Bristol Hi-Fi Show 2018

[George47]

As confirmed by an old acquaintance by the name of George, just shite

Less of the old

The Fyne Audio company consists of the better engineers from Tannoy who left when they were taken over by the Chinese. They developed this speaker using the Tannoy dual concentric speaker unit. It must have had a lot of work done whilst they were still at Tannoy. Did they realise what talent they had? But at £15-20K a fair amount of money.

The Von Gaylord(?) speakers really played music well and had great 3D sound-stage with a currently very unfashionable valve, compared to the KT120/150. They have no UK distributor but are hopeful. Prices were interesting. I like them.

Malvern Research were producing a really nice sound with a non-honking horn on the tweeter and a very interesting looking power amplifier. It looked like a Luxman (more blingy) with 805 valves....

[User211]

So George gets us onto Malvern Audio Research, who I visited and documented here. The FP15 (bigger brother to the FP10 here) is a fine speaker and these share similar traits, obviously. The FP15 adds some pretty serious bass into the equation, though. My kind of box speaker - for its size it is a great performer I think.

One of the better rooms. Mark's Chelva 4 valve preamp/DAC and Nuvistor phono stage.





The 805 single ended Cavatina Scatola (WTF?) Minging amp. An integrated and it seems to sound pretty good TBH.

[User211]

JBLs seem popular on this forum, so it's nice to be able to report that these JBL 4312SE speaks and some Primare kit were sounding alright when I was in there. Probably not going to break the bank, either.

[User211]

Whole heap of AVM kit and PMC speakers. Looking inside the clear boxes I didn't see any recognisable foo, but there seemed to be a few bespoke AVM branded bits in there.

Seems like OK gear with the actual system sounding alright but I'm of the view it isn't going to blow anyone's mind. I moved on pretty quickly.

In all honesty the lower down the hotel floors I got the less interested I became until I really got completely disinterested. So much so I left. It's the smaller less mainstream brands that typically produce the more interesting gear.

[montesquieu]

Highlights for me were:

- The new Timestep tonearm - Groovemaster descended but with some tweaks that should make it even better. Tempted by the 12in version. Also saw the new Glanz arm in the metal and it's very nice (if one that will need saving up for).
- Teac R2R playing somewhere can't remember - made the vinyl that followed sound a bit rubbish. Bad move I suspect
- New SP10 - looked and sounded great. Actually the Technics gear was sounding fab all round and I loved the nods to their 70s & 80s styling. Prices are high but it all seems well done.
- The Focal room which was all up and working together to my ears and sounded good even though I'm not a fan of Focals generally.
- The new Atacama and Apollo bamboo-shelved stands which looked great!
- New Cary KT150 PP integrated. Very nice and I guess 'reasonably priced' as these things go (if not quite 'affordable' unless it's used in the same sense as the oxymoron 'affordable houses) at around 5000 Euros.

Not so good:

- Sorry to disagree with Justin but for me, the Audio Note room was sounding a bit pants today - E's of any stripe are often a bit bloomy/fruity/even boomy in the bass thanks to the cabinet which is kind of designed to sing along and when placed in the corners gives the effect of low bass, but in this room the whole thing was overdone and the nice mids and airyness/detail couldn't really disguise the fact there was too much low-end resonance happening. The string bass-heavy recording used just seemed to me the worst way to demonstrate this.
- Record choice - appalling selection mainly of stratospherically priced old potboilers. I didn't see too many sales either maybe people are fed up being taken for mugs.
- As usual not a single exhibitor playing classical music, this year it was the usual soft rock or GWG, interspersed with electronica. Ho hum.

Wish I'd looked in the Fyne Audio room but time was limted this afternoon and I didn't go in everywhere - if I'd know this was a bunch of ex-Tannoy people I'd have gone in. (I've only read the thread properly since I got in tonight. Tannoy were missed this year and Quad only seemed to be demoing their standmounts any time I looked in which disappointed as I'd like to have heard the 2912 in action.

[User211]

As promised, Fyne F-1 video. Caught at an inopportune moment really but arguably better than nowt. You'll need some patience to get through the interlude...

[User211]

Sorry to disagree with Justin but for me, the Audio Note room was sounding a bit pants today - E's of any stripe are often a bit bloomy/fruity/even boomy in the bass thanks to the cabinet which is kind of designed to sing along and when placed in the corners gives the effect of low bass, but in this room the whole thing was overdone and the nice mids and airyness/detail couldn't really disguise the fact there was too much low-end resonance happening. The string bass-heavy recording used just seemed to me the worst way to demonstrate this.

Sounds about right and that's were the bulk of the colouration I was complaining about was coming from.

[User211]

Does anyone know if that slate looking veneer on the AN Es is actually slate?

[rigger67]

... it was the usual soft rock or GWG

What's GWG ??

Funnily enough, when I met Rob today buying some speakers from him he said every time he hears kit at shows it seems to be Rumours playing, while I added "Or Dark Side Of The Moon"

[montesquieu]

What's GWG ??

Funnily enough, when I met Rob today buying some speakers from him he said every time he hears kit at shows it seems to be Rumours playing, while I added "Or Dark Side Of The Moon"

'Girl with guitar'.

I heard Steely Dan Gaucho in two rooms and Donald Fagan's Nightflight in another one. I love those albums but hate to hear them in that sort of setting.