BBC LS5/1A Western Electric 124 Conrad Johnson Premier 7 Soundsales AM 8/1 Jorgen Schou No. 251

Click all pics to enlarge. Many more pics with captions at bottom. jules' living room is small, but the sound with the LS5/1A is big!

Virtual Home Visits (8): BBC LS5/1A, Western Electric 124, Conrad Johnson Premier 7, Soundsales AM 8/1, Jorgen Schou No. 251, and other goodies

Editor: I have known Jules for over 25 years. Jules is an engineer involved in a lot of Hong Kong development projects, quite a busy man! With two kids, I have no idea how he finds the energy to acquire so many audio classics. Jules is also a classical music fanatic and still buys CDs regularly in addition to streaming via bluetooth.

Regular readers will recognize him as a frequent host of our HK home visits. Truth to tell, by the end of my stay in HK, I was not that keen on home visits, except when there are rare gears to be heard, and jules surely gave us several surprises. In particular, I urge you to read my last visit, a mammoth but informative article about more than the RARE LS5/1A and jules' Reel-to-Reel setup; in that article you will also earn how a CD Transport and DAC can drastically degrade the sound (The visit before that is also a good read as it reported on how a "respectable" modern loudspeaker got trampled by a vintage one).

At the end, I shall write some Footnotes.

Not surprisingly with Jules, equipment has changed quite a bit!

Analog: Garrard 301 with 2 arms - SME 3012s1/Ortofon SPU AE/Jorgen Schou step up and Decca arm/Decca mk2 [Editor: see Footnote 1]
CD transport: Forsell Air Bearing Reference Mk2
Bluetooth: Cheapie from Taobao
DAC: Totaldac D12 dac
R2R: Studer A807 and Telefunken M21
Phonoamps:-Built-in Phono of CJ P7 (below) or Diatonic Precision DP10 (solid state, HK brand) [Editor: see Footnote 2]
Preamp: Conrad Johnson Premier 7 [Editor: see Footnote 2]
Power amp: Western Electric 124 or Soundsales AM 8/1 [Editor: see Footnote 3]
Speakers: KEF LS5/1a

It's too bad I cannot be there!

Editor's Footnotes: 

• 1) For better pics of this and other Decca cartridges, see my home visit to Kevin, another Decca arm/cartridge user, here. The Step-Up Transformer uses the rare vintage Jorgen Schou No. 251 that is supposedly a perfect match for some SPU's.

• 2) Having heard so many CJ preamps (and used the PV10), the only one that attracts me is the P7, which I have not heard. This is a classic (read J Gordon Holt's stereophile article for details), and I am particularly interested in its use of 6GK5 which is also used in my Melos 222. Jules and I listen in much the same way and we both agree that the CJ P2 and P3, so prevalent in my NYC circle, are just too sluggish sounding. Jules said the P7 is more neutral sounding, and he prefers its tubed phonostage's dynamic bloom to the HK brand's solid state.

• 3) WE 124 needs no introduction and has appeared in this blog many times. Unless you are from the UK, you'd not have heard of Soundsales. This vintage amp maker was associated with the BBC. If you google "Soundsales AM 8/1" you find almost nothing in writing, but if you switch to image search, there are a lot of pics, many originating from HK. Apparently, there is a cult following. I asked Raymond what's the difference between the Soundsales and the WE, which is much more expensive as they are tubed with WE tubes, he said:" ...124 聲音更多內在變化起伏，絕不拖泥帶水，節奏明快，而高中音帶有西電 DNA 的 吸引力。雖然 8/1 輸出比 124 大一倍，但聽感上 124 的驅動力更強更豐富...." the WE 124 is superior in microdynamics and rhythm and pace, and its treble and midrange of course has the mesmerizing quality unique to the WE DNA. Although the power of the Soundsales is supposedly twice that of the WE, subjectively the WE 124 is grander and more effortless in its drive..." There! As I expected.

Garrard 301; Decca Arm/Cartridge in the back; SME 3012/SPU in front

Jorgen Schou Step Up Transformers

Forsell on top, multibox Totaldac below

Studer R2R

From top to bottom: SS Phonoamp, PSU and Dual Chassis of CJ

WE 124 and vintage Step Down Transformer

Telefunken R2R

Soundsales AM 8/1 (pic from the net)

B&W Matrix 801 Mk II, Gotham GAC-1 Ultra Pro

The Big Fat Ladies, flanked by the Altec A7's. In the rear: on shelves, from left, VPI Prime, Lenco GL-75 and Thorens TD-125;  on top of rack, McIntosh MC-30's flanking Harmon Kardon Citation I and Chinese Preamp; on the shelves, my two McIntosh C-20's and Conrad-Johnson Premier 3 Preamps; in front, Conrad-Johnson MV75 amp flanked by Chinese Blue Velvet Preamp (with regulation diode tubes).

B&W Matrix 801 Mk II and Gotham GAC-1 Ultra Pro
Making the Rounds, Again

This past Sunday the same old crowd gathered again, this time a full house. VAS Stephen's wife, and electronic wizard Paul put in rare appearances. First, We first visited R on Long Island. Then it was a rare Sunday for Kevin to be available, and we all went to his house in the late afternoon.

Click pics to enlarge. Top, a pair of Bell 2122's flanking the Marantz 8B; Right, half way through lunch.

Altec A5 + 6V6 amps
R's stuff has not changed much since my last report (here). This time James sourced a pair of Bell 2122 and restored them for him (using teflon caps), so this pair in the pic is now R's, not mine, which I took back last time (for more on the Bell 2122, read here). All remarked that this pair did not sound quite as open as my pair, though still very good. Such are the vagaries of vintage gear restoration, or perhaps the caps are not yet broken in.

I brought with me my long time reference loudspeaker cable for horns (and most others), the Belden 9497 (reported here). I am not surprised that it sounded substantially better than R's lamp cords (literally). They are not coming out of the system.

A few meters of cable did not even begin to repay R's excellent lunch of Roast Pork and Home-Made Sausages, garnished by a wonderfully citric Apple and Fennel Salad tossed with honeyed walnuts, all washed down with an excellent vintage Chilean Shiraz at its peak. Magnifico!

I sincerely thank R for having us to lunch twice in a month! We have to think of more toys to keep him going...

The Return of B&W Matrix 801 Mk II

Click pics to enlarge. Top, the Appetizers, mostly Cold Dishes; Clockwise from 3 O'Clock, Bamboo Shoots, Pig's Ear, Beef with Tripe, Sausages and Fish, surrounding a very nice Merlot; Below Right, Addition of the Lamb Soup, served with Noodles.

Serendipity! After talking with Andy and I, Kevin had pretty much decided he'd like a pair of B&W Matrix 801. Our great leader Andy then happened to spot a pair for sale, and Kevin drove two hours to pick them up.

This is a pair of Mk II's in mint condition, with original boxes, and obviously well taken care of. They were inherited, which the seller then used for a while before re-boxing them.

The B&W 801 Mk II is one of the best loudspeakers I have heard (my experience). I am really glad that this pair is now in the possession of Kevin, as I'll get to hear it.

These as yet do not have proper stands. Kevin had improvised a pair of stop-gap stands which I am sure he will replace with something more suitable in due course.

