UMI 1:1 Sun Audio 300B VT25 ICL

Click pics to enlarge. Not exactly on this occasion but close enough. Station B in front. Center, Philips AK601 CDP and Melos 222 Preamp below Sun Audio VT25 and DIY 45 amps. Left, from top, Micromega Duo transport, Micromega Solo, Elekit 8230 2A3 amp, Philips cheapo CD-771, Micromega Duo Pro DAC, PS of Melos 222 and Bryston 4B. To the right, note the Ruark Crusader II in front of the B&W Matrix 801 Mk II. Note the "wall" on the right side was a partition using steel cabinets. In the back (actually near the entrance) is Station A. CDPs in use are the Revox 221 and Pioneer T-07A, second and third from top, below which is the MFA Magus B Preamp. Amp usually a Rotel 870BX.

Letter from Hong Kong (24-6): The Longest Days, Part III

Written in Shenzhen

Part I, our gathering on Jan 28th in Chaiwan

Part II, the next day, starting with the amazing den of Taimonsing. 

January 29, chez moi to finish

After being cooped up in the RCA Warehouse of Taimonsing, we had a late lunch. Then the 3 of us headed back to my old place in Pat Heung. Now you know why I fired up all my amps late the night before - in preparation for their visits! I planned out a program for them. Equipment was more or less as before (Station B described here; see Top Pic for Station A).

Program/Station A For a starter, I first fired up the B&W 801 Matrix Mk II. CDP was the Revox 221. Preamp MFA Magus B to the Rotel 870BX. I played mostly Until the End of the World. We didn't listen to this for very long as it's not the main program...

...then, after Program B finished, icefox the taskmaster asked for the Rotel amp to be replaced by Bryston 4B, which we did. Fortunately I was able to produce 2 XLR to RCA adaptors for use (no RCA inputs; there are actually a pair of professional TRX female sockets which I presume would take 1/4" phono plugs). With a lot more power than Rotel, the sound was drastically different, much fuller but less clean, the Rotel being faster in bass transients. But, as the 801 loves current, overall this was for sure an improvement. The Bryston had not been run for a long time, and it was probably a little murkier than when optimal, and there were occasional small popping noises...

...That was not all: see the UMI section below...

Program/Station B We spent the bulk of the time here. The Ruark Crusader II was used. CDP was the lowly Philips AK601 (CDM4/TDA1543). Preamp Melos 222. The program was to let them hear 2 Sun Audio amps, the 300B and VT-25, and an ICL/Softone 300B. Below you will find the reasons why I programmed it so.

Sun Audio 300B As mentioned before, this was built not on the 2A3/300B kit (2.5 and 3.5K taps) but on the Sun VT-25 kit, using the 5K ohm tap of the output trannies, so a "mismatched" amp of less than usual power (say between 4-5 watts). 6SN7's are a pair of old RCA's. As before, the 300B's and 274B are all 50's WE. The reasoning was to have them hear WE tubes. They have heard a lot, more than I (especially icefox) but not so often outside WE equipment or in humble SE amps. To my ears, this amp has the most WE qualities, including that elusive 撩撩吓 feeling. Many of the tracks on Until the End of the World have quite a bit of electronic ambient sound, swooshing and undulating. The effect is much enhanced in the amp. icefox incidentally might have found some of it a little "hea" (Cantonese for relaxed).

Sun Audio VT25  6SN7's are a pair of old suspended filament GE's. We heard first the white based WE VT25's with the WE 422A rectifier. The idea is also to hear WE tubes, albeit less famous ones (in particular, the 422A is much less regarded than the 274B). To my ears, sound was good (though some clipping is inevitable), but definitely less subtle and more yang than the 300B. And of course, sometimes the amp shows some clipping (1.x wpc)...We later changed to 274B and the sound improved markedly!

ICL/Softone 300B (here) I've always been an ICL/Softone fan. Very good designs for very sensible money, even now. The idea is to compare the WE equipped Sun Audio 300B amp with one using common tubes. The 6SJ7 (essentially a 6J7 without top cap) here is old stock glass GT with metal bass. 300B's a pair of old Shuguang's. Note that in its use of tubes this amp has a shade of the WE91A in it (though it is thoroughly modernized, with things like constant current source). Humble tubes. Sound is quite good, but modern, and certainly more powerful than the Sun.

UMI 1:1 Transformer (here and here) Surprise! I brought this one over from Shenzhen just for this occasion. The effect was unbelievable!

