Micromega MyAmp

Vontage 15-ohm Rogers LS3/5A driven by Micromega MyAmp. AT Soundburger on silent display.

Letter from Hong Kong (24-17): Hard to Stomach

Dear Readers:

This is a letter to inform our Regular Readers of what's been happening to Me and the Blog. Even back a couple of months ago I'd not have thought I'd need to do this. It's been a busy few months, to be back in Hong Kong and living a "new/old" life.

What I had not informed readers is that long before we relocated I have been plagued by by health issues. It started with moderate gastric reflux almost two years ago. Proton Inhibitors (PPI) had not been effective in control. In the last few months, however, things have gotten worse. Now, I am plagued by increasing severity of symptoms, worse of all a nagging pain almost all day, and suffer from fatigue and insomnia (very rare for me). Amazingly, I don't even want to drink now. I have initiated work-up, which will take a bit of time. But it's hard to see this thing resolving soon.

What's amazing is that this nagging pain has managed to rob me of much drive to write, or edit. ELO has some articles in the pipeline, which he is re-organizing. I don't really have much to report myself as of this moment, save a snippet below.

So, you can expect less output here for a while. But hopefully there shall be moments of respite.

As Simple It Gets

Another amazing thing about the malaise is that for much of the time I am actually not in the mood for music. This is compounded by the fact that the apartment no longer has a "dedicated audio room", like I sort of did have in Shenzhen.

But we had lived in this same HK apartment for almost 6 years before returning to the US in 2018. In those years, I still experimented with a lot of stuff. It'd be instructive to re-visit some of my setups then (prototype here). Although I still have a lot of the equipment I had then, I'm not at all in a hurry or in the mood to re-build.

Part of the reason had to be that since the end of my NYC stay, from the beginning of the pandemic, I had gravitated to Streaming Music (simple USB and BT), and my setups have become simpler in general, certainly in my almost 4 years in Shenzhen. 

And now? In my old house I still play only CDs on tube equipment (like here) but that's not my regular abode. Think of that as my Reference. In this smaller apartment where I now stay, in one of my better moments I set up the simplest of system, certainly the simplest I've ever had:

(Old Samsung Galaxy S7 running Tidal and Bluetooth) Micromega MyAmp drives vintage Rogers 15-ohm  LS3/5A (SN 02631).

Micromega MyAmp In the same apartment I had used it before in a desktop system to great effect (basic info and my review see here). But I had never tested it in the larger living room, nor with LS3/5A. Although the MyAmp is full featured and can be hooked up to analog and digital sources, I only use the Bluetooth (spec AptX but my cellphone is not). The result was so musical it took this veteran of integrated amps by surprise. I played some of the tracks I played often in Shenzhen and came away with the impression that in some aspects of performance this simple system is just as good, if not better. Dvorak Symphonies 7-9 from Czech PO/Bychkov (Pentatone) are more taut and flowing than what I got in SZ (Bychkov is often too soft for me). This while preserving the timber of the massed strings very well. COE/Nezet-Sequin's Brahms (DG) also sounded more cogent and tonally integrated. That's surprising indeed.

The link I cited for MyAmp includes a reference to the HiFi Choice review by always reliable veteran David Price (used to write a lot for the old and quirky but fun HiFi World). I cannot do a better description of the MyAmp's abilities.

The most astonishing performance was Ural PO/Dimitry Liss' Shostakovich 15 (Fuga Libera). This most enigmatic last symphony has a super-coloristic score and the Russians here play it to perfection. You can just about forget most of the Western recordings. The soloists, from the concertmaster to the percussionists, make the notes just leap out from the loudspeakers. Even in my compromised state, I was thrilled and elated. Life affirming, yes.

My loudspeakers are not ideally positioned, but they sound very good. Bass is very respectable, perhaps positively aided a little by the IKEA racks. No smearing and rather taut and tuneful! Of course, the images are high but that's tolerable from a distance as long as the dispersed sound is musical. No doubt I shall tweak it from time to time. Adding a CDP (my venerable DVP-PR50P) shall be next I'd think.

The MyAmp surpassed my modest expectations. I expected a stop-gap but was instead rewarded by surprising competence and finesse. I think it's better than the same stable's more traditional IA-60 (here). Another example that a well-designed SMPS can bring superior results.

Caveats? Yes, the Bluetooth breaks off (and reconnects) occasionally (mind you, my cellphone is quite old). And once (only), I think it went into self-muting briefly (I think thermal protection) so, despite the reviews, I'd only use it with relatively efficient loudspeakers. The LS3/5A is not a perfect example but its impedance curve is benign.

There, my humble setup for now.

Leaving Shenzhen

pic of Dameisha, SZ, from the IC Hotel.

Letter from Shenzhen (24-10): Removal Notice

This is to let regular readers know that I'm in the midst of re-locating back to Hong Kong, for family reasons. It goes without saying that I'm crazily busy, and tired.

Articles, those by myself and others who need editing, are put on the back burner. I expect to pick up pace in two weeks or so.

It really is not leaving Shenzhen - like many HK people, we shall be back regularly. Perhaps I'd have more to say about my (almost) 4 years in SZ, when I get the time.

PJ Miaolai A7

Review: PJ Miaolai A7

If you are a regular reader and just casually glimpse at the large pic above, you shall be excused for mistaking this article to be a continuation of our Douk U4/PJ Miaolai A4 reports, but blink and stare again at the speaker binding posts! Yes, in the same tiny chassis, this is a complete amp!!!!

Let's see some Official Spec's:

A7 Parameters:

Audio input terminal: 3.5AUX stereo input, Bluetooth input

Voltage input: 12V

Rated output power: 8Ω 2*30W; 4Ω 2*50W

Headphone Amp Parameters:

Rated power output: 150MW+150MW, impedance 16-300 ohms

Distortion: THD+N: 0.004% (RL>10 kΩ)

Distortion: THD+N: 0.020% (RL=32 Ω)

Signal to noise ratio: >99 dB

Dynamic range: >99 dB

TPA3116 is a class D power amplifier IC, which can reach a modulation frequency of up to 1.2MHz. It has the characteristics of low power consumption, high efficiency, low distortion, and strong reducibility.

