Spent a nice day at this years show at last after a 4 year enforced break.
Attached a few photos of kit i can only just dream about but always good to see and hear.
Had the pleasure of chatting to the legend that is Paul Stevens of PS Audio what a gent!
Dont get me wrong i love all the high end stuff but nowadays its more and more aimed at Premiership footballers,Golfers,Tennis players etc
Anyone else go? would like another view of the show
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I dont think that many went looking at other reviews, and videos off it.
Shame, not sure what they wanted to get in, was it expensive?
But it probably shows where the market is right now, very flat.
But will be interesting to see how busy the hifi show is next weekend at daventry, as that was busy last year, but free to enter if you booked early, this year they are changing, but it wasnât much if you got in early.
I only live a few minutes away, and going both days probably, so will see if itâs as busy as last year or busier.
My over-arching thought of the Ascot show was âunderwhelmingâ.
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Visited the Ascot show on Saturday, it was ÂŁ22.38 entry pre booked, which I thought was a tad high, but itâs a lovely venue. Very quiet, when I left I asked the chap on the door what the attendance was , he said about a thousand, so not much, if any money made there, goodness knows what it costs to hire the grandstand.
At the previous show they had Ken Kessler and Michael Fremer talking who were both hugely entertaining. I wasnât familiar with any of this years guests.
Nice big vinyl area, and a lovely âvintageâ room with Meridian 101/103, Sony Walkman Pros, Naim bolt down kit and loads of other stuff most of which was for sale.
Would I go againâŚ.yes, the venue is spacious and pretty good sound in the various areas and itâs a 40 min drive for me. I wouldnât go to the Bristol show again, I found it claustrophobic and dull.
There was a train strike on Saturday so that may have impacted on attendance, but if it was only 1000 punters I canât believe itâs a viable proposition.
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Fair amount of Shazamming(?) going on, and some impressive sounds. Does make a nice change from the cramped Bristol Show.
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I thought it was bang average, dull, empty with no atmosphere, not much on show and little variety. Just not much of great interest. Though nice to see 300âs in the flesh. My ticket was ÂŁ11 with a promo code.
The old Heathrow ones were a bit shambolic but good fun, busy and entertaining.
Mind, the bloke at Ascot selling new vinyl at ten quid a pop sent me and my pal on our way home in a car noticeably heavier than when we arrivedâŚ
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Goodness me, thatâs a lot of ugly kit.
Apart from the Sony R2R, which nearly had me rubbing my thighs.
Mark
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Wow, looking at the prices for the HD Nagra gear is insane. Looks like I will be going no further than the âClassic â line.
I see some Shunyata gear there too, which I use the low end of myself.
I bought a weekend pass but only managed Sunday due to delay in getting 4 new tyres fitted to car on Saturday and a 170 mile trip from Chesterfield. Here are my thoughts:
- Lovely venue but it was underused. Only 1 bar open and was told McDonalds style food ordering was a disaster Saturday with food taking +45 minutes. Most of show rooms were on racecourse side of stadium and spaced out which helped noise separation from rival rooms.
- Again lack of females and anyone under 35 apart from offspring and Spouses. Maybe get some female targeted marketing and have some talks aimed at simple systems and basic principles of what you need and how to set it up.
- Looking at prices displayed even the âMid rangeâ stuff is pricy. Asked price of new Magico speakers and was told ÂŁ52 to ÂŁ54k. When you can by a very decent secondhand Porsche for same money it is mad considering complexity and development cost of a car to a pair or speakers, however good they sound.
- Tried to avoid buying anything new but bought a set of 3 node isolator feet for my Melco at a 20% show discount.
- Met a fellow hifi/car colleague staying at same hotel which was nice
I have booked for Daventry show next weekend as it is a bit closer to home and a change of a weekend drive and an overnight stay to get away from working.
If things carry on as they are all us old hifi nuts will be too old and dealers will have to do home demos at âcare homesâ 
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See you there. I will have my Naim or Porsche T-shirt on (short talkative bloke going thin on top)! See avatar
YesâŚ.and you can drive the Porsche, a few tons of metal, leave it out in rain, sun or snowâŚâŚand you can play music as wellđ
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Paul McGowan surely?
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Nice one, i might even join you with a porsche T shirt as well
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That Ascot show manages to looks both glitzy and bleak at the same time, at least judging by the pics.
Next June why not enjoy a nice drive across the Peak District to the North-West Audio Show? This yearâs event was very busy when I went, with lots of good dems and even some gear costing less than five figures. And entry was free. 
Roger
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Spot on description!
G
Two shows coming up:
As mentioned the UK Audio Show at the Staverton Park Hotel near Daventry 07th and 08th October.
Then the WAM HiFi Show at the Holiday Inn Barnsley J37 Dodsworth on the 29th October.
The WAM show is more of an amateur show where enthusiasts bring their own home hifi systems and set them up for your listening pleasure.
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There is a free hifi show on the 6/7 th October at the Royal Cornwall showgroundâŚâŚbit too far for me, others may be interested.
I went for the first time this year, was really impressed and already looking forward to next year. I would have gone both days if possible but will definitely try to do so next year. Very well organised, a nice friendly vibe and as you say free admission.
Daventry show this weekend also has a nice bar, maybe a meet up at 1 for a quick beer and say hi would be nice ???
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