Kegworth hifi show

[insider9]

Anyone going?

 

[lindsayt]

A theme of this year's show was how many fine sounding sub £999 systems there were.

Fine enough to beg the question "Why spend more?"

Plenty of breathtaking bargains such as £100 fine sounding 3 way standmount passive speakers.

Or c£800 fine sounding active 3 way standmounts.

Bet you can't guess who made them, unless you were at the show or have seen the show guide.

 

[insider9]

So many good setups and so varied.

But for me the highlight was Urei 811a ooooffff many more good ones but I knew they'd be good as soon as I walked through the door.

 

[insider9]

Loved omnidirectional Shahinian Obelisks and Boenicke W8. Great pair of actives PSI A21m. Moded DALI 104 in Chord system made Neat Ultimatum sound... well overpriced.

The little white DIY speakers in Room 110 were amazing. Open baffle 4 ways run on the end 5W SET with NOS DAC also very good.

Linn Exakt didn't disappoint once more. Not sure what I'm missing but standard of the show was really good.

 

[tonky]

A theme of this year's show was how many fine sounding sub £999 systems there were.

Fine enough to beg the question "Why spend more?"

Plenty of breathtaking bargains such as £100 fine sounding 3 way standmount passive speakers.

Or c£800 fine sounding active 3 way standmounts.

Bet you can't guess who made them, unless you were at the show or have seen the show guide.

[/quote

I couldn't make the show this year - sadly - Was it better than Scalford?

And - go on then- please tell me the two sets of speakers - one passive and the other active.

cheers tonky

 

[QuestForThe13thNote]

Tonky, I’d like to use the analogy used by Jeremy Clarkson to your point that hi-Fi systems can sound breathtaking at £100. He says why should our city speed limits be 20mph when we all drive to the conditions, and why not make the limit 2mph. So similarly, why not say great hi Fi can be bought for £1. Quite ridiculous.

 

[Andrewjvt]

A theme of this year's show was how many fine sounding sub £999  systems there were.

Fine enough to beg the question "Why spend more?"

Plenty of breathtaking bargains such as £100 fine sounding 3 way standmount passive speakers.

Or c£800 fine sounding active 3 way standmounts.

 

Bet you can't guess who made them, unless you were at the show or have seen the show guide.

Very eager to hear about these.
Please tell us

 

[lindsayt]

Tonky, I’d like to use the analogy used by Jeremy Clarkson to your point that hi-Fi systems can sound breathtaking at £100. He says why should our city speed limits be 20mph when we all drive to the conditions, and why not make the limit 2mph. So similarly, why not say great hi Fi can be bought for £1. Quite ridiculous.

Go to next years show.

Even better, go to next years show as an exhibitor. And we'll see how many visitors report that your system sounds better than the sub £999 ones.

I'm sure that your system will sound fine, just as the over £10k systems at this years and previous years shows have sounded fine. That still doesn't stop the bargain systems from sounding as good as they do.

The Urei system was one of the fine sounding sub £999 systems. They sounded just as good 2 years ago at Scalford.

 

[ellisdj]

was it a show of the general public systems?
where in the world was it?

 

[ifor]

where in the world was it?

The clue is in the title.

 

[ellisdj]

where in the world was it?

The clue is in the title.

I didn't recognise the place name and was being lazy. Derby would have been a more useful answer though

 

[insider9]

Tonky, I’d like to use the analogy used by Jeremy Clarkson to your point that hi-Fi systems can sound breathtaking at £100. He says why should our city speed limits be 20mph when we all drive to the conditions, and why not make the limit 2mph. So similarly, why not say great hi Fi can be bought for £1. Quite ridiculous. 

I agree it is ridiculous to say these things. But if you're trying to criticise other people effort in researching, matching and finding the right components to achieve such sound. Often building their own amps, speakers, etc and for people to criticise them all without hearing... I really don't know what to say.

 

[jimmy1]

Tonky, I’d like to use the analogy used by Jeremy Clarkson to your point that hi-Fi systems can sound breathtaking at £100. He says why should our city speed limits be 20mph when we all drive to the conditions, and why not make the limit 2mph. So similarly, why not say great hi Fi can be bought for £1. Quite ridiculous.

Its not really ridiculous is it

 

[insider9]

was it a show of the general public systems?
where in the world was it?

Yes, from trade I only spoke to David from GIK. Very nice guy indeed.

Vast majority were enthusiast system. Vast majority were not their first systems. Talking to people some had 20 odd pairs of speakers, same goes for other components. Displaying their 3rd "vinyl room" setup.

