How was the show for you?

 I don't know, Andrew and I have one day 'off' (to update this site!!)...

And sorry you missed Morduant Short - their speakers were featured in both the Cambridge Audio and Marantz suites.

I'll pass your comments back to our exhibitions department, but I would point out that our Show has more exhibitors - and many, many more big names - than any other UK hi-fi show....

No, because Mordaunt-Short is distributed in Europe (including here) by Maramtz, hence its speakers were on show in the Marantz room.

I went this afternoon and thought it was ok. £15 is a lot to get in to see what I feel was a small range of manufacturers. Where were the likes of Quad, Epos, B&W, Wharfedale, Tannoy, NAD etc etc. Someone should also have told Arcam that being in an 'Ideal Home Show' metal frame on the ground floor wasn't very good for their brand when compared with their competition like Cyrus and Naim who both had good rooms. These two were the highlights for me. I went looking to buy a set or two of bookshelf speakers for the kitchen and bedroom and the only place I saw anything decent was in the Pure room, where they had a set of Epos M5s.

 Tannoy, NAD both were exhibiting, Tannoy with Icon and NAD with Armour but you'd struggle to find them - did you read the show guide? They are both listed.

IAG - parent company of Quad and Wharfedale - had a demo suite at the Show, but chose to focus on two of its other brands: Mission and Audiolab.

...she said, minutes before the Elvis documentary on Sky Arts!

From a home cinama perspective I have to say I was a little disappointed. To not have Panasonic, Samsung ,Toshiba and Philips directly displaying does leave a rather big hole. Pioneer had some great displays and the WHFS&V demo was well worth seeing - so thats what 'Transformers' is all about !!. LG also seemed to be displaying every model they make. On balance,however, I think £15 was a bit steep.

A big C.E.S. once a year may just about do it for me.

I just got back!!! Quite sad that we didn't meet Andrew but Simon did look after us well.-)

Naim set up was poor, the awesome superNait sound so bright in that horrid accoustic room but still manage to sound PRaTy. WB Square was the star for me....my hair stood up all the way through the demo, FANTASTIC.

The £70,000 HD show was OK! I thought the first half was great as it really have a feeling of watching movie in the real cinema, the B part however remind us that we were watcing a big TV! Very clear picture and great sound though. (I think that stack of Arcams was breath taking)

My highlight however was in Clearer Audio's room. A nice little debate about "How could 1 metre of power cable can improve sound quality?" My mate is a high up electronic Engineer so we told him exactly that we think they are a waste of money. The young chap who design the Clearer Audio products (forgot his name) was great. He explained to us right down to the very last details why his products WILL work and for the 1st time of countless debates I had in the past on the subject I was totally understand the concept. Even worst, I have to stop myself get the cash out from my wallet to buy all of their products, He sold his believe and passion to us in the most respectable way. Infact I will buy the silverline to try out!

Andrew update the website while Clare watched Ipswich Town got a lucky draw against the awesome Canaries. I miss the match for the show but my friends told me that if Alexandra wasn't on top form we could have won 7-2!

Poor Simon! Was he feeling better today? 

I guess he doing just fine and couldn't wait to see me again, I have a picture to prove it!

I went to the sunday pm session. On the whole it was a good day. If nothing else the Kuro pioneer was worth seeing and I WILL have that TV before long.

Another good demo was the WHFSAV demo of Hi def. The Dalis were awaesome and the only really exceptional demo of the day.

My gripes were mainly around the lack of Hi Fi equiptment on show. The emphasis was heavily weighted toward Home cinema and stands like Arcam were lazy to say the least with just 2 Solo players. I was also greeted to the MA stand with the demonstartors moaning to each other that there was only 2 hours left before they could go home!

The most helpful exhibitor i found was velodyne who were enthusiastic and offered some really useful advice.

My biggest disappointment was the lack of the manufacturers like B&W, KEF, REGA. and of course not meeting any forum members depsite me keeping a watchful eye out for any elvis look a like's!!

Sounds like a a lot of hard work went into the show - give yourselves a pat on the back WHFS&V!

What I thought was the highlight of the show:

- listening to Faithless in the Marantz room. Maxi Jazz's voice reproduction was unbelievable.

But what WAS the highlight:

- listening to Metallica (not a fan) with the NYC Orchestra in the Cyrus room. That was off the wall, unbelievable. Has me seriously considering a Cyrus system (I like the 3.1 idea, but would miss HDMI switching).

And, if the ladies avert their eyes, the moment of sheer marketing madness was:

- the three 'show girls' doing a leg work out on the Power Plate.

There was a bloke who look Italian in front of me while we were waiting to go in a HD demo room. I tap his sholder and ask him "Are you sex?" He look a bit confused at first and then look at me disgutingly!
I suppose it could be worst....he could wink at me!