At first, the sound as not at all close to what I know they are capable of. Well, these were placed very close and not elevated enough. I urged Kevin to move them further in room (in front of the Altec's) and have they wider apart, but for the day we only managed to have them a little more forward than in the pic, and even those few inches, which made the baffles clear the Altec enclosures, improved the sound.

The Chinese Blue Velvet Preamp, which works well with the horns (including at my place), proved to be less ideal for the system, now using CJ MV-75 amp. Things coarsened considerably at higher volume. The replacement CJ Premier 3 Preamp could play much louder. We tried several loudspeaker cables but settled with a pair of Straight Wire. But the most astonishing change came with swapping out the DIY cable between the preamp and amp for the Gotham GAC-1 Ultra-Pro I brought with me.

WOW! Now we are talking! The images fleshed out and the soundstage increased substantially in both depth and width, but the most impressive was the sheer coherence and liveliness. Andy turned around and said to me: "...just a cable change?"

Bass Alignment Filter They even came with the optional Bass Alignment Filter (read the very interesting treatise here), which we did not use on the day. Apparently, Kevin had briefly tried them out, reporting the result of less mid-bass. In Stereophile's review of the Matrix 801 Mk II, the reviewer deemed the use of the filter essential, but the same reviewer did not think it should be used in the more upscale 800 model that followed (here). Unlike Kevin's, my pair did not come with the filter, but the sound is already superb and full range to me. Being a tube preamp user, I'd be most hesitant adding the filter between the preamp and amp, but I surely would like to hear the effect at Kevin's. More fun (and articles) to come!

Thoughts

• B&W Matrix 801 One of the greatest loudspeakers ever made, and for baby boomers many of their favorite recordings were likely mastered using these as monitors. It is very revealing, but at the same time highly musical and authoritative. Personally, I regard the Matrix series as superior to the Nautilus and Diamond series that followed.

• Belden 9497 You never go wrong with the 9497. While I have never heard it sound bad with any loudspeakers, with horns they are simply the best. Next time, I'd like to try a double run to bi-wire the B&W 801.

• Preamp Choice While the Chinese Blue Velvet Preamp (simple circuit with basic power supply and simple diode regulation) performs well with our horns, it did not do so well with the B&W 801. Instead the much better built and regulated CJ Premier 3 (not a personal favorite) performed much better. To me, this re-inforces my belief that simpler (including vintage) preamps are better for horns whereas harder to drive loudspeakers demand more modern (highly regulated) preamps (see my thoughts in my Citation I article).

• Gotham GAC-1 Ultra Pro While I have never formally reported on this particular Gotham cable (previously mentioned here), I have used it a lot. To me, it is even cleaner and more detailed than the older GAC-2 and 4, not to mention the supremely musical DGS-1. The air and soundstage are tremendous. With the B&W 801 it sounds just perfect, but with horns it can sometimes be just a little too revealing. I have not tried the other more expensive Ultra Pro's, but I know some people in HK swear by them. Definitely worth a try.

What a wonderful day. Many thanks to R and Kevin!

More Pics

Thorens TD-125 with Rabco Tonearm and Pickering 380 Cartridge

Lenco GL-75 with Decca Tonearm and Shure M44-7

Tea and Fruits after the Royal Meal

Princess on Her Chair

SMSL SA-36A Pro, Citation I, Conrad Johnson Premier 2 and 3, Cary CAD 211

For all pics, click to enlarge. L: Note the weighted down SMSL on top of HT center loudspeaker, behind which is the subwoofer. On the flanks are the Cary 211 monoblocks. Marantz 8B and Jadis JA-80's in front.

Review: SMSL SA-36A Pro
SMSL vs Cary CAD-211
Conrad Johnson Premier 2/3 vs Harman Kardon Citation I
Cary CAD-211 vs Jadis JA-80 vs Marantz 8B
JBL L20T, Part II
Letter from NYC (82) 2018 (8): Smorgasbord

R's Altec A5 saga continues. After the last report, we made two more visits and exhaustively tested numerous combinations. This article summarizes the two visits. But first, a little diversion.

SMSL SA-36A Pro (TDA7492PE) 

• T-Amps Though I firmly believe in the superiority of tubes, for some fun at low cost I occasionally do dabble in T-amps (expensive implementations are ridiculous). My first one was the (discontinued) Lepai LP-2020A+, which employed the well-regarded Tripath TPA2020 chip. I was delighted by its performance (as an amp in a humble system here and even more as a power amp in a hi-end system here). I also bought one of its successors, the Lepai LP-2024A+ (employing TPA2024) which was almost as good, though a shade cooler in sonics (no report yet). As the TPA2020 chip had long been unavailable (Tripath had gone bankrupt), my curiosity for a better built one with a better power supply had me turn elsewhere.

• General Info This model from the interestingly named (in Chinese, 雙木三林) company (official info) has been in production for a long time and had gone through many iterations. The earliest used the Tripath TPA2020 chip, but it was replaced soon by the Texas Instrument TPA3118 chip and all of these garnered a good reputation. However, after the company switched to the current TI TPA7492PE chip, there were quite a bit of noise and confusion on the net (read the incredible fuss made over something under $50), and that is the version I have just bought. There are variations, and mine is the more common 12V version.

• Ergonomics The build quality is very good, though for the bare wire user (me) the small speaker binding posts are no more convenient than the cheap posts on the Lepai. What really bothers me is the lack of an indicator lamp, so be mindful of the on/off status.

• Round 1/Chez Moi/JBL L20T I tested these on my JBL L20T (Part I here). Direct-In First I fed the output of my reference Aurorasound Vida phonoamp directly into it, and the sound was very good. As Power Amp Next, I used it with my reference System III (last described in detail here) driving the JBL L20T's. The sound was surely even better. Compared to my bookshelf reference Almarro M1A (reported here; a tall order indeed), the L20T's were just a little more weighted towards the midrange, less pure in the treble (which may be the amp too) and smaller in soundstage. It should be known that my relatively near-field and way-in-room placement minimizes the room effect and difference between loudspeakers. Although the JBL's likely would like even more power to pump out more bass, the SMSL did an excellent job driving them. The 

• Round 2/Chez Kevin/Altec A7 It was briefly tested at the same session reported here (note in the R pic the SMSL perched atop the Dynaco PAS 3). Suffice to say the the SMSL stood up to the Conrad Johnson MV-75 amp very well.

• Round 3/Chez R/Altec A5 The result was astonishing, as detailed in the section below.

Home Visit 1: Sometimes I think of the squad as the coaching team, trying to coalesce the players (the equipment) into a winning whole. Andy is the mild-tempered and democratic head coach, myself a temperamental assistant; R of course is the owner of the franchise - demanding at times, but not quite a Steinbrenner. On this occasion, Kevin was the fourth man, and we tried out numerous plays. The lunch (L pic) as usual was wonderful, an overstuffed omelette washed down with a brut sparkling.

