So please keep responding so I can continue posting…
Audionet Part 1
Strange Aldi Meola normally sound very engaging, and especially with the played song. I miss a bit the drive and excitement I would like to get accross.
4 Likes
Atohm speakers are superb and very little known in the UK. I have a pair of the GT1 stand mounts. Really love them.
2 Likes
Audionet Part2
Peter Gabriel clapping sound good, they also can play loud and still sound good. But I still have the feeling that it sounds a bit clinical I have the feel I have heard it more raw before… but perhaps also wrong memory. Cables of Voodoo Lab look strange.
Bauhaus - it sometimes pays off to stay a bit longer at a certain room. This is an interesting song to test a system. Grungy and direct…, might sound too edgy on some other systems…. Just also tried on my own system - sounds also good their, a thing to listen loud….
Ps according to Shazam from the album Gotham, sometimes the version matters a lot.
5 Likes
Esoterec
Jimmy Witherspoon - perhaps not the best song to demo. Strange imaging, most of the song coming from the right side and not so much on the left side.
Pink Panther - like earlier this morning would like a bit more slam and volume for such a song. At least the Wilson Audio speakers add a dimension of transparency to it all, while no optimal setup.
Annette Askvik - high end nice, angel like… but at the same time I like to feel a bit more emotion.
5 Likes
The best imaging system I heard (by far) under the demo conditions was the Magico, very impressive. (unfortunately not the most engaging)
5 Likes
Dartzeel Part 1
This was one of the highlights during the show. I spent twice a longer period listening to this system. And this was a clear emotional engaging system. While better analogue than digital.
Robert Flack - this was interesting. I didn’t know this at the beginning. But they first played the song digital and my comments have been as follows. Good, but some of the stick sounds are piercing in your ear, not super nice a bit too edgy.
The second time they gave us the vinyl version of the same song much more pleasant rounded not so edgy. Great sound.
Dartzeel is now also delivering their own carteridges, and indeed I was impressed about the vinyl sound.
Then they played a test track which I couldn’t Shazam as it was a recording in England with just horses going on pavement, bells and marching sounds. I belief it was from a parade in the 50’s in London. It sounded very very natural and lifelike.
The Hillary Hahn, again vinyl - omg have never heard it so emotional, and so nice on such a volume level. At home I listening this piece right now from ND555, but it’s not the same emotional impact I heard at the Dartzeel room. This is enjoying music as it was intended. If you closed your eyes you could sometimes have the impression that Hillary was standing in front of you.
Also nice at Dartzeel was that they also play out the full songs without an interruption. They also later gave us a complete piano concerto with Emil Gilels from tape.
15 Likes
That’s a good marketing from PMC. I also liked Fenestria a couple of years ago when I was running small under 2k gb1i floorstanders 
1 Like
I feel one really needs megatons of power to move the Fenestrias properly though! : )
2 Likes
“Short Tales of the Black Forest” Live at the Warfield Theatre, is from “Friday Night in San Francisco Live”, one of my favourite recordings.
I have it in 4 LP pressing - Original Philips, Vivante UK, CBS Half Speed Master, and Impex 45 RPM
And then 3 digital versions - DSD ripped from the SACD, MQA 176.4, MQA 44.1
The digital versions doesn’t do justice to the music, the vinyl gives it the attack and transient response necessary for the speed of the Guitar work, and the interplay between the musicians Left and Right on stage.
2 Likes
Dartzeel Part 2
Interesting I am now playing Hillary Hahn at home and at very loud volumes at some places you have the feeling like - perhaps I should lower the volume a bit. I didn’t have that feeling at the room of them, perhaps also the impact of playing Vinyl.
Interesting is also that they had the mono blocks on electronic platforms I belief called Seismann which obviously control the interference and are a kind of suspension for the mono blocks. The monoblocks by the way only 265k for one pair, and as they had two pairs you can do the math how my NAP500DR needs to compete….
Peter Swalm - very believable
John Scofield - cymbals are represented on a similar volume level as the guitar, quite unique….
Later on more listening impressions from Dartzeel.
6 Likes
Linn Part 1
This was a typical display of audio porn, and in a wrong way as well. Why crazy ‘adequately powered’ in such an incredible poor room setup. So you are basically crippling an in principal extremely capable setup.
They had by the way the bass done actively through the electronics of the speakers. And all other channels had there 800W mono blocks.
Kylie Mc - poor room but impressive sound…
Teskey Brothers - grip and control are extreme, but also not too difficult for that song…
They used a rack which would be released a week from the show, I belief it was not theirs.
7 Likes
Linn Part 2
They are working with a digital delay as they are combining digital and analog in one setup. Klimax system.
Kyle Eastwood - with that power the bass is not that impressive. It’s a bit thin for my taste, while at the same time of course fast and direct.
Eva Cassidy - clean, nice airy…, but emotionally it doesn’t grip me enough….
8 Likes
Naim / Focal Part 1
Seems to be on and off when talking about the presence at the show. This time it was again less impressive. There was a kind of bar set up with the different Focal Headphones obviously powered by Naim…I had a short listen to the I belief Hadenys or whatever it’s called, nothing wrong nice warm sound.
Then had a listen to the PE system. Overall not bad, I belief this could be a nice way into listening good music for people who don’t want a complex setup.
Mitt Hjerte - full warm sound. Not the last level of detail is being pulled out, but works pretty well for such a song.
Chantal Chamberland - warm and soulful.
10 Likes
Focal / Naim Part 2
Bo Stief - nice
Ghost rider - not bad missing the last level of detail, but bring slam and control…
Jose Merce, sounds good…, perhaps a bit more push could come….
So overall the PE sounds to me as an attractive product. It’s quite engaging and brings the quality of the Naim sound accross. For many people this could be all they want in one package. The power should enable to drive most of the speakers. For people who want more detail they could then opt for the separates.
8 Likes
Naim / Focal Part 3
Just some photos. Following the logic of one year great and one year average…., we should expect the introduction of the new 500 series next year in Munich, I am ready for creating the first impressions in that next year 
8 Likes
To help keep you going: )
I think these looked like just the interconnects set and switches of the Chinese (?) Dragon system - not simple but some obvious rookie arrangement mistakes there : )
But I guess nothing compared to the negligence and cheap chaos at the back of the Harbeth camp! : )
7 Likes
Aries Cerat
My god what a huge setup, you will need quite some space in your home to get it setup…
Eagles - ok nothing special
Jan Garbarek - sound is piercing through, the piano sound in the background is overwhelmed by the other sounds
Ennio Morricone - good for this kind of music, while also now the details swim away in the wall of sound. Doesn’t sound balanced enough to my taste…
4 Likes
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Von Schweikert / VAC Part 1
Much smaller setup as last year, but also this year sounding impressive. None of the other systems sound so engaging and go the whole way. And of course it helps that they have again Martial Hernandez to guide us through the music.
They have small speakers which also seem to have bass cabinets in the back of the room. When I came back on Sunday it looked like the settings had been further improved and it sounded even more impressive.
Maria Callas - sounding great in the full range, no edgy parts as sometimes can happen with Callas…
2 Likes
Von Schweikert / VAC Part 2
Shirley Bassey - never getting out of control, amazing how those small speakers sounding. The realism, soundstage volume and bass are amazing.
Buster Williams - immense bass sound, most probably the bass cabinets are producing the sound
Nancy Sinatra - vibrations come accross quite good
Labeque Sisters - perhaps lacking the last level of refinement, which require the ultras…., but at that price level absolutely stunning.
3 Likes