Countdown to Ascot: system overview! (postponed)
We had big plans for our visitors at UK Hi-Fi Show Live this year, which is now unfortunately postponed due to the passing of Her Majesty The Queen Elizabeth II. Below are some of the highlights we had lined up; we look forward to putting this system together for you when the event is rescheduled. Stay tuned!
Shunyata Research EVEREST 8000
“I’ve long played the get-out card with power conditioners and distributors; I live in London surrounded by other houses full of electronic devices pumping nasties into the mains and radio frequency environment, so Your Mileage May Vary. But no such weasel words are needed with the Shunyata Research Everest 8000 power distributor; it makes your system sound better no matter the system and regardless of where you live. It’s a game-raiser and a game-changer in one.” - Alan Sircom, Hi-Fi Plus Issue 210
Launched this year in the UK, we’re excited to welcome the Everest 8000 power distributor into our system. Alan Sircom said it best above; as stunning as our other components are, they wouldn’t quite be at their best without the Everest at the heart of the system.
Engström MONICA & M-Phono
It’s not the first time Engström’s MONICA pre-amp sits in our system, and it certainly won’t be the last. But this year at Ascot we’re proud to launch the M-Phono in the UK! As the third chassis complementing the MONICA line-stage, M-Phono is the MM/MC phono-pre-amp. Integrated into the original MONICA pre-amplifier in 2014, it is now a standalone product allowing the phono and line-stage to reach their full potential.
Engström LARS Mk3
Since its 2010 release, the LARS has undergone several notable evolutions to become the Mk3 it is today. Every wire, connector, capacitor, standoff and fastener has been updated to a better-sounding and more reliable option. While the inside has grown bigger and better, the outside has matured into a more subtle and refined appearance, now available with new ceramic coatings. For anyone seeking the spring of Scandinavian Sound and the origin of Engström, look no further.
Kroma Atelier Stella & Thaïs Xtreme
The last step in the system before the music reaches your ears - and what a step it is. Kroma’s new Xtreme range already made waves in Munich this year, and we’re excited to debut them in the UK at Ascot. The name is no accident; Kroma Atelier have managed to essentially put their original speakers on steroids without sacrificing any of the purity and humanity that made us fall in love with the brand in the first place. These speakers punch way above their weight class and we can’t wait to unleash them.
FalkenOhr 516 rack and base line stands
Holding it all together is FalkenOhr’s 516 Pure Line hi-fi rack. Built to exacting standards, this piece of audio furniture minimises external interference on audio components and diverts micro-vibrations generated by electronics. Electromagnetic interference between devices is reduced dramatically, leaving only the purest soundstage for natural highs and deep bass notes.
We will also showcase the Base Line amplifier/speaker stands. The LARS Mk3 power amplifiers will sit on these, isolating them from the room and the rest of the system and allowing them to honestly reproduce their trademark Scandinavian sound.
