS show... ;)
Boring old farts with middle-of-the-road musical tastes can leave their pipe and slippers (and incontinence pants) at the door!! :lol:
Marco.
You left out Solid Air :eyebrows:
Looking forward to the Show Marco.
Ah yes, Solid Air, but then John Martyn's music is so superb that one cannot tire of hearing even that track....
Seriously though, we'll be playing all sorts of music, from famous to more obscure classical pieces, to avantgarde and mainstream jazz, dance/house/funk, ambient, electronic, 70s and 80s classics, prog, all manner of rock and folk, blues, heavy metal, death metal, punk, indie, as well as the usual 'female squawkers' (Diana Krall, Beth Neilsen Chapman, Patricia Barber, Eva Cassidy, etc), which some people insist on listening to - and all at volume levels which best compliment the music being played, so expect rock and dance music (and large-scale classical) to be played LOUD!!! :rave: :hairmetal: :fingers:
Marco.
Ali Tait
12-05-2013, 21:29
Not too loud please mate, it'll blow me slippers off and put the pipe out.
Not too loud please mate, it'll blow me slippers off and put the pipe out.
:lol:
Nowt gets ears pricking up at a bake off like a bit of nicely pressed kraftwerk imho..
Yup, Kraftwerk is good, as is Yello! :)
Marco.
Thanks for the invite, David.
<Googles Basingstoke to Huddersfield> :eek:
I'll set off now, shall I? :lol:
I'll try to make the Saturday 17th, it'll be there and back in a day most likely, but is there a B&B you'd recommend should I be knackered at the end of the day?
Thanks for the invite, David.
<Googles Basingstoke to Huddersfield> :eek:
I'll set off now, shall I? :lol:
I'll try to make the Saturday 17th, it'll be there and back in a day most likely, but is there a B&B you'd recommend should I be knackered at the end of the day?
YES A FEW JUST DOWN THE ROAD
ask mike music if he is coming with you please?
Mike - H
13-05-2013, 11:21
As I'm virtually next door, I will make every effort to pop in
Cheers
machtman
13-05-2013, 13:32
David, Thanks for the invitation, but can we leave Jennifer Warnes the Well out as well? If not, does anybody want to buy the special box set that I bought on David's recommendation and have been trying to sell ever since???
If it is finished by then, I might try to bring the Aikaido 5687 preamp I've tried to build. The PCB is finished but I need to wait for the case to be finished and to visit Nick for help with wiring everything together. And then I need to compare the different B+ voltages that were recommended to me.
I've just received my passport back from BA with an entry visa in it so am moving to Warwick on 30 May. But then I have to find a place to live plus my daughter and grandchild are visiting from OZ for a week and I need to fly to China for a week. So June is already fully booked out. But August was free till now, and I've put both dates in my calendar.
Mark
David, Thanks for the invitation, but can we leave Jennifer Warnes the Well out as well? If not, does anybody want to buy the special box set that I bought on David's recommendation and have been trying to sell ever since???
:lol: :lolsign:
Marco.
Wakefield Turntables
13-05-2013, 19:36
Have you had a look over on hifi subjectivist this thread is having the $hit ripped out of it at the moment. :mental:
Why should we care, Andy?
Have you had a look over on hifi subjectivist this thread is having the $hit ripped out of it at the moment. :mental:
Have you put those dates in your diary chief?
Wakefield Turntables
13-05-2013, 21:33
Why should we care, Andy?
Thats the point we shouldn't Martin. You can bet your bottom dollar this post will be logged.
Have you put those dates in your diary chief?
Working. But I hope you all have a good time. :cool:
Thats the point we shouldn't Martin. You can bet your bottom dollar this post will be logged.
Working. But I hope you all have a good time. :cool:
Both days saturday and sunday? How can you tell when it's 3 months away?
Wakefield Turntables
14-05-2013, 07:36
Both days saturday and sunday? How can you tell when it's 3 months away?
My diary is usually booked up six months in advance and that's not lying.
Is the drag scene so demanding these days?
Marco.
Wakefield Turntables
14-05-2013, 08:52
:nocomment:
Is the drag scene so demanding these days?
