Happy New Year Goalbon Audio Grado SR80E

Click pics to enlarge. At Goalbon, I listened to the Zingali Bookshelves driven by the EL34 integrated amp (under the black Mimetism CDP on front rack). Flanking the Zingali's are Italian Casta Loudspeakers. Rear, EL34 monoblocks; in center top are the 2-chassis Preamp and besopke TT; beneath the latter phonoamp. Front, on the floor is a headphone amp sporting 2A3, 12AX7 and 5687.

Letter from Shenzhen (24-1): Happy New Year
A Visit to Goalbon Audio

Kudos Grado SR-80E

12/31, 4pm I started writing this on the last day of 2023. I was happily ensconced in my SZ home and was home alone! At 4 pm (remember we’re 12 hours ahead of EST USA), I opened a bottle of Bordeaux and started writing. Not even sure what to write when I picked up my pen (so to speak)! You can call this kinda train-of-thought, real-time writing, kinda in the manner of real-time filming, like in the Chantal Ackerman classic, Jeanne Dielman, 23, Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (recently voted as best film ever here). Of course, that film took more planning than you can imagine! And it brought back my youth - I watched it in one of NYC’s then Revival Houses and, as I wrote I recalled certain scenes vividly. In case you don’t know yet, I’ve been a life-long film buff, my preference being closely observed dramas, no matter how small (which is why I have a predilection for European [including the UK], and esoteric films [from all continents], and disdain Hollywood). Perhaps, as an audiophile, I should call it Single-Ended (SE) drama, which shakes and moves only within a small but, to some, all-encompassing envelope. The world panders largely to those who watch Marvels and blockbusters; in audio terms, it’s like all those humongous and often wrongfully deployed and distasteful huge amplifiers (ss or tube) trying to blast us into submission with lousy inefficient loudspeakers (but audio is worse, usuallycompletely devoid of humor). Make no mistake, I can enjoy a Marvel film but I do know they are broad-stroke caricatures of life. The important question is, do you?

12/30 5 pm Perhaps the best way to capture some of the sentiments I feel is to recount the day before, Dec 30th. I was to attend a so-called New Year’s Concert in faraway Guangming, and Goalbon Audio 高班音响 headquarters (Official Website) sits sort of half-way, so I decided to pay them a visit. I had met them during the SZ Show earlier in the year, and even though I had notified them last-minute, they were accommodating.

The small showroom is very comfortable. The very charming Miss Gao, and the forthright Mr Ding put me at ease. A certain very nice Mr Chen was also there. I just listened to the Zingali bookshelf loudspeaker being driven by Goalbon’s “entry level” EL34 PP amp. Source was a French Mimetism CDP and sound was decent. In particular, Aaron Neville showed good detail, articulation and good bass texture.

We drank tea and time flew by. I then realized that I had to go, and scrambled towards my concert. As chronicled in my classical blog, I had some setbacks, but the transcendent performances of the Russian Orchestra made it all worthwhile.

12/31 9 pm Still typing away. All of a sudden, I discovered (via wechat) that the Chengdu Symphony Orchestra had a New Year Concert on line! I tuned in midway and it was Beethoven 9th, conducted by their director Chen Lin 音乐总监陈琳女士! I didn't even bother to have it on my regular system. Instead I plugged my trusty Grado SR-80E headphones into my iPhone 6. Yes, that old a phone, but sound was astonishingly good! I tell you, for people like me, that's all the headphone I need (I do have some high impedance cans like Sennheiser 600). The presence factor was just superb through the budget Grado. I also like chatting with friends on wechat while we watch the concert! Of course, with a drink too! It was marvelous! It made my evening!

1/1, 2024 6 pm Now I'm winding up this article. This I call as one of my best Year-End ever! In the coming year I shall revisit Goalbon to give a more detailed report.

Below New Year's Lunch at Friend's

Editor's Note: The Times They Are A-Changing
Letter from NYC (63) 2017 (2)
Brief Review: Grado SR-80e Headphone
Headphone Talk VIII: Grado SR-80e vs Audio Technica ATH-AD700

The Times They Are A-Changing
Here is a brief note to those who follow my Blog regularly; you must have noticed my output recently has taken a nosedive. Here, in the wee hours, suffering from jetlag, I am penning a few words.

