2023 in Review

Click pics to enlarge. Top, interior of He Museum 和 美術館, designed by Takao Ando. I choose it for this article because the spiral staircase makes me think of Time, and I extrapolate the "Totem Pole" to audio rituals. Or maybe this is simply spinning vinyl on a changer? Great Photo courtesy of ELO.

2023 in Review

I shall start with our Prodigal Sons.:-) I just heard from Ray, just in time to put his bit into this article! As for Senore Surdi, he's having a good time and we shall hear from him next year!

Ray Salamat

I seem to be on a very particular kick lately. As a hobbyist, I think we are all want to try stuff that intrigue us. Maybe it's not better than what we already have but it keeps that fire alive and gives us new perspective about the pursuits we pursue. I already know that with the limited means that I have that I've probably already met the summit, that I could turn on a couple of items, put in some NOS tubes, direct the speakers so, tweak the turntable/tonearm/cartridge so, and I will achieve nirvana between my ears. However, this does not stop me to investigate and satisfy that curiosity.

Right now for me would be the musicality of a simple back-to-basics British-based system. I acquired the reissued Musical Fidelity A1 as soon as it became available in the US. I am enthralled by the sound it makes as a Class A amp. I've had various Class A amps before. Least of my favorites are the Pass Aleph 3 and its descendants [Editor: I had the 3's. They were a perfect fit for the efficient TAD TSM-300. Also heard the monoblock 2's to good effect at jules', but I get the point]. For me, they lack drive and would be perfect driving highly-efficient Klipsches, which don't need a lot of kick to get going. (I do have an Aleph J driving Klipsch RP-160 that I hook up once in a while and that combination sounds extremely pleasant playing streaming radio.) I also have two JLH 1969 amplifiers, one of them is the wonderfully-designed Eastern Transmission Audio JLH69 available on AliExpress [Editor: last winter I wanted it bad! I love the cool look. Maybe it's not too late...If I do it'd not be the first time I follow in your footstep (like ETA's 300B amp)]. These have more drive than the Aleph's, but the ETA, in particular, is one of the best SS amps I've heard if you don't need power and you're fine with softly-defined images (the anti-Wilson WATTs). The MF A1 reminds me of the Bedini 25/25 that I once had. The only difference is the Bedini may be a tad more detailed, but then it did belie its solid-state origin more than the A1. The reissued A1, in contrast, has a velvety sound with an open soundstage and enough pace/drive that borders on magical. Some may say, where's the detail? They may be correct, but they may also be millennials who grew up on a different staple of sound that is supposed to be hi-fi than I did, and I'm not even that old! I really like the A1's very continuous mid-bass to upper midrange coherence. When I listen to it, it gives me a feeling of my chest cavity getting full, as opposed to some amps that enter your consciousness by stimulating your listening in a more cerebral way. Nothing wrong with that, but made to choose priorities, I would pick the former ahead of the later. I think Doctor John would tell you that the Kondo Ongaku achieves both at the same elevated level at the same time. Am I right, sir? [Editor: Yes and No. The Ongaku is actually quite hard to voice right! It needs efficient loudspeakers.]

Continuing my British kick this year, I finally bought some mint Linn Kan mk 1's (late ones before the change to mk 2, and tweeter change). I have been meaning to get a pair but have been picky with the condition. I wanted to try the Kan's with my evergreen Naim Nait 1 and also see how they contrast with my LS3/5A's. After running them with the Nait, and also in particular, with my Sugden A51 amp (freshly recapped and all), I have to say I can hear the appeal now. I might even have to say that in a world where you are either an LS3/5A man or a Kan man, the needle for me might have moved a bit to the Kan's. They are such a kick for music that I listen to. They are a "slave to the rhythm", to quote Grace Jones. They don't do "space" or "pleasant" as much as the LS3/5As, but what they have they keep you in rapt attention. My advice for mini-monitor fans is to get both, LS3/5A and Linn Kan. They are the perfect antidote for each other [Editor: I still have a perfect pair of the Kan I! Well, the treble is quite a bit more explicit than the 3/5A and the speed is certainly faster and pacier].

