The Rambler has some very exciting news to announce…. this October we’re celebrating all things reel-to-reel at the UK’s biggest high-end hi-fi show and we’d love you to come along and join us!
The show: Hi-Fi Show Live, Ascot, UK, 26th-27th October 2019
Hi-Fi Show Live, now in its 7thyear, is run by AVTech Media, the world’s biggest audio media group (which owns major magazines including Hi-Fi News and Hi-Fi Choice in the UK, and Stereophile and Analog Planet in the USA, among others). Focusing on the audiophile high-end of hi-fi, it’s been a sell-out show from year one and continues to grow and expand each year. In 2019, the show moves to an amazing new venue, the famous Ascot Racecourse Grandstand!
New: the reel-to-reel rambler room
The all new, first ever reel-to-reel rambler room will focus on showcasing and celebrating all things open reel. Here’s a quick preview of what you can expect.
Tape decks…
We’ll have an exciting selection of R2R decks – from prime vintage models (think Studer, Revox, Technics), to the new and contemporary Ballfinger M-063.
Our decks will be partnered with a high-end system that really shows off the incredible sound of master tape… including Californian ultra-high performance Aesthetix amplifiers.
Tape labels…
I’m really excited that we’ll be joined by three of the world’s leading audiophile recording labels who specialise in releasing superb quality recordings on master tape, among other formats.
Mike Valentine of UK label Chasing the Dragon, Marco Taio and Mauro Bertorotta of Italian label Open Reel Records, and Ed Pong of Canadian label UltraAnalogue Recordings will give a series of talks and presentations that will give you a peek behind the scenes into their tapes, artists and recording processes, and shine a light on what makes the sound of analogue tape so very special. (Beware: it was one of Mike Valentine’s talks at a show some years ago that kicked off my R2R addiction – you’ve been warned!).
In between their talks, we’ll all be on hand to chat, answer questions and (of course) play a wide range of tapes so you can hear for yourself the R2R difference.
Tape makers…
If you want to know more about how analogue tape is made and what makes it such an incredible sound recording medium, you’re in luck: one of just three current audio tape manufacturers in the world, RecordingTheMasters, will be joining us from France. I was lucky enough to visit them this summer and discovered just how much goes into the making of a tape. It’s a fascinating process – check out my report from the visitand then come along and meet the guys in person.
Tape tech advice… The Audiophiles Clinic
Is your deck decked? Are you in a muddle about machines? Need some reel-to-reel rehab? Then step this way… Expert R2R engineer (and fanatical lover of tape) Petronel Butuc from The Audiophiles Clinic will be with us to provide a ‘surgery’ giving technical advice on finding and restoring vintage machines, on servicing and repairing decks, and more. Come along and put your questions to Petronel. (Here’s a challenge: see if you can come up with a question that he can’t answer. We tried but haven’t managed to yet!).
Talking tape…
Come and meet and talk tape with The Rambler’s three main protagonists: the rambler himself Dave Denyer, and hi-fi journalists and fellow fanatical tape-heads Ken Kessler and Neville Roberts (could they be the Clarkson/Hammond/May of R2R? We’ll leave you to decide which be would be which!).
Ken and Neville will be giving a talk or two while Dave will be running around in a mild panic trying to make sure that everything’s running smoothly! Just kidding, of course it’ll be running smoothly… and Dave will be doing what Dave loves best: sharing with you a fine selection of stunning-sounding tapes.
We hope to see you there!
Hi-Fi Show Live
Ascot, UK
26th-27th October 2019
Dave Denyer: The Reel-to-Reel Rambler 