I apologise for the lack of activities here in the last few days. I was busy at work and busy transporting my self to various concert venues and recording studios since my last post. I now know why Maggielurva doesn't write here of late, he's busy enjoying himself with his hifi system!

Simon says: What a beauty! Panzer replies: I am absolutely in love!


Over the last couple of months since I started blogging here, some of our readers and friends may have formed an opinion, or two about me, my music, my sonic preferences and my hifi. Simon, whom is a rather famous name in it self is used to represent all these opinions, and where possible, I wish to set the record straight should they be contradictory to my believes and practices.

1) Simon says: These days, anyone with a half decent hifi system and access to Internet via the computer can call them selves an audio reviewer. Panzer is one such example!

Panzer replies: Agreed! and why not?

2) Simon says: Panzer's not a "Golden Ear"

Panzer replies: Agreed, and what a blessing it is!, that I am not a "Golden Ear". I personally know a few "Golden Ear"s whom can never enjoy their music, because every single piece of equipment(even those costing 5 or 6 figures!) is never good enough for them. I am in the opinion that these tormented souls are cursed.

3) Simon says: Panzer's equipment is not good enough!

Panzer replies: Agreed! If my system is so good, and I am so satisfied, would I still go around looking for better things to try? It's all in the up grading process. And this blog has caught me on the up ward move. Coming from a lower level, most equipment more expensive than my own can often sound very good indeed!

4) Simon says: Everything Panzer review also sound nice! This guy has no standards?

Panzer replies: Our readers only see the things we write about. There are those that we played with and decided not to. Are they bad equipment? No. In this day and age of CAD(computer aided design)/CAM(computer aided manufacturing) processes, there are really very few bad apples on sale in the market(discounting certain China made products). Some of the big brands we played with, just could not synergistically match our system on sonic character, i.e. non-complementary, that is. Hence we feel it's not fair to the equipment with respect to the manufacturers. That's all.

5) Simon says: Panzer only listen's to Tsai Chin's Lou Ge!

Panzer replies: Tsai Chin's Lou Ge is indeed one of my favourite CD, and until recently LP! But I am genre blind. I listen to all good music, and willing to explore out of my comfort zone from time to time. I just used Tsai Chin's Lou Ge as an example more often because it's musical and sonic performance quality is well known amongst all audiophiles in Asia, and probably the world.

6) Simon says: Panzer doesn't like DIYers!

Panzer replies: I love to DIY. I just dislike people whom make claims like, "my RM$2K DIY amp killed the Krell and left it for dust!" I've heard many making this type of claims before, and often, when the pudding is heard, it's not proof of the eating! Many a times too, even the pudding you cannot see or smell! That's really disappointing. I really respect DIYers, whom can bench test and benchmark their "pride and joy", against the high end establishment, and can show proof of their work. I have so far only met 2 such individuals. These are truly rare gems in the DIY world.

7) Simon says: What kind of sound does Panzer likes?

Panzer replies: I love the sound that glorifies music! The kind of sound that puts hifi in a position to represent the musical source's artistic expressions. I must be touched/moved by the music I hear. I want to feel all the emotional intent of the song. In short, I love beautiful sound as opposed to neutral sound, or some would say the truth! Audiophile aspirations can come second. A system may have some flaws from an audiophile perspective, I am o.k. with that.

8) Simon says: Panzer everything also want to review!

Panzer replies: Well, pretty much most things! Guilty as charged!

9) Simon says: Panzer is salesman for Torus Power! Got commission?

Panzer replies: I do not accept commissions from any individual or dealers. I do get some discount for the stuff that I buy. However, I think nobody ever pays sticker prices for hi fi any way, right? Especially in Malaysia, where if you don't haggle over price, you've probably not lived here long enough! I do accept invitations for "healthy" drinks and sumptious meals though.

10) Simon says: Every home visit Panzer writes about sounds like this and like that! Does Panzer actually likes what he heard?

Panzer replies: Every system, I think, is a work in progress. Audiophiles are a breed that is never satisfied with what they have, so their system as in their musical journey is ever evolving. My home visits are a snapshot of that system and the owner's hifi ideals at that very moment. Many a times, the very next day, new equipment comes in too. It really doesn't matter if I liked what I heard, what's more important, is that the system owner featured, likes what he hears. This way, we may share each other's system here with pride and joy! You can also think of our features here are a sort of time/progress marker for your system(if featured) with various follow up threads, every now and then.

