Review: Manley Neo-Classic 300B preamp

Click pics to enlarge. L: cramped interior of heavily regulated design; R: battleship!

Letter from NYC (36) 2014 (8): Manley
Review: Manley Neo-Classic 300B preamp 
Review: Shindo Monbrison (old version), Part II

Revised July 31, 2014

Background Manley has never been popular in HK, and often lacks representation. Not surprisingly for a company with a studio arm, the old looks were workmanlike and probably low in WAF. But personally I prefer the old looks to the new ones. I have had previous experience with some Manley products. An untouted old DAC was a sleeper. The Neo-Classic 300B SE/PP amp (methinks old looks better too) (input transformer is a luxury!) of Manley's wonderful and statement-level Neo-Classics series has received many reviews and much accolade; it was good sounding as I recall.

Neo-Classic 300B preamp
Strangely, the 300B SE/PP amp's companion preamp has had quite a low profile. There are no reviews from the major English audio press. You can find reviews from hometheaterhifi, Audio Video Revolution and Image HiFi (in German). I suspect this is because of its ungainly nature, built like a tank and resembling more a serious amplifier (necessary for ventilation of all those tubes). I ran into an irresistible bargain and acquired it brand new.

Design The official link is excellent and a must-read. This is a tube rectified design. While I think a single rectifier tube may just do the job, the use of 2 certainly is no-holds-barred and a luxury. The interesting thing here is Manley does not state preference for either direct-heated 5U4 or indirect-heated 5AR4 (Manley's own photo shows the latter). Mine came with stock EH-5U4GBs, and I am happy with that as generally I have always had a preference for the greater presence in the sound the direct-heated tube produces. But one would think the sound would be different, as the 5AR4 would generate higher B+, though in a reply to my email Eveanna Manley said due to the regulation the end B+ would be the same. The use of 0D3 for regulation is certainly a "retro" move - these tubes were commonly found in really old designs.  In fact, the whole design, including the use of large octal based 6SL7 (double-triode; but older designs usually employed pentodes), does have something old-styled about it - many studio-originated old classic preamps, like the WE106 and Langevin 102 that I have, are huge. Make sure your have enough room on your shelf.

300B as preamp tube Manley is not unique in using the 300B as preamp tube, but the design had been around a long time and Manley may have been the first to do so (Manley also has a history of using tubes not commonly used by other manufacturers). As far as I know, several Chinese manufacturers (Audio Space, Ming Da) make 300B preamps, and there is an intriguing kit from Bottlehead called the BeePre (informative on the challenges of using the 300B as a preamp tube).

My System As you know, I have 2 Reference Systems (always updated in sidebar to the right), but both use the same amp and loudspeakers, differing only in source and preamplification (Manley is used in System I; Shindo in System II). Part of the reason is to compare and contrast, so you shall see a little of that later. For the last 4-5 years, although the turntables and phonoamps have been constantly rotated, the digital front end, amp and loudspeakers basically have not changed. System as of this writing:

Digital: Ensemble Dirondo/Dichrono Hi-DAC
Turntable 1: Linn LP12/Ittok LV II/Air Tight PC-1
Phonoamp 1: Parasound JC-3
Turntable 2: Clearaudio Concept/Koetsu Black
Phonoamp 2: Fosgate Signature
Amp: Wavac MD-811
Loudspeakers: YL 4-way horns

Sonic Impressions and Tube Rolling:

• General There is nothing much "retro" about the sound, which is thoroughly modern - quiet, transparent, wide and deep soundstage, excellent imaging, accurate tonal balance and extended frequency response. The bass, as you can expect for 300B, is tightly controlled. However, one reservation: with the mostly stock tubes, although microdynamics were reasonably good, I had wished for better macrodynamics (but read on to Tube Rolling/5U4). This also implied rhythm and pace that is not quite of first order.

