The sight of kit being finely tuned, the sound of Pink Floyd floating down a corridor and the smell of hotel coffee wafting in the air can only mean one thing…hifi shows are back!
And for the UK Audio Show hosted at the De Vere Hotal in Staverton last weekend, this marked its twenty fourth year. What makes this show different is how the organisers combine some of the biggest names in hifi with lesser known brands that have so much to offer, making sure there’s something special for every visitor.
Even with hands tied behind their backs icon Audio offered a warm welcome
Valve amp experts icon Audio had an extensive selection of hardware on offer, including headphone amps. The EH 300B tubed HP 205D (bottom left) sounded smooth and sublime and comes with optional Bluetooth.
Handmade in Gainsborough by Lee Drage, Acoustand Audio’s engineering is exquisite
Acoustand Audio presented a range of analogue extras that are polished to perfection. It was its two truly stunning turntables with magnetically assisted bearings that caught our eye. Low production means they’re rare and in demand.
Serving up the sounds
Elbow deep in LPs, Diverse Vinyl catered for every genre
Of course music maketh the show, and Diverse Vinyl came fully armed with a fantastic range of rare pressings and new releases to keep our turntables busy.
Where France and Japan meet at the Midlands
Midland Audio xchange played to a packed room across the weekend, with a system built around electronics by France’s Lavardin Technologies and Japan’s Leben.
Don’t you wish your system was isolated like this?
What a system this was with Kerr Acoustic K320 mk.3 loudspeakers on dedicated Townshend Audio stands fed by PS Audio and Long Dog Audio electronics. The black preamp at the top of the shot is the Townshend’s Allegri Reference.
Dimes at the ready in those Levi’s, Sound Leisure’s jukeboxes are good to go
Nostalgia meets modern thanks to Soundleisure.com and its take on reimagined jukeboxes, which were pure retro eye candy.
Perfect pairing
With a system this much on song, we were smiling too
The amp you can see above is Art Audio’s beautiful Diavalo nestled up to its Duo Composer turntable (a heavily evolved iteration of what begin life as the Clarity 09). The giant loudspeakers are handmade one-offs by Audio Sung.
(L-R) Amphion Argon0, 1, 3S, 3LS and 7LS. The real wood beauties in the foreground are Krypton3 in walnut finish
Amphion loudspeakers were in heavy use across the show and Auden Distribution combined the brand’s extensive range with Hegel amplification for quality sounds with style.
Whole lotta hifi
Supplied by Whole Note Distribution, Boenicke‘s instantly recognisable loudspeakers were put to good use with a Silent Angel M1T Digital Transport, N8 Network Switch and F1 PSU feeding an AGD Andante DAC and Gran Vivace Mono amplifiers. The deck is by VPI Industries.
Born in the USA
These gorgeous KLH loudspeakers look equally appealing with grilles on or off
Visitors to American Audio‘s room were in for a treat with KLH Audio Model5 speakers serving up the sounds from a Mofi deck and partnering Parasound, Schiit and Torus Power electronics.
A welcome return
Thanks to the UK Audio Show team, the staff at De Vere Staverton and everyone who stopped by to say hello, sign up to our newsletter try our cakes and find out more about Audiograde.uk.
