HiFi Lounge - Latest News and Chat for HiFi and Headphones!

[Vipers]

Happy Christmas Everyone, Thanks For Another Amazing Year at HFL!

 

Hi All,

I was hoping to do a post with my favourite albums of the year but it has been such a frantic run up to Christmas, we have pretty much been all over the country installing, that I have just run out of time but I'll do my best to post that list early next year as it has been a pretty good year for new music this year, one album in particular really stands out as actually one of my favourite albums of all time so really want everyone to give that a listen.

So I just wanted to thank everyone for their support again this year as it has been another great year at HFL, especially considering the way of the world at the moment, seems you really can't keep us Audiophiles down no matter whatever the world throws at us.

So thanks again and wishing everyone a fantastic Christmas and New Year and can't wait to see what HiFi goodies 2023 has in store for us.

Best Wishes all,

Regards,

Paul, Wendy, Billy & Ady

[Vipers]

BIG NEWS! Introducing the New Naim 200 Series, On Demo Now!

 

Hi All,

Firstly Happy New Year, hope everyone is ready for a great 2023 and what better way to start the year than a pretty big announcement from Naim introducing their brand new 200 Series which is basically a new Classic range, the first for around 20 years, yes Naim don't change their kit very often but then when the existing range performed so well and sold across the world as well as it did then I guess it was always going to be difficult to replace and improve on it but here we are at the start of 2023 with 3 new components that looks to take Naim to the next Level.

So what do we have here, firstly the NSC 222, which for those that know Naim is a new and improved version of the extremely popular NAC-272 from a few years ago, there has been so much demand for this product over the years, so it is basically a streaming Preamp, DAC, Phono Stage and Headphone Amp, just add an amp and speakers and off you go. Talking of amps next we have the new iconic NAP 250, first introduced in 1975 and this is now its 6th generation and the most powerful with 100 watts per channel, and finally to complete the new trio we have the NPX 300 which is a power supply for the NSC 222 to take its performance to the next level by disabling the internal power supply of the NSC 222 which in turn lowers the noise floor substantially.

These come in at £5700 a box, so in these crazy times we live in of constant price rises I would say they are very fairly priced for the build and performance you get.

Billy and I were lucky enough to visit Naim in Salisbury last month to get the overview and have a good listen to these new components and I have to say they really are very impressive, firstly they look stunning, still Classic Naim but with an up to date twist, in line with the more modern Statement, Uniti and Solstice designs, yes this is Naim Classic with a white Naim logo, not green as is has been forever, that is certainly going to get some attention from the Naim community. They really do look quite stunning but as ever with Naim it is the sound quality that really pulls you in, there really is a lot of trickle down technology from Statement in here, for the first time ever Naim is supporting XLR balanced terminations so it can all be easily integrated into other systems. Without sounding too enthusiastic I have to say I was really, really impressed with what I heard, you've still got the Naim PRAT that has always made it stand out in the crowd but it just seemed more insightful and even more engaging than before, if that is at all possible, very impressive, I'm sure it was quite challenge for the Naim design team to move the Classic range on but they really have nailed it in looks, features, design and audio performance I would say.

Now On Demo

We got our demo NSC 222, NAP 250 and NPX 300 delivered yesterday so will be busy setting it all up today in our Naim demo room, we will get it all running on our Focal Scala Utopia Evo's as these are the speakers that Naim use in their demo room in Salisbury that we heard it on and impressed so much so will be great to get that all up and running today.

Naim Open Day - March 25th

A date for everyone's diary as we will be having an open day with Naim to showcase the new range on March 25th so please put that in your calendar now as that is sure to be a busy one, our Naim open days always are a real highlight, more info nearer the time.

I just want to say that is great to have these new bits from Naim, there is so much love for the outgoing Classic range, and rightly so, but I know people have been waiting and wondering when and what Naim will do next, well here we are, we now have the new Classic 200 Series and I can't wait to start demoing it our customers, if you'd like to be one of the first to experience it please feel free to get in touch to book an appointment and any questions how you may be able to incorporate it into your existing Naim system please don't hesitate to ask.

Please find some more info below -

All the best for 2023,

Paul.

[Vipers]

Hi Everyone,

Well as I thought they would, the new Naim 200 Series components have certainly been getting plenty of attention since we came back and rightly so as it is all extremely good, we have already sold a fair bit of it with demo's booked for a listen which is all fantastic news and a great start to 2023.

It has been quite a while since we did any unboxing pictures and I thought that if ever any products deserve it then these are it, especially as Naim have taken so much care and thought into how the new 200 Series components are packed so here we go, please find a few pics below and it goes without saying if you'd like to come in for a listen please feel free.

Cheers,

Paul.

#naimaudio #naim #naim classic 200 #hifi #audiophile #classic 200

[Vipers]

Wilson Audio Open Day Showcasing The New Alexia V + Alexx V - February 25th!