• Inserted between CDP and Preamp It immediately improved the performance - across the board. Wider soundstage and better dynamics. It helped to bring the Sun VT25 closer to the 300B, but what was truly amazing to me was that, when used on the ICL, it kind of brought the modern amp (with modern tubes) at least a little bit closer to the old Sun with WE tubes. The ICL amp suddenly became less a straight-shooter and a little more suave!

• In Station A Again, inserted between the Revox CDP and MFA Preamp, the sound took an unbelievable turn for the better. Pushed out envelope. Much cleaner and more dynamic! We played the Burmester CD2 (long oop; pirated on TB) and it was just fab! Taimonsing rated this one as the greatest improvement.

• I gave the UMI to Taimonsing to make the rounds among the circle as I want more opinions. I'm looking forward to the feedbacks! U shall read more in this blog in due time!

Comments

• WE 274B All agreed that this tube makes the most difference. In fact, although it's very expensive, the 274B in the VT25 amp gets my vote for the "best value" WE. Although the 274B is subtle, sinuous and tactile in its upper reaches it's amazingly powerful in the lower reaches. In fact, the way it fills out the lower end may be a character trait (I think Taimonsing will agree with me). If there is just one WE tube you should get, this is it.

• WE 300B Personally, I think the real WE 300B is just a phenomenal tube. For me, its sophistication is way over any modern replicas. But, as mentioned above, the 274B is even better entry into the magic of WE. It's the essential portal.

• SET? Now, you may not know that both my guests, Taimonsing and icefox, are not SET fans! In fact, at their dens, you shall not find any SET amps! All PP amps! Well, for the SET amps I demonstrated on this occasion, their comments are fascinating. "...don't sound like the usual SET amps we have heard..." I take that as a compliment! Yes, indeed, many SET amps are just way too lean and meager, but they are not for me.

• Sun Audio Tamura Another note here on Sun Audio and Tamura transformers. If you ask me, I don't think I can easily find SET amps better than Sun Audio at any price. They are just superb value for money, and its a pity that they are so low-keyed and invisible in the US market. Mind you, for this round, I also screened Elekit 2A3 and my DIY 45 Amp (WE412 driver, Tango trannies), but I did not offer them for tastings as I thought their sounds would not be exactly what my guests were looking for.

Pics of the Food the Night before

Overview Sun Audio VT25 300B Philips AK601

Click pics to enlarge. Top, 300B amp built using Sun Audio VT25 kit with minor mods (see text below). The WE 274B and 300Bs are worth much more than the amp!!!!

Overview: Sun Audio

Glory: Western Electric
Letter from Hong Kong (24-1): Sleepless Night in HK

These days I go to Hong Kong to run errands perhaps every one or two weeks. To avoid crowds, I’d be on the Metro by 6:30 and be in HK around 8:30. I’d go for an early dim sum breakfast, then attend to things and return to Shenzhen well before the evening rush hour. I had largely avoided the Rush Hour all my life and that won’t change.

Last Wednesday, when 17 of us old Wah Yan Kowloon boys (Class of ‘72) gathered at the Cragengower Cricket Club (CCC) for dinner. This marked the first time I had dinner in Hong Kong in three years. Food was very good but even better were the wine brought over by two of the boys. I particularly enjoyed the Talbot Saint Julien (Second Growth).

Too late to go back to Shenzhen, so I got back to my old house around 11 pm and promptly fired up my SET amps. I went back and forth between my Sun Audio VT-25, my Sun Audio 300B (“mismatched” 5K transformers, using the VT-25 kit) and the Elekit 2A3 (TU-8230). I rummaged through my many boxes and dug out some precious tubes. Source was a lowest of the low end Philips AK-601 CDP. Preamp was the Melos 222 and loudspeakers the Ruark Crusader II.

Click pics to enlarge. Above, Station B Last Time. Center, Philips AK601 CDP and Melos 222 Preamp below Sun Audio VT25 and DIY 45 amps. Left, from top, Micromega Duo transport, Micromega Solo, Elekit 8230 2A3 amp, Philips cheapo CDP, Micromega Duo Pro DAC, PS of Melos 222 and Bryston 4B. To the right, note the Ruark Crusader II in front of the B&W Matrix 801 Mk II. Note the "wall" on the right side was a partition using steel cabinets. Note the Tile Floor.