-The Bluetooth 5.0 module uses the QCC3008 chip, supports APT-X, APTX-LL. The decoding line uses the classic 1543 chip, and the external high-gain detachable antenna makes the sound quality low-latency high-fidelity lossless transmission.

-The headphone amp part uses the classic MAX9722 audio decoder chip.

-Adopt 6N3 tube, Bluetooth QCC3008 chip + 1543 decoder chip.

The now-forgotten A7 is definitely a cousin of the same company's older version A4. In fact, the relationship probably stemmed from really early on, when the TDA1543 chip had not yet run out. As we have emphasized in the Douk U4/PJ Miaolai A4 (U4/A4) threads quoted above, their current products do not sport the classic chip. And so we came to why I bought this amp - in the hope that its obscurity (nothing on the internet, and deadwood) means that I can get a TDA1543 product. Result? Well, I'm not sure at all! Read on...

I bought it for a very tiny sum during TB 618 (less than a bowl of wonton noodles in HK). The first thing I did when I received it was of course to open it up (hence the pic above). It's construction is very much like the U4/A4, with a daughter board housing the tube. Unfortunately, it's also seems to be hard-soldered to the main board via many pins. Again, this precluded my taking a good look as to whether there is a TDA1543 chip around. It's also amazing that the very limited space there can house an amp. Kudos to digital amp!

Facilities are very limited for this tiny amp. You have BT and 3.5 Aux in, that's all.

Earphone I didn't test it out, but I expect it to be exactly the same as the U4/A4, which is very good.

Bluetooth It shows up as PJ Miaolai (no, not A7, nor A4 etc), and seems to be very similar to its sibling A4 (Douk U4). Connectivity seems the same, that is with hiccups sometimes (follow the previous threads) but I'm OK with my old Samsung cell. I wish Shawn P and his App are around to tell me what this BT is, SBC? I'm pretty sure it is. Apt X support? Doubtful. But then, how good is the BT sound? Supported by a TB BT antenna, sound is as good as U4/A4, perhaps even better. The A7 is now permanent in my setup with the Sansui. It's good enough to have shifted my playback habits to more reliance on BT. When the sonic qualities are not so far away, BT can be very attractive.

Aux 3.5 works perfectly well and sounds very good, of course. I could have tested this input more but I didn't.

Power With only a 12V supply, the claimed output is likely way too optimistic. BUT, matched with my efficient Sansui speakers, sound was beyond reproach! With such limited real estate and minimal components, I'd think twice about increasing the voltage of the PS. It survived my 24V (very brief) but I'd not vouch for it. This 12V (rated at 4A) seems to be fairly powerful. But then my loudspeakers are efficient. It also drives my Beydas well enough.

Sound This is the million dollar question! I'm glad to report that it is very very good, provided you make a few adjustments: 1) I did not even use the stock Russian 6N3 and went straight to the JAN GE 5670 (see our U4/A4 threads); 2) it needs a bit of run in to smooth out some roughness; 3) it needs forgiving loudspeaker cables, like that provided by my "Belden 1309A" 

So? How good is that? I'm not sure how to say it. It's good enough to be a Reference here. In fact the A7's arrival significantly changed my setup here in SZ. It is now a permanent fixture for my Sansui loudspeakers. It made me use BT. It does not have the tonal generosity of my all tubed amplification but it makes up for it in its crisp and incisive delivery. THAT is a good few watts!

I'd reckon I'm hearing some of the TDA1543 qualities (supreme rhythm, at the expense of a little grain overall) but, since I cannot get to the part of the main board under the daughter board, I cannot vouch for it. If you do, let me know.

What I do know is that, this is a great little achiever! If your loudspeakers are efficient and the very limited input suits, think of trying it out. I haven't compared directly, but I'm pretty sure I prefer it to the Aiyima T9.

6V6 Overview 6J4 6P6P Preamp

With the 6V6G's the Preamp looks like an SEAmp!

Talk Tube: 6V6

6J4/6P6P Preamp, Part III

6J4/6P6P Preamp, Part I (basic info), Part II (cable mod)

As mentioned previously, these days I cross over to Hong Kong every week or two, and sometimes bring back things to test out in SZ. I had mentioned WE tubes, and I've brought back a few more since, but that's not the focus of this article (a later one maybe).

Overview: 6V6

Regular readers shall know that I'm a great fan of the 6V6. Tube enthusiasts should read this excellent Wiki entry on Beam-Tetrode. As mentioned in the article, aside from the rare MOV prototype, the US 6L6 was the first of this family to be released - and, I may add, to become one of the most famous tubes ever. First released right after the 6L6 (likely in 1936), like its bigger brother the 6V6 has been in continuous production (worldwide, if not the US). 

Push Pull Its use in PP (about 6-8 watts) vintage radios and amplifiers was ubiquitous. With the emergence of vinyl (7", then LP), when audio gradually became well domesticated, many manufacturers offered modestly powered PP 6V6, EL84 and 6L6 in their catalogue (in increasing power, to be joined by more powerful EL34, 7591/7868 and 6550 later as loudspeakers got more inefficient). First in Consoles, then Stand Alone's. This lasted many years (about 2 decades) from the early Mono era to when Stereo was well established. This blog has covered Bell and Grommes (mono integrated) amps and even, recently, the relatively recent ANUK Kit 4! They sound absolutely great with the cheapest and most ubiquitous of straight bottled 6V6GTs. Due to the limited power on hand, your loudspeakers cannot be too inefficient and your room cannot be too big, and head banging music is a no-no). Due to the way home audio developed, when it comes to vintage, there were few 6V6 Stereo amps. In the modern era, there have been very few commercial 6V6 amps, the tube mostly relegated to the domains of DIY and boutique amp makers. One can understand why. The smaller sized EL84 can offer more useful power in a smaller footprint, whereas 6V6 would take up as much space as EL34 etc. And so, we have quite a few EL84 PP amps out there (Leben, Manley, just two that popped into my mind; this is not to count the large number of cheap [but good] Chinese 6P14 amps, more if you include the closely related 6P1 [different pin-out, for which convertors are readily available]). In comparison, there is almost no Western commercial 6V6 amp (the only one I can think of is Swissonor; not counting the [worthwhile] Chinese 6P6P amps, less in number than 6P14 but still a worthwhile presence).

