West Norfolk Phonographic Society Moves East!

Thanks David.

I think there were some other pics taken. I guess we will have to wait until the end of the "GrandTour"?

So sorry I didn't make it, unfortunately major last minute work commitments (again!) meant I had to travel to manchester and cancel my day off.

Glad everyone had a good time.

Regards

Mark

Sorry souldn't make 'Day 1' (though Sufjan Stevens at RFH - including a big opening with the celebrated organ - was fantastic).

'Day 2' kicked off very well indeed, with Julian and John (after enjoying a hearty cooked breakfast chez Flatman) and JN coming over to 'slum it' for a bit at mine.  Their weekend's only non-500 series system!

NO CDs were played in the four or so hours they were able to stay.  Great chat as well as music.  We rubbished audiophile pressings - or at least noted that they could be very hit and miss in quality compared with the original LP - and ably demonstrated the point with 'Rumours', standard and Nautilus LPs.

As well as enjoying having them over for what my 18-year old son described as "Clubhouse day, Dad?", I'm also grateful for the introduction to Beck 'Sea Change', 10,000 Maniacs 'Blind Man's Zoo', Natalie Merchant 'Tigerlily', Abdullah Ibraham Trio 'Cape Town Revisited', Christy Moore 'Graffiti Tongue', and Alison Krauss 'Now that I've found you'.  Thanks guys!

Sent them on to Gary in good condition.  Hope they arrived in such?!!

James

PS (Sunday morning - one of my four permitted Sunday leave days, before going out to an exotic church in KL).  Many thanks also to Julian about disconnecting the earth line from the Stageline because the TT is earthed through the external Lingo PS.  Don't think it's just wishful thinking, but even the silver beer mats are sounding noticeably better, much more open and textural, presumably by eliminating an earthing conflict between the Naim system and the Lingo?  Or it could be peeing on the main house earth spike outside...

Many thanks to Mike and Pam for all their hard work hosting 'The Gathering' at their lovely home. This is what it's all about. Socialising with 'the similarly afflicted', shooting the breeze, swapping opinions, and listening to and discovering new music to add to one's collection.

And thanks also to James for his kind hospitality and fine sounds on Saturday.

'The Sussex Massive' are certainly packing in some East Anglian audio experiences this weekend.

Best wishes to all.

John.

Hi

John and I got back to my place about 6.15pm this afternoon. He has just left for the onward journey home of another hour of so.

I would like to extend most grateful thanks to all those WNPS members who managed to put up with me in their homes [Mike and Pam, James and Penny, Gary, Tony M and Maggs] at some stage over the weekend, particularly to our hosts and event coordinators designate for the weekend, Mike and Pam! We both had a really enjoyable time, met many great forum members, including three for the first time [Gary, David and Tony L], heard lots of great music on some fabulous systems. A shame we didn't get to see Mark too, maybe next time?

I took numerous records and CD's. The ones that were played at some time over the weekend but maybe not everyone heard are as follows...

Vinyl

Led Zeppelin - 3

Jimmy Page and Robert Plant - No Quarter

Ex-Wise Heads - Celestial Disclosure

David Bowie - Scary Monsters and Super Creeps

Massive Attack - Heligoland

Yello - Touch

Jethro Tull - Songs from the Wood

Pentangle - Open the Door

Jan Garbarek - I Took Up The Runes

Madonna - Frozen

Beck - Sea Change

CD

Abdullah Ibrahim Trio - Cape Town Revisited

Kate Bush - The Whole Story

Goldfrapp - Head First

Santana - Supernatural

Alison Krauss - Forget About It & Now That I've Found You

Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman

Just trying to reacclimatise sans 552 here with Aerial on my LP12, its getting harder and harder to resist....

Best wishes, Julian

Some (well, all) attendees will have noticed I was like a kid with a new puppy all weekend. I picked up my new toy en-route to the WNPS meeting, funnily enough from another forum member who might chime in. An updated picture in system pics will give the game away. 

My only way to describe the effect is that it was very similar to Jon Honeyball putting the XV-1s on after spending a few hours listening to the XV-1t.

It sounds churlish, and arrogant, to describe the 52 as a weak link, but compared to the 552...

Well, it wasn't going to be a fair fight, was it?

I'm just having to come back down to earth, and get back to enjoying my more modest system. The fab thing about Naim kit is how good lower and mid level kit is, it just gets better as you step up.

