Festival of Sound opens its doors for the first time under this banner on September 28th at Novotel London West, Hammersmith International Centre.  This eclectic three-day event combines exhibitors of luxury audio, live music and not-to-be-missed seminars. Amongst these awesome audio events will be the Sound System by Bowers & Wilkins.

Bowers & Wilkins Sound System

Sound System gives artists the opportunity to perform on a speaker system like no other. This year, the likes of Chris Difford, Beth Nielsen Chapman, UNKLE co-founder Lavelle and Philip Sheppard, as well as JJ Jeczalik and Gary Langan, co-founders of Art of Noise, take to the stage to perform on Sound System.

This promises to be one of those experiences that no lover of live music should miss.

What is Bowers and Wilkins’ Sound System?

Bowers & Wilkins Sound System draws upon over 50 years of acoustic excellence to produce this coveted PA system. Moreover, this system boasts both the range and clarity of a top-end hi-fi speaker with the raw power required to deliver sound to thousands of music lovers.

It is one of a kind and has never been commercially produced. This also makes it quite legendary in the music space and festival scene. Furthermore, Festival of Sound will most likely be the most intimate setting you’ll get to experience it in.

Sound System made its debut at Primavera Sound in 2014. Since then, it has gone on to tour multiple summer festivals including WOMAD, Oya, and Festival No. 6. 

Sound System spec sheet

Structurally, Sound System is made up of a four-way active loudspeaker design. This is comprised of four stacks which act as its foundation. Each stack stands over 3.2 metres tall. Moreover, this incredible power means it is capable of an extraordinary 120dB and delivers bass that is not only amazingly powerful but also totally controlled.

Additionally, the same sound engineers responsible for crafting Bowers & Wilkins most famed audio products also worked on this impressive rig.

This year, Festival of Sound (formerly The Indulgence Show) is even more music focused than before, making Sound System the perfect sounding accompaniment.

Vernon Hamblin, producer of the Festival of Sound, told us

Our concert series is set to feature Chris Difford, UNKLE co-founder James Lavelle & Philip Sheppard, Art of Noise co-founders JJ Jeczalik and Gary Langan, Unsung Singers, Antonio Forcione, Beth Nielsen Chapman and many more, so we wanted to make a statement when it came to the PA system the music will be heard through – after all this is an audio show. To do this, we have the honour of using Bowers & Wilkins’ Sound System, which will provide the concert goers with the high quality hi-fi sound the brand is known for in an intimate live music environment.”

We are really excited about this and look forward to attending Festival of Sound in just a few weeks!

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Running for two years as The Indulgence Show, Festival of Sound, The Music and Audio Show will be landing in London in September. As well as showcasing the best in hi-fi the show will present the ‘Unsung Singers’ super-group.

Festival of Sound promises to bring the best of hi-fi, portable audio and music to the Capital. Furthermore, it is building up a roster of respected musicians to perform at this year’s event, which takes place between 28th-30th September at Novotel London West, Hammersmith.

Many audio companies state that they aim to bring the experience of live music in to your listening room. With this in mind, the show will present a cross section of musical genres in the 1,000 capacity Chablis Suite. In this suite, you can expect full staging, lighting and a very special PA system.

Unsung Singers

Appearing on the Friday afternoon are the hugely talented ‘Unsung Singers’. This super-group of the UK’s leading backing singers is the brainchild of Gina Foster and Tessa Niles. Don’t worry if you their names aren’t familiar though. They have sung backing vocals for an array of stars that are more familiar; David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner and Eric Clapton, to name but a few. However, at Festival of Sound, it is their time to take centre stage.

Furthermore, joining them on this musical journey is their musical director, Mike Moran. Moran is the renowned producer who has worked with the likes of Queen, Ozzy Osbourne and George Harrison.

The show is the ultimate backstage pass into the world of rock and pop, blending the history of British backing vocalists with revealing storytelling, featuring the songs the Unsung Singers have helped make hits.

You will also get a peak behind the curtain at what went on during the recording sessions and tours of some of the biggest artists in the world.

Words

Festival of Sound musical producer, Chris Kimsey, who has worked on over 15 Rolling Stones releases, plus Led Zeppelin, Tom Jones, Deacon Blue and many others, spoke of the Unsung Singers quite enthusiastically:

It’s a great honour to be able to bring the Unsung Singers to Festival of Sound. The artists they have worked with and the stories they have to tell will make this concert one that music enthusiasts are not going to want to miss.”