• Microphonics/Isolation Despite its size and weight, the unit is prone to microphonics. Make sure it rests on a sturdy platform (mine is unfortunately not). The 6SL7 tube in particular is susceptible. Personally, I don't like these metal Manley legs with rounded tips: they slide on polished surfaces and cannot be as shock absorbent as rubber feet; also, they look like they are joined to the chassis by hardware, which adds resonance-prone weak points. This "industrial design" gets a minus from me. Beauty is only skin-deep, and beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Why try your best to design a good product and get it compromised by cosmetics?

• Direct vs Transformer Out Some of the reviewers cited above made a meal out of the superiority of Direct Out; indeed the Manley website recommends it. In my case, I find, as some listeners note, the difference is not huge. Now, in my setting I use long interconnects between the preamp and amp, and that may favor the transformer output. In any case, I'd think this shows the output transformer is of very good quality!

• Headphone Output I prefer not to use headphones, but I did test it out with my Audio-Technica ATH-AD700, and the sound was excellent.

• Tube Rolling/6SL7 I have to confess I never used the stock EH 6SL7s. I don't like them (nor the EH 6SN7s, even worse). I have a large stock of old tubes and any one sounds way better (though some may be worse in microphonics than the new Russian tubes). Consider rolling old-stock 6SL7 a necessity! I'd think even a pair of humble JAN Philips should be way superior!

• Tube Rolling/300B Although my ultimate aim may be to roll in really old WE 300B (not the inferior re-issue WE), here for me the stock EH 300Bs are good enough. In my other 300B amps I have always preferred  Russian 300Bs to almost all other currently manufactured (more airy to me). I did briefly try Cetron (darker) and Golden Dragon (slower), but I preferred the stock EH. Keep in mind a good period of burn-in is necessary for best performance.

• Tube Rolling/5U4 Every time I shifted to my Shindo front-end I developed the nagging feeling that the Manley sound was just a little too controlled, even polite. As noted above, macrodynamics was too reined-in for my taste, and not impressive enough on my horns. This time around, I decided to swap out the stock EH5U4GB rectifiers for a pair of old-stock Sylvania 5U4GBs. I played my Saint-Saens CD and I was dumbfounded by the difference. Now, that is macabre! The improvement in dynamics and rhythm and pace is so miraculous that I'd consider rolling in better rectifiers a MUST. The sound is simply bigger. I am a little surprised here: my experience with EH's coke-bottled 5U4G has always been positive, but I had never tried the straight-bottled (GT) EH 5U4GB before the Manley. The cheaper 5U4GB should have a slightly higher rating than the 5U4G, but the preamp has 2 rectifiers and won't need the margin. Use of straight-bottled tubes (ditto the 5AR4) though would allow more room for ventilation as the 2 rectifier tubes are close together. Considering how much real estate there is, not finding more room for the rectifiers is regrettable.

Manley vs Shindo Monbrison

• Design Both use tube rectification (6X4 in Shindo) and tube regulation (6BM8 in Shindo), but the Manley is on a larger scale, necessary due to use of larger and direct-heated tubes. Manley also uses a lot of transistors in regulation, which Shindo eschews. Manley uses only triodes for amplification, whereas Shindo also employs pentodes (I don't know whether they are used as such or triode-strapped in some cases). Of course, the Shindo as a superlative phono section!

• Parts and Stock Tubes Except for NOS OD3s (cheap) Manley's are current production tubes, whereas Shindo's stock tubes are good NOS. Similarly, Manley uses good modern parts whereas Shindo uses mostly NOS parts (like AB resistors), which are more expensive.

• Sound The two preamps are very different. At its best (with NOS tubes), the Manley's sound is excellent, but it would not be easy to distinguish it from other high quality modern preamps (despite use of 300B). The Shindo possesses that elusive je ne sais crois quality, and is just more special. And despite the use of vintage parts there is nothing "retro" about its sound either - it is also quiet (a little less so than the Manley) and transparent (but warmer than the Manley) and it conjures a big soundstage (bigger than Manley). Its special appeal is harder to describe, and you may want to read Art Dudley's Stereophile writings on it. The Shindo just sounds big and sinuously full, and it takes you to the venue and goes right to the heart of music. Its dynamic expression and rhythm and pace are superior. A rough analogy: Manley is to panel loudspeakers as Shindo is to horns. At this moment I have to say I prefer the Shindo even if I have spent more time on the Manley to improve the sound (I haven't even rolled the 0D3). Of course, most importantly, the top-flight Shindo phono section is at least as good as any of my reference phonoamps that I use with the Manley (would be nice to try the well reviewed Steelhead one day), and that makes this one-box preamp a formidable rival (and a relative bargain) for whatever I could put together at Manley's end. Keep in mind the Manley is still excellent, just that as an analog man I have always preferred full-function preamps for convenience and integrated sound.