• My Agenda During the previous visit to R's smaller room, I thought that although the Altec A5 sounded quite nice, the leading edge/attack was slower than what I am accustomed to hearing from Altec (e.g. Andy's) and other well implemented horns. Remembering that none of the amps were quite satisfactory, I decided to take along my SMSL for "diagnostics". Since I also thought R's turntables in this small room had anomalies, I wanted to use digital playback as a reference. The California Audio Labs Delta Transport/Sigma Tubed DAC were dusted off and pressed into action. I brought several of my own test CD's. Equipment used were somewhat different from last time (see link above). The CJ Premier 2 served as full function preamp in lieu of the previous Jadis DPL2, its phono section also replacing the Lamm. This section described mostly the results obtained using digital playback, which was very instructive.

• CJ Premier 2 + Cary CAD-211 We didn't hear the Cary's last time, as they had only just recently returned from electrolytic cap replacement (the big blue cans, which R had listened to for several days and heard them opening up). This long running model has had multiple iterations - these are from way back (no bias meters). The 211 designation is a misnomer, as these use a pair of 845's in each channel. Used with the CJ Premier 2, the sound was powerful but overly warm and woolly, somewhat rounded off and slow in the leading edge. These were touted for their "life sized" images, which unfortunately were rather fuzzy through the horns. Substitution of the RFT EL34's for the Russian fat bottle 6CA7 brought a significant improvement - more believable outlines.

• CJ Premier 2 + Cary CAD-211 (vs SMSL SA-36A Pro) Using the same CJ Premier 2, the very humble SMSL showed off the glaring weakness of the Cary. Aside from a warmer tone and more power, there was nothing favorable. On Masekela's Hope, the audiophile fave stimela (Track 12) best illustrates this: the big crescendo was perfectly gauged and proportioned through the SMSL, but ill-shaped and prematurely saturated through the Cary's; the rhythmic imitations of the train were incandescent through the SMSL but sorrily flaccid through the Cary's. The trombone and double bass in the vivo movement of Stravinsky's Pulcinella (ASMF/Marriner, Argo/Decca) commanded their own lines and were perfectly integrated as a duo though the SMSL, but through the Cary's they were just plain mushy. Even worse was the Bach Double Violin Concerto (Kuijken/La Petite Bande, Pro Arte) - through the SMSL, the lines were perfectly clear, and one could feel the up- and down-bow's, all hopelessly lost through the Cary's. The playback of a jazz CD, Shirley Horn's You Won't Forget Me (Verve) was similarly excellent and, imho, much better balanced than the analog rigs.

• CJ Premier 2 vs 3 vs Citation I We used the two turntables mostly. As there were two full function preamps with both phono sections and tape out, we went  through quite a few permutations that we had to go through. Suffice to say as a whole: CJ 2 vs 3 The CJ Premier 3 is very similar to 2, but solid state rectified, and they sounded more similar than different to my ears. Citation I As expected, the Citation I was obviously more neutral and did not unduly soften the leading edge, making it a much better match for the lugubrious Cary. Not only that, as we had fed the CJ (can't remember whether it was the 2 or 3) phono section into the Citation line stage, I can conclude that the Citation I phono section is superior. Just before we left, we played the Masekela track, and it was a lot better than before, but the crescendo was still not quite shapely.

Home Visit 2: On this occasion almost the full gang showed up. We were also joined by R's friend Louis. This occasion was marked by the arrival of an Audio Research Reference 2 preamp, which we compared to the Jadis JPS2 in the main Wilson rig. Then we tried out more combos in the A5 room. Lunch was R's wonderful home-made sausages and, for novelty, venison burger, all washed down with an excellent Chilean Shiraz and  California Red.

• Reference 2 vs Jadis JPS2 We used the Rockport Sirius turntable, now fitted with 100 ohm loaded Ortofon 2M Black (Andy said this eliminates the unpleasant peak). We first used the Lamm LP2 phonoamp, which did not woo us, and so we replaced it by the sweeter phono section of the CJ Premier 2. We unanimously agreed that the venerable ARC (with completely stock tubes) had much better focus and control than the Jadis JPS2. In this room this is of great importance as the ARC obviously consolidated the center stage, which has a tendency to be less filled up. Naturally, with the all-Russian tubes, sound was not quite as sweet, but it is a trade-off I personally would gladly take. Interestingly, although this setup was targeted to play classical music, jazz sounded even better. On Ellington - The Pianist (Fantasy LP) Ellington's piano sounded smart (as it must) while Sam Woodyard's brushwork was breathtaking on (side 2, track 1) Tap Dancer's Blues. Sony Stitt also was very much his golden-toned, comforting self in one of his late outings, Sonny Stitt meets Sadik Hakim (Progressive, LP).

• Cary CAD-211 vs Jadis JA-80 vs Marantz 8B based on the session reported above, we stayed with the Harman Citation I as preamp. The Cary was just as I remembered it, but the Jadis JA-80 fared not one whit better. Then we swapped the Marantz 8B in. Previously, we had heard it with the CJ Premier 2 and its slow speed bothered me. Not this time: partnered with the Citation I, the Marantz 8B showed a clean pair of heels to the Cary and Jadis. The leading edge was faster and cleaner; Masekela's Stimela almost edged up to the SMSL amp. The tonal qualities too were way superior to the Cary's and Jadis'. I was quite satisfied and would personally stay with this combo in this room.

• Jazz vs Classical? Although the results were satisfying enough, I still think on this day, in this room, supposedly the jazz room, the jazz playback was not as as good as in the living room, supposedly the classical room. Similarly, the classical (digital) playback through the A5's sounded to me as good as the big rig. For myself, there is no such division, and indeed may write more on this in a coming article. I do think now that there is much competition between the two setups, we can expect improvements in both in due time (they are already quite wonderful).

Assessment

• SMSL SA-36A Pro This is a wonderful little amp. The sound is excellent, particularly with efficient loudspeakers. It is more robust than my Lepai  LP-2020A+, and I have yet to hear it clip with my less efficient JBL L20T. Mine is the current version, which uses the TI TPA7492PE; I think if it can pass muster with me, there is little point in struggling to compare it with past iterations. The treble is generally good (witness how it renders violin and massed strings) though not as pure as tube, but there is a little grain at the very top which becomes noticeable at high volume. I think a little mod or a better power supply could take the amp to a higher level, though I shall stop at here for the moment. Horn users should have one of these amps on hand to compare with the tube amps (and preamps) they are using - they may be pleasantly, or unpleasantly, surprised. Its neutrality and simplicity reveals most of the music, which is more than can be said about severely flawed lesser tube gear (and this from a tube lover).

• Conrad Johnson Premier 2/3 To my ears, the 2 and 3 are more similar than different. They share similar sonic characteristics - a big, bold sound that many like. However, their weaknesses - lack of dynamic and rhythmic exactitude, not to mention refinements - preclude my endorsement. In many ways, I think the Premier 2 and 3 are just beefed up PV-5's (substitute your favorite numerals) and may be even the worse for it. This is true of the line stage for sure. Although we had tested it less, I do also think the phono sections are too colored for me (much prefer the Citation I).

• Jadis JPS2 Much the same can also be said about the Jadis. There is some measure of opulence, a la creme, but where is the finesse?