Lately, a succession of unexpected matters relating to my family has consumed most of my time. The challenges ahead are considerable; while there will be strife, I shall focus on keeping a strong mind.

At this moment, audio, even listening to music, is indeed as they say, "guilty pleasure". But listening to music shall never lose its paramount importance, and it is often therapeutic, even lifting (think a Bruckner symphony). What equipment I use however becomes less important. In HK, if I only have an hour of stolen time, I am not going to fire up my Kondo rig, instead I'd use my Flying Mole (see Sidebar, "System C" "Newer Location"), which currently is driving my Dayton B652's. You will be surprised how satisfying this ridiculously inexpensive setup can be.

What about writing? That will go on, as it is another form of therapy. If you ask me, anything that demands concentration is therapeutic. I actually itch to do so. Although recently there has been few published posts, that doesn't mean I have shelved my writer-self; in the pipeline are quite a few half-written ones on good topics crying to be finished. I should however try not to be as comprehensive and compulsive as before, so as to get more out. After all, as an adult one doesn't always need to detail or justify one's impressions.

And Yet Things Don't Change...Listening On
My listening and writing activities may be curtailed, but they are very much alive. Here in NYC, I have a little more time and shall try to catch up a bit. A few hours ago, like yesterday, I fired up my Reference System I, and listened at very low level (sounds great). However, with the current weather it gradually grew too warm for comfort, and I then switched to listening on my Headphone Setup, which comprise an ancient Magnavox FD-2041 CDP fed into Meier-Audio Corda Swing (my previous brief review here) driving Grado SR-80e headphones.

Grado SR-80e Like the similar SR-60's, these likely need little introduction. The review in Whathifi is excellent, and I basically agree with all the points made. Since I listen at quite a low volume, its small shortcomings are quite irrelevant. vs Audio Technica ATH-AD700 (my previous review of the Audio Technica here) The differences are considerable. The Grado has a drier, possibly more precise and definitely upfront sound; the Audio Techica is more laid-back, more embedded in ambience. Piano (Messiaen Vingt Regards Pour L'Enfant Jesus; EMI/Beroff) is impeccable on the Grado, but a string quartet (Brahms; EMI/Alban Berg) is more wholesome on the Audio Technica, with more ease, more string sheen and better intimation of bow and bridge sound. As I only have less than 20 hrs on the Grado, I expect the SR-80e to further improve and smoothe out a bit.

Meier-Audio Corda Swing Mine is likely an earlier version of the current Corda Jazz. It works quite fine with the smoother AT, but is a likely little dry with the more forward Grado. There is plenty of gain (I use the low gain) and sound is lively. Although a German design, I think it is built in China by Shanling.

Magnavox FD-2041 This is exactly the same machine as Philips CD204, employing the CDM-2 mechanism and 14-bit TDA-1540 DAC chip. Sound is quite musical and organic, as one expects of the TDA-1540, with its unique je ne sais quoi (not everyone will agree, but to each his own). I also think the low oversampling rate of that earlier era makes for a more direct sound closer to non-oversampling than later extensive oversampling (artificial).

The setup is satisfying, though not quite at the level of my Stax System (here).

HiFi Letter from NYC 2010 (8): Rare Langevin preamp, Emergency kit, Sony DVP-SR200P, PR50P, Martin Logan Source and Linn Kan redux

HiFi Letter from NYC 2010 (8): Rare Langevin Preamp, Emergency Kit, Sony DVP-SR200P, DVP-PR50P, Martin Logan Source and Linn Kan redux

Bargain Basement Emergency kit
Actually this picture is no longer update, but that's really not important. What's important is the my continuous astonishment by the sound of my new room. Even a cursory setup of bargain basement gears necessitated by household circumstance reveals the sound to be very different from our old flat, from which we haven't yet officially moved out. Interestingly, in recent issues of TAS, Robert Harley is also chronicling the joy of the sound of his new room/house (also better).

