Show Report: North West Audio Show, 2024

The North West Audio Show at the De Vere Estate in Cranage, Cheshire, has become a regular and popular fixture on the UK hi-fi show calendar. This year was particularly significant for the event as it marked its 10th anniversary.

Thousands of visitors flocked to the two-day show on June 22-23, where they could find 82 exhibitors over three floors representing more than 150 brands. Entry was free and every visitor was welcomed on arrival with a complimentary glass of prosecco.

I talked to organiser Kris Sawicki at the show to ask him about reaching that 10th anniversary. He told me: “It all started with a one-day show in 2014 and now we have grown to two days with around 2,500 visitors. We have seen a steady growth and numbers this year are up by around 20% on 2023. The reaction from everyone is very positive. Visitors are happy. Exhibitors are happy. And if they are both happy, I am happy.”

What’s the secret of its success? “Firstly, we try to make it as easy as possible for exhibitors,” he said. “Secondly, the show is free and finally I get great support from magazines such as Hi-Fi+ and the great staff I have working for me here. We aim to create a great, family-friendly atmosphere, not just for audiophiles, but for everyone.”

And that atmosphere was enhanced by live music performances this year from singer and pianist Sara Leanne on the Saturday and Cuban musician Iroel Pérez Abreu on the Sunday. And there was a large gathering of vinyl vendors in the courtyard area to tempt visitors, while outside as they arrived they could enjoy a demonstration of the Pink Floyd 1971 Pompeii Sound system and various other PA systems.

What follows are some highlights from the show (in alphabetical order)…

ATC / AURALIC

US streaming specialist Auralic and UK loudspeaker brand ATC shared a room this year. Auralic showed its new Vega S1 streaming DAC/preamp and separate power supply. Also new from them was the Aries S1 streaming processor with multiple digital inputs and coax and USB outputs. Joining these was the new Altair G2.2 digital audio streamer. These were playing through ATC 50SE active floorstanding speaker, which have six amplifiers built in.

AUDEN DISTRIBUTION

Auden used the show for the UK launch of its range of Luphonic turntables from Germany. These decks are belt-driven and use innovative chassis and platter materials, such as Corian. The H2 model was in one room playing through a Hegel H190V amplifier and Amphion Argon 3S speakers, while in Auden’s second room the Luphonic top-of-the-range R3 turntable was playing through a Hegel H600 amp and Amphion Krypton 3X speakers. 

AUDIO NOTE

UK valve specialist Audio Note was playing a TT2 turntable with Arm 1 and IQ2 moving magnet and CD2.1x CD player with an M2 RIAA phono stage, M2 Line valve preamp, single-ended Paladin Silver stereo valve power amp and AN-K LX standmount speakers. Audio Note always make an excellent sound and this year was no exception. Their products could also be heard in retailer Audiocounsel’s room, where they were running a TT2/Arm3/IQ3 front end with CD4.1x CD player, Meishu Tonmeister 300B integrated valve amplifier and AN-E SP HE high-efficiency floorstanding speakers.

THE AUDIOWORKS

This Cheadle-based retailer, which also imports Accuphase, had some interesting new products from that company. These were the DP770 SACD/CD player and A80 Class A power amp. The brand new pure Class A E700 was meant to debut at the show, but stocks did not make it into the country in time. Instead, an E800 integrated amp was used for their dem, along with a C3900 pre and C47 phono stage. Lumin provided the streaming source and for vinyl it was a modified Linn Sondek LP12 with a Supertrac arm, all playing through Fyne Vintage 10 speakers.

CAD / KERR ACOUSTIC / MUSIC FIRST AUDIO

In this shared room, visitors could see and hear the recently launched Kerr Acoustic K200 speakers, Music First Audio Baby Reference V2 preamp, CAD 1543 DAC and Ground Control units, with amplification from Chord Electronics and Trilogy, plus an Innuos Zen Mini streamer/server. It was all sounding very good too. MFA also had its new Reference V2 preamp in the Sound Fowndations room along with Kerr’s K100 speakers, while Kerr K300s could be heard in the Chord Electronics room.