Marco.
Is the drag scene so demanding these days?
Marco.
:lol:
Is the drag scene so demanding these days?
Marco.
That is a good 'un yer big daftee:lol:
So far we have a contingency from the scottish mafiosa attending and 400 miles south we have some southerners who may grace us with their presence....:lol:
Looking good so far, also best mention the sheep shaggers from "wales"
:)
Aye, get it right up ye, ya bam! :sheep:
:D
And anyway, I'm an Italo-Jock sheep-shagger, so get the pedigree right, dafteeee! :ner:
Marco.
Wakefield Turntables
17-05-2013, 08:04
So far we have a contingency from the scottish mafiosa attending and 400 miles south we have some southerners who may grace us with their presence....:lol:
Looking good so far, also best mention the sheep shaggers from "wales"
:)
I will see if I can get some clinics changed over as it would be nice to come and then you would have some of the flatcap brigade for Yorksha, can you PM your address ??
brian2957
17-05-2013, 08:24
Aye we'll be there too.
I will see if I can get some clinics changed over as it would be nice to come and then you would have some of the flatcap brigade for Yorksha, can you PM your address ??
my address is on the bottom of my website homepage fella
www.mcru.co.uk (http://www.mcru.co.uk)
great if you can make it :)
a few more celebrities have confirmed their attendance this week
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/themainsman/ALL%20MCRU%20POWER%20LEADS/mrbeannnn_zps112acb76.jpg
www.mcru.co.uk (http://www.mcru.co.uk)
a few more celebrities have confirmed their attendance this week
]
Is Lindsay Lohan one of them? If so then I'm in.
oh ye of little taste.. :mental: :)
Saying that, these days she'd appear at the opening of an envelope.
Just tell her there's drink available...
(Lindsay, if your a lurker on ArtofSound, don't sue me, eh?)
Stratmangler
19-06-2013, 22:52
Looking forward to coming over and seeing everyone.
It would be good to hear a Techie with versus Techie without Mike New Bearing (big hint Dave ;))
I'm going to have to hold back on committing to a date yet - the Premier League starts that weekend, and I won't know for definite which day the Manchester City v Newcastle United match is actually going to be held - that's our first match, and Sky Sports TV might possibly dictate kickoff day and time.
There again, they might not, and this being the case ... you know where this one goes :D
Looking forward to coming over and seeing everyone.
It would be good to hear a Techie with versus Techie without Mike New Bearing (big hint Dave ;))
I'm going to have to hold back on committing to a date yet - the Premier League starts that weekend, and I won't know for definite which day the Manchester City v Newcastle United match is actually going to be held - that's our first match, and Sky Sports TV might possibly dictate kickoff day and time.
There again, they might not, and this being the case ... you know where this one goes :D
Football would surely never take precedence over music and hifi chief?
I have 4 Techy's in the house currently, may just set 2 up with everything stock apart from the bearing, good idea dude!
1 Geordie also attending, will bring bottles of dog and ham n peasepudding stotties.
I have 4 Techy's in the house currently, may just set 2 up with everything stock apart from the bearing, good idea dude!
Yup - that sounds like a fun idea! I'll also be bringing my 'fully pimped' Techy along, so there will be a number of reference points, in terms of available modifcations, from which to judge :)
Marco.
Does it have to be a bake off?
Hi Greg,
What's wrong with a bake-off and what would you prefer instead? Owston is essentially just a big (DIY) 'bake-off'... Bake-off or audio fest - who cares what it's called? The content of the event will be the same, regardless ;)
Marco.
Ali Tait
21-06-2013, 18:31
I guess what Greg means is that the term implies some sort of competition, which Owston is not at all, quite the opposite in fact. Dave's do will be pretty much the same really, although there will be a commercial aspect. He does do this for a living after all.
Ah, I see. Nah, there will be no competition involved. A bake-off on AoS simply means a get together amongst the lads, where we have a few laughs, drink some beer and listen to choons! :exactly:
Marco.
