Year in Review 2024

Click pic to enlarge. This is an older iteration. Top shelf, Kondo M7, PJ Miaolai A4; middle, SMPS, 6P6P Preamp, Philips AK601 CDP; lower, BRZ FU-50 Amp. Flanks are vintage Rogers 15-ohm LS3/5A.

2024 in Review

Season's Greetings Time flies, and in my case that ought to be frightening, but I cherish every day, especially with music around. Yes, this recent stretch has seen me in relatively reasonable shape, as evidenced by thirst for good food for the body and soul (music). I wish you all well.

Giving Thanks Foremost, I want to thank our writers for contributing. Especially ELO, who is basically tireless in his tweaking - a hard act to follow. I thank too all you readers who sent words of encouragement during difficult times (Vivek, here's one for u).

What's Up Shawn P has a surprise article up his sleeve. ELO has another on his beloved "Studer" cable. As for Me, there are so many articles that I want to write or am composing in my head (not just audio), but only a fraction can be realized. I am also taking short trips when treatment allows, having just traveled to Shantou 汕头 and Shanwei 汕尾, and going on a short trip to Taipei in a few days. Perhaps that's worth a short blip and a few pics. As you can see from the top pic, I haven't stopped building my systems either. Litmus Tests for El-Cheapo Chinese Gear For the 3 years of 2021-2023, basically I had built an all-Chinese el-cheapo system in Shenzhen without reference to my usual higher-end gear. NOW, you can see that I have transposed most of the cheap stuff to Hong Kong, where they face much more expensive gear. You already see the Kondo Preamp, and stuff like Sun Audio Amps shall follow when I get a friend to move them from the old house. How do the cheap stuff fare? Surprisingly well! There will be articles on that.

Without further ado, the Year in Review below

Best Sound It has got to be at the place of SinG (Taimonsing). Highly unusual gear that are eye- and ear-openers. Read one of the visits here

Trend of the Year For me, this is the year of the Bluetooth (here). Having lived and experienced cheap Chinese gear for a long time, here are my General Thoughts.

Power Supply ELO has an article on LPS vs SMPS, and praises iFi. My own experience with more robust SMPS units have been great (here), and I urge you to get one, if not more.

Gear of the Year has to be the BT/DAC Douk U4 (aka PJ Miaolai A4). If you have not read about it before, I urge you to read all the (many) bits in this blog. It's actually quite astonishingly good, and I have paired it with Kondo! I should mention that my great NYC friend and analog guru Andy, who's super picky, got not one but two and is totally satisfied for its use downstairs with horns (he uses WE tubes, which I don't have here). For a one box solution, I highly recommend the PJ Miaolai A7 (I use it almost exlusively in SZ). And BT Antenna should not be regarded as accesories, rather MUSTs. Even a generic one will enhance the BT experience, not to mention the Kinnie (here).

1:1 Transformers are permanent fixtures in our systems. Read about UMI here. Less resolving but even more musical is Reisong (here).

Audio Technica Sound Burger This has surprisingly musical performance. Those with cramped spaces now have no excuse not to play with analog!

Have Fun!

LPS vs SMPS

Letter from Hong Kong (24-20): ELO on LPS and SMPS

Editor: In HiFi circle, it's almost taken for granted that LPS is better than SMPS. It hasn't been close to universally true for me (quite the opposite) and therefore I'm quite gratified that ELO finds the same. We should be true to our ears rather than audio lore. Mind you, some of the very highest end, like megabuck Swiss Nagra, CH Precision, Soulution etc use SMPS.

Preference on Power Supply - Mesmerised 

There's beeen a lot of  debate on the implementation of LPS to replace SMPS. Results is quite polarised. Some prefers the super black , quiet background and improved imaging while some find out that LPS is robbing the life out of the music. So far my experience is pretty mixed. LPS does wonder to one piece of equipment while doesn't on another. So I think one shouldn't preclude which is defintiely better than the other. It is case dependant and also depend on the quality of the LPS and designer's intent and understnading of music! 

I always think that decent power supply is very important to sound quality . Yesterday, my friend RC came to visit my place for a listen. He brought along an iFi Power X 12V/2A . I am very familiar to this little PS and is already working great with my WEA. But this time he gave me a completely new idea. 

