23 July, 2018

Living Voice Vox Olympian Vox Elysian



Living Voice Vox Olympian/Vox Elysian
Yumcha Diary: July 21, 2018 The Longest Day

This past Saturday started with some coffee and,on my way out, a mid-morning Steamed Rice Roll with Dried Shrimps (蝦米腸at Yuen Long's (大棠路冬菇亭/大排檔) 小桃苑 (its real name is actually uncertain, as the day and night time operators are different). In my opinion, with no exception, the best rice rolls I have had have all been in Yuen Long. The skin is ultra-thin, translucent, yet tensile. The sauce is tinged with a little lard. The simplest food is actually the hardest to make! Salut!

At yumcha, davewong brought a very nice premier cru burgundy white (Lefaive) which we supplemented with yet another 759 Riesling (Michael Ludwig). Wher and JC from Australia joined us on that day.

Visit to Sound Chamber
I had to attend a dinner, and so had some time to kill. JC took us to Sound Chamber, one of the elitist dealers in HK, where we were met by an eyeful.

There is nothing that we could afford, but Sound Chamber is unusual in that they occasionally had some rather unusual stuff (such as the Magico Ultimate horn system heard in 2011).

On this occasion, we were treated to the world's most expensive loudspeaker system, the Living Voice Vox Olympian Horn System with companion Vox Elysian Subwoofers. Driven by top-flight Spectral CD system and FM Acoustics electronics, the sound was listenable but rather overly-smooth.

The adjacent space showcased Lansche's mammoth flagship 8.2 with plasma tweeters, but I have no interest; the sound bears the same house sound, driven by Spectral electronics.

I would have liked to listen to the Boenicke, perhaps driven by the Lamm's, also on silent display, but it was unfortunately not feasible. They looked great!

In the evening an old friend hosted a dinner. The home made pizzas were fantastic!

I woke up the next day with a headache!



20 July, 2018

Tenth Anniversary of Cheaptubeaudio Blog



Image result for 10th anniversary

Cheaptubeaudio Blog: 10th Anniversary

The first article in this Blog was published on July 23, 2008, and so it has been TEN YEARS! How about That!

It has been ten long years. Time waits for no one, and there is sea change in my life. Due to family circumstances, I am due to move back to the US. There are many people and things in HK that I shall miss; equally, there are even more that I shall not at all, but perhaps that is for another article (if I do write it, it shall be smoky, I promise).


Graph of most popular countries among blog viewersSome Rough Statistics
In the right hand bar you can see some statistics. There have been over 800,000 "unique" visitors from 194 countries.

The Blog's private stats are visible only to me, and it tells me there have been more than 1.6 million page views since inception.

Readers are primarily from the West, no surprise. Blogspot is blocked in China, so I have no readers there.

Looking Forward
The Blog shall soon see many more articles from NYC, which shall not any more bear the title of "Letter from NYC". I think there may be an increase in production, as I have more gears in active use in NYC, and have friends with interesting agendas.

In HK, a lot of my stuff now are dormant. However, recently there have been a lot of Western Electric related activity, which I shall sorely miss when I move back. In NYC, I am the only one I know (yet) who uses WE.

Thanks are due to:

