NW Audio Show Cranage - anyone going?

[Pigmy Pony]

Next weekend , as most of you will know, is the North West Audio Show at Cranage Hall Cheshire. Mrs. Pony and me have our tickets, but I'm undecided whether to go Saturday or Sunday. It would be nice to meet up with some AoS members for a beer there. Well, nice for me anyway :) And I believe there will be some stereos there too.

[YNWaN]

Myself and a couple of friends will be going on Sunday.

[Pigmy Pony]

I booked the tickets about three months ago, but then forgot to mention it to Anita until about an hour ago. Her face was a picture! I normally only see that look when she goes to the toilet after me :)

The thing is, she really enjoyed Kegworth earlier this year. Her exact words were "Well that wasn't as bad as I thought it would be". So I'm hoping to build on that glowing endorsement.

[hifinutt]

It seems to be a very very popular show , I can't go sadly but hope you post lots of pics

[struth]

I guess it depends on how bad she thought it would be lol.

[alphaGT]

When I saw the title, I thought it said,
“NW Audio Show Carnage”.

Now that! I’d like to see!

Russell

[Ali Tait]

That’s after the punters have gone home and the trade get down to some serious drinking.:D

I’ll be there helping out Nick in the Longdog Audio room, come and say hello.

[Pigmy Pony]

That’s after the punters have gone home and the trade get down to some serious drinking.:D

I’ll be there helping out Nick in the Longdog Audio room, come and say hello.

Certainly will, I somehow missed this room last year. I've heard about this Scottish Mafia, maybe you'll make me an offer I cannae refuse. Sorry, you must get that all the time :rolleyes:

[Ali Tait]

Hahahaha no not for a while. :-)

[Firebottle]

I'll be there both days. :D

[Spectral Morn]

If anyone taking photos was willing to allow republishing I would be grateful. I cant afford to cover shows on the mainland anymore but would still like to give coverage on my blog. I wont allow advertising to stay independent but that does mean no cash to pay for flights, hotel etc.

Thank you in advance.

[Mr. C]

I'll be there both days. :D

Alan

Can we expect some suitable attire befitting a man of your social status :)

[Ali Tait]

I’m sure he will oblige. :-)

[Macca]

He doesn't need any encouragement.

[Pigmy Pony]

I'll be there both days. :D

Perhaps you should wear a nametag so we can identify you :D

[nutteronthebus]

I will be there on Sunday got my tickets months ago

Dave

[Pigmy Pony]

Looks like it'll be Sunday for us, and Sunday is blue Hawaiian shirt day :) Be sure to say Aloha if you see my pint's nearly empty

[Pigmy Pony]

Looking forward to the Dutch+Dutch room. Hopefully not done out like a rave club this year, I'd be interested to hear how they fare with regular music :)

[clive7164]

I was going to go on Sunday but have fractured 4 vertebrae in my lower back and am currently only managing
to sit up for a couple of hours a day and definitely couldn't walk around the show. I was looking forward to a couple of show bargains
as need a temporary mc phono amp and wanted to look at power distribution strips and a couple of cables to tidy up my system now the radford is installed and running
Clive

[Pigmy Pony]

Sorry to hear that Clive - if you know of anything in particular at the show, I'd be happy to pick it up for you and bring it over. You're not a million miles from us :)

[antonio]

Sorry to hear that Clive, I know how debilitating a bad back can be.

[clive7164]

Thanks for the offer and kind words,I am hoping to be back to normal in a couple of months will sort it then
Clive

[Lawrence001]

Thanks for the offer and kind words,I am hoping to be back to normal in a couple of months will sort it then
CliveAnd from me, had a spinal fusion 5 years ago after years of debilitating pain, just about back to normal now and picking the kids up from time to time too that's the best bit :)

Sent from my BLN-L21 using Tapatalk

[Crackles]

I'm going on the Saturday. Would go both days if I wasn't so busy at the moment. Loved it the last two years.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[guyhayton]

I will be there on Saturday (missus is coming with me this year)

[Firebottle]

How will we know who you are? Name badges seem a bit naff but could be useful. I have one that says Alan Firebottle.

With me it's always the loudest trousers, so I'm hoping nobody betters that.

[walpurgis]

Just print this and use it as a lapel badge. At least members will see each other.

http://i68.tinypic.com/2uylmz6.jpg

[Crackles]

How about a 1pm meet up in the bar area for AOS members?

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[antonio]

Anyone going on the Sunday?

[Macca]

I'm still undecided but if I do go will probably be Saturday

[Firebottle]

How about a 1pm meet up in the bar area for AOS members?

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

I'm up for that, plus I am going on Sunday as well.

[Crackles]

I'm up for that, plus I am going on Sunday as well.That will be great because we all know you (well...your pants at least) so we can just look for you instead of awkwardly asking groups of strangers if they are from AOS. [emoji3]

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[Pigmy Pony]

How will we know who you are? Name badges seem a bit naff but could be useful. I have one that says Alan Firebottle.

With me it's always the loudest trousers, so I'm hoping nobody betters that.