Hi Everyone,

Here we go again with plenty of open days planned for 2023 and we are starting with a bang with an open day featuring one of the best speaker manufacturers in the world, Wilson Audio, on February 25th, starting at 10am till 5pm.

Wilson recently launched the stunning Alexia V which we will be showcasing on the day but as we got our awesome Alexx V's during Covid times we never got an opportunity to launch them properly so we will have them running in our 'Highend' room with other hifi goodies like our dCS Vivaldi One and D'Agostino Momentum Pre + Power, not forgetting our Wilson Audio Loke subwoofer in that system so it is a pretty sweet sounding system if I do say so myself.

As for the new Alexia V's, they have had stunning reviews since their launch a couple of months ago, I loved the original Alexia 2's we used to have on demo and the new V's are apparently a real step up, we have a pair on order for permanent demo but they are not due till April time so we will be borrowing a pair from the Wilson distributor, Absolute Sounds, for the event, we will be running these in our first demo downstairs demo room with a dCS Rossini + Clock partnered with our Constellation Taurus Power Amp so that is a system I'm really looking forward to listening too.

Please find a video below to show the lengths Wilson go to when making a pair of their speakers.

Finally in our upstairs demo room we will be running the Wilson Sabrina X's with the D'Agostino Progression Integrated and we will have our Wilson TuneTots playing in our office so Wilson speakers everywhere basically, really doesn't get any better in my view.

RSVP

As usual we will have representatives here and refreshments served throughout the day, if you would like to come along to experience some amazing sounding HiFi from arguably the best speaker manufacturer in the world please feel free to come along, if you could just let me know on the below email that would be much appreciated, thanks -

paul@hifilounge.co.uk

Many thanks and look forward to seeing you on the 25th February, please find a link to the current Wilson Audio speaker range on our website below -

https://hifilounge.co.uk/product-category/brands/wilson-audio/

Regards,

Paul.

[Vipers]

dCS Announce Apex Technology For Bartok, On Demo Now!

Hi Everyone,

So more great news keeps coming this year for new HiFi kit as dCS announce that they are bringing their Apex Ring Dac technology to their ever popular Bartok. I think it is fair to say that when dCS launched their Apex update for their Rossini and Vivaldi products last year they were extremely well received and I think the demand actually caught dCS out a little as it far exceeded their expectations, I have to say it has been very popular with all our dCS customers, we have constantly got units at dCS being upgraded, I would even go as far to say that last year it was probably the most significant launch of the year in terms of interest, the amount of upgrades we did but more importantly the step up in performance it bought.

Now on Demo, Compare against non Apex Model.

So it is great news that Bartok has now been given the same Apex upgrade to bring it in line with the rest of the range and even better news is that we have a new Bartok Apex headphone edition here alongside our standard Bartok so you can come in to compare the difference and hear the upgrade that Apex brings, whether in a HiFi system or through headphones, this will only be for a limited time though so if of any interest please feel free to get in touch to book an appointment.

If you already have a Bartok we can help with the upgrade process also, so please feel free to get in touch to discuss further.

Please find a video below dCS did recently to help explain the new Apex tech -

And a link to dCS on our website -

https://hifilounge.co.uk/product-category/brands/dcs/

If you do have any dCS questions, whether on Bartok or any of the rest of their truly world class range of products please don't hesitate to ask.

Regards,

Paul.

[Vipers]

Degritter MKII Ultrasonic Record Cleaning Machine now on permanent demo at HFL!

 

Hi All,

Just a quickie to say that we now have the Degritter Ultrasonic MKII Record Cleaning Machine on permanent demo, these really are considered one of the best, if not the best, RCM's available today, being Ultrasonic it really does take cleaning to the next level compared to more conventional methods, which are still very good to be fair, we sell the Okki Nokki which is incredibly good for its price but the Degritter is the next level.

As we have it here ready to go please feel free to bring a noisy record in that you are not happy with, let us put it through our Degritter then take it home to hear the difference and realise how important it is to clean your records, whether old or new, if you love your vinyl then treat them to a clean, it really is an important part of getting the best from your treasured vinyl collection.

Please find more info -

https://hifilounge.co.uk/product-category/brands/degritter/

Cheers,

Paul.

 

[Vipers]

Ready To Rock At Our Wilson Audio Open Day Today!

 

Hi Everyone,

Just a quickie to say that after a day of setting up yesterday we and now all ready for our Wilson Audio Open Day today, we have 4 awesome sounding rooms that show why Wilson are considered amongst the world's best when it comes to speakers.

This is the first time I’ve heard the new Alexia V’s, they are certainly in a colour to get noticed, actually called Peppermint, when you see them in the flesh they look pretty stunning, we've borrowed these whilst we wait for ours to arrive which are in a much safer colour, anyway needless to say they are going to make a lot of people happy today as they sound incredible, please feel free to come along.

Please find a few pics of the TuneTots, Sabrina X's, Alexx V's and Alexia V's we will be showcasing today.

