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BACK TO BRISTOL
Listed under: Show News
Published: Wednesday, February 24, 2010
If you're reading this you'll most likely soon be treading the corridors of the Marriott hotel at the Bristol Sound & Vision show.
It'll be the 23rd time the show has taken place, and since it first opened its doors to the trade and buying public it's developed into one of the most important Consumer Electronics events in the UK AV calendar. Every year, the show plays host to a vast array of audio-visual equipment, including a raft of new product launches, and 2010 will be no different – at the time of writing it has just been announced that the show has sold out, with an all-time record 200 brands making the trip to the south-west. On the back of a tough 2009, that's some achievement.
With so many brands exhibiting, there'll be no shortage of kit to see and assess. Already several leading names have announced what they'll be bringing to the party, so in an effort to direct you to a few of must-visit rooms we've identified a selection of the most interesting revelations to have dropped onto the editorial desk...
TANNOY
Tannoy’s innovative Definition series (pictured) will be on permanent demonstration throughout this year’s Bristol Sound & Vision show. With the latest Dual Concentric Drivers and cryogenically-treated crossovers encased within a sumptuous plywood cabinet, the three-strong range blends performance, accuracy and style in equal measure. You'll be able to see and hear why Definition is Tannoy’s best-selling mid-range loudspeaker since the Hi-Fi industry’s 80s heyday by heading along to rooms 306 and 308 (Icon Distribution UK Ltd) and Stand Bristol 15 on the Ground Floor.
Contact: +44 (0)1236 420 199
www.tannoy.com
CYRUS AUDIO / AUDYUS DISTRIBUTION
Hi-Fi retailers visiting the Bristol Show will be interested to hear that the parent company of Cyrus Audio, Audyus, has formed a new operation to import two luxury audio brands – Audyus Distribution. The first brand of said brands is Vienna Acoustics, an Austrian high-performance loudspeaker manufacturer. The new distribution business will operate separately from the well-respected Cyrus team, ensuring Cyrus retailers continue to receive the very best service from the Cyrus Audio team.
Peter Bartlett, Audyus MD, explained: “Audyus Distribution will concentrate on just two brands, as our business model is to provide retailers with extensive training and marketing support. Both brands complement each other and, of course, fit well with Cyrus. Although Cyrus has grown steadily, we don’t want to expand its UK distribution too fast as we highly value its specialist DNA. Growth for us will come as we build two highly regarded and professional European brands in the UK.”
Roy Alvalle, Audyus’s Sales Manager, added: “The new distribution team will operate alongside Cyrus as a sister business to Cyrus Audio and will operate with its own staff and retailer network. The first brand to be launched is Vienna Acoustics who make stunning loudspeakers for audiophile customers. Unlike so many imported speaker brands, Vienna Acoustics has a form factor that fits easily with British homes. Link the attractive styling with outstanding performance and we are very excited about the potential for sales. A second brand will be added to Audyus Distribution’s stable very soon – an announcement is anticipated at The Bristol Show!”
Speaking about the company's first new brand, Jon Burcham, Audyus’s Marketing Manager, said: “Vienna Acoustics will challenge your perception of speaker technology by combining selected components with intelligent crossover design. The Concert Grand Series is just one example from this exemplary range. Scale, power and grandeur are all inferred by its name. But the Concert Grand delivers far more than just power and scale. The careful listener will delight in the lucidity and clarity of the all-important middle range where virtually all instrument tones originate.”
The Vienna Acoustics range will officially be unveiled at the Bristol Show (head to the Loudspeakers feature in SVI issue 70 for a closer look).
Contact: +44 (0)1480 270 550 .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
www.va-speakers.co.uk
KEF CONCEPT BLADE
KEF has a real treat for loudspeaker fans planned. The company will be showing off its Concept Blade for the first time in the UK – head to the Oslo Suite 1 and 2 for a closer look. The speakers utilise state-of-the-art Single Apparent Source technology in combination with KEF's Uni-Q midrange driver/tweeter, resulting in audio reproduction of “unrivalled” coherence. Other features include four newly developed 10-inch bass drivers and a curvaceous cabinet constructed from a carbon fibre/balsa wood composite, as utilised in high-performance sports cars.
