The Yumcha Diaries: 12/09/09

The Yumcha Diaries: 12/09/09
沙田麥滋味 山腰咖啡香

是日茶聚又見稀客， 很是歡喜。六人喝茶期間，談的居然以 CAS 為主； 那麼多的方法，便宜的可以是免費，貴的也有限，還各有千秋，所以現代人真的很幸福。 我這類中年人，擁有許多CD, LP, 電腦不過是輔助音源， 還是玩得不亦樂乎！比一天到晚換這個那個來得有樂趣， C/P 值更是沒話說。

喝完茶五人就直奔沙田，過西遂后走了一條新路， 更穿過了一條新隧道， 開了眼界，要謝謝司機！



這裡 先謝主人 沙田麥 的熱情招待；一行人中，祗有二人在 麥Sir 裝修前去過一次， 主人卻沒有半點的見外。再謝主人 的開放，隨意讓我們點牒，也播了一些異常珍貴的唱片，如圖中的《李陵答蘇武書》。 中間還有個插曲：麥 Sir 的友好 Ken少 也來了。 認識 Ken少 的人都欣賞他的幽默，在他的搞作下，氣氛更是上揚。這次器材如下：

主喇叭：Magnepan 3.5, 由 Conrad Johnson Premier 8 推動。
輔助低音：兩對陳年 Magnepan Tympani 4, 祗用低音屏， 共 8 塊，由 Goldmund 推動
前級：Audio Note M10，共三大塊
CD：山靈
唱盤：: Micro Seiki 5000/Triplanar/VdH Colibri Platinum
唱頭放大級：Ensemble Fonobrio

麥 Sir 的屏風口碑載道，不用任何人大書特書，已是街知巷聞。

麥Sir 說我們很幸運，P8 剛換了靚膽，聲音更進步。 這裡什麼音響十二要都不用談，是一套一坐下來（站著也一樣）就能投入欣賞的系統。 動態凌厲，播 Ken 少的私人碟和 Sinopoli 指揮的 Cavalleira Rusticana <鄉村騎士> 現場感尤佳，弄得每個人都想要擁有。兩個鐘頭一下就過去了，告別時 k.c. 最能代表我們依依不舍的心情：有人要早點折回港島，k.c. 卻想舍棄便風車留下來聽久點！

一級棒！

值得提提的是喇叭的擺位。前后低音塊俱靠側牆，而減了負擔的主喇叭則離側牆較遠。 有沒聽過類似這樣玩的 3/5A （后面的祗用 bi-wire 版本的低音）？

Then two of us went to Ken 少 's place in his Land Rover, which he calls "truck". Ken is amongst the most gentlemanly and gracious hosts I have ever come across. How he serves his guests is just as meticulous as how he makes his cables (of underground repute) and tweaks his system. First, water is served, and usually in 2 varieties - still and sparkling. Then it's coffee time, and the expresso I had was wonderful (I thought of JC at the moment). Then the three of us had a nice bottle of red wine while listening to his system:

-Room: Wonderfully large and well proportioned.
-Speakers: Wilson Grand Slamm (I believe Series II), placed unusually in the center of room, close to side walls.
-Amp: CJ LP275's have replaced the previous Premier 8's.
-Preamp: CJ Art 3, also upgraded (from Art2 ? memory may be faulty) since my last visit.
-Digital: ARC CD7
(LP system not used on the day)

How good we think the sound is is exemplified by the behavior of our friend (let's call him "The Third Man", TTM), a usually reserved and soft-spoken man. Enamored of the sound, at one point he suddenly burst out in praise, and I assure you he was not under the influence of alcohol. TTM also impressed Ken 少 by his many perceptive questions, a couple recorded here:

TTM: It's an unusual position for big Wilson's. What were your goals?
K: It's my speaker and it's up to me to get what I want. The thing I care the most about is the lateral spread, stable and focused images of instruments from the left to the right (indeed Ken has achieved his goals; the three instruments of the Beaux Arts Trio were as focused in their respective spaces as I've ever heard).

TTM: Before, did you have them in other positions?
K: Yes, at first it was firing in the other direction. It took some time to arrive at the present position. Also, I never had help; I move these things all by myself (wow, Ken is not a big man!)

Thus placed, there's indeed something a little bi-polar to the sound of the Wilson's (it should be noted the Wilson's also have back-firing units). You can sit far behind the speakers, indeed freely walk around and still enjoy the music, yet when you sit in the hot seat things have pinpoint focus, much like planars. Marvelous!

A Chiuchow dinner rounded off the prefect evening. Many thanks to Ken 少 for his hospitality and I'd not forget his kind words earlier on.