  • READERS Thank you for your feedback and many words of encouragement. I appreciate your support!
  • FRIENDS Unlike my friend icefox, I do not socialize much these days. So, except for Saturday yumcha, I actually don't get to meet many friends for the last few years, which is regrettable. Particular thanks to: our yumcha friends for their friendship and help on many occasions; icefox, through his "devious" ways, for always prompting me to resurrect my "more worthwhile" gears (such as my WE, Brook etc), for engaging me more in the WE universe and, last but not the least, for the many late night chats that provide more juicy news than a tabloid; WSS, for being a true music lover, peacemaker, and for providing a shelter for Happy Hour; Pro Sound (the shop is messy, but the people are friendly); "Shidi" Andrew for his friendship and generosity; Seng/Carmen, for the breakfast sessions. I am sure I have forgotten to mention quite a few people, but I have to go to yumcha now. 
Strauss: Ein Heldenleben (A Hero's Life) / Die Frau ohne Schatten (Woman without a Shadow)
  • ENEMIES Over the last two decades, I have made many friends, but also a few enemies.Truth is, there is not that much that is worthwhile out there, and as I grow older I am increasingly impatient with bad sound or people who pay more attention to their gears than music (and that is the majority of audiophiles and hifi writers). Being a writer and blogger does not help, as my strong views often generate bad vibes. Just to mention some, my disdain for German gears, "vintage sound" people, tweekers, tube rollers etc irks those communities. My general contempt for the "elder statesmen" of the HK audio scene also grates on their nerves. But here I have to thank my enemies, for their sheer incompetence has actually been entertaining and nourishing. This Blog would not even have come into existence were it not for some enemies! As I write I think of the way Strauss tone paints (especially his enemies) in Ein Heldenleben, which basically describes doctorjohn in the HK audio scene ! :-) The pictured recording is spectacularly played by the VPO.

Postscript: The Origin of Cheaptubeaudio
Many of my acquaintances, not to mention readers of this Blog (even regular ones), may not know that the name Cheaptubeaudio was a spin-off from a Yahoo Group, (doctorjohn_cheaptubeaudio) founded in 2001, which effectively ceased its active life a few years later due to the obsolescence of the format and my other activities, but I have kept the site open even now, if only for archival purposes. There were a lot of good stuff from various contributors buried there and it has always been my wish to collate and transfer the data to this Blog, but that would take time. This Yahoo group was founded when I split from another tube-related group that I was frustrated with, as that was populated by people not well acquainted with music and harbor values that are not at all musically nor high-fidelity related and in conflict with mine.

Before that, I was a frequent contributor to usenet and the HK forum Audioboard, where I met a lot of my old friends. That was also when I coined my moniker Doctorjohn. TKL, if you ever read this, Salut to you for contributing to the HK Hifi Scene!

After the Yahoo group's peak, like so many others, including our old Audioboard members, I participated heavily in the then-popular HK forum Review33. As with many less well managed forums, the site lacked good management, like moderation by senior members (especially after it was sold to a magazine, who did not know who's who) and was thus plagued by flame wars. Being a veteran of this kind of thing, it did not unduly bother me until something truly unique and distasteful happened.

At that time, there was a thread, one of hundreds, that was a bit more stylish than the others (even if it had a rather pretentious title), and it attracted some attention, including mine, and I was a regular contributor (in time perhaps not to the liking of some). Mind you, Review33 is a HK site and by far not everyone is fluent in English, though many post in English, even Chinglish (nothing wrong with that). This thread then attracted some attention from those better versed (in English). The problem was, it had an haute attitude, and was more of an insiders' game.

In 2008, a freak and unfortunate incidence involving an "intruder" provoked a huge incidence within the thread and incited a huge flame war, including much vitriol and personal vendetta against me. When the administration did not entirely side with the thread, the person who started the thread did something unique in my internet experience. With cunning and stealthy planning, many regular contributors were recruited and all of a sudden they all left Review33 and started another site that looks exactly the same as Review33. That in my opinion was not a good thing. Use your own creativity, sever cleanly with the past and why compare? For the moment that was perhaps sweet revenge but history proves otherwise. The imitator site (which had forgotten its origin in Review33) did not blow away Review33, instead remains an insider's game and has very low traffic. Together with other splinter groups of equally dubious sincerity that left in less dramatic fashion, these "rebels" did harm to the audio community by fragmentation (HK is small) but failed in their collective vanity of hoping to bolster themselves as they have not attracted the community at large. One heavily trafficked site, even if argumentative, is better than tens of much less trafficked sites. It should be said too that the emergence of Facebook and What's App also have been important factors in the general decline of forums.

It was then, after all this, that I started to think about my own site. After all, it is good to archive and not have to repeat the same things over and over. So I started this Blog, and I am glad to report that traffic here is a lot more than some of those sites. Eat your heart out!