Carver, Manley, Ensemble, Part II

Letter from NYC (26) 2013 (2): Magnepan, Carver, Manley, Ensemble, Part III
Review: Carver Sunfire Amplifier, Part II
Review: Manley Neo-Classic 300B Preamplifier, Part II
Review: Ensemble Dirondo and Dichrono HiDac, Part II

Article finished in HK

You can scroll down to Part I of Carver, Manley and Ensemble (link here). However, to save you time, and to make it more coherent, I have duplicated relevant Part I text in italics below.

After having finished with the Maggies MG1.7 (and it will perhaps be years before I get to them again) it is time to give some comments on the ancillary equipment that contributed to the wonderful whole.

pic borrowed from the net; click for source

Ensemble Dirondo Drive + Dichrono HiDac 
This is my one of my reference digital sources and it is a shame I haven't given it detailed treatment before! The DAC may have been discontinued as the Official Website only lists the Drive and the integrated CDP, but everything else is the same.

For a good description, read this Positive Feeback favorable review. Note that the reviewer uses gears that are more in keeping with my preferences, like Audio Note CD players and EAR amplification, and my feelings parallel his. To be complete, you should also know there is a considerably less enthusiastic review in 6moons, but I do think the reviewer was seriously remiss there, as happens so often in that site, which though frequently informative, seems more keen on tasting plats du jour than maintaining any long term philosophy, and I have never been impressed by the system integration of their reviewers.

From previous introduction I have always admired Ensemble products for their refined sound. In HK, quite a few people I know are still using their older (non-Sondoro) gears. You shall find diverse opinion on this combo on the internet. For me, it takes in-depth listening to reveal the beauty of this set. Delivering exceptional details that never call attention to themselves, they really don't stand out immediately. Partnered with the wrong gears they could even sound just a little less full in body than some, but when done right show a fleshy presence which together with great rhythmic sophistication and dynamic exactitude deliver the illusion of a live event. Talking about dynamic accuracy, let us examine the last track, Stimela (the coal train) of this much abused Hugh Masekela album, Hope. In the opening, the drummer's insistent bangs mimick the sound of a train. Most digital playbacks would homogenize the multiple hits and give you only a sense of a small crescendo. Not so the Ensemble combo, which uncannily deliver a sense of gradual, and powerful, increase in sound. Not only that, about a third of the way, one of the hits is actually less forceful than what had gone before; this is not well rendered usually, but clear as day with the Ensemble combo.

Is the Ensemble combo the best I have? Perhaps in some tonal area my Theta/SFD-2 combo can give them a run for the money, but there is little question that the Ensemble set belong with the best (and better most for musicality). I use their own Gigaflux BNC cable (which I happen to have) and the DAC uses an Ensemble power cord (I don't have another one for the transport).

The Ensemble has some upsampling options which I shall perhaps cover later, but right now I am using the 48kHz setting, so the CDs are upsampled a little.

Part II Suffice to say the Ensemble duo is a greatly nuanced player in my system. Yes, if you are not careful the sound can turn a little bright, as obviously happened to some reviewers. But if you do it right, you are rewarded with a truly crystalline, scintillating sound that has nonpareil rhythm and pace. All the subtle inflections of music pour forth. I did not really do any extensive comparison, but the combo quickly put down my Rega Apollo and Meridian 506-24. Also, I compared the transport section of the Rega (very good) and the Dirondo Drive was obviously more savvy in its handling of microdynamics and rhythm. Most of the time I did not bother to upsample, using the redbook 44.1. I used the BNC input and Ensemble's own Gigaflux digital cable was better than everything else I had. As a tube man I did not try its preamp function. 