Vernon Hamblin, Festival of Sound organiser added:

If you’ve ever listened to an album or seen a concert from the likes of Bowie or Clapton, you’ve heard members of the Unsung Singers at work. They’ve toured the world and worked on the biggest songs ever recorded, it is a delight therefore to be able to present them at Festival of Sound. We know the show visitors and music fans who come just for our live concerts are going to love them.”

More information

Tickets for the Unsung Singers concert will be on sale soon. Full details will be published on Festival of Sound website and social media channels.

To exhibit or perform at the Festival of Sound, the Music and Audio Show, please contact:

• Vernon Hamblin on vernon@festivalofsound.co.uk
• Phil Wannell on phil@festivalofsound.co.uk
• Lynda Heath on lynda@ashcommunicatons.com
• Jodie Holloway on jodie@ashcommunications.com

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So, the time has come. Your smartphone speakers are no longer cutting it, and the Bluetooth speaker upgrade isn’t giving the depth, soundstage or immersion you desire? What is your next step? Yup, it’s time to look into creating your home Hi-Fi system.

Leafing through Hi-Fi magazines, checking out reviews and generally learning is a good start. But, rarely do they help with your first steps. I’ll be honest now, even though I have been buying music since the 80s, my knowledge of Hi-Fi was limited until I started to explore the confusing world of the audiophile. Tis a scary, often intimidating place, but Hi-Fi doesn’t have to be.

You see, there are those, like in any community that feel knowledge is power. However, there are also those that wish to help you find the sound you’re looking for.

Getting sourcy

Are you looking to hitch a ride on the LP (vinyl to those more ‘hip’) bandwagon? This will take you down a certain path. If heading this way, will your turntable be fitted with a phono stage/phono amplifier? If not, one will need to be added to your shopping list else you won’t be able to hear your music. The good thing is, if you are buying a turntable and a separate phono amp, you will have the flexibility to upgade one, either, or both later on. Whereas, if you buy a record player with an in-built amp, you may find yourself having to replace the one unit with two later on.

[amazon_link asins=’B01KBMQISO’ template=’ProductAd’ store=’gadgnews-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=”]Just to add more choices, you can even get Bluetooth turntables. These will hook up to Bluetooth-equipped amps or active (powered) speakers wirelessly. Bluetooth, however, is ‘lossy’ and so will lessen the audio quality when compared to other methods. Of course, you may or may not hear the difference.
 
Looking to squirt audio from a smartphone or tablet? Bluetooth would be a handy addition. Already have a CD collection? Do you have loads of audio on Network Attached Storage (NAS)?
 
All these questions will need be answered. However, there are routes you can take in order to allow more flexibility.
 
If you will be keeping it digital, then a music server with an in-built amp such as the Bluesound Powernode or the impressive Naim Uniti Atom will be a neat solution. These literally just require speakers and then you’re on your way to audio heaven.
 
However, if you intend to build a full, traditional system, buying components that will play nicely together should be at the forefront of your mind.
 

Spreading it about

Are you intending to play your shiny system just in one room, or are multi-room skills a priority? Personally, if you are looking for tip-top tune time, there are limited multi-room solutions that will take you in to high-end realms. This is something really worth considering.

Whilst we are chatting about rooms, how much space have you got? Up until recently, I have been living in small 1 or 2 bedroom London flats. This pretty much dictated the size and style of my Hi-Fi.

Room size will have an impact on both amplifier and speaker choices. This is not necccesarily a bad thing though, some speakers that might get lost in large rooms will sound fantastic in smaller spaces. Take the gorgeous Eclipse TD508MK3, for instance.

Pay to play

Money no object? Fill your boots with the biggest and best. Unfortunately, most of us will be tied by what our bank account says.

Budget sensibly, and budget well.

Thankfully, these days, there is a huge range of decent kit at almost every price point. If you are prepared to do a little more homework and not squeamish about buying second or third-hand, you will be able to step up the audio-ladder whilst not busting your budget. My current turntable and speaker stands were auction site bargains, as was my disc player until recently. If going down this route, patience is key. Both the turntable and CD/DVD/Blu-ray player were the results of backing out of numerous bidding wars for months before winning these at the budget I allowed myself.

If you are wanting to build a system of separate components, allow money for interconnects (cables that join each component to each other), as well as speaker cables that will run from your amplifier to the speakers.

If going digital, don’t forget to add in subsciptions to Tidal, Qobuz, and/or other high quality streaming services. Spotify Premium is also a popular choice for many, however the others mentioned stream at better quality.

Five-year itch

Are you planning ahead? Are you likely to want the option to upgrade bits as you save up for the next level? In that case a one-box system might not be for you. Additionally, if money is too slow to add up then separates are a good way of scratching the Hi-Fi itch in stages. Back in the day, I started with a cassette player, amp and speakers. Then, at Christmas and birthdays, asked either for components, or money towards the next bit.

