naim cd5x - PRaT is a two-edged sword

if there is such thing called expedited learning then kc and i have the best of it in the last few months, trying out some really really esoteric stuff.

it is always fun doing a shootout in my system - the outcome will be known in practically seconds, due to the revealing nature of my system.

today, kc brought the following:

1) siltech G6 forbes lake (signature series), RM20,000

with a price tag like that, you would have expected that it would trash my stage III magnus (RM6,000) but it turned out to be a even contest. the siltech is even smoother and more refined than stage III, rendering minute details in a spectacular fashion. it is so classy and composed but alas, it is quite a slow cable compared to stage III. we suspect it is the network box (some sort of ferrite thingy) that causes all this slow speed.

both kc and i prefer the stage III magnus but our ears are opened by the superior refinement of the siltech forbes lake.

round 1 winner: stage III magnus

2) naim cd5x (RM10,000)

now, this is the most entertaining contest ever done in my listening hall. it is like pitting one hifi camp against another hifi camp.

pitting naim against the formidable meridian G08 is a suicidal act but we want to know how the new generation naim cdp actually fares.

playing naim cdp is akin to changing the drummer in a band, a drummer on steroid that is. the beat and rhythm of the naim makes every cd sounds like a pop cd! the drummer is always over eager and over enthusiastic member in the band, so much so the rhythmic foundation overrides the whole musical presentation. the drummer in naim cdp seems like drumming in isolation, totally out of sync with the rest of the band. the beat of the drum seems like in an auto-pilot mode, no matter what is the pace of the music!

this is fantastic for pop/rock music, we wouldn't be bothered with the out-of-sync drum but when you play female vocal audiophile type, that's where the naim sounded decidedly contrived. when we switched back to the meridian, ah, so nice and comfy. the drum effect slows down and follows the rest of the music in unison.

kc and i were so amused by this contrasting style of the two cdps.

the naim is suprisingly refined and elegant, tho' not to the exceptional standards set by the meridian. but it loses out to the meridian by a big margin in airiness, communication and emotioning.

the naim makes a singer sounds like she is a salaried worker, just wanting to get the job over and done with. but the meridian makes the singer such a wiling performer, belting the song with all her heart and soul.

this is a new generation naim for sure. it is much better than all the naim cdp i have heard in the past. for once, naim has class and refinement.

but seriously, the PRaT thing is a two-edged sword.

before shootout, kc had almost drawn out his cheque book and written a cheque to CMY but after the shootout, as usual, he was awaken.

round 2 winner: meridian G08

after missing the bass and image solidity of ARC vt200, i decided to take one unit of james sub home from audio image for audition.

after some playing around for 3 hours with the gain and crossover settings - the only two variables - i am finally happy with the end results.

this is a very subtle and unobtrusive sub, so much so that i don't actually feel its presence when the music doesn't demand it. when it does, oh, it is a beauty. and the best part is - it is truly seamless. even with my eyes closed, i couldn't detect its location.

my overall impression is a very fast and agile sub. the mids does thicken (but not overly so), the highs does beef up (and not overly so).... everything is just so subtle. however, there is no discernible improvement in imaging and soundstage, something that i hope it can. maybe i haven't played enough audiophile cds to compare the soundstage.

another big improvement is the increased weight. the vt200 makes me realize how light-weight my classic 120 is. the james manages to put a solid anchor to some of the images. everything seems more stable.

this unit will be on extended loan to me. so those who want to sample this highly-acclaimed subwoofer, do drop by.

james blunt - chasing time: the bedlam sessions.

get this else regret for the rest of 2006.

