Whittlebury’s Audio Show Deluxe is unlike most UK hifi experiences, being blessed with a prestigious venue that’s so easy to get around. It just lends itself to long listening sessions with a relaxed vibe.
Our day kicked off in Karma-AV’s vast demo room, driven by some serious Perlisten speakers and partnering subs, fed from Primare electronics, including dedicated mounts to demo the in-ceiling speakers.
It truly was something to experience, not least because of a raft of Perlisten’s R18is active subs. You can see two in action above, with whopping 18″ woofers, yet the whole box measures just 306mm deep. What a way to start the day.
At the other end of the scale was Primare’s Allt-i-Ett all-in-one that we reviewed just last month. So impressive was its performance, I was all for having it away, hence why Wayne and Tom are keeping guard – probably wise.
Henley Audio could have filled two rooms with these systems, so complete were they. On the left was a mix of Michi and HiFi Rose, while the system on the right is Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista territory, powering Piega loudspeakers.
Note the support system too, that’s by MW Stands, (Mid Wales) which has an exquisite locking system and is cut from only the finest lengths of either maple or walnut wood.
And those two Nu-Vista products on that stand to the right aren’t just any old MF lumps, as they’re the new dedicated DAC (left) and Vinyl 2 phono stage (right).
It goes without saying…they’re on the Audiograde soon-to-be reviewed list.
Fiver if you can guess who these suave brogues belong to? Here’s a clue – he’s one of the best dressed guys who makes some of the best analogue gear on earth…
That’s right, it’s AVID’s Conrad Mas! And he had plenty to smile about, with a range of new releases and longer standing products on demo.
Here’s AVID’s Ingenium plug ‘n’ play machine, brought to S2 level thanks to a new external PSU and improved arm.
Sat underneath is the brand’s new Velsonic twin box phono stage.
I just love how much real-world adjustment this offers for moving-magnet and moving-coil pick-ups, combined with real-world usability, thanks to those front panel rotary knobs (not a hidden dip-switch in sight!).
Some no-nonsense loudspeaker action now, thanks to Jes Kerr who partnered with Symphony Distribution. Above is his K100 Mk2 model being excited by Esoteric electronics. Delightful.
Then it was over to Innous, served by some serious Gryphon amplification. The silver unit (top left) is the Nazaré server/streamer, alongside the brand’s Statement model. Digital at its finest.
Two finer chaps you could not meet at a hifi show. To the left is HiFi and Music Source‘s Simon Wilce, while to the right is Moor Amps’ Timothy Narramore, proudly demonstrating the latter’s latest Angel power and preamps plus manaDAC.
Need some cables? Then speak to Decent Audio – as it had a wide range to choose from to get the very best from your hifi.
Puritan Audio Laboratories had its hardware all laid bare for showgoers to savour.
Front of shot is its PSM156 Studio Master mains purifier, sporting precision symmetrically balanced circuitry and six fully independent outputs.
Where else would you find a full flight dCS stack just minding its own business in a corridor? Only at the Audio Show Deluxe. It was quite something to see these on display where the rest of us would park a pot plant. Deluxe indeed.
A contender for the most rarified tonearm in production, presented by Absolute Sounds. This is TechDAS’s AF10 air bearing wand which, unlike most airbearing tonearms, runs on a fixed (rather than sliding rail) pivot. Even the downforce is governed by air, which is quite something.
The deck it sits on is Dohman’s stunning Helix One MkIII, and the pick-up is a wood-bodied Analog Relax with diamond stylus and canteliver, making for one of the best vinyl front ends you can buy.
These where feeding Nagra amplifiers, driving Magico’s S5 loudspeaker, with crowd pleasing results.
Here’s HiFi+’s Alan Sircom in full flow, spinning through a selection of his chosen test LPs, which was my session of the show.
But if that wasn’t enough, next door you had D’Agostino and Audio Research amps to enjoy, pushing Wilson speakers.
Seen here are the Mometum Z and Reference 330M power amps with 50th Anniversary WATT/Puppy loudspeakers.
Another show debut, this time from Chord Electronics with its Quartet Upscaler and Ultima phono stage looking like (and sounding like) it means business.
Flagship Kuzma and Living Voice in the same room? No wonder it was hard to squeeze my modest camera lens in this space, as these were something else to experience. A definite contender for system of the show (see what George says…below).
I still don’t think Transrotor gets the recognition it deserves in the UK for services to hi-end vinyl, and the examples above illustrate why, presented by KOG Audio.
It was great to see and hear Audio Group Denmark’s suite of products out in the wild, as we experienced a few weeks back thanks to Signature Audio Systems.
Above are Aarvik amps driving Børresen’s C1 speakers with Ansuz accessories to great effect.
A camera cannot really do justice to Stratton’s speakers in their gleaming flesh. Above are the Element 8 and 6 standmount models looking more than eye catching.
And when it comes to speakers that break the mould, few do it as distinctively as Vivid.
Its Giya G4 Cu model was sounding on-song, also thanks to Halco’s new Equinox preamp and partnering Eclipse power amp. These were fed from a gorgeous looking Onkk Q-SDD (slotless direct drive) turntable boasting its own Scribe 304 tonearm.