Ali Tait
21-06-2013, 18:38
Aye, sounds like Owston to me. We got to bed at 4am Saturday morning. A bit delicate the next morning...:D
Lol... It's comforting to know that the tried and tested format hasn't changed! :eyebrows:
Marco.
Aye, sounds like Owston to me. We got to bed at 4am Saturday morning. A bit delicate the next morning...:D
Or the next afternoon in my case...
Ali Tait
21-06-2013, 18:54
Nope! Still great Craic!
Which is what it's all about, the kit and music is just a bonus.
It's quite funny, we all stay at Owston Hall Hotel, which has a golf course and is always full of golfists, it's amazing how we immediately stand out against them all. You can see them all thinking, who the bloody hell is this bunch of weirdos? :lol:
Ali Tait
21-06-2013, 18:55
Or the next afternoon in my case...
Aye, still full from all the cakes you nicked! :lol:
vinylspinner
21-06-2013, 19:17
Aye, sounds like Owston to me. We got to bed at 4am Saturday morning. A bit delicate the next morning...:D
Phah! great northern nancies, we lads from Bristol lasted until at least 4.05am
Nigel
Phah! great northern nancies, we lads from Bristol lasted until at least 4.05am
Nigel
Hmmm, you only managed to take one shoe off before you hit the sack! As for Gazjam, you can expect the effects to last until the next afternoon after five stolen chocolate brownies!
vinylspinner
21-06-2013, 19:41
Yes Greg, only 1 shoe, but I also managed to undo the laces on the second :lol:
ref: brownies, are you sure it was only 5?
Nigel
Ali Tait
21-06-2013, 19:47
:lol:
Great to see you all again, roll on November!
Ali Tait
21-06-2013, 19:48
P.S. ye drunken bum!
Brownies?
I have no recollection...reckon though it was closer to 7 and a bit :)
Ali Tait
21-06-2013, 20:19
:eyebrows:
Ah, I see. Nah, there will be no competition involved. A bake-off on AoS simply means a get together amongst the lads, where we have a few laughs, drink some beer and listen to choons! :exactly:
Marco.
Precisely, there will be 3 rooms used for music, 1 room will have a large system with IsoTek equipment plumbed in for Keith the owner of IsoTek to do some demos for anyone interested and ask him questions etc etc. The 2nd room will have another system with a Plasma connected to watch youtube, listen via spotify etc etc. The 3rd room is empty and will be for anyone to bring their own stuff so Marcos techy, someone elses amp, a set of speakers etc etc
The rest of the house will be filled with peeps, presumably chatting with each other and eating and drinking, outside there will be room to smoke, sit on the patio and enjoy the view, look out over the grimescar valley blardy, blardy blah.
There will also be a RCM there for visitors to get 3 records cleaned each (any more has to be paid for as I worked out there won't be enough time to clean more than 3 each if all the people who have said they are attending turn up with their records).
I may also get the Furutech LP flattener and their demag machine if I have space to put it somewhere where it won't get trampled on.
Sound!
Nice one, dude, If you can arrange for the Furutech LP flattener to be there, that would be cool, as I'd like to see it in action. If I'm suitably impressed, you might get a sale! ;)
Marco.
Just keeping you all up to speed on the proceedings, I have been hard at work shaping things up for the influx of
bodies in August, new Pagoda built and gardens pruned and trimmed, one of the listening rooms is being readed
and I have a spare Techy to do comparisons with a pimped up one which should prove interesting. There will be a
full compliment of TT's already here on the day plus of course a certain person who never goes anywhere without
his pride and joy, his wife? his car? his smartphone, his tablet, his i-pod? No I hear you cry HIS TECHY! :lol:
I welcome him with open arms anyway.
I will have my techy with MN bearing, vantage platter, 309 arm, clearaudio cartridge, YT arm lead and Nicks PSU
Also a garrard 401 with new 3009 arm being fitted by Dom, his bearing, Shure V15 cartridge
Lenco GL75 with PTP top plate, Jelco 12" arm with oyaide headshell and my new tonearm cable, Kontrapunkt B cartridge
Clearaudio Concept MM TT will also put in an appearance
Finally a virgin techy with original arm and no mods done at all.