CHORD COMPANY

This UK-based cable specialist has a history of staging excellent demonstrations to show visitors of the difference that good cables, plugs and mains filters/distribution blocks can make to a system. This year they were showcasing the brand new Epic Tuned ARAY Digital interconnect, which uses technology borrowed from its Signature Series and optimises performance for the length of the cable. They were also demoing the PowerHAUS P6 mains distribution block and EE1 network noise isolator, in a system comprising a Hi-Fi Rose RS150 streamer, Chord Electronics Dave DAC and PMC Twenty5 23i active speakers.

CHORD ELECTRONICS

The recently released Ultima integrated amplifier from Chord was at the heart of their demonstration, along with a TT2 DAC and M Scaler, all playing through a pair of Kerr Acoustic K300 speakers. The company also had on show one of their professional amps and highlighted the top recording studios they have worked with, including Abbey Road, Air, Metropolis, Atlantic, and many others.

CONNECTED FIDELITY / COPPICE AUDIO / MALVERN AUDIO RESEARCH

In their shared room, Connected Fidelity was showing the new TT Hub turntable in final production format, fitted with Sorane tonearm and Hana Umami Red cartridge. They also had the new SIX Star star-earthed, six-way mains distribution block on show. Malvern showed the brand new Audio Detail GM70 14W single-ended monoblock valve power amps on demo, with the new 101D valve phono stage and Chela Premium preamp. All of this was being played through Coppice Audio’s speakers. Coppice, which specialises in solid wood cabinets as opposed to chipboard or MDF, was showing the revised flagship BG1 floorstander, with new Scanspeak tweeter and new custom-made Lowther PM65CP driver alongside the smaller, recently launched BG3 entry-level model to the BG Series, which uses a bespoke Lowther CM45CP midrange unit and single Beyma bass driver. They were beautifully finished and the whole system was sounding very good.

G-POINT

Polish-based Destination Audio was making its UK debut here with a new two-box GM70 20W single-ended valve integrated amp, WE417A phono stage and striking-looking three-way horn-loaded Nika loudspeakers. G-Point also unveiled the new Lampizator Poseidon valve DAC. The system playing used the Destination Audio amp and speakers with a J. Sikora Standard MAX Ultimate 15th anniversary edition turntable with KV9MAX arm and Aidas Mammoth cartridge. 

KARMA AV

Karma’s room housed a large 7.3.4 home cinema system showcasing the brand new SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle three-way speakers, with curved, time-aligned baffle, which were playing very loud and very cleanly. What was surprising was their modest price tag. Karma see them being as much at home in a two-channel stereo system as in a multichannel AV setup. There are three models in the SVS range. Driving the speakers was a Primare nine-channel SPA25 amplifier/processor, backed up with a 35.2 two-channel amp. 

KEF

KEF chose to focus on a simple system using the Blade II Meta speakers to show off their new KC92 subwoofers, which were presented in a stacked stereo configuration, using four in all. The room was very tastefully presented and the speakers were driven by a Hegel H600 amp and Innuos Zenith MkIII streamer and Phoenix network switch.

LATERAL

Equipment stand specialist Lateral was showing the new Aria range of stands, which come in two-, three-, four- and five-tier configurations with shelf spacings of 160mm, 220mm, 320mm and 440mm. Shelves are available in oak, black oak, walnut and flat black finishes. Load capacity per shelf is 60kg. Some design details, Lateral said, have trickled down from the more expensive Counterpoint range.

NEAT

Two brand new speakers were playing in the Neat room – the Momentum Jet-6 floorstander and Momentum Jet-S standmount. The Jet-6 is a 2.5-way design with 170mm bass/midrange units, one on the front baffle with an Elac JET AMT tweeter, and two in isobaric configuration in the sectioned-off, reflex-loaded lower enclosure. The standmount Jet-S has the same Elac JET tweeter and 170mm bass/mid driver, which has a second identical driver mounted behind it inside the cabinet in isobaric configuration. They were driven by an Atoll ST300/IN400 amplifier combo and Well Tempered Labs Versalex turntable. Neat also unveiled a MkII version of the diminutive Iota.

NODE

Node used the show to debut the SS1 modular equipment support system. The support is designed to make metal-to-metal contact with the equipment it is supporting and uses an internal gimbal that feeds vibration down through a stack of ceramic balls. Adaptors are also available for to support speaker cables and lift them off the floor. In its room, it was using a Melco Reference Solidstate Transport, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil DAC and a Valvet pre/power amp combo to demonstrate the Node Hylixa speakers, which have always impressed me whenever I have heard them.