Manley Neo-Classic 300B Preamp (left pic can be enlarged by clicking on it)

From previous introduction While the 300B SE/PP amp (which is excellent, I have used it before) of Manley's wonderful and statement-level Neo-Classics series has received many reviews and much accolade, its companion 300B Preamp has had quite a low profile. There are no reviews from the major English audio press. You can find reviews from hometheaterhifi, Audio Video Revolution , Inner Ear Report, and Image HiFi (available from Manley site only in German). I suspect this is because of its ungainly nature, built like a tank and resembling more a serious amplifier. I ran into an irresistible bargain and acquired it brand new.

Part II The various reviews combined give a fair view of the preamplifier. I'd like to share briefly some of my experience: (1) since there are output transformers, the preamp is really a power amp in disguise, and as such needs a lengthier run-in than usual (transformers especially); (2) In my system, the difference between direct and transformer output is not as big as some reviewers claimed; this attests to the excellence of the output transformers; (3) I prefer the transformer output by a little; with long interconnect to the power amp, this output mode is more composed on big dynamic swings; (4) my results are based on use of the 5U4 rectifiers, which I generally prefer to the specified indirectly-heated 5AR4. The B+ of the 5U4 is a notch lower than 5AR4; I wonder if the sound would be a little softer; (5) that said, the sound is clean, focused and full-bodied; (6) as one reviewer rightly noted, the preamp is very sensitive to vibration/microphonics, and it is not just the 300B tubes; the 6SL7 tubes too! Good isolation is essential; (7) the thing runs hotter than may amps - make sure you have ventilation; (8) it gives a very different presentation from my other reference Shindo preamp, a little less colored, more straightforward; sometimes I prefer one for its neutrality, sometimes the other for nuance! Both are wonderful!

Carver Sunfire Amplifier

From Part I Although Carver's Sunfire amplifiers were famous for its time (cited in TAS' Ten Most Significant Amplifiers of All Time), there is not much info on the internet.

There appeared to have been several versions. Mine was certainly an earlier one, not a Signature version (see Audiophilia 2004 review and avrev 1998 review; see also review of the related Lightstar). The simpler front and back matches well the version described by one of my favorite writers, Robert E Greene, archived in his own website: regonaudio TAS 1996. I should also mention that I acquired the amp after I heard my friend Vash's Sunfire Architect's Choice driving Maggie.

Part II There is very little to say except that the amp is quite a smooth performer. It is quite transparent, but details never sound etched or grey (like most transistors can and do), especially when pushed. I compared it to my McIntosh MC-2200 and generally found it superior in detail retrieval and openness. This is quite a bargain!

The one thing I don't quite like about this original version is the lack of a power off switch. If you don't use a switched outlet, make sure you take care when turning on and off the preamp, especially if it is a tubed unit. I used it with my Manley 300B; what I do is switch the preamp to earphones when I power on or off. Also, when I plug my unit in, I get a (capacitor) spark, which is apparently a common problem.

Magnepan MG 1.7 Listening Tests (4), Carver, Manley, Ensemble

Letter from NYC (25) 2013 (2): Magnepan, Carver, Manley, Ensemble, Part II
Review: Magnepan MG 1.7 Listening Tests (4)

Scroll down to last post for Magnepan, Carver, Manley, Ensemble, Part I


Magnepan MG 1.7 Listening Tests (4) (scroll down for (3) and links to older posts)
I should like to share with you details of my effort to improve the performance of the Maggies. Partnering gears was listed in the previous article. In this article I shall concentrate on the Maggies, but I shall write more about the gears later.
 
Placement As mentioned, I had the 1.7's in nearly a "near-field" situation. The Maggies are constrained between my low equipment rack (in front of me) and my YG horns (middle of room). I pulled them as much towards me as I could. The left speaker's bottom is obscured by the rack, but this is of little import as the bottom part of the 1.7 is just the frame, and most of the speaker is visible to me. They have about 2 ft clearance from the horns. The speakers form a near-isosceles triangle of about 8 ft with my listening seat.

