The new shop front display.

The cosy main audio demo area.

Remember the ol' City Square building? For many years, it used to be the hifi mecca of Kuala Lumpur. However, as of late last year, the building was scheduled for demolition works, to make way for presumably a bigger, more prominent and probably more lucrative(rental returns wise) building project. All the hifi and audio stores have left the building and went their separate ways. As we try to trace where some of them had moved to, we found Rave Systems, and it's owner unker Edwin Tan and his rather chatty Mrs. It's new location is Lot1.4, Level 1, PNB Darby Park. No.10 Jalan Binjai, 50450 Kuala Lumpur. If you need assistance in finding the place, you can call the following tel. no. 03-21632818 or 012-3241745.

Jadis equipment and Herron Audio phono stage, also Jennifer Warnes latest re-issue of "The Hunter" LP, only 8000 copies pressed for worldwide sale.

More Jadis tube amp galore.

For those who do not know what Rave Systems sells, here goes. They represent some of the biggest brands in hi-end, like Jadis, Wilson Benesch, Herron Audio, Gryphon, Rega, EAR Yoshino, Almarro and Weiss. Rave also carries some really good value for money audio brands, like Stello, April Music, NAD, Ho's and Musical Interface amongst others. You can also find some DIY oddities, built to very high standards of course, being offered here.

Wilson Benesch's high tech Trinity speakers, with matching stands.

The Torus Infrasonic Generator sub, made from carbon fibre material to match the above Trinity speakers.

Wilson Benesch Full Circle turn table with matching carbon fibre A.C.T 0.5 tone arm.

Rave Systems is also a place for you to find out about the latest audiophile music. They stock most of the best audiophile music tittles in CD or LP. If you can't find it there, they can always bring any tittle you want on special order basis.

The music business corner.

Ho's LS3/5A BBC inspired monitor and matching bass extender.

Sonus Faber??? No, Musical Interface speakers! With matching stands.

Stello CD transport and DAC, endorsed by Mark Levinson. Great sound at very reasonable prices.

The decoration of the new show room has a very cosy feel, yet light and airy in ambiance. You can while away there for hours, while unker Edwin plays you some of his favourite music thru any one of his many finely tuned demo systems.

The Gryphon Diablo integrated amp.

And matching carpet!

I spent a few hours and some money there on an LP and CD over the weekend. If you're still looking for Rave Systems and wondering what happened to them since the City Square days, well wonder no more! Go pay them a visit!

Go pay Rave Systems, and unker Edwin Tan a visit!

How can any hifi buff miss this place?

Folks, our good ol' familiar hifi store, or as CMY likes to call it "The Naim Centre", managed by the ever helpful Chan in Damansara Up Town, Petaling Jaya, has just got a make over!

The store front display.

The make over is done to accommodate some new range of products recently secured by CMY, namely, Dynaudio speakers, Acoustic System Resonators(our friend CK would be thrilled!) and the in coming Jeff Rowland Design Group electronics. Yummy, Yummy, indeed!

The very affordable quality QED cables and power accessories corner.


Eye fi candy store! Audio equipment display galore.

CMY has always been regarded by many as a hifi supermarket of sorts because they carry a wide range of hifi and AV brands to suit every needs, aspirations and budget. Amongst their brands excluding the 2 mentioned above are Goldring, QED, Siltech, PrimaLuna, Brightstar Audio, Rel Acoustics, RGPC, Naim, Primare, Copland, Usher, Audio Pro, Blue Horizon, Proac, Boston Acoustics Horizon, Denon and Onkyo. I hope I didn't leave brands any out.

CMY also sells various accessories like the Milty Static gun, WBT connector parts, nickel coated RCA caps(these are really good stuff, if you've not tried), Cardas RCA caps, various tubes and an extended range of audiophile CDs, especially from the Naim label.

Primare CDP & integrated amp powering Proac Response D28. Note PrimaLuna tube CDP and integrated amp. RGPC power line conditioner and Siltech power cords in the back ground.

As you walk in to the familiar part of the store greets you with some entry level demo systems followed by rows of AV and hifi equipment on display shelf. Really makes me feel like a kid in a candy store!

More equipment display, spot the lone Goldring turntable?

Then there are the big Usher speakers in the familiar demo room with the full range of Usher electronics. This room also doubles as an AV demo area with projector screens and cinema theme decor adorning it's walls.

The flagship Usher Beryllium and electronics. AV demoed here too!

Siltech corner in dedicated glass display. You'll need assistance to get a feel of their superb quality.

