2018 Melbourne International Hi-Fi Show - Reports & Feedback

[Tim O'Connor]

This is my first Hi-Fi Show, and I thought it was interesting, and worthwhile - Didnt get to attend the Krix show as I missed the memo about having to book separately

 

To be brutally honest  I wasn't blown away by any of the systems I heard.  I found most of it pretty fatiguing. (esp the Revel system I heard - ugh) I didn't get to hear the Kharmas for some reason - there was one room that was always impossible to get into, and I must have forgotten to go back to it.  Oh well.

 

I did like the new M8audio's, Yamaha's, Sonus Fabers, and newest VAF i91's.  

 

Hated the Revels and was a bit disappointed by the sound of the SGR, Osborne, and Hulgich setups.    The Osborne floor standers I heard had impressive bass, but sounded unpleasant when female vocals came on.  The SGR and Hulgich systems just didnt inspire.  If I was going to spend money, I would have got the Sonus Fabers and two Rel subs

[coffeemachinist]

Second year attending, and first year exhibiting (Lucie Audio, room 1202 - shared with Jean-marie from Microphase) for me.

 

A really enjoyable three days, good on you @marc for your dedication to promoting hi fi at all levels. A really switched on crowd this year, saturday in particular was pumping!

 

In future I think it would be great to keep the show going into the evenings - particularly on friday, more might be inclined to come down after work if they knew they could get a few solid hours in.

 

Music selection is always a difficult one, but I tried to accommodate requests via tidal and skewed the music to my personal tastes. Some hated it, but many loved it and discovered some new artists (Agnes Obel got some new fans) so I think that worked. 

 

Similarly to last year, it's impressive just how much Australian manufacturers of all sizes are bringing to the table. Nick and Anthony at Hulgich / Holton particularly never fail to impress and I have huge respect for their work. Same goes for Rod at Legend. 

 

I'm pretty sure I'll be back bigger and better next year, Jean-Marie and I managed to co-share the room pretty well but most punters didn't quite get the idea and it caused a bit of confusion.

 

To those that came through 1202 when I was in session, can I ask you for your impressions? This was the bamboo or black bookshelfs on tall stands with the orange and dark grey electronics.

 

Cheers!

 

-Rick, Lucie Audio

 

[darth vader]

Their seemed to be lots of vinyl players but very little vinyl being played. 

 

I guess lots of folk use digital sources these days so it makes sense there was plenty of digital being played.

 

I noticed it was hard to get into the rooms that were playing vinyl.

[pass the bass]

Cor blimey! After 2 days of slogging around the Pullman like a travelling salesman I can now sit down to reflect:

 

My overriding feeling is "I wish I could have heard more of my music", or other visitors' music for that matter. I got tired of hearing a song called 'Similar' performed by 'Whoever'. Their titles may vary, and the artists may be diverse, but when it comes down to it, they all had that sameness of sound: slowly drawn out lyrics, Aunt Agony themes, recordings so closely-miked you lose all sense of perspective. I don't mind hearing them twice or even three times...I would like more fun music, like the Kraftwerk they were playing in the foyer, things to get my feet tapping and me jiggling in my seat.

 

I, too, was not wowed by the B&W 800 speakers. The midrange was quite abrasive. It may have been the space perhaps? However, it did prove that no matter the gear, if the music is good you can still have fun listening to the music...

 

...even if they come out of vintage radios, in mono, and crackly. A two-thumbs up for the Historical Radio Society of Australia. I walked in the room and there was this long table laid out with wonderful retro radios clad in wood veneers, bakelite, curves which showed they were designed with the eyes, and knobs that moved this vertical thin line across a little window when you turned them in your hand (I did ask for permission first). The three curators sipping tea were the most chilled out people at the show. The sound was different, but thoroughly enjoyable.

 

I was more impressed by the synergy of the Hulgich speakers and Holton amplifier combination. Did anyone else notice the 2.5kW transformer on the Holton amp? I haven't seen these specs since Peter Stein's ME amplifiers, and they used 2kW transformers. In these days of minitiarised class-D amps, I thought it unusual. Bravo, bravado, brave, brazen!

