MRS HIFI PIG GIVES HER THOUGHTS ON NWAS AT CRANAGE HALL

In normal times we travel the world for HiFi Shows and in the last few months, it has been fantastic to have that normality returning. We have been to shows in Paris and Munich as the world started to open up again, but there is one show that we have missed, even more than the others, and that’s the North West Audio Show at Cranage Hall, UK.

THE HOMECOMING

Why have we missed it so much? Cranage, NWAS, the North West Show…however you refer to the show, is like a homecoming for us. Mr and Mrs HiFi Pig get to see not only our (grown-up) piglets but also Grandma HiFi Pig. But as well as our actual family it is also our extended family of HiFi compatriots and HiFi Pig readers (the real VIPs) that we get to catch up with.

We work hard all year alongside Kris and his team making sure that there is a real buzz about NWAS and that everyone knows what’s happening there. We want the HiFi Pig readers to feel as much a part of the event as we do, so in a way, the 2022 show has been a homecoming for a lot of us.

HIFI PIG FAMILY

There is a travelling family of HiFi folk that we catch up with, particularly at the big shows internationally, but with Cranage being more UK centric it’s a chance for us to see people that we only meet at this show and Bristol, the other essential UK show that we attend. So of course, with the last major UK show being Bristol in 2020, it has been two and a half to three years since we have seen a lot of the show-goers and exhibitors, including many of those on Team HiFi Pig.

INTERNATIONAL AND HOMEGROWN HIFI BRANDS

Now Cranage is a UK show, but it has a much more international feel to it that any other UK show. Many exhibitors are UK distributors and dealers, and their overseas brands are seeing what an important show the North West Audio Show is and are coming to the show to offer their support. It was fabulous to meet up with people we had just seen in Munich from places as far-flung as Poland, Italy, Sweden, Canada and the USA.

Of course, as is fitting for what is, from speaking to both exhibitors and visitors, ‘The UK’s Favourite HiFi Show’ there was a strong showing of British brands, both new and long established who realise that this is perhaps the best show to interact with their fans and potential new customers. A great blend of nationalities giving the show a real cosmopolitan flavour.

BIRD’S EYE VIEW

Cranage really is the perfect balance of social event and HiFi Show, with the splendid organisation, the free entry, welcoming atmosphere and family-friendly vibe making it a pleasure to attend. And with it being three years since we had all been together it took a lot longer to get around the show as there was much chatting and catching up to be done, plus there were more exhibitors than ever before. So, I didn’t get to every room at the show, but if I wasn’t there myself you will have had a visit from Mr HiFi Pig Stu or one of the Team Pig reviewers I am sure.

We have already published our Big NWAS HiFi Pig Report which you can read here, but I always like to give my overview of what particularly caught my eyes and ears at the show…it’s a bit self-indulgent as I’m picking out what I like, but here is my Bird’s Eye View of NWAS 2022…

TOP TUNEAGE

With its relaxed and laid-back atmosphere, Cranage lends itself to a really eclectic blend of music. I find that you hear a lot less classical music and plinkety-plonkety jazz than at many other shows and you also discover new music that you haven’t heard before. Of course, there will always be some stand out moments where exhibitors find just the right tune for the moment, so here are a few of mine.

And if there was an award for the most obscure but brilliant musical moment from the show, that would have to go to Chris Green of UK distribution company, Sound Fowndations. Ever the showman, Chris is known for running a good room at shows and his room, Babbage, at Cranage is in the old part of the building, replete with wood panelling, large fireplace and olde world charm, which works really well with the ultra-modern HiFi brands on show. Chris likes to pick up records on his travels and he always has something that you wouldn’t expect. The weekend’s record was picked up in Tel Aviv, Chassidisco Fever by Riki Gal, an absolute Israeli disco classic from the 1970s, well done Chris, that is going to take some beating!

Other top tuneage honourable mentions go to Daniel Qvortrup of Audio Note for playing Kernkraft 400 by Zombie Nation, Personal Jesus (Alex Metric Remix Edit) by Depeche Mode from Andy Moore of MIAN, Poison (Darma Remix) by Astrix from Gareth James of Ophidian, Girlfriend by Christine and The Queens Feat. DāM FunK from Conrad at Avid HiFi and Big Beans by Boris Blank from Brian and Trevor.