Boston Acoustics for quality table radio fans. Chan did not serve me the wine? I should've asked.

However, once past the cashier counter looking at your left, you'll find the Siltech corner by the side of the Boston Acoustic Horizon Solo display shelves. As you walk thru the walk way, You'll be greeted by the full range of Dynaudio speakers, accompanied by Naim, Usher and the soon to arrive JRDG electronics. This new area, just completed recently and fitted with soft lighting with light ceiling deflector treatment also has Acoustic System Resonators and other tweaks fitted to improve the room acoustics.

More Ushers on static display.

The ceiling treatment. Nice and effective!
Acoustic System Resonator and other range of room tune tweak applied in this area.

The full line of Dynaudio Confidence on display, awaiting their Jeff Rowland mates.

Dynaudio 30th Aniversary Saphire speakers(inner pair in special Rose wood finish), and Naim electronics with RGPC PLC.

I was listening to the demo system consisting of Naim CDX2 CDP, Naim pre-power combo with their dedicated Hi Cap/Flat Cap power supply boxes in tow, powering a pair of smallish Dynaudio C1 Confidence on dedicated stands. This system rocks surprisingly hard. We were spinning some Queen music and the track, Another one bites the dust, really nailed me to the wall, with its big, bold tuneful bass whilst maintaining the tracks simplistic clarity and drive so wonderfully coherent!

The rocking system! Note how small the Dyanaudio Confidence C1 is, compared to the giant Naim DBL speakers(outer pair). But sound is certainly big and confident. You're looking at a RM$100k or so worth of equipment here!(excluding the Naim speakers)

I love the way the Naim rack complements the look of their electronics.

RGPC with UK style 13 amps rated outlets, especially just for Naim systems.

Bespoke British style 13 amps rated plugs designed by Naim for Naim equipment!

I then went on to audition the "new" Usher Tiny Dancer speakers powered by Usher electronics and Copland CD823 CDP. The sound was warm and very forgiving in nature. It made for very easy listening. It did not do the Queen or rock music particularly well, but I am sure many will like it's easy listening nature. Having said that, the speakers are new as they just arrived and have not broken in yet. So there's certainly much room for more performance.

If only this sexy "tiny?" Dancer can dance in to my audio cave. Just makes me wanna caress the dancer!

I spent half a Saturday there with some of my hifi buddies, and we all had a great time there, until we all got a little hungry and went on to feast our selves with some of the most sumptuous tasting nasi lemak in KL, just a few blocks away! Excellent hifi, glorious music, great company of like minded fellas and sumptuous food, it was a lovely day out in CMY Damansara Uptown!


And finally, congrats to CMY Audio & Visual for securing some of the most successful brands in the hifi business!

The main entrance.

Or AV Designs as I always called it, is located at M-W-1, Mezzanine Floor, West Wing, Rohas Perkasa, No.9, Jln P. Ramlee, 50450 Kuala Lumpur. It's a cozy place for me and some hifi cum AV buddies to hang out, or perhaps, watch a movie or two.

Various items on display and wall of literatures.

You see, AV Designs specialises in custom install of high end home entertainment systems. They can, for a fee of course, design any given room in your residence, office or place of business where AV presentation is paramount and re packaged it with designer inspired ambiance, yet practical home theatre or music room, or even presentation lounge, which ever fancies you. You may specify professional room treatment elements and ambiance lighting systems to be incorporated in to the design. Their show room also show cases their unique room designs!

At the show room, they have 3 AV rooms fitted for various budget levels, all tastefully appointed and fitted with room tune elements. For music show case, they've devoted the main lounge areas to demo hifi systems of various price points.

JBL Synthesis and Stewart! Beware, very poisonous, enter at your own risk!

The main high end AV demo room, which is THX certified, is probably one of the best ever installed in South East Asia. If you think those THX equip ed cinemas are impressive, you ain't experienced the full potential of THX just yet, not until you step in to this room! The movie soundtracks experience is mind blowing real! Equipment list in this room includes Esoteric multi format player, Lexicon processors, Bryston amps and JBL K2 Synthesis series speakers/subwoofers all round. Visuals are taken care with the use of Sony VPL-VW200 SXRD projector and a Stewart screen measuring 123 inches!

The tastefully decor ed THX equip ed room, do you know there's a sand trap in here for acoustical treatment purpose? Why? You ask? there are 4 x 18 inches JBL sub woofers(excluding those from the main speakers) here to shake your chair and rattle your balls! That's why!