• Harman Kardon Citation I The Citation I continues to impress. The phono section is superior to those in the Premier 2 and 3 and, if you ask me, likely the Lamm LP2. I also much prefer the line section over the sluggish CJ Premier 2/3 and Jadis JPS2, all cathode follower designs (Stu Hegeman was definitely onto something). Yes, the line section gets stressed a little when playing loud but this is largely ameliorated by partnering with a more forgiving amp, like the Marantz 8B.

• Cary CAD-211 and Jadis JA-80 Not my cup of tea, as you must know by now. They were decidedly bettered by the Marantz 8B, not to mention the tiny SMSL. I actually think these have no place in a horn system but would probably do better with conventional dynamic speakers of good to moderate efficiencies and a fast modern preamp.

• Marantz 8B Like I said before in my last report quoted above, it is hard to go wrong with this amp; the more you work with the 8B, the better it is - it repays your efforts.

• Altec A5 Absolutely marvelous! R's pair surprise me by how well they play classical material (via CD though). I am not sure why the analog rigs are not quite performing as well - I'd venture to guess the very revealing A5's just reveal every anomaly in the chain. Personally I think, factoring in the difference in partnering gear and room, the A5 renders classical music (again CD only) at least as well as the big Wilson's; in fact, in dynamic gradation and presence they are unquestionably superior. If placed in the big living room I am confident they will easily trounce the Wilson's. Remember, the good sounding living room rescued the Wilson's, and it would do wonders with other loudspeakers too. Also, further improvement in A5 playback can likely be obtained by substituting a better subwoofer (e.g. my cheapo but over-achieving Pioneer SW-8, reported here) for the subpar (home theater) Focal. 

• Audio Research Reference 2 This definitely has potential. I await the results of some tube rolling. I have heard this many times before in HK, and it has aways turned in reliable, if not often exciting, performances.

• California Audio Lab Delta/Sigma This is a combo that has stood the test of time; I have heard it many times in HK, always to good effect. Although I am a fan of true multi-bit players, this is nonetheless a very good implementation of Delta-Sigma. A classic.

• JBL L20T Impression here is the same as in Part I. Typical JBL quality that needs no further touting.

Overview Dynaco, PAS 3, Conrad Johnson PV-5,

For all pics, click to enlarge. L: innards of my bone stock PAS 3.

Dynaco PAS 3, Part I
Overview: Dynaco
Letter from NYC (81) 2018 (7): PAS3 vs Conrad-Johnson PV-5

Dynaco PAS 3, Part II had been published (here). It dealt with all my modifications, some so unconventional that it just may surprise you.

Communication Woes I detest it when people talk loudly and incessantly on the phone in public. In HK and China, many chat loudly away in public, even in the closed confines of subway cars and buses, much to my annoyance. The US fares much better. Here I believe the telephone conversation is going the way of vinyl - that is, not dead but a minority activity. Texting is more instantaneous and in widespread use. It is almost rude to call someone, one of my friends says. As I write, a TV ad against texting while driving flashed on the screen...

Not when it comes to Audiophiles. Our long conversations tirelessly scrutinize every component and combinations. I am not the worst example, but am not completely immune. In NYC, I frequently call (though I keep them short) Andy to discuss the audio issues at hand, which is how the idea of resurrecting my Dynaco PAS 3 came about. I don't remember exactly how. I think we were talking about the Citation I and Andy reminded me that the Cathode Follower so favored by tube designers slow down the sound. The PAS 3, like our beloved Citation I, does not have one. I decided to dig out mine for a reappraisal.

"If there is one name in Hi-Fi which is synonomous with excellent sound, and at the same time with excellent price, that name is Dynaco." (from TNT)

Overview: Dynaco

• Background Read this comprehensive wikipedia entry on arguably THE most famous tube company of all time. Many people, including industrial professionals, got their first taste of tube audio from Dynaco, at a time when solid state started their domination. The HUGE amount of information and after-market products and support on the internet testify to the excellence, indeed immortality, of the products. The reader can easily search for any info on any Dynaco product, so I need not elaborate.

• Online Resources, Mods and HiFi Lore As the stuff were bargain kits without frills, mostly home-built and easily available, they were, and still are, undervalued. You know, cheap stuff, no matter how good, do not engender pride of possession, an unfortunate human trait. This leads many people to buy and modify Dynaco for fun, to satisfy their own DIY penchants and David vs Goliath mentality (whereas few would do drastic surgeries on, say, a Marantz or McIntosh). What matters more to me, however, is how perceived monetary value undermines the objective assessment of their true sonic merits. As an example, is Dynaco PAS 3 vs Marantz 7 really David vs Goliath? I think not. But many of the DIY people and mod squads buy into this line of thinking, partly because they have been taught so (for people who supposedly are thinking outside the box, many of them have a surprisingly herd mentality) and partly because many of them do not have much experience with more expensive gear nor high end audio. The internet can provide any number of instructions on how to do this and that. Aside from basic restoration, you are urged to defeat the tone control, remove the selenium rectifier, beef up the power supply, use expensive caps, improve the speed, firm up the bass, make the RIAA flatter, add stages and stand up to perceived Goliaths. All of these promise improved sound, but should you believe in all of it? Based on my experience with mods, exercise caution and restraint. I have yet to hear a wholesale mod of anything that sounds good. Also, our beliefs in Google are seriously challenged these days - it buries the small voices, much dissent, and the Google algorithm is no less commercial than advertisements as it is calculated to increase traffic and income. When you get tired of the monolithic views prevalent in most popular and most googled sites, perhaps you can search in audioreview user reviews, which offer capsular opinions that are much less didactic and more varied.

• Dynaco ST-70 This is THE most iconic product, and deservedly so. As with all Dynaco products, it is a masterclass in economy - in a relatively small footprint, we have a tube rectified (valued by many tube aficionados), adjustable bias amplifier with very good irons. Many people think the treble is too soft, but I disagree and think (given a good specimen) in this parameter it is amongst the best in EL34 amps that I have heard - there is a silken smoothness that is just mesmerizing. People also complain about the somewhat loose bass, which is also why many mods and later iterations switched to solid state rectification, but I think it is the opposite - the tube rectification makes the amp more wholesome. I think it sounds better than the Marantz 5 and gives the Marantz 8B a run for its money. In my early years in HK, I had a pair (with the later and supposedly inferior Japanese output trannies) and it produced delightful sound with a DIY Marantz 7 (constructed for me, before I took up the solder, by an audiophile student) and Rogers LS 3/5A. I still have one in NYC with the A470 trannies, which I occasionally listen to (read my report on the ST70 and 8B driving the Maggies). Maybe it is time to resurrect it in view of my PAS 3 project.

• ST 35/SCA 35 I have one of each in HK. They are wonderful examples of EL84 amps, which I prefer to EL34 amps.

• Mark III This is another classic product that offers more power than the ST-70 in small monoblock chassis. Very fine sounding if tubed right.

• FM 3 A marvelous no-frills tuner that is a sonic match for many much more well known tuners (like McIntosh). My specimen is mint and sounds great.

• PAS 3 In shocking ways, my experience with the PAS 3 pretty much parallels mine with the Harman Kardon Citation I. That is, for the longest time, I did not think much of it, but my opinion drastically changed when it was finally used with my horns, but not without struggles! Read on, as it may be a long series!

• Other Products I have no experience of the earlier products, some mono. I have heard quite a few of the solid state products and they all sounded above average. There is some good engineering behind this brand! But these are largely outside my radar.