As if anyone could! I'll see you at 1pm Sunday mate. Shame so many others can only do Saturday

[Marco]

Bollox, that kills it then Stevo. Sunday is strictly a family day, with my dad coming round for Sunday lunch, so looks like we'll be meeting up at mine at some point soon instead:)

If you want to collect your well-earned beer at Cranage, then next year go on a Saturday:ner:;)

Marco.

[Pigmy Pony]

Bollox, that kills it then Stevo. Sunday is strictly a family day, with my dad coming round for Sunday lunch, so looks like we'll be meeting up at mine at some point soon instead:)

If you want to collect your well-earned beer at Cranage, then next year go on a Saturday:ner:;)

Marco.

Ah, sod it, we've decided to go on Saturday after all - we have to collect Anita's oldest ankle biter from Manchester airport at 4pm, so it's doable. :)

[take5]

I've heard about this Scottish Mafia, maybe you'll make me an offer I cannae refuse.



To kind of pinch an old joke......

Never mind refusing the offer, your biggest problem is going to be understanding it.

On the other hand Ali is from Dunfermline, which is one of the posher suburbs of Edinburgh. You will be fine.

[brian2957]

Oi..wee tak tha reel English in Glesga Jimmeh :ner:

[Pigmy Pony]

Oi..wee tak tha reel English in Glesga Jimmeh :ner:

As my mate from Ayr would (probably) say:

Aye, stoap yer greetin' or you won't be sleepin' with the fishes, you'll be kippin' with the Loch Fyne kippers...

[brian2957]

Och , that's a guid way o' puttin it .

[Macca]

Got tickets for Saturday. See if I feel up to it.

[Marco]

Ah, sod it, we've decided to go on Saturday after all - we have to collect Anita's oldest ankle biter from Manchester airport at 4pm, so it's doable. :)

Ok, that makes it doable , now I just need to decide if I can be arsed!:D Or if other things at home need my attention more... So don't change the day you're going on my account, as I can't guarantee anything. If Sunday suits you better mate, go then:cool:

Marco.

[Marco]

Got tickets for Saturday. See if I feel up to it.

*If* I'm going, I'll let you know in plenty of time, and if you feel up to it, I'll collect you en-route:)

Marco.

[Marco]

Oi..wee tak tha reel English in Glesga Jimmeh :ner:

Lol, Jeezuz, I'm fae Glesga, but ah huvnae got a scooby whit yer oan aboot!:scratch::lol:

Sounds like it was made up by some daft sassenach.

Marco.

[brian2957]

Hah ! made it up . Now that I look at it I don't understand some of it either :lol:

[Marco]

Haha, don't be thinking of writing any scripts for Still Game!:D

Marco.

[Pigmy Pony]

Hah ! made it up . Now that I look at it I don't understand some of it either :lol:

Makes complete sense to a daft Sassenach like me :) Unlike my Ayr mates who have to say everything twice.

[Pigmy Pony]

Ok, that makes it doable , now I just need to decide if I can be arsed!:D Or if other things at home need my attention more... So don't change the day you're going on my account, as I can't guarantee anything. If Sunday suits you better mate, go then:cool:

Marco.

No, it's just that its seems almost everyone is going Saturday, and I really wasn't fussed which day. I suspect the "free beer" you spoke about would just end up being half pint of mild or a part-drunk can of Tennents Super, but I was looking forward to that signed photo of your best jobbie though...

[Macca]

*If* I'm going, I'll let you know in plenty of time, and if you feel up to it, I'll collect you en-route:)

Marco.

Okay cool, it costs me forty squid otherwise.

[Marco]

Right guys, unfortunately I won't be able to make it, as we're having some unexpected visitors over on Saturday, and Del wants to do a barbecue, so I'll be on drinks duty! Plus, it's going to be scorchio, and in such warm weather I can think of better places to be than stuck indoors at a hi-fi show...

Anyway, hope you all have a great time and take some pics for the forum!:cool:

Marco.

[Crackles]

Anyone going tomorrow have a listen to those speakers in the Missing Link room and let me know what you think. I was very impressed with them.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[antonio]

Anyone going tomorrow have a listen to those speakers in the Missing Link room and let me know what you think. I was very impressed with them.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

If these were the large Kralk Audio speakers, we did hear them, unfortunately the two tracks played, I think for show goer's, were too bass heavy so could not get a handle on them. Sorry.

[antonio]

We had an enjoyable day there yesterday, even though there was nothing outstanding. Two systems worth a mention though, first Karma Audio (distributors) comprising of MoFi tt, Primare amp and Falcon speakers, very open and great bass for such a small speaker placed well into the room which surprised me. Secondly the CAD system on Quadraspire racks, with a Lavardin amp and the very small Boenicke speakers. How these small speakers filled a reasonably sized room shocked me.

[YNWaN]

The little Boenicke speakers are very cleverly balanced - but they don’t entirely disguise the facts that top end extension is distinctly limited and bass isn’t very articulate or detailed. The overall sound is smooth and amazingly weighty for the size though.