Contact: +44 (0)1622 672 261
www.kef.com
PMC
The PMC room will play hosts to a varied selection of cutting edge products. The company will be launching its DS-001 – an audiophile-grade Class-D power amplifier. Despite its diminutive stature, the model can produce an astonishing 200W into 8 ohms with a flat frequency curve under all loads courtesy of its intelligent single feedback loop circuit; because of it, it can be rack-, wall- or speaker-mounted, as well as freestanding. Both the amp and its complementary (and equally compact) power supply are highly efficient into the bargain.
Other attractions will include the launch of wafer-art – a bespoke grille-painting service that enables consumers to customise their wafer1 and wafer2 on-wall speakers. The acoustically-transparent grilles can be covered in a wide variety of solid colours, library images or any high-resolution image of a customer’s choosing.
Contact: +44 (0)870 444 1044
www.pmc-speakers.com
VOGEL'S PRODUCTS UK
Vogel's offering at Sound & Vision will comprise a range of innovative mounting solutions designed to make life easy for consumers. Technologies on show will include Screen Protection, which stops a TV hitting the wall, and Smart Movement Mechanism, which enables a user to move large screens with just a fingertip. For those who consider even that too much effort, there'll be Vogel's EFWE6455RC, a remote controlled motorised wall mount. The clever device will move a screen up to 45° in a smooth, fluent motion, or move to a preset point when the screen is switched on before returning to the wall when it is switched off. Finally, for those looking for the perfect finish, Vogel's cable columns will doubtless appeal (options for four, eight and 10 cables are available). The company's EFA8835/40 comes with AV mounts to support satellite boxes and games consoles – users can add EFA8825 AV mounts to meet their specific requirements.
Contact: +44 (0)330 2020 980 .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
www.vogels.com
TEAC
TEAC will have a strong product line-up on display at the Marriott. Amongst the components on show will be the CR-H258i – a compact CD Micro Component Receiver with iPod docking functionality, an SD card slot and USB connectivity. Also included is a Tri-band digital tuner with preset station memory, clock and timer function, enabling the model to meet consumers' every music-playing need. The associated iPod dock (sold as an optional extra) also brings S-Video and composite video outputs to the party, whilst a fully-featured remote provides convenient control of the entire device (and any docked iPod) from the comfort of the sofa.
Contact: +44 (0)845 130 2511
www.teac.co.uk
ONKYO
The Marriott is the venue for the public début of Onkyo's flagship THX-certified Blu-ray system. Comprising the Profile 2.0-compliant BD-SP807 Blu-ray player, PA-MC5500 9-channel power amplifier and PR-SC5507 AV network controller, the system promises consumers excellent HD playback, 1080p upscaling, Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master Audio compatibility, BD-Live functionality and a mighty 220W of audio. The system also benefits from excellent connectivity, thanks to the presence of seven HDMI, three component video and six S-Video/composite inputs, plus two HDMI outputs. It also offers DLNA connectivity, allowing it to replay streaming audio files and access internet radio stations. You'll find it, and the rest of Onkyo's offering, in the Berlin 1 Suite on the Ground Floor.
Contact: +44 (0)1628 473 350
www.onkyo.co.uk
OFF THE WALL
Yorkshire-based Off The Wall is using the platform afforded by Sound & Vision to exhibit its new Skyline and Profile AV furniture, plus its successful Origin range. Skyline features a cantilever design without pole legs, and offers a generous amount of shelf space while taking up a minimum of floorspace. Two sizes are available to suits screens up to 37- and 52-inches respectively, and consumers can choose from two finish options.