• Panor and Later Products In the early 90's I heard in HK the Panor ST-70 Series II (in the now defunct Man Yee building), and it did not impress me, but that could be the dealer, which was not known for setup skills. It had divided opinions (panned in Stereophile but well received by TNT). If you google, you shall find out how much furor it had stirred up. I'd think that is par for the course - it takes a courageous soul to try to bring back an "updated" version of a legend. The lesson continues to the present day, right now, when Canadian company Raidial Engineering tries to bring out its Series III (here). Although publicized in trade magazines like TAS, apparently Panor, which seems to still own the trademark, had instigated lawsuits which may or may not have been settled.

Dynaco PAS 3

• Background As with many things Dynaco, there is an incredible amount of info available on the internet. For a manageable background, read radiomuseum and this article titled The Most Important Preamp in The World. The 3 and 3X are very similar and here is a good article on how to tell AS 3 from PAS 3X. My unit is a stock PAS 3.

• Round 1: Initial Impressions I am not sure how many years had elapsed since the last time I heard the PAS 3 - perhaps two decades? Hooked up to my horns, I was quite take aback. Whereas I had remembered it as slow and gray, it was now lightning fast and quite aggressive. The leading edge and transients were very exciting, but the treble was very rough and the preamp could not play loud at all, as it turned strident fast. But I knew: it has potential.

• Round 2: vs Conrad Johnson PV-5 I took it to Kevin's house (equipment more or less detailed here), where it was matched with Conrad Johnson PV-5. As expected, the PAS 3 sounded smoother here but its fast leading edge and weakness at loud volume were still very much evident. Listened at a reasonable volume the sound was very promising, very much more so than the CJ PV-5: while the CJ painted a more comforting broad stroke and bold colors, the stock PAS 3, even when tethering at the edge, revealed a much broader palette of infinite shades and hues, in both tonality and rhythm.

There is a LOT more to Part II. Stay tuned.

Altec A7, Sun Audio 2A3, VPI Prime, VAS Nova MC, Fostex FE168SE

Click pic to enlarge. Note JBL 075 on top of Altec A7, Fostex Fullrage in DIY cabinet. On top of the rack, from L to R: Sun Audio 2A3, VPI Prime, CJ MV-75. Beneath, from L to R: TEAC UD501 DAC and Luxman C32 preamp; Luxman CD-S300; and CJ PV5.

Soldiering On with The Audio Handymen and Altec
Letter from NYC (71) 2017 (10): One Fine Day with Altec's

Yet another pair of Altec! But lunch came first.

The Lunch Party On Sunday, Andy threw a lunch party for the audio gang. Early in the morning, the weather report was frightening, forewarning gusts and heavy downpour from afternoon through the night, even invoking a Hurricane Sandy scenario. Of course, nothing could have deterred the gang. James as usual came from Philly and picked up Simon and I on the way; Anthony and Jenny drove from NJ. Mark came from LI. On that day I met Kevin, who lives not so far from Andy.

We were greeted by a cool but strong mint punch. And I noticed Andy's new Odyssey tonearm! He also dragged out his Cary 805 (misnomer; 300B driving 845) monoblocks, which ably played Ellington and other stuff for us over the course of lunch. The long meal started with some steamed stuffed tofu skin rolls and marinated pork knuckles, then proceeded to chicken cooked in fermented rice, Thai red curry seafood and a big salad. We were more than half full when the piece de resistance arrived at the table. Andy had marinated several racks of lamb. We grilled them and finished them in no time! All washed down with a bottle of South African Shiraz Mouvedre and two from Napa Valley. In all, a debauchery (I counted on my plate nine pieces of remains; surely I am a glutton for mutton). As if that wasn't enough, Simon asked for coffee and we were generously served the last of Andy's Kopi Luwak, the world's most expensive coffee (see here.) Andy was overly generous, and I feel guilty that the gang had bankrupted him; his next tonearm would just have to wait... Stuffed to a T, we took advantage of a moment's respite in the rain and shifted to Kevin's place for the next part of the program.

A7 and More
Here we met another nice audiophile wife! Kevin is a lucky man to have the large basement to himself. The hifi bug has really bit him recently and he has been upgrading his system at a good speed. First came the nice Altec A7 picked up from Pennsylvania, then the CJ PV5 preamp, the CJ MV75 amp and for this day, Stephen delivered his VPI Prime Turntable to his door. Stephen is the consummate handymen - from unpacking to listening took all of 10 minutes!

Altec A7 Background Info A word about the A7, even if I am not an Altec expert. Quite similar to its more expensive brother A5 (see brochure at end of article for comparison,) the A7 is called the "baby" Voice of the Theater. Long in production, the A7 had several variations and it can be confusing. Basically, the A7 usually employs the 416 woofer, my favorite (used in my YL; I prefer it to the A5's 515) and a high frequency driver less costly/famous than the A5's 288, housed in a cabinet similar/identical to the that of the A5. If you google, you will find lots of info buried here and there. This article by WAJ is an interesting start, and I can agree with most of what he said. Crossover Woes Altec crossovers are rather infamous for needing rebuilds/updates/revisions (at least according to audiophiles) and many build their own (like Leo's and Andy's A5's). I think Kevin's are originals. In this interesting link is an industry professional who built all his, in a meticulously tweaked system. Here is an even more interesting article from another industry professional detailing what the author thinks should be done to the A7. Note that all A5/A7 lovers love them for the same reasons, even if their approaches can differ quite a bit. Electronic Crossover For some reason it seems people in HK and the Far East opt more often to take this even more complicated path (unlike fixed crossovers, with knobs the users get tempted to constantly adjust the crossover points). I have heard several such attempts with horn systems, including Altec. Most left something to be desired, but a pseudo-A5 I heard in Brooklyn many moons ago was stunningly great (the system was tri- or quad-amped.) Amplifier Choice SET, PP, low or high powered, multi-amped, that is the question. Read on for more discussions below.

Altec A7 + CJ First we listened to Stephen's modified Ortofon Red, amplified by CJ PV5 and MV-75. I found myself listening to a sound that has long been familiar to me - a trapped and veiled midrange/bass I have heard so often in Altec's that were not done well. After a while, we moved on to an extra tonearm with Stephen's moderately low-output VAS Nova MC installed (0.8 MV, sufficient for the CJ) and things started to take a turn for the better.

Fostex + Luxman + Sun Audio Kevin has the Fostex FE168SE (Sigma series, 6") in his own DIY back-loaded horn Acousta-like cabinets. The system was probably his main system before he got the Altec's. This was now a secondary system, but all connected, ready to go. Many moons ago I had a Luxman preamp but didn't like its sluggishness (Stephen said the caps have to be changed). But this Luxman C32 sounded up to date driving the Sun Audio 2A3 (equipped with Arcturus single plates). The sound was quite wonderful, clear and sweet! Aided by a subwoofer, of course! I think we were using digital (a USB stick) as source, and the very humble Yamaha CD-S300 + TEAC UD501 combination did surprisingly well!

