Room 1202

[Grumpy]

48 minutes ago, keyse1 said:

@cheekyboy loves Lucinda Williams

 

Yes l knew that and he likes JC also.

[cheekyboy]

1 hour ago, keyse1 said:

@cheekyboy loves Lucinda Williams

So I hope it extends to Johnny Cash

Im actually hoping to go this year so  a country music room would be neat

I'm not the only one in the room @keyse1 otherwise it would probably be 95% country, but I would hope I'd have plenty of Lucy to play and I'm Johnny Cash fan too. There will probably be a bit of Willie being played, along with the likes of Emmylou Harris, Gram Parsons, Neil Young plus some tracks from the likes of Rodney Crowell and Jason Isbell etc too..............just don't tell Ant, alright?

Edited May 16, 2019 by cheekyboy

[Satanica]

12 minutes ago, Ooogh said:

(not the ones of Hugo however!)

Yes, that beautiful soul does not deserve to be included in such smut as this.

[keyse1]

2 minutes ago, cheekyboy said:

I'm not the only one in the room @keyse1 otherwise it would probably be 95% country, but I would hope I'd have plenty of Lucy to play and I'm a big Johnny Cash fan too. There will probably be a bit of Willie being played, along with the likes of Emmylou Harris, Gram Parsons, Neil Young plus some tracks from the likes of Rodney Crowell and Jason Isbell etc too..............just don't tell Ant, alright?

I think you will need to keep that a secret from a lot of people

[Guest]

I think you will need to keep that a secret from a lot of people[emoji3]

I don't mind a smattering of country interspersed with other flavours of music. To that end I'm working on something of a playlist including Piers Faccini, Jamie XX, Steve Jansen, Exit North, Loreena McKennit, Royksopp, Porcupine Tree, The Fearless Flyers and more.....

[Guest]

[mention=105039]cheekyboy[/mention] loves Lucinda Williams
So I hope it extends to Johnny Cash
Im actually hoping to go this year so  a country music room would be neat

Johnny Cash is a prerequisite as far as I'm concerned.

[rantan]

4 minutes ago, Grizzly said:

Johnny Cash is a prerequisite as far as I'm concerned.

...and plenty of sludge metal as well as the "Fearless Flyers " album. I reckon Keith would love Sophie as well.

[Guest]

...and plenty of sludge metal as well as the "Fearless Flyers " album. I reckon Keith would love Sophie as well.

Hmmm, mayhap the metal will have to wait til after hours......

[Nanoat]

On 15/05/2019 at 3:39 PM, Grizzly said:

Well, I'm really quite excited to be involved and exhibiting at this years' show

 

Teaming up with my longtime mate Keith @cheekyboy and his Wyndham Audio goodies, and a new friend Ben@ Nanoat  with his delicious Aussie made tube amps, I'll be showing off the high efficiency "crossoverless" speakers from Contrast Audio, a newly developed rack design and of course The Satchel!!

 

Free hugs for SNA members (only from me though, I can't speak for Ben or Keith!!)

 

 

Looking forward to Exhibiting Nanoat.com  >  Single Ended  2A3/6A3 / 300B Amplifiers with Custom Wound  Teramoto  Finement  and Amorphous Double C core output transformers with the latest chassis upgrades with these guys.

Edited May 17, 2019 by Nanoat

[rantan]

 

It seems like an appropriate time to convey some impressions I have formed about the Contrast speakers, although I am trying to avoid making this a review laden with cliches.

 

I don't do reviews in the classic sense, but there are now sufficient thoughts about these speakers running about in my mind, so my plan is to convey some of these into an intelligible narrative.

 

As a regular (weekly ) visitor to the Grizzly cave for  music discovery evenings, I have had time to get a grip on what makes these speakers interesting. I heard them about 2 days after they arrived and in the ensuing weeks have noted the changes over time.

 

Initially, they had a wholesome and organic sound, which has not dissipated, but these speakers have evolved in stature, texture and  tonality. Music played through these takes us in a tangible and mildly emotional direction, not by 50000 lumens of LED lighting, but somewhat like the ambient light on a calm and golden autumn afternoon, where the world seems to be in balance and you just feel like everything is right.

 

Music here is as it should be, no more and no less. Honest, open and not self conscious or attention seeking. That happens naturally, without you even noticing that you have just played 6 albums and never once been conscious of the equipment used to play them. The music  in and of itself is just there, much like a familiar friend whom you would trust implicitly with anything, but also one who doesn't mind challenging you in important conversation.

 

I hope this does not seem akin to damning with feint praise, but there are no particular personality traits evident with the Contrasts. You are simply there, with the artist, or the band, or the orchestra, perhaps in row 4 centre.

 

As weeks have passed the speakers, as previously mentioned, have grown in stature and a modest but tangible, self assurance. I would say that I have heard perhaps 50 albums of all types through these speakers and never once did they sound out of their depth even on some material that was as robust as music can get.

 

Instruments and voices sound as they should, not exaggerated but equally not understated.

  I am also trying to deliberately avoid the use of words like accurate, clean, neutral, detailed etc and never -in- a -million - years will you read a boxing analogy from me.