13 July, 2018

HiFi Basics: The Source Digital Buying Guide

HiFi Basics VI: Know Your Source(s)
Brief Digital Front-End Buying Guide

Note: In an older article (here), I detailed how an unfortunate encounter with a bad digital setup compelled me to write this article. If you think digits are digits, I urge you to read the link based on a true event.

The Audio System Hierarchy It is commonly acknowledged that, with the exception of the Loudspeaker, The Source is the most important part of the audio chain. Not everyone will agree with this but I mostly do, though I think the Preamp is just as important.

Many audiophiles never get the best out of their loudspeakers (there are plenty that are no good anyway) because of various factors (like gear choice, placement restriction, room anomaly, etc.) Fortunately, when it comes to the Front End, it should be easier to get at least semi-decent sound, though most could be better, and some can even be disastrously bad (as witnessed above.)

Digital Front End/Physical Format or Not? Today, there are many ways to get digital playback. Many, especially neophytes, eschew physical formats and rely solely on the computer. In my opinion, it is not a good way to start/go, fraud with trappings, for reasons that I shall mention later.

Although I am an analog man, for more than twenty years in humid HK I listened mostly to my CD's (I have several thousands.) I have always paid the utmost attention to digital sound and equipment in my own and others' systems and probably have experienced more models than most people, including most reviewers; this is just to say I know exactly what I like.

My Basic Digital Beliefs

Using the Right Player and Ancillary Equipment (do not have to be expensive,) 16/44.1 (Red Book CD) can and should sound Excellent. This is a belief held for a long time by a minority but reasonably large number of current audiophiles. Today, this is even more true as, judging from the large number of recent CD's I listen to (mostly from the library), I personally believe Red Book digital recordings have improved and reached maturity. Unfortunately, in my view, when it comes to consumer hardware (even those from companies with professional roots,) be it CD/SACD/Multi players, CAS servers or streamers, no improvement of similar magnitude has been wrought - perhaps there are more competent players around, though inspiring designs, as always, remain few and far in between.

A Well Implemented Digital System should sound like a good Analog System (and vice versa). Up to a certain point, that is. While a good analogue system shall always and decidedly outperform a good digital system in important musical aspects, these are frequently on the somewhat subtle side and require trained ears. In a good system, at least when listening not so critically, the two should sound quite similar in tonal balance, dynamics and PRaT. For me, it is important to achieve this near-parity in my systems.

However, in home visits this balance proves more elusive to find. While many people simply have unmusical digital sources, a surprisingly high number of self-proclaimed analogue die-hards actually mess up their vinyl setups. This is because they over-tweak their vinyl setups for "improvements" and let them deviate badly from the norm - without knowing it. In a way, this is as much a sign of over-confidence in one's setup skills as deficiency in knowledge of what the norm sounds like, the latter of course a common fault among audiophiles. One time, I visited an experienced turntable addict and heard all his turntable setups (almost ten), yet they all sounded a little off. I then asked him to play his Studer A730 (16-bit) CDP and everything was well. This is yet another reason to have a good digital system - to serve as a benchmark and baseline for analogue. Of course, there are those who believe analogue should be highly "flavored", and who can argue with them?

In Digital Design, there has been Little Progress. For more than 30 years, we have been told about advances after advances. Each new chip or DAC du jour is "state of the art", according to the same reviewers (this is particularly bad in many head fi sites). This makes me really angry: almost all of these serve only to illustrate that the "state" is transient and their making sorely needs "art".

In each era and with each technology, there are some outstanding designs amid the sea of also-run's and losers. Just because two manufacturers use the same and latest chip and technology doesn't at all mean that they will both sound good or the same.

If you ask me, even prehistoric 14/44.1 (given a Revox 225 or Philips CD100/200/300 series) can sound very good. The 16-bit era produced the largest number of classics. This was followed by the uninspiring true 1-bit bitstream era, which serves to illustrate that improvement in numbers is not an advance although, even then, there were a few outstanding designs from Micromega (and Revox).

