Tír Na HiFi

I'll try and keep this as brief as I can. It's going to be hard! Myself, with Fergus in tow, paid a visit to Derek's abode yesterday. We spent almost four hours there listening, chatting, eating and generally having a ball. I'm glad to say the boys were impressed with some of my selected obscurities. More of that later.

So, where to start? The very first vinyl I put on was a funnily titled album called 'My Get Up And Go Just Got Up And Went' by a chap called Ass (Andreas Söderström). It's a sort of acoustic guitar with strange sounding instruments thrown in for good measure. It sounded absolutely stunning though the Dubh's. Everything Derek and Nigel spoke about already was there in spades - separation, dynamics, spatiality, clarity and completely effortless detail. It was a stunning start!

After that things went slightly awry as I wasn't getting the bass I knew was on the records. When we came back after having a lovely lunch (thanks Derek) I put on a Jessika Kenney Lp (Aestuarium). I sat in the same chair which, incidentally, was almost in the middle of the room. Again it sounded wonderful. The stunning interplay of vocals and viola was a joy to the ears. Completely natural. Then I put on 'Dies Mei' which has a repeating hand drum pattern played by Jessika's partner Eyvind. However I wasn't getting the lovely repeated unforced deep sounds that I know from my own system. Then Fergus suggested I sit further back (on the stairs) which, he rightly pointed out, mimics my own listening position at home. Wow! What a difference! Now I was getting the sound I knew was on those drums. And......I also knew from that moment on that all the earlier stuff I wasnt completely happy with would now sound as they should. They did and thrillingly so.

Then came the moment I was dreading:namely the Electronic(a) albums I brought along. Will the Dubh's do ample justice to the bass frequencies. "Ah well, here goes" says I :) The first piece on the tt was 'First Date - Jumble Sale' from 'Meet Next Life' by Isan. When the bass kicked in I nearly fell off the stairs lol! Wow!!!! The bass was there in spades and sounded so natural and unforced, if that's possible from Electronic music. Then with a twinkle in my eye I put on 'One Man Abandon' which has the most delicious analogue electronic bass known to mankind. This time I did fall off the stairs lol! Again wow!!! Why do you people talk about tight bass this that and the other. This is more than I expected from a pair of drivers. Oh and before I forget, I honestly thought Derek had switched in a super tweeter the detail was that incredible. Now I know these two tracks inside out and the Dubh's just kicked them into a whole new level of insight. Marvellous :)

So it's a no brainer that I have to hear these babies with my own setup asap. Also a big thank you to Derek and Fergus for putting up with me and for making me feel so welcome (and well fed!). THANK YOU!


Finally I have to say that the photos of the these wonders do NOT do them justice. They look amazing in the flesh with attention to detail as befits master craftsmen. In a word, stunning!

I'll post the Lp pics in my next post....

A complete list of the 'obscure' stuff I played. All vinyl of course :)








Jessika Kenney/Eyvind Kang - Aesturarium




Isan - Meet Next Life




F S Blumm - Mondkuchen






Spoken word Lp where two authors read a selection from their writings....




This is the Mexican guy with a neat classical/techno twist....

Two excellent reviews from Derek and Cybot. I agree with everything said and could not have worded it better. Once in a blue moon a piece of equipment comes along that is truly exceptional.
These speakers fit into that category. I have heard Derek's pair and I have heard a pair in Fran's.
When the first notes of music come out of the speakers it is jaw dropping. You sit there in amazement at the music the speakers are making. That sence of amazement never left.

Thanks Dermot it was a pleasure having yourself and Fergus down for a listen.

I was stunned at the music you brought, some of the most wonderful stuff I’ve obviously been missing out on by not following up your recommendations, my loss, but one I intend to rectify.

We had a great session and I loved every minute. We pushed the speakers back, pulled them forward, we moved forward, then sat further back, swapped seats like it was musical chairs and all in good humour, enjoying each newly heard transient note.
We finished up with the by now traditional (in my house anyway) Buddy Holly - True Love Ways and at its finish Dermot said “and how do you follow that”.

Later in the evening after watching England v Scotland, I patted the Eist on their heads (dog like) and smiled a "well-played", told my amp it was "the stalwart in the team" and let the TT know it was "still playing at premier league level", never once disgracing.

It might have been the Whiskey talking. Auchentoshan will do that to you.

Nicely put Derek :) I forgot about the True Love Ways track and, of course, some of the other equally stunning stuff you played. Anyway it was a fitting end to a bloody marvellous afternoon with you both and one I'll not forget for a long time to come......

Also thanks to Mick too for his insights.

Thanks for the review Dermot, I've heard the Eist in Derek's a few weeks back and I concur, a lot of sound for such a small driver and footprint. I will at some stage try them in my own system and that frightens me a little! Will I be able to let then go! If anyone wants to make me an offer on a pair of Quad 989s you should get in early and go high so as to avoid disappointment.

Hi Ivor,

They've come in a bit since you listened to them, bass is a bit deeper and have smoothed nicely.

Derek wrote:Hi Ivor,

They've come in a bit since you listened to them, bass is a bit deeper and have smoothed nicely.

Yeah, I took that from Dermot's comments alright. What I heard was clean precise bass but not exactly "deep".

Thanks Ivor. You owe it to yourself to, at the very least, give them a listen in your own room. That way you can experiment to your heart's content just to prove that the bass I heard at Derek's was a genuine musical entity and not a musical chair :)

cybot wrote:Thanks Ivor. You owe it to yourself to, at the very least, give them a listen in your own room. That way you can experiment to your heart's content just to prove that the bass I heard at Derek's was a genuine musical entity and not a musical chair :)

yep, I'm just waiting to find the time Dermot.