Dublin High End Show

[Ciaran]

I was there on Saturday morning and spent a lot of time talking to Rav in the dCS room (catching up with some dCS developments). They had two sources: a Puccini stack (player/DAC/clock/upsampler) and a laptop connected to their Debussy DAC, going into VTL pre and 450W valve monoblocks driving some big Focal Utopias. Very impressive sound from both the stack and the laptop, including some of the DSD-over-USB which dCS are developing. There was also a Peter McGrath 88.2 live recording of the habanera from Carmen with alarmingly present stage noises. I mightn't want to listen to it very often, but it was certainly an excellent demonstration of how vivid a sound it's possible to reproduce! There was a lot too like about the sound in this room, but there was a boominess in the bass. I never expect perfection under show conditions!

I then had the Vitus room largely to myself for a good while, and listened to several favourites I'd brought with me and chatted with the guys in there who were really nice and seemed to have largely sensible views on audio. Here the same Utopias were being driven by a huge Vitus solid-state power amp. Given that we'd had 450W next door, I was expecting this to be in the kilowatts, but no: it was producing 40W in Class A. I couldn't get over how enjoyable it was to listen to! The front end was a Vitus CD player which wasn't delivering the same tactile detail that the dCS gear could, but the overall sound was really pleasant. I loved it!

I bumped into Derek and we went to the Mark & Daniel speakers/QAT Music Server room. The QAT had a lovely slick interface, but I can't help feeling that the future for something like that is on a general purpose device like a smartphone or iPad. Nice sound. I only then checked the time (I'm having wrist trouble, so can't wear a wristwatch :( ) and found it was hours later than I thought it was, and had to dash off!

Would have liked to have seen more, but what I saw was very good, so congratulations to Kronos on their first outing!

Thanks for the pics, Modest! I never even realised the Smurf-speakers were there! They've had very good reviews. Missed my chance to hear them!!

[Diapason]

Those pics have me salivating (MORE! MORE!!!)

In a way it's just as well I didn't make it. I simply can't afford any degree of temptation, and it looks like temptation was there in spades.

[DaveF]

..... and it looks like temptation was there in spades.

like you wouldnt believe. I almost succumbed to forking out a silly amount on some awesome looking Titan Audio power cables. Now that's saying something!
There was a Raysonic CDP that was ex-demo going for half price too.

Great pics Modest.

[Ivor]

ahhh as uasual no one cares about the pics !!!!

Ah that's just not true Modest, they're a great reminder of the rooms.

[Diapason]

It's all about the pics for me. Thanks Modest!

[Diapason]

like you wouldnt believe. I almost succumbed to forking out a silly amount on some awesome looking Titan Audio power cables. Now that's saying something!

Really? The heat must have got to you!

I've realised recently that no matter how good my system sounds, I'm never happy. I always want new shiny boxes.

[Ciaran]

like you wouldnt believe. I almost succumbed to forking out a silly amount on some awesome looking Titan Audio power cables. Now that's saying something!

Really? The heat must have got to you!

I've realised recently that no matter how good my system sounds, I'm never happy. I always want new shiny boxes.

I used to think that. Now I'm pretty happy!

And Dave... power cables! I'm disappointed in you! At least it wasn't HDMI cables!

[DaveF]

I've realised recently that no matter how good my system sounds, I'm never happy. I always want new shiny boxes.

Indeed. As much as I like the sound of the Leben it doesnt take up enough of space on the rack for my liking.

/worf

[Rocker]

I know that music is personal, one mans meat is anothers poison and all that, but why are we subjected to endless jazz at hi-fi shows? Now I like the occasional bit of jazz but there is so much good music out there, it is selling the equipment short to only play music, which I expect would sound good in a car stereo, through a full range system. Well recorded 'demo' music will sound good on most systems but what about the disks you have that have poor sound quality yet the music is good enough to ignore the ropey recording? The bottom line has to be the music and not the recording quality. The equipment itself is only a means to an end [which is the replay of the music] though shows suggest otherwise. Equipment envy!!!!

I asked for some rock music in the dCS room and after a search the guy found a Dire Strats CD. He played 'walk of life' and it sounded poor enough, grainy to my ears and not the least bit enjoyable. By chance on the way home Radio NOVA played 'walk of life' and it sounded better and more enjoyable on the car stereo than through a £50K+ high end stereo system. Something is wrong here me thinks. Somebody has lost the plot somewhere. I know, I know that it is unfair to audition any kit in a show environment and it might sound wonderful in my music room, but.... It looks great to be sure but I would have expected popular music like Dire Straits to sound amazing when played through a system like that. And as it did not, then I can only wonder why?

[giant haystacks]

yes haystacks made it just about 3 pm on sunday had not time for a scrum down with ivor -
being a sort of under the bonnett kind of guy i was most facinated at the music works mains block and mains cables-used in dcs room the head man said that it was a vital part of his sound .
lots of good sounding rooms for show rooms very good but it can be confusing .is a acurate very clear sound better -i am glad that i made it down