The point of the show really is a gathering of like minded people. To listen to music and discuss all aspects. And be able to listen to a lot of gear you would never have the chance to otherwise, particularly in such interesting systems.

Compared to last hear show standard was much higher. No question because of bigger rooms that didn't impact as much on the sound.

Few surprises were for instance. A guy running high efficiency speakers with a huge amp. He claimed it made a big difference and you could hear it sounded great.

Another surprise a diy open baffle 4 way with only 5W (or was it 8W) SET amp also diy. Performing rather well. My mate sat there as if he saw Virgin Mary.

 

[insider9]

My mate not being a part of any forum asking about an industrial looking extension lead.

Question "Does this make any difference?"

Answer "Yes, it allows you to plug more than one thing into a single socket"

Brilliant *biggrin*

 

[QuestForThe13thNote]

Tonky, I’d like to use the analogy used by Jeremy Clarkson to your point that hi-Fi systems can sound breathtaking at £100. He says why should our city speed limits be 20mph when we all drive to the conditions, and why not make the limit 2mph. So similarly, why not say great hi Fi can be bought for £1. Quite ridiculous.

I agree it is ridiculous to say these things. But if you're trying to criticise other people effort in researching, matching and finding the right components to achieve such sound. Often building their own amps, speakers, etc and for people to criticise them all without hearing... I really don't know what to say.

no not at all, I’m simply making the point that you can’t compare £100 systems to £1000 ones, or £1000systems to £10k ones. It just doesn’t wash.

A lot of the people who go to these shows are people who think you can the opposite of the above.

 

[insider9]

I just compared a £35k system to ones at £10k and well, well below.

Was £35k Bel Canto, Devialet, Neat Ultimatum system the worst of the show? No, however it was nowhere near even the middle of the pack. It was painfully trailing behind. Would I consider buying it? No, didn't do it for me. Not interested.

And I won't even compare it to some DIY efforts as it would simply be unfair on the professionals at these esteemed companies.

The show was brilliant to point to the fact that money spent has nothing to do with sound quality. Moded DALI 104 (overall cost of speakers and mods about £500) outclassed Neat Umtimatums. Sure it was short demos but would you rather spend £10k on a pair of speakers? Or buy pa pair of ebay for £60-£100 and modify them? My DALI 104 cost £80 but I moved them on only if I didn't I'd be ordering new drive units today.

 

[lindsayt]

The £100 passives were medium sized Revox 3 ways with non-original 12" bass drivers. Interesting talking to the owner. He was rightly proud of how good they sounded for £100. You will find a greater variety of speakers in his home (he has 18 pairs) than you will in my local dealers.

The c£800 actives were 1970's Philips, with motional feedback on the bass drivers. When I first entered the (heavily acoustically treated) room my initial impression was that they sounded a bit off, but after a couple of minutes either as my ear adapted and they sounded very good (may also have been down to the recording they were playing as I entered. This was one of the louder rooms at the show. This all Philips system included a 1983 CD player that could pass for something styled in 2018.

 

[insider9]

Yes, I was listening to Wishbone Ash on the Revox. A very nice chap Dave and local to Sheffield. I wish he brought his DIY amp but simply didn't manage to finish it in time. These were his 3rd system by the way.

I only wished there was more time as had to rush for the last hour. But I believe I have managed all rooms this year. If only to thank the guys for the effort of exhibiting.

 

[cheeseboy]

cheers for the heads up on this. there's a load of pictures on hifiwigwam I see. It looked like a great idea for a show, much better than the usual trade style shows - here it's real hifi by real people. I also like the ethos about how it sounds, not how much it costs. I remember when the first t-amp's came out, that threw a cat amongst the pigeons, even with some of the more esoteric hifi peeps out there.

Funny how some people are already scoffing at things they've never heard, whilst simultaneously saying the opposite on other threads... go figure, the hypocrisy and arrogance is strong with some it would appear

 

[lindsayt]

Linn Exakt didn't disappoint once more. Not sure what I'm missing but standard of the show was really good.

I enjoyed my time in the active Linn Katan + sub Exakt room.

It was like going to an official Linn show demo. Lighting turned down. Playlist decided days in advance being streamed from a laptop.

Sounded fine. Impossible to say how fine as they were playing tracks I've never heard before.

2 doors down was a fine sounding sub £999 active system with a Frankenstein speaker combination and a 2x4 mini DSP HD. The owner had only had the mini DSP for a few weeks and was using it simply as an adjustable active crossover. I'd love to hear this system and meet up with the owner again. To see how he develops it. I'd also love to hear a Linn Exakt vs mini DSP bake off.