I had written a little about the great sound of this Station B when I went back to the house last time (pic above, article here). Yet on this night the sound was even better, indeed exceptionally good; in fact, better than ever probably, and that goes back more than 20 years.  Yes, only flea power was on hand; yes, it was late and I was not listening very loud. But it was simply magical. As I wallowed in the splendor of the Triode, I asked why. I don’t have answers, but let me talk more first about some of the amps and tubes.

Overview: Sun Audio

I probably know more about Sun Audio than most people out there. I thank Hong Kong's Reference Audio for that. More than 20-25 years ago, they sold tons of Sun Audio kits in HK, at irresistible prices (like 1000 USD, including tubes). Many of my friends (like Hoi and I) bought more than one. They are fantastically finished, have a small footprint, easy to build and service and, most importantly, sound just fabulous. I know about all their models, and have heard most of them, and they haven't changed at all. I have myself (and helped others) converted some of them (like to 45). I have even met the father and son (here in my Guide to Akihabara). Unjustly, Sun Audio is not well known (or available) in the US, and that's just too bad. If you ask me, their amps sound better than those of most competitors. As the price of kits like Elekit has escalated to (for me) unreasonable level, I'd think Sun Audio offers a much better bang for the money. More below. The most iconic Sun Audio Amp is the 2A3. Indeed the basic circuit is there, and everything else are variants. Here is a bit of what I wrote in my DIY article:

• Example - Sun Audio 2A3/300B amplifier Back a decade ago, through my yahoo forum, I must have played a role in the popularization of Sun Audio kits, particularly in HK. I must say I have never met a Sun user who doesn't like his amp. But in the forum, where there are a lot of DIY people, including some well known figures, the very simple design did meet with various criticisms. Some of the people built kits by another kit maker (say kit B) and made every conceivable upgrades recommended by a respected electronic guru. A friend had a fully decked out kit B that used all manners of chokes and it went up against my Sun Audio. I personally feel, despite the simplicity, the Sun more than held its own. If not for my awkward position I'd call the Sun the outright winner. I wanted to support kit maker B and so did not really fully air my opinion. And what do I know about circuits to argue with the guru, who I also happen to like? As much as I respect electronic know-how, the experience taught me to keep an open ear, to say the least! My convictions were further strengthened when, over many years, I heard many decked out and not inexpensive DIY amps went up against the Sun amps. I am sorry to tell you all of them did not sound as musical. Now, I know fully well the Sun amps are not the ultimate in anything, and they are not cost-no-object designs to begin with, but they have continued to hold up amazingly well over the years. The designer had used his ears well and balanced things deftly to make simple yet engaging statements, thereby trumping much DIY grandiosity in the process. That is something called "art", which the majority of DIY people fail to understand.

That rings even more true today. In fact the electronic guru I mentioned had gone on to design for major companies. But my position holds. I'd think Sun Audio can compete with the best of them. The Wavac's (MD-300B and higher end EC) surely have more poise and drive, and the Verdier is no slouch, but the Sun Audio keeps up. What I'd love is to size up the Chinese APPL with this Gold Standard!

2A3 This is the foundation of Sun Audio. The output transformer has 2.5 and 3.5 ohm taps. This kit can be easily converted to use SE pentodes, tetrodes (even 45, my fav), etc. The 2A3 amp has long secured its place as the best. Not much can touch it. Second hand units trade quickly and price remains firm.

300B (LE) This is just a variant of the 2A3, using some simple mods for filament of 300B. Sound is under-rated. Very good, if you ask me. I used to have one of these (not the one I have now using mismatched VT25 kit) and imho it killed most of the competitors.

VT25 This one has a transformer that has 5K and 8K taps. The 8K is used for the VT25/10, and likely can also take the VT62/801A. Power rating is meager but it actually works quite well! My friend used it well to drive his Tannoy Black (here). For my experience see below.

Push Pull Amps Despite Gizmo's enthusiasm I don't like these. Totally dismissible compared with vintage. 

Preamps They seem rather simple. Never heard them.

As you can see from the above, I vouch for their SE amps, but not the rest.

Resource It's pretty amazing that Reference Audio has continued to sell Sun Audio products after almost 30 years! In fact their bilingual official website now is very informative of Sun Audio stuff. I direct you to the Sun 2A3 and you can go on there to view all other Sun models! Mind you, I think that's all fine with HK readers, but I don't think Reference Audio is authorized to sell US 120V products.