Altec System in Tandem with Fostex System At this point Kevin pulled off a hat trick. He blended the two systems together by manipulating the two volume controls. And it was great! Much clarity was added to the lower midrange of the Altec system. Surprisingly good! I have actually heard two-loudspeakers systems before, no less than Altec + JBL (see here!) Kevin's was in some ways potentially almost as good. Even if Andy said he heard some phase shift irregularities, and I trust his ears, I much prefer this amalgamation to the Altec's alone (with CJ, but read on...)

Altec with Sun Audio I then audaciously asked Kevin to swap the Sun Audio 2A3 into his Altec system. This turned out to be a LOT of work for him, as he had to move interconnects and speaker cables. It was finally ready, and the sound was tentative at first. While it had extra clarity, and much of the previous lower midrange mush was gone, the sound got strident when the going got rough. One factor was likely the much lower power available, but I knew I'd prefer to work with this rather than the CJ amp. As a SET amp user with several 2A3 amps, I knew the single plated 2A3's can be lean in certain systems, and likely not a match with the ruthless (I use this term in its best possible sense) Altec system. I asked Kevin whether he had double-plate 2A3's and he dug out his Chinese 2A3-C's. These are not what I expected - they are actually "bastard" 300B tubes with 2.5 instead of 5V filaments, but they have the advantage of higher outputs, 5 watts or so vs 2 watts. While I knew these are not as sweet as double plate 2A3's, we swapped them in, and after a while the sound smoothed out a little. Less strident but still not optimal. I went over to look at the TT and discovered the "VTA" to be quite off and we lowered the arm considerably after which the sound smoothed out further. At this point the ladies brought in some food. We were still very full from the epic linch, but we savored the home-made wontons and some fish balls. Kevin is not much of a drinker so James raided his collection (gifts) and we had some very expensive Napa wines and Chinese hard liquors. As we drank and ate, the sound slowly got better and better. Itzhak Perlman's style and tone in the Brahms concerto (EMI) was just as I remembered (I heard him live once) and the A7 did an incredible job at rendering tone, bowing and rhythm, even the intent of the performer; the background orchestra reasonably fleshed out too. This was at a moderate volume (there were a lot of us, remember), and I was satisfied; the cartridge and 2A3-C's were practically brand new and would need more run-in; I have confidence they will sound a lot better down the road. Andy also nodded in approval.

Some Thoughts
Although I have never personally owned any Altec loudspeakers, I have heard many A5's, A7 variations (including the -500) as well as 604/605's (largely 515 woofers with coaxially mounted small horn tweeters) systems. I have heard them sounding fantastic (occasionally), and I have heard them sounding dreadful (quite often). They are never perfect, and will never be (don't let anyone else deceive you), yet they are never dull, and they entice you to play on because their presence, evocation of the live event, is simply unrivaled. I'd gladly give them a day rather than, say, the Wilson Watt/Puppy, a minute. In HK we have a saying, they are 抵玩, meaning "bargains", not based on price only, but because they can entertain/torture you for a lifetime, I kid you not, and you would still keep them (who doesn't like a hot woman?) With these in mind, I venture a few thoughts on the evening's Altec proceedings:

• Home Use? These were theater loudspeakers designed to reproduce sound in huge spaces, driven by large amps. Theoretically, home use is a far stretch, but we have heard several successful attempts recently, haven't we? I count Andy's, Leo's and potentially even Kevin's as successes. Close to Front Wall All these people have a reasonably large space (LR or basement) and have these close to the front wall, which saves the most space. In-Room I myself believe in-room (subject to daily life constraints) yields better sound (certainly when it comes to soundstage) in smaller spaces. I place all my horn systems this way: in the US, the YL (its placement exercise briefly documented here;) in HK, the Tannoy Canterbury and TAD 3401. Note too one of the authors of the above links also have them in-room and near-field. Anyway, the most important thing is to make sure the placement has the least bass anomaly.

• Altec = Mirror Translated: Ruthless! More than most conventional loudspeakers, even those designed with skills, even modern day monitors, the Altec's never try to hide anything - the more so in our small (even large is small) rooms. Everything is reflected; even if something is just a bit off, it will be audible. This means equipment matching, including cables, to be of even more importance than usual. Tubes too - abandon the idea that what you think of as the best will sound better. Try a lot of Telefunken's and Siemens and your ears will bleed. This evening, the excellent single-plated 2A3's, which sounded quite wonderful with Fostex, did not sound so hot with the A7.

• Amplification Power and Quality With the sensitive Altec, we are talking about tube power - solid state is simply out of the question. When it comes to Tube Quality, it is usually in inverse relationship with power - the higher the power, the less pure the sound (why else are there so many SET fans?) The greatest dilemma the Altec user faces stems largely from the fact that the high frequency driver is a whole lot more efficient than the woofer, which is actually true with almost any dynamic loudspeaker designs, except that horn designs simply complain too easily: Too little power and the bass is not well controlled; too much power and the the midrange and high frequencies are less pristine. To a good extent, the evening's proceedings reflected these inescapable facts: The CJ MV75 sounded simply murky in comparison with the flea-powered Sun Audio 2A3, especially when fitted with the Chinese 2A3-C. Altec simply reflected that the Sun Audio delivered a pristine First Watt, compared to which the CJ MV75 was like grunge. Sure, one can spend over $1k to re-tube the CJ with GEC KT88's, but I doubt that will save the amp - it will improve but shall never be a Citation II nor McIntosh MC275. In any case, the excessive power is just wasted heat; note one of the authors quoted above sensibly used just a 12 wpc EL84 amp to his content. Bi-Amp This is a viable alternative. Note another of the above authors quoted used a 300B amp for the HF and a McIntosh 240 for the LF. As mentioned I have also heard a multi-amped Altec A5 to great effect. My Take I am definitely in the camp for SET (or even low powered PP amps like EL84's and 6V6's.) Personally I think some of the perception of lack of power stemmed from partnering with gear/cables that are too tight sounding. My old pair of Klipsch La Scala and current YL's do very well with BIG classical pieces on as little as 2 watts (I used 2A3 double-plates the most with my La Scala), and I expect no less, rather even more, from Altec. I am keen to re-visit Kevin, perhaps with a bunch of cables, in the future when the 2A3-C's and VAS cartridge have run in more.

• Crossover Woes? So much have been written about the poor quality of Altec crossovers, so there must be good reasons, but sometimes I have my doubts. My theory is that a lot of setup mistakes (like poor positioning and gear matching) can account for the poor sound, and it is just too easy to blame everything on the crossover. Remember I owned the La Scala - both my ferrite and alnico pairs through their original corssovers sounded excellent and played big classical pieces with aplomb. But I have heard La Scala's that puzzled me too. So much have been written on the internet about improved crossovers for Klipsch and there is a huge aftermarket - guess what, every time I heard those mods I wanted to run for the door, and this happened so many times I even wrote an article about it (here). I say, audiophilia and horns are a dangerous mix. Call me skeptical, but I have heard just too many expensive and bad sounding self-assembled horn systems (many TAD's) with DIY crossovers.

