Hey there! So next week they are holding the Bristol Audio Show 2020 and I am going to be there. While it is admittedly not big on headphones, and most people on this forum is on the other side of the pond, is there anyone else attending?
Sadly no. But I hope you have a great time.
How about you give us an impression or two from the show?
So here I am with my impressions. The show was far larger than I expected it to be - four full floors of a large hotel packed with all sorts of audio stuff! It’s definitely an interesting visit for anyone into audio.
I admit I’m used to hi-fi shows in Italy where it’s all about super-hi-end stuff - the “speakers that cost like a decently sized flat” kind of stuff. In Bristol it was much more about stuff one could actually think of investing into, though it’s certainly not affordable in general. I quite liked that - what’s the point of listening to stuff I won’t ever be able to afford even if I saved every penny I make for the rest of my life?
Rooms were alas terrible in terms of acoustics, but there were still some very interesting things to listen to. Focal and KEF had Dolby Atmos demos that were impressive: with “just” £5,000 one can buy a setup (speakers plus amp and BD player) that will make them feel as if they were in a cinema. The effect was pretty darn convincing.
As far headphones go, I had a chance to try out the new Audeze LCD-i3 and I found them to be very bright. I suspect that’s due to the noise on the show floor though, so I look forward to trying them in a more silent environment in the future. I also tried the iBasso AM-05 and they appeared to be pretty good, with a relatively neutral tuning and good soundstage.
There was not much attention given to headphones alas, it was mainly a speaker show. But as far as I’ve been told headphones are growing in interest and presence, so there’s hoping that one day they will have more representation in large shows like this.
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