7/29/2023 0 Comments Audionote alternative reddit![]() In a corridor seemingly packed with loudspeaker news, French giants Focal had my feet tapping with a value-for-money new speaker. They’ve also now added this 15 Ohm option to the existing E20a amplifier. It’s minimal with just three controls but what is novel is the ability to use either the 8 Ohm speaker outputs or the 15 Ohm ones which are ideal for use with Rogers’ LS3/5As. Offering 5W of pure Class-A from single ended PCL86 valves, the weighty design features an aluminium chassis line with phono input option. Here, on static display Andy Whittle had an early example of the new Rogers Cadet V Line tube integrated amplifier, alongside an original from the 1970s. Staying with classic British loudspeaker brands there was ‘hot’ amplifier news from Rogers who had the LS5/9 speakers creating a joyous sound at Bristol Hi-Fi Show 23. Rogers valve amps at Bristol Hi-Fi Show 23 ![]() Apart from the sound, I’m taken by the fact that everything, yes everything, about the product is 100% European, even down to the crossover capacitors which are sourced from Wales. While it looks, from the front, like a ubiquitous LS3/5A, even down to the B110 mid/bass driver, the Italian-sourced cabinet is slightly deeper than that design and relies on a 1-inch soft-dome tweeter from SEAS, made to Falcon’s spec. “We’re all out to re-create the classic British Sound, bringing back the 1970s”, Graeme explains as I wallow in the output of the £2,395 speaker which I feel I simply have to try in my own system. “Where’s the sub?” I ask, half in jest – such is the incredible bass response from this compact two-way that claims a usable response down to 30Hz Here Jerry Bloomfield and designer Graeme Bridge were making delightful sounds with M10 bookshelf speaker. I started in the uppermost exhibition rooms, on the fourth floor, where I found Falcon Acoustics. Price for Tim Narramore’s first speaker is likely to be around £10,000 when it comes to market later this year. Using Volt midrange dome and bass unit, special attention has been given to the heavily-braced 24mm birch-ply cabinets which have a carefully-tuned rear port that delivers tight controlled bass without overhang. A pre-production sample of the new three-way floor-standing Angel Ascalon-8 was on show in stunning electric blue finish. One of the most exciting announcements for me was Moor Amps’ expansion into loudspeakers as the family-owned Devon company widens its portfolio. Moor Amps shows speaker at Bristol Hi-Fi shocker Price will be £9,200 or £12,000 with Aphelion 2 MC cartidge, Naia will be available in the autumn. ![]() It will be sold with an RB Titanium tonearm with a one piece titanium vertical bearing housing, titanium vertical spindle and a tungsten balance weight and shaft (below). It has a zirconium toughened ceramic bearing, ceramic top and bottom braces, ceramic platter with improved flywheel effect and low mass skeletal feet. The Naia is virtually the same as the legendary Naiad (£30,000) but based on a carbon fibre skinned, foam cored graphene impregnated plinth similar in appearance to the P10. ![]() The story of the show has to be the first glimpse of Rega’s most ambitious production turntable ever. Rega unveils range topping Naia record player While the big names walked away with the Show Awards for ‘best sound’, ‘best display’ and ‘most welcoming room’, personally I found the most melodious sounds to emanate from some of the more niche marques in the smaller, upstairs spaces. Run by retail chain Audio-T it has been running for as long as I’ve been involved in the industry, with my first visit back in 1989 when the hotel was a Holiday Inn and I was a fresh-faced reporter. This year some 170 brands were on display in a variety of rooms and static stands. The Bristol Hi-Fi Show 23 is the first of its kind since the pandemic. ![]()
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