Mimics every time I heard Mark Levinson too. I always feel like maybe my ears need cleaning because they sound quite rolled off on any speaker.
Those are some serious high end JBLs there.
3 Likes
As usual Avant Garde had the big bass cabinets and the sizeable horns. It’s also impressive to hear what it is capable of, but at the same time I miss a certain warmness of the whole thing. And of course you need quite a listening room to be able to place the whole thing. I was years ago very impressed mid size horns which include active bass which you can tune as well. And it sounded like a system I could consider - I belief the speakers where called the Uno but I could be wrong.
Anyhow they played Blood, Sweat & Tears - And when I Die….
Please keep responding any now and then if you want to get it finished to the end with all my impressions. Given my OP, might be beginning of next week or when lucky just till tomorrow evening.
6 Likes
At innuos they played the Hoff Ensembele Quiet Winter Night with the song Stille Stille Kommer VI, a typical example of one of these audiophile albums. From a sound perspective a pleasant musical system, which sounded rounded not edgy.
9 Likes
Maybe at some point you can share also how you approach this. I guess you a lot of notes?
Or do you really remember all this info?
Thanks for the report Mr Bird. Very enjoyable.
1 Like
Hi happy to explain how I do this.
- Coming into the room and taking 1-X pictures depending on what I see
- I write down and Shazam every song I hear during the demo (Shazam didn’t work seamless this time)
- The picture and the music are later on the anchor for remembering the experience. While listening I make short notes about the impressions I get from the sound, on what I hear etc
Normally I write the report immediately after the show, which then gives me the ability to give also a lot of contextual info. This time around through circumstances I waited a bit with writing the report which means it’s more on the essentials and deep impressions I got……
9 Likes
It was a pleasure to also have Linn at the show. I belief I haven’t seen them at the show before and I belief they belong at the show. It’s also interesting while the sound signature is of course different from Naim you can hear a different common philosophy as compared to many other brands. Musicality shines through.
They first demoed the Klimax DSM. Nice earthy sound, while also missing a bit the edge or punch I like to hear.
I heard: Chris Jones - no sanctuary here. Which by the way is with other song of Chris Jones a popular show demonstration song.
And Brun - Big in Japan, and again Ane Brun was heard rightfully so more at the show.
Max Richer - On the nature of daylight
Donavan Frankenreiter - Lovely Day (also a nice artist which I explored newly during the show and happy I picked it up)
When they switched to the LP12 I was a bit amazed / disappointed, they applied direct Digital Conversion in the chassis of the LP12, but I had the feeling that because of that it sounded to slick and you miss some of the attractiveness of the analog sound. So while it was great sounding etc, not sure if I would do it like that if I ever would buy an analogue setup.
They also played some Kraftwerk the exact song I didn’t document, but as said I missed the popping and the typical aspects of the analogue sound….
But overall good and pleasing sound which was missing a bit the punch, edge I like to have in music.
16 Likes
This is great, keep up the good work and thanks alot!
1 Like
I thought about the Stenheim speakers to replace my Magico S3 MkII.
It would have been nice to have fully Swiss system.
But apparently, Magico speakers are significantly better (same price point).
That’s why I chose the M2s.
Which I’m still waiting for, btw 
3 Likes
Better is in the eye of the beholder……, but I belief at the price-point you would have multiple option. If I would again think about reinvesting and have a similar budget I would consider also for speakers besides the bigger Verity Audio’s (Lohengrin), Gauder Akustuk, Magico, Wilson Benesch and PMC ……, however the final choice would also depend very much of how the electronics mingle with the speakers.
You are on an exciting journey by renewing everything, and I very much interested how much more enjoyment you will get from your setup…… and I am a bit jealous as it would be nice to have a budget and establish a from scratch system with the knowledge and experience we gained….
3 Likes
Gauder Speakers had again the marriage with the Westend Amplification. It produces a warm, analogue feeling sound. However I have also the feeling that in a way it limits a bit the capability of the Gauder Speakers. In earlier years they had Gauder mixed up with AVM electronics and I always found that combination to be in the top five of the best sound for the show. Not saying that Westend is bad, not at all…., but with such capable speakers you want to have matching electronics.
They played Johnny Cash - Hurt
5 Likes
Can you share some impressions on these electronics? These are Michael Fremer favourites. Do they really rock?
Shares your disappointment. Many here on the forum had hoped that Naim would present some new products and one of the most desired was the successor to 272. It is very sad, almost annoying, that Naim does not let us know if there will be a successor or not, considering how many owners around the world who have built their Naim System around 272.
Now I have to apologize I missed to take a picture of the Wiener Lautsprecher Manafaktur. That’s a pity as they got quite a sound also out of the smaller speakers they had been demoing. But it was as I remember something which created an interest from my view.
They played Steven Price - Don’t Let Go
Ironsmith - Astrocars
Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra with Members of E.s.t. - from Gagarins point of view
The last number was for me the reference to compare the sound (as it’s a good one to test the system)…., good overall sound, more than expected from the size of the speakers…, had a bit the feeling that the bass was over pronounced a bit, listening it again at home give a bit more rounded bass….
2 Likes
Yes I think so. They had not been shy of playing some edgy stuff and indeed it sounded edgy. The live concert also sounded very good. Of course the setup is a combination of all factors but the amplification was definitely not holding it back. So when in the market for new stuff, one should consider it besides other options.
1 Like
Then I came to the favorite room of @Thomas …., with the solution stuff.
And I have to admit great sound. Nice balanced, marvelous sound stage and airy sound. Was I missing something, perhaps a bit rawness getting even more direct into the emotion. But definitely one of the better sounding systems at the show.
They played:
Boz Scaggs - Thanks to you
Kiri te Kanawa and others - Westside Story
9 Likes
BERT
Thanks for the report and accompanying photos. I enjoyed reading them. 
I am aware that I am very fortunate to be able to build a complete new system.
My Naim journey was emotional. By that I mean that the choice was emotional.
I still remember Vivaldi’s Stabat Mater and Bach’s Cello Suites which I listened to on the CD555 and the beautiful pair of Jean-Marie Reynaud speakers. It was really moving.
This new system is more in line with what I’m looking for now: an airy yet detailed presentation where the recording venue is clearly reproduced.
But the system is not yet installed, there is still a lot to do. I didn’t think it would take so long…
1 Like
It is a pity that the amplifiers were “only” from the 5 series. The 7 series is clearly a large cut above.
Many people just don’t like the 5 series, in the sense that the 5 series is not a lesser version of the 7 series. It’s different. I felt that way too.
Do you know which speaker cables were used?
You must have had a lot of fun, thanks for all the pictures and descriptions!