With this I hope to debunk some of the myths or opinions formed.

21 comments:

hafiz said...

and to add;

Simon says Panzer isa good man.

I reply:Fully agree.Though never met them ,I feel both Panzer and Hi-fi kaki are just wonderful persons full of Life

Ken said...

Panzer,

I thought I was long winded but now I know I am not alone
;-P...hahaha

hifikaki said...

Panzer,

Ha ha! I thoroughly enjoy reading this piece, it gave me many a chuckle! This one must count as one of the very best that you have done!

hifikaki said...

Hafiz,

Thanks for the kind words. :-)
Panzer is absolutely more live-ly than me!

Anonymous said...

Panzer, change your name to Simon and you can make the story short. :)

maggielurva 愛美姬 said...

simon says: panzer is such a nice adn diplomatic chap compared to maggielurva who doesn't give two hoods about offending dealers.

panzer says: i am more neutral, tonally balanced and uncolored than maggielurva...

Panzer said...

hafiz,

Thanks for the kind words, over and over again. Much appreciated.

Ken,

Just need to get some of those stray thoughts outta my mind. That's all. Great mind do think a like? or is it the other way round? Who knows?

hifikaki,

I am just glad to be your partner in crime along side ML. You guys do inspire me a lot!

Anonymous 10.24pm,

Now why didn't Simon, oopss! Panzer, I mean, think of that? Ha!Ha!

ML,

I think many readers love your tonal colours! Can't say the same about another group of people though.

Felix said...

Wisely "interviewed" Panzer!

It was a good read!

Anonymous said...

Why do you need to question your own credibility? This is a blog and you are giving your opinions and really don't need to justify anything to anyone.
You don't need to own a high-end system to know what you are talking about.
Only a high-ender whose system sucks will say you have no right to comment.
Keep doing what you are doing as you are doing it well.

Felix said...

Hopefully, this will help people understand better. That there are reasons for everyone's actions and their actions may not be obvious.

No doubt we only read this as a blog postings but I believe Panzer has to go face to face with every owner and it can be tough to decline.

Sometimes, in order to protect, we must hurt.

Anonymous said...

simon is simple.....panzer isnt!!! so who do u call??? GHOSTBUSTERS!!!

Panzer said...

Folks,

I just didn't want to allow misconceptions to fester further. That's all. Just to set the records straight so to speak. It's a bit like the laws of advertising. You hear a certain comment once, you'd probably not take notice. Your hear the same comment again, you'd start to think perhaps there's some truth to it. You hear it for the third time from another party, you'd probably believe all you've heard is true. You hear it somemore, than it's confirmed in thoughts and ecthed in to the mind.

That's why FMCG companies spent millions of $$$ to advertise their product repeatibly and the results of their success in the market place proves the theory!

futurekaki said...

Beautiful = cheng ah !

Anonymous said...

WAH! she really beautiful. WAH!

Panzer said...

Ya! Dream girl material, she is. Plus she loves hifi too!

futurekaki said...

Panzer,

She loves hifi has kaki. I know you are very excited on her beauty too.

hifikaki,

I correct for you, owe me a lunch!

Anonymous said...

Hifi dont change want lor! if she my girlfren betul betul i put hifi in store for time being....I spend 24/7 with her and i also borrow time from hifikaki ...maybe future hifi kaki as he got future & spend ALL my time with her.....haiya!

Anonymous said...

Panzer..what rack you using in the picture?Cannot get dream girlfren...get rack lor!

Panzer said...

futurekaki,

Tell me which healthy, able bodied men isn't excited by the sight of such a beauty?

Anonymous 8.54pm,

If I am not wrong, those must be the FE Signatures that hifikaki purchased recently!

Anonymous said...

excuse ignorance but what is fe signatures? is that the rack? and any good? who sells?

Panzer said...

Anonymous 11.30pm,

FE Signature is the hifi rack produced by Finite Elemente, a German firm specialising on racks and isolation products.

You can check out hifikaki's posting on 09/03/2009, tittled "of finite elements Rack"

It's sold by Audio Image, and can see their contact no. on the said posting.

Enjoy!