And then there is the issue of Non-Oversampling (NOS). But this method (or rather, just repudiation of the method of oversampling) did not even merit a mention in Robert Harley's recent article on the history of digital (of course, he is a prototype of the type of reviewer I mentioned above). Even in this modern world of high sampling rates and high bits, there are still many adherents, so there must be something about it. I, for one, find NOS generally more musical. Now the NOS Sparkler S306 is my reference DAC.

For the longest time my reference DACs for large scaled orchestral works are two highly disparate products: the more than 20-year old tubed "20-bit" Sonic Frontier SFD-II (using the unique UltraAnalogue chip) and the even older 16-bit Sony DAS-R1 (using the classic TDA-1541). These are not NOS DAC's, but they are exceptionally built.

Physical Format/CD/SACD Disc Playback

For this, we rely on Transports/DACs/Players, which I believe is absolutely necessary even in a CAS based system.

Assessing Your Disc Player Aside from reading reviews or testing them in friends' systems (it is an important part of audio), how do we assess their merits, or lack of? I say, not difficult at all, and it depends on which level you feel confident at.

vs DVD/BR/Multi Players At the very basic level, many people have a DVD or Blue Ray Player (no matter how old) somewhere. Provided it is a quality brand, say Sony (my favorite, but other major brands, say Philips, Marantz, Toshiba etc will do too), measure your equipment (as transport or as player) against it, and it better be better (not as easy as you think, especially when it comes to blu-ray audio, given the general competence of any BR Player, such as my cheapo Sony BDP-190)! Or, get an old universal player by the reputable Oppo or Marantz and the likes (like my old Marantz DV-6001, which plays SACD's surprisingly beautifully) and measure your gears against it.

vs Digital File Or, even measure your setup against a digital file (here is an example where an overpriced German CDP fared badly against an iPod/DAC as source). CAS to me is not the ultimate word in digital, but a simple setup, like my MacBook (iTunes AIFF files) + Meridian Explorer (here) can be a very useful tool (I have taken it to many people's setups to embarrass their digital setups, and it has never shamed itself).

vs Old Players Don't believe in what the magazines constantly proclaim, that newer is better - top shelf old gears sell for a pittance and they can really show you up! Up one level, if you have experience with vintage players of repute, measure your stuff against them.

Transport As we witnessed in the link above (and here it is again), Transports can make a huge difference. I still like my various Theta Data's and Roksan DP1, but they are getting quite long in the tooth and some are impossible to restore (like my defunct Audiomeca Kreatura) and so I do not recommend them to others. At our friend jules' place, we also prefer his ancient and monstrous Forsell Air Reference to his sleek and modern Orpheus.

I'd also avoid modern transports that ask for silly money and opt for a DVD/Blu-Ray Player instead - they are quite reliable in use and surprising in performance. I use my cheap Sony BDP-190 with my Sparkler S-306 DAC to great effect. Do I feel anything lacking? No!

AND, by all means avoid those terrible DIY transports!

DAC I'd buy an old 16-bit TDA-1541 DAC (Philips, Marantz, Arcam etc) to have a reference. For more money, the Sonic Frontier SFD-2. As for modern DAC's, I haven't heard anything better than the very reasonable Sparkler S-306 (anecdote: a friend who also had the Metrum basically ditched it after hearing the Sparkler; I'd love to do an A/B with jules' Totaldac); it is small, non-oversampling and using TDA-1543 (see here). This link also tells you about why I disliked the Weiss Minerva, which is well reviewed by the audio press and serves as epitome of what I think is wrong with modern hifi. Anecdote: our friend Joe L was recently flabbergasted by the sweet sound emanating from one of my favorite classic 1-bit Micromega products, the Microdac; he ditched his modern Moon CDP.

CDP Some people prefer a one-box solution. I can understand, but modern CDPs are way overpriced and underwhelming (even the latest Naim dedicated CDP is not at all as good as their old classics, like the 16-bit CD-2), and I'd go the Transport/DAC route, since a cheap DVD/BR player can be used as transport and the DAC can also play files! But I'd forget about hi-res and get a good old DAC like the ones I cited. But, if you see a classic CDP in good condition, like Philips/Marantz to Meridian or Linn, do some research (laser etc) and think about it.