Coming back to Quests point about cheap systems vs expensive - I do actually agree with him in a "It's the way that you look at things" kind of way.

None of the sub £999 systems at the Kegworth show were using speaker components that would have been cheap when new. For example the Revox speakers were not cheap lightweight tat when new. And yet the owner bought them for £100! And the Philips actives were a top of the range product from a large corporation with serious technical know how.

 

[lindsayt]

...It looked like a great idea for a show, much better than the usual trade style shows - here it's real hifi by real people...

Wigwam folklore is that it all started in a thread where people were complaining about the generally poor sound at trade hi-fi shows.

To which a trade member responded with a "If you think you can do better, go ahead and try doing it yourselves."

So they did. And here we are, having just had the 10th annual Scalford / Kegworth hi-fi show.

 

[insider9]

Linn Exakt didn't disappoint once more. Not sure what I'm missing but standard of the show was really good.

I enjoyed my time in the active Linn Katan + sub Exakt room.

It was like going to an official Linn show demo. Lighting turned down. Playlist decided days in advance being streamed from a laptop. 

Sounded fine. Impossible to say how fine as they were playing tracks I've never heard before.

2 doors down was a fine sounding sub £999 active system with a Frankenstein speaker combination and a 2x4 mini DSP HD. The owner had only had the mini DSP for a few weeks and was using it simply as an adjustable active crossover. I'd love to hear this system and meet up with the owner again. To see how he develops it. I'd also love to hear a Linn Exakt vs mini DSP bake off. 

Having used two Minidsp products for both passive speakers and DIY active conversion for good part of last year I have no doubt that Exakt would trample Minidsp. Saying that I believe Minidsp is excellent value for money but in a different league to Linn approach.

I had good chat to the guys in the very room you're talking about it. Big trek for them if I remember correctly from Idle of Mull.

And quite agree it was far from old, knackered tat. A lot of gear would've been quite expensive new. Chord DAVE was not the most expensive DAC of the show. I believe this feat belonged to Technics SH-X1000DAC DAC which in 1989 was around $10,000. (I didn't verify this)

 

[QuestForThe13thNote]

I don’t think if you pick the best that the general quality market has to offer, you can do better by picking obscure brands that are meant to compete better with the big boys at a fraction the price. The r and d budgets etc of bigger players are just different class. And it’s wishful thinking you can get the very best at a much lower price and sounding as good.

I like going to the Bristol show and shows like indulgence but the hi Fi connosiuers are few and far between and it’s only human to think that average priced hi Fi does as well as more expensive stuff. What tends to happen is people then blur the lines between bad expensive stuff being not as good (phantom golds spring to mind) and extrapolating it out to all expensive stuff, such they can convince themselves a good £1k hi Fi beats a good £10k one. When you speak to these people they will say stuff like any old speakers, wire, will work with these amps. No.

The Sounds at the trade shows aren’t generally poor, it’s just picking the ones and combinations you like. This scalfold show is too niche, and I don’t buy it being an exhibition of great hi fi. They also tend to be way too anorakey and listen to very smooth sounding music, always have record players, often no digital streaming, and listen to music 20 years too late.

 

[cheeseboy]

I don’t think if you pick the best that the general quality market has to offer, you can do better by picking obscure brands that are meant to compete better with the big boys at a fraction the price. The r and d budgets etc of bigger players are just different class. And it’s wishful thinking you can get the very best at a much lower price and sounding as good.

I like going to the Bristol show and shows like indulgence but the hi Fi connosiuers are few and far between and it’s only human to think that average priced hi Fi does as well as more expensive stuff. What tends to happen is people then blur the lines between bad expensive stuff being not as good (phantom golds spring to mind) and extrapolating it out to all expensive stuff, such they can convince themselves a good £1k hi Fi beats a good £10k one. When you speak to these people they will say stuff like any old speakers, wire, will work with these amps. No.

The Sounds at the trade shows aren’t generally poor, it’s just picking the ones and combinations you like. This scalfold show is too niche, and I don’t buy it being an exhibition of great hi fi. They also tend to be way too anorakey and listen to very smooth sounding music, always have record players, often no digital streaming, and listen to music 20 years too late.

the hypocrisy and arrogance of your posts beggars belief. Please go back to your myopic little world where everything you say and think is the truth and don't bother the rest of us with it, it's tiresome.