Of course its not all about Techy's for sure, please feel free to bring anything you may want to hear as one of the rooms
will be a system assembled from your own kit.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/themainsman/ADS/IMAG0835_zps67504c57.jpg
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/themainsman/ADS/IMAG0836_zps11dd748a.jpg
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/themainsman/ADS/IMAG0837_zps20cd1a5d.jpg
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/themainsman/ADS/IMAG0838_zps86aed225.jpg
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/themainsman/ADS/mcru-audio-festival-flyer-final_zps3a1a4c22.jpg
If any AOS member is arriving Saturday and would like to stay over
and travel home on Sunday please pm me so I can book a room in
a local B+B for you, around the £50 mark has been suggested so
there are plenty of places to stay within 2-3 miles of MCRU towers.
You can pay me for the room on the day as I will be making a block
booking this week so please get in touch as soon as you can.
Audio Al
05-08-2013, 16:55
Sorry Dave , I wont be able to make it to your event
Just been told I have to work a 6th shift
" The Company " expect you to work 10 extra days a year :rolleyes: and reserve the right to ask you at any time to cover sickness / holidays / training days etc , they now want me to work 18th
Bugger :steam:
Hope you all have a great time and I will be keeping a eye on the post to see how the day went
Al
Sorry Dave , I wont be able to make it to your event
Just been told I have to work a 6th shift
" The Company " expect you to work 10 extra days a year :rolleyes: and reserve the right to ask you at any time to cover sickness / holidays / training days etc , they now want me to work 18th
Bugger :steam:
Hope you all have a great time and I will be keeping a eye on the post to see how the day went
Al
no worries, so you don't think you have missed out I will pm you a list of deals that are on throughput the 2 days to see if anything takes your fancy.
I am planning to come but at the moment can't confirm details because I'm waiting on domestic arrangements regarding my daughter in Sheffield. I'll confirm conclusively as soon as I can and will possibly want B&B accommodation.
Greg
Hello David,
Unfortunately, domestic issues have interfered and I will not be able to attend the weekend which is a disappointment for me. Sorry.
Greg
Just a quick up-date on proceedings for the weekend at MCRU Towers.
Things kick off at 10.00 am, if you are driving over please park your car on the main road as you drive down the hill after turning into Reap Hirst Road (which becomes Grimescar Meadows), after 200 yards you will see the road split into 2,
my road is the bottom right hand turn, please park on the side of the road before the road splits and walk the short distance.
All 3 dem rooms are now kitted out and ready with a mixture of analogue and digital to suit all tastes.
A clearaudio smart matrix RCM has been drafted in and all visitors can get 5 LP's cleaned for free (any more are £2 each with all monies donated to Kirkwood Hospice in Hudds).
A furutech demag will also be available and hopefully a destat too.
The clearaudio top of the range cartridge "The Goldfinger" will be making an appearance as well as other goodies from the brand.
Every visitor this weekend will receive a MCRU goodie bag with a free gift in (and not some crappy fuses as someone remarked at last years Bristol show).
Finally there will be a free prize draw to win a set of the new Furutech ADL H118 headphones worth £225.00
Tesco are due tomorrow afternoon with copious amounts of beer (not forgetting tea and biscuits for the drivers :)) so make it a date and listen to some tunes and have a chat
with one or two hi-fi celebrities this weekend at the MCRU audio fest.
Dominic Harper
16-08-2013, 11:04
Most likely I'l be there on Sunday. I will bring the 401 in statement plinth with NWA 12" sme arm and prototype mc.
Greg may also be coming along with his diy dac.
Most likely I'l be there on Sunday. I will bring the 401 in statement plinth with NWA 12" sme arm and prototype mc.
Greg may also be coming along with his diy dac.
"statement plinth"
wots that all about chief?
there will be a statement here already, clearaudio statement! :lol:
do you have to apply for a special pass to go out on your own? :ner:
Just a quick up-date on proceedings for the weekend at MCRU Towers.
Things kick off at 10.00 am, if you are driving over please park your car on the main road as you drive down the hill after turning into Reap Hirst Road (which becomes Grimescar Meadows), after 200 yards you will see the road split into 2,
my road is the bottom right hand turn, please park on the side of the road before the road splits and walk the short distance.
