light edition - December 2013
hi-fi for grown-ups grows up Welcome to the latest edition of the ‘light’ version of our consistently irregular indoctrination booklet. During the last two days of August 2013 we had a ‘do’ at the Trinity Events Centre in the Suffolk Showground. This Hi-Fi Show, and it really was a surprisingly grown-up affair involving six proper dem rooms, celebrated our suppliers and customers, surviving 20 years of our existence. Our visitors seemed relaxed and stayed, well, at least until we unlocked the doors, to hear a wide variety of products including some that were either very new (PMC Fact 12, Naim Ovator 800) or yet to be released (Rega Saturn DAC-with-a-CD). Mainly, though, our guests appeared to enjoy chatting, listening to music, drinking teas, coffees and beers. Oh, and munching the excellent cake. Thanks to all who came and to the suppliers who supported us, far too many to list. Thanks too, to everyone who has kept our little business bobbing along. I’m afraid it’s ‘Oscars’ time: The brilliant customers, my long suffering wife, Rhea, daughter Ellie who lost a childhood to Hi-Fi (but did OK!) and Andy, our loyal and hard-working co-director who has contributed massively to what has been a surprisingly successful decade since he joined. So another year has gone by, what to tell you? The following pages give a very condensed run-down. Some products deserve their own sections but space constraints beat us. Nottingham Analogue is alive and well. We have both Ace Space and Dais turntables here along with arms. Lyra Delos and Kleos cartridges have been excellent partners for both Linn and Nottingham decks and Dynavectors have remained popular, and rather more freely available, too. We have a wide range of Lehmann Audio phono stages and headphone amplifiers, both in stock and for audition. Trilogy electronics continue to impress and the headphone amplifier and phono stage have been particular favourites. A new lower cost pre-power combo made its first public appearance at our show and it should be available very early 2014. Finally, a little aside, the other day a customer refered to playing music on a ‘vinyl player’. I felt very old.