Shows

The UK Hi-Fi Show Live 2023: Ascot's Grandstand Set the Stage

Mark Henninger | Oct 19, 2023

Have you ever wondered why audiophile extravaganzas often feel like they're confined to your average Holiday Inn? Yes, we get it: the rooms, the isolation, but come on—doesn't high-fidelity deserve a high-class venue? Enter the UK Hi-Fi Show Live 2023, staged at the Ascot Racecourse Grandstand from Sept. 29 through Oct. 1. It is where high-end audio got the royal treatment it's long yearned for.

Ascot’s Grandeur: Where History Meets Acoustic Mastery
Ascot is hallowed ground, a Mecca for equestrian pursuits, inaugurated by none other than Queen Anne in 1711. It's a cornerstone of British culture. And in 2004, it underwent a $267 million redevelopment. The Grandstand is a modern marvel and testament to architectural prowess. It is fully outfitted with private suites that offer dedicated AC power and effective acoustic isolation.

A common area of the massive Ascot Racecourse Grandstand

A Triumphant Return
First launched in 2019, after a COVID-induced hiatus, the UK Hi-Fi Show Live came back with a vengeance this year.

The show itself is decidedly high-end, consequently a lot of the products are priced in the stratosphere. Top-tier high-end speaker stalwarts like Wilson Audio and Magico were well accounted for, along with dozens of brands I am not personally familiar with. But I also sat for demos of KEF, Yamaha, GoldenEar, and SVS gear that are approachably priced, and it was nice seeing them hang with the heavy-hitters. A special nod to Perlisten, who played the role of David amongst Goliaths, giving the no-compromise, high-end setups a run for their money.

A hint of what awaits within

The biggest surprise of my visit was a demo of a high-end rig featuring the debut of the Wilson Sasha V speakers. The system also featured dual Wilson Loke subs, a D'Agostino Momentum Integrated, Audio Research Reference 160M amps and Transparent cabling. I was pleased to hear several salient points made in the presentation. Namely, no special claims were made by Transparent for the cables, just that they are engineered to do their job the best they can and consequently they cost a lot. But, no BS to go along with it!

During that demo, Wilson's Peter McGrath did two things that surprised me… he played the same short track with and without subwoofers, thus convincing the audience to leave the subs on because they do not in any way detract. And, he grudgingly played a bit of electronic music to show that the system "can move some air" which I appreciate. This year's show managed to dismantle some of my long-standing pet peeves. Gone were the tacky hotel rooms and marketing gimmicks of yore. It even defied audiophile snobbery by embracing not just jazz, opera and classical, but also electronic music, a genre traditionally sidelined at such events. So it is nice to experience a narrative that does not apologize for its cost-no-object approach, but also keeps it real.

At the Ascot Grandstand, the suites offered an ideal blend of roominess and low noise levels, significantly superior to their hotel counterparts. It all adds up to a setting where audio tech can be appreciated in its fullest fidelity.

On to the show...

So as I cue up some demo videos and photographs to give you a virtual tour, remember this: the UK Hi-Fi Show Live 2023 has irrevocably elevated the venue, and thereby the experience, of what a high-end audio show can and should be. I look forward to the 2024 edition and if this is the future of high-end audio shows, then let the music play.

Videos of Demos

Wilson Audio Sasha V speakers