ARC VT200 - solving the puzzle

being an ardent ARC supporter, i have been eagerly waiting for the day i will get a chance to audition the new generation of ARC amps. not the cheaper VS series but the higher end of the VT series. i can't wait to solve the debate whether ARC is moving backward or forward in the pursuit of high fidelity. after living so long with the classic series (and loving every minute of it), i doubt there can be ANY improvement in the aspects of tonal colours/beauty and the exquisiteness and sweetness of the triode sound. there can be improvement in other areas but NOT LIKELY in the areas i mentioned above.

the arrival of VT200 at my house has been rather late, due to a complex set of circumstances. i have been waiting for this day for at least 2 years, to say the least.

after a good 3 hours of listening to it, with familiar sources, i am confident to make a few mature conclusions.

firstly, advances in technology can buy you humougous soundstage. VT200 throws the biggest and most spectacular and panaromic soundstage i have ever heard in my living hall. the depth and the layering are staggering. none of the previous "soundstaging" amps, such as ASL hurricane and C-J premier 350 can even beat the VT200 in this area. listening to music is now like "watching" music. the experience is exhilarating. i revel greatly in this experience.

secondly, the 200watter in ultralinear mode (my classic 120 is triode) does not necessary buy you SPEED and ATTACK but it does buy you immense solidity in imaging. every image is achored solidly on the ground. in contrast, the CL120 seems light and floaty. in the bass department, the VT200 is unexpectedly lethargic; the CL120 is much more nimble and agile in bass than the VT200, though it does not have the CONTROL and WEIGHT of the VT200.

thirdly, the ultralinear sound is way too soft and dull, compared to vividness and vivacity of the triode. in contrast, my CL120 is lively, sparkling and has tonnes of presence factor. the highs and mids of the VT200 are rather recessed and dull. well, some would call the highs and mids of VT200, NATURAL or TUBE-LIKE, but that's not the way i would describe them.

after a good session with the VT200, i switched back to my CL120. immediately, i embrace the CL120's lively personality and sonic signature, although the soundstage now has shrunk a lot and things become a bit fuzzy. but make no mistake, the triode rules in the midrange and highs. the triode sound is a heavenly marriage with the maggie's true ribbons.

many of you have commented how my CL120 is underpowered to push my maggie 3.6R. yes and no. yes, the VT200 does have much more control and headroom, maybe 20% more than CL120 but when it comes to bass, the CL120 actually is faster, more nimble and agile. i am not sure if it is a compatibility issue but VT200's bass just doesn't grip me. it is a tad slow and lethargic. it is baffling why a 200-watter behaves like that.

i am not sure if this VT200 unit is in tip-top condition or whether it has the authentic ARC-approved svetlana winged-c 6550s tubes. but experience with tan's VT100 tells me that THIS is the signature of the VT series - lack of presence, soft and unexciting.

the VT200 will be with me for some time so i want to give it more chance to prove itself. but so far, except for the stunning soundstage and rock solid imaging, not much is in its favour.

so, puzzle almost solved. the ARC of yore are indeed better than the ARC of today in terms of highs and midrange.

it goes to show that technology can buy soundstaging, but it can't really buy the critical ingredients like midrange and tonal beauty.

it also prove that modern-day reviewers (like stereophile's wes philips who raved about VT200) may not have the hands-on experience with past ARC classics such as CL120, VT130SE, VT150SE. perhaps, that also explains why older guru and ARC lover like HP has never touched ARC products in the last decade.

i have always been telling many audiophiles that in terms of tube amp design, there has not been breakthru since the late 70s/80s; technology hasn't really helped much. some old classic tube amps still pretty much reign and retain its supremacy.

i am quite relieved.

now, where to find an amp that combines the triode beauty of CL120 and the soundstaging supremacy of VT200?

wattgate 320i 20A female IEC - can't be found in either MY or SG

i was trying to buy the wattgate 320i 20A female IEC from dedicated audio, USA, online. to my suprise, when i was filling up the address part for the order info, the website doesn't contain MALAYSIA for the country code! frustrated, i wrote an email to dedicated audio.

and within 1 minute, yes, you hear it right, within one minute, i got a instant reply from dan, the CEO of dedicated audio (blue denotes me; red denotes dan):

i am a customer from MALAYSIA, i notice that you don't have my country in the COUNTRY CODE. Can you please add it in so that i can transact? Thanks

Hello, we only accept wire transfers from Malaysia. What products are you interested in?

i replied immediately. again, dan replied almost instantaneously!

hi,

phew! that was fast :-)
i wanted to buy the WATTGATE 320i 20A female IEC.....
i hope you can accept credit card for such a small amount.
thanks.