 

The really impressive thing here is that these speakers are not contrived to sound like anything in particular. They do not editorialise the music fed to them but crucially, this does not result in making you run out of the room when a poorly produced album is played. Nothing is glossed over or sweetened with Saccharine, they just manage to help you realise that not every recording is perfect and it is what it is, but one is never punished, only informed.

 

Many of my own favourite recordings have been rendered so compellingly  that it seems like this is how they should have sounded always and on par with how they sound on my own system. This may not seem like a revelation, but hearing your own music in store demonstrations, or on other people's systems, can often be underwhelming and/or not capture your attention.

I never found this with the Contrasts. Every album just flows along a river of unambiguous musicality ( sorry, I did need to use one cliche word ) and it is musicality that defines these best of all.

 

Apologies if this reads like pretentious drivel, but I wanted to be honest and strived to avoid cliche and the above words are my ongoing impressions.

 

So, in October roll up to room 1202. I think you may be pleased .

Edited May 17, 2019 by rantan

[Candyflip]

Brilliant honest review @rantan - very nice read. 

[Kensell21]

Keith and Ant. I can bring across some ABBA if you like???

[cheekyboy]

56 minutes ago, Kensell21 said:

Keith and Ant. I can bring across some ABBA if you like???

 

ROFL!!

[Satanica]

1 hour ago, Kensell21 said:

Keith and Ant. I can bring across some ABBA if you like???

Extensive male to male hugging and now ABBA in the same room.

The number 1202 will forever been burned into my mind.

[Nanoat]

The Likes of :  Sara K / Chris Jones, David Munyon, Toby Keith, Nina Ferro, Jd Souther and Waylon Jennings  to name but a few maybe in the MIX this year.

And Mr Teramoto's work  is likely to make an appearance ! From the Nanocrystalline stable. 

 

 

[Guest]

Another little teaser-

 

[cheekyboy]

Hello folks,

 

I finally got the Wyndham Audio BR1s [see pics below] finished this week that will be playing along with the gorgeous Contrast Audio - Model One loudspeakers at the Hi Fi Show in October. The BR1s are built from natural timber, Australian hardwood Camphour Laurel and finished with multiple applications of oil and beeswax..................no paint on these enclosures.

 

Cheers,

 

Keith

 

Edited October 1, 2019 by cheekyboy

[keyse1]

52 minutes ago, cheekyboy said:

Hello folks,

 

I finally got the Wyndham Audio BR1s [see pic below] finished this week that will be playing along with the gorgeous Contrast Audio - Model One loudspeakers at the Hi Fi Show in October. The BR1s are built from natural timber, Australian hardwood Camphour Laurel and finished with multiple applications of oil and beeswax..................no paint on these enclosures.

 

Cheers,

 

Keith

All that country music 

Gonna be the best room in the venue

[Guest]

All that country music 
Gonna be the best room in the venue

Will be regardless of genre![emoji6]

[cheekyboy]

Hello folks, not long to go now!

 

Just a reminder for everyone that in room 1202 you will be able to listen to the Brinkmann Bardo turntable, which is fitted with a Brinkmann 10.5 tonearm and a Brinkmann EMT ti cartridge.

 

On the digital side, we have the Bel Canto design e.One Stream which I'm finding to be a terrific device. 

 

We will also have the Modwright Instruments 9.0 SWL Anniversary Edition Pre amplifier.............an absolutely sensational pre.

 

Last but not least, we will be demonstrating a one-off HiFi Show special pair of Wyndham Audio BR2 loudspeakers, in a gorgeous Lamborghini Black Pearl coating.

 

Looking forward to seeing you all over the weekend.

 

Cheers,

 

Keith

Edited October 17, 2019 by cheekyboy

[Guest Misterioso]

@cheekyboy Will you bring your new isolation platform to the show? Would like to see it in person.

[Leo Veto]

On 15/05/2019 at 3:39 PM, Grizzly said:

Well, I'm really quite excited to be involved and exhibiting at this years' show

 

Teaming up with my longtime mate Keith @cheekyboy and his Wyndham Audio goodies, and a new friend Ben @Nanoat with his delicious Aussie made tube amps, I'll be showing off the high efficiency "crossoverless" speakers from Contrast Audio, a newly developed rack design and of course The Satchel!!

 

Free hugs for SNA members (only from me though, I can't speak for Ben or Keith!!)

 

 

I went into the room and did not see any Contrast audio speakers connected.I think you should have had your own separate room.I was looking forward to hearing them.

[Soundscape]

8 minutes ago, Leo Veto said:

I went into the room and did not see any Contrast audio speakers connected.I think you should have had your own separate room.I was looking forward to hearing them.

There is a speaker demo schedule stuck to the door. @Grizzly @cheekyboy perhaps you could post the times in this thread? 

[scuzzii]

I visited the room several times yesterday and was lucky to hear 3 different setups.

 

BR2s were awesome. All three were terrific IMO.  Thank you Keith, Ant and Ben.

[Eggmeister]

I popped into the room way too many times. My favourite room of the show.