What impressed you??

The system that impressed me most was the Onkyo system in room 234. I think it was their Reference Hi-fi series with the two M-5000R power amplifiers that had good old fashioned vu meters built into them.

I also enjoyed listening to the Neat Acoustics (and Naim) system in room 224.

The Pro-Ac Tablettes were very impressive. I was amazed that such a small stand mounted speaker could produce such powerful and detailed sound. The Philips TV stand also made its mark on me with their sets displaying some super sharp and vividly colourful pictures.They also look very smart as well.

I agree the Tablettes sounded very good.  But then they did 10 and 20 years ago!  I sometimes wonder if speakers really have got dramatically better over the years, or if the sources (and our musical tastes?) just evolve.  I still miss my Celestion SL600s that were nicked in 1996.

I was equally, if not more, impressed by some slightly larger Monitor Audio speakers with what looked like ribbon tweeters (a vertical slot) in the Primare room - also costing £1250 a pair according to the Primare guy.  

It was Primare's debut of i32 and CD32 integrated amp and CD player, at £2,200 a piece.   A great little system which benefitted from not trying too hard - unlike some hi-res systems that are way too much (volume and/or detail) for those hotel bedrooms.  The Primares reminded me of my Krell KAV300i and KAV300cd pairing, now well into their middle-age (in hi-fi terms!).

Went yesterday. I was looking for an AV system that can play music well. Wasn't really looking for two channel hi-fi, but the PMC FACT 3 was really very good, but 4 grand for a stand-mount. Ouch.

Looks like I've got my heart set on a Monitor Audio Apex system. Not sure about the sub though. The Onkyo room with 7.2 Apex system was effortless. But 2 of the new Gold GX 15" subs were very well controlled. I expect they were really just tickling them.

The Apex sub matches the pack really well though........ choices choices

Other than that, seems everyones gone streaming, USB, music from PC mad.

Sorry you didn't like the demo. What disappointed you? What would you have liked us to have done differently? It's important that we get feedback 

My wife didn't say even once, " I'm sure there isn't much more to see now hun ". Result !!

Loved the Gyro SE through the Proac speakers, also impressed with the Chord Music streaming system..

 

But, overall the 5.1 surround Headphone Demo just blew me away , i could have sworn the sound was coming directly from the speakers , was shocked that the headphones were doing it !!!  Just incredible !!!

Did any one else give them a try ???? 

PS,   My wife thought there was three floors he he. 

 

 

I'm afraid I have to agree with sheehanjuk about the WHF demo. My feedback for you and the team Clare is that you were demonstrating things that many of us have been doing for years (streaming), and as is often the case with shows with so many wi-fi networks the demo I was watching struggled with maintaining a connection. Perhaps a demo over wired networks with a mention that this would be wi-fi capable and mentioning the limitations of a show environment would have been a better approach. The demos in general were also very short, having 3 mins or so to get into each little piece would have made a big difference.

Maybe it's my ears, maybe it's the lack of familiarity I had with Adele, but I was quite unimpressed with the sound of the system you had set up. My pair of revolution signatures driven by the amp in my receiver I thought sounded better. Last year I think there was a demo of a disaster scene in 2012 which was properly spellbinding by comparison; perhaps you needed more this sort of loud, high-impact source material to make a statement with such a massive system. With music, I just felt it didn't sound right.

Loved the 3D plasma though I must admit I was surprised that an 85" screen wasn't bigger, could have sworn it was more like a 65"! I thought the rest of the show was spot-on, looking forward to returning.

chris hollands:

But, overall the 5.1 surround Headphone Demo just blew me away , i could have sworn the sound was coming directly from the speakers , was shocked that the headphones were doing it !!!  Just incredible !!!

Did any one else give them a try ???? 

PS,   My wife thought there was three floors he he. 

 

What brand was that headphone/system that impressed you. Im looking for some way to get great surround sound through headphones for watching late night movies or stuff the missus isnt interested in. 

Wightknight:

The system that impressed me most was the Onkyo system in room 234.

When I passed their door they were playing Alanis Morrissette, so I carried on walking.

I was in the wrong frame of mind for the show I think, wasn't really anything that amazed me, I barely stopped walking in most rooms, another set of speakers, another shiny box, I'm starting to think I can't tell the difference between one set up and another in that sort of environment, which renders the whole exercise largely pointless for me.

Honestly, I was bored and left after about three hours.

I enjoyed the KEF demo but that was more for the technical aspects of it, the systems sounded good but they played Yello in 7 channel stereo on the T series and Bach's Organ concerto in 2 channel stereo on the Q700s so it was impossible to compare the two (I can't even remember what was played on the Q300s). It all sounded very nice but I couldn't say they were any better or worse of than anything else I (briefly) heard during the day. I didn't really notice the fabled enormous soundstage of the Q series either but I put that down to sitting off to the side with three rows of people sitting in front of me.

I'll probably get the Q300s but I'll have to hear them in more suitable surroundings, so I haven't really learned anything.

I went on the Friday & enjoyed the show very much.

Yes, I also have to agree about the new Proac Tablette, they sounded superb & such a small speaker !

My highlights -

Elac speakers

Roksan K2`s with Audiovector speakers

Tannoy DC6T speakers with Rega Mira 3 amp, Rega cdp  

The Kef Demo

Rotel RCX-1500 with B&W CM8 speakers, Chord cable - such an awesome bass I could feel it !

Fact 8 speakers & Bryston

Audiolab amp, cdp with the new Dali Zensor 1 speakers - at £179 such a room filling, detailed, impressive sound.

Sadly not enough hours in the day to visit the What Hi Fi demo - but a great day.  

      

I must say I was also really impressed with the Onkyo power amps especially as they were starting to pack up and blasting out Rage against the machine.  That was until I saw and heard the Mcintosh Amps at Adam Audio.

 

  

Other highlights for me were :

The THX demo (not sure I can get away with the recommendation of using 4 subs though with the OH)  

Wilson Benesch 

The Focal XS Sub Sat computer speakers, definitely considering these to reclaim some desk space currently occupied by the B&W Zeppelin.

The Kudos room with £65k worth of Naim

The biggest surprise was leaving the PMC/Bryston room after hearing the Fact 8 which were exceptional, and going into the Quad/Castle room and hearing the Castle Knight 1.  If I had been on a blind test I would have been sure I was listening to the same system, just in a different room. 

 

 

The Sonus Faber speakers powered by Audio Research kit + REL sub in the REL room, that was pretty cool.

ProAc Tablette Anniversary. PMC Fact3. Neat Ultimatum MFS - at least I think that's what they were, didn't think too much to them when I walked in but they changed the music and they just lit up, superb.

The thing I was really impressed with was the way cheaper products such as the Dali Zensor or Acoustic Energy's Compact 1 performed, the quality at this level is just superb.