I just read your feedback at Audiogon. Please understand this is not a personal attack but we have encountered many false CC transactions from Malaysia. We get stuck with the bill.

Simply place your order and place your country name in the address. Select USA as the country. Under the notes: ATTN: DAN and I will straighten it out in the am (currently 1145 pm here). Please be sure to add this to your shopping cart to cover the added Int'l shipping costs

http://dedicatedaudio.com/inc/sdetail/596

thanks

phew! you know what that means, don't you? within one minute, dan actually took the initiative to check my audiogon feedback and is satisfied with my credibility!

i am so damn impressed!

on the other hand, shame on all those credit card fraudsters/scammers from bolehland. you have tarnished our reputation and i hope you get caught and be punished by the law.

after 100 hours, the meridian g08 has completely smoked the meridian 508.24 (my previous cdp) and left the latter bleeding in the alley, picked it up and then dropped it in the morgue!

it is such an fucking amazing cdp. i can never imagine cd player can improve to such an extent. who says the potential of cd player has been maximized? you ain't hear nothing yet.

it has a big tone - rich, lush, supple and full. it is harmonically rich and wealthy. it has a rich texture and an exquisite tonal quality.

look at it this way - music thru the g08 is like a sonic woven fabric which if you can pull and stretch in whichever manner you like and yet it retains the elasticity and texture. or put in another way - there is so much texture and pull-and-stretch "action" in the music that mimics a fine fabric.

i haven't even mentioned the highs, mids and lows yet.

THREE WORDS SUM IT ALL - TONE, TEXTURE, ORGANIC

meridian g08 - a thorough bred and a true gem

it was a no-contest. sorry that the results have broken kc's heart, who is bent on buying the benchmark, after such positive results in his system.

true, the benchmark have pretty good highs, plenty of resolution and definition but compared against a super-duper like g08, it pales in most areas.

first, where is the bass from benchmark? in g08, the basslines were rhythmic, tuneful, voluptuous and almost enveloping the whole soundstage, though slightly "fat" due to it not being fully run-in. in contrast, benchmark's bass is way too anaemic and not well-defined.

benchmark's sound is a bit "disintegrated" from top-to-bottom, compared to g08 evenness across the spectrum. this could be attributed to benchmark's lack of mids and bass foundation, hence the feeling of lightness and hollowness. compared to g08's colourful tonal palette, benchmark's tonality is simply two-dimensional. another trump card of the g08 is the rich harmonic textures and density, which put it high there in the high-end league, way surpassing the ageing 508.24.

of course, everything is taken relatively. on its own, at RM4K, benchmark is good for its clean and pure sound, but giant-killer it is not.

on my score card, if g08 was to score 100 marks, then my previously-owned 508.24 (which i sold to a lucky audiophile in sibu) would score 75%, and the benchmark 60%.

harsh contest indeed but A/B-ing in a highly revealing system like mine is alawys a risky business. having said that, i must add that in kc's system which is slightly bottom-heavy, benchmark may be a revelation hence the good results observed by him.

post-script:

kc reached home and tried the benchmark in his system again. he wasn't wrong, the benchmark sounds excellent and perfectly balanced in his system. i guess it must be system synergy at work here. now, kc, feel good and go ahead and set benchmark your benchmark!

note: this review is contributed by my audiophile buddy, kc

Sometimes, in fact, most of the time, reviewing/raving about a particular product is a risky business. The product is reviewed in the context of your setup and unless the components are of known characteristics, the review is very much as useful as rubbish.And a lot of time, it's always easier to criticise a product than to praise it.