Soundstage Depth is excellent, reaching further than my front wall (20 ft); Width is good, but mostly limited to the lateral span of the speakers, though on certain material images clearly exceed this limit.

Tweeter Position As I have said many times, Magnepan has no official dogma about this, though there are imaging fanatics/idiots out there who insist the tweeters of any mirror-image loudspeakers have to be on the inside. In our old flat, inside worked better, but in my current room, imaging and just about everything else just locked in with the tweeters on the OUTSIDE.

Toe-in Again, some idiots can be dogmatic about not using toe-in. Magnepan doesn't need much of it, for sure, but in my case, a small toe-in further tightened up the focus. As I was reading my older writings I was stunned to come across what I wrote in 2010: "One interesting thing. In the manual AND in a separate sheet, Magnepan says: "The 1.7 has exceptional phase characteristics that are accomplished without the use of compensation networks. To realize the optimum phasing, the 1.7 should be angled inward to be on-axis with the listener (Do not place parallel to the front wall)". No doubt this is not going to happen with HK users who cling to the superstition of "no toe-in". Well, some people want to show you they know better than the manufacturer. With electronics and modifcations I'd say maybe (but only occasionally), but with loudspeakers of good repute, and in the absence of measuring equipment (not just a microphone to measure room response) it would be foolhardy, not to say arrogant and ignorant, not to consider the manufacturer's suggestions. I experimented quite a bit and did find toeing-in to yield a more focused sound." See, I had completely forgotten about that!! Fortunately, my own efforts and intuitions arrived at the same conclusions! But, do remember to read the manual! :-)

Subwoofer Now, we arrive at the big issue. Yet again, some people are dogmatic about not using subwoofers with panels or electrostatics. What these people insist is that quality and coherence matters more than quantity. But it is not that simple, and that statement shows unfortunately a misunderstanding of live bass, even with people who pride themselves on their taste and "understanding" in bass.

I wrote something on this subject a long time ago, when I first got my 1.7, but had not published it. Time to include it here:

• Subwoofer? After driving the 1.7's with everything under the sun, I turned my attention to the bass. Although it certainly has more useful bass than the MMG, their characters are really not that different. A few more hertz of extension does not equate a lot more weight. We don't even mention percussive drum music here. On recordings such as Mahler's 6th, on the Maggie (anyone's that I have heard, bar none) the double-basses attack furiously, lean and mean, but where is the menace that one should feel? My friend, this is not just one single bass, not closely recorded Ray Brown doing a solo against Almeida, nor within the Oscar Peterson Trio, not jazz, this should sound MASSIVE.
  
  Again I used the lowly AR "sub-woofer", and the benefit it brought was substantial and, importantly, almost subliminal! I only used a couple of notches on the volume. As for the crossover point, it varies with the equipment used and is best tuned by listening carefully to a piano recording with substantial bass content. It was immediately apparent the double-basses were more threatening, and that was what Mahler wrote and wanted. When I disconnected the Maggies and listened only to the sub-woofer, there was only the faintest of rumbles, and one would never guess from that that the difference would be so significant.
   
• Coherence
  In the world of hifi, I have met many so-called "purists", but IMHO few of them are true spirits. Why is that? Because they are "true" to themselves and their own beliefs, but almost never true to the music they are listening to. In other words, they are hardly true music lovers.
  
  The "purists" insist that a sub woofer would pollute the "purity" of their beloved Maggie, bringing forth disastrous incoherence. But where were they when the 1.7 is touted for new level of coherence? Can we reason that the collorary of that is that all older Maggies are in comparison more INcoherent? Wait a minute here, has anyone said anything close to that before?

