The cozy environment, comfy sofa, and lastly, beautiful sound too! Could life get any better than this?

Tony is Joamonte's neighbour. His hifi system is one of the most beautiful sounding and looking that I've come across.

The source, a Sheu Analogue turn table. Nice!

The system is set up along the longer side of the lounge of his home. It starts with an Audio Technica Reference MC cartridge mounted on a Sheu Analog turntable. The phono stage, pre amp and power amp is the Pass Labs X-ONO, X-1 and X-600 mono blocks respectively. The final system main component the the very beautifully handcrafted Italian Sonus Faber Stradivari Homage. There's also a PS Audio Power Plant 600 to supply clean re-generated power to all the components except the mono block power amps. All system cabling is supplied by Analysis Plus.

The Pass Labs X-ONO, X-1 with their respective power supplies and a PS Audio Power Plant 600 re - generator at the bottom for clean power, only for this stack.

The system is arranged to look so artistically symmetrical, yet without the usual audiophile like room look. The environment is very cozy, softly lighted and certainly sets one in to the mood of musical pleasure. I think any lady boss would approve of this system, set up the way it is.

The audio rack is just as beautiful, and fits in to the decor nicely!

Good Hifi Feng Shui! Golden elephants guarding the power mono blocks, Pass X-600!

Now, the greatest reward, the sound from this all analog only(yep! that Tony is one hell of a extreme guy) system just as beautiful as the lounge decor it self. Yes, you read right there's no CD player in the system! The sonic virtues are invitingly warm, lush, smooth yet never mushy. The highs are superbly delicate and extended. The mids have a certain body density when expressing vocals, especially female voices, they just sound so..... alluring! The bass extends very low, no over hang, and always ready for the next note! In other words, the Pass X-600 mono blocks are in full control of the Stradivari Homage, yet never forcefully so, but always natural and organic by nature. The Sheu Analog turntable is extremely quite, with the Pass X-ONO phono stage and X-1 pre amp meticulously preserving the venerable low level signal with kid gloves. This system is very transparent, and highly true to source, as in the recording it self.

A standing Homage! The Sonus Faber Stradivari Homage.

The famed trade marked harp "string" speaker grille. Just for the top echelon Sonus Faber works of art.

I sat in the designer lounge, transfixed by the beautiful sounding music, for just two hours, it just didn't seem like I've had enough music just yet.

The lounge's center piece, Millennium Falcon from Star Wars! Tony somewhat reminds me of Hans Solo. But seriously speaking, the Millennium Falcon is actually a form of room tune. He!He!

This is one system, I can clearly aspire to, one day! Tony, you've done a fantastic job, by merging engaging sound and cozy ambient to relax and immerse one self into music.

The satellite dish for I-pod! Not really, just a decor plate for the B&W speaker I-dock.

By the way, Tony is also in to digitally stored music, via an Apple I-pod and a B&W speaker I-dock. This is mostly used to provide mood and ambient music to the lounge when he has non-audiophile visitors, and when he is not in the mood for audiophilia paranoia.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

hi,

Tony and Tan thanks for your nice comment, next time I can bring you to more system when you visit again...

PS. check your Email.

Joamonte

Khor.Eddie said...

Panzer,
After reading your review i am so
moved! It is so perfect!
Ken,
what do you think?

Panzer said...

Eddie,

I think Tony's system is close to perfection too!

Dear Readers,

What do you think of the latest photo quality?

Ken said...

Eddie,

You are posing a "trick question" to me, right? ;-P

FYI, I don't eye-fi, I listen to it. And I haven't listen to the system, so I can't comment.