This Benchmark DAC1, which made me swallow my own words after 4 hours of playing. The first call to Leslie sounded like this, "this DAC is dead cold, whatever you feed to the recording console/mics, it spits them all out! It's good as an operation tool where you will get all the info on the CDs, but dead cold!"The first track I listened was Cheer Chen's track 4 with rainy drops, it's as if the drizzles were of smaller size and pouring at denser drops, they are crystaline clear! But the edges were rough and coarse on the vocal, as if it's wrap under sand paper. On track 11, speed is fast and snappy, but lacks the delicacy. Dead cold!

So the first sms sounded like this, "for another 1k on top of the DAC1's 4k, I would rather get the Stage III Magnus, which reaps more improvements!" I kept on playing the DAC1. There more CDs I played, the more detached I was from the music. So the second sms sounded like this, "Sometimes I doubt do we really need more details to enjoy the music more when more details does not actually bring you any deeper into the music!"And the third sms sounded like this, "I don't feel the urge of upgrading sometimes as it was not like last time when I go up to AQ and Stealth, DAC1 brings more hifi than music!" Then Leslie called and we chatted about the DAC1, which was nothing encouraging from me. So another sms later sounded like this, "DAC1 lacks Meridian's delicacy and refinement!"

Before I know it, I was slapped hard in the face and everything I said now was working against me, I have to swallow them all! I sms-ed Leslie again, "f***, I guess I have to swallow my words, the Benchmark is opening up, more fluid and liquid! After almost 4 hours of playing!"So I played Le Mon's Tin Man Mong Yau track 3, 6 and 10, omigod, another sms sounded like this, "s***, the highs is like angels sprinkling flowers, I was smitten! I have to say this, very similar to Meridian!" The highs is so delicate and articulate! Les called and asked about the bass, since I was not aware of that yet, I said not sure yet.So I spinned White Snow track 1 and was awed again! Another sms sounded like this, "Omigod! Talk about dynamism, impact, liquidity, speed, delicacy, fluidity and wutever hifi crap, this DAC has abundant, it's its uncanny ability to recreate life like performance and honest realism! From highs to lows, I could not find fault!" The thunderous drums towards the end was rolling in distinctive presence! Never heard of in my setup!

Yesterday nite, I spinned Damien Rice and the DAC1 did nothing but digging deepest to the CD, delivering top notch resolution and definition. What it does not do is add any harmonics to sweeten the music and impose itself unto the music. With stone cold setup, the sound might be thin, but never thin in truncating the decay and harmonic palates; on transparent tube setup, it's a godsend!

To me, it's really good!

babysitting the burning-in process of new tubes, especially tubes you are trying for the first time, is an arduous and nightmarish process. it requires tons of patience and good faith. at many points in the first 70 hours, the sound was so bad that i couldn't bear to listen to it. if you are paranoid (like me), you may even think that your amp has got problems!

therefore, it makes sense for a lot of tube dealers (in USA especially) to pre-burn-in the tubes for 70 hours before they sell them to the public to avoid all these growing pains.

here's a blow-by-blow account of the first 70 hours...

first 5 hours - sounded promising. strong presence. highs are slightly strident. bass is muffled. everything is a bit taut and tense. but overall a good preamble to what is to come. 75% on my score card.

5-20 hours - horrible. shitty sounding. no energy. soft. sissy. closed-in. no definition. blur. totally unlistenable. extremly low gain. these are the worst stage of the tubes.

20-30 hours - highs started to come out but the overall presentation is still soft and recessed. still no definition. very soft gain (volume) . very very unbearable.

30-40 hours - somewhat improved. highs become better. definition becomes better. still inconsistent gain - sometimes loud, sometimes soft. mids and bass are still not well defined.

