Random thoughts from the Bristol Show 2025

[Jasonovich]

They were both in attendance. My point was that Matthew and I had different impressions of those two, but agreed elsewhere on the majority.

Fair enough
Saw some of it on the YT, so many brands were present. Looked packed.
Is it going to be at Bristol next year?
I was hoping to take a mate along on the next showing, he'll probably be bored out of his pants but we can always explore the culinary delights of Bristol afterwards 🙂

 

[nopiano]

Fair enough
Saw some of it on the YT, so many brands were present. Looked packed.
Is it going to be at Bristol next year?
I was hoping to take a mate along on the next showing, he'll probably be bored out of his pants but we can always explore the culinary delights of Bristol afterwards 🙂

It’s been on the same week in the same hotel for about thirty years. A good chance it’ll be the same again next year!

 

[Jasonovich]

It’s been on the same week in the same hotel for about thirty years. A good chance it’ll be the same again next year!

Magic ☺️👍

 

[matthewpianist]

Could it possibly be nearing the end of its shelf life?

I know it's expensive for manufacturers, and I would imagine a large of proportion of visitors (including me), will never find the budget for most of the kit they hear. I would imagine it's fairly questionable from a commercial perspective. The big consumer brands clearly see that, because there's no KEF, B&W, Marantz, Denon, Yamaha etc., and I'd be very surprised if you could show me that most of the specialist brands have high enough margins (and turnover) to speculate to accumulate to too high a level.

 

[Rodolfo]

Good point. I suppose that's the truth: I'll happily pay 90% more for a 15% uplift in fidelity. Why? Because I've experienced that sound & how it feels ❤️

*edit* also want to add that a big part of the equation is being fortunate enough to afford the equipment I have, too.

Plus, many purposely, knowingly, and happily pay the bragging rights premium: Good thing is that those rights are never-expiring!

 

[record_spot]

I added my thoughts on another thread and the gear I heard, though my time was somewhat curtailed to Saturday afternoon and an hour or so on Sunday morning to get back up the road in a reasonable time.

I was surprised by the number of rooms that I didn't particularly enjoy - usually down to speakers that had such an imbalance and usually down to excessive bass or the sum of the parts not making a particularly cohesive whole, which given some of the stuff on show would've set you back a princely penny or two, wasn't exactly ideal.

As stated elsewhere my highlight was the Acoustic Energy AE300-2 - I thought it sounded terrific in the demo I attended. Smart finish too with an elegant curve in the cabinet.

Compared to the Cranage event, it feels a little more cramped and compact. Not as big a show obviously and there's more space to play with at the NWAS as you pretty much get the run of the hotel so by nature it just feels a lot roomier too, but nevertheless, I enjoyed the Bristol show. My only purchase being - apart from spending the night at the hotel - were three Genesis SACDs from the recent Analogue Productions reissues with mastering courtesy of Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering.

Would I go back again? Yes - the trip down was fine and the hotel excellent, likewise parking in the NCP next door was just £17 for the stay which I thought was a great deal. Hotel staff were lovely and thanks to being - unwittingly - a member of Marriot's loyalty scheme, I could check in earlier so pretty much on arrival at noon which was a nice bonus. Didn't get any time to go into Bristol itself, but as ever....next time!

 

[davidf]

I was surprised by the number of rooms that I didn't particularly enjoy - usually down to speakers that had such an imbalance and usually down to excessive bass or the sum of the parts not making a particularly cohesive whole, which given some of the stuff on show would've set you back a princely penny or two, wasn't exactly ideal.

I put this down to two things - either not taking enough care and attention setting up, or the speakers just aren't right for the room.

 

[record_spot]

I put this down to two things - either not taking enough care and attention setting up, or the speakers just aren't right for the room.

My thoughts being mainly the latter, although the tiny Neat floorstander the Iota Alpha II had reasonable space and still sounded a dose of bass too far.

 

[daytona600]

I put this down to two things - either not taking enough care and attention setting up, or the speakers just aren't right for the room.

Show in hotel rooms. Same size/shape as your average bedroom/living room

 

[davidf]

The problem with hotel rooms, aside from the size, is their construction. At home, you've usually got brick walls and suspended wooden floor. Hotels like the Marriott are like my old showroom - a concrete shell. Everything creates resonance, including suspended concrete floors.

I felt that the system this year was slightly boomier, which I've put down to using the system on the opposing wall this year. I reckon a system against the smaller side wall (the bathroom side) is creating more bass issues, maybe because being smaller it's more solid, and not absorbing some of the bass like the larger wall. A larger wall will flex more, and help absorb a little. Firing down the longer length is worse.

 

[Jasonovich]

The problem with hotel rooms, aside from the size, is their construction. At home, you've usually got brick walls and suspended wooden floor. Hotels like the Marriott are like my old showroom - a concrete shell. Everything creates resonance, including suspended concrete floors.

I felt that the system this year was slightly boomier, which I've put down to using the system on the opposing wall this year. I reckon a system against the smaller side wall (the bathroom side) is creating more bass issues, maybe because being smaller it's more solid, and not absorbing some of the bass like the larger wall. A larger wall will flex more, and help absorb a little. Firing down the longer length is worse.

Some of the events I've been to in the past, had make shift panels to create pseudo rooms. I recall some of the speakers on demo exhibited full bassy-ness.

 

[abacus]

As most people seem to criticising the bass in general, then its most likely the room that is the problem, not the speakers.

Bill

 

[nopiano]

I added my thoughts on another thread and the gear I heard, though my time was somewhat curtailed to Saturday afternoon and an hour or so on Sunday morning to get back up the road in a reasonable time.

I was surprised by the number of rooms that I didn't particularly enjoy - usually down to speakers that had such an imbalance and usually down to excessive bass or the sum of the parts not making a particularly cohesive whole, which given some of the stuff on show would've set you back a princely penny or two, wasn't exactly ideal.

As stated elsewhere my highlight was the Acoustic Energy AE300-2 - I thought it sounded terrific in the demo I attended. Smart finish too with an elegant curve in the cabinet.

Compared to the Cranage event, it feels a little more cramped and compact. Not as big a show obviously and there's more space to play with at the NWAS as you pretty much get the run of the hotel so by nature it just feels a lot roomier too, but nevertheless, I enjoyed the Bristol show. My only purchase being - apart from spending the night at the hotel - were three Genesis SACDs from the recent Analogue Productions reissues with mastering courtesy of Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering.

Would I go back again? Yes - the trip down was fine and the hotel excellent, likewise parking in the NCP next door was just £17 for the stay which I thought was a great deal. Hotel staff were lovely and thanks to being - unwittingly - a member of Marriot's loyalty scheme, I could check in earlier so pretty much on arrival at noon which was a nice bonus. Didn't get any time to go into Bristol itself, but as ever....next time!

Just to note that this thread is about last year, 2025. You might like to repost in a 2026 edition?

 

[record_spot]

Just to note that this thread is about last year, 2025. You might like to repost in a 2026 edition?

It'll do here thanks. Call it the 2026 update. 🙂