Profile has a stylish cabinet design that fuses traditional and modern aesthetics. It comes in a single, 900mm version, will support screens of up to 52-inches in size and can be selected in any one of four finish options. Both ranges benefit from Off The Wall's 'No More Wires' cable management system as standard.
Contact: +44 (0)1274 302 830
www.off-the-wall.tv
YAMAHA
2009 was a busy year for Yamaha, which will have a host of its latest solutions on show. These will include the MCR-640, a micro component system comprising a receiver, CD-player and two speakers, which manages to output a quality of audio worthy of a much larger and more expensive system. Noteworthy features include iPod direct docking, USB connectivity and a 30-station preset FM/DAB tuner. Also in attendance will be the firm's two new Digital Sound Projectors – the YSP-5100 and YSP-4100.
Contact: +44 (0)1908 366 700
www.yamaha-uk.com
REGA RESEARCH LTD
With vinyl back in fashion to some degree, why not head along to Rega's rooms. The company's product offering will include the P2, a completely British-made solution equipped with a new RB251 tonearm and stabilised 22mm platter, as well as an optional fitted Bias 2 cartridge. Rega will also be running a turntable clinic for visitors, with all turntables serviced for free by Rega staff and discounts available on upgrade parts.
Most exciting though, is Rega's new flagship CD-player, the Valve Isis, and Osiris integrated amplifier, which will be proving their worth in the company's demonstration room. The former is Rega's seventh generation CD-player and looks set to wow the discerning crowd throughout the three-day show.
Visit: www.rega.co.uk
SIM2
Head to the Executive Lounge and you'll happen upon Italian projector brand SIM2. The company will be showing off the latest addition to its Grand Cinema range, the MICO 50. The new model combines 3LED illumination with 1080p DLP technology, and serves up impressively clear and vibrant pictures. Look inside and you'll notice that the standard UHP lamp and colour wheel assembly of single-chip DLP is absent – in its place, three high-power Phlatlight LEDs, which are capable of generating incredible levels of brightness from a smallpoint source, and have a median lifetime in excess of 100,000 hours. It's a solution that effectively puts pay to annoying sequential colour artefact or 'rainbow' effect. Despite a weighty price tag of MSRP £14,995, expect the MICO 50 to attract plenty of attention in Bristol.
Contact: +44 (0)1825 750 850
www.sim2.co.uk
For further information visit:
www.bristolshow.co.uk
With so many brands exhibiting, there'll be no shortage of kit to see and assess. Already several leading names have announced what they'll be bringing to the party, so in an effort to direct you to a few of must-visit rooms we've identified a selection of the most interesting revelations to have dropped onto the editorial desk...
TANNOY
Tannoy’s innovative Definition series (pictured) will be on permanent demonstration throughout this year’s Bristol Sound & Vision show. With the latest Dual Concentric Drivers and cryogenically-treated crossovers encased within a sumptuous plywood cabinet, the three-strong range blends performance, accuracy and style in equal measure. You'll be able to see and hear why Definition is Tannoy’s best-selling mid-range loudspeaker since the Hi-Fi industry’s 80s heyday by heading along to rooms 306 and 308 (Icon Distribution UK Ltd) and Stand Bristol 15 on the Ground Floor.
Contact: +44 (0)1236 420 199
www.tannoy.com
CYRUS AUDIO / AUDYUS DISTRIBUTION
Hi-Fi retailers visiting the Bristol Show will be interested to hear that the parent company of Cyrus Audio, Audyus, has formed a new operation to import two luxury audio brands – Audyus Distribution. The first brand of said brands is Vienna Acoustics, an Austrian high-performance loudspeaker manufacturer. The new distribution business will operate separately from the well-respected Cyrus team, ensuring Cyrus retailers continue to receive the very best service from the Cyrus Audio team.
Peter Bartlett, Audyus MD, explained: “Audyus Distribution will concentrate on just two brands, as our business model is to provide retailers with extensive training and marketing support. Both brands complement each other and, of course, fit well with Cyrus. Although Cyrus has grown steadily, we don’t want to expand its UK distribution too fast as we highly value its specialist DNA. Growth for us will come as we build two highly regarded and professional European brands in the UK.”
