New Turntables - Bristol Show

Usually after the Bristol show we get several threads talking excitedly about the experience, including photographs of equipment and rooms. Unfortunately, I was unable to make it there myself this year, but reading this thread at least it would seem that I've not missed much. Even when the show has been disappointing in the past I've often made new musical discoveries, but it appears that those who have attended haven't even been so impressed by the music. Oh dear!

Reflecting on my experiences at the show yesterday evening I remember one of the first times I went; around 2000 and Naim were proudly demonstrating their SL2 loudspeakers.

It was one of the really significant moments in my musical journey. I fell in love instantly with how they looked and sounded. The passion of the team describing their design and components was tangible. Although, as a young trainee solicitor at the time, there was no way I could even think about being able to afford a pair I promised myself that, one day I would own them in Maple.

17 years later I fulfilled that ambition but, more importantly, my reflections yesterday centred on what I felt has made Naim such a special firm. Their design and manufacture of innovative, trail-blazing loudspeakers was front and centre of that and, although I understand the economic challenges of continuing to do so, to me there seems to be some missing magic in their makeup these days and I think it’s probably that.

Clive B posted:

Usually after the Bristol show we get several threads talking excitedly about the experience, including photographs of equipment and rooms. Unfortunately, I was unable to make it there myself this year, but reading this thread at least it would seem that I've not missed much. Even when the show has been disappointing in the past I've often made new musical discoveries, but it appears that those who have attended haven't even been so impressed by the music. Oh dear!

Sadly I found it quite flat this year. Not a lot of exciting new stuff, and a lot of the rooms seemed very bright to me, so I found listening to them tiring. It may have just been me though. B&W were the stars of the show for me, I thought they pitched the dem of the 700s very well. The Naim setup didn’t work for me, I don’t like the sound of the Utopias, so didn’t stay long. The new streamer area seemed pretty dead, I couldn’t spot free Naim people to talk to, and didn’t want to make my friends stand looking at boxes until I could find someone. 

We seem to be a bit off topic - having moved on to impressions of the Bristol show.  I went yesterday (first time for about 5 years) and really enjoyed it. The big  Naim system was not my cup of tea at all; however the one in the basement sounded very good to my ears but the Focal speakers look awful.  System hierarchy seems to have gone out of the window - a £4k one box solution plus £7k speakers - plenty of others with the same approach. It's a long way from the advice of 30 years ago that if you could afford it you should buy an LP12 and if you couldn't afford an amp and speakers to go with it,  you could at least watch your records go round.

I also enjoyed the Audio Note room where Vincent Belanger was playing cello using the Audio Note system for the accompaniment. Harbeth P3ES speakers were making really good sounds for such small boxes. ATC and Dynaudio were enjoyable too. Some systems sounded dire and best not to mention any names.

BN

JBGWild posted:

They have a Planar 1+ Plus on their new price list, with a built in MM phono stage. 

 

This is exciting. Hope a P3 is launched with onboard phono stage, no excuse for pulling the trigger....