Hi-Fi Show Live 2018 Sandringham Suites
Sandringham Foyer - Timestep
Devon-based company Timestep distributes high-end audio brands ranging from Technics - with its range of iconic decks - to the meticulously crafted turntables, tonearms and cartridges of Soulines, Glanz and Miyajima respectively. And as a manufacturer, Timestep's creator Dave Cawley is quietly gaining a raft of admirers for his intelligently engineered analogue designs and modifications.
Taking centre stage at The Hi-Fi Show Live will be a world first: the ‘giant-killing' Technics SL-1000R turntable [HFN Jun '18], fitted exclusively with the exquisite Glanz MH-104S tonearm, thanks to a new stainless steel armboard custom-made by Glanz for the Technics deck.
Soulines' innovative Kubrick DCX turntable [HFN Jul '18] will also be on display, partnered with Timestep's own T-609 tonearm [HFN Jul '18]. And if you haven't yet discovered Miyajima's superb range of artisan cartridges, now's your chance.
Sandringham Main - Harman Kardon
For over 65 years Harman Kardon has been dedicated to delivering luxurious audio experiences that allow the listener to feel the music, and immerse themselves in the moment. This year the company returns to The Hi-Fi Show Live with its all new Citation range of entertainment systems, which are the ultimate expression of design and voice-activated control.
The Google Assistant brings convenient voice control to your Citation wireless sound system. Get answers, play music, organise your day, control your smart home and enjoy your Chromecast entertainment system. Just start with ‘OK Google...'.
The Citation series delivers a dynamic listening experience, with options to use the speakers individually, or to build different configurations around the home. The Citation lineup consists of multiple countertop speaker options, a soundbar, powered subwoofer, surround speakers and tower speakers. And of course, you can also play the same music or different music in different rooms to give a superior multi-room/zone sound experience.
Meanwhile, the Citation's industrial Scandinavian design and the materials used, such as the premium blended wool fabric made by Kvadrat, combine perfectly with the innovative technology to offer the discerning listener the best in home audio and voice-controlled entertainment systems. Meet the future!
Sandringham Suite 1 - Mark Levinson/JBL
Sandringham 1 will see a combination of power and grace from legendary marques Mark Levinson and JBL Synthesis. Driving the first of the room's two demonstration systems is Mark Levinson's finest preamplifier, the No52 [HFN May '14] alongside the No536 monaural amplifier [HFN Sep '15].
The amplifiers will be teamed with the No515 [HFN Oct '17] - ML's first ever turntable - and the network-ready
and CD-equipped No519 audio player [HFN Jul '17] to create a stunning set of electronics. JBL's most advanced and sophisticated K2 S9900 floorstander [HFN Aug '10] will handle speaker duties to deliver the purest and most powerful audio performance.
A second demonstration will see the UK debut of the Mark Levinson 5000 series once again complemented by the No515 and No519. These new integrated amplifiers will be paired with the legendary JBL L100 Classics loudspeakers to deliver a truly remarkable sound.
Sandringham Suite 2 - Decent Audio
In its second Hi-Fi Show Live demo room (see also Buckingham Suite 1), Decent Audio will showcase a high-end system that's big on performance yet perfect for the small to medium-sized room. Making a welcome return to the UK is German turntable brand Dual. Its CS-600 turntable, topped with van den Hul's DDT II Special cartridge, will feed Audio Analogue's AAphono while amplification will be ably demonstrated with two integrated amps: Ayre Acoustics' EX-8 and Audio Analogue's new valve-based Pegaso.
Completing the system will be Eclipse TD's amazing TD510Z Mk2 loudspeaker with TD520SW subwoofer. Paul Burnip and Hideto Watanabe from Eclipse will be on hand to explain their unique technology while van den Hul's expertly crafted cabling will feature throughout.
Sandringham Suite 4 - Electromod UK
No stranger to The Hi-Fi Show Live, family-run distribution company Electromod UK will be presenting new headphone models from US company MrSpeakers in the form of the Voce - an electrostatic design - and the Ether 2. The latter is billed as its best planar magnetic headphone to date and features a new driver, motor, baffle and headband.
Dekoni Audio, the premier provider of replacement headphone earpads for upmarket brands such as Audeze, Focal and Beyerdynamic, has also released a new headphone onto the UK market - the Blue. A planar-magnetic design, it uses Fostex drivers to create a custom variant of the Fostex T50RP MkIII headphone.
Finally, Schiit Audio offers small form factor products to suit all pockets! These begin with its elegant, two-input passive Sys preamp for just £60 to its reference Yggdrasil multibit DAC - remarkable value at £2200.
Sandringham 5 - Planalogue and Exposure
Sandringham 5 is hosting three manufacturers this year. Planalogue will show its new Prelude turntables, starting with the Prelude 2.1. Both plinth and base use new materials while a redesigned motor supply brings a sound full of vibrancy and attack. Three models will soon be available, supplied with the Sorane (Abis) SA 1.2 tonearm [HFN Apr '17] and new Hana ML cartridge.
Complementing the Planalogue Prelude 2.1 will be British brand Exposure's award-winning range of amplifiers, featuring models such as the XM3 phonostage [HFN May '17] from the compact XM series to the top-of-range, 5010 system, including the pre/power amplifiers [HFN Nov '18].
Graham Audio is demonstrating the latest LS6f floorstander, LS3/5 and LS6 standmounts from Chartwell plus the new LS3 budget version of the LS3/5a, which retails at under £1000.
Sandringham 6 - AudioQuest
Last year AudioQuest introduced visitors to the beneficial effects of its range of Niagara power conditioners and this year will add to the story with its new power cables, from the entry level NRG-Y to the range-topping Storm series and new Dragon model. There will also be a chance to hear the forthcoming Mythical Creatures range of speaker cables. Inspired by the success of the Storm Series power cables, these will be presented by Garth Powell, AudioQuest's director of power products, who is visiting The Hi-Fi Show Live from the USA.
Joining AudioQuest is British company Kudos Audio, whose team will be showing the new Titan 505 loudspeaker. Completing the company's flagship Titan series, the 505 is crafted to deliver top-of-range performance in a compact standmount. Featuring world class drive units created for Kudos by renowned Norwegian specialists SEAS, the Titan 505 sports a cleverly-engineered crossover that can be bypassed to enable active operation with selected systems including the Linn Exakt and Devialet Expert.