Naim at the Airport Show

I have this album on 180g vinyl pressing, BTW, and it has never sounded as good as this!

Methinks that my vinyl source may need some address...

This was the best home cinema that I have ever heard - and it was playing music, one of my favourite tunes in fact.

I may have been distracted a little by the visual cues as well as the auditive ones, but I found the goosebumps rising with the euphoria of the track, as the synths started with their layered harmonies...

That was the best experience of the show for me.

Next, I heard the main Naim system through the NBLs, and I found them to be rather boxy - just like when I heard them at the Chester Show last year.

I had a pleasant chat with Paul Darwin, though.

Later, I happened upon this room again when they had switched to the new Allaes: the boxiness had vanished, and the music sounded so alive, that I realised that these new speakers by Naim must be the second pair that not only can I tolerate, but I actually think are excellent in communicating the musical message - along with Credos, to the exception of all the other Naim speakers that I have heard. Sorry chaps!

If I had 2k tomorrow for speakers, I'd by the Allaes without a doubt - subject to their working in my rather small listening room, of course.
They even look nice!

Next was the QS Reference (bog seat variety) room. Here there was was also an effective demonstration of the difference in musicality - especially pitch and timing, when the CDX was moved from a steel frame stand to the top shelf of the QS Ref. I imagined Stallion appearing from nowhere to swipe the steel rack from under our noses in order to demonstrate a further improvement in musical performance.

Larry and Steve put on a good demo at Music Works. Nice to meet you guys!

Stallion proved to be as elusive as Bin Liner, despite asking me in another thread last night where we might meet, etc!

He was around and about, so I was informed by Paul Darwin - who even intercepted my passage past the Naim room as I was chatting with Tony Lonorgan, to say that he had just gone in the opposite direction... For fun, he also suggested that I should call him Stallion instead of his real name...

I thought that this would keep, as would Stallion himself...

I never saw him, unless it was the tall dark-haired guy that I saw rushing past in a beige suit with a mobile phone glued to his ear at one point!

I went to Audio Counsel's room to hear the new Densen B400XS/B200/B300XS/Royds. It was a bit disappointing, as it failed to involve, and the bass didn't do it for me.

At the time, I dismissed it as being the fault of the CD player. I later learned that they were using Chord Chrysalis interconnects with Densen.
I have said before, that this combination just doesn't bloody work! (imho)

Anyway, a jolly good show - especially from Naim and QS. The rest of the show - all that hi-end exotica was kind of, er, interesting...

It's always a nice day for it Have a good one!
Steve.
It's good to get back to normal.

[This message was edited by Steven Toy on MONDAY 19 November 2001 at 06:26.]