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The 2008 Audio & AV Show (formerly The Sound &
Vision Show) kicked off to a flying start, depending on your
actual start point of course…
If you are a newby audiophile and required show information online,
you would have realised the official promoters website 'Chester
Group' was offline at least a week before the show start date thanks
to hackers. However, hardcore hi-fi enthusiasts are resilient and
tenacious. Judging by the emails received here, it was clear that
most individuals already knew where to go and how to get there.
This years’ show held at the London Heathrow Park In Hotel
19-21 September was not only one of the best organised shows in
years, it also seemed to be one of the most well attended. Both
hi-fi representatives and patrons expressed an extremely healthy
passion and enthusiasm for two channel hi-fi - Of course it is in
the manufacturers’ best interest to put on at least a ‘semi-happy
how can I help you hat’. However, it has taken a few years
of reality check sales figures for many to get it right. With current
global financial issues hotting up, only a water salesman in the
Sahara Desert can rest on his laurels!
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Without doubt every year sees a greater push on dedicated docking
stations, various converters (both hardware and software) …
and any conceivable product that will link that ever-popular ‘postage
stamp’ sized entity called the iPod with two channel home
hi-fi. Of course it makes basic financial sense for high end hi-fi
manufacturers to embrace this irreversible technology. Whether purists
like it or not, downsizing and convenience listening products are
here for good. I would consider myself a ‘semi-purist’
with an open mind; however my brief encounter with the ABC
Audio room iPod / server set-up seemed good reason to become
a fully-fledged, badge wearing purist. I could never feel comfortable
with such a compressed non-musical presentation.
The RPM room did not fare much better offering
a rather forced brittle sound from the vinyl source with the CD
player sounding somewhat clinical and compressed. With an overall
system price tag in excess of £14.000 I expected to hear more.
Tannoy’s eye catching Prestige Kensington speakers took pride
of place in the Raysonic room. Coupled with the
Raysonic SE-20MKII valve amplifier (8 watts per channel) and CD
player, audiophiles were treated to a punchy presentation with crystal
clear clarity.
After further similar disappointing sounds from the Epos room,
I was beginning to wonder if my ears were suffering from repetitive
strain injury (RSI). Thankfully the Electrocompaniet room
offered a welcome respite with an instantly listenable controlled
presentation. Further listening using the precise powerful vocals
of Rachelle Ferrell’s CD “Individuality” (Can
I be me) revealed why this Norwegian company and its products are
so highly respected. Ferrell’s vocals were delivered smoothly
and with amazing detail. Watch this space for a more detailed review
on Electrocompaniet amplifiers.
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Sound Venture Systems occupied one of the largest
rooms in the hotel (and for good reason). Radialstrahler mbl 101
E omni-directional design speakers need room to breathe. They resemble
modern ‘non-scary’ silver versions of Doctor Who’s
Dalek’s (minus plunger laser gun) and would not be out of
place in H. G. Wells’ film “The Time Machine”.
Company director Alexander koibe was keen to wax lyrical about these
beauties …
“The Radialstrahler mbl concept includes a circular vertical
arrangement of carbon fibre lamellas around an axis for each frequency
range (tweeter, midrange driver and subwoofer). On the upper side,
these lamellas are firmly glued in a thrust bearing and on the lower
side; they are connected to a moving coil. When a pulse of music
is transmitted from the amplifier to the speaker, these slightly
bent lamellas are oscillated - they radiate sound waves, in this
case music. The result is a sound of unusual acoustic space, neutral
and homogenous and realism that is absolutely free from colouring.”
The most effective test for any system is to actually listen…
Panamanian Danilo Perez’s “Panamonk” CD is a fine
example of lively rhythmic Latin enthused jazz. I also have had
the pleasure of experiencing Perez in the live environment, so my
expectations for the Radialstrahler mbl 101 E’s and associated
components was high. The results… a dynamic, unforced lively
energy. Most notable was the clean natural treble that did not spit,
did not sound abrasive or tiring. An open airy cohesive sound (from
any position in the room) which simply takes your breath away. I
eventually reluctantly moved on to listen to other systems at the
show. With an overall system price tag of £95.000, I realised
I would probably need to put my passion for music and hi-fi on hold
for a while to become a water salesman, and then re-locate to the
Sahara Desert...!
Albums used for demonstration included:
Danilo Perez – Panamonk (CD)
Rachelle Ferrell - Individuality (CD)
Report by Robin Francis
© Michael Valentine Studio Ltd.
September 2008
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