SE There were earlier vintage ones that were Single Ended (used in radio etc), but they are not commonly seen now. Aside from boutique offerings The hybrid Elekit TU-8150 is a rare one. I see now there are cheap Chinese Boyuu ones). It is really not recommended for anyone other than efficient horn users.

Guitar Amps As you can see, today there are not many 6V6 Audio users out there, not much of a market. The only reason why current manufacturers still make modern versions of 6V6s is because they are in great demand from Guitar Players (true for many other tube types too). Many famous Guitarists swear by the tone of the 6V6. BTW, many of the tube rolling opinions on the net are from Guitar players and, despite the overlap, they are quite different from tube audiophiles really; so read with that in mind.

Variants There are many almost forgotten relatives in the immediate family, like 6F6, 6K6 and 6H6, among others (not 6L6, which is much higher power). Among these, the 6F6 has an underground reputation of being closest to the very expensive WE349A. Mind you, none are exact equivalents, but WE349A has always been regarded as the "best" 6V6. Indeed, the sound of the WE133, which is 349A PP, is mesmerizingly great! Exact Equivalents like 7408 and Bendix 5992 are much more expensive and IMHO not necessarily better in sound (more rugged in built for sure). 6AQ5 This is a much smaller tube, even smaller than the EL84, that has the same electrical properties of a 6V6. However, in sonic terms, I regret to say it's just a little behind the larger-enveloped 6V6, as documented in the Elekit report cited above.

"Best" 6V6? GT The sheer number of working old-stock 6V6GT Pull's is pretty amazing. There are so many different types of constructions, it's like 45. I myself have a large box of them. The most ubiquitous (and easier to pair up) seems to be the smoked glass RCA's, very fine sounding and what I usually use. But there are black glass Ken-Rads, and an endless variety of latter day clear glass GT's. G

There are many fewer ST ones are they command higher prices. I'd not bother with the over-priced European NOS ones. Also see below. Russian, Chinese and Current Tubes My old ANUK Kit 4 came with Russian tubes, and they all failed very quickly (no problem with RCA)! I once had a SINOVT/Raphaelite 6V6 amp that came with extra tubes, including "Tung-Sol" Russian tubes. Nothing to write home about and not as good as any old-stock. As for the Chinese 6P6P, black bottles, they are OK, but old-stock better still. Message? Forget about current tubes; just plug old-stock ones into your amp and you will be guaranteed great sound. The 6V6 is that good. As usual, I'd buy used but test strong old tubes from reputable sellers.

 

Tube Lore Among older HK tube audiophiles, the 6V6 has always been regarded as 琴王, King of the Violin (just as the LS3/5A, Ensemble Reference and Sonus faber Guarneri were regarded as best transducers for the instrument). I'd say, even if there's an element of truth there, it's too categorical as to be laughable. But an element of truth is that the 6V6 has very good treble purity and transient speed, and these are beneficial to violin replay.

Also, the similar 6F6 is used as driver in two of my Wavac amps, the 811 and 300B. The stock uses GTs and they are more detailed and have more oomph, whereas the 6F6Gs I acquired later bring a more solid texture at the loss of a little detail. In my systems I prefer the Gs but I can well imagine the GTs doing better in other systems.

Although I subscribe to the view that for most tube types in general the larger the envelope the better the sound (e.g. earlier Globe and ST better than GT), Years ago, some tube idiots hosted a poorly set up shootout of 6V6 types. I think it was a Radio Craftsman RC_ amp. That's where I heard the British 6V6G tube, thick, sluggish and altogether lacking in resolution. Well, that was favored by some of the "experts" and I decided then and there to part ways with them. Mind you, 6V6 has only minimal presence in the UK (or Europe), being mostly an American phenomenon.

While searching for WE tubes I came across three 6V6Gs (which I've not used) in one of my boxes. What the hell, I brought two back to SZ. They are not the same, one a smoked glass (Sylvania) and another a "Delco". 

6V6G in 6J4/6P6P Preamp, Part III

I plugged them into my 6J4/6P3P Preamp, which since I had been going to HK had used RCA 6V6GTs. I had also brought over a Hytron (black plate) 6X5, which surprised me by how superior it is to the Raytheon I had been using. A much clearer and more incisive sound!

Surprise! They 6V6G sound just as detailed and have just as good transients as my RCA's! What I gained were a larger sound envelope and an even cleaner sound. As this has not always been the case with G tubes, I was very pleased. These are staying in this preamp!

These improvements, though incremental, are still significant.