All 3 dem rooms are now kitted out and ready with a mixture of analogue and digital to suit all tastes.
Coolio! When do the strippers arrive? :D
Marco.
You would run a mile dude! :lol:
Ali Tait
16-08-2013, 16:09
So would we all if it was you stripping!
So would we all if it was you stripping!
:lol:
well you won't see it as you wimped out of coming, had 30 cans of irn bru in as well :ner:
Sorry that I won't be able to make it, we're up to our necks in the home improvement s and a pass would probably cost me a marriage at this stage.
Up the upside my good lady has finally seen the light for a dedicated listening room of my own in the loft, she had designs for another guest bedroom. Now I've convinced her that my man cave is a viable prospect I just need to find the time and money to get it started!
Hope yous have a great day guys and I'm gutted I can't be along to meet some good folks in person.:(
David (Snapper) and I will be there around 10.30am, daftee, so get the tea on! :)
Marco.
Big Vern
17-08-2013, 07:37
Morning David MCRU,
Should be with you around 10'30...looking forward to it :)
Best wishes
Paul
David (Snapper) and I will be there around 10.30am, daftee, so get the tea on! :)
Marco.
Now we know where the boss is for the day, we can be naughty children :eyebrows:
Ok, me first, I can say a naughty word
BUM
:ner:
Big Vern
17-08-2013, 21:55
Okay, got back from Dave's early evening, having arrived just after 11 with a plan to stay for maybe 3 hours tops...instead, I managed 7! Thoroughly enjoyed chatting, drinking (mainly tea, due to driving duties) and listening to some great music across 3 very different systems; Clearaudio 'Baby' Signature (some £12K) in one, a modded Technics and Canor amps in another and, finally, a modded Lenco in a stunning grey plinth in the third. Presentation was different in each system, although completely enjoyable even if for different reasons.
Had some great conversations and was nice to put some names to faces - had a great chat with Stratmangler. Was also lovely to see David Price, who made some tweaks to the conservatory system, which brought about significant improvements...I never realised that 'dressing' the tonearm cable properly as it leaves the turntable, is so important! Must also mention the guys from Isotek, who demonstrated - to my ears - just how important clean mains is and what improvements can be brought to bear when it's done properly
Finally, a huge thanks to David B. for putting the event on - he is an extremely generous and welcoming host and the atmosphere was very relaxed - thanks, David
Best Wishes,
Paul.
Stratmangler
17-08-2013, 22:32
It was a good day for me too - It was good to see familiar faces, and great to put faces to names, and the company was excellent.
By the time I left there had been further tweaking of the conservatory system following a switch out of loudspeaker - it's surprising what soft decoupling feet can do in the right place.
Heard lots of great music, and left in no doubt as to just how vital it is to have a decent mains supply - thanks to Keith from Isotek and his team.
Watching and hearing the results of David Price' tweaks was staggering - the conservatory system went from sounding very good to singing
Many thanks to David Brookes for organising the event and for being such a good host :cool:
Huge thanks to David for opening up his lovely home to a load of daftees and hosting an excellent bake-off! :)
The whole day was fab, with great pizza and beer and some top sounds to listen to on a number of very good systems. Great to meet some familiar faces again, and some new ones, including Big Vern (defo contact me so we can have a sesh, dude!) :exactly:
The chaps from Isotek put on a very interesting and informative demo of their various mains power solutions and cables, and when applied to the demo system, the sonic upgrade was consistently and easily discernible. I've been a convert for ages to how important a good clean supply of power is to hi-fi systems, so no big surprises for me, but it's good to know that excellent products currently exist which tackle and resolve this thorny and fundamental problem in audio.
It was also great meeting David Price again, who showed that he still has a good ear for tweakery! :respect:
Anyway, all-in-all, it was certainly worthwhile making the trip from Wrexham. Well done, David - here's to the next bake-off! :cool:
Marco.