Cheers,

Paul.

[Vipers]

New SME Model 12 MK II Turntable Now On Demo!

 

Hi All,

Just a quickie to say that we now have the new and improved MKII SME Model 12 turntable on permanent demo, Arguably the Model 12 has always been the sweet spot in the SME range, along with the Synergy this has always been our most popular SME turntable but now SME have taken it to Mark II status it is an even better proposition.

There have been many improvements that were trickled down from the flagship Model 60 and you can really hear the step up, the main change though is going from a DC power supply to the new AC supply which is now split over 2 boxes which again shows its influence from the Model 60.

Now I love SME, I actually run a model 15 at home, but I must admit that I was a little sceptical at the MKII status as the bulk of the turntable looks the same as the previous model, which to be fair is no bad thing as it looks stunning and is built like a tank, but as soon as I heard it I was really surprised what SME have managed to do here, they have found a way to give a more open sound with more depth and transparency, I would argue that it has jumped above my Model 15, maybe time for me to upgrade that to a MK II.

Our Model 12 is fitted with the excellent 309 tonearm and the Dynavector TKR MC Cartridge, I would say this is a really well matched setup so if like me you love your vinyl and would love to hear what the new Model 12 MKII can offer please feel free to get in touch to arrange a demo.

Don't just take my word for it though please find a link to the HiFi News review below -

https://www.hifinews.com/content/sme-model-12-mk2-turntable

Also please find a link to new MK II SME Range on our website -

https://hifilounge.co.uk/product-category/brands/sme/turntables-sme/

Cheers,

Paul.

[Vipers]

Naim Open Day March 25th, Introducing The New Classic 200 Series!

 

Hi Everyone,

Firstly thanks to everyone who came to our Wilson Audio Open day and helped make it such a success, it was certainly a busy one, now on to another of our most popular brands, and rightly so, time for a Naim Audio open day on March 25th to introduce their new Classic 200 Series.

This really was big news when announced earlier this year as it has been around 20 years since Naim have launched a new range and have to say it has been extremely popular since launch, replacing the outgoing Classic range certainly was no easy task as it still sounded brilliant but Naim really have nailed it with this new design, one on visuals but more importantly on sound quality, it is a real step up compared to what went before.

Open Day Details

For those who don't know Naim Launched 3 new boxes in January, the NSC 222 Streaming Preamp, the new Nap 250 Power Amp and the NPX 300 Power Supply to power the NSC 222 as an upgrade, for the open day we will have all 3 playing in our Naim room with a pair of the Focal Scala Utopia Evo speakers, which actually is a great sounding combo, Naim representatives will be on hand throughout the day to answer any questions and we will be running 3 presentations throughout the day where the development story, what's new and other info will be discussed + there will be a Q+A at the end, this is a bit different to our normal open days where it is more of a open house but to get the best from the day it made sense to break it down to time slots but obviously please feel free to stay as long as you like as we will have our other demo rooms kitted out and playing music with various Naim kit.

RSVP Please

We will run 3 time slots where I guess we can get 10 people in each sitting so if you can let me know your preference on the below timings to my email address below that will be much appreciated, as normal we will have food and drink available throughout the day.

Slot 1 - 10.30am

Slot 2 - 1pm

Slot 3 - 3pm

Please mail me at - paul@hifilounge.co.uk

Our Naim open days are always extremely popular so please register asap so not to miss out, please find a link to the new range on our website below -

https://hifilounge.co.uk/product-category/brands/naim/200-series/

Many thanks and look forward to seeing you on the day.

Regards,

Paul.

Other related news, Chord 300/222 Burndy's on Demo - I just wanted to quickly add that Chord Cables have produced a couple of Burndy cables, based on their top end Music cable, to run from the new NPX 300 to the NSC 222, I demoed these a couple of weeks ago as I was a little sceptical to be honest but was pleasantly surprised at the difference they made, it really wasn't subtle, so I bought a pair for demo, if anyone would like to borrow them to try in their system if they already have a 222/300 combo please just let me know and we can get that arranged or feel free to come in the shop to compare against Naim's supplied Burndy's.

[Vipers]

Melco N1-S38 All New-Flagship SSD Music Library Now On Demo!

 

Hi All,

Some exciting news! Melco’s all-new flagship SSD – based digital music library, the N1-S38, has finally been released into the wild, and I can honestly say the wait has been worthwhile and it looks very smart indeed. Here at the Hifi Lounge, we have always been an advocate of Melco’s digital libraries, which you will always find in any one of our systems. We have been aware for a while that Melco had been working on a new flagship model and were fortunate enough to get our hands on a demo unit which has now replaced our much-loved N50 – S38. Granted not the most exciting piece of equipment in the HiFi chain, but in a world where streaming has become a dominant source, the focus on how digital music is presented has never been more important.