Streaming Classical

Streaming Classical (24-2)

Piano Chinese American George Li has already released several albums. His pristine and surprisingly subtle pianism are heard best on Opus Klassik Awards winner Live from the Mariinsky as well as the newer Movements (both on Warner). In the latter, he plays Ravel and Schumann ravishingly (as you know, I don't take to Schumann piano works easily). Another pianist of Chinese heritage is Tianqi Du, who broke out a while ago with an excellent Bach Goldberg Variations; now comes an album of good Bach Concertos (both on Naive). I'm a fan of Zlata Chochieva, recommended here before. Her latest double album, Im Freien (Naive) is just wonderful. Here you shall find the same juxtaposition of Schumann and Ravel, as in George Li's album recommended above. On the Fortepiano, Olga Pashchenko (recommended before) has a pair of impeccable Mozart Concertos albums 9+17, 20+23 (Naive). The contribution of the period orchestra Il Gardelino are well nigh perfect. These sound better than Robert Levin's series on AAM own label (where he is balanced too far back). For Duo Piano, a surprisingly satisfying program, Vienna, Theme and Variations, from Pianoduo Amacord (Zip Records). Why surprisingly, you may ask? Well, I'm even more demanding of Piano Duos than Solo Pianists (you guessed it, Labeque Sisters have never made it on to my very short list; and then there are the utterly forgettable recordings like DG's Jussen Brothers). To close this section, another new name, Reed Tetzloff, whose Beethoven PC4/5 (Aparte) are surprisingly engaging!

Harpsichord While I've rarely been moved by his classical recordings (on ECM), somehow I had overlooked Keith Jarrett's CPE Bach Wurttemburg Sonatas (on the piano), which are just dynamite and, yes, I enjoy them more than on the harpsicord (vs Esfahani)! That says a lot, as I don't usually dig CPE.

Violin A David Oistrakh pupil, Liana Isakadze is forgotten now. Recently, there had been a spate of very good Schoenberg VC's, but her old account (TYXart) holds its own! The Moscow SO under Kornienko played with great character, and the rest of the orchestral program are excellent too! DG's newest fiddler lady Maria Duenas delivers a refreshing Beethoven (VC) album, well supported by VSO/Honeck. It's been a while for a new album of Janine Jansen, but the new Sibelius and Prokofiev with Oslo/Makela (Decca) is just wonderful! 

Organ Anna Lapwood's 2 albums on Sony are eclectic and hugely enjoyable!

Trio I find it pretty amazing that there are so many Trios on the horizon, and for me most are better than Trios of the past (like the over-rated, overly safe and plain Jane Beaux Arts). The refined Neave Trio has many recordings, but I particularly like the newest Rooted and the older French Moments (Chandos). Trio Khaldei's newest album has a transcription of Debussy's La Mer, and it's just sensational! The rest of the program is good too in a somewhat reverberant recording (Evil Penguin).

String Quartet Polish Apollon Musagete Quartet is unusually refined for a young ensemble. Their latest recording is the best Schubert I've heard in a while (Chopin Institute). Also try out Russian Soul (Oehms) and their Panufnik to start.

Chamber I'm not quite a fan of Francesca Dego as Solo Violinist but on her chamber music recordings with friends and stablemates all sound very good. Mozart Piano Quartets are very refined and the Horn Trios with Martin Owens are all wonderful (Chandos). The Mozart PQs have long been personal favs and are somehow in vogue now! Another recording led by Finghin Collins (Claves) is even better! The excellent Armida Quartet and pianist Martin Klett team up for a superb Franck and Martin album (Avi). And my beloved Calefax Reed Quintet's newest American Rhapsody album is just the right thing to cheer one up (Pentatone).

Baroque

Guido Belastracci delivers a fabulous Viola da Gamba program, Virtuosity and Grace (Arcana). Ha! Good things can come in pairs, as this program also contains CPE. Gaspard La Roux received royal treatment from Justin Taylor and his mentor William Christie (Harmonia Mundi). I'll listen to anything played by Cafe Zimmermann, and the newest Young and Foolish (Alpha) is as good as any. Mozart and again CPE. That's 3 albums that I recommend that contain CPE, highly unusual!

Orchestral

The biggest surprise is Mahler 9 played with period instruments, as performed by the little known Mahler Academy Orchestra under Steinaecker (Alpha). This shoots straight to the top of my M9 list! Quite a sonic treat! Villa Lobos' Uirapuru was made famous by Stokowski's album on Everest. But I think the Odense Symphony under Jan Wagner is even better in performance and sound (Bridge). HKPO's newest director Tarmo Peltokoski has his debut recording on DG. The Mozart is decent. Mezzo Stella Doufexis' French orchestral song program is impeccable, and the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland under Karl-Heinz Steffens deserve equal credit. This album is no less enchanting than, say, Schwarzkopf's Strauss songs.

Choral

No, not the usual lukewarm Brit Choral music so bafflingly beloved by Brit critics. The Bruckner Motets performed by UK's St Albans Cathedral Choir under Andrew Lucas (First Hand) are really sublime, and I've known these pieces for a long time, being a Bruckner fan(atic). Another surprise is Ein Deutches Barockrequiem performed by Vox Luminis under Lionel Meunier (Ricercar). This is a highly scholarly effort to mirror the baroque texts of Brahms' German Requiem. Although a huge Brahms fan, I still haven't taken to his German Requiem, whereas I like this album very much. One has to listen very intently to both of these albums to get the full impact. Not background music.

New Music

A surprisingly large entry, this batch! Garth Knox (a viola player himself) compositions are never boring. The newest Open Spaces with the Ragazze Quartet (Channel) is no exception. If you like it, check out his older ECM albums D'Amore and Salterello. I've long been a fan of Lera Auerbach, and the latest offering of her Violin pieces by Christine Bernsted (Naxos) is sublime. I also find the compositions of Philip Sawyers highly worthwhile. His latest Double Concerto album feature soloists of the supreme caliber of no less than Daniel Rowland and Maja Bogdanovic (Nimbus). But, really, check out all his compositions, they are that good! Another staggeringly good composer is Liza Lim. I really dug the sonorous delights in her latest Annunciation Tryptych (Kairos). As for the old guard, I liked Kagel's odd Organ compositions, as in "Rrrr...", performed by Gerd Zacher (Aulos) and the older Heterophonie (Wergo). As for long-time fav Schnittke, I love his little known compositions on  Discoveries (Toccata Classics). Quite a gem. For this audiophile, these new(ish) compositions are the best way to appreciate our systems.

Historical Eudice Shapiro (Doremi) is very good and sonically decent.