+Pioneer SW-8 Now let's move on to my current game. I mated the humble (Pioneer SW-8 subwoofer
(previous write-up and info here) and immediately found the result promising. The subwoofer was positioned between the Maggies in mid-room, largely free of boundaries, and connected to the subwoofer out of the Manley preamp: Crossover Point The budget design has a continuous pot for this, so I cannot tell you at what frequency I finally settled. I started around midway (12 o'clock) and worked worked my way around. You have to listen very carefully to bass quality. The body sound of the doublebass, the attack and finish.This is important: the leading edge should not feel blunted. I ended up around 10 o'clock, surely rather low crossover point; Volume of course, concurrently you have to adjust the volume. I tell you, just a little is enough! When you can "hear" the subwoofer contribution, you are likely turning it up too much; Phase This should be done last - in my case 180 degrees audibly snapped things in focus. If not, you may have to start all over again and go back and forth.

The difference with the subwoofer connected is hard to explain. It just adds a touch of fullness to the bass, perhaps because the finish is longer (like a good French wine). Ultimately, the lean and fast bass of Maggies does not always unfold the whole bass note adequately. It is a tribute to modern-day subwoofers that they can work in concert and not get left behind.

I am not at all a bass freak, but I know what should be there in a good orchestral recording. There is no question in my mind that Maggies need subwoofers. Just a bit of augmentation. Can I go back to listening without the subwoofer? Yes, I can, but it just sounds more real with one. One listen to the mighty opening of Mahler's 3rd Symphony  (LSO/Horenstein) (I have the LP) and you will agree with me that both the mighty brass and percussion forces benefit from a subwoofer!

Magnepan MG 1.7 Listening Tests (3), Carver, Manley, Ensemble

Letter from NYC (24) 2013 (1): Magnepan, Carver, Manley, Ensemble, Part I
Review: Magnepan MG 1.7 Listening Tests (3)
Review: Carver Sunfire Amplifier, Part I
Review: Manley Neo-Classic 300B Preamplifier, Part I
Review: Ensemble Dirondo and Dichrono HiDac, Part I

Article started in the UK, posted from NYC

Very very busy days for me. Still, it's time to catch up with older and unfinished business, if we ever arrive at the HiFi finish line, that is.

Magnepan MG1.7 Revisited (3) (see previous reports, Part I, Part II)
As soon as I got back to NYC, and before my UK trip, I listened to my usual horn system. Within a few days, I got the impulse to fire up my Maggie's again (or else it will be dormant for too long). This time I brought the 1.7 further upfront, about 2 ft in front of my YG horns and 2/3 of the way from the front wall. I also pulled them even wider apart to form a near-isosceles triangle with my listening seat. To my delight, after an absence of I think 2 years, the sound was better than before! Although the improved placement was likely the most critical, I do think the partnering electronics contributed to this immeasurably too. This report is going to take several parts. Let me start by introducing the players. Particulars in performance shall be treated in the next article, Part II.

Carver Sunfire Amplifier

Although Carver's Sunfire amplifiers were famous for its time (cited in TAS' Ten Most Significant Amplifiers of All Time), there is not much info on the internet.

There appeared to have been several versions. Mine was certainly an earlier one, not a Signature version (see Audiophilia 2004 review and avrev 1998 review; see also review of the related Lightstar). The simpler front and back matches well the version described by one of my favorite writers, Robert E Greene, archived in his own website: regonaudio TAS 1996.

I should mention that I acquired the amp after I heard my friend Vash's Sunfire Architect's Choice driving Maggie.

Manley Neo-Classic 300B Preamp
For introduction, see my previous blip.

Ensemble Dirondo + Dichrono HiDac 
This is my one of my reference digital sources and it is a shame I haven't given it treatment before! For a good description, read this Positive Feeback favorable review. Note that the reviewer uses gears that are more in keeping with my preferences, like Audio Note CD players and EAR amplification. To be complete, you should also know there is a considerably less enthusiastic review in 6moons, but I do think the reviewer was seriously remiss there, as happens so often in that site, which though frequently informative, seems more keen on tasting plats du jour than maintaining any long term philosophy. Suffice to say the Ensemble duo is a greatly nuanced player in my system.

The coming articles shall examine the system in great detail.
 