We listened to streaming through  my WEA and after a few songs, he suggested me to replace the walwart PS of my modem to the iFi. I gladly obliged and OMG, the sound has literally improved across the board. Before , my setup's sound is good in listening to softer music and due to Douk E6's character, dynamics was a bit softer. But once I replaced the stock PS of the modem to iFi, the piano's attack , size and body has actually stepped up by a very large margin. He also brought in some other gadgets but none was so significant than this implementation! 

Story did not end here, we then switched over to play LPs from Sound Burger and the overall sound was quite decent. Again , I replaced the walwart PS of my U4 to the iFi, same effect! This combo of SB/U4/iFi produces sound that is very respectable, the dynamics, bass, vocals and soundstage both improved more than 30 %. Lesson is power supply, a good one, be it SMPS or LPS can do wonder to every single piece of equipment starting from the source , i.e. modem to router to streamer onwards etc! Well, I always lamenting a Plixir LPS....hmmm

Eventually I had gotten an iFi Power X to power up the Douk U4 and am enjoying immensely the sound of analog which is very at ease and natural that reminds me again that nothing can replace analog. Lucky I got some old LPs from old days and from friends of Eagles, Pink Floyd, Santana, Eric Clapton , Police and some nice Audiophile discs so  that I have a decent selection to become nostalgic~  of course I have been buying more LPs , but less from HiFi grade ones, instead go for very old edition which I usually find more balanced.

Even further improvement??

Yes, a few days ago, I inserted a DIY LPS made by a nice c-hing FM (a mere $45USD) into my modem and yet experienced another lift in SQ in overall system through my WEA as well as through U4! When I first bought the LPS, the sound was lifeless and uninteresting despite a bit quieter in the background. I spoke to FM and he replaced the sliver plated DC cable to another one made of Belden cable and voila, everything that I had anticipated has been realised and music has came alive!  What a difference a DC cable makes!

I discovered way more details and nuances of music details, quieter background and less digital noise without sacrificing the dynamics and PRAT of the music! This improvement now also extends to my Soundburger as well!. The soundstage has widened further, dynamics has improved and bass dig deeper and with more body! I have immense enjoyment with my new LP from Andrea Vollenwieder only for $11USD!

Well, does an LPS always work? Just when I pick up confidence on LPS from the same guy, I have ordered an LPS for Douk E6 to replace the cheapo USB cord of 5V/1A which I use a cheapo USB charger for charging phone to power the E-6! The LPS is nicely built with quality parts, so I have a lot of high expectation that sound may be further improved. To my utter surprise, sound quality not only does not improve, but then overall sound has took a setback. The sound while is cleaner, but it has become lifeless and the microdynamics was much better with USB cable which the pppp to ffff of sound was so clearly heard to a point that I am in awe! Sound on steroid indeed. I suspect by using 3 UMI signal transformers and 6 earth boxes, the background has blackened to a point that it has reached an equilibrium and any more blackening will make it sound dry, as if life being sucked out?! But for now, I cannot reach a conclusion and is definitely case by case where sometimes LPS helps but sometimes don't. Don't ask me why, but it is what I have heard!!! 

I spoke to FM and he told me he has a well built commercial grade SMPS to try out and on a Saturday morning I hook that up and start auditioing it. Overall, it is better than the LPS, however, I still much prefer using the USB charger and is actually too obvious to hear the difference. It's more dynamic in macro and micro, high frequency extension is great and it  has the liveliness that I most treasure! So I now find out that LPS may or may not help. For Douk E6, since it uses DHT , according to a seasoned tube amp designer, the use of LPS will amplify the noise 10 folds so LPS is not recommended to be used in DHT preamps! One learn something new everyday for sure~

On my E6, Results in a  nutshell : USB phone charger > SMPS > LPS

As of now, 

U4 - iFi PowerX 👍

E6 - USB phone charger 👍👍

Modem - DIY LPS by FM 👍

Wattson WEA - iFi PowerX 

Wifi Router - walwart SMPS (next step after I have found a LPS to replace my iFi in WEA)

UMI S2 - USB phone charger , mixed. For some reason, too much hum when hooked up to U4, while on WEA is fine.

For now, I will use my USB charger for Douk E6. Next step is to try to experiment LPS on my Wattson, until then adios!

LCY Supertweeter , Room Imbalance Acoustics, Home Visits

Letter from Hong Kong (24-19): ELO Home Visits and LCY Supertweeter

Editor: As mentioned in my last communication, starting with this article my editing of others' articles shall be minimal. Regular readers shall notice the difference.