Tokyo Disk Union Jazz Guide Sun Audio

Letter from Tokyo (24-1)

Talk Vinyl: Disk Union

Written in Shenzhen

Just spent a week with family in Tokyo, a last minute decision. Although the yen had plummeted tremendously, hotel costs are still considerable (for poor me) during the high season. So we stayed in a residential area off-center, close to the Nishi-Kasai Station on the Tozai Line. The newish Rembrandt Hotel (there are 2 near each other) turned out to be very nice, with good beds, clean rooms and a friendly staff (also Cafeteria, Washing Machines, Ice Dispenser and Microwave). We stayed for a week and it felt like home base. Due to its proximity to some educational institutions and international schools the hotel has a lot of visiting exchange students. I encountered a large Chinese group from Beijing (they seemed much more sophisticated than our SZ Students - I talked to their teacher in the cafeteria a little and they are Japanese Language students). Another even larger Korean group - every guy is toweringly big!!! The area is quiet but just diverse enough to have all kinds of restaurants, including Vietnamese and very good Indian (not just one, but 3, and they were authentic and patronized by Indians)! I asked the friendly Nepalese waiter why so many Indians around, and he said it's because of the IT profession. The metro station complex housed many small but good restaurants. I loved the BBQ restaurant (where we had delicious Kobe beef), which was probably Korean run, and the beef soup and seafood pancake were simply marvelous, better than our NYC Flushing Korean restaurants. The Soba noodle shop (eating standing up, as per tradition) was also particularly wonderful.  Recommended!

The iconic Tokyo Tower. No, no monsters nor heroes around.

I had been in Tokyo twice before, Kyoto/Osaka/Kobe/Nagoya once, and Hokkaido once, but that was all more than 20 years ago! So it was gratifying to see that Narita Airport is much better than before. It took a while to get re-acquainted with the Tokyo Metro. For a seasoned traveler, especially Chinese who can read the Hanji, it's actually not particularly difficult. The real difficulty is to figure out the particular ticket plan suitable for you! There are so many options! Making things more complicated is that there are 2 major metro companies, the Tohei and the Tokyo Metro. We stuck mostly with the one-day ticket of the latter (which has more lines and serves Nishi-Kasai), even if it meant a few extra stops sometimes for changing to the right line. At first I was going to purchase Suica Cards (which conveniently can ride all lines, with no discount, kinda like our HK Octopus Card) but was told they are no longer sold, being phased out due to shortage of chips!!!!! Can that be true???? Casualty of Political War? This was conveyed to me by the metro staff (of very limited English ability and variable patience), sometimes via cellphone translator App.

After having lived in mammoth Shenzhen for so long now, central Tokyo actually felt quite compact this time. Even though we lived near the eastern edge, travelling to the western hotspots like Ikebukuro and Shibuya were quite manageable, even with all the walking and stairs due to various transfers in this ancient maze. There is definite over-tourism. Chinese tourists were everywhere; from their dialects I estimated a third each from China, Taiwan and HK. Western readers may know about Japan's criminal imperialism and atrocities in China, but they likely do not know Taiwan was a former Japanese colony too (indeed the capital Taipei feels quite Japanese in layout, based on the Tang Dynasty blue maps), and that even HK was occupied by Japan too. Despite the huge historical obstacle, there is good reason why the too-forgiving Chinese flock to Japan. Proximity in distance as well as relatable culture and food all play a part. Despite nationalism and political schism, the people, Chinese tourists and Japanese locals, overall are nice to each other. There is everything to admire and emulate in Japanese service attitudes. There is good reason why it's a premier travel destination. Asshole HK administrators should travel more to see why their own city comes up way short. Instead of loudly proclaiming that HK is a world city, these puppet fellows know nothing.

It actually felt great each day to return to the hotel area. Eating even in the local Isakaya felt quite civilized (the experience can be crazily animated in the city center). Sometimes we were really tired and just brought back food from the local supermarket (great choice of ready-to-eat foods) to enjoy in the room. I have always enjoyed eating in Japan. It'd be rare indeed to find a totally negative experience (unlike HK).

Click pics to enlarge. For better resolution maybe, go to the link provided.

As I didn't prepare for it at all, it was a miracle that I chanced upon some of the Disk Union Record Stores:

• Official pdf, on the main stores, from which these maps were culled. I wish I had read this before I went, but that's for you.

• The first one came by accident. We were randomly walking on a narrow street (which I always favor over main streets) in Shinjuku; imagine my joy when I spotted the store! The store I visited was the smaller 2 on the left map (only 4 stories), not knowing that the bigger 8-stories one 1 was so close-by (described in this article)!  I only had half an hour in the Jazz section and got two records.

• 

• For the second one I did a little homework before going to Shibuya, but failed to find any store. Frustrated after half an hour I wandered down to the Parco Department Store basement (pic below) and was shocked to find a tiny store there 2 . Got a couple too. Yeah, despite the limited stock, which is still more than what you'll find in some Western stores! The store clerk also pointed me to Store 1 finally, and I bought a couple more. 
• 
• Finally, on the last full day I wanted to visit the Audio Union in Ochanomizu. I did the homework and finding it A was a breeze. Nothing too interesting there however. What really thrilled me was that the Disk Union store is just across the street 3 , and it is a LARGE store, with a HUGE jazz section! I bought quite a few! This is a much quieter area than the others, and highly recommended.

• I only bought Jazz. Why? Because Japanese pressings of Jazz are really bargains. As per current taste, Disk Union caters much more to Jazz and Pop. In the few maps, you shall see that classical is a tiny part of it. Classicals are also not really worth much. Some of the titles I bought just for practical reasons, and I already have some of them in original American form. I can easily sell or give away Side to Side and Back to Back, as an example. I plan to play all of them on my tiny low-end Sound Burger! For old times sake, let's say.