 

I enjoyed the SGR sounds at last year's show, but this year they were just cycling through the few same tracks, so I didn't linger. I spent more time listening to the headphones playing through the Chord Hugo2, Hugo TT, and DAVE/Mscaler through Sennheiser 820S. Am I the only person to have listened to the Hugo 2 (on several occasions) and not been impressed? It's certainly good, but not as natural sounding as the DAVE.

 

The Kii 3s sounded too etched, lacking lower end balance(I was curious because of all the press they have been receiving). I was more impressed by the bass coming out of the narrow Aequo Audio Stilla speakers. They are shaped like giant baguettes. Their big sound, belying their diminutive size, was due to active amplification. Is active amplification, class D amps, DSP, and Dutch design the future of audio? Let's hope their hifi is better than their cuisine.

 

The Krix Esoterix Altum speakers were impressive. If you haven't seen them before: they are standmounts with an external horizontal horn, looking like something out of 'The Fifth Element'. Driven by Vincent hybrid amps, they sounded good. I was told their sensitivity was 98dB. Is it possible to have that kind of sensitivity in a standmount? I thought standmounts have highish impedances and lowish sensitivities due to their physical limitations.

 

Speaking of another Australian manufacturer...I listened to the Legend Kama (2.5 way, 2x mid/bass, 1xtweeter) demo not knowing about them. These are handsome small-floorstanders with dark wood veneer and faux-leather baffles. I thought they sounded good for $20K speakers. Until I discovered they cost $2K. In hifi, I look for the 10/90 ratio like the visual artists and speaker-installers have their 'golden triangle' ratio: how to get 90% of the sound for 10% of the cost of high-end heavy-weights, eg. KEF LS50. It is not surprising, as I later discovered, that they won the 2017 Stereonet 'outstanding value' award.

 

Commiseration goes to Bill Mcleans. It was heart-wrenching seeing him struggle with the streaming/network problems (also suffered by other exhibitors on Sunday morning). He always works hard to beam beautiful music into the room (a perennial favourite with show-goers). It did make me think how the apocalypse might pan out. It won't be fires, angels of death and the Grim reaper wielding his scythe. No, it will be something more prosaic like losing wifi, not being to access Tidal, and withering away to a Hell where no music is playing (or only Diana Krall is allowed. Sorry - she's not bad for a song or two, mind you).

 

Finally, I would like to thank everybody who made it possible to experience all of this, good sound or bad sound (not being sarcastic there, I really mean to thank them all).

 

Enough said. Time to tidy up the house a bit.

(I don't believe in emojis.)

 

 

[~Spyne~]

2 minutes ago, coffeemachinist said:

To those that came through 1202 when I was in session, can I ask you for your impressions? This was the bamboo or black bookshelfs on tall stands with the orange and dark grey electronics.

 

Cheers!

 

-Rick, Lucie Audio

 

 

Hi Rick,

I'm not sure i caught the full session as I don't recall hearing anything about the electronics, but I was definitely impressed with the little Studio 2 (black) stand-mount speakers. Unfortunately I didn't get to hear the Studio 1s as I was only at the show for a few hours so had to rush through a few of the rooms.  I had not heard of Lucie speakers before, so it was great to see yet another local manufacturer on show. Well done.

 

Despite having to rush through many of the rooms, and completely missing some, I REALLY enjoyed the Dutch & Dutch speakers - incredibly impressive for their size.

The short time I had in the Kharma room was also immediately enjoyable. Effortless, nuanced, dynamic at all volumes. Mind-bogglingly expensive.

The Hulgich/Holton room, SGR, Osborne, Krix (& Selby) and Sonus Faber rooms were all enjoyable too.

 

Disappointments included the VAF room - not the speakers themselves, but after last year, the room/set up and presentations were a step down in my opinion.

The Legend room - only because I found the bass quite boomy when I was there. Obviously the room wasn't ideal and I think the source at the time wasn't exactly A-grade.