Listening Notes 

• Sun Audio VT25 Last time I listened to the thoriated RCA VT-25 and the formidable WE 274B and it was wonderful. This time, I listened to the WE VT-25 with the (lesser)WE 422A rectifier, and I think it was even better, mesmerizingly subtle and refined. No matter how you tube it, this is a fabulous amp that belies its ultra-low wattage (rated 1.3 watts, probably lower) if your loudspeaker is sensitive enough. I note that I can probably also use (thoriated) VT62/801A, and may try it next time.

• Sun Audio 300B This time (see top pic) I gave it the royal WE treatment and, boy oh boy! The beauty is beyond words. The very subtle articulation surpasses even that of the VT-25, though the latter was a little more yang. It made Until the End of the World, an album that I have listened to umpteenth time, sound like a new album. The pulse was sheerly riveting! Paradigm of Rhythm and Pace (PRaT)!

• Elekit 2A3 (TU-8230) After all that, the Elekit could only came in a distant third, even with old-stock Single Plate 2A3. BUT, it still has that subtle articulation that I like even without WE tubes. Which leads me to...

• Philips AK601 CDP As a basic sonic signature was retained whether WE was in the chain or not, I must credit this very humble CDP for the great sound on offer! This is an ultra low end CDP using CDM4 transport and 16-bit TDA-1543 with 4x Oversampling. And it has a captured generic red-white interconnect (I will upgrade it in due time). Regular readers will know I love the sound of this type of CDP (for a start, see this article).

• vs Shenzhen In a link earlier in the article, I made no bones that my HK setup is superior in sound to my SZ setup. The room, the equipment, they all make a difference. But I still am happy with the sound of my current SZ setup, which will be updated in a coming article (some new players).

I was so intoxicated by the sound that I listened till 3 am. Sleepless night indeed!

Schematic of Sun Audio VT-25 amp (from Reference Audio)

View from the Government Education Bureau in Kowloon Tong.

The right-most hill is the symbol of HK, the Lion Rock  

Kowloon Wah Yan, a Jesuit School

肉丝炒面，深水埗 大利

HK Staple, so-called Singapore Noodles！

Tannoy Black Silver ICL Model 2 DAC Sun Audio VT-25

Click Pics to Enlarge: From Front to Back, 12" Tannoy Black's in DIY Cabinet; 12" Tannoy Silver's in HPD Cabinet; 15" Tannoy Gold's barely seen. 

Virtual Home Visit (3): Tannoy Rarities, Softone/ICL, Sun Audio and DIY Cabinets and Tube Amps

How Time Flies! Last time I reported on our Hong Kong Yumcha Friend K.C. was almost 10 years ago (here)! I have maintained a connection with them via our yumcha WhatsApp group, and it comes in handy during these tough times. You can look forward to many home visits down the pipeline.

Tannoy Black Silver Gold In that article I gave the details of his setups, particularly the extremely rare and expensive Tannoy Black drivers, so please read that for background as I am not going to repeat myself here.

Softone/ICL Model 2 DAC For Digital, K.C. has always used his trusty Philips CD-850 as transport. I sold him the Softone/ICL Model 2 DAC  (still sold here). IMHO it is excellent value for price. It employs a pair of 6DJ8 valves and can handle up to 24/96. Being a DIY'er, of course K.C. had modified it to his satisfaction (I'd change those Japanese brown caps). Should you like to read more on this small but interesting company, I have previously reported on Softone/ICL Models 1, 2, 3 here; I also reported on the Model 4 Phono here. You can call me a fan of this company.

Sun Audio VT-25 Amp Sun Audio is justly famous for their 2A3 amp, which my NYC friend Kevin also owns. It has two primaries, 2.5K and 3.5K and can be easily converted to 300B (I had both, but sold them before I left HK). But the VT-25 is a rarer bird. It uses a lower 8K for the VT-25 and also has a 5K winding, which can be easily converted to a 45 amp (I have done it for a friend). I had another one which I converted to 300B ("mismatched" impedance) and the result was excellent. This is rated at 1.2 wpc, and can drive the La Scala pretty well, but not so much Lowther or Tannoy Canterbury. I loaned it to K.C. before I left HK, and he said it surprisingly drives his Tannoy's very well. Note that the older Tannoy's are easier to drive than current ones.