Roy Alvalle, Audyus’s Sales Manager, added: “The new distribution team will operate alongside Cyrus as a sister business to Cyrus Audio and will operate with its own staff and retailer network. The first brand to be launched is Vienna Acoustics who make stunning loudspeakers for audiophile customers. Unlike so many imported speaker brands, Vienna Acoustics has a form factor that fits easily with British homes. Link the attractive styling with outstanding performance and we are very excited about the potential for sales. A second brand will be added to Audyus Distribution’s stable very soon – an announcement is anticipated at The Bristol Show!”
Speaking about the company's first new brand, Jon Burcham, Audyus’s Marketing Manager, said: “Vienna Acoustics will challenge your perception of speaker technology by combining selected components with intelligent crossover design. The Concert Grand Series is just one example from this exemplary range. Scale, power and grandeur are all inferred by its name. But the Concert Grand delivers far more than just power and scale. The careful listener will delight in the lucidity and clarity of the all-important middle range where virtually all instrument tones originate.”
The Vienna Acoustics range will officially be unveiled at the Bristol Show (head to the Loudspeakers feature in SVI issue 70 for a closer look).
Contact: +44 (0)1480 270 550 .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
www.va-speakers.co.uk
KEF CONCEPT BLADE
KEF has a real treat for loudspeaker fans planned. The company will be showing off its Concept Blade for the first time in the UK – head to the Oslo Suite 1 and 2 for a closer look. The speakers utilise state-of-the-art Single Apparent Source technology in combination with KEF's Uni-Q midrange driver/tweeter, resulting in audio reproduction of “unrivalled” coherence. Other features include four newly developed 10-inch bass drivers and a curvaceous cabinet constructed from a carbon fibre/balsa wood composite, as utilised in high-performance sports cars.
Contact: +44 (0)1622 672 261
www.kef.com
PMC
The PMC room will play hosts to a varied selection of cutting edge products. The company will be launching its DS-001 – an audiophile-grade Class-D power amplifier. Despite its diminutive stature, the model can produce an astonishing 200W into 8 ohms with a flat frequency curve under all loads courtesy of its intelligent single feedback loop circuit; because of it, it can be rack-, wall- or speaker-mounted, as well as freestanding. Both the amp and its complementary (and equally compact) power supply are highly efficient into the bargain.
Other attractions will include the launch of wafer-art – a bespoke grille-painting service that enables consumers to customise their wafer1 and wafer2 on-wall speakers. The acoustically-transparent grilles can be covered in a wide variety of solid colours, library images or any high-resolution image of a customer’s choosing.
Contact: +44 (0)870 444 1044
www.pmc-speakers.com
VOGEL'S PRODUCTS UK
Vogel's offering at Sound & Vision will comprise a range of innovative mounting solutions designed to make life easy for consumers. Technologies on show will include Screen Protection, which stops a TV hitting the wall, and Smart Movement Mechanism, which enables a user to move large screens with just a fingertip. For those who consider even that too much effort, there'll be Vogel's EFWE6455RC, a remote controlled motorised wall mount. The clever device will move a screen up to 45° in a smooth, fluent motion, or move to a preset point when the screen is switched on before returning to the wall when it is switched off. Finally, for those looking for the perfect finish, Vogel's cable columns will doubtless appeal (options for four, eight and 10 cables are available). The company's EFA8835/40 comes with AV mounts to support satellite boxes and games consoles – users can add EFA8825 AV mounts to meet their specific requirements.
Contact: +44 (0)330 2020 980 .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
www.vogels.com
TEAC
TEAC will have a strong product line-up on display at the Marriott. Amongst the components on show will be the CR-H258i – a compact CD Micro Component Receiver with iPod docking functionality, an SD card slot and USB connectivity. Also included is a Tri-band digital tuner with preset station memory, clock and timer function, enabling the model to meet consumers' every music-playing need. The associated iPod dock (sold as an optional extra) also brings S-Video and composite video outputs to the party, whilst a fully-featured remote provides convenient control of the entire device (and any docked iPod) from the comfort of the sofa.
