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Hi-Fi Show Live 2018 White House Suites

Remenham Suite - SME, Nagra, Bel Canto and YG Acoustics

Padood will be leaving show visitors spellbound again this year with a stunning vinyl replay system featuring a carefully curated combination of the new SME Synergy integrated turntable (heard for the first time in the UK) and the Carmel 2 speakers from Denver-based YG Acoustics.

The Synergy turntable is a unique, precision-engineered integrated package featuring a magnesium tonearm based on the company's highly acclaimed Series IV with mono crystal silver internal wiring by Crystal Cable. It also boasts a specially designed built-in phono stage by Nagra and Ortofon's ‘exclusive series' Windfeld Ti moving-coil cartridge. With Bel Canto's award-winning Ref600M power amps in the driving seat, capable of 300W per channel, you will be enchanted by the exceptionally detailed and insightful sound this system will bring to your listening experience.

In addition, we are delighted to be joined at the Hi-Fi Show Live by guitarist Joncan Kavlakoglu - back again by popular demand following his hugely popular appearance last year. Playing an infectious and highly visual style of flamenco-funk fusion, there will be live performances from this renowned British musician on the hour, with the set powered by award-winning Nagra amplification from the company's HD range, including the £62.5k a pair HD AMP monoblock [HFN Jul '18] and £49.5k HD PREAMP [HFN Nov '18].

And there's more! At 12 noon each day, Matthias Bode from Germany's Stereo magazine will be presenting a workshop. Featuring the very best of analogue and digital audio, Padood looks forward to welcoming you.

Griffith Suite - Karma AV and Falcon Acoustic

One of three Karma AV demo spaces at the show, the Griffith Suite hosts the world premiere of Primare's new PRE35/A35.2 pre/power amp combo, featuring a fully modular architecture and Primare's Prisma connectivity platform, lately enhanced by Roon and Chromecast built-in. The Primare ensemble will be driving a further UK show exclusive: Falcon's flagship GC6500R Reference loudspeaker.

This new three-way floorstander incorporates a number of proprietary technical advances, including the Falcon's proprietary ‘Sonaweave Graphene Enhanced Nano-Platelet Cone' deployed in the bass driver. Graphene allows the diaphragm to be up to 60% lighter and thinner than one composed of more conventional materials, with significantly improved rigidity, better damping and a natural, well-controlled roll-off.

The speaker's elegant cabinet is hand-made in Italy using laminated MDF with extra damping throughout. The Alcantara-covered baffle is computer profiled for minimal diffraction while the reinforced rear panel features Falcon-profiled heatsinks within a precision tooled back plate. Finishes include a choice of Walnut and Mahogany real wood veneers and, at a premium, exotic wood veneers or any customer-specified high gloss RAL colour.

The GC6500R's smoked glass top is complemented by precision-ground alloy metalwork. Fresh from its world debut at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest, and making its first UK show appearance, the Falcon Reference speaker proves that a small British company can make a big technological statement in speaker development.

Roxburge Suite - SCV Distribution

A newcomer to the show, SCV is rising to the challenge with an impressive array of UK products shown for the first time. The room will comprise several headphone-based systems showcasing the latest amps and DACs from Benchmark Media Systems and Questyle Audio Engineering, with headphones from Focal and Meze, all sourced by Novafidelity's latest range of streamers. On static display will be IsoAcoustics' renowned speaker and equipment range.

Exclusives include Benchmark's new HPA4 headphone amp [HFN Nov '18] and LA4 preamp, fed by the latest addition to the DAC3 range, the DAC3 B.

Questyle's latest offerings, the CMA Twelve DAC/headphone amp and SHB2 docking station, will also be on hand as the first examples from the company's new ‘Loss Less Audio' system concept. Combining the highly regarded QP2R Digital Audio Player [HFN Feb '18] as a high-end source with patented ‘Air Moment' 5.8GHz wireless technology, audio can be sent to receiving components via the SHB2 ‘Super Hub' preamp.

Focal will make two debuts in the form of the Elegia, its new closed-back headphone, and the Utopia/QP2R bundle, featuring a specially impedance-matched QP2R boxed with a pair of Utopia headphones [HFN Feb '17]. The combo offers unprecedented sound quality from a portable system and at the price is an absolute steal!

Meanwhile, Novafidelity's X50Pro digital streamer joins the recently announced X45Pro in its new high-end range. Both include Crystek's CCHD-575 noise oscillator for super-low phase and a quad core ARM Cortex A9 main processor.

And don't miss Meze Audio's hotly awaited flagship headphone, the Empyrean - the first Isodynamic Hybrid Array design, which targets sound around the shape of the ear.

Morley Suite - Esoteric, Nordost and Quadraspire

Esoteric, Nordost and Quadraspire will be looking to impress in the Morley Suite. At the heart of the system will be the latest separates from Esoteric, the legendary audiophile arm of TEAC and Tascam. These will comprise the N-03T network audio transport, the K-03Xs SACD/CD player/DAC and the F-03A integrated amplifier (with ES-Link). All will be supported by Quadraspire's SVT Bamboo hi-fi rack system.

The network transport can handle both locally-stored music libraries and streaming services including Tidal and Qobuz, is Roon-ready, and compatible with file formats up to DSD256 and 384kHz/32-bit. It has an asynchronous USB input for direct connection to a PC/Mac, and can be directly controlled using the Esoteric Sound Stream smartphone app.

The F-03A integrated amplifier combines a fully balanced preamp and Class A power amp, and is derived directly from Esoteric's flagship Grandioso line. Helping the Esoteric system sing will be Reference 5 speakers supplied by KEF and Nordost's QKore range of parallel grounding devices. Without an effective ground point, the entire foundation of a system can be jeopardised, but neither is it practical for enthusiasts to run a thick conductor from their hi-fi to a ground rod buried deep in their garden.

Come and visit Nordost and hear how the QKore can help you unlock the potential of your audio components.

Hastings Suite - ELAC

Join ELAC as it unveils its new Vela 400 range of speakers, featuring the BS 403 standmounts and FS 407 floorstanders, which build upon the success of its best-selling 400 series with improvements to the drivers. The new waveguide for the JET 5 tweeter increases the definition of both stereo and multichannel audio while the optimised mid and bass drivers are able to reproduce high-energy transients more precisely. But the most striking change is in the stunning new cabinets. The reclined trapezoidal shape and curved front baffle improves stiffness, while the die-cast aluminium base incorporates a downward-firing bass port that makes positioning simple even in smaller living areas.

The speakers will be run with Alchemy amplification and served by the ELAC Discovery System, with the award-winning Miracord 90 [HFN Jul '17] turntable satisfying vinyl lovers' demands. Once again Studio Connections will be providing the cabling from its Reference and Blackstar ranges. Michael Whiteside, the cable's designer, will be available to answer your cable questions and give advice. Isotek EVO3 Aquarius power conditioning, Blue Horizon equipment supports and Artnovion Sahara acoustic panels will complete the set-up.

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