As a HiFi lone ranger I would call myself, I mostly work on my system alone but of course Kwong is my long term trusted HiFi companion sharing same belief. Dr John is another one whom we get acquainted when I start reading and commented on his posts, eventually writing here occasionally. Icefox is the walking Baidu/Google search of HiFi (the word encyclopedia seems obsolete in today's world hence not use here LOL and Dr Lo , a high school classmate and also is a seasoned audiophile with his own unique hifi path~

I do participate in a few small private hifi chat groups talk about mostly music and some HiFi stuff but home visit is very limited either to my place or visiting others setup.

Recently , I have met some really nice hifi lovers who had selflessly given me some constructive advice which helps to improve my setup! 

Home visit to my place by a Hifi Lover

I met JC when I bought the LITE DAC a few years ago, which has a cult following and a dedicated discussion forum on modifying and opamp rolling! 

On and off, we have been exchanging txt messages and I showed him some photos of my rig from time to time. He has then shown some interest and wanting to hear it. Seldom invite new friends over to listen to my setup and is a great opportunity to let someone who is new to my setup to give some constructive advice. In the end, it went well, at least he did not complain, or perhaps refrain from it. Instead, he was surprised by the realness of playing Youtube music and analog setup using my new toy Sound Burger from Audio Technica both via Bluetooth from my Douk U4, which he had never given a serious look at  music from Bluetooth before .

JC was inspired by the sound playing Youtube music videos from my system that he pulled the trigger and bought one along with the TB retro looking antennae. His downstairs neighbor who is a researcher on BT and satellite transmission, said his BT controlled model plane can fly from Kwun Tong to TKO under control thru BT signal which is a full 4 to 5km distance apart!! Perhaps I should ask him to design a BT antennae for me~ 

Later, he connected the PJ Miaolai A4/Antennae (PJM A4 is equivalent to Douk U4) to his system where he found the sound to be very analog and musical ! Stock antennae tends to be more hifi but thinner and with more digital harshness in my opinion. Ultimately he thinks the stock cheap one has better high extension and openness. My comparison of the stock one and the retro sci-fi looking antennae and my findings is that the retro looking one is far more musical in my setup that I am willing to sacrifice the high frequency extension.  Everyone will have their own setup, taste and preference !

He then invited me to his studio which is at a stone throw distance to my office, his place is like a museum with a lot of collectable gears inside, yet the sound does not sound a bit dated at all! Learnt a lot from him and he spent a lot of them explaining and hinting  and finally got me hooked up to a super tweeter which is another story to tell which I eventually bought a pair of LCY 100Mk2 and is still experimenting with it and the journey has just begun...LOL

I think he is now a happy camper of A4 despite he much prefers the black colour to the uglier looking silver version LOL! I told him he can change the sound be replacing the capacitors of A4 but instead, he uses the best cables to test it which I think purely for fun. The lineup is VDH MC Silver Mk2 plus and Habst USB cable.....costing more than the costs of 100 units of  Douk A4 and he said the performance is many folds better! He also did some tube rolling of many tubes and found out WE is of best result while I'm enjoying the one from JAN 5670..

Room acoustics - Room imbalance and imaging

I have met another really nice gentleman on R33 and he generously share his own knowledge on speaker placement. His belief is once speaker is positioned properly, you don't need to buy uber expensive gears ! I haven't started to implement his guide but it did triggered me to solve the problem of my uneven spaced living room with one side sticking close to glass door to my balcony and one side is completely opened up! But luckily , I suddenly remembered that my Dynaudio Crafft has some gain switches and I immediately tried to reduce 3db on both highs and mids of my left speaker against the wall and the imbalance towards left side has switched back to middle! Originally I only tried it to adjust gains simultaneously on both speakers but not just one unit. Previously, I had tried toe in left speaker but effect is minimal, so the gain switch does help immediately and if not this nice gentlemen triggered my determination, I would have never fixed this chronic issue.. LOL

As a return favour, I introduce him a Hifi absorbing/refection board manufacturer in Taobao which he can customer made with dimensions, shapes , patterns and colours to fit your own need!! That was actually another discovery from Kwong, my long time Hifi buddy!

Revisit to Dr Lo's home

The only change but a most significant change is to install a dedicated German custom made speaker stands for his Harbeth P3SE Special Edition and it costs him over a whacking $10000HKD!  Well, it all worth it and the results is really great, now you find quality bass that is missing before and the analytical power has increased with tons of micro details being revealed!