SACD? This is controversial, and I can see why. I personally like anything that is well recorded, and many SACDs are. But I am not sure at all SACD is inherently superior to the best PCM. Note that in NYC I have the Sony SCD-XA5400ES SACD player, no slouch. It is also worth noting that some older multi-players like my Marantz DV-6001 in HK, which is not real SACD playback, just PCM conversion, somehow makes SACDs sound surprisingly beautiful (and I have heard hundreds of SACDs from th local library). Go figure.

Upsampling Simple. Usually it is a give and take scenario. It can safely be said that most of the ears I trust do not believe in it. It is a bit like the Proac Response 1 - the 1S is an upsampled version; the 1SC even further upsampled, but the original remains by far the best. YMMV.
Computer As Source (CAS), but NOT Sole Source

NOT as Sole Source Make no mistake, I am not against CAS, rather quite against Computer Audio as Sole Source. As I am writing at my desktop now, I am listening to my MacBook Pro/iTunes/AIFF files played through the Micromega Myamp and Yamaha NS-10M - quite enjoyable (here). If you check my Label "Talk CAS" you will see I have written quite a bit on this subject, but from the vantage point of the occasional (though musically discriminating) user. I am also a keen observer, and have witnessed quite a few long time audiophile friends who have switched their digital playback from physical formats to CAS, but the changes to my ears were not for the better. Some of these systems were documented in my Blog (usually labelled "Home Visits"). Note too these people had never given up their analog rigs, despite proclamations that CAS could be just as good or better.

On the Cheap I have personally experienced a considerable number of people, including industry people, who use CAS to horrid effect (and don't realize so). There is a common denominator to these setups: they are expensive. Many use expensive clocks, convertors and exotic connections. This is a bit like the world of vinyl - if your quest for the "best" is based on numbers or theories or heresays and is not supported by discriminating hearing ability and musical values, you are much more at risk of going astray than the budget person using simpler and money for value gears. I have never heard a Squeezebox (Touch or not) sound bad, but in HK all the expensive CAS systems that employ some Weiss (including the dealer's demos) sound quite bad to me (even my iTunes/Meridian Explorer sounds better). In my opinion, there is no point to do CAS the expensive way - it should almost by definition be on the cheap.

Have a Reference The problem with the audio neophyte is that he has to have some references, and that can be peers or shows. But equally effectively, I'd urge someone with only files to compare against the same physical format as played in an old machine, as detailed above.

Files Sampling Rates and Upsampling One of the biggest promises of CAS is that with hi-res files (such as 24/192 PCM or DSD) you can get higher resolution than CD and this problematic promise has caused many an audiophile to invest unduly in CAS playback. But the drawbacks are many, to name a few: 1) there are very few real hi-res files available; 2) many files are found to be upsampled fakes; 3) they are intangible, which means they are susceptible to system failures; 4) you don't even own it and legally not allowed to make a copy; 5) as usual, the classical music fan is ill served.

Connection USB is the most ubiquitous, but others have championed connection with I2S, Firewire etc. The neophyte is left wondering and susceptible.

Streaming Partly because of the File Problems, Buying Files is rapidly on the wane. The other reason is because of the emergence of Streaming, which is imho a good thing. For a small fee, one can get to explore a lot of new music, ideal for the urban dweller with little space.

02 July, 2018

Lowther TP-1, B&W Matrix 801 MkII, VTL Straightline DAC/Preamp

Reviews: Lowther TP-1, B&W 801 Mk II, VTL Straightline DAC/Preamp
Overview: Lowther
Ruark Crusader II Revisited

This Blog is sort of a real time audio diary. For the moment, this is even more so.

Extra! Closing Up Shop
My friends know, due to family circumstances, I am soon to (more or less) wrap up things in Hong Kong, and spend more time in New York. Now, you all know.