Editor's Note: 2011 in Retrospective

Editor's Note: 2011 in Retrospective
Brief Reviews Manley Magico Shindo Fosgate M-Audio

Second Revision 22/06/2014 (on the Shindo Entry)
First Revision 13/01/2012 (on the Shindo entry)

This year's retrospective is different in that some of the stuff I cite have not been written up by myself yet, so I offer some brief reviews here. I have been a little busy lately and I hope in the next week I shall catch up with more of the backlog. Stay tuned!

Year of the Tannoy Canterbury Indeed, 2011 was year of the Canterbury, as far as this writer is concerned. Three friends have acquired the Canterbury SE, and I hope we have a happy future together.

Most Notable Event of the Year Rehabilitation of my Garrard 301 by my dear friend Robin the Scott.

pic of Magico courtesy of JCR33; click to enlarge.

Best Sound of 2011
Well, as I have mentioned before, the best overall sound, for the second year in a row, remains my NYC friend AL's magnificent Infinity setup (write-up here, not be confused with AL-HK, the jazz-wine connoisseur), and that's unlikely to change any time soon.

But this year I have heard several formidable setups, from which I have picked a handful. The first two by older masters were simply impeccable, disarming on hearing the first note. The ones that followed were yet imperfect, yet impressive and harboring huge potentials:

• First must be counted AL's new horn system now being set up just outside his kitchen. As of two months ago it was using mostly professional, and reasonably priced, JBL drivers. yet the sound as driven by 300B amp already bettered almost all of the JBL systems I have heard in HK (except the one below). In a short time, I suspect it may usurp Infinity's place in the upstairs salon. I am positive you shall hear a lot more about this in the future, when master AL is ready for the system to show to the world.

• Equally captivating was Mr Ng's JBL+Altec system. A master whom I shall re-visit soon.

• Magico Ultimate horn system, as heard at HK dealer Sound Chamber (the same setup Romy the Cat heard). A brief write-up is due. I thank JCR33 for getting us to hear these behemoths, as the demo pair left for China soon after.

• Our friend welborne's Bastanis Atlas Mandala setup (write-up here). I understand they are being updated, so I look forward to the next audition.

• Robin the Scot's impressive Reel-to-Reel demonstrations must count as a memorable event! We miss him, and wish him well in Taipei!

Most Important Acquisitions
There were several. Most important were three very different preamps.

• Manley Neo-Classic 300B preamp (left pic can be enlarged by clicking on it) While the 300B SE/PP amp (which is excellent, I have used it before) of Manley's wonderful and statement-level Neo-Classics series has received many reviews and much accolade, its companion 300B Preamp has had quite a low profile. There are no reviews from the major English audio press. You can find reviews from hometheaterhifi, Audio Video Revolution and Image HiFi (in German). I suspect this is because of its ungainly nature, built like a tank and resembling more a serious amplifier. I ran into an irresistible bargain and acquired it brand new. It is absolutely outstanding and there shall be a detailed review in the future.

• Shindo Monbrison I actually acquired this older version more than a year ago. The fellow who sold it to me claimed it was the unit reviewed in 6moons. I have no problem with the reviewer's sonic assessment, but he made some mistakes in describing the tube complement. This is not the place for rectification; that shall be done in my coming full review. It took me long to get it going because, contrary to the seller's statement on the unit's health, all the tubes that came with the unit were almost completely spent. Fortunately the ECL84/6DX8 used in the linestage of my unit are inexpensive and available on Ebay, while I already have good EF86's (used in the phono stage) in stock. After re-tubing, the sound is quite dramatic, with great presence, a good match for horns. You shall hear more about this in the future. Revision Note: A FULL Shindo Monbrison report finally been written. Please click here.

• Leben RS28CX preamp Again, a full function preamp that stands up to the other illustrious preamps that I have. Suffice to say it serves me daily in HK! Review here.