Audio Note

MIAN Audio Distribution

Ophidian

Avid HiFi

Brian and Trevors

If you would like to get a taste of or revisit the musical feel of the show, here is our playlist of nearly five hours of music, with a link to the tunes on Qobuz and who was playing what.

LUCIOUS LOUDSPEAKERS

Everyone has their favourite HiFi components and for me it has to be loudspeakers. I love the variety and the fact that loudspeaker design covers everything from diminutive boxes to huge horns and everything in between. I believe that HiFi should delight the eyes as well as the ears so here are the real standouts for me.

Bill Leigh at Auden Distribution had the first UK showing of the EgglestonWorks Viginti loudspeakers. These were impressive even before you heard them, serious, angular, ‘we mean business’ kind of speakers that cost £46,000…and the sound was equally impressive. The styling of them made me think of a Lamborghini and I would love to see them in a really wild ‘Lambo’ colour of acid green or neon yellow.

To the absolute other end of the speaker scale for my next choice of standout speaker was the much more diminutive and affordable Audite Acoustics Pilare loudspeakers. Slender floorstanders with a dinky driver and you glue the speaker cabinets together yourself. They cost £350 a pair (yes you read that right). They sound like a much bigger and more expensive speaker than they are, real affordable HiFi that doesn’t disappoint. Our friend Jessica bought a pair, so we are looking forward to her thoughts once she has made them. Budget and brilliant.

Music Works had a fab system with a whole load of Accuphase powering the FinkTeam Kim. We are big fans of what Karl-Heinz Fink does with speaker design, he always treads his own path resulting in distinctive and excellent-sounding products.

The new Neat Petite Classic were a lovely pair of standmount speakers, and proof that good things come in petite packages.

Long Dog Audio is more known for his electronics, but it was his rather stunning open-baffle speakers that caught my eye. Nick says they will cost in the region of £9000 and these prototypes will have a bit of tidying up to become production models, but they already sound wonderfully effortless. They are 98dB sensitive and use a Lowther Silver PM6A along with a Supravox 12″ and super-bullet tweeter. The really cool thing was the use of clear Perspex that made what would have been big, solid, wooden speakers into something light and airy.

Alchris Audio make very nicely finished and excellent sounding speakers of which they will have sold more than a few pairs after exhibiting at their first show as Alchris Audio. But Alan is also an extremely talented prop designer…he can make anything, whether that’s a working Dalek or a model Motorhead Snaggletooth head (we have one of these). Now what would happen if these two talents should meet? The answer is the specially commissioned Predator head speakers that he had at the show. A work of art even if they are a little disturbing to sit near.

The new flagship Ophidian Voodoo looked like a much smaller speaker in the press release we received. In the flesh it has real presence both visually and sonically. A worthy range-topper from this young British brand.

AudioNEC speakers come from France and are more generally heard at big High End HiFi Shows like Munich or Paris. Greg from G Point Audio is now distributing them in the UK and the very interesting design of the AudioNEC Evo2 AS looked marvellous in the lovely Appleton room. They also drew the crowds in with their sound, which was much better than I had heard them at Munich as the large high-ceilinged room really gave them space to breathe.

STUNNING VINYL SPINNERS

Turntables always attract a lot of attention at shows, they are one of the most photogenic pieces of audio equipment too, so it’s no wonder they are one of the most photographed.

The Avid ‘plug n play’ Ingenium turntable may be the British brand’s entry-level but it is still a stunning piece of equipment.

It really was a case of ‘spot the Rock’ as there were plenty of Rock Doc renovated Townshend Rock turntables around the show.

Vertere don’t call them turntables, they are record players because that is what they do…and they look stunning while they do it.

The newest Origin Live Sovereign turntable is a beautiful piece.

Funk Firm’s Kepler flagship deck is an absolute work of art, incredibly delicate looking it seems like it just landed from outer space.

Clipaudio in the Super Natural Audio room had several turntables on display with a variety of styles.

It wouldn’t be a HiFi Show without plenty of Linn Sondek LP12 turntables, here with ‘House Of Linn’ dealers Brian and Trevor.