Conclusion

It's always nice to meet new hifi lovers as it will always give you something new , inspire each other and can improve the performance of you setup with all the constructive ideas, of course there will be trial and error in this process which is inevitable! 

As usual here's some of my latest street works~~

Editor's Note

Click pic to enlarge. PJ Miaolai (Douk) U4 (Bluetooth) with Holland Amperex 6DJ8 on adaptor. Headphone Output as Preamp Output (Cable Sommer SC Club Mk II with generic 3.5 to RCA adaptor) into BRZ (Weiliang) FU50 (old-stock 6J7 on adaptors and WE422 rectifier). Loudspeakers Beydas "Stirling""15 ohm".

Letter from Hong Kong (24-18): The Thin Red Line

Dear Readers:

This is another letter from one of my better days...dictated more than a week ago, and edited now:

"...Last night Hong Kong's English television, the Pearl Channel, which usually airs lousy action flicks, suddenly put on a decent movie, Terence Malick's The Thin Red Line. Now, I am a big Malick fan and have actually seen almost all of his movies except this one. Imagine my delight when I found out it's on, and together with the commercials it was long - over three hours, just. All the Malick character traits could be found, except in this movie he uses mostly original music and less classical music, which is regrettable to me because I still remember his use of Mahler etc

My illness has mostly breached my body's defense and I am commencing more intense therapy which I am sure will cause ups and downs. Nonetheless, I am really pleased that the first round of therapy has improved my condition to the point that I am writing this article. This shall be a protracted struggle but I hope there will sometimes be windows of relative comfort which will enable me to write a little bit more. I actually miss writing and for the first time I am using Voice Typing, which saves my energy a bit.

From the above pic you can see that I have picked up enough energy to set up a system by the television, and longtime readers would recall this station, which was fairly complicated in the past (featuring one of my longtime favorites the Yamaha NS1000, as in here). As my illness limits my energy and forays I now seldom return to the old house where I still have some of my treasured gear (much of my best gear though followed my move to NYC in 2018). Instead, I hope that I will find enough energy to move some of those precious gear into my current abode so I hope that you shall see changes in the system very soon. Right now it is the most primitive system consisting of gear that I have brought back from Shenzhen. Reasonable sound but having those stuff here will enable me to do a little bit more in depth comparison which shall be perhaps interesting.

With my limited energy I would prefer and I hope you will understand that I will spend them on my own writing. This means I shall change a bit the way I edit. In a word, I shall probably not edit very much and you shall notice the difference. For me, Editing is not just proof reading but also an effort to enforce a uniform style, which may or may not be preferred by all. The Blogspot software is full of bugs and there is basically no support and little update. So authors who write on their own templates and then transfer them to Blogspot will find things deranged a bit. I used to try to ameliorate this and I have my ways but it has been time consuming and I shall not continue to do that. Hence, you shall find articles in more conversational or streamlined manner, which may actually be a good thing. In my own writing, I may also simplify. For example, although not read by many, my Classical Recommendations are important to me. Creating them is actually cumbersome as I try to import pictures of the albums into the troublesome Blogspot template. I thought of discontinuing this series, but I think I just may write things in a more notepad approach, raw.

There are articles coming from our other authors. ELO has actually accumulated a few and I am going to publish them soon. Shawn P also has some interesting stuff up his sleeves and I hope to read about them in due time.

For the meantime, I'm still here and I am very happy to be writing to you, as I have always been. I hope the next communication would come soon..

Cheers..."

以上来自我最喜欢（无二）的饭店，深圳的老大昌。超正宗的上海本帮菜，别的地方找不到的味道。由上而下：冷盘：醉鸡，熏鱼，海蜇，马兰头；草头，烤麸；韭黄鳝糊炒面，萝卜丝酥饼，素菜包。我每星期都会想去。

人气素食连锁素满香深圳店爆红，30元任食，被港人挤爆。

味道是不错的，不过不是每人都会喜欢搭台和磕磕碰碰。

回到街坊，现在少见超大平底锅煎的锅贴。深水埗元州街这家及格，

底脆而连在一起。馅也不错，只是皮稍薄。当然，要吃更好的，

只能飞去台北。

桂林街新荣记20元艇仔小碗但料足味道OK。肠粉等冷的就不要叫。

这面是即炒的，质感OK.

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