It was that time of year again and the September Hifi show beckoned. This was the smallest (in terms of exhibitors) September Heathrow show so far, although whether this is due to uncertainty caused by fears of a recession or simply bad timing (it clashed with the very popular Milan Show) I don’t know.

I do feel sorry for anyone that went with a view to seeing the ‘AV’ part of the the show, as I saw very little, with most rooms concentrating on two channel audio. However being selfish, for us audiophiles it was a treat and in many ways was very similar to the April show we attended. I still think it’s such a shame that the larger manufacturers stay away (however musically relevant their offerings actually currently are) as I feel this show deserves to be the national showcase it was 10 or more years ago.

Due to the small number of rooms and my rather selective view of what makes a product interesting or constitutes a good sound this is merely another snap shot of what was there.

To kick off the show report it’s great to have some really epic news - the launch of a new British valve manufacturer. MicroTech Solutions are based in the original Mullard Valve factory in Blackburn and will soon be producing a range of valves under their TechTube name.

Their first design, an ECC83 equivalent called the E813CC is quite fascinating, as can be seen from the above left picture the valve itself is a strikingly different design. The picture above right shows the parts that make up the tube compared against a normal dual triode (parts on the left hand side are from a conventional ECC83, the right is the E183CC). The unusual design is thanks to their experience producing CRT’s (Cathode Ray Tube) for many years, in fact the cathode itself has come directly from this application.

Production is just starting up and we hope to be able to get our hands on some within the next few weeks, but rumour already has it that this is a rather special sounding valve.

It was great to see Klipsch back in the UK with a new distributor. We have a real soft spot for these designs, having sold quite a few through the late nineties. Whilst you could never confuse their appearance as contemporary (after all they do date from 1957) they nonetheless seem to have aged remarkably well, with just minor revisions made throughout the years.

The La Scala II pictured above were sounding wonderfully vibrant in the massive (if rather too lively) room they we’re being demonstrated in. Their dynamic strengths were clearly displayed, as was their ability to go very loud effortlessly (a bit too loud for my tastes but that sadly seems inevitable at shows). They were producing some of the most exciting and lifelike sound of the show, and whilst they wont appeal to someone who must own the very latest raved about product, those that know what they are will know they are amongst some of the coolest speakers ever produced.

I was rather shocked (and if I’m honest, just a little disappointed) when I sneaked a look behind one of the Heresy III cabinets (pictured above) to discover bi-wire terminals. This just doesn’t seem right to me, a speaker like the Heresy ought to really be immune from such fashionable tweakery.

I’d never clapped eyes on the Cornwall III before (pictured below), but their sheer size could be considered a little imposing in the average UK room (to give you an idea of their scale the bass driver is 15 inches in diameter).

Talking of Klipsch, Artisan Audio bought along the Klipsch Jubilee speakers, as also previously demonstrated at the April show (which I’ve not yet had the time to write up fully). The speakers were now being used firing across the room and they seemed much happier, sounding far less coloured. The Jubilee is a design I knew nothing about, so was fascinated to discover it was the great Paul Klipsch’s last bass horn design and was intended to go above the Klipschhorn. Sadly this design has just ended up in their PA range, hence the rather utilitarian appearance, but close your eyes, you no longer care and their effortless sound should win you over.


AcousticPlan are a German manufacturer showing their range for the first time in the UK. This very attractive system uses extensive transformer coupling, with valves used for the low level stages and Mosfets in the power output stage. The speakers use a full range driver mounted in a dipole with additional actively driven bass drivers.

EAR showed some monoblocks that they’d literally just finished on the morning of the show. These amplifiers are unique and were specially built for one customer. I heard an output of 500 watts per channel being mentioned from the transmitting tubes used!

Usher have now produced a smaller power amplifier, called the Reference 1.2 this amplifier looks like it should offer a lot of the performance of its fantastic bigger brother in a more manageable sized (and hopefully much lighter!) box.



The Devil Sound DAC may not be a product you’d expect us to be too interested in on paper, but seeing and handling it make it a real “I want” product.

This natty cable plugs into the USB input of your computer, the box mounted mid way down has a DAC (powered through the USB) and at the other end is a pair of Eichmann phono plugs. This is such a convenient and neat way to connect your laptop or PC to a hifi system and for under £200 seems like a bit of a bargain.


This was a new one on me, we’ve used all sorts of odd materials as drive belts over the years, but never thought to try this. The pulley and platter are covered in felt and the belt is made from a similar, but seemingly slightly elasticated material. It requires a new pulley to be fitted to most decks, making it a not inexpensive mod, but the distributor was raving about the benefits. The very low tension required gives the belt a very wobbly appearance as it runs, which is a little unnerving to say the least.


Proaura speakers (formerly Aeon acoustics) showed the Signetmk2 speaker. This diminutive design uses Spiralex cabinets and was very attractively finished.


Pure sound showed their new £290 T-10 step up transformer which has switchable loading. We’re looking forward to getting our hands on this design and the first production run is coming to the UK later on this month.

They have also produced a copper record mat called the Rubato. Naturally this is a pretty substantial thing so wont be ideal for decks with weak bearings or non adjustable suspension, but it certainly seemed to damp the display platter it was resting upon very nicely.



Roksan showed the stunning looking new Kandy K2 series. The amplifier (above) and CD player (below) don’t photograph very well (or rather I’m not a good enough photographer to capture them) but in the metal these look an awful lot more expensive than the £800 level they’ll be selling for.

Thorens bought along the Jubilee turntable for its first ever outing. It was quite a coup to have this beautiful statement design playing, which has been produced to celebrate their 125th anniversary.


Trilogy, the firm best known for their chrome valve amplifiers and later on their involvement in IsoTek and Isol-8 mains products showed a new product range. These are hybrid designs, using valves for the low level stages and have beautifully finished casework available in a variety of different finishes.

The heatsink design on the hybrid power amplifier (below) was a very attractive design. From a purely cosmetic point of view it’s a very simple idea, a block of aluminium with, with oval milled openings that are illuminated with led’s that glowed seductively blue in the darkened room (sadly the cameras flash ruined the effect).



Pro-ject showed a design which could fill a niche in the market. Called the Jukebox this turntable has a built in amplifier so it’s ideal for those that that want a simple record player. Sadly the cost of manufacture means it’s unlikely to make it to production, they feel the resulting projected price (in the region of £500) is simply going to be too much for its intended market.


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