First I'd like to offer an over view of the show. Subjectively, based on aisle traffic, show visitor numbers seems to be down(let's see what the show organisers statistics says?). Many exhibitors weren't too happy about the low turn out, but consigned to the fact, that this is still the World Cup month, and most of the male population are now mostly broke or heavily in debt after all those un-predictable soccer match results!
What ever it is the show must go on, and it certainly did not disappoint one bit!
Let's start.
Eastland Trading was demoing the big Spendor SP100 and Sugden Masterclass CD player and integrated amp. Unfortunately, the lovely Kim told me "no sound for now, come back later" Anything for you Kim, except I've ran out of time!
Hi-Way Laser is the new distributor for Kimber Kables in Malaysia. They had the whole range on parade.
The Ayre C-5Xe CD/SACD player, KX-R pre and MX-R power amps and ATC SCM40 speakers. Very familiar sounding. I wonder why?
Jo Ki's excellent sounding, and some say "Best Of Show" sounding LS3/5A room.
Audi Perfectionist showcases the full MacIntosh works.
The attractive blue glow meters.
Hang on, this looks like Be One, sounds like Be One, but it's not B&W either, curious?
It's Ban Leong Bros Mistral speakers, driven by Spark Cayin tube amp and CD player.
The Sound Precision room features Manger speakers, driven by Inex pre and power amps, all powered via a Pure Power re generator. One of the better sounding rooms liked by many.
A closer look at the Inex pre amp, this is a very special product, go search the www for more info. It's high end level stuff if you need to know, so don't say I didn't tell you.
LTB Enterprise showed off the latest Musical Fidelity M3, M6 range of CD player and integrated amps.
The X series and the beer budget V series(not shown) of Musical Fidelity components were on static display.
Meet Grand Master Lee from Hong Kong. He's the guru behind all the curiously low cost tweaks in the SQC Audio room.
Note that little black cube and spike resonator on top of the speaker.
This one beats all the other tweaks, a Sonic Enhancer, to clip on to your power supply ground, then place the supplied box(which feels like it has been filled with some sort of bead or beans!, which kinda reminds me of the Audio Magic Quantum Resonance Technology thingy) on top of the resonator for best results. I saw many buying this stuff home. If any of you bought this and reading this, please let me know how your thoughts after using them.
Bada HD26 CD player. Impressively built.
Bada Purer 3.3 integrated amp.
Nice speaker, it's a Bada Musician No.10! BTW, sorry guys, I couldn't find the Bada dealer info anymore, if you know please let me know.
Mark Levinson makes a come back to these shores, courtesy of Flagship AV.
Flagship AV was using Revel Ultima 2 and Mark Levinson amps for AV demo.
The smaller Swedish Statement room features Bladelius Embla memory player and Thor integrated amp powering a pair of Adam ARTist series book shelf speakers.
Powering the whole Bladelius/Adam system is Dimitri Running Springs Audio PLC. I'd like a review of these some day!
The by now very famous Absolute Sound/Audio Note room, featuring FM Acoustics pre/power amps, powering Avantgarde Uno horns and sourced by Audio Note CD & DAC 5 Signature.
Nice rack!
Pioneer room was demoing S1-EX speakers, powered by Bel Canto pre/power amplifiers, sourced by a digital media server with Benchmark DAC-1.
A closer look at the Bel Canto pre/power amps.
Tong Lee had a bargain style display of Project turntables.
Tong Lee has also been recently apointed MIT distributor in Malaysia.
Consonance or Conrad Johnson? OFFER!!!
The TAD room indicates that this 3 alphabets are a force to be reckon with in the new audio land scape. My personal choice for "Best Of Show".
Wo Kee Hong gave us the silent treatment of Mordaunt-Short speakers.
The "silence is golden" Marantz SA11 pre/power amps.
Rogers LS3/5A 60th Anniversary speakers, yours for only RM$13k, special show price!
Asia Sound Equipment's turn table experts, Micheal and Eddie!
Rega products on static display.
More to come on KLIAV Show Report Part 2.
One of the possible reasons for the reduced turnout i think is probably the prices! i wanted to go but decided to not go in the end because i felt, "haiya, go also cannot afford anything. what's the point..."
ReplyDeleteGibran,
ReplyDeleteI understand your feelings, but wait, aren't Audio, Auto, or Boat Shows all the same?
We all gladly pay to go to the Auto show to touch, look, feel the latest models of Porsche, Ferrair or BMW M6. Those are the cars most of us won't find the dosh for anyway. Why should an Audio show only feature affordable stuff?
You can find those at your local dealer everyday. Another point to note is that the Audio show offers much more than that, it's got hifi bargain corners and show babes, and best of all like minded people participating in an event!
Guess what? I met Odiosleuth, my partner in crime in the 2008 KLIAV show! Look where that got us to now?
It's not only about the gear, or the systems. It's about a comuinity getting together once a year to clebrate our hobby.
Lastly, sorry for the long winded lecture, but I really do hope you see more than the obvious.
Big E,
ReplyDeletegood that you put it in the context of going for auto shows to see the exotica - i understand your point. I'm not bashing the audio industry at all, mind you - i buy every single hi fi news and absolute sound to ogle the gear and salivate! i myself dream of owning a great system (in my mind, that would be a nad direct digital amp driving magnepan 1.7s. haha) However, i think prices in malaysia could be cheaper - witness the 30% discount on ATC speakers by Hi-way laser!
Gibran,
ReplyDeleteLike you, I wish hifi retail prices are cheaper here too!
But for now, I can only wish. BTW regarding the Hi-Way Laser sale, with ATC speakers going at 30% discount, that's why it's called a SALE!
BTW, if you happen to be across the road from the JW Marriot on Saturday show day, you'd notice all those high end life stlye shops in the Pavillion going at 50%sales too!
Again just to draw a parallel. How do I know? My significant other half spent the day in Pavillion while I was doing the show rounds. The diferences is that she spent a load of $$$ while I ended up with sore feet only! Ha!Ha!
Big E,
ReplyDeleteWomen will be women. haha! yes it's a sale Big E, but the fact that they could afford the 30% discount clearly shows how that they can afford to reduce prices.