The Kii speakers didn't do much for me but the worst sound, for me, were the Meridian DSP-5200 speakers. Sounded like someone had put a wet blanket over them whenever they were played.

 

Yet again, a great show organised by @Marc and his team. I would have loved to get more time to wander, listen and chat so will hopefully be able to do so next year.

 

[blybo]

Like many others I was blown away at the little Legend floorstanders once I knew the price. I think the show special was something like $17XX . Just an absolute bargain. I guess if @Marc is giving out prizes again Dr Rod will walk away with best value again.

 

For me the biggest disappointment were the Avantguard Duo's but did note they had very little if any room treatments in there. Having said that I thought most rooms sounded very good but not necessarily to my taste. Several Hi-End rooms had very detailed, highly revealing sound that lacked realism and body IMO. I refer to this as being too HiFi and thought the Hulgich and to a lesser extent the SGR's were guilty of this but that could of just being music played when I was in there. I also note Melody couldn't get that room singing either in previous years so this could be the issue. It's a sound signature I tire of quickly despite being initially impressed but I guess many people crave this. Somebody earlier mentioned rooms lacking tone. We may be talking of a similar feeling.

 

Very impressed with the Isoacoustics demo and bought some monitor desk stands for my office setup which will get installed this arvo.

 

Anybody else experience the $10k Selby room? That Optoma projector was throwing rainbow effects every few seconds. I had to work very hard to hold my tongue when the salesman asked for feedback as he seemed to have some potential purchasers in there. If they couldn't see the rainbow effect good luck to them. I'd never seen rainbow effect before but it was so distracting it drove nuts.

[superaaaa]

Any photos from the Krix demo room ?

[blybo]

5 minutes ago, superaaaa said:

Any photos from the Krix demo room ?

wasn't much to see except some bloody huge subs and black on black isn't best for photography. These speakers aren't made to look pretty or be on display. In a permanent HT room they'd all be hidden away behind AT fabric

Edited October 15, 2018 by blybo

[Satanica]

15 minutes ago, superaaaa said:

Any photos from the Krix demo room ?

Can't see that much but there you go.

This was during computer game hour. 

[superaaaa]

Cheers guys.

 

Do you know if there was any acoustic treatment in the room?

 

Given the number of seats, I assume this was more akin to a small commercial theater than even a large scale HT.

[Ando]

My thoughts :

SGR  was the standout room.

The Dutch and Dutch and Kii rooms were also very good.

The Kharma speakers looked good but in each of 3 visits that Dean Martin record was playing . Impressive sound but ...

The Legend speakers represent great value.

The Revel speakers were very disappointing. I have heard the Salons in a number of different places and have always thought the many positive reviews were well justified. I would agree with the previous comments  re this room.

 

It was interesting to note which exhibitors seemed genuinely engaged / interested ( most of them ) and who did not ( just a couple ). 

 

Thanks to the organisers and exhibitors many of whom had obviously gone to a lot of trouble to present their equipment in the best possible light.

Cheers 

Mike

 

[sir sanders zingmore]

2 hours ago, coffeemachinist said:

Second year attending, and first year exhibiting (Lucie Audio, room 1202 - shared with Jean-marie from Microphase) for me.

 

A really enjoyable three days, good on you @marc for your dedication to promoting hi fi at all levels. A really switched on crowd this year, saturday in particular was pumping!

 

In future I think it would be great to keep the show going into the evenings - particularly on friday, more might be inclined to come down after work if they knew they could get a few solid hours in.

 

Music selection is always a difficult one, but I tried to accommodate requests via tidal and skewed the music to my personal tastes. Some hated it, but many loved it and discovered some new artists (Agnes Obel got some new fans) so I think that worked. 

 

Similarly to last year, it's impressive just how much Australian manufacturers of all sizes are bringing to the table. Nick and Anthony at Hulgich / Holton particularly never fail to impress and I have huge respect for their work. Same goes for Rod at Legend. 

 

I'm pretty sure I'll be back bigger and better next year, Jean-Marie and I managed to co-share the room pretty well but most punters didn't quite get the idea and it caused a bit of confusion.