Also will be trying other British speaker classics: Royd Sapphires and Wharfedale Diamond IIIs. The idea is to drive these with simple Brit integrateds: the Nait, the A1, Sugden A21, Mission Cyrus 1, Audio Innovations Alto, and the almost British NAD 3020a. Rotate small speakers, integrated amps, listen at low volume late at night, rinse, and repeat [Editor: all the Brit stuff are in vogue again. Leak is revived and I read Rogers may bring back the Cadet... etc...You're not getting the Sandwich? Well, the Brits certainly are masters in the integrated amp genre. BTW, last time I got back to HK I found my Nait I in its original box! It's tempting to bring it back to China to play with...].

Until I tire of this kick....and hook up my 300Bs and 2A3s again. Maybe even get some 211s! Or try a Krell KSA250, who knows what will intrigue me next?

mrgoodsound: Here's a snippet the Editor got out of the Lion's Mouth...

"...I am not sure what I can say -- I replaced hifi with guitars and that is also winding down. I got a 1963 Vox AC30 just like the Beatles.

I just got back today from a week long visit to Tampa...I got home and immediately went to noodle on guitar, could not get any of my guitars to sound good. Went downstairs and turned on my ancient Telefunken radio for the first time in ages. Every time I turn it on I wonder if it will still work -- it usually requires some percussive maintenance. I listened to youtube for a few hours and remembered how good music can sound if you do everything by the esoteric book as I did. I went upstairs and my mojo was back on the guitar. Funny how that works. I am at peace with my sound..." (Editor: I miss his writings!)

ELO: My POTY of 2023 (only limited contestants actually LOL)

Time is ticking and 2023 has almost come to an end. My biggest upgrades of my setup are the SPEC RSB-301 (here) and UMI 1:1 Signal Transformer (here), and of course the new flat.

I can now confidently say, my own POTY goes to the UMI! How I regret not having immediately installed it into my system (I had received it from DJ in June or earlier?). SPEC RSB-301 came in second place and is already providing a very good improvement in sound, but UMI simply shocked me by its performance!! I simply cannot wax more accolades on it and, mind you, I'm not paid to write these posts.

Since October, I have reached a point that I would not want to tamper even slightly with my system, being afraid the "magic" will disappear even with the slightest move. And this is how good the UMI is in my setup. Go hear it yourself, but mind you, your current setup must be reasonably well tuned as it otherwise it cannot show its full strength. Don't blame me for that~ I have learnt my lessons well and don't tell me that I did not forewarn you.

For now, I will retreat back to my world of music gleefully and until next time, adios! Upgrade the SMPS of WEA to a proper LPS is another step I would like to try.

Shawn P

2023 is coming to an end and it has been very special to me in relation to my “Hi-fi” journey. Lack of space had been the one main reason why I had not been able to set up my system for a long time. The space issue improved somewhat at the end of 2022 when I moved into a new flat where a room is “earmarked” for my audio gears. It is a very small room but I can finally deploy my gears after more than 10 years of waiting. Coincidentally, I started communicating with doctorjohn around the same time, which changed my gear portfolio profoundly. I purchased my first 300B and first 845 amplifiers (both APPLauseaudio) because I had the space and most importantly I learned that doctorjohn was happy with the sound of it (even if he had issues with the APPLauseaudio 300B, here). I eventually purchased another EL84 amplifier from TaoBao and it also sounded very good. While these TaoBao amplifiers sound different from my foreign made ones (obviously, I was not lucky enough to enjoy 300B or 845 before); however, they all sound good. With these experiences, I am now buying more gear from TaoBao. I am not saying the “expensive” gear are a waste of money and in fact, I would be more than happy to own some if I could afford the same but my point is that these affordable gear give people with limited resources (like me) a chance to get a taste and I think that is what cheaptubeaudio.com is about. Last but not least, I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!"

Doctorjohn

The most Significant Event of the Year has to be the re-opening of China after two years of Zero Covid policy. I've been back to Hong Kong (where my stuff still sounds great ,here), NYC (where I made some fab new friends and heard some great stuff, see below), Taiwan and UK. Audio Shows have been exploding across China, stretching both organizers and participants alike. Even I, not normally a fan of shows, have been to the Shenzhen and  Guangzhou shows.