All in all, despite the weather, one fine day! Below are some Atec Brochures

Audio Research ARC SP-11, CJ Premier 3, Harmon Kardon Citation I, Jadis JPS2, Tien Turntable, Tom Tutay Phonoamp

L. Finally Got It Up! R: Reward for the Stooges.

How Many Stooges Does it Take to Move a Table? Keeping Up with Audio Handymen and Gluttons
Letter From NYC (69) 2017 (8): Making Rounds in Metropolitan NY
The BIG and BAD Preamp Shootout: Jadis JPS2, Audio Research SP-11 Mk II + Mk I Modified, Conrad Johnson Premier 3 AND Harman Kardon Citation I!!
Review, Harman Kardon Citation I, Part II
Audition: TIEN Direct-Drive Turntable
Talk Vinyl: The Western Electric Phenomenon

!Addendum (10/28/17): Citation I, Part III (more action against other preamps) has been published.

This article chronicles two long days with the audio gang. The activities far outstripped my ability to write them up (and I still have my own long-delayed agenda). I am still TIRED! I say, Far From the Madding Crowd!

Part I. The Garden State Troopers
Two weeks ago, R and Andy picked me up in the morning, and drove to New Jersey, where we were joined by James (from Philadelphia, but a frequent presence in NYC) and friends.

Click pics to enlarge. R: Workshop Front; L: Interior, system was VPI TT, modified CJ PV-5, VAS amps, JBL 4343. Note too the B&W 801 and R's Watt/Puppy 5.1. On the walls were covers of many re-issue LP's. More pics at bottom of article.

Collector, DIY, Manufacturer, all in one
First stop was Stephen's workshop, right next to VPI, where R's pair of Watt/Puppy were unloaded to be refurbished.

Stephen, an unassuming fellow, is an enthusiastic audio collector of both hardware and software (LP's and even R2R tapes!) He is also an industry professional who represents VAS, Cayin and Aurum Cantus. We spotted but did not get to hear a VAS Citation I replica. The workshop also does OEM jobs for others. Technically savvy and with a DIY bend, Stephen also does skillful restoration and mods for his friends. After hanging around a bit, Stephen generously treated us to a delicious lunch at his favorite Chinese restaurant. Then we headed to the next stop.

Click pic to enlarge. Simple but VERY effective system.

I know what you want, and I know what I want
Leo is a vinyl collector and reseller. Basically, he spends a lot of time foraging for LPs, and is apparently well known to many vinyl sellers in the NY metropolitan area. He resells quite a bit of it to the largest vinyl store in Taiwan. The very large basement has boxes of vinyl piled up and strewn all over, and what you see in this pic is just tip of the iceberg.

The man has thoroughly studied various audiophile vinyl buying guides (there are many in Chinese) and knows the price of every audiophile record. Unusual among audiophiles, he himself has a preference for Columbia LPs, and there are tons of them strewn around. As R wanted to buy some classical records, Andy (and I) picked some out for him while listening to the excellent horn system, which deserves a little more coverage.

The horns are Altec A5, the crossover made by Canadian Chinese magazine writer and audio guru "Spring" Yeung (彈弓楊). Preamp is CJ Premier 3, driving Jadis SE300B monoblocks. Most interesting, however, was the turntable:

Click pic to enlarge.

Tien Direct-Drive Turntable was the first brainchild of Taiwanese vinyl and analogue dealer Mr. Tien of Tien Audio (田昌政類比音響)(Official Blog), with industrial design by D.More (也作設計). It was very well received in Taiwan and has found distributors in several Asian countries and France. It won Taiwan's Golden Pin Design Award (here, with English description of the rationale behind the award).

For those who read Chinese, there is good coverage of its genesis in an article in Taiwan's AV magazine 高傳真視聽. Those who don't should still peruse this link for all the pics, which include various prototypes. A short description: The plinth is made of birch. The direct drive motor is obviously directly below the acrylic platter, mounted on a PCB board for control electronics. The motor is fastened by four screws with rubber washers providing some measure of isolation. Note the platter retainer (small rubber ring) around the spindle (visible in the main pic of the official blog) providing additional shock absorbance. It comes with a modified Rega arm (some bearings replaced by gem stones, exactly what not mentioned). Note also the other arm shown in the article is a more expensive version, with the front portion of the Rega arm lengthened and replaced by a carbon tube.

Tien has since gone on to design more higher end models, including a 3-motor Voyd-like design, but imho none looks as good as his original namesake. The Tien sells for Taiwan Dollar 38,000 (roughly USD 1250) which, judging from its looks and what I heard (below), is GREAT value, and deserves wider distribution. Despite that, supposedly demand so far has outstripped supply due to manufacturing bottleneck.

Leo used to use "better" cartridges but apparently he has broken a few. Fed up, he switched to the humble Shure V15MkII. In this large room, the performance of the cheap analogue setup in the system was just marvelous, and almost everyone thought it sounded better than their previous visits. It had all the presence that Altec is famous for, largely without the attending raggedness. St James Infirmary (one of many original copies Leo owns; jealous?) growls and grimly grinds along as it should. Led Zep's Stairway to Heaven was full-throttled. Most miraculously, classical playback was also very good as evidenced by 2 versions of Night on Bald Mountain: LSO/Solti (Decca) was dark and menacing; my dark horse favorite, Boston Pops/Fiedler (DG) was a frenzied whiplash. I personally think the large room and plenty of absorbance (all those boxes) contributed greatly to the good sound. This ranks as one of the very best Altec systems I have heard.

Click to enlarge. Note the added rectifier (5AR4), choke and additional heatsinks.

Part II, Long Island Reunion - The Longest Day

Last Sunday, the augmented Audio Handymen (Andy, Simon, James, Stephen and wife, Mark and I) descended on R's mansion (equipment and previous visit detailed here). Even though R already possesses the Jadis JPS2, Citation I and CJ Premier 3, he was curious about the ARC SP-11. So James brought in from Philadelphia his stock SP-11 MkII. Stephen also came with his modified tube-rectified SP-11 MkI (which he prefers to MkII) which we saw earlier in NJ.

As usual, R put us to work before lunch, and this time it was a BIG task, moving the Rockport Sirius II into the living room. The thing is definitely over 300 lb. One could do some desoldering to separate the parts but it was too much of a hassle. So four of us held the corners and lifted it up while two quickly shoved the dolly under. Unfortunately the dolly could not clear the rear legs and we could not lift it up higher, so an extra person came to the rescue in the back and finally it was done. Unloading was much easier. The Rockport actually looked very nice in the LR but we did not get to hear it as there were no air pump and vacuum yet in the living room (hole on the floor would have to be drilled for the tubings to come from the basement motor unit). Now, that was the physically taxing part of the program.

We picked out some music to listen to and for using later. For some reason (perhaps cabling) the system sounded a little coarser than last visit. After a few sides we adjourned for lunch.

The Ideal Audiophile Wife Stephen's wife Jenny is no audiophile, but obviously she has seen and heard more than most people. She totally supports her husband in his ventures (as with many men, more than just audio) and actually conversed with us on audio. Ode to the lady!

Lunch this time was perfectly turned (a given for R) Hanger Steak garnished with Cauliflower and Brussel Sprouts, washed down with some Californian wine. Again, unlike audio, just perfect. Then some of us had the Durian that Andy bought (see pic at bottom; wiki entry here). Most Americans probably have never had this tropical Asian fruit, as it has a strong smell and an intricate taste. The one Andy picked  (and he took a long time; I was waiting in the car) was a great one, with an intense yet complex taste. Like with certain cheeses, I still am not a fan, but I can appreciate it. Afterwards, strong coffee was mandatory and the barista (lady of the house) made a great expresso. After lunch the mentally taxing part, the preamp shootout, began in earnest.

