Bristol Show

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Anyone going? I would but am on holiday.

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Anyone going? I'm thinking about it probably on the Friday as it is no great expense living so close and with all my seniors discounts. Went two years ago and was not impressed with most of what I heard, think poor setting up and synergy issues had a lot to do with it as well as the rooms. There seems to be less exhibitors than two years ago, Linn for one being absent. The biggest plus about two years ago was realising how good my system sounds at home. The Bristol show is my only chance to hear different systems as I can't justify the cost and travel times to better less commercialised shows.

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Anyone going? I'm thinking about it probably on the Friday as it is no great expense living so close and with all my seniors discounts. Went two years ago and was not impressed with most of what I heard, think poor setting up and synergy issues had a lot to do with it as well as the rooms. There seems to be less exhibitors than two years ago, Linn for one being absent. The biggest plus about two years ago was realising how good my system sounds at home. The Bristol show is my only chance to hear different systems as I can't justify the cost and travel times to better less commercialised shows.

The biggest plus about this year seems to be Linn isn't there

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Anyone going? I'm thinking about it probably on the Friday as it is no great expense living so close and with all my seniors discounts. Went two years ago and was not impressed with most of what I heard, think poor setting up and synergy issues had a lot to do with it as well as the rooms. There seems to be less exhibitors than two years ago, Linn for one being absent. The biggest plus about two years ago was realising how good my system sounds at home. The Bristol show is my only chance to hear different systems as I can't justify the cost and travel times to better less commercialised shows.

The biggest plus about this year seems to be Linn isn't there

Naim are still there. In a room close to the bar for obvious reasons.

[Lindsayt]

With Linn not being there, does that mean that Naim will be the Focal point of the show?

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With Linn not being there, does that mean that Naim will be the Focal point of the show?

Naim are more likely to impress people coming out of the bar. I have noticed that there are a number of absentees who I believe were at Bristol before. Technics, Spender, PMC and Yamaha spring to mind. Could be to do with costs. That said Harbeth are coming mob handed and have a number of rooms. I have noticed that the venue is trying to attract staff to move equipment. If I go I will want to speak to Qobuz about the loudness wars which I consider to be the hobby's biggest bug bear. I will ask why they stream and sell the latest masters when older ones usually have greater dynamic range.

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Only took two hours from my door to the Bristol show with a total return transport cost of £11.30. I am sure much of the £15 seniors admission fee goes towards the cost of all the glossy brochures they hand everyone. There were less attendees than two years ago when I also went on the Friday and I think the promotional picture of a massive queue dates back years. There did appear to be many more younger people present which is encouraging. It was less of an old people's gathering than when I go to see a band. There also seemed to be more females attending. I'm sure my other half would have found it a huge bore though.

The number of exhibitors was less than in 2023 and it was easy to get seats in rooms as well as getting served at the bar. I started off at the top and worked my way down via the stairs having decided which rooms were of most interest. I did not stay long in most because the sound was so bad. The main problem was bass boom alongside harshness. The bigger the speakers the worse the room sounded. What really made a difference was room treatment. No matter what the cost of the system, when consideration was given to this I could in most cases take a seat.

Chord took room treatment to the extreme and there room was like the black hole of Calcutar completely shrouded in what seemed thick dark curtains. It could not have been more far removed from a typical listing room but sounded better than the other rooms I had visited. As the music was decent I hung around. Chord seem to have learned lessons from 2023 when their room was about the worst I visited. The speakers were floor standards from Kerr Acoustic, a brand I had not heard of. They had a room on the second floor which I visited next.Here their entry level 6K! stand mounts were demoed. The room was smaller with more modest room correction and I preferred the sound. The source was slightly more modest, not far removed from mine, with the TT2 and Mscaler whereas in the Chord room it was the Dave on its own.

There were less vinyl systems than two years ago streamed rips being the order of the day. An elaborate looking Mitchel TT did sound rather good. In the Project room the record got stuck. A word of praise for Neat stand mount speakers which blew away most of what I heard. Among the worst sounding rooms were Naim, Tannoy, ATC, Fyne and Quad/Wharfdale. It was annoying that a very small number of rooms only let visitors in at set times, a bit silly in view of the reduced number of attendees. One such room was REL and I gave them a miss as a result.

I took the opportunity to speak to Qobuz about my big bug bear, the loudness wars and compressed hi res remasters in respect of both streams and purchases. I was informed that many others had brought this to their attention. I was not surprised when they said it was out of their control but a bit baffled by a suggested solution. It was for subscribers to find links to streams with greater DR and send it to them. Easier said than done.

All in all, because of the close proximity, a good day out. But I will not be forking out cash on anything which was there. It was nice to return to my system in the evening.