The speakers in the ‘Missing Link’ room were almost the opposite. Overall they were a bit cool and tonally thin. I went with three friends and all felt much the same. The owner of Missing Link (Mark?) kindly played a track for me and, unfortunately, this didn’t impress me. In this case (an album I know very well) the sound was a bit dynamically limited and emotionally detached sounding. I should add that the speakers may have had nothing to do with this last and I am unfamiliar with the system used (an LP12 was used as a front end but this had been heavily modified).

[Firebottle]

There were a lot of small standmounts or compact floorstanders that impressed me, compact speakers seem to have improved recently.

The Kondo room was interesting for the small (entry level) system at the one end. It was an EL34 based power amp into 3rd party floorstanders and to my ears sounded far superior to the mega bucks system at the other end of the room. This was probably hampered by the horrible american horn loaded monsters that MCRU seems to rave about- didn't do it for me.

The best and most coherent sound of the show for me was in the Malvern Audio Research room. This was using Audio Detail DHT preamp and 211 monoblocks into the fabulous hORNS new Symphony speakers. It had reality, scale, dynamics, clarity, slam, detail to die for. Outstanding.

[YNWaN]

The speakers you describe as ‘horrible American horn loaded’ aren’t really horn loaded and they certainly aren’t American.

I did visit the room demonstrating the hORN speakers and it just goes to show how perception/experience can differ at these shows. I sat off to the left hand side and the most striking aspect was how lumpy and disjointed the bass response was! I would normally have tried a different seating position but it was too busy and the overall sound didn’t encourage me to wait for a free seat that was more central. The system may well have had “reality, scale, dynamics, clarity, slam, detail” (though none of those aspects struck me as particularly spectacular), but it seriously lacked ‘coherence’!

[Macca]

Japanese. If we're talking about the Maxonics. Horn tweeters.

[YNWaN]

Yes, the Maxonics- as you say, Japanese and with three field coil drivers per speaker.

[Firebottle]

I stand corrected on the Maxonics, didn't like them the first time I heard them.

Weird how we get different impressions of things, but that's the way with individuals hearing. Pity you couldn't have got into a central seat.
It was totally coherent to me.

[ianlenco]

Enjoyed meeting up with Alan and Shirley which was the highlight of the show :) I started in the Malvern Audio Research room and agree with Alan, didn't hear anything that matched the lovely listenability of this setup. I know Mark has spent a lot of time developing his new pre-amp and this has definitely paid off.
I also liked the little Boenicke speakers which really are little! The Quadral standmounters with ribbon tweeters also sounded rather good. Sadly and not unusually there were a lot of big expensive systems that sounded quite awful, the common feature was piercing treble. One exception was the Amphion room which sounded rather good.

[YNWaN]

My negative impression may well have been down to an unfortunate room gain issue - odd though in the way it manifested in this case. I wish I had tried a different seat now but time was pressing (a big show this year).

[YNWaN]

Ian, which rooms did you feel sound ‘piercing’ in the treble? I did get an ideal seat in the large Amphion room as it was practically empty (other than a couple of company reps) when I visited. This room had, for me, quite a muted top end and the sound, in general, was overly polite and recessed.

[the little audio company]

It may sound a little polite compared to some of the rooms that will take your ears off :)

It may also depend on the track/tracks you heard.

[Ali Tait]

I thought the Amphion speakers excellent in the short time I got for a listen.

[ianlenco]

I just heard from Mark that Malvern Audio Research got best in show :)

[mayebaza]

I just heard from Mark that Malvern Audio Research got best in show :)I agree [emoji1531]

Sent from my LYA-L29 using Tapatalk

[the little audio company]

I just heard from Mark that Malvern Audio Research got best in show :)
Odd how we hear things differently. Malvern didn’t even appear in Hi-Fi Pig’s Top 5. We did, but that’s not why I mention it... :)

[YNWaN]

It may sound a little polite compared to some of the rooms that will take your ears off :)

It may also depend on the track/tracks you heard.

It may well have been the track (I can’t think what it was that was playing now) - I was running late and wasn’t able to stay in the room for long (lovely airy room though).

On the other hand, although I didn’t, in the end, hear every room I didn’t find any of those that I did hear to ‘take my ears off’. Hey, some people actively seek out that laid back sound - Avalon have been doing it for years, for example. It’s not to my personal taste though, I don’t want the system to be polite, aggressive, or any other character trait that imposes itself on the music.

Edit: perhaps I should add that, although I hugely enjoyed the show as a whole (I always do, an outstanding show and my favourite), I didn’t find any of the rooms to really ‘do it for me’ this year. Probably my favourites, of those I heard, where the Pure Sound room and the Brian & Trevor rooms (two very different system types).

[the little audio company]

Yeah, we were lucky with having air-con :)

We’re looking at how we can improve the room for next year. We’ve never used any room treatments (which we’re actually quite proud of), but we do get a bass collection behind where the seats were (hence we didn’t put any seats there, just a table). There’ll be a bit more in the room next year, and maybe some treatment which should improve things further.