 

To those that came through 1202 when I was in session, can I ask you for your impressions? This was the bamboo or black bookshelfs on tall stands with the orange and dark grey electronics.

 

Cheers!

 

-Rick, Lucie Audio

 

Rick, nice to put a name to the face.

I really enjoyed your setup (we spent a few minutes as you were packing up on Friday, discussing the merits of fully active systems).

Remarkable what can be done with active monitors and judicious use of DSP - puts much more costly systems to shame

 

Edited October 15, 2018 by Sir Sanders Zingmore

[Candyflip]

1 hour ago, superaaaa said:

Do you know if there was any acoustic treatment in the room?

Yes, but I'm a nuff-nuff when it comes to remembering names.

A lot of it, from one manufacturer, I believe.

Someone here will know.

[vivianbl]

Went to the Show on Friday, the first one in many years, and had an enjoyable long afternoon session.
Had a coffee and chat with a member from Brisbane before I started the room tour. We shared the same view about wanting the involvement/ engagement and emotion from the music we listen to. He was lamenting that only one or two systems in the show impacted on him that way.

Went on my tour. Enjoyed the imaging and detail of the big SGR system set up. The reproduction of the stage ambience and tension in the music when they played an excerpt from Les Miserables was astounding.

The system in Bill McLean’s room with D&D speakers were also impressive- it was well balanced and drew you to the music. I preferred those to the Devore 93 speakers system that he swapped too. Maybe the room acoustics were not in sync for those.

The other set up I enjoyed was the Kii system in the sonic purity room. Again preferred that to the more expensive set up in their room!

It seemed like the high (expensive) end systems were very smooth, relaxed and clean, but the energy and life of the music seemed to be cleaned away(muted) as well. Some of these systems would have been well over half a million dollars.

I wondered whether it was the source music they had chosen, unsuitable room acoustics or just the nature of the current high end audio trend. Maybe it was my expectations that were not in sync! Or maybe it was that Dean Martin had made huge comeback! I do have the original 1960s Lp. Must resurrect it and listen to it again[emoji2].

I had brought along several ordinary CDs (not audiophile ones) to test out with the different systems, but only managed two of these in two rooms. It looked like demonstrators were using vinyl or “ computer” stored streamed music.

I was fortunate enough to have one CD played on a system that was close to a $million I think. Dean Martin was on continuous play in their turntable. Brought up the courage to ask them if they had a CD player and could they play one of mine! Well, I was embarrassed [emoji15].
I found it difficult to recognise the track. It was clean, but constricted, emaciated and “thin”. I was relieved when it ended.

They explained that the result was caused by the reflections caused by the edge of the CD causing jitter etc. etc..... that bevelling the edges would open it up and smooth out the high frequencies. They kindly offered to do that for me and return. They also have a CD beveller, on the market.

Got a chance to use one of my CDs in another room with Martin Logan’s. Not wanting to be embarrassed again I used another CD. ....
Something must be wrong with my CDs......

This one didn’t sound good either! Clean, lean and smooth. No energy, life or soul.

Went out to have a coffee and Quickly looked up CD bevellers. One available from Sydney Hi fi store for $1490.

Thought about it all the way home[emoji6].

Decided to test the two CDs back on my own system.... just to make sure ...before I ordered a beveller.

....What the?......[emoji15]......

[Snoopy8]

22 minutes ago, vivianbl said:

Decided to test the two CDs back on my own system.... 

Let your own ears be the judge, if they sound good on your system, end of story... 

 

Not everyone will enjoy the details revealed by some of the systems. Had a guy who stormed out of the Martin Logan room when his CD, with a home recording (?) sounded distorted.

[coffeemachinist]

12 minutes ago, Snoopy8 said:

Let your own ears be the judge, if they sound good on your system, end of story... 

 

Not everyone will enjoy the details revealed by some of the systems. Had a guy who stormed out of the Martin Logan room when his CD, with a home recording (?) sounded distorted.