ORANGE

New in the room of guitar and bass amp specialist Orange was the Valve Tester MkII. This can now be used with a series of separate plug-in modules for such audio valves as the 300B, EF86 and GZ34. It has a one-button operation and automatically runs through a series of 19 separate tests, including a new microphony test. Orange was also showing its new Pyramid Bluetooth speaker system that features auxiliary and line inputs.

ORIGIN LIVE

UK turntable specialist Origin Live had one new product on show. It was small but it came with an interesting story. The Strata platter mat has a triple-layer construction using three different materials, as Origin Live believe no single material can adequately dissipate energy over the whole spectrum of frequencies. Interestingly, it is claimed to work with all turntables, irrespective of the material the platter is made from, and the low asking price shouldn’t break the bank. This was on dem on its Sovereign S turntable with Agile tonearm and Lyra Atlas Lambda cartridge. 

REEL RESILIENCE

Vinyl, it seems, is not alone in enjoying a revival. Open-reel tape is also seeing a resurgence in popularity. So says ex-BBC engineer Iain Betson, who has been running Reel Resilience since 2015, repairing, refurbishing and supplying reel-to-reel machines to enthusiasts. In his room, he was showing a Revox PR99 II and A77 II, plus a Studer A807 II, playing pressing masters (the tapes used to produce the stampers that press LPs) and direct-to-tape recordings through PMC Result6 active speakers.

RUSS ANDREWS

The Scottish retailer and cables/mains conditioning specialist had a static display and was showing their new DC Blocker, designed to remove any DC that gets onto the mains from other equipment in the house, which they say can cause transformer buzz and adversely affect sound quality. And as a long-standing Meridian retailer, they were also showing the new Meridian Ellipse wireless DSP network speaker for the first time in the UK.

SALTWOOD SOUNDS

This Spanish-based company was showing their brand new hand-finished Finisterre floorstanding speakers that were looking gorgeous with their solid French walnut fronts. The cabinets are made from layers of on-edge birch ply and they incorporate a floating, damped stand. They have an 8in Purify woofer from Denmark and an SB Acoustics Satori beryllium tweeter. Driving them was a Java Double Shot integrated amp from New Zealand (they are not importing this apparently), an Auralic Vega G2 streamer and Auralic Aries DAC.

SOUND FOWNDATIONS

In this room, we were treated to a dem of the new DS Audio E3 entry-level optical cartridge on a Clearaudio Concept Signature turntable. These were playing through the new Music First Audio Reference V2 transformer-based preamp (MFA were also sharing a room with CAD and Kerr Acoustic) and Gamut power amps driving Kerr Acoustic’s top-of-the-range K100 speakers. They were also showing Clearaudio’s new Unity 10in radial unipivot tonearm with magnetic stabilisation fitted on a Reference Jubilee turntable. As always, the sound in the room was excellent.

SYMPHONY DISTRIBUTION

Making some nice sounds in their room, the recently introduced Tannoy Stirling III LZ floorstanders were being driven by a Linn Klimax DS streamer with Organik DAC through a Sugden Sapphire pre/power amp combo. Tannoy’s high-efficiency, dual-concentric speakers were also on show in a room run by local retailer DNA Audio, where they were playing the standmount Super Gold Monitor SGM10s driven by a Naim Solstice turntable and Naim NAIT 50 amplifier.

VERTERE

Two new products were to be seen here. The new Calon dual-mono phono stage provides up to 30dB of input gain and selectable output gain of +2dB, +4dB, +6dB or +8dB. Capacitance and resistance can be adjusted to match a wide variety of MM and MC cartridges. It also has a built-in subsonic filter and uses separate power supplies for the audio and control sections. Also new was the SG-II HB PTA tonearm. This has a tri-point bearing with a tungsten carbide shaft running on three silicone nitride balls. Good sounds were to be heard in the room a system comprising SG-1 record deck with SG-II arm and XtraX cartridge through a Vertere Phono 1 phono stage, Naim 332 preamp through active ATC SCM40 speakers.

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