Equipment galleria, powering the THX sensations, look at all the amplifier power, what a thrill ride!

The second AV demo room fitted with medium range budget in mind, is less visceral overall, but just as exciting! It also fitted with the latest Panamorph anamorphic lens for 2.35 format projection. This new devise, turns any existing projector equiped the V-Strech feature to cinema scope screen ratio. The visuals are stunning, to say the least. Colours are vivid, no bleaching and the sense of panoramic depth has to be seen to believed! The equipment list in this room is less elaborate as they consist of a Pioneer LX series Blue Ray player and surround processor amp unit, driving PMC speakers all round, with a JVC DiLA projector attached with the Panamorph lens, projecting on to a 2.35 Screen Research screen.

Look at that sense of depth, projected on the the screen. Breath taking!


The colours are so vivid, I am in AV nirvana? The result of the Panamorph lens in use. Awesome!

The third AV demo room caters to more budget conscious set up. Having said that, the level of sound and visual reproduction is still pretty much first rate! The equipment in this room includes Marantz, Pioneer and Denon electronics, powering Tannoy lifestyle speakers set, with a lower end projector in used with, what else? a Stewart screen!

One of the reason why AV Designs installed systems have such excellent visuals is that they calibrate all picture devices, be it a plasma/LCD screen or projector system to ISF Certified Standards. I believe they are one of the very few around. What does the calibration do to the picture? It actually calibrates your screen or display to the same standards used by the film and broadcasting industry, so that your screen shows you exactly what the film producers intended and saw for them selves in the studio.

The ISF practitioner's certificate.

And finally, we come to the audio demo lounge area, where Torus Power supplies, Bryston electronics are matched to PMC loud speakers, all hooked up via Wireworld and AOR Reference 003 cables. The results are just simply stunning sound from showroom conditions.

The main music demo, what a beast of a system. Bryston BCD1 CD player, BP26 Pre amp, 28BSST mono blocks powering PMC EB1i speakers(behind). This system does sound staging very well and alive. It totally rocks too! Note the Torus Power RM2A(between the mono blocks) and RM16A, partially hidden behind the left mono block.

There are other smaller demos around the lounge area to savour.

Should you're thinking about starting or upgrading an AV system, James Tan of AV Designs is one fella you should consult first, if it's high end AV quality you're after!

Should you are interested to find out more about Bryston, PMC, Torus Power and Abbey Road Cables amongst other products, James is also your man!

For appointment to AV Designs, contact James Tan, tel: 03-21712828

zest audio - classy and tasteful audio saloon

holfi driving dali helicon

can you spot the tall and handsome dali megaline?

young and friendly - ah bee, the proprietor

can hifi business be conducted in a low-key manner? what are the brands that can be considered as low-profile?

this dealer has been doing his business quietly and humbly for the last 8 years, away from the politics and attention of the regular audiophiles.

bee wu, or ah bee, for those who know him, from zest audio, located in city square, is one dealer who is unassuming, humble and honest in his business. even the brands he carries reflect the kind of personality in him. holfi, dali, j.c.verdier, ortofon and transfiguration aren't exactly hot names in hifi. i mean, they don't come to your mind immediately if you need to shop for new hifi. but they all have their staunch following all over the world. dali, in partcular, has been gaining momentum in the USA, after many rave reviews of their top-line megaline and helicon speakers.

zest audio, if ever needs a change of name, should be called "danish statement" because their holfi and dali line of products really do make a synergistic match. holfi, in particular, is very cool about its design philosophy. it never follows trends or hypes; it just quietly goes about with its business. their zero-feedback, single-ended and battery-powered solid state amps are known for their robustness and lively sound. dali, in recent years, has also gained popularity in malaysia for the helicon series of loudspeakers which uses carbon-wooden cone and hybrid tweeters.

besides speakers and amps, ah bee is also an expert in all things analogue. which explains why he does well with his j.c.verdier turntable, and ortofon and transfiguration cartridges. turntable tuning and adjustment is a tricky business and ah bee habitually helps his customers tune their turntables for a small fee.

many audiophiles have complained about snooty dealers in malaysia but it doesn't apply on ah bee. if you want a dealer who can become your consultant as well as you hifi buddy, he is a safe bet. zest audio also offers AV consultation and interior design for audio rooms and room acoustics treatment.

if you are the kind who believes that hi-fi should be personal, low-key and away from the loud and snooty crowd, then by all means, visit zest audio and you will fall in love with it.

please contact:
bee wu (012-2187677)
zest audio