• 20 years ago I'd have bought a LOT more. But this time I just got a few for fun. I resolutely restricted my budget. The cheapest one I got was 480Y, and I stayed mostly below the 1,500Y mark. I think only 3 records cost more than 1,000Y. This is just me. If you are a jazz lover, and are into vinyl, I highly suggest you go on a pilgrimage to Tokyo, enjoy the food and shopping instead of buying costly re-issues (which are plentiful in these stores too). Even if you fly on a cheap airline, make sure you book a 20kg (at least) luggage for the return trip. Yes, IMHO, for those in HK, China and Taiwan (and Asia), it's worth just going to Tokyo for vinyl hunt.

• Japanese vinyls are the best preserved in the world. Very little trouble, and u can visually inspect before paying. There are basically no duds.

• I'd focus on the cheaper Jap pressings. They are of good quality and plentiful (usually quieter but less dynamic than Western originals, but very good nonetheless). There are many titles that u will be hard put to find in the western world. Don't get fixated that u have to have the US Blue Note first pressing, wrong place for that!. The Jap pressings are the bargains; remember there was one long period when US consumers of all genres sought out Japanese vinyls for better surface quality!

• If you hit all these stores, you shall realize that they have tons of each title (popular ones I mean of course), priced variously. Of ourse, Sax giants are favored. There's no hurry, just shop around. They know their prices too. Jap jazz fans are like Chinese ones, more conservative, and albums like Coleman Hawkins are plentiful and cheap, whereas any by Ornette Coleman (my fav) are not cheap and not so plentiful. It's a supply and demand issue, as always. Know what you want! I'd say for the average Asian jazz lover into traditional jazz, it's a paradise.

• If u peruse the Japanese Disk Union website, they actually have many more (smaller) stores scattered around! But, really, even if you visit a couple, it's more than enough (I'm speaking of Jazz, much duplication between stores). I'd say the must-see stores are the Shinjuku Main Store (which I've not visited, LOL)  and the Ochanomizou Store. If u are a serious jazz collector, plan on spending a day there.

• If u are a hip-hop or other genre fan, this guide still points you to many many stores. Just read the fine prints in each map.

Mitsuru san of Sun Audio looks very well! Father is old and stays at home now.

 

Akihabara and Sun Audio Perhaps my memories are faulty, Akihabara certainly looks very different from what I remembered (my woefully outdated guide, which perhaps I should take down). We got out of the Kanda station, and as mentioned, just before crossing the Mansei Bridge, to the right is the street where Sun Audio is located. Without Hino Audio downstairs, I missed the building. I was lucky that there were a couple of young couriers around, and they pointed me to Sun Audio. I just popped in briefly to say hello. After crossing the bridge, somehow I could not find the Radio Kaikan building (I doubt there is much hifi there now). If any reader has been there, let me know. I'd have liked to go to HiFiDo but was not up to it on that day. So nothing much to report on Akihabara.

How about that! A good Vinyl Store in a packed Food Court!

Like many of us, the Royalty liked a drink or two

Toumani Diabate

Letter from Shenzhen (24-9): Toumani Diabate

I just learned of the death of this incredibly talented Kora player from Mali, at only 58. Here is a short Obituary and Discography from Prestomusic.

I only have one CD of his, Kulanjan, which I bought after the recommendation of another audiophile. It has remained one of my absolute favorite pop CDs as well as Audio Test CD and has previously featured in this blog too. See entry in AllAboutJazz and Wikipedia.

Everything about the album is perfect: the understated but appropriate and thoughtful cover art; the pristine sound; the like-live atmosphere; the absolutely spine tingling playing by Toumani Diabate (and his musicians) and the excellent evergreen Taj Mahal; and the mesmerizing female vocals of Ramatou Diakite. The result is Exaltation!

One important thing about this album is its genuine nature - Taj Mahal and Diabate blended together so well they are inseparable. "World Music" seldom appeals to me, but this is the real thing. Something I have said before, take a past example: I think Paul Simon's Graceland is hopelessly over-rated (Paul Simon does his own simple things and the African musicians do theirs). Not at all on the same level.

Personally I'm quite fond of the Mali sound. Another wonderful singer songwriter is Rokia Traore, whom I've written about before.

Check them out!

Douk U4 PJ Miaolai A4 Part II

Review: Douk U4 (aka PJ Miaolai A4), Part II

Douk U4 Part I  from Doctorjohn has all the basic info.

Part II here comprises experiences from ELO and Shawn P, chronicled in detail. It's actually fascinating, as always, to read about people struggling to make their gear work for them. It also shows how fastidious we are here in leaving no stone unturned for items we deem worthwhile (even if flawed). Compare that with reviews on the net (not to mention youtubers).

From Left, Douk U4, Aiyima A08 Pro, UMI II Clarity Plus atop UMI 1, Douk E6. The cloth cable is Sommer ("Studer")

From ELO: The Encounter of Douk U4, a Rollercoaster Story: Regret, Love, Hate and Redemption

I know, it sounds like a Love Story more than an equipment review, LMAO!! Below, in chronological order, as is usual with a Love Story...

Initial Woes Had the U4 for a while already, but was reluctant to implement it into my setup as the setup was in such a good position that I was afraid any slight modification will ruin the balance that had been so hard to achieve. However, the versatility of the U4 was tempting. I could hook it up to TV for Youtube music, connect my newly acquired Sound Burger (Yes, I bought one due to its versatility and ease of use and small form factor). Also, it can potentially play Tidal music through my phone, tablet and laptop!

A small hiccup to start. No sound with the stock 6N3. Several tries and I took a pic for DJ, who pointed out that the tube had lost its vacuum (oxidized white stuff) and that I had probably used too much force inserting the tube. I bought from TB a JAN GE 5670; it arrived soon and the unit worked fine. Everything below is with the 5670 tube.

