LS3/5A Chartwell Audiomaster Rogers Yamamoto CA-04 Douk E6

Click pics to enlarge. Chartwell LS3/5A. On top of rack, Fosgate Signature Phonoamp and Elekit TU-8300 amp. Beneath, Micromega Stage 2 and Magnavox CDB-262, Yamamoto CA-04. Incidentally, the LP Danse Infernale in the background is one of my references. The Boston Pops/Fiedler Night on Bald Mountain is my favorite, bar none in performance and sonics, more exciting than the venerated LSO/Solti (Decca), which seems plain vanilla in comparison. It can often be found in dollar bins.

Letter from NYC (23-8): Small but Beautiful

Update 8/30/23: A few edits, including important clarification on the LS3/5A shootout - the Audiomaster won all hearts.

It has been a little over 2 months since I left China for NYC, where I spent all my time except for 2 weeks in July in Chester, UK. In the one and a half month here, I really haven't done very much except lately I have upped my written output for sure (I think around 10,000 words in the last few days). I have mostly sorted out my accounts. Sometimes it's exasperating dealing with financial institutions, including the IRS. Everything takes so long.

Given that I am by myself, I wake up even earlier than usual, around 4:30 am! I go to sleep around 9 pm. Maybe 2 or 3 times a week, I'd meet up with friends for a lunch gathering. I don't spend much time preparing food, and 2-3 times a week I'd just take out from the local Senior Citizen Center. Otherwise, aside from running errands and shopping for essentials, it's all time at home, much of it spent listening to music, sometimes while writing. I like moving about in my large LR more than being cooped up in my dedicated listening room (even if it has my reference gear it is more of a sanctuary when there are others around), so up to now I have only listened to the small LR system. Whether for review purposes or not, I rotate things in and out, and here are some brief notes:

Harbeth P3 ESR SE vs LS3/5A In my recent posts, including reviews, I have used pics of the Harbeth and LS3/5A. I acquired the Harbeth not long before I left NYC in 2020 (review). Fact is, a few weeks ago the original owner Leo would like to buy it back, and I obliged. I slotted in the Rogers LS3/5A (black badge, serial # 5,xxx). Haven't used the Rogers in quite a while, but in an instant I knew it's a worthwhile change. By now I'm in an even better position to talk about the differences between the two. Although both classic English loudspeakers with shared heritage, differences are obvious: 1) the Harbeth is smoother and reaches deeper; 2) despite a somewhat slower transient, the LS3/5A nonetheless is livelier and more dramatic; 3) despite many reviewers' talk (most often wrong, even downright stupid) on neutrality, as a whole the LS3/5A is more truthful. Sometimes it will show a little more the warts and fraying edges of recordings, but that is what a monitor is supposed to do, and a monitor it is. Still, I had much enjoyed my time with the Harbeth, and recommends it.

Preamp Rotation First I used my Shindo Monbrison. But as soon as I started to try out different phonoamps I switched to Yamamoto CA-04. The reason is very simple: the stock vintage RCA connectors of these Shindo's lose connectivity often (AD mentioned this in one of his Shindo reviews). If one has to plug and unplug often, a switch is mandatory. Yamamoto vs Shindo These have very different design and sound. I wrote about the difference in 2020, and things haven't changed. This time in the Yamamoto I have been using exclusively the WE 403A.

Douk E6 This belongs to the above section but due to the epic nature of this comparison I give the Douk E6 its own subheading. I borrowed one of Andy's many units. It has the stock Chinese tubes, with O-Rings for damping. The caps had been changed to red Audiophiler MKP 250V 1.0 uF (marked 105J). These look similar to the ones I used. PS was a small 5V USB Charger. vs Yamamoto As well as I know the E6, I was still astonished by the sound. The most significant change is a larger sound field with fleshier images (befitting a DHT) and even more air. This is consistent with my experience but now the comparison is with a preamp whose second-hand price is 20 times the cost. One interesting observation is that the clicks and pops and LP artifacts are particularly highlighted. I think this is a result of the incredible high frequency extension, the high gain and transient speed. The Yamamoto is perhaps more controlled with large scaled music and its midrange (with the WE tubes) and rhythm a little more layered. But the E6 held its own for sure and I only continue to use the Yamamoto for the better connectivity. Note that this is the first time I have compared an E6 to estimable preamps (though my HK and NYC circles have, all to the same remarkable conclusion of equality, if not superiority). Remarkable!

Analog Rotations I have been logging this. In case you have missed them, more substantial articles are on Sun Valley SV-EQ1616D and Fosgate Signature Phonoamps, and MoFi Studiodeck. Since the arrival of the Studiodeck I have been using it mostly, with the Fosgate Phonoamp. Very contented, but I hope I can stir in something a little more exotic before I leave NYC in early September. In recent days, I have gone through 3 symphony cycles: invigorating Beethoven by Munich/Kempe (Seraphim, sound good despite being quadraphonic); magisterial Dvorak by BPO/Kubelik (DG; stupendous sound); flawed but worthwhile first Sibelius cycle by Boston SO/Davis (Philips, good but not top sound). You shall be amazed how time flies when one listens to the greatest music.