The N1-S38 delivers at the highest level by building on Melco’s proven architecture and achieving its best performance to date. Some of the new features we are most excited about include a switchable 10mhz external clock input that is crying out to be connected to a dCS clock and an SFP port for direct fibre connection, enabling seamless integration with ADOT’s optical fibre upgrade kit, which has proven to be very popular with our customers. Furthermore the N1-S38 benefits from a totally new set of system electronics, a new mainboard, plus a new mains transformer, supply and local regulators. The full breakdown from Melco can be found below detailing new features and upgrades.

If you’re considering upgrading or in the market for something that will look after your digital music files, please feel free to come in for a demo. Digital music has never sounded so good!

https://hifilounge.co.uk/product/melco-n1-s38-ssd-player-server/

Cheers,

Billy

 

Features and Upgrades (Melco)

The new ground-up design is based around a new platform, with a new chassis and casework, plus new power supplies. It offers a previously unreached performance level.

A full-width design, the all-new N1-S38 distils Melco’s decades-long digital music storage, transfer and playback knowledge into an advanced new flagship with great new features.

The N1-S38 benefits from a totally new set of system electronics, a new mainboard, plus a new mains transformer, supply and local regulators.

An audio-specific custom 3.84 TB SSD drive, which benefits from Melco’s proprietary layered, rigid SSD mounter, is directly connected to the data path without any intervening RAID controller; on-board memory is increased, too. 

Hand-made in Japan, in line with all of Melco’s uncompromising digital libraries, the N1-S38 is the first all-new Melco design since the half-width N10 and N100 series launched in 2018. 

The all-new N1-S38 builds on Melco’s proven, unique architecture which carefully transports delicate signal data while avoiding noisy high-speed elements and fast processors.

All-new chassis and casework

Key to the N1-S38’s sophisticated new look is Melco’s all-new casework which benefits from highly stable chassis construction centred around a robust 3 mm stainless steel base plate to minimise unwanted vibration.

Externally, the N1-S38 is complemented by precision-machined two-tone aluminium casework on the remaining five faces, ranging in thickness from 2 mm up to a generous 5 mm, representing a significant upgrade over the half-width N10/2 and N100 models.

The new fascia design features a unique engraved Melco logo using a special technique, with the bold new aesthetics continuing with the substantial contrasting casework corners which are also machined from solid aluminium billet.

The front panel features Melco’s familiar high-quality positive-click fascia control buttons (now illuminated), a crystal-clear easy-read OLED display panel, plus a USB port. New complementary teal LED lighting provides additional aesthetic appeal. 

The N1-S38’s low-slung steel base plate design and subsequent low-centre-of-gravity chassis construction, prevents unwanted resonance from interfering with the delicate music signal.

Connectivity

At the audiophile-performance level of the N1-S38, conventional USB connections can compromise ultimate performance, so robust die-cast Amphenol USB ports are provided for the rear-mounted DAC, Expansion, Import and Backup ports, for improved performance and durability with heavier-grade premium cables and connectors.

The Melco concept of a dedicated Player port for direct connection to network players is now enhanced by precision Neutrik RJ45 connectors; the LAN port is similarly upgraded.

Following the pioneering application of SFP Fibre (Small Form Factor Pluggable) connectivity in the Melco S10 and recent S100/2 data switch, the new N1-S38 benefits from an SFP port for direct fibre connection to a suitably equipped player or network infrastructure. In a nod to its audiophile credentials, the new N1-S38 also supports a switchable 10 MHz external clock input – a first for a Melco music library. 

Further features

Further features include a large, newly developed high-capacity power transformer, which is mounted on its own sub-chassis and exceeds that of the existing flagship, the N10/2. This is complemented by a new bespoke device for the capacitor bank.

About Melco

Melco (Maki Engineering Laboratory Company) was established by Makoto Maki in 1975 in Japan. Maki, an enthusiastic audiophile, established the company to design and manufacture the finest audio components of the time; the undoubted masterpiece of the Melco line was the turntable (introduced into the UK in 1980) which set new standards in music reproduction.

From those early beginnings, Melco developed into the largest computer peripherals manufacturer in Japan (Buffalo Inc.), offering advanced products based on rigorous R&D. These included wireless routers, Ethernet data switches and storage devices such as NAS drives. Now, the company is proud to revive the highly respected Melco brand, offering discerning audiophiles high-technology network audio components in the spirit of those much-revered early Melco products, while incorporating the very latest research into reliable, high-performance networked devices and storage. 

 

 

[Vipers]

DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/96 & 0/93 with Western Electric 91E Now On Permanent Demo, Simply Stunning!

 

Hi Everyone,

Now I will try to contain my enthusiasm for these speakers, especially when partnered with the new Western Electric 91E amp we now have on demo but I have a feeling that I will fail miserably.

Firstly I must say that after 10+ years of being involved in HiFi sales I feel I have heard most things but it is so good when something comes along that has the ability to make your hairs stand up on end and make an emotional connection and I don't know what it is with these DeVore speakers but they really do something to me, in talks with Wendy at the moment to see if we can convert our snug at home to be a listening room so I can accommodate a pair myself.