The ML is placed a little more than 1/3 into the room, quite close to the sides (bookcases and LP storage), with some toe-in. While listing the initial setup I shall take the opportunity to expound on some of them, especially on their suitability as "emergency kit":

Analogue: Audio Technica AT-PL120/Grado Gold using its BUILT-IN phono.
Both the TT and cartridge are the greatest bargains in analogue land (as reported previously). The AT's more-than-competent built-in MM phono, which you can bypass, takes the phrase "plug and play" to a new level. No need to have a phonoamp! The TT may be discontinued soon, if not already; a new version is the same TT but adds USB facility. The Grado is supremely musical and its warmth is a good match with leaner direct-drives).

Digital: Sony DVP-SR200P
Cousin of the now discontinued and already legendary DVP-PR50P, which is sold out in HK, discontinued, but perhaps still available in Malaysia, where it was made. The PR-50P even garnered attention in Europe (Lencoheaven thread). Since the PR-50P is discontinued, some people started buying the SR-200P, which has a different look, i.e drawer vs top-loading, but the same digital parts, though now made in China. The SR-200P is available in the USA for as low as $25! I bought one in HK but only made a brief comparison between it and its more handsome predecessor. I think the PR-50P sounds more wholesome, the SR-200P leaner, but they certainly share the same sound and the SR-200P shall not be shamed by comparison with many much more expensive and "proper" CDPs, not to mention CAS. Interestingly, in the Amazon link provided above, reader Jake wrote that the SR-200P and hence by extrapolation the PR-50P are actually re-branded PHILIPS. Fascinating, no wonder the musical sound! I'd advise everyone to buy one for its infinite portability and giant-killer sound before the next model change, while still available!

Preamp: Langevin studio preamp
My dear WE friend brought this rare beauty for trial. This uses 6SJ7 (changed to 6J7) input and 6V6 output transformer-coupled, lovingly restored by 臺北的黃老闆. I shall write more later on this priceless item.

Amp: McIntosh 2200 and later the amp section of the Marantz 1120
Speakers: Martin Logan Source or Linn Kan

Roll Out the Carpets!
On my last trip I was preoccupied by the Magnepan 1.7 and did not fire up my Martin Logan Source. Hooking them up after more than 1 year of absence, and after some positioning and trials of toe-in (a must) I was floored by the sound they made in my new room. Although there were huge speakers 2 ft behind them, they carved out a cavernous soundstage that was way deeper than in my old compromised LR. The sound was also a little smoother and more luxuriant in the treble, while the bass was tuneful and well-controlled. In all aspects the sound trumped that in my previous locale. The speed, uncanny imaging and realism was a constant delight. The near full-range hybrid also provided much more realistic playback of orchestral music than what I heard from the many whimpy and even down-right odd-sounding old Quads ESL 57s and 63s in HK (except icefox's, and perhaps cpsjj's on vocals).

As I now have a pair of large speakers, I was thinking of selling them for space, but now I have changed my mind. After the renovation of the rest of our flat is over, I shall move the Maggie 1.7 in and have a comparison. It is not unlikely that I shall sell my 1.7 as I continue to prefer ML. What a bargain!

Since a lot of dust will be generated by renovation, in the next two weeks there shall not be electrostatics! I retired the ML just now and wrapped them up. In their places went my Linn Kan's on Sonus faber adjustable stands. Sound was surprisingly robust and bore a strong resemblance to what went before. There, must be the sweet spots. I ended up at about 28" height. BTW, I always think the so-called "ideal height of 24 " stands" for LS3/5As completely mistaken. No disrespect, but that height was probably determined by shorter people and are for short people. Having them higher brings our more flesh and realism. For me, I'd say anywhere 28" and 30".

My WE friend loved the PR-50P and after being impressed by my SR-200P again snatched it away from me. It shall be useful for him to take to customers' house when their systems need to be de-bugged. A customer of his was so impressed by the sound and look of his previous temporary loan of the PR-50P that he offered $200 for a $50 product, which my friend declined. I have asked him to do an A/B comparison in his small rig (Wavelength 6BQ5 SE amp and full-range speaker).

What is clear to everyone who has heard the new room is that the room is the real star! I must count myself a lucky man.