Join us in Bristol…
The UK’S largest and longestrunning hi-fi show is back in February… and now with a new name! Organiser Audio T has changed the show’s name from ‘Sound & Vision – The Bristol Show’ to simply ‘The Bristol Hi-fi Show’ to reflect the returned dominance of two-channel fare, and the smaller percentage of home cinema product at the show in recent years. AV brands will still exhibit, however – Audio T simply believed it was time to scrap the misleading equal billing of ‘sound’ and ‘vision’.
Otherwise, the iconic, beloved event – now in its 32nd year – returns largely unchanged. Held at the Marriott City Centre Hotel In Bristol, the show will see the display and demo of the latest and greatest hi-fi kit from over 160 exhibiting brands, including several familiar faces: Arcam, Audiolab, Bowers & Wilkins, Chord Electronics, Cyrus, KEF, Naim, Pro-ject, Rega, Technics and many more.
So what’s in store for visitors this year? Plenty of kit announced at CES in January, no doubt. Some brands have already given us a sneak peek at their exhibits, too…
Linn will be demoing its new – and five-star! – music network streamer, the Selekt DSM. The modular and configurable streamer is made up of interchangeable modules and its distinct aesthetic and proven sonic quality make it one to both see and hear.
Dynaudio will be showing off its new flagship Confidence speakers – ‘the best speaker Dynaudio has ever produced’, according to the Danish company – as well as its more modest Evoke speaker family, which borrows technology from the brand’s higher-end models.
In celebration of half a million Phono Box phono stages sold, Pro-ject Audio Systems’ two brand-new phono stages, the Phono Box S2 Ultra (£200) and Phono Box Ultra 500 (£299) will be at the show.
Creek Audio is marking its 37th year in the hi-fi industry by moving its production away from the Far East and fully redeveloping its product line-up. Creek will also be releasing products not seen in its catalogue for some 25 years.
Acoustic Energy’s new flagship range, the 500 Series, will be unveiled at Bristol, while the standmount AE500 and floorstanding AE509 will feature the company’s newly developed CR6 Carbon tweeters and mid/bass drivers, designed to match its ceramic aluminium drivers but with improved self-damping for a smoother, more transparent sound.
Acoustic Energy says: “These unique drivers are housed in our new resonance control cabinets, evolved from the prestigious Reference Series — with the end result offering unparalleled performance, quality and value.”
Of course, there will be lots more to get your ears around at the show, so if the South West of England is more convenient for you to get to than Las Vegas (for CES), Munich (for the High-end Show) or Berlin (for IFA), then the Bristol Hi-fi Show is the show for you. Tickets are on sale now at www.bristolshow.co.uk.