I'm going to post some other thoughts in HiFi Corner when I've had a bit more time to contemplate things.

Cheers

John

Oh, and the quoting / posting formatting system is still mightily F****D up. 

Seems like all Hope.Less can do is p*** around with their logo, rather than sorting the issues out.

Miffed

John

Guy's

Good to see you all had a great time as normal.

John FW called me on Tuesday to fill me in on details.

I got to speak to Julian last night after he had left loads of messages on my answer machine over the last few nights.

I never thought i would hear the words that came out of his mouth.

The active 600's sounded fantastic.He was blown away at how good they sounded.

Now if that was not enough?He then went onto say he had never heard a CD555 that comes close to a LP12 ,But DB's did with the two 555PSU's through the 600's.I think it was one of those fook me moments that dont happen that often to the point of saying, He would like to hear his full spec LP12 through the system.

John was also blown away at how great DB's system sounded.

It goes without saying they both loved Tony's active DBL system, but they knew that would sound fantastic before they even got their. and from what they both have said Tony they were not let down.

Mike full marks to yours from both as usual  it was sounding fantastic through the NBL's.

 James, They also loved your system and thought it sounded fantastic,and loved what was coming out of your Kudos,A very large sounding small speaker doing everything right.

I just wish i could of been on the tour.

Regards to you all.

G.

Come on chaps,

Where are the other promised photo's?

David

i did not take my camera so have no piccies

Thankyou for "outing me" WRT the Ovators, Gail..., I was going to wait for the appropriate thread to do so but, hey ho, that's not possible now.

All the systems I heard over the weekend I could have sat in front of for hours, superbly enjoyable music and company!

It has to be said, DB's Ovator system was somewhat of a surprise, especially considering what I have heard before. There was much to like about them, some bits to love about them. Playing an album I know very well, Alison Krauss - Forget About It was a revelation for CD replay for me. The combination of the 2nd 555PS and the S600 did something extraordinary. In a couple of ways better than I have ever heard by the best LP12 sound*, ever. Unfortunately, I could not say whether it was the second PS or the S600's that was the reason for this, only the combination was doing some lovely stuff!

The musicianship on the afore mentioned album is absolutely superb IMO. Listening at DB's, raised my respect further still. The timing was absolutely spot on and the interplay between the musicians playing off each other was eye watering stuff. Very intimate, amazing! Can't wait to hear the S400's now.

Julian

* I have not heard a full spec Linned LP12 on full 500 series system, only my own active olive system and lesser "sets".

ps - sorry, no pics from me David.

ps - sorry, no pics from me David.

 

Some one had a camera and was snapping!

The only ones I have are of album covers to remember. Nowt else here I am afraid...

Who was snapping in the "music" room?

yup i had my old old old Olympus E10, but i was embarrassed by some of the other cameras so i did not use it. It only has 4 pixels so compared to the others with 1 gazillion pixels i was out bid.

I saw at least 4 people take photo's.

David

Sorry, wasn't paying attention!

L to R, Tony Lockhart, Michael, JN, Julian H, Darke Bear, backfromoz and BigH47.

John

Gentlemen of the WNPS -

As a most humble admirer of your august society, please allow me to congratulate you on yet another successful meeting.   Given the equipment portrayed on the right of this photograph, the music must have been majestic!

Who among us rank and file forum members wouldn't leap at the opportunity to attend a future meeting of your ancient and honorable association?

But alas, I only visit your fair shores about once in a decade.  And as we all know, many are called, but few are chosen.  If, however, the timing were perfect, and if you were to grant me the high honor and distinct privilege of participating (albeit on a probationary basis), then I give you my word as a gentlemen that I would conduct myself in a manner most appropriate to the gathering...

...and rock my ass off. 

Glad to hear you guys had a blast.  Am totally jealous of your kit and camaraderie!

Thanks for sharing.

Hook

Give us a heads up about when you're coming over, and I'm sure we'll try to accommodate.

Do you think it appropriate to mention details of the initiation ceremony Mr Chairman?

You'd be very welcome Mr Hook. We have a really good time and thankfully we play all sorts of stuff; always costs me a few quid with those Amazon people when I get home though.

Thanks for posting the photo FW.

Mr Hook you would be most welcome any time you visit these shores.

Tony, do bear in mind that with olive gear some of the cabling will require some pretting nifty dressing around the Fraim's central rear leg.

We do like to get around.  Here's a previous meet, at TonyM's simple beach house.  Only the hula skirts are missing...