Hong Kong It's wonderful to be able to finally bring back some audio stuff to China, in particular tubes. It's also a pleasure to borrow (English) books and mags again at the HK Public Library. I enjoy reading through HiFi News (will borrow Gramophone when I have time). I just reserved Valentin Berlinsky's biography (founding cellist of Borodin String Quartet). It's a game changer!

More Books I really should write more about this since my first article. Suffice to say, I have read a lot more after that report. The local SZ Library has a lot of Nobel Winner Orhan Parmuk and I greatly enjoyed his A Strangeness in my Mind. I also savored Mario Varga Lhosa's The Discreet Hero. Sometimes, for lack of the English version, I sought out the Chinese translation, and that was how I read Llhosa's  The Feast of the Goat, and The Kite Runner, novel by Afghan-American author Khaled Hosseini. Recently, I'm making my ways though Raymond Chandler: have already read Lady in the Lake and High Window (yes, I've watched those movies). Now just starting the iconic The Big Sleep...more to come...The library has enriched me all my life!

Best Sound Heard this year was in NYC, where I had the fortune of re-acquainting myself with Philip, and met new friends Michael and 肥嘟嘟. I was fortunate to have caught the magnificent JBL C60 (here) and 4320 (here). I have heard neither before, and I rate them highly, on the same level as the magnificent L300 (my JBL pick for the longest time, and it won't change soon; but I do think the C60 and a stacked 4320 can usurp its place - that's how good they are!)

Best of the Year It's been a year of Bounty! Several vie for The Best. Foremost has to be the miracle that is the Direct Heated Triode Preamp Nobsound (Douk) E6 (R pic, where you can also see the Sommer and Canare interconnects; Part I here, with links to II and III, which you should also read). Then there is of course the astonishingly effective 1:1 UMI Signal Transformer, which ELO raved about (here) and listed as POTY above. I have one now and  love it and shall write it up also soon. Let's not forget the miraculous Xinshi 新时 597 (here) passive resonator (pic below next to amp), which I still have to officially write up (my NYC friends just love it). 

Even the best has to be partnered by worthwhile gear for the whole to shine. My recently acquired BRZ A20B SE Amp (L pic; Part I here, but also read Parts II and III) qualifies as the budget amp of the year, being 2/3 the price of its equally worthwhile older sibling BRZ FU-50 Amp (here). An even better amp is the APPLause 300B (here). The latter two I actually had mentioned in the 2022 in Review but I didn't really write them up till this year. Time tells us even more about the gear.

And then I don't underestimate the value of my SMPSs (here). Neither should you trust the conventional "wisdom" that LPS is better. Not in my case (chronicled here). In particular the crazily high value Wanptek. But I discovered only recently that the Wantptek has a noisy fan that turns on as current draw approaches 1A (my DAC and other 5V stuff, including preamp, does not go near this figure, but the Douk 12V T8 Pro preamp [under test] does), so not for everyone! Decent cables are important, and provided you do the termination yourself, can be had cheap. Lowest cost would be the Canare L-2B2AT and Belden 8451 (here). And then the luxuriant sounding Sommer SC Club Mk II and excellent Belden 8428 (nightmare to terminate) recommended by reader Attila (here)

To make the most out of these cheap gear, some modest mods are desirable, even mandatory. I have found the generic Chinese caps to be excellent and crazy cheap: I had tried Audiophiler (on the Nobsound E6) and "Solen" (due to ridiculously low price, certainly Solen in name only; on the ETA Preamp and both BRZ amps) to great effect. Who needs Mundorf (costs more than the gear)? And the hook up wires in these cheap gear should be changed out. I use the cheap Canare mentioned above.

Streaming Thanks to a friend, now I can stream Tidal, which changes my listening significantly. I can now access more jazz and pop, though classical remains my métier.

Analog Front I am very pleased with my new MoFi Studiodeck (here), easily more recommendable than the likes of lower end Rega, not to mention way over-rated VPI. I love the Adjustable Loading Resistor (here) for my trusty Denon DL-102. And I was stunned by the VAS Retipped Ortofon MC200 (here), perfect if you have a light arm (like SME 3009i) but want to use MC (you must have a high gain SUT though).

Vintage Amp I didn't really write about it, but the Bell 3DT (here) is simply superb!

There! A Hot Pot! We're heading for 2024, and it better be a better year for the world!