I had the same bloke come through my room and he was still stung by that, and although I couldn't oblige him with a CD source, I found his track on spotify (ogg vorbis compression) and gave it a whirl. FWIW it sounded lovely. A really delightful recording ofGeoff Penny,  a guitarist from the Yarra Valley here in Victoria. He sent me a lossless WAV that night and it sounded even better.

[Ittaku]

46 minutes ago, vivianbl said:

They explained that the result was caused by the reflections caused by the edge of the CD causing jitter etc. etc..... that bevelling the edges would open it up and smooth out the high frequencies. They kindly offered to do that for me and return. They also have a CD beveller, on the market.

Got a chance to use one of my CDs in another room with Martin Logan’s. Not wanting to be embarrassed again I used another CD. ....
Something must be wrong with my CDs......

This one didn’t sound good either! Clean, lean and smooth. No energy, life or soul.

Went out to have a coffee and Quickly looked up CD bevellers. One available from Sydney Hi fi store for $1490.

Thought about it all the way home.

Decided to test the two CDs back on my own system.... just to make sure ...before I ordered a beveller.

....What the?............

 I think I was there when he was telling you this about the beveller. To be honest, it sounded like snake oil peddling to me as an outside observer...

[joz]

Interesting how different we perceive playback systems.

I know a few of the popular favorites left me wanting, then there was that moment when Dino wasn't playing. 

[betty boop]

28 minutes ago, joz said:

Interesting how different we perceive playback systems.

I know a few of the popular favorites left me wanting, then there was that moment when Dino wasn't playing. 

I have a few dino records and they are all great. even some originals my parents passed to me. beautiful stuff !

[Pete54]

3 hours ago, superaaaa said:

Any photos from the Krix demo room ?

Check out Selby Acoustics on facebook.  They have lots of pics of the setup showing the speakers

Edited October 15, 2018 by Pete54
typo

[Willco]

1 hour ago, vivianbl said:

Went out to have a coffee and Quickly looked up CD bevellers. One available from Sydney Hi fi store for $1490.

Thought about it all the way home.

Decided to test the two CDs back on my own system.... just to make sure ...before I ordered a beveller.

....What the?............

I've owned two of the AudioDesk Trimmers he mentioned-- I bevelled all my CDs--don't buy CD's anymore and sold the Cutters.

 

They do work to clean up some CD's --certainly not night and day stuff and I did notice "more" of a improvement

 

with some Players over lesser ones with the Cut Disc

 

Frankly for $1490 (?)--I'd keep the Dosh!

 

Willco

 

[blybo]

3 hours ago, blybo said:

Very impressed with the Isoacoustics demo and bought some monitor desk stands for my office setup which will get installed this arvo.

 

... let's see how this goes then...

 

 

Yup these things work! I've gone from having my Audioengine A5+ office speakers installed on my desk with concrete pavers and their own brand of tilting rubberised stand to just these isoACOUSTICS and bloody hell, my speakers just got a hell of a lot clearer, more... air around the instruments, more bass and less glare. 

 

Now wondering what they could do with my home speakers.

 

[vivianbl]

 I think I was there when he was telling you this about the beveller. To be honest, it sounded like snake oil peddling to me as an outside observer...

Ha ha, I was in disbelief too. I held back from saying that maybe the problem could have been the design of the CD player?[emoji33]

Think they were relieved to go back to Dino on the turntable.

I had chosen the CDs carefully and had listened to them the night before! I knew the musical elements that drew me to the performance . Hence my disappointment in the reproduction in both musical and Hifi elements.

And when I listened to them when I returned home I knew the CD didn’t need bevelling [emoji2]!!

[sir sanders zingmore]

2 hours ago, vivianbl said:

Got a chance to use one of my CDs in another room with Martin Logan’s. Not wanting to be embarrassed again I used another CD. ....
Something must be wrong with my CDs.

Dunno about your CDs but there was something wrong with that room… very disappointing indeed  

[Ittaku]

1 minute ago, Sir Sanders Zingmore said:

Dunno about your CDs but there was something wrong with that room… very disappointing indeed  

I'm glad it wasn't just me. I kept going in there expecting some Martin Logan magic but got only midfi disappointment...