Contact: +44 (0)845 130 2511
www.teac.co.uk
ONKYO
The Marriott is the venue for the public début of Onkyo's flagship THX-certified Blu-ray system. Comprising the Profile 2.0-compliant BD-SP807 Blu-ray player, PA-MC5500 9-channel power amplifier and PR-SC5507 AV network controller, the system promises consumers excellent HD playback, 1080p upscaling, Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master Audio compatibility, BD-Live functionality and a mighty 220W of audio. The system also benefits from excellent connectivity, thanks to the presence of seven HDMI, three component video and six S-Video/composite inputs, plus two HDMI outputs. It also offers DLNA connectivity, allowing it to replay streaming audio files and access internet radio stations. You'll find it, and the rest of Onkyo's offering, in the Berlin 1 Suite on the Ground Floor.
Contact: +44 (0)1628 473 350
www.onkyo.co.uk
OFF THE WALL
Yorkshire-based Off The Wall is using the platform afforded by Sound & Vision to exhibit its new Skyline and Profile AV furniture, plus its successful Origin range. Skyline features a cantilever design without pole legs, and offers a generous amount of shelf space while taking up a minimum of floorspace. Two sizes are available to suits screens up to 37- and 52-inches respectively, and consumers can choose from two finish options.
Profile has a stylish cabinet design that fuses traditional and modern aesthetics. It comes in a single, 900mm version, will support screens of up to 52-inches in size and can be selected in any one of four finish options. Both ranges benefit from Off The Wall's 'No More Wires' cable management system as standard.
Contact: +44 (0)1274 302 830
www.off-the-wall.tv
YAMAHA
2009 was a busy year for Yamaha, which will have a host of its latest solutions on show. These will include the MCR-640, a micro component system comprising a receiver, CD-player and two speakers, which manages to output a quality of audio worthy of a much larger and more expensive system. Noteworthy features include iPod direct docking, USB connectivity and a 30-station preset FM/DAB tuner. Also in attendance will be the firm's two new Digital Sound Projectors – the YSP-5100 and YSP-4100.
Contact: +44 (0)1908 366 700
www.yamaha-uk.com
REGA RESEARCH LTD
With vinyl back in fashion to some degree, why not head along to Rega's rooms. The company's product offering will include the P2, a completely British-made solution equipped with a new RB251 tonearm and stabilised 22mm platter, as well as an optional fitted Bias 2 cartridge. Rega will also be running a turntable clinic for visitors, with all turntables serviced for free by Rega staff and discounts available on upgrade parts.
Most exciting though, is Rega's new flagship CD-player, the Valve Isis, and Osiris integrated amplifier, which will be proving their worth in the company's demonstration room. The former is Rega's seventh generation CD-player and looks set to wow the discerning crowd throughout the three-day show.
Visit: www.rega.co.uk
SIM2
Head to the Executive Lounge and you'll happen upon Italian projector brand SIM2. The company will be showing off the latest addition to its Grand Cinema range, the MICO 50. The new model combines 3LED illumination with 1080p DLP technology, and serves up impressively clear and vibrant pictures. Look inside and you'll notice that the standard UHP lamp and colour wheel assembly of single-chip DLP is absent – in its place, three high-power Phlatlight LEDs, which are capable of generating incredible levels of brightness from a smallpoint source, and have a median lifetime in excess of 100,000 hours. It's a solution that effectively puts pay to annoying sequential colour artefact or 'rainbow' effect. Despite a weighty price tag of MSRP £14,995, expect the MICO 50 to attract plenty of attention in Bristol.
Contact: +44 (0)1825 750 850
www.sim2.co.uk
For further information visit:
www.bristolshow.co.uk
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