Guilford Audio Annual Hifi Event

[GuillaumeB]

Interesting to me that when I was there the Sabrina's were being demoed on the Constellation Audio amps, and I thought this was the worst sounding room of the four.  Each to his own I guess, or maybe I just really didn't like those Sabrina's?

Well you were there first thing on Saturday morning right? Those amplifiers need a good hour or so to come on song, and perhaps it was the first room you visited? Just a hypothesis, I've no idea really. We really noticed this when we swapped the stereo Constellation in on Saturday evening, for the first half hour the sound was "congested" and a bit closed. It really wasn't great at first. Then you could literally hear the sound change with every track played. After a good hour it was way better. That's one of the advantages of Devialet you don't need to wait ages for the system to sound good.

As far as the Sabrina sound is concerned it is very much the Wilson sound albeit on a more diminutive scale. Given the form factor I was quietly impressed. The other thing is that I doubt those speakers have had 100 of hours on them, they were probably even brand new. Both my pairs of Wilsons took a good 2 to 3 months to settle down requiring repositioning in the room to balance out the changes happening to the sound.

Constellation Audio was used with Magico S3s at the Windsor show and that sound was a highlight for me. Last year at the Guildford Audio show Constellation Centaur mono blocks were used with Sasha 2s and I suppose I was so impressed that I ended up buying a pair of Sasha 2s. I've also heard them at the Absolute Sounds studio paired with Sasha 2s and let's just say it was one of those defining experiences for me.

But you're right; each to his own. Hi-fi is an intensely personal journey and everything we hear and feel is hugely subjective. I also find my tastes evolving all the time. 

Anyway shame we missed you as we could have talked about all this in great detail. 

Guillaume