There is great satisfaction to be had by watching your system take shape. Here, I feel that I should also warn you of something. Constantly tweaking and making upgrades can be addictive. One day you’ll be buying a better cartridge for your record player and, before you know it, you’ll be treating the room walls, testing out mains conditioners, and all the rest of it.

So, you have been warned and I have done my due dilliegence.

Shortlist

By now you should have some idea of what you’re looking for.

If you are buying new then it’s time to find a store, or stores, where you can listen to as much of your planned Hi-Fi as possible.

Auditioning is generally a step that most people skip happily past. Granted, being able hear systems in the rare beast that is the Hi-Fi store is handy, this doesn’t mean that it will sound the same at home.

If you are looking to spend a decent amount, some stores will allow you to test components at home. This will give you a better idea.

Sounds funny

This brings me on to the subject of speakers.

These can be awkward things. This also links back to the size of the room your system will be living in, too.

You see, speakers will react differently depending on their position in a room. Not only that, they can sound differently depending on how close they are to each other and to any walls.

If your speakers will be pushed back against a wall, front ported types may be the best way to go here. Most ‘bookshelf’ speakers are designed for cramped spaces (on a bookshelf, obvs), so these might be a good place to start.

The next step

Once you’ve got enough parts together in order to actually play music through your pride-and-joy, it’s worth spending time on getting everything in the right place.

Got a turntable? It’s best not to have it too close to, or directly in front of, your speakers. The needle is transferring vibrations up the tonearm and out in to your amplifer. Your speakers are also creating vibrations. You see what I am getting at?

The easiest upgrade, and most cost effective, is actually taking time with your speaker placement. Ideally, the speakers should be level with your ears and the ‘sweet spot’ will make you the point of an equilateral triangle.

Also, keeping the path from the speakers to you clear of furniture will also benefit the sound.

Further investigation

You could do a lot worse than having a look around one of the Hi-Fi shows if you’re needing inspiration.

Bristol, headroom (portable Hi-Fi and headphones), and Indulgence are great fun and opens the gates to a larger choice. Also, these shows have many experts on hand who might be able to help you in your quest.

Has this been useful?

Please let me know if this has been useful or not by commenting below or on Facebook.

The post How to: Plan your Hi-Fi system appeared first on GadgetyNews.

Parasound have announced that they will be unveiling their new JC3 Junior phono stage at Indulgence this weekend.

It sounds like yesterday’s opening day of the Indulgence Show being held in Hammersmith, London went really well.

Additionally to that, Parasound have launched their new JC3 phono amp.

Parasound JC3 Junior

Audio legend, John Curl has been designing the very finest phono preamplifiers for over 30 years. Now, this new JC3 ‘Junior’ version of the highly renowned JC3+ will be his most compact and affordable yet. Do not, however, misinterpret that as being cheap.

With turntable and vinyl sales still growing this new phono preamp boasts a plethora of unrivalled features.

I am talking about 50 to 550 ohm continuously variable MC impedance, a mono switch to improve the sound of older vinyl and a Carl Thompson designed circuit board. Nice.Very nice indeed.

The JC3 Junior specification boasts RIAA accuracy to within 0.2dB, S/N ratio up to 94dB and THD below 0.02%.

Low level circuitry is housed in isolated sub enclosures. Furthermore, the design uses branded audiophile components, from the likes of Vishay-Dale, Vampire and Neutrik, throughout.

Catering for a wide range of MM and MC cartridges, the JC3 Junior features selectable gain output, 24kt gold plated balanced and single ended output terminals, and a 12v trigger.

Price and availability

The new JC3 Junior is available in Silver or Black and will be available in the UK from October at an SRP of £2,199.00.

I told you it wasn’t cheap. However, it could be value for money depending on your system.

Be sure to check it out at Indulgence, at the Hammersmith Novotel this weekend.

The post Parasound JC3 Junior unleashed at Indulgence 2017 appeared first on GadgetyNews.

Whether you’re looking to upgrade your headphones or curious to see what’s available to those with deep pockets headroom@Indulgence is the place to be.

headroom@Indulgence is the UK’s biggest headphone and portable audio tech show. Not only that, it is expanding to include a wider range of international brands this year.

This will not only give you a greater choice but also the chance to compare headphones not available anywhere else.

The world’s leading portable audio tech companies, plus a number of specialist brands rarely seen on UK shores, are choosing to showcase their latest products for 2017 at the event. Last year’s debut was excellent so don’t miss out when it returns to the capital this month: Sep 29th – Oct 1st.