I borrowed a pair form Absolute Sounds early last year and wrote a blog so I won't go over the same ground again, you can read my original thoughts below, but I was curious now that we have our demo pair if I still had the same thoughts 12 months on and unsurprisingly I do, I just find them absolutely captivating with just how open and uncoloured they are, they really do make you want to listen to all your favourite music again as it is like you are hearing it for the first time, for vocals I really don't think I have ever heard better.

http://bit.ly/3TeQLMz

I am jumping ahead of myself a little here though as I should have said that we now have our demo Orangutan 0/96 speakers here along with their baby brother the 0/93's, as you have gathered I am rather fond of the 0/96's but last week was the first time I had heard the 0/93's and in all honestly they are just as enjoyable, for a smaller space these would be perfect or if the budget can't quite stretch to the 0/96's, these are a really nice place to be. To get them up and running as quickly as we could we hooked them up to the new Naim Classic 200 kit, now I had heard that DeVore speakers work best with a low powered valve amp so Naim couldn't have been further from that but as a combo it really does work, extremely engaging and musical so it shows me the DeVore speakers, although extremely efficient, will work with any amplification, it will depend more on the presentation you prefer.

Western Electric 91E now on Demo!

So knowing that I was in love with the 0/96's I wanted an amp that would get the very best form them and it was suggested that I should look at the Western Electric 91E with its 300B valves delivering between 14-20 watts, firstly I was smitten on the looks but once hooked up to our 0/96's I was totally sold, it really is a sound you get totally lost in. Over the last few days I have had a few people in listening and everyone has said the same, it really as if the performer is in the room, you just can't ask for more than that.

I won't go on anymore as I could bore the pants of any audiophile about how great this speaker and amp combo is, all I can urge is that you come in for a listen as in all likeliness it will be a sound like you have never heard before.

My plan is to have pretty much the full range of DeVore speakers on demo soon and I will be arranging a DeVore open day asap as I just want everyone to hear these speakers so watch this space but for now please find their speaker range in the link below + some pics -

https://hifilounge.co.uk/product-category/brands/devore-fidelity/

Western Electric 91E 300B Integrated Amplifier

DeVore Fidelity Orangutan 0/93 Speakers

DeVore Fidelity Orangutan 0/96 Speakers

[Vipers]

All Set For Our Naim Open Day Tomorrow, Look Forward To Seeing Everyone!

 

Hi All,

Just a quickie to say that we are all set for our Naim Audio open day tomorrow showcasing the new Classic 200 series, it’s going to be a busy day with slots 1 and 2 fully booked but we still have a couple of slots for the 3pm presentation so if you’d like to come along please feel free

Look forward to seeing everyone one tomorrow, both rooms we are running are sounding excellent.

Regards,

Paul.

 

 

[Vipers]

A Very Cool Rega Planar 10 Install!

 

Hi Everyone,

This is a real quickie with some pics from a Rega Planar 10 install I did the other day, I have often said that over the years we seem to have created a Petrolheads HiFi shop as many or our customers seem to have petrol as well and music running through their veins, well this install really seemed to prove that point, what a listening room, very cool indeed, I wonder if Wendy will let me put a car in the living room 🤔

Cheers,

Paul.

[Vipers]

DeVore Fidelity O/baby Speakers Now on Permanent Demo, Stunning!

 

Hi All,

I really don't know what the DeVore Fidelity magic is but there really is something special with their speakers, I don't think I've ever had a reaction to any speakers we have bought on over the last 10 years+ that I have with the DeVore Orangutan O/96 speakers, they have been universally loved by everyone that has listened to them, being that HiFi is such a personal thing that is really saying something.

So as I look to bring on their whole range of DeVore speakers for demo, yes I am totally smitten too, the next one we now have are the DeVore Orangutan O/baby speakers, these are basically a shrunk down O/96, needless to say as soon as they arrived I unboxed them and got them up and running to see if they too have the DeVore magic that we fell in love with when listening to our O/96's and O/93's and I am pleased to report they really do, it is a different sound but still so engaging, natural and big, they don't have quite the airiness and separation of their bigger siblings but it is more of a solid sound but when you look at the speakers they really do defy belief in the presentation of the music they portray, for £6298 + £1398 for the stands they really are well worth putting on any speaker demo list + in the white oak finish they do look gorgeous in my view.

Anyway next we have the Micr/O's in bound which are due soon then we will start to explore the more convention floorstanding Gibbon range which also get stunning reviews, I've said to anyone that will listen that discovering DeVore Fidelity speakers has been a real eye opener and a real breath of fresh air as they really do offer something alternative and just present the music in a totally engrossing and captivating way.