DIY SE EL34 Amp

Below is a Chinese TV series which features on the sideline hi-end audio. This Lady

got to listen to a 40K RMB system and got the shivers. She borrowed the CD.

But in the next episode (plays automatically) she discovered it was not the same

on her computer,and she went shopping for a system.

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

Talk DIY: Pro's and Con's

Talk DIY: Pro's and Con's

Brief Reviews: Marantz 7c preamplifier

Brief Review: Sun Audio 2A3/300B amps

I started to write a short review on some DIY cables, but the article expanded on its own. Here, I give my views on the role of DIY in audio. They are my honest two cents, but some of these run contrary to popular opinion, so ymmv.

Is DIY in audio the way to go?

In general I have mixed feelings on DIY. Theoretically, I agree DIY is a wonderful thing, a great way to add dimension to the hobby. In practice the majority of the audio DIY people I have met (believe me, there have been many) achieve more in words than in practice. I judge it to be mostly counter-productive for the following reasons, and provide three examples to illustrate my points:

• Most of the DIY products I have heard are deficient one way or another, sometimes seriously, rarely striking a fine balance. The more one focuses on boutique components, the more expensive components one employs, the more the likelihood of wayward results. The most important requirements for DIY, as in general, is not skills, but fine ears, good judgement and capability for self-criticism. Electronic and theoretical know-how is very important, but it is not the most important in this hobby that has a tinge of alchemy about it.
  
  Most of the DIY people spend too much time listening to components than music. Changing, running-in and comparing components is extremely time-consuming. Don't tell me that doesn't eat into your listening time. Listening to a few tracks over and over for comparison is not listening, not living - it is hell.

• DIY tests the ego. Yes, we have all met many DIY people who claim they have made something that kicks butt, that beats the shit out of an established product, but have you ever met a DIY person who admits he is mostly failure? Judging from my experience, there should be a lot more of the latter than the former, but alas...The ironic thing is, if music comes first, DIY should not at all be an ego thing, and the least suitable person for DIY is one with a huge ego.

• DIY can cost more. Almost all of the DIY fanatics have bad words to say about manufacturers. While it is true for the same money you can build something with much "higher grade" components, there is no guarantee that it will sound good, or even balanced. And there is little resale value. Expensive components add up quickly in cost. It is just as easy to end up with many machines, a huge number of components and no music than to arrive at nirvana.

• Example - Marantz 7c (pic from Audio Classics) I think it is apt to cite just some examples to support my observations. The Marantz 7c must be the most popular choice for DIY preamplifier. Over the years I have listened to dozens of DIY efforts, some costing more than the real vintage thing or the re-issued version, and that is expensive! Many "improved" on the original circuit, often beefed up the power supply or even switched to tube rectification and regulation. In fact, for a year or two, when I fist came back to HK, I lived with a DIY version commissioned by me and built by my electronically savvy student using a cheap case, point-to-point wiring and good but inexpensive components. Sometimes I'd change a cap here and a wire there, though nothing excessive. Then I came across those much more "serious" efforts. To sum the whole thing up, my cheap one did not at all fare badly - at least it sounds balanced. Most of the over-built and over tweaked ones sound oddly disengaging, even incoherent. And certainly none came close to the original, which I happen to own! The original may not be the last word in every department (especially in dynamics) but it has a musicality that somehow eludes all of the imitations. Even the re-issue version made by VAC, which adheres much to the original (except understandably for parts) is much better than most of the DIY versions I have heard. In passing, I'd like to note that earlier ARC preamps that use 12AX7 have been said to be based on the Marantz 7c.

• Example - Sun Audio 2A3/300B amplifier Back a decade ago, through my yahoo forum, I must have played a role in the popularization of Sun Audio kits, particularly in HK. I must say I have never met a Sun user who doesn't like his amp. But in the forum, where there are a lot of DIY people, including some well known figures, the very simple design did meet with various criticisms. Some of the people built kits by another kit maker (say kit B) and made every conceivable upgrades recommended by a respected electronic guru. A friend had a fully decked out kit B that used all manners of chokes and it went up against my Sun Audio. I personally feel, despite the simplicity, the Sun more than held its own. If not for my awkward position I'd call the Sun the outright winner. I wanted to support kit maker B and so did not really fully air my opinion. And what do I know about circuits to argue with the guru, who I also happen to like? As much as I respect electronic know-how, the experience taught me to keep an open ear, to say the least! My convictions were further strengthened when, over many years, I heard many decked out and not inexpensive DIY amps went up against the Sun amps. I am sorry to tell you all of them did not sound as musical. Now, I know fully well the Sun amps are not the ultimate in anything, and they are not cost-no-object designs to begin with, but they have continued to hold up amazingly well over the years. The designer had used his ears well and balanced things deftly to make simple yet engaging statements, thereby trumping much DIY grandiosity in the process. That is something called "art", which the majority of DIY people fail to understand.

