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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, 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
September 2008
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