I did try to park my wagon in the foyer but the spaces were reserved by the fine wheels and in-car audio of Driving Sounds, which had the luxury motors to suit the occasion.
George says…
The title of the show perfectly describes what is offered – an Audio Show Deluxe! With less than 40 exhibitors are large rooms with solid walls, the space really impressed me.
Audionote, as always, had a great sound in its room. Over the last 12 years (yes 12!), the AN team has been working on a discrete ladder DAC, the Izvor. No DAC chip, no oversampling, no digital filters, no analogue filters, just ultra-precise resistors and a clever process to ensure ultra-high quality audio. The resulting hardware gave a very natural, lifelike sound with real dynamics and tight bass. Valves with great dynamics and bass!. What is better? A new OTO 35 Silver amplifier – which is now at chez George for review.
Boyer Audio demonstrated an amazing system featuring Kroma Atelier Callas speakers, an Orpheus Lab Opus II preamp, M800 monoblocks, and the Wadax Studio player. The system delivered huge scale and dynamics along with tremendous detail. It handled big, dramatic music effortlessly while also revealing subtle details in gentler, quieter recordings. This was my first time hearing Boyer Audio, and I definitely want to hear it again.
Cyrus Audio presented its new 80 AMP, an all-in-one model with a BluOS streamer. Paired with Kerr Acoustics 200 three-way loudspeakers, the system filled the room with great music as its imaging and speed kept the sounds engaging, making for a very enjoyable listen.
Decent Audio showcased a yet-to-be released, Dual CS701Q direct-drive turntable, paired it with an SPL preamp and 1000 M monoblocks. For me though the star of the room was the new, large Scansonic MB-8B speakers. Together, the system gave a relaxed sound with plenty of detail and dynamics. I listened to a few tracks and really appreciated
hearing the detail and dynamics without the music feeling aggressive. I could have quite easily have spent much more time in this space it it wasn’t for the pressing need to get round the other rooms — as the sound was far better than ‘decent’!
Definitive Audio really pushed the boat out with a truly top-tier system. We’re talking two incredible turntables, with huge platters, beautifully engineered motors, and sophisticated support systems that made a real statement. The Kuzma XL Air has a 40kg platter and floats on a 5µm air
cushion, while the SJS M10 mono amplifiers use three special Stradi 300B tubes per channel – partnered with thhe renowned R80 OBX speakers which looked magnificent with their outboard crossovers.
This system created a huge 3D soundstage that extended well beyond the outside edges of the speakers, making the recording environment easy to hear. Yet with simpler music, it produced a strong central image with real human solidity. I could have spent hours in this room too!
Henley Audio brought a wide range of products. The EAT valve equipment caught the eye, along with the foil-ribbon Piega speakers and the huge black Rotel Michi amplifiers (a favourite of our Editor). The
system performed very well, but I couldn’t help wondering what the big Michis could do with my Wilson Sophias.
Kog Audio demonstrated the T+A MP3100HV G3 SACD player with the PA3100HV amplifier, Solitaire S2 speakers, and a Taiko Audio Extreme streamer. When I visited the room this system delivered a big, powerful, neutral sound with great scale when the recording demanded it and became very intimate with the right music, especially with close-
miked vocals.
The Luxman, DALI, and Chord Company room was one I had really looked forward to. I particularly wanted to hear the brand new Luxman Class A L-100C amplifier, and the DALI Epikore 9 speakers really showed it off. This system came very close to being the best sound at the show. The room was huge, but the system filled it with clear, transparent audio and solid human images, while the music sounded smooth and easy to listen to. I could savour this system for hours. I checked the specifications — the amplifier produces only 20W into 8 ohms — yet it sounded huge! The bad news is that it went back to Japan at the
end of the show and won’t return until May. (Yes, I did remind the Luxman representative that I’m in the queue to review it 😉).
Music Works showcased new products from Accuphase, Peak Consult, and AcouPlex. I was particularly interested in Accuphase, as I hope to review one of their amplifiers in the near future and based on what I heard, I’m in for a real treat!
At Whittlebury, Signature Audio Systems recreated the sound we heard during our recent visit to its HQ. These products focus on thoughtful design, ultra-low noise, and meticulous vibration control.
Symmetry featured the ever-present Mike Valentine (above), who gave a practical demonstration of his recording techniques and equipment. He played a recording video, pausing it to explain the microphones he used. For the timpani for example, he used two microphones to create a more solid, detailed image; for the woodwinds, he used three microphones to provide additional positional information. Mike then replayed the entire track using a Nagra tape recorder. The pièce de résistance was his recording of Beethoven’s 9th finale, presented in all its bold, powerful sounding glory with a full male and female choir. It was a brilliant way to end his talk.
To cap the day, we went to the Brasstards show, where four musicians played lively brass music. It was a hoot, and we only just resisted the temptation to dance.
We did not resist the canapés though, and although the free wine was tempting, I was driving home.
What a great day—I’m already looking forward to next year’s show.
A huge thanks to Kris, Stuart and all the team at the show for a warm welcome and fantastic hifi experience, we can’t wait for next year!
