The 2007 and 2008 Bristol Shows were in fact a resounding success for AVI, and led to the thousands of sales which have ensued for their loudspeakers.
They (AVI) had two principal messages to convey to HiFi users, at the Bristol Shows . . .
1. The ADM9s were promoted as a complete HiFi system in a small box (the LS cabinet), comprising remote-control pre-amp, DAC, active crossover, and four powerful amplifiers, directly connected to specially designed drive units, without the disadvantages of passive systems, or the clutter, and mis-match problems of the many boxes which comprisd separates systems, nor the need for expensive interconnects, and all costing less than £1000 (in 2007).
2. Perhaps even more importantly than that, for high quality sound reproduction the only source required was a computer. Wireless streaming was also demonstrated using iTunes and an Airport Express, with both PC and Apple systems.
This brought howls of protest, mainly from traditional separates dealers, who probably saw their gravy train being threatened, and particularly from the valve and vinyl brigade, who were convinced by their pre-conceptions, and expectation bias, that a computer couldn't possibly be a credible music source.
I well remember many sceptics saying that the vibrations inside a loudspeaker box would destroy the sound quality of the enclosed amplifiers :? together with the false conception that at least many layers of 'Mana' style supports should be provided for each of at least half a dozen separates boxes, to ensure sonic isolation for the electronics.
Several people even claimed that 'they could hear the digits', when a computer was employed as a music source, such was the fineness of their 'golden ears'.
Additionally, many believed that lossless, or compressed, music downloads would never replace CDs or records.
AVI successfully demonstrated that 'myths' of the so-called 'audiophiles' were just bunkum, foo, and prejudice, as well as bias from dealers who wished to protect their out of date 'gravy trains'.
The following six years have shown the verity of the concepts which AVI introduced in those early days.
I know, because I was there.
JC
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