Digital Duties As here. I actually listen to quite a bit of CD, especially Jazz. Like Miles and Coltrane. Particularly fine sounding Rachmaninov Symphonic Works from Concertgebouw/Ashkenazy (Decca). Ever heard Patricia Barber's Companion (Blue Note)? Fabulous sound and one of her best. Have you noticed one thing? I haven't streamed the whole time! I actually miss it, but the very weak data handling of my phone is not up to it.

SE Amps I started with the small and  convenient Almarro A205A (EL84), then two 300B amps, the AES SE-1 and Elekit TU-8300 (first review and review after mods and updates). The Almarro does a fine job driving the LS3/5A but the 300B amps open things further up. AES has fixed bias adjusted through a single 1/4" TRS phone jack in the back (I use a connector with my multimeter). As the bias is for both tubes, and tubes may not be balanced, it's better not to bias high. Mine (Shuguang) was set pretty low, at 90 mA total (for both channels). This time, I operated the Elekit as an amp (Yamamoto  AES vs Elekit Using the same 300B tubes, despite being biased lower (the Elekit is autobias), the AES sounds more powerful. The circuit may have something to do with it (traditional vs constant current source, respectively) but I'd say the AES has the better transformers. Tonally the Elekit is airier, more resolved and on the neutral side, and the SE-1 is a little more centered on the midrange. Both are very good. Andy and Kevin have heard them both and voiced no serious preference. With my guests I also rolled in the Philips JAN 6L6WGC (which I liked) but it seems both of them preferred the 300B. I think the Elekit is sounding the best as it ever has. I actually wonder if it has finally starting to break in. You see, I don't think I have had more than 300 hours on it altogether, a significant fraction from this time around! And now being summer, I may not bring in the 6C33C Almarro 318B. Instead, if I have time I shall try some more powerful Push-Pull Amps on the LS3/5A!

Subwoofer After a while, I brought in my very modest Pioneer SW-8 subwoofer.  Finding the setting took a little more time than when I used it with the Kilpsch Heresy. I estimate the final Crossover Frequency to be around 80 Hz (I remember in HK it was even higher, but it was a different sub) and Volume was just a touch (less than 1-hour on the dial). With even the little bit added, the music is more dynamic. When Kevin and Andy visited I demonstrated to them and Kevin correctly said with the sub on the soundstage expanded. There are very few albums on which the presence of the sub can be suspected. A success, but I know all about it from my experience in HK.

Rogers vs Chartwell vs Audiomaster As both Kevin and Andy liked the pair of Beydas clone I brought to Andy, I invited them to my place for an in-depth session with 3 pairs of the real thing, all 15 ohm versions at that! First, we listened to the Rogers (black badge; serial # 5xxx), which had been resident in the system for a while before they came, and it was very nice. When the Chartwell (serial # 3xxx) was substituted, we all heard more treble and a leaner balance. Andy remarked it had less bass. Part of this could have been because the Rogers was in use before they auditioned, whereas the Chartwell had been in the closet for years. After their visit I just continued using the Chartwell, and really do not feel now that they lack bass in any way, though it is true the treble is a little more prominent (mirrors my experience in HK). As a whole, I enjoy its tighter grip on material as well as better dynamics; its sound is likely closer to modern variants. Finally, it was the turn of the Audiomaster (serial number not obvious). More than Rogers and certainly Chartwell, I have used this pair on and off over the years, always with great satisfaction. It is a little darker but, oh, how relaxed it is! Both Kevin and Andy were thoroughly charmed by the Audiomaster. Too bad we did not have on hand the Beydas to compare! It should be noted that Chartwell and Audiomaster are much rarer than Rogers, especially so in America.

Xinshi 新时 597 Passive Horns In many of my more recent articles, these appear atop the loudspeakers. They enhance the sense of air. After the pair was handed to Kevin, I immediately noted a diminution of air in the system. This incredible thing is now a necessity in any system. Next time I come back to NYC, I shall bring a pair along.

The TV Long time readers with eagle eyes will have noticed that in 2020 the TV was on the rack, whereas now it had been moved to the large work table behind. It cleared much space for gear, but that was not the point. Experienced audiophiles know that a large center object, aka the TV, messes up the soundstage (can be better if a thick cloth is draped over it). By doing that, the soundstage immediately deepened, significantly. I usually never sit in the center, close to the right speaker when I'm on the sofa reading or computing, and further right on the dining table when working or eating. No matter, the soundstage is much improved, and quite impressive. Advantage of being alone.

TV Sound My Sharp, circa 2010, is certainly not shap in picture and a lousy one when it comes to sound. As I watch quite a bit of TV, be it old TV series or B movies, I struggle with the sound as well as clarity. The older movies and series are definitely lower in sound volume and often muffled. Perhaps they are playing bad (low res) copies. I borrowed a couple of DVDs (Unberable Lightness of Being and Two for the Road) from Andy and found the sound of the replay (through my Sharp TV), even from my top-tier Sony BDP-S5000ES, better than TV but still totally underwhelming. I finally could not stand it any longer and fed the optical out of my TV into my Micromega MyDac DAC and then into my regular system. Much better, but still not enough. You simply do not watch a modern movie (Unbearable) with a SET amp! LOL! I know I can probably do better by configuring my Blu-Ray player and, yes, more wattage will be a different story, but so much for now.

 Audiomaster Crossover

Innards of the modified Elekit TU-8300

Douk E6 in action