Scalford show 6th March 2011

[Alex_UK]

Richard (Rabski) Windsor Room.

LP 12, Ittok, Ortofon Bronze, EAR 834P, MF 3.2 Tranport, Audiosector DAC, Trancendent pre, Jadis CA30 Monos, One Thing Quad ESL57, sub, JAS Supertweeter.

This was one of the top 5 systems for me, and typified what I said about "clarity" - no doubt helped by the super-tweeters, and an ideal room. (The LP12 was playing when we visited.) "Electrostatics don't do bass" - umm, yes they do! Well, in this setup they did - Ok, not the slam of the 66's for instance, but certainly enough of the low end to dispel another hi-fi myth for me!

[Alex_UK]

Just another point, and then I'll leave you alone for a bit!

An obvious observation, really, but visiting 40 odd systems really showed me how vital speaker placement is - or more accurately - ear placement. In most of the rooms, making sure my ears were level with the tweeters (if there were any!) was vital to get the best experience of the system in question. I found this was much more important in most cases than the horizontal plain, where the image would shift, but the tone remain the same. In some systems, the "sweet spot" was very small, but finding it, everything clicked into place. As I said, obvious really, but where you were in the room would make or break the experience.

[jandl100]

..... i was really pleased to of at last litened to a mini T amp through Tannoys and swiftly bought one to play with there and then using my phone to do so ....

Fantastic .... that l'il Mini-T did sound rather fine driving the Tannoy Lancasters, didn't it! £60 - ridiculous!

.... who was the guy you were with who seemed pretty much dazed and gobsmacked by the sound of the Mini-T?!

[jandl100]

Interesting essay, back there, Alex.

I totally agree that there is a real danger that as you go up in price, the system's become more 'hifi' and obvious sounding. No names - but there were several seriously high priced systems at Scalford where I was a bit shocked at how un-musical they were. Screech-tizz seems to cost one hell of a lot of money if you aren't careful!
[Of course ... one person's screech-tizz is another person's wonderfully detailed treble and in-the-room presence! ]

... but then again, some of the rooms were way less than perfect. I was lucky to be in a pretty good room, and I am sure that helped a lot to get the most out of the system I played. Of course, good kit helps too.

Yup, you were right - I kept my system simple and that paid big dividends, I suspect.

Good fun - roll on next year - a tentative plan is forming already for me to team up with a guy with lovely KEF 107.2 speakers.

[Alex_UK]

Here's my 3 best piccies of the AoS kit.

[i_should_coco]

Some pics here...

[Effem]

Nobody was more gutted than I am that it was yet another year I couldn't get up to Scalford and join in the fun.

Mere words are simply not enough to convey what sounds could be heard there and as for the countless photos I have seen from so many well intentioned people, they convey even less information to someone like me who was unable to attend, so a big thanks to Alfie for at least putting the exhibitor's name, the room occupied and the kit list into the header caption. Bravo! Well done Sir!

What I am picking up from the many comments I have read is that one day simply isn't enough to get round the whole show, which is a great shame for the exhibitors tucked away in that rabbit warren of a place, while the "star systems" get plenty of coverage and pictures from poster after poster, which from the outside looking in, is starting to become a tad monotonous to be honest and I feel sorry for the folks that also did the same hauling and set up of their kit to the show yet failed to even get a small mention in dispatches.

[Effem]

(BobC) Quorn Room.

Origin Live Aurora TT, Leben Pre, McIntosh MC275 Monos, ?? speakers.

Ruarks?

[jandl100]

Nobody was more gutted than I am that it was yet another year I couldn't get up to Scalford and join in the fun.

yep - a damn shame it was on the other side of the country to you, Frank. 5 or 6 hours drive, I should think.

What I am picking up from the many comments I have read is that one day simply isn't enough to get round the whole show,

Very true - it could easily run for 2 days, and you'd still not really have enough time.

which is a great shame for the exhibitors tucked away in that rabbit warren of a place...

Well, no, not really.

I was tucked away on the 2nd floor. I know a lot of folks didn't make it to my room - but one hell of a lot of folks did. There was always some visitors in my room - and often enough it was damn crowded!
the doors opened at 10 and I was expecting it would take folks 1/2 hour or so to find their way up to me .... not a bit of it! At 2 minutes past 10 they started coming in!

Chris technobear was tucked away on the 1st floor in a bloody annexe to the hotel, really. The first time I tried to visit Chris I couldn't even get in 'cos of the crowds in, and waiting outside, his room!

I've spoken to quite a few folks who were tucked away elsewhere in the rabbit warren - and they too had no end of visitors.

.... while the "star systems" get plenty of coverage and pictures from poster after poster, ...... and I feel sorry for the folks that also did the same hauling and set up of their kit to the show yet failed to even get a small mention in dispatches.

Well, yes - but this is just forum crappola.

We all had our fave rooms - and quite a few of the smaller ones (including mine) have also got mentions here and on the Wigwam.

It really is the experience on the day that matters, I reckon. And I am 100% sure it was very very positive for pretty much everyone who showed their kit.

[Bazil]

Cheers, Chris (and Andre, by PM). Interesting... Pity he never made it to our room

Marco.

Yes he did, you were on walkabout, he did a bit of a video.