(02-Nov-2014, 20:01)Rufus McDufus Wrote: [ -> ]You'll have to prise my Raidhos from my cold dead hands!
I'm surprised they didn't use larger speakers such as the Olympics with Devialet. It's one thing displaying "lifestyle" speakers (though they were very good) in a shop, but you can be pretty sure a hifi show crowd are not your typical Paris salon customers. Not that we're one or the other - he says trying to dig himself out of the hole that's getting deeper.
I guess the fact is that Absolute Sounds want all their brands on display, and have they to decide what to pair with what. The basic principle seems to be to pair equipment that's roughly similar in price, so they're unlikely to pair a Dev 200 with some big Magicos.
Well, moving to the Q3/Q5 would be quite a change from the Animas. I heard them three times at the show and they create a huge acoustic experience in a huge room with orchestral and "non-agressive" popular music - very impressive - but I felt they were just too "sharp" on Led Zepp et al, not that I would personally be worried by that.
Overall this was a great show - about 30 - 35 rooms with most doing demonstrations, some of which were really successful. In some respects this beats Munich albeit on a much smaller scale.
Predictably (IMO) Absolute Sounds came up with three good rooms with dedicated demonstrations from Constellation/Magico/Metronome in one (with a representative from the former) and Wilson/Audio Research in another (with Peter McGrath there playing some of his own productions). Devialet were in the third (walk around) room with the Crystal Mini Arabesque (at one end) along with other kit at the other.
Other top rooms were (IMO) the amazing all-Townshend room, PMC (who always seem to demonstrate thoughtfully) (Bryston electronics), Fraser from Kog with Estelon/Vitus; and one or two others, including Tune Anima with the right music. The new Oppo HA-2 amplifier (which just clips on to an iPhone 6 or similar, and charges it at the same time) will be a real money spinner as should the Geek Out range of USB headphone amplifiers.
And there were just a few manufacturers or distributors talking rubbish to keep you humoured.
Nice to meet Guillaume again, and Rufus, and f1eng yet again.
(02-Nov-2014, 12:49)GuillaumeB Wrote: [ -> ]I was very impressed by the very small and beautiful looking Crystal Cables Arabesque Minissimo speakers which were being driven by a Devialet 250.
Guillaume
Just spotted that these are around £10 grand a pair so should impress...