We have actually just agreed to exhibit the DeVore range at the UK Audio Show over the weekend of October 7th and 8th as I am just so keen for as many people to hear them as possible, more news to follow on this soon, tickets available below though for anyone who may be interested -

https://www.chestergroup.org/uk-audio-show-2023/5

Please find a link below to the DeVore Fidelity range of speakers and if you would like to come in to experience any of the range please feel free to get in touch to make an appointment.

https://hifilounge.co.uk/product-category/brands/devore-fidelity/

All the best,

Paul.

[Vipers]

Boys Toys Day 2023 + iLounge Racing Launch Event - May 27th, Calling All Petrolheads!

Hi Everyone,

I'm actually just heading out to Barcelona to see a couple of Bruce springsteen gigs but just wanted to do a quick blog so everyone can put a date in their diary for our Boys Toys Day 2023, it has been 4 years since our last one so really can't wait to hold another one, so if you'd like to come along then please stick May 27th in your calendar.

The same premise really as our previous BTD's, if you have an interesting car, doesn't need to be a supercar but something that is special to you then feel free to bring it along and we'll have our own car display out the front of HFL with breakfast served on the BBQ, Also as we never actually got round to launching iLounge Racing this seems to be the right occasion to do that so we will have all our simulators up and running with representatives from our partners Race Anywhere and Axsim on hand to help run the room, finally we will have our HiFi rooms banging out some top tunes with PMC helping run one of the rooms with the mighty Fenestria's playing powered by Bryston.

Car Meet around 10am.

I think it makes sense to do the car bit around 10am till everyone has had enough really but the sims and HiFi will be running all day but it will be good if all the petrolheads aim to be here for around 10 am so everyone is here together.

I will fill out the rest of the details once back from Barcelona but hope to see you on May 27th for Cars, Simulators, HiFi and Food, what's not to like.

RSVP

If you'd like to attend can you fire me a quick mail to the below and also let me know what car you'll be bringing, now we need to start praying for good weather 🤞

paul@hifilounge.co.uk

Many thanks,

Regards,

Paul.

Please find some pics below of previous Boys Toys days, thanks to Bibs for some of them 👍

[Vipers]

Spendor Factory Tour & New Theatre Range Revealed!

Hi All,

Just back from a fantastic few days spent with the lovely people from Spendor who make some of the most respected speakers in the world entirely here in the UK. Already being a huge fan of their popular A & D – line range of loudspeakers and with the formidable floor standing D7.2 being a personal favourite of mine, It was an honour to see the craftsmanship and skill that goes into constructing each loudspeaker.

The visit consisted of a tour of their manufacturing facility, exposing their day-to-day operations and a demonstration in a newly constructed listening room where we got to listen to the new range of Theatre products. I can confidently say that after witnessing the build process from start to finish involving hours of labour, pair matching, staining and hand finishing, you truly are investing in a uniquely crafted loudspeaker without compromise.

The Theatre range features five new designs comprised of three centre channels – AC1, AC2, DC1 and two on wall-solutions – AW1 & DS1 offering flexible solutions to either multi-channel or two-way listening depending on requirements, with the focus being on lifestyle, versatility and performance. Spendor loudspeakers capture the emotion of music, revealing subtle details and colours within a mix connecting the listener even closer to the Artist, which for me, is the whole point of a speaker, and their new range of Theatre products is no exception to this.

We have the Classic range alongside the award-winning A & D – line range of loudspeakers here at HiFi Lounge and if you are interested in the newly released Theatre products do feel free to get in touch to arrange a demo. Please Follow the link below for their full selection of loudspeakers.

https://hifilounge.co.uk/product-category/brands/spendor/

About Spendor 

We design, engineer and build all our loudspeakers in the UK. Every Spendor loudspeaker is assembled at our production facility in Sussex, with components and cabinets all refined through our own in-house R&D program.

Our loudspeakers are easy to set up, work perfectly with whatever Hi-Fi equipment you have and transform the way you hear and enjoy every style of music. Their timeless, elegant design, which has evolved over five decades, makes them instantly and unobtrusively at home in any room. Best of all, they deliver a true, transparent and musical sound way beyond their price point.

Creating the perfect loudspeaker requires an understanding of the link between the technical measurements and what we hear. Captivating products require intense listening that is inspired by a passion for music.

Spendor History

Spendor was founded in the late 1960s by Spencer and Dorothy Hughes – the ‘Spen’ and ‘Dor’ in the name. Spencer applied the knowledge and expertise he’d gained as an engineer in the BBC’s sound engineering department to create his first loudspeaker, the BC1. This game-changing design quickly became the monitor of choice for broadcasters and recording studios worldwide.

Over 50 years on, the influence of the iconic BC1 and its successors can be seen and heard in our range of distinctive, innovative loudspeakers. Spendor remains the reference standard for both discerning audiophiles and professional sound engineers, delivering a transparent, natural and musical sound that truly captivates you.

[Vipers]

Tomorrow's Boys Toys Day Update!