When I first tried the U4 connected directly to my Aiyima A08 Pro, the latency was so severe it was not at all listenable. However, it was perfectly normal when my TV was connected to U4 through BT and sound had improved from using the Aiyima A08 Pro alone by a margin that was worth the implementation. Bass was taut and overall sound was more transparent.

Since my setup is 90% serving music streamed through Tidal, at this point U4 had seemed like a chicken bone - I could have it or not have it and it wouldn't affect me too much.

Conundrum While U4 flourished in my analog playback through Sound Burger (see below), I was still finding a lot of problems with my BT Tidal Streaming.

I tried to play Tidal through BT from my Tablet and the latency was so bad it was absolutely unbearable! The next morning, I tried it with my laptop as well as my mobile phone and the results were the same. DJ figured this might be because of the poor wifi signal at home, but then I tested my laptop and it clocked in at 690MB/s in downloading which is totally respectable! Then I turned off the wifi of my mobile phone and used pure 5G data to receive music signal and again, latency still persisted, so it's not the issue of poor wifi signal from my router.

After a long debug process, all I could suspect was that the Bluetooth version of my laptop, phone and tablet were not compatible with U4 (Shawn P has also some problem with his U4, shoosh; see below)...Perhaps I need an older version of phones to try it out again later. But even with the latency, I could still notice that the sound quality behind the stuttering was actually very decent! So I was not giving it up yet!

Tide Turning As the Sound Burger did connect via BT with the U4 and indeed flourished with the full metal jacket lineup of U4, E6 and UMI Duo (here), that rekindled my hope in U4. 

USB vs WEA (Ethernet) One day, silly me finally remembered that the U4 does have a USB input. I picked up a cheap USB A to C cable from a gadget shop and hooked it up to my Laptop and played music through Tidal music. I was flabbergasted, the music that came out shocked me by how musical and smooth it was, while maintaining the delicacy, speed and attack. It drew me in to listening without critiquing. I felt that in some songs the details, speed and microdynamics were even slightly better than my WEA! That was crazy! Every song that I played was so enjoyable that I am still in disbelief. So far in my experience, for all new equipment installed in my setup , none can better or even come close to the trusted WEA but Tidal through USB to U4 's sound matched it at least. Bravo!

The next morning, I was all gun-ho for a big session. I immediately started playing some familiar songs on the WEA. They were as good as usual, the way it should be. After a few songs to get my feet warmed up, I began to switch over to U4 with USB cable connected to my Laptop. Here are my observations:

This U4 is a rhythm machine with a highly engaging sound. There was not a bit of harshness and it had very good microdynamics and detail retrieval, especially when it comes to tracing the changes, the ebb and flow, the attack, dynamic and speed changes of violin, which is extremely difficult to reproduce. U4 seems to effortlessly achieve this, with flying colours.

Bass is good; while not the hefty, authentic type, you will not feel it lacking. Treble may not be as airy as WEA but again not lacking. But it is its musicality and ability to engage the listener that is quite rare in nowadays hifi equipment. Midrange is U4's game: smooth, slick, yet not sluggish, muddy or slow. I felt I did pick up addition details like fingering technique changes in guitar playback! No mean feat!

BT Restored! Previously, with BT my laptop had experienced terrible latency and sound was unlistenable. I didn't believe in fate and gave it another try on this morning. Surprise surprise! There was not even one bit of latency detected!!! I could then play and change songs remotely instead of running back and forth from my couch! Perhaps, this is the biggest driving force behind in retrying the bluetooth! My CEO was happy that at least got some exercise with all this song changing process. But not anymore now LOL! I have reverted back to a couch potato again.

The BT sound is very respectable with the TB Antenna which DJ helped me source. Highs are a bit screechy but the much needed treble energy of violin playback is there intact. Compared to USB, it is also richer in body and tone, but at the expense of trading off slightly (without affecting the enjoyment) clarity and the addictive foot tapping element (still has it though). Overall sound is very respectable, a trade off of hifi aspects in return for being able to remotely control the songs is more than welcome!

Can't be more happy since I have two sets of system both working nicely.

Douk U4 vs Wattson Emerson Analog For various reasons, I wasn't sure entirely whether this is a paragraph that I should write. WEA is such a great little device and I think it can compete against equipment costing many times more. WEA is like a foundation of my setup, which is now being shaken by this little U4...

With the U4, it is even more shocking to me since it can legitimately give my WEA run for the money! I think WEA sounds more hifi with better attenuation on high, more authoritative bass too. WEA does have more clarity and instrument separation and air. U4 came in with PRAT maxed out, more smoothness, and even more emotionally involving, less digital harshness whatsoever!

One other thing that U4 can do over WEA is that now I can play Youtube through U4 USB connection to the highest format !!!

Verdict There is no clear winner and both hold their own forte well and firmly. I prefer U4 in some ways and WEA in others. U4 is definitely a giant killer of another giant killer in WEA! That's no small feat to me. Given the progression from my lukewarm impression in the beginning to today's experience! That is so polarized! Kudos to U4 and I have completely transformed from a doubter to a total believer in a most dramatic way! I think this should be credited to my curiosity and inquisitive nature. At one moment I was ready to hand it back to DJ!! LOL

Latest update

After replacing the power supply of my modem to a DIY LPS and a Sommer LAN  cable, my latest preference is still WEA for streaming Tidal. But now playing YouTube music through U4 is so frigging fantastic and so is sound coming out from playing vinyl via Sound Burger through U4! 

Dilemma The dilemma has arisen...which setup shall I play every morning??! Until then, this is ELO  signing off! Before that, go quickly grab a Douk U4 or PJ.Miaolai A4 ! Both are almost identical.

From Shawn P

My first encounter with the Douk U4 (in my case, a PJ.Miaolai A4) was on the day when I met doctorjohn in person for the first time (also the redoubtable man-about-town icefox, and others).  Albeit, we had been in contact for more than a year, perhaps close to two years by then.  