40-50 hours - getting much better. still lacking of energy and gain. 75% on my score card.

50-70 hours - bass still hasn't come out. anaemic presentation due to lack of bass. highs are 80% defined. still low gain. separation is no good. lacking oomph.

70-80 hours - voila! bass came out though still puffy but strong and tuneful bass! the sound gains energy! 85% on my score card. highs are still not the best yet. but overall quite satisfying.

80-90 hours - highs started to develop. mids also gain definition. 95% on my score card. this tube really needs more than 100 hours to sound its best!

characteristics of re-issue tungsol 6550

the tungsol sound is characterised by two things - robustness and the voluptuous bass. the mids, after 90 hours, still lack a wee bit of resolution and details. the bass is fat, taut, clean and tuneful, in fact, the bass is the best thing about this tube. the highs on the other hand, is not the most refined/pristine, compared to NOS 6550s. but we are hopeful that all these will further improve after 100 hours.

overall, it should partner well with systems which are not too "fat" or "tubey". considering that it is a current production tube and it is only 90 hours burned-in, it has far exceeded my expecations. i would give it a provisional score of 95%.

i would further update this after 100 hours.

technology of yore - ultimate in cool

i happen to pick up a copy of this month's stuff magazine (the local version of the international gadget magazine) and was in awe by the advances of technology. blinding speed, is how i describe the progress of technology these days. the explosion or convergence, whatchamaycallit, in audio, video, voice and data are phenomenal.

i couldn't understand more than 80% of the terminology/jargon/tech talk in the mag, tho' i enjoy reading it very much. and to think that i am supposed to be tech/IT savvy. absolutely horrendous explosion of information and entertainment gadgets. i could spill out some terms to you off hand - ipod-on-video, PS3, wiresless digicam, gigaphone, K-Jam, digital music servers... the list goes on.

several questions spring to my mind immediately:

1) just how fast can malaysians adopt technology? we can't even adopt ipod as speedily or as pervasively as s'pore, furchristsake.

2) will you wait for something for months to arrive at our shore, only to know that it is already outdated by the time they have it on sale in low yatt plaza or imbi plaza?

3) what about the quality of service and repair of these gadgets? malaysian suppliers are notorious for "sell first, service later" mentality

i am not a technology follower, as you can judge by the handphone i use and the hi-fi system i listen to. i want my phone to be just, err, a phone and nothing else. if i need to take photos, i can use my digicam, thank you very much. and furchristsake, who would pay RM100K on a two-channel audio system in today's age and time? i certainly belong to those technology dinosaur category. no wonder i can't impress young chicks these days :-)

also, i have no interest in HT/AV (home theatre/audio video) until they sort out whether 7.1 channel is better than 5.1 channel and the endless and tiring format wars. even those who are supposed to regulate the standards are in total disagreement among themselves. what's the point?

at the end of the day, i still go back to what i am familiar with. two-channel hifi playing on compact discs or maybe SACD at a later time. of course, turntable playing LPs (long-playing/ records) is still the ultimate in cool. all this technology is not necessary a boon. it makes people like me wanting more to go back to embrace the technology of old.

but then again, i am a dinosaur so take my views with a pinch of garam.

a little bird told me the following...

that a certain high-profile audiophile in kl has bought a goldmund eidos reference cd player costing a cool USD140K. in the process, he dumped all his reference-grade barang-barang mahal including naim CDX2, burmester 001 (both cd players) and sonus faber stradivari speakers... if you want to buy them secondhand, contact me, i want a cut too

that one audiophile is also contemplating of upgrading to the top model of avantgarde horn speakers costing over Rm1 million.... *sweating profusely*

that a new retail outlet will be surfacing in mont kiara carrying distinguished brands like goldmund, karma, electrocompaniet, NBS (cables)...

that a certain hi-fi retailer is opening up new branches because the existing branches didn't fare too well with business falling below their targets...