The orange Kuzma R turntable had most recently heard at Munich, Definitive Audio brought it to Cranage along with SJS and Living Voice for a real High End Munich feel.

Clearaudio, for those that didn’t get to see the huge spread of Clearaudio turntables at Munich, Sound Fowndations brought one to Cranage.

DEM DEMS DEY DO

HiFi Shows are often the place where you will see new gear demoed to the audience so that you can get more of an idea about what the new bit of gear does. Sometimes dems can be a right PITA, lasting too long and telling you what you should hear.

One of the brands that consistently give a great dem, and have done over the years is Innuos so I think they deserve a special mention here, you can read more about their PULSE vs PULSEMini dem in the main report here. What I liked was that Nuno gave me the chance to listen and make my own mind up about the sound.

The second great dem of the show for me was that chap Mr Green again from Sound Fowndations with the DS Audio ES-001 Eccentricity Detection Stabilizer. A nifty little gadget from DS Audio it measures how far off centre a record is (we are talking tiny measurements here that have a big effect on sound quality) and then corrects it, also acting as a record clamp. Now, that might sound like a load of unnecessary faffing about but Chris’s quick dem showed how simple a product it is to use.

TUBETASTIC VALVES

Valve gear isn’t going anywhere, despite modern advances in amplifier technology, valves will always have their place in the hearts of audiophiles. Here are some gratuitous glowing tube shots from around the show.

Audio Music in Willow Tree Audio

Synthesis valves were caged in Henley’s room

Lampizator in Music First

Flagship Lampizator Horizon DAC in G Point

Audio Note Cobra amp

Super Natural Audio DAC and preamp

Icon Audio

World Designs

ALL THE FEELS ROOMS

The Moor Amps (with Graham Audio), Music First Audio, CAD and Emilen rooms were all ‘bubbles of calm’. Even though there was all the madness of the show going on outside the door, the minute you sat down and listened in these rooms you were transported to a quiet and relaxing place…and that’s a tough thing to do at a hectic HiFi Show. It showed the quality of the systems that were able to completely engage you despite outside distractions. In Moor Amps and Emilen I had the luxury of sitting in the sweet spot, the CAD room was using MBL Radialstrahler 126 Speakers which allow for a much wider ‘ideal’ listening position. In Music First, Jonathan always creates a lovely vibe with an unpretentious system and music that he enjoys which also makes for a really pleasant experience. They all made for rooms that I wanted to linger in which is a good sign.

Moor Amps with Graham Audio

Emilen Audio

CAD (Computer Audio Design)

Music First Audio

Coppice Audio was another that had created a lovely feeling as well as sounding room. I’m guessing it was down to all the natural wood in there because as well as the great sound, there was a relaxing, natural vibe to the whole room.

Coppice Audio

And at the other end of the scale was Super Natural Audio, using the CML Music Etude5 loudspeakers while I was in there. This was obviously the place to be to listen to loud music and feel like you were packed into a sweaty gig in a bar, loads of fun…I felt like I needed a lie down afterwards, and the room and system delivered on energy and enjoyment.

Super Natural Audio

I always look forward to the Auralic Room at a HiFi Show, particularly if Richard Bates is running the room, you know you are in for a good time. At Cranage this year they were partnered with ATC using active speakers, so the system was nice and simple, but boy did it sound good. Richard had a real party vibe going on in there with banging EDM tunes from Astrix and others.

So there it is, my Bird’s Eye View of Cranage 2022….remember, for a complete look at the show read more in our NWAS section here, where you’ll find the BIG report and others from our review team.

We look forward to seeing you next year on the 17th and 18th of June at the North West Audio Show 2023 at Cranage Hall!

Here are the links to all of the North West Audio Show 2022 Reports:

North West Audio Show 2022 – The Big Report

Bird’s Eye View Of The North West Audio Show 2022

North West Audio Show 2022 – John Scott’s Report

North West Audio Show 2022 Report – Ian Ringstead

North West Audio Show Playlist

Please note, all content and photos are the copyright of HiFi Pig Magazine/Big Pig Media LLP and must not be copied or reproduced in any way without the prior, written consent of HiFi Pig/Big Pig Media.

For all the coverage of the North West Audio Show 2022, click here!

Linette Smith