This is why I am transferring some of my prized possessions to my friends. In the last two articles, you have read about my prized TAD TD-3401 in its new home. You shall soon read the same about the Tannoy Canterbury. The departure of those two loudspeakers signifies the closing of an era for me.

As anyone who has re-located, not to mention with way excessive baggage, knows, it is pandemonium. I don't know how I am going to survive it. But friends help, and writing, again, is a catharsis. The recent articles, more of a potpourri, reflect this reality.


Drunken Goose Palm!

Audio Comaraderie
In the last entry, I reported on the visit by icefox and company to my place. What I did not report on was that I scrambled to offer them something to snack on, very humble offerings (like 759 Spanish ham, sardines, Taiwanese crackers and udon; with some privately sourced organic peanuts, fried) with some equally humble generic wines.

The next day, I was really surprised to have received an email from To Sir. He had just prepared some Goose Palms 醉鵝掌 marinated in rice wine, Hence the name Drunken - this classic method has long been used by the Shanghainese to prepare chicken and other small birds. He insisted on delivering some to me, as he knows I am a drinker and this dish is supposed to go well.

I must say To Sir's take on this classic recipe is excellent! But I am even more grateful for the warm-heartedness, from a man I have met only once! In some ways, he reminds me of our NYC friend Kevin (here). No "thank you" is enough!

