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AJSki2fly
27-10-2019, 18:01
So today I made a trip to Bristol and visited Chris(Hornucopia). Chris had recently put his ACOUSTIC ENERGY HI-FI STAND up for grabs for a small charity donation as he had not used it for several years and is having a bit of a clear out. I was very lucky to spot it early on and could not believe my luck as it was just what I had been looking for to move my hifi off an old and not very good TV stand, which was in an awkward position in front of the window and radiator.

So up to Chris's and a chat with him and his wife over a lovely cup of coffee and then Chris showed me his several systems. In his basement he has his main system and I was very interested and impressed by his Ocellia speakers, for those that know they are not only impressive to look at they all sound outstanding. Chris popped me onto his wonderful hanging listening chair, very 60's, and put on a selection of music. The clarity and detail was just stunning, and what a soundstage, as I commented to Chris, Los Lobos sounded as if they were stood in front of me in the room, and you could easily pick out every instrument, very, very musical and impressive. I know Chris is thinking of selling them and if I had the money I would probably have brought them home, although explaining that to Sue would have been a challenge.

Chris also showed me his hand built floor standing speakers which are simple horns made of dense foam hooked up to his computer, I will let Chris explain but what I heard was again rather good.

So thanks very much to Chris, Sue likes the stand and is pleased now she can get to the window, and I am very pleased to have such a good isolating stand and all my hifi neat and tidy.

Here it is at home after a clean and carefully setting it up to get level and stable. It's interesting as the stand is on spikes which sits on a metal plate which is itself on spikes and that then sits onto another metal plate with spikes into the floor. I presume the two different plates are used to isolate/damp different vibration frequencies.

https://i.postimg.cc/FKvYdV4J/35-A5-B9-DA-B0-AA-4-A04-99-D9-F00608-AAF755.jpg (https://postimg.cc/18Wmb649)

https://i.postimg.cc/BnH8nwd0/72-D7073-E-517-C-4051-85-E6-7-B73-AE91745-D-1-201-a.jpg (https://postimg.cc/FYFFPGrW)

struth
27-10-2019, 18:08
Sounds like a good time. Nice stand

hornucopia
27-10-2019, 19:51
After 30 years running my cafe-with my own blend coffee amongst other things a feature - I'm glad you liked the (Ethiopian) Coffee.
(Ethiopia is reputed to be the original source of the coffee plant)
Also good to briefly share the Ocellia's magic with you!
If folk want to investigate further (prepare for a long read!!) you can try here.
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/ocellia/ocellia.html
Mine are the top level .21 Calliopes (Grandis Silver Signatures)
AS to the 'horns'...they are more like tuned pipes in a way.
Zigmahornets, using a Dave Merrill 3 inch driver which you can read about here...
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/zigmahornet/zigmahornet.html
For... -it's another story- reasons, I used 1+1/2 inch polystyrene for the cases.
It worked well enough, sound quality-wise, to persuade me from Avantgarde Duos to the Ocellias.
Glad the stand has found an appreciative -Sue! - home.
Yes, the Ocellias are available for sale-circa £7K!! Cost near £17K, I believe, now!!
My tinnitus reduces the listening habit somewhat, though I still enjoy them when I play there.
Adrian. Try Paco de Lucia; Gerardo Nunez;Rafael Riquieni;Tomatito; then a bit of Baden Powell for Brazilian jazz.
Ojos de Brujo....the list is endless.....
Might even sell the 'hanging chair.....am slimming life gradually.26876

AJSki2fly
27-10-2019, 20:45
Chris, yes the coffee was very nice, and as far as I’m aware my first Ethiopian brew, very good.

I won’t say more about the speakers, but I am going to tell my best friend about them, he is in a better position than I to purchase, and I am pretty sure he would love them. So you never know we may meet up again, he is visiting me in a couple of weeks. I know people say they are more suited to classical, but they worked very well with the music I heard through them, which wasn’t classical.

As for the chair I could easily live with it in my life, just let me know if you choose to part with it, but I think you should hang it in your lounge if you still enjoy it.

All the best,

Adrian

hornucopia
02-11-2019, 15:32
It's just a case of ...'too many chairs'. I'm not likely to be using the 'suspended' chair much now.
Just dismembered the 7' Waterbed.......