AUDIO SHOWS

front of me. Despite asking, I completely forgot the name of the song and the specific recording, but I recall it being considered one of the go-to tracks at Cranage. I must ask again what it was, so I can have a listen on my own modest setup at home; not that I expect to be quite as thrilled as I was with the K300s. Oh, they also looked amazing in a new HighGloss Walnut finish and had a real high-end quality about them. Lovely stuff that I would love to try out at home.

I managed to stop by a few other rooms but the ones I have mentioned left the biggest impression on me and, as you might have guessed, speakers were the main draw for me. You can check out the HiFi Pig North West Audio Report 2023, should you wish to read a much more in-depth piece on pretty much the entire show. Elsewhere, I managed to tick off my must-see list with the brand new Eversolo DMP-A6 streaming DAC, having noticed the hype and was delighted when I read that it would be at the show. It is a handsome, well-built bit of kit with a big, crystal-clear display and I would gladly give it room on my rack; especially, at the price of £759.

Lunch was a brief affair, with a chance to take a wee breather in the courtyard and enjoy the sunshine and a bit of banter. I prefer to know where my next meal will come from, so it was a relief to find a few hot food choices were being served outside. I opted to go with a tasty hog roast roll, but I believe there was also the option to dine in the bar or restaurant.

As it got later into the afternoon, I started to appreciate the benefit of going along for both days, because there just wasn’t enough time to get into every room. I would also have liked to revisit a few exhibitors and spent more time getting a feel for the space, kit and the eclectic mix of musical styles being used to show off the quality wares. Even more reason for going to the show again.

Alan Clark, from Alchris Audio, was the main manufacturer I was looking forward to meeting, having heard lots of high praise for his speakers and from email exchanges I had with him. As such, I was excited to witness his AR-4 loudspeakers and the mighty V-200 Domestic Monitors in the flesh. Sadly, Alan took an unexpected turn for the worse not long before the show was due to kick off and they had to close the room, but I was relieved to hear he made a speedy recovery shortly after. It really put the whole meaning of community into perspective for me when I kept hearing and reading about the outpouring of concern and support for Alan and his partner, Christine. They are clearly much-loved, and it genuinely demonstrated how much of a close-knit network of good people this is. It’s a club of which I feel proud to be a member. I wish them all the best and understand they fully intend to make a return to North West Audio Show next year, which would be just another good excuse for me to go too; not that I need any convincing.

This piece would not be complete without acknowledging the excellent venue staff, the organiser Kris Sawicki and the whole event team who kept everything flowing so well. They were such an enthusiastic and positive group, which could only be reflected in the overall atmosphere for everyone involved and attending. I especially loved their energy at the fun prize draw towards the end of the day, where it was a joy to see them interacting with so many people with lots of laughs and camaraderie. That exemplified the overall feeling of the North West Audio Show.

In Summary

The experience was one of many firsts for me, and I made fond memories that will last. I checked out some HiFi systems I had expected to wow me, that didn’t, and others that I had no expectations for, which left me feeling very impressed. “One man’s meat is another man’s poison”, as the saying goes. I also learned a lot more about what I do/don’t want from my own setup and it sure was exciting to see the stuff up close, compared to countless hours of online research, checking out HiFi magazines and trying to imagine what feeling I might get from different components. You could walk away after the show, safe in the knowledge that your own system is perfect for you or discovering exciting new prospects for tweaks and upgrades you could make without breaking the bank. In my humble opinion, all that really matters is that you like what you hear, but it is lots of fun to explore and go on the journey. Even if you’re not in the market for any equipment and just simply love to listen to music, then a trip to the show would be worth it on that basis alone. It was everything I hoped it would be and more and was sad to leave but did so knowing that I will go back and that I’ll be sure to make a whole weekend of it next time.