Nevertheless, immediately before my encounter with this RMB200 (less than US$30) unit; we were listening to a system which was worth multi-million Hong Kong dollars and it shows you how diversified doctorjohn is.

The Douk U4 between the two parts of the Kinnie Bluetooth Player. As you can see, the very thin Antenna Wire (said to be culled from WE equipment) is connected to the U4. Bluetooth used with RCA Out. Also see one of the pics below for the mysterious Terminal Box of the Kinnie Antenna SMA connector.

I heard plenty about the U4 from doctorjohn but honestly I was not interested mainly because I had the ifi ZEN Blue BT receiver and was not too keen on buying another BT unit. To echo what doctorjohn mentioned, I heard the U4 for the first time with a pretty good set up (here), an 845 self-built amp in a very nice venue (Thank you 生哥).  The BT sounded ok with the stock antenna but it sounded a lot nicer with the Kinnie special antenna (same ink).  The first encounter with the U4 was short but at least the sound was enjoyable; still, not interested enough to buy one.

Well then what made me purchase one?  Doctorjohn subsequently mentioned U4 multiple times and I thought this little guy must have gotten something right.  One evening, doctorjohn told me he purchased the PJ Miaolai A4 at an even lower price.  The price was certainly one that “cannot go wrong” and I pulled the trigger.  

A4 arrived and my initial system consisted of a stock A4, phone (using USB Audio Player Pro), MX500 look-alike headphones (less than CNY20 and not bad).  That’s right, only headphones this time, I did not hook this up with my amp and speakers.  

Initial test, random music from Tidal through BT but wait; no matter what I did, my phone would only use SBC codec but the Taobao page stated that the unit was aptX HD compatible.  I messaged the seller and the seller confirmed that this is a “new” version which no longer uses aptX HD and I echo with doctorjohn again that the U4/A4 specs keep changing and it is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get (sort of).  

How did the SBC codec sound?  Not bad, at least I did not dislike it.  aptX HD, LDAC alike aren’t guarantee for good BT sound. I do not like how my Xiaomi 13T BT sounds and it uses LDAC.  That said, I believe the SBC codec is limiting how good the U4 could sound and certainly would not do any justice to the A4.

For USB testing I used the trusted USB Audio Player Pro which sends bit-perfect files to the dac and since Tidal upgraded its monthly plan; all hi-res files are now available to me but that became a problem.  

As mentioned by doctorjohn the A4 uses PCM2704 which takes up to 48kHz, 16-bit files, many of the bit-perfect hi-res files were not playable.  The main issue was the sampling rate, anything higher than 48kHz would not be exported to U4, higher bit rates were ok as the beauty of binary is that you can simply disregard the last 6 bits from a 24-bit file to make it 16-bit.  Easy!

Well, I did not have this issue before the Tidal plan upgrade as Tidal would simply convert all hi-res to 44.1kHz and 16-bit files but now Tidal does not do it.  Oh well, I just stay with something with 48kHz or less sampling rates.

Enough of the old DAC issue, so how did it sound with USB?  Not bad but I did not like how the highs sounded which sounded rough and a bit irritating.  But I must say A4 can be used as a stand alone headphone amp and it has enough juice to get really loud.  It is definitely much better than many USB dongle DACs, even better than some very expensive ones.  

I listened to A4 with the stock tube for a couple of days so I would know for sure if tube rolling would affect the A4 and the first (and only so far) tube I rolled was the GE JAN5670W and what a difference the 5670 made!  It completely transformed the A4 and most of the irritating highs were gone, the A4 sounded more musical.  

However, I am a bit confused as to what the tube is doing in the circuit.  I noticed the tube did get relatively warm/hot which was an indication that the filament was getting enough juice but when I tapped on the tube, I could not hear anything even though 5670 is notorious for being microphonic.  What confuses me even more is that tube-rolling did affect U4 significantly.  

Oh well, if it sounds good, I don't really care.  I do recommend the U4.

Editor: Our writers are both esteemed professionals in their respective sectors, who write for interest. Unlike me, they are very busy people and I thank them for their time (no compensation to boot). As to what's presented here, if that's not investigative journalism, I don't know what is! In comparison, aesthetically and in practice, I had an easier time in Part I. Even more than I, they left no stone unturned. There is nowhere else where you will find this kind of obsessive working out of a piece of "cheap" gear from a user's ergonomic angle (we are not technocrats). We don't give up easily. Never Say Die (especially with "temperamental" gems like Douk U4 and E6) is a crucial factor in obtaining good sound.

ELO's heart-felt comparison of U4(A4) and WEA was indeed heart-wrenching and heart-warming! Kudos! Absolute Sound Treatment (mind you, I could only deliver that with my ears but not with my Streaming equipment, as I just stream casually)! And Shawn P's obsession with Streaming parameters also revealed unique and highly useful information. U can take that whatever U4(A4) you buy will be like his, SBC, no AptXD whatever. I myself am just a casual Streaming fellow, but I'm impressed by his App USB Audio Pro, which is very cheap and useful. It tells you everything about the file you're listening to! Investigate! While we here do not believe the more hi-res the better (too many factors in the digital chain) and indeed probably believe (at least me and icefox etc) the most primitive BT chips (like Chinese ones) with minimal function sound better than higher-spec'ed ones with extraneous and noise inducing peripheries, we are always willing to combine listening with data (unlike garbage "audio science" sites who know not at all how to listen). The U4(A4) is the best example of sonic performance (if not instant connectivity) that flies hard in the face of numbers and "science". Another proof is the well reviewed iFi Zen (Qualcomm), which Shawn P has and which ELO ditched in favor of a lowly Chinese one (here is the fascinating article).

Me? As BT had not always been a major portal of listening I have only had cheap Chinese BT. They are ALL good! But the tube-equipped U4(A4) is a cut above. It's now almost in exclusive use for me in China. In fact, I love it so much that I bought a similar AMP, the PJ Miaolai A7 which I shall write about soon. And I'm listening to BT more...