Removal
How do you sell a "warehouse" full of possessions? You don't; I don't really try very hard, but friends have helped me to unload a bit. And also, re-hooking some of these up have been a very pleasant reminder on why I owned them in the first place. Aside from the major events of TAD and Tannoy, here are some recent activities, and I'll take this opportunity to re-evaluate some of these and write a few words. In order of occurrence:
  • NAD 3020A I sold to someone I didn't know. As usual for such low-priced items, there was no testing and the transaction was in the MTR station. The next day, I received a call; the new owner breathlessly told me how wonderful the NAD was - it completely outclassed his vintage Conrad-Johnson preamp (no news to me) + 6A3 SET amp through his University loudspeakers (sounds like the basis for a pretty good system - too bad I have no time to visit). To recap, I have written extensively in this blog on the 3020 (click here) and as of this writing still employ it for my Yamaha NS-1000 (which the icefox crowd auditioned). I suspect there shall always be a 3020 in my possession and use; after all, it is a benchmark. Immortal!
  • Lowther TP-1 Complete Loudspeaker Names and Iterations Lowther model names for their loudspeakers and cabinets are highly confusing (like the many subtypes of Acousta), and this particular model even more so. Mine is the classic version with beautiful "Queen Anne" legs (TP-1B), which was/is more expensive than its plainer straight legs counterpart (TP-1A). A good guide is the Lowther Voigt Museum, which however I think is not complete. There were other later TP-1's, including "London" (not the current repro) an perhaps others. Currently, Lowther UK also offers the "TP-1 Imperator", which seems very different as it is front firing, though back loaded. My Pair My pair can be seen in the pic at the bottom of the article (similar to the units well documented with pictures here and here). I have had mine for almost twenty years, but haven't used them in the last fifteen. For a little info on how I got my pair and some old listening notes, click hereThis Time Around After the removal of my Tannoy Canterbury and TAD TD-3401, I was finally able to access them. It was serendipitous that my friend wher called me up around this time, saying a friend of his is interested. One day, we dragged these out. One has an intact PM3A with rubber surround (its mate has a short); the other a PM2A Silver with disintegrated surrounds (even worse is its mate). Despite this, the TP1 made mellifluous music when directly driven by my Sun Audio 2A3 (even with Russian tubes; source was Sony transport, YBA WD202 DAC). The driver with bad surround naturally had not much bass, but the intact PM3 was simple divine. The house was filled with rich, good music, so airy that we did not feel any need for supertweeters. Amazing! My Observations Based on my own wonderful experience with the TP-1's, and also the many Lowther's and as many DIY/repro cabinets I have heard, here are my views which I know is going to grate on many people: 1) Front firing Lowthers must have good bass horn loading to sound good; 2) Original cabinets sound much better than most DIY and Repro cabinets (no matter how touted or even "official"); 3) If DIY is necessary, avoid MDF and other rigid material; 4) As the repro cabinets all originate from China, we get to hear them in Hong Kong. Suffice to say I have heard my share and I am sorry to say I am singularly unimpressed - they usually sound so tight, the antithesis of a good pair of vintage Lowther's; 5) The Cabinet is much more important than the Driver used (even the cheapest PM6A produces excellent sound, IF housed right); 6) I am not impressed by the many Lowther-like drivers (like AER) that are said to be improvements. Overview Aside from the incomparable TP-1 I have heard excellent sound from a model with doors (likely the "Ambassador"). Possibly other large Lowther's like the Audiovector should sound good. I have also heard very good sound from some Acousta's, the most amazing being the "Dual-Position" firing into the corners (a bargain). I am sorry I cannot be more enthusiastic about modern cabinets or DIY efforts.
STRAIGHT-LINE VTL 画像STRAIGHT-LINE VTL 画像
  • VTL Straightline DAC/Preamp (pics from hifido.jp; click to enlarge) Some days after the Lowther event, my friends Captain and Romo came in with "Garage" Charles and jules. Each had a different agenda, and Romo's was to get a DAC. He was very lucky that I sold this to him. This is one of my favorite DAC's. Compared to its more famous contemporaries which employed the same marvelous UltraAnalog 20-bit chip (Sonic Frontier SFD-II and PS Audio Ultralink, to name just two), it lives in undeserved obscurity. Basically, it is a DAC with a tubed output stage (with gain). It is both an excellent DAC and excellent preamp, but there is a quirk. As DAC Switch the Selector to Bypass and it works as a DAC. The sound is classic UltraAnalog, rich and detailed. Compared to the darker SFD-II, it is a little lighter on its feet (a plus) but perhaps a little less steady with big orchestral's. Absolutely first-rate, that is for sure. As Preamp Here lies the quirk. If one uses the Digital input, the sound lacks beef. However, if fed a line level signal (like we did on this occasion with the YBA WD202 DAC) the sound explodes with color. Indeed, as a preamp, I think it is as good as most that have come my way! That is accolade indeed. You get Two in One, but you cannot use both at the same time, funny, no?
  • SinoVT TP-215AI This cute 6V6 PP amp (reported here) seems to have been discontinued, and in any case this brand is a little difficult to source in the West. Charles heard this some years ago at my place. Subsequently, he bought two. On this day, Charles came to buy mine. The SinoVT did a reasonable job driving my Ruark Crusader II, and even the "Big Fat Lady" B&W Matrix 801 MkII, amazing considering it is just 7 wpc (pentode operation). More below.
  • Ruark Crusader II These were covered in a previous article. Using the VTL DAC into the SinoVT, the sound was very good, and everyone nodded in approval. I am puzzled as to why these three-way's with diminutive footprints are not more sought after in HK.
  • B&W Matrix 801 MkII For my assessment of B&W, especially the Matrix series,  of which I am fond, read my Overview. For the longest time, together with the Spendor SP-100, the Matrix 801 was a perennial on Stereophile's list of Class A components (indeed, read its most amazingly detailed review, written by a musician). I have had mine for a long time, but rarely used them, as I had my horns, which could use SET amps. But the Matrix 801 had retained my loyalty otherwise. Driven by the 7 wpc SinoVT, sound was surprisingly big-boned and decent - that should completely dispel the myth that the 801 is difficult to drive. We then switched to the Bryston 3B, which immediately firmed up the sound and put things into scale. Splendid loudspeakers of reference caliber!
A rare glimpse of my old place, in transition. Note the beautiful Lowther TP-1's in the back. In front are the B&W Matrix 801 MkII and Ruark Crusader II. On the floor is Sun Audio 2A3. You can also spot Unison Research, Cyrus, NAD, ARC, Technics, Micromega, Audionix and Lenco, among others.