• Example - DIY loudspeakers At the risk of incurring much wrath, I have to say the most difficult thing to DIY is the loudspeaker, particularly conventional designs. As an example, II have met people who use the most expensive Dynaudio drivers and crossover components and put them into DIY cabinets to produce the most atrocious and unlistenable sounds I have heard. So, DIY multi-driver boxed speakers are a no no. Big horn assemblies fare better, as the midrange and treble drivers and horns don't really need housing and one only needs woofer enclosures (some even do without). Wideband drivers are also more likely to succeed, though it is by no means guaranteed. In the end, very few DIY loudspeakers (if any) are satisfactory in my experience. 

When to DIY?

All that said, let it not be misunderstood that I am all against DIY. Truth is, I admire many facets of DIY but also find much, too much, that is disturbing (same with manufacturers).In the end, cheap and Here are aspects of DIY that prove rewarding in my experience:

Build something that is not available I can never agree with people who build a "replica" of something that is available. Aside from Marantz 7c, few of the replicas I have heard (and they number in the hundreds) have personality. It can be based on the circuit of Matisse Atom, Jadis JP80 or whatever, but they all sound the same, sterile and devoid of character. Almost all miss the characters of the originals. Why target something to attempt to knock it down? Why does one have to prove he is better than the original designer? Build something new! It can be a brand new design. It can be a variation so that rare tubes like the WE275a, 205D, or 50, can be used. Come to think of it, time for me to do that for my WE275a tubes with one of my surplus Sun amps.

Make use of valuable but cheap old parts Forget about 12AX7, 6SN7 and 6DJ8 and use cheap and unrecognized tubes. Is that not the original intent of DIY, to make something cheap and cheerful? Why fight with the huge number of people who use these tubes? Why build another TDA1541 DAC? Why be so common if you have to DIY?

Judicious replacement of parts Since I have great respect for vintage equipment, my view on modification is guarded. I can never agree with modifying now expensive classics. They are expensive for a reason. Yes, replace what is necessary but no more. But there are a whole lot of inexpensive vintage equipment that would benefit from full restoration and modernization, to bring them back to life. Among modern equipment, DACs probably benefit from part replacement the most. I have heard a few DACs with upgraded OS-CONs and they do seem to work (I am more guarded when it comes to clocks). In general, the word here is "judicious", not "wholesale".

The Yumcha Diaries: 24-10-09

(click on pics to enlarge)

The Yumcha Diaries: 24-10-09
How small or how big can you get?

Part I. No matter how you do it, small is not quite big
After yumcha, four of us hit the road for North Point, where we had an appointment pre-arranged. We managed to sneak in a last-minute extra, visiting our old friend Philip, whose smallish diamond-shaped LR was rather packed with some hifi stuff. System we heard:

Digital: Cyrus + PSX
Preamp: CJ Premiere 10
Amp: Sun Audio 2A3 (much modified)
Speakers: LS3/5a (Rogers 11 ohm) and Pioneer Pure Malt

Sound of the LS3/5A was surprisingly robust given the flea power on hand. With vocals, the 2 watts certainly did not feel lacking, and once again this demonstarted that a strong preamp must be used with SET amps. And the 3/5As trumped the Pioneer in this setting. Philip is a tweaker in the vein of his friend Wesley (recognize the birdhouse-like thing on top of the 3/5A?), and he showed us this single Ringmat thing under the CDP (see pic), the procedure pioneered by Frankie of Elite (if I remember what I'm told). It certainly worked well in this situation!

Part II. Big IS big!