• ARC SP-11 MkII James' is stock, tubed with mostly Russian tubes. I should mention here that I have always been a fan of older ARC's. In HK, I still have an SP-3, SP-8MkII, SP-10MkI and SP-11MkII, so am familiar with the sound of this hybrid preamp. It was just as I remembered it. The sound had great presence, fast transient speed and a tight, walking bass, but the midrange was not quite as rich as an all-tube preamp. Compared to the Jadis JPS we heard before lunch, on Saxophone Colossus, Rollins' sax was missing a little bowel sound, and Max Roach's drumsticks were not quite woody when slapped together or on the drum edges. However, the rhythmic snap and timing were superior, the Jadis a bit heavy footed in comparison. Mahler's Second (VPO/Mehta, London) also could have used a bit more heft, but it was atmospheric and uplifting. Again, the Jadis was richer, but a bit brutal during fortissimi. I then wanted to try Stephen's MkI power supply on this unit, but a loud hum told us it was not compatible.

•  SP-11 MkI (Tube Rectified) Compared with the stock SP-11 MkII, the tube rectified and choke filtered MkI was definitely smoother, with less high frequency hash (not that there was a lot before). The midrange was a little richer, but still not quite like an all-tube unit. The gain in fullness and smoothness in both Saxophone Colossus and Mahler Second was met with approval by most of the crowd, but I thought this came at the price of rhythmic vitality and transient speed, a trade I personally would not want to make. I actually think one can hear the FET part of the hybrid, and in my opinion it is not a trait that can be camouflaged in its entirety (in many ways, among hybrid preamps, the very good Counterpoint thousand series does better in this regard, the best in my experience being the Melos 222, though it is a little dark sounding.)

• ARC SP-11 MkII Redux This time James put in more vintage tubes (I don't know what), and sound sweetened a little. However, the re-tubed unit lacked a little definition in comparison and, like the effect of tube rectification, also lost some rhythmic vitality and transient speed. I myself preferred the first iteration.

• Tom Tutay Phonoamp At this point, R's Tom Tutay phonoamp was swapped in in lieu of the SP-11's own phono section. A word on Tom Tutay: he apparently is a well regarded DIY person who runs Transition Audio Design (no website). The one R has is actually an early all-tube full function preamp, though R is only using the phono section, which looks very much like the later Tutay phonoamp named Vibrance, which employs both octal and noval tubes. We have heard it in conjunction with the Linn many times before. The sound was definitely a little darker, smoother and warmer than ARC's own phono section. As with designs employing the larger octal tubes, images were larger and fleshier. though a trifle homogenized (as Andy put it). I thought it had sounded better with the Jadis JPS in R's regular rig during the last visit. This synergy thing is unpredictable and has upset many an audio boat! One more thing on this phono design. The octal tubes are prone to microphonics and noise. R's unit works with the Cardas cable, which rolls of the top, but with my considerably more neutral Gotham GAC-2, R reported hearing high frequency noise, likely tube noise, but that shall be investigated.

• Conrad Johnson Premier 3 R had used its phono section in his previous room before he dismantled it; in contrast, Andy has long been using the similar Premier 2 (tube rectified) as a linestage (preferring the Citation I's phono section). As a full preamp, it put in a performance that was the most puzzling and inconsistent of the lot. It was the warmest and most full-bodied of the lot and was easy to listen to, but in comparison with the others it seemed sluggish and lacking in sparkle and resolution. I wondered if it was out-of-phase but was told that this is one of the rare CJ preamps that is not phase-inverting. From my experience, old CJ is too much of a good thing - big caps likely slow down the sound and make it more earthbound. Used as a full preamp, the problem compounds itself; no wonder both of my friends use only a half of it. The CJ, especially the phono section, is definitely not neutral. This experience also reinforces my view that these slower and darker components work with horns better than with conventional speakers (even the modernist Citation I usually works better with horns than regular stuff; that it works so well with this system and Wilson surprised me a little.)

• Harman Kardon Citation I Once again, this vintage classic, beloved by me, Andy and others (see Part I), instantly revealed its true mettle. The sound was modernist in tendency and well balanced, very neutral and with excellent resolution, reasonable transient speed and clean bass. Add a good dose of presence and touch of tube warmth and it was quite wonderful. Most approved, and Mark exclaimed that he wanted one. R made the decision to have the Citation stay in the system and he took the Jadis JPS out, that is how much he liked it. But, was it perfect? No, there was just a trace of leaness and coarseness that increased with volume. To me, in a way, it was like the SP-11 with more tube and less FET characteristic, though the Citation I's power supply is by no means comparable, commonly faulted for being marginal for support of the large number of tubes. Nonetheless, a classic. Note that I spoke to R later and he said he found it a little fatiguing after prolonged listening, but I am sure that can be ameliorated by some cable matching; I am sure you will hear more of this later.

• My Choice Personally, I'd prefer to work around the more neutral Citation I or stock ARC SP-11. The colored CJ is clearly not my cup of tea, but has its adherents. The equally colored Jadis JPS strangely was ousted in this session, but it should have done better (as last time).

Collector vs Glutton Call it what you want, but there is only a thin divide between the collector and the glutton. However, somewhat unfairly, the former has an elevated aura and the latter is usually a denigration. More than the Glutton, the Collector could morph into a Connoisseur, though most don't. Most of the time, we are all of these rolled into one. This certainly applies to Andy, James, Stephen and I, even R! Talking about myself, I hoard both equipment and software. I have over 10,000 LP's and thousands of CDs - there is no way I can listen to each one even once. There is also tremendous duplication. Simon and Leo have not much extraneous equipment, and hence are not audio gluttons, but they collect LPs prized by audiophiles. Leo of course is a reseller; maybe that's the best way, buy what you like, yet have an easy way to unload stuff. In HK, this is why many audiophiles ultimately end up in business (physical and virtual shops) - one would have to when one has amassed way too much and reached critical mass. But then when money comes into it, things get complicated, even with friends - something to think about.

Vinyl Talk: The Western Electric Phenomenon There is a dark side to the US's unparalleled history of innovation, invention and progress - waste. There is another dark side to the US's inborn revolutionary and evolutionary attitude - undervaluation of heritage. Both of these play a very significant role in the current state of audio, particularly vintage audio. I'll expound on this in detail n another article. Here we will only note that nobody much in the US buys classical music LPs, but there are many people like Leo, from especially from HK, China and Korea, who buy these and ship them back to Asia, because they are treasured by audiophiles there. Like the depletion of 300B and other WE tubes and equipment in the US, classical vinyl (the better titles and selected pop titles) is heading the same way.

More photos. From top: Durian (does it not look like a mis-proportioned organ?); Note the VAS Citation I between 2 vertical stacks of VPI 16.5; Tip of the iceberg, note the Quicksilver, McIntosh 240 and Marantz 8B; No eggs, but much more expensive VPI tonearms.