Went along to try to get to hear the Vivaldi on Magico, seems to be every time the distributor opts for the Dohmann vinyl system with the Vivaldi sitting on the shelf. Such a shame. Endured 30 minutes of rice crispy sound (snap crackle and pop)
Surely the distributor knows how to clean records properly? Then again , perhaps that is asking too much 
.
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Wish I could report a more favourable review of the 2 main rooms from absolute sounds.
Each year I visit the rooms and each time come away very disappointed with what i hear. The vivaldi room was being used with the Antipodes Oladra via USB, into magico S5 speakers i believe. The sound was booming, and just not very pleasant at all. The rossini room was also not great.
Not sure if it’s the rooms, but even so, absolute sounds have used the same rooms for years and you would have thought they could have inpoved it over the years, but obviously not. I would certainly hope they don’t think that it sounds great ??? As they do big themselves up loads on how they listen to all the products and match them accordingly.
A new guy that was with us yesterday and had never heard dcs kit before said, is this how it sounds and is yours the same? I said thankfully not and hopefully when he comes back down this way he will get time to pop to mine for a listen. But more importantly how many more over the years go away thinking the same? As like I said its the same each year.
So don’t worry about missing it and it’s probably done you a favour.
Cheers dunc
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Strange as they are the distributor and should know the best input for Vivaldi is via ethernet.
Then again I guess they also want to sell Antipodes streamers 
Aside from the rice crispy sound how was the Dohman? I have a friend with both a Dohman and LP12 (I myself have the Linn)
Usually a favourite UK show but I wasn’t able to make it this year. Agreed @dunc, they really should know better. If I were not a super-happy dCS owner today, I would certainly not have become one on the basis of what I heard in previous years in those rooms. The Oladra is a fine streamer and the S5’s are fine speakers but they don’t appear capable of turning fabulous ingredients into an amazing dish.
Great kit being used but the end result was very disappointing.
Also got to hear the expensive turntable which as like the other years didn’t sound any better than a rega p3.
I know i sound like a moaning old git or whatever but, really this should be done better especially by them. I know it can be done better as I have done it myself and feel they should try much harder as it certainly doesn’t give off the right sound that dCS and the partnering gear used should sound like, and so gives off the wrong impression to anyone that doesn’t know how good it should sound.
If i can do it then I am sure they can, as I didn’t hear anyone on Saturday talking about the room in a positive way, not that I heard many talking about it, but the odd thing was heard especially as the groups I was in with walked away from the demo rooms, not much positivity.
So if absolute sounds do see this and I thing they should, please do something about it.
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AS have very much dominated distribution of significant brands in UK for years. But a huge portfolio means some compromise in coverage at shows. I guess they had Rossini in one room but it was the Magico Vivaldi pairing for me or maybe even a chance at hearing Varese. So I was disappointed for sure. Fortunately other distributors did put on a great show - CAS I though had done well with YG, and I also enjoyed Roy Gregory’s take on CD/ SACD sub types using Accuphase. The AS rooms are massively / unfortunately over popular though. I’ll certainly not waste time again queuing (even for tickets). It is a great shame dCS doesn’t offer more public open days regularly. They were being done a disservice here IMO.
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