I was in Singapore for work this week and have a few hours time to kill before I make my way back home. What better way to do so than a visit to SG's hifi mecca, Adelphi?
Whilst there, I first checked on the software, a.k.a. CD and vinyl. Both the Roxy Disc House and New Disc Village seemed to dedicate about half or more than half their rack space for vinyl. There's still 10% rack space for SACD and the remaining space for CD. My last visit in August 2008, things were quite different. With CDs dominating rack space and about two racks for vinyl and the same 10% for SACD. How fast the tide seems to be turning against the CD format within months!
Next, I checked out the Proac Response Tri Tower speakers. These are truly life style speakers that do not compromise sound quality. The speakers, driven by a Vimak CD player and a 50W stereo tube amp, sounded really transparent, with amazingly full width and depth reproduction of the sound stage and solid imaging. the speakers tonal balance was warm, and lightly colored, a Proac signature sound perhaps? The tubey factor perhaps? I don't know, but it sure sounded very pleasant and easy on the ear if a little bass light and tight.(it's to be expected from a slim tower consisting of three 4" cones to do the bass reproduction work). Now if only CMY has a pair for demo?
Then I checked out some Shunyata Dark Field Cable Elevators, Audio Note, the shop selling it, was very accommodating to my request for an A/B/A test to see if it works. I heard very subtle differences with the Shunyata Dark Field inserted under the speaker cables in comparison to without. The sound reproduced was somewhat richer and seem to have quieter background. Interesting, will make it a point to hound the local Shunyata distributor for a demo set to try out!
Now that's how a hifi buff kill a few hours in a foreign place.
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4 comments:
The Sing dollar is crazy high at the moment....everything seems to be so expensive there.,..
A lot of the shops seems to beoving elsewhere
The best cables elvator that really make a sonic difference was not really invented as cable elevators per se;the Finite elemente 'spider'ceraballs...again it is all about resonance controls.
Most of other cables elevators that I have tried actually'thinned' out the sound IMO
ooi HH,
Agreed that the SGD$ exchange rate vs RM$ is crazy at this time.
I did not manage to pick up anything except for some CDs and LPs.
KT Lee,
The hifi shops in SG seems to be going towards the decentralizing route, just like in KL post City Square. I personally prefered all hifi shops located in the same place, makes it a lot easier to shop and compare equipment.
Karl,
Thanks for the FE Spider Ceraballs tip. Will check it out with the local distributor.
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