Dominic Harper
19-08-2013, 07:42
Big big thanks to David for hosting the MCRU weekend. Although we only went on the Sunday it was very enjoyable and opportunity to meet some fascinating and friendly people.
Well done David.
There are some on IsoTek's facebook page chief, here. (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.559933190730181.1073741871.290413847682118&type=1)
The official photo man has not up-loaded the pics to dropbox for me yet.
Official MCRU reply to the fest will appear here soon!
I am glad most people enjoyed the weekend, it took some organizing all on my own! My wife and daughter are relaxing in Alcudia while I slog away! :scratch:
My son did a stirling job ordering pizzas and all the beer and snacks. :)
Hopefully I will organize another meet in the new year in between january and march when the shows start.
A few pictures to share of the systems we listened to......................
The Clearaudio Master Innovation
More of an engineering masterpiece than a turntable, we had 3 arms fitted and it sounded good but needed better amplification to do it justice, we were using IsoTek's Primare amplifier.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/themainsman/themainsman005/fest1_zpsd5101c31.jpg
IsoTeks demo system consisted of Primare CD player and amplifier, quite good actually, mains equipment was the polaris mains block (we all heard a distinct improvement even with that in and its only £250)
followed by the Aquarius mains conditioner and then overkill in the form of the Super Titan and Genesis.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/themainsman/themainsman005/fest2_zpsba78559d.jpg
This is where I do most of my personal listening as it also doubles as a workshop, I have Canor amp, music server, Nicks new dac, Nicks phono stage, IsoTek Vision and currently a Lenco GL75
NWA special edition which I am selling due to lack of space. My trusty Snells sound wonderful, they will be going soon too!
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/themainsman/themainsman005/fest4_zpsaefa439c.jpg
The full main system
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/themainsman/themainsman005/fest_zps9f200317.jpg
Below is the 3rd system we had on demo, Clearaudio Performance DC turntable powered with a Nick special psu, Canor phono stage, cd and amp and my Techy fitted with MN
bearing, nicks psu, vantage platter, isonoe feet, sme 309/kontrapunkt B cartridge and 2 sets of colins speakers which everyone remarked were sounding as wonderful as ever,
all running through an isotek aquarius, the 2 spare techies are both sold to customers awaiting their up-grades!
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/themainsman/themainsman005/fest3_zpscd4127d6.jpg
Where is the Mike New Bearing?:ner:
Nice, how did you guys find the Amphion Argons? I have a pair, stunning speakers.
Where is the Mike New Bearing?:ner:
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/themainsman/ADS/MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE_zpsf6934fff.jpg
I am glad most people enjoyed the weekend, it took some organizing all on my own!
My son did a stirling job ordering pizzas and all the beer and snacks. :)
Belated thanks Dave, it was a great day out and I very much appreciate all the trouble you and your son went to. When I eventually make it back home, I'll get a chance to try out the freebie's you kindly gave to me.
:D
Surprised there wasn't more people from the forum there, but was great to meet Stratmangler, Lurcher, Big Vern and Toppsy.
Here's to the next one, if I can make it.
:cool:
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/themainsman/ADS/MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE_zpsf6934fff.jpg
And the Shiva?
David although you are nearly correct, please keep up to speed as l have been a Double Daftee for a good while now.
Those Cherry colour speakers are they the ones we were discussing on the blower?
David although you are nearly correct, please keep up to speed as l have been a Double Daftee for a good while now.
Those Cherry colour speakers are they the ones we were discussing on the blower?
smaller ones
Great!
I kept them and am listening to them now through a 50k TT!
Stratmangler
21-08-2013, 12:35
Great!
I kept them and am listening to them now through a 50k TT!
Have you still got the Isotek stuff connected?
I commented to Keith that something wasn't quite right with the TT, and he ended up tweaking things to get it sounding right.
It all revolved (pun intended) around giving things decent clean power :)
IIRC he moved the phono preamp, integrated amp and TT power supply over to the better of the two power units
Ali Tait
21-08-2013, 12:37
Belated thanks Dave, it was a great day out and I very much appreciate all the trouble you and your son went to. When I eventually make it back home, I'll get a chance to try out the freebie's you kindly gave to me.