 

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to post a quick update regarding tomorrow's Boys Toys event, firstly the great news is that it really does look like the weather gods are Petrolheads as the forecast is looking excellent, what a result.

Secondly thanks to everyone who has registered, we have over 70 cars registered from every marque you can think of so it is going to be a very eclectic mix of cars that's for sure which is great news, just hope we can squeeze everyone in, as I mentioned before if everyone can aim for between 10-11am for the car part that will be great, I think we could possibly go for the Guinness Record for the longest queue to get to a HiFi shop ever 😉

I'm hoping to bring a 60's car that I bought a few months ago that I haven't driven yet, not even managed to get it started yet but I'm hopeful tonight with a little luck we can breathe some life into her and she will make the 30 minute drive to the shop tomorrow, if I'm not here you know why.

So we'll be busy setting up 3 listening rooms today with speakers from PMC, Wilson Audio and DeVore Fidelity playing plus we'll be fine tuning the sims but most importantly we'll be getting the BBQ dusted off for the BBQ breakfast, we've ordered 200 sausages and 100 rashes of bacon, if that isn't enough luckily there is a Sainsbury's just up the road.

Free Entry to this Years UK Audio Show

 

As a bonus we have teamed up with Chester Group to give everyone that comes tomorrow a VIP Pass to give free entry to this years UK Audio Show in October where we will be exhibiting so don't forget to grab your VIP Pass.

Ok must crack on, look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow, oh yes I should also say please make sure you turn into the correct HFL turning, not into the big house which is the entrance before as the last thing the people that live there need is 70 cars disturbing their weekend, we will sign post it also so make it nice and clear, thanks. Regarding parking, we will use the part outside the front of the shop first, then the normal car park then we will overspill into the hard standing where the big barns are so hopefully there will be plenty of space 🤞

See you tomorrow,

Regards,

Paul.

 

[Vipers]

A Big Thanks To All That Came To This Years Boys Toys Day, What A Blast!

 

Love the above pic, just shows the variety of cars we had on the day.

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to say a big thanks from team HFL to everyone that came to this years Boys Toys Day to help make it such a brilliant day and our best BTD to date, stunning weather with a fantastic eclectic mix of cars, it really couldn't have been better.

Also thanks to Greg from Axsim and Nathan from Race Anywhere who helped run the Sim room which was busy all day.

I did this quick walkaround video, unfortunately some of the cars had left by this point but it still show what a wonderful day it was, you may want to mute to volume though so not to hear me talking gibberish 🙄

Thanks again everyone, roll on the next one 👍

Regards,

Paul.

 

[Vipers]

£54,000 Sennheiser HE 1 Headphone System Now On Demo + Open Day 1st July!

 

Hi Everyone,

We are really excited to say that we now have the Sennheiser HE 1 Headphone system on demo, this is arguably the best headphone system in the world so it really is an honor to have it at HFL for a limited time.

We will have it on demo till early July so if you would like to come in to listen to it before then please feel free, just get in touch to book a demo.

Priced at £54,000 obviously it isn't for everyone but needless to say it is very special so it is certainly going to be well worth a look and listen, I was lucky enough to listen to it a few years ago when first launched so I am really looking forward to getting reacquainted with it again.

HE 1 Open Day - July 1st

We will be having a small open day on July 1st based around the HE 1 for anyone that would like to come along, the idea being we will have the HE 1 running alongside the Stax SR-X9000's / T8000 combo and a full dCS Lina Stack with the Focal Utopia's & Audeze LCD-5's running, so a pretty simple setup but comprising of 3 of the best headphone systems in the world.

The day will run from 11am to 5pm, if you'd like to come along just fire me a mail on the below, we are going to have to limit this to 20 people to give everyone a chance for a proper listen.

paul@hifilounge.co.uk

Many thanks,

Paul.

https://hifilounge.co.uk/product/sennheiser-he-1-reference-orpheus-headphone-system/

[Vipers]

PMC Prodigy 1 and 5 Speakers Now On Demo, Incredible for their Cost!

Hi Everyone,

It was just a quick blog to say that we have spent this week getting some hours on our new demo PMC Prodigy 1 and 5 speakers, these are intended to be a new entry point for HiFi enthusiasts who want a pair of PMC's but the Twenty5i range is just a little out of reach, I have to say I am blown away how good these speakers are, regardless of cost, the fact that the Prodigy1's come in at £1250 and the Prodigy5's are £1995 beggars belief a little in all honesty.

Obviously we are big fans of PMC at HFL and it is great now that we can introduce even more people to the delights of PMC, these may be a cheaper option but they really are every inch a true PMC speaker, in some ways they remind me of the older i Series, in particular a modern take on the DB1i and GB1i's if you like, needless to say I can see these becoming extremely popular.

If you'd like to come in for a demo anytime please feel free to get in touch to book an appointment.

https://hifilounge.co.uk/product-category/brands/pmc-speakers/prodigy/

Regards,

Paul.