Compared to the previous location, the second place was positively palatial. And it had to be, to be able to accomodate this wonderful pair of Altec A5, which we heard previously so effectively at Alansoo's loft. Rest of system:

Digital: Sony "Studer" DVD player analogue out.
Preamp: Canary 4-piece
Amp: DIY PSE 2A3 (see pic)

Host is a vinyl person and had 2 old decks. I forgot the combinations for now. Suffice to say, with cheap cartridges he managed to get quite a lovely sound through both! And the Sony DVD player was a real surprise given the price, sounding finely balanced and neutral. The Altec's were driven full-range and the DIY amp (by DIY champ AuYeung) is definitely a winner. Besides some vintage quality trannies it looks like it may be employing an interstage, but I cannot be sure without opening it up. Anyway, a marvelous and righteous amp, not necessarily so common in the DIY world. The A5's played everything we threw at it with ease and had very good bass. Good stuff! We all hope that the host can play us his other toys next time. See if you can identify some from the pics (click to enlarge).

Yes, there was a Part III. We all went to the HKPO/Rozhdestvensky concert, and afterwards we had a Part IV, midnight snack! What a full day!

Home Visit: La Scala redux

(click on pics to enlarge)

Home Visit: La Scala redux

I should have done this much earlier, but fortunately it's never too late. Quite a long time ago I met conrad2002 and learned that he, like me, is a Klipsch La Scala user. Recently I called him up and he said his setup does not sound good. A few days ago, before a group visit to Andy L and Simon in 錦繡花園, Andy L and I paid him a visit and instantly proved that he was far too humble. Setup:

Digital: Metronome
Preamp: Pass Lab
Amp: Sun Audio 2A3 using Full Music 2A3 and GT 6SN7
Speakers: Klipsch La Scala (later non-alnico) with midrange horn replaced by EV; Tannoy "supertweeter"
Cables: All very cheap

Once again, it proves that the La Scala benefits from corner placement. The corner is part of the folded horn we should remember. The bass is excellent, full and agile. Many years ago, Leo Fung in 音响之路 advocated the use of 10 tricks to augment the "insufficient bass"of La Scala, but that was only because he had the speakers way into the room to get more "soundstaging".

The simple but effective setup has stunning clarity and presence factor. With full-bodied sound that sounds like the musicians are in the room one does not even think about artificial soundstaging. I am convinced that the Electrovoice horn contributes a lot to this great sound. The horn is unusual in that in addition to the direct front-firing central small horn, the back-firing sound is directed into the larger outer horn. driver (I should mention the same La Scala midrange compression driver is used). The "percussion" Carmen was sonorous and crystalline in clarity. The midrange is very slightly lean on vocals, possibly due to the ss preamp, but no mistake about it, the setup is marvelous and what a horn setup should sound like! With an efficiency of 104 db, I doubt the lower-efficency Tannoy tweeter is making much sound at all.

A humble system that puts many hi-end setups to shame. The Persian is just as lovely!

The Yumcha Diaries: 25/07/09

The Yumcha Diaries: 25/07/09
Horns, more please

After yumcha, four of us went to audition BenYC's new horn setup. It's a "clone" of the Jensen Imperial. Sometimes you can hear the real thing (asking for >>$100k) play magnificent music at YK audio.

The alnico drivers are actually not expensive, according to BenYC. Instead of a one-piece enclosure, he made a ported bass enclosure (side vents) according to Jensen spec, and made two open-back enclosures for the midrange horn and the tweeter, to which a supertweeter is added passively. A cheap dbx 3-way professional ss crossover feeds 3 amplifiers at recommended crossover points: SUN VT-25 LE, SUN 6V6SE and ASL EH-6V6 PP (rugged, and could be used in this originally 6L6 PP amp!!) monoblocks, driving the tweeter assembly, midrange and bass, respectively. The rest of the equipment include PS Audio Lambda, Parasound PCM-63 DAC, Counterpoint SA5.1.

The system was just setup and still in early tuning stage. Compared to the previous (non-alnico) Klipsch La Scala, which I sold to BenYC, there was certainly more details up above though a slightly etched quality was apparent and coherence seemed to be lacking slightly. Later, it was revealed BenYC's kids had "re-equalized" the curve! :-) Ah, sweet kids...

Although not yet perfect, the detailed sound revealed very good presence, as a good horn should do (though many don't) and I agree with whlee that one could tell the quality and potential of the drivers. I am not quite sure I agree bass is better than La Scala, which has deep bass if you do it right.

Anyway, an good setup with eminently deep potentials, which I look forward to re-auditioning soon. I also have to re-arrange my house now (friends know how big a task that is) to receive the La Scala back. This I plan to put beneath my current alnico pair, so as I can play them stacked! Isn't that something to look forward to! :-)