Head-fi in Hammersmith

The Hammersmith-based show will introduce a wide number of exotic global brands to many for the first time. Additionally, you can expect big-name manufacturers, such as Sony, Pioneer and Astell & Kern to be in attendance.

You will benefit from valuable hands-on time and get the chance to try before you buy. This all comes courtesy of London-based show partner audiosanctuary.co.uk.

Rarely seen brands including: ViVa Audio, Kumitate, Acoustune and Japan’s KuruDa ($5,000 KD-P1 pictured at the top), will be making their UK debut. The London event will also host InEar, Earsonics and Angstrom Audio.

Portable Indulgence

With all this and more, the three-day experience is a must-attend event for music-lovers and portable audio fans.

With models ranging from £50 to £9,000, headroom@Indulgence is uniquely positioned to demonstrate that there’s more to music with great headphones.

Price and dates

Thankfully, tickets are much more affordable than the headphones at just £15. This will provide full access to the parallel-running Indulgence Show and its wider audio exhibits.

The season’s latest tech, trends and new products will be discoverable from Friday the 29th of September to Sunday the 1st of October at London’s Novotel London West.

The post headroom@Indulgence – largest UK gathering of portable Hi-Fi appeared first on GadgetyNews.

London’s biggest headphone event of the year is coming! Headroom at Indulgence is back, so save the date.

headroom@Indulgence is the place to discover the season’s hottest headphones, coolest portables and the latest audio tech.

Indulgence had a great debut last year, this year is all set to be bigger and better.

Furthermore, if the headroom show earlier this year is anything to go by, you are in for a head-fi treat!

headroom@Indulgence

The UK’s biggest headphone experience returns to the capital this autumn.

headroom@Indulgence will yet again be showcasing the latest trends in portable audio technology plus the widest range of demonstrable headphones in the UK.

The world’s leading portable audio tech companies will be gathering for the show. You can expect Sony, Pioneer, Astell & Kern, Focal and Chord Electronics, to name but a few.

headroom@Indulgence will reveal 2017’s best new audio tech in time for the festive season.

With the UK’s biggest selection of demonstrable headphones on offer, the three-day experience is a must-attend event for international music-lovers and headphone fans.

From beginners to audiophiles, commuters to gamers, headroom@Indulgence is uniquely positioned to demonstrate that there’s more to music with great headphones.

Date and tickets

Put Friday September 29th to Sunday October 1st in your diary. The venue is London’s Novotel London West, Hammersmith.

Tickets cost just £15 and provide full access to the Indulgence Show and its wider exhibits. Head on over to the website for tickets and more information.

The post Fans of personal audio should head(room) to Indulgence 2017 appeared first on GadgetyNews.

Here’s another huge issue of our free online magazine!

November brings Mark Fenlon of Markaudio and Markaudio-Sota for the regular ‘Behind the brands’ feature. This month’s classic album is Bob Dylan’s ‘Blood On The Tracks’.

There’s also the usual columns, features and gig reviews. We also bring you loads of photos from the Indulgence Show in Hammersmith and the Windsor Hi-Fi show.

More pages of great content than many of the mags you’d pay good money for!

HIFI Pig reviews

• Westminster Labs Unum power amplifiers
• Avid Hi-Fi Volvere turntable
• Taga Harmony Platinum F100 SE loudspeakers
• Axis Voicebox S loudspeakers
• Revel Concerta 2 M16 loudspeakers
• Fostex TE05 and TE07 IEMs
• Black Rhodium Quickstep speaker cable
• Mid-priced loom from Chord Company

GadgetyNews reviews

• Acoustic Energy Aego Sound3ar
• Vivitek Qumi Q3 pocket projector
• Udoq universal phone and tablet dock
• Prism Sound Callia DAC/pre/HPA
• Garmin DriveSmart 60 Satnav
• Skullcandy XTfree sports earphones
• MVR Ascend Virtual Reality kit
• Parrot Minidrones first look
• Dali KATCH Bluetooth speaker
• Dell XPS 15 laptop
• Skullcandy Barricade speaker

The post Hifi Pig Extra and GadgetyNews – November 2016 appeared first on GadgetyNews.

Headroom had made its place on my calendar for the last couple of years but it has invited its mates round for a long weekend in Hammersmith. This is, of course, the inaugural Indulgence Show.

London has been missing a full-on Hi-Fi show for a number of years. Chiswick-based Headroom catered for the portable aspect of head-fi but a room-filling audio expo was not to be found. Until now.