:D
Surprised there wasn't more people from the forum there, but was great to meet Stratmangler, Lurcher, Big Vern and Toppsy.
Here's to the next one, if I can make it.
:cool:
Aye, had planned to be there, unfortunately work got in the way.
Aye, had planned to be there, unfortunately work got in the way.
Had to take care of family stuff, just bad timing for me.
How did Topsy's Eddingdales sound in the corners of the room?
Heard them at Owsten, sounded stupendous, but wonder if they can still do the business NOT out in the middle of the room.
There will be my next speakers down the line, just wonder how they do in a typical domestic environment.
Rear ported so suppose would be ok?
The smaller ones, like the big'uns just with a bit less bass?
btw nice gaff Dave :)
ta.
Ali Tait
21-08-2013, 13:26
They sound even better in a living room Gaz, really good speakers.
Cool, thats good to know mate.
Hopefully Colin's at Owsten in November, have another listen to 'em.
Stratmangler
21-08-2013, 13:32
How did Topsy's Eddingdales sound in the corners of the room? :)
They were out in the conservatory system, and sounded excellent.
The Rossendales sounded rather good too, benefitting from some squidgy decoupling from the floor.
The conservatory is not the biggest of spaces - I'd estimate it as having a floor space roughly 4m x 3m.
Ali Tait
21-08-2013, 13:34
Cool, thats good to know mate.
Hopefully Colin's at Owsten in November, have another listen to 'em.
Aye, he'll be there. TBH, they sound pretty poor at Owston compared to how they sound at his house.
Had to take care of family stuff, just bad timing for me.
How did Topsy's Eddingdales sound in the corners of the room?
Heard them at Owsten, sounded stupendous, but wonder if they can still do the business NOT out in the middle of the room.
There will be my next speakers down the line, just wonder how they do in a typical domestic environment.
Rear ported so suppose would be ok?
The smaller ones, like the big'uns just with a bit less bass?
btw nice gaff Dave :)
ta.
x2 want to get here these.:)
Paul Barker
22-08-2013, 17:13
They were out in the conservatory system, and sounded excellent.
The Rossendales sounded rather good too, benefitting from some squidgy decoupling from the floor.
The conservatory is not the biggest of spaces - I'd estimate it as having a floor space roughly 4m x 3m.
Yes Chris I think there was only you and me left in the room when we put squidgy feed between the wood and the hard tiled uneven floor. Prior to doing that I was hearing a lot of distortion which others seemingly didn't.
I don't think a cubic glass room with a solid tiled floor gives any speaker a fair opportunity.
x2 want to get here these.:)
Sorry that should read "hear these", damn drink.
Yes Chris I think there was only you and me left in the room when we put squidgy feed between the wood and the hard tiled uneven floor. Prior to doing that I was hearing a lot of distortion which others seemingly didn't.
I don't think a cubic glass room with a solid tiled floor gives any speaker a fair opportunity.
you only just joined and you saying my floor is un-even? gggrrrhhhhhhh:lol:
vinylspinner
22-08-2013, 20:53
Gary,
The Eddingdales are front ported and work fine against a wall or in a corner, I have a small listening room and they sound good in there, a good number of people have been in and had a listen,and everyone of them had positive views on the performance of these speakers....I love them and won't be changing anytime soon.
Glad you all had a good weekend.
Nigel
Cheers Nige, good to know, thanks.
Gary,
The Eddingdales are front ported and work fine against a wall or in a corner, I have a small listening room and they sound good in there, a good number of people have been in and had a listen,and everyone of them had positive views on the performance of these speakers....I love them and won't be changing anytime soon.
Glad you all had a good weekend.
Nigel
Well shiver mi timbers, my fest appears in David Price's monthly column in Hi-Fi Choice, have a read here (https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/32841601/HiFi_Choice_MCRU_Showtime.pdf) if you are too tight to buy the magazine, or maybe next time you are in WH Smiths read it but then leave without purchasing like others seem to do...:lol:
The next MCRU Audio Fest for 2014 will be in April, exact dates to be confirmed.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.3 Copyright © 2026 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.