 

[Vipers]

Install - DeVORE Fidelity + Western Electric + Atlas Cables = Stunning!

 

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to share this really lovely install from yesterday, been looking forward to this one for a while, DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/96 speakers with the Western Electric 91E amplifier all hooked up with Atlas Arran cables, the finish on the O/96’s looks stunning and the synergy with the 91E really is one of the best I’ve ever heard, amazing depth, width, separation and a insight, just sounds so right, I’m a little smitten, as was the customer, I think he’s going to be spending a lot of time sitting in front of this system rediscovering his music collection, happy listening

I love this system so much that we will be taking it to the UK Audio Show over the weekend of October 7th and 8th so hope to see you there.

https://www.chestergroup.org/uk-audio-show-2023/5

DeVORE Fidelity Range

https://hifilounge.co.uk/product-category/brands/devore-fidelity/

Western Electric

https://hifilounge.co.uk/product-category/brands/western-electric/

Cheers,

Paul.

[Vipers]

Fyne Audio F1-8S Speakers Now On Permanent Demo, They Sound As Good As They Look!

 

Hi All,

Just a quickie to say that we are really pleased to say that we now have the excellent Fyne Audio F1-8S speakers on permanent demo.

In all honesty the last thing we need is more speakers but once I heard these I just couldn’t resist as they really do sound excellent + they really do look stunning too which helps, a real piece of furniture.

If you’d like a demo at any point please get in touch 👍

Please find a link below to the Fyne Audio F1 range on our website -

https://hifilounge.co.uk/product-category/brands/fyne-audio/f1-series/

Cheers,

Paul.

[Vipers]

For Sale - Wilson Audio Alexx V Speakers, Ex Demo!

It's time to refresh our demo stock so I have decided to sell our brilliant Wilson Audio Alexx V speakers.

They are around 2 years old, in as new condition with not a lot of use, includes everything as new and price includes delivery and installation within the UK.

They are finished in a Premium deep purple colour which is actually a Porsche Car paint called 'Porsche Violet' which looks stunning.

RRP - £160,000 + 10% extra for the paint finish.

Our Price £120,000 delivered and installed.

Please either ring me on 01767 448121 or email me on [EMAIL]paul@hifilounge.co.uk[/EMAIL] for more information.

Regards,
Paul.

[Vipers]

We are not Kef dealers but just been made aware of these, certainly look the part 👍

https://uk.kef.com/products/ls60-wireless-lotus-edition

[Vipers]

DeVore Fidelity Open Day - September 16th, Come and Hear Why These Speakers are Loved By So Many!

 

Hi all,

I Hope everyone is OK and have been enjoying this amazing summer we have ‘Not’ been having, well I have the perfect pick me from the Summertime Blues, we are holding a DeVore Fidelity Open day on September 16th and I urge anyone that loves music to come along as these speakers are very special indeed, even if you are not in the market for speakers please feel free to come along to experience something a little different from the norm.

I can honestly say in 11 years of HFL I have never bought on a product that has got such a positive response as DeVore Fidelity’s speakers, from one person tearing up with emotion, to many getting goosebumps and to the most common saying that it really feels as if the artist is in the room, these speakers really do pull you into the music with a realism that is uncanny.

We will have the full Orangutan range on demo, well other than the £100k O/Reference which I hope to have on demo shortly, so we’ll have 4 rooms running which will start with the Micr/O then we have the O/Baby which got a stunning review in last months HiFi News then there is the O/93 then the speaker that is the most popular and for me one of the best speakers I have ever heard, The Orangutan O/96.

I am still figuring out what electronics to partner with all the speakers but with the O/96’s we will be using the Western Electric 91E single ended 300b amp as the synergy with the O/96’s is pretty special.

I know these speakers may not be on everyone's radar, they weren’t on mine till around 12 months ago when a customer, hello Steve, asked if I could get a pair in for him to listen too, since then I have to say they have been nothing less than a revelation, the O/96’s present the music in such a unique and special way that engages like so few speakers they really do make you want to listen to your entire collection all over again.

Please find the full DeVore Fidelity range of speakers below -

https://hifilounge.co.uk/product-category/brands/devore-fidelity/

RSVP Please

We will offer refreshments throughout the day, if you would like to come along can you fire me over a quick email please at the below so we know how many people to cater for, thanks -

paul@hifilounge.co.uk

UK Audio Show - 7th & 8th October

If you can’t make the open day then fear not as we are taking our DeVore speakers to the UK Audio Show at Staverton Park over the weekend of the 7th and 8th October so hope to see you there, more info below -

https://www.chestergroup.org/uk-audio-show-2023/5

Please find a few pictures below of the DeVore Fidelity Orangutan Range -

Hope to see you on September 16th for a fun day of listening to some great speakers.

Regards,

Paul.

The Range We Will Have On Demo!

DeVore Fidelity Orangutan Micr/O Speakers

DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/Baby Speakers

DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/93 Speakers

DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/96 Speakers