If you have missed any of my pieces about The Indulgence Show then let me quickly get you up to speed.

What is Indulgence?

The post The Indulgence Show 2016 – debut of decadence appeared first on GadgetyNews.

The new ‘Line 6’ range of AMPLIFI guitar amps and processors and the ‘Montage’ synthesisers line-up will headline Yamaha’s bill at The Indulgence Show.

Yamaha Music London is the brand’s flagship store based in the centre of Soho. It will be presenting the double headline act at Indulgence.

Yamaha will have two distinct areas at the show. The first will offer musicians the opportunity to meet an inspiring range of acoustic and digital instruments.

The second area will host sit down group demonstrations and personal consultations. There will, of course, be live performances and demonstrations from selected Yamaha artists. I am hoping Billy Sheehan will be there but I am not confident about that happening.

Vernon Hamblin, producer of The Indulgence Shows, says,

Yamaha’s ethos for quality products aligns perfectly with what we are aiming to offer consumers at The Indulgence Show, so we’re delighted to welcome the brand on board. Its interactive approach to showcasing products allows users, whether they are novices or professionals, to indulge in high quality musical experiences as well as provide them with the opportunity discover the rich sound Yamaha’s instruments produce.”

Robert Webster, director of Yamaha ‘s professional music division says,

Yamaha is delighted to present its range of professional instruments at The Indulgence Show. The event provides the brand with the opportunity to inspire visitors to listen and ‘make and create’ music on some of our coolest gear. We will also have our flagship store ‘Yamaha Music London’ at the event with us, so that anyone inspired on the day will know where to go to get a ‘great deal ‘ and excellent service when it comes to choosing the right product for them.”

Get tickets now

Tickets to The Indulgence Show are on sale now at www.indulgenceshow.com. Do this before September 12th and you could win a Chord Mojo worth £400!

Want to know more about The Indulgence Show? Check out our 10 things to know guide.

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Talent Not Included looks like a classic platform game but with some cunning twists and a twisted sense of humour.

Set in the fantasy land of Notthatmuchfurther, our heroes are simple actors giving the performance of their lives. Literally.

Every stage found within each act will task the player to achieve as high of a score as possible, but doing so will not be as easy as it may seem.

Talent Not Included design

Frima Studio have managed to combine a clean and clear design that also has character.

There are a number of neat touches throughout the game. I particularly like the way the platforms are on cylinders. This means that, as the game moves from scene to scene, the previous level spins out of the way of the next.

You also start scenes under a spot light.

These touches all add to the feeling of being part of a stage production.

The characters are all familiar classics – the knight, the thief/rogue, and the wizard – but thanks to Firma’s touches they  look fresh and definitely stand out from one another.

Naturally, the characters have their own special moves which come in handy at different stages.

The overall look and feel of Talent Not Included is slick and fun.

Talent Not Included gameplay

It is really easy to get in to the game. The controls are intuitive and the goals clear.

There is no practice level or tutorial to introduce you to the game. You are eased in naturally through in-game challenges and hints. Jumps, double-jumps, special moves, and wall maneuvers are brought in and all work seamlessly (once you’ve got the hang of it).

You can grab score multipliers within each level by collecting various pieces of candy and health power-ups scattered across each scene. Take damage, and this multiplier resets.
[youtube id=”JnbIt16kApo”]
It’s a tried and tested premise, but when it’s not broke…

A platform game is nothing without its obstacles. Talent Not Included features fireballs, spikes, and rotating platforms which add spice to the gameplay.

I felt that the difficulty ramped up at a decent rate as I worked through the levels. There were no huge leaps that would make me feel cheated but there was enough challenge to have a sense of achievement. This also brings the addictive quality that platform games have to rely on.

Everything feels slick and responsive and, as much as it pains me to admit, the deaths were all my doing and not the game’s fault.

Talent Not Included review conclusion

You will be drawn in by how Talent Not Included looks and stay for how it plays.

It ticks all the boxes that have made platformers such as Donkey Kong, Jet Set Willey and Sonic classics: Instant gratification mixed with addictive challenges.

Talent isn’t perfect mind. The backing music track seems to be on a constant loop. The minstrels in the orchestra pit of this show really could do with some other tunes.

That aside, I found myself jumping on for a quick fix, something that I need from games these days. I haven’t got hours at a time to invest in a game, however, a 30-45 min indulgence fits my lifestyle.

Talent Not Included price and availability

You can audition for your part right now by grabbing the game from Steam. It is currently £6.99, which is 20% of its full £9.99 cost.

Get it now and it’s a bargain. Even at a tenner, it’s worth it though.

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