• Fosgate Signature Phonoamp (click pics to enlarge) The next item is yet another preamp, but for the phono. Ever since it came out it has garnered much attention, including a review in TAS. There is also a nice review in Audio Beat. This is one of those rare phono preamps with a fully active MC pre-pre section. As noted in the Audio Beat review, the 60 db gain for MC may be a little low for some people but it is perfectly fine in my case, even with the very-low-output Denon DL-304 (0.2 mV), since I mostly use preamps with high gain and efficient speakers. I am happy to report tube rolling is a breeze as the phonoamp does not seen to run the tubes unduly hard and many NOS tubes sound quiet in it. One thing that puzzles me about the industrial design: the two round cans flanking the tubes lead one to think they are input transformers; no, they aren't, this is a strictly active device and those are for decorations only. Incidentally, I think there is a new 10% price hike, but you can still find many selling at the original price of USD 2500. Review later.

Best Buys of the Year
Not surprisingly, digital products comprise half of my nominations. It is quite amazing how good cheap digital products are now. Why buy over-priced and over-rated stuff like Weiss?

• Elekit TU-875 preamp and TU-8230 amp If you can solder, Elekit is it. Bargain of the Century. Reviewed here.

• YBA WD202 DAC This inexpensive and wonderful DAC give meaning to the word music. Reviewed in my last article.

• Musical Fidelity M1 DAC Better than it has a right to be. Reviewed here. I am curious about MF's V-Link now.

• M-Audio Firewire Solo (click on pics to enlarge) You may be surprised by this inclusion. As you know, I dabble in CAS but it is just a marginal medium for me. I have long bought this very cheap device and did intend to write it up, but it was never a priority. M-Audio is a highly respected pro-sound company that makes cheap and great stuff. For less than $200 you can have a firewire DAC-ADC capable device that can serve both as a preamp via its analog out and headphone amp! Here are some reviews from Sweetwater and the excellent French Audiofanzine. I bought it because my dinosaur Dell laptop, which weighs a ton and should not be deemed portable, has a firewire output! I tested it two years ago with the super-bargain Sony DVP-PR50P and Audioengine A2 active speakers. I burned several CDs using lossless WAV format. The sound could not be faulted, even in comparison with the Sony's superb analogue out. I also tested its earphone output with my Audio Technica ATH-AD700 headphone and an old Sennheiser, and the sound was equally superb. The control software installed without a hitch and is easy and intuitive to use. The manual is clear and detailed. What more can you ask for such a paltry sum? I then shelved it for more than a year, so that alone was not enough for me to write it up. What prompted me to write this up now is because I lent it to my friend Tony 唐咭柯德 and his feedback is highly positive. Mind you, this is a man who has engaged in CAS extensively, and has numerous (mostly USB) devices in his systems, including Linn Majik DS. Basically, he thinks the M-Audio came out ahead. Why should you buy expensive things like Weiss, which I have heard several times and regard as good but way over-priced? Note that this device is 24/96 only, but M-Audio makes a 24/192 Pro 610. If any reader has used that, I'd be happy to hear from you. Note also it has only phone jack connectors, so adapters are necessary if you intend to use RCA or XLR. If you have firewire output, seriously consider M-Audio! But if you are a Mac user, research Mac issues, including at M-Audio's own forum.

• AQVOX 2CI MkII A fantastic phonoamp, but perhaps not for everyone. Reviewed here.

• Vibrapods Good isolation devices on the cheap (briefly reviewed here).

• Belden 8471 Great speaker cables at giveaway prices, reviewed here.

• Audioengine A2 active loudspeakers Review here. I hereby redress my previous failure to include it in my Best Buy 2010.

Vintage Best-Buys

• Technics SP-10 What a marvelous turntable! It makes you think twice (just a little) about suspension and idler wheel designs. My experience here.

• Denon AU-1000 step-up transformer. If you ask me, it stands up to the very best. Not cheap, but still a bargain. Reviewed here.

Rediscoveries
This is a new feature this year, and it is long due. Often in pursuit of the new we forget what we already had experienced. Re-visit your old favorites and it can be a surprise as your system improves!

• Empire cartridges If you have one, listen to it! You may be surprised! My experience here.

• Lehmann Black Cube If you are a vinyl newbie, or simply need another phonoamp, think about this one. It decisively trounced the Ray Samuels Black hawk during our recent tests. The old version is likely as good as the newer ones and a good buy at bargain price.