that a certain dealer is going to lose the dealership for a famous solid-state amplifier... hint, hint, the designer of which is a legend in d.i.y

a word of caution: the above are merely hearsay, don't hold me responsible...

maggielurva: can i trouble you?
cheekeemm: am reading your exploits on the Pass
maggielurva: i need someone to carry my conrad-johnson into my car!
maggielurva: bloody heavy!
cheekeemm: how heavy is it?
maggielurva: about 40kg. but the box is big
maggielurva: can you come either today or 2moro?
maggielurva: at the same time you can listen to pass labs......
cheekeemm: 2morow maybe ~5pm?
maggielurva: ok
cheekeemm: on the pass sound
cheekeemm: it is not tubey
cheekeemm: the original aleph series does not sound like traditional sstate nor tube but possess a blend of both
maggielurva: it is a unique sound
cheekeemm: most likely this is due to the fact that it is a single ended design
cheekeemm: something like those single ended tubes
cheekeemm: but with more power, reliability
maggielurva: i am quite shocked that solid state can sound like that
cheekeemm: well i think there is only one std of sound
cheekeemm: both sstate and tubes are just difeerent paths
cheekeemm: eventually they should both converge
cheekeemm: on the one std of sound
maggielurva: no way!
cheekeemm: that's why i bought the aleph though i could only afford the cheapest
maggielurva: there is still a big gap b/w ss and tube
cheekeemm: i guess both have not found the ultimate sound qlty
maggielurva: ss still fails in the areas of lucid highs, intimacy, delicacy, wetness, and warmth, mids
maggielurva: you should come and listen to my ARC with the tungsol tubes
cheekeemm: well i think this is no place for such discussion- anyway we have been down this path many time
cheekeemm: and i think we both agree that we both hav different aspiration
maggielurva: so you are a ss guy?
cheekeemm: no
maggielurva: then
cheekeemm: i am open to any path as long as it gives me the result that i am seeking
cheekeemm: this is where we are different
maggielurva: i think you are the SET kind
cheekeemm: so far i find SET have qualities that i look for
cheekeemm: but the tube camp is too low powered
cheekeemm: or rather the high power ones i cannot afford
maggielurva: you can get horns what
cheekeemm: again horns have certain strengths i like but most have defficiencies that are only addressed in very expensive models like the avante grade
maggielurva: i think you would like this website and his ideologies http://www.high-endaudio.com/
cheekeemm: i like the trio
cheekeemm: well i tend to be a follower of peter qvoutrop of the early ANote fame
maggielurva: i totally disagree with this chap
cheekeemm: that's why i say we have different aspiration
maggielurva: no, i mean arthur salvotore
cheekeemm: i am for recreating the original sound
cheekeemm: well don't know about salvatore
maggielurva: read the website; it is rather lenghty
cheekeemm: ok
cheekeemm: my problem is looking for speakers that can shiine with my aleph
cheekeemm: its low power (could not afford the more expensive-powerful alephs) means limited pairing - 30W only
maggielurva: you would be happy to read that arthur salvatore doesn't think highly of ARC and maggie
maggielurva: he said ARC is lean and solid-state sounding and maggie "incohesive"
cheekeemm: i think your US ARC guru is right
cheekeemm: ARC made some great amps
cheekeemm: then a period of not-so-great amps and now back to greeat amps
cheekeemm: i find the maggies extremely transparent and liquid but needs high power & quality too: most expensive combination in an amp
maggielurva: afrer playing with c-j and pass, i now understand why there are so many camps in hi-fi
maggielurva: and why solid-state suppporter love ss sound
maggielurva: the mystery in my maggie power requirements is solved once and for all.
cheekeemm: ???
cheekeemm: huh?
maggielurva: yes, it does need huge power but TUBE power!!!
maggielurva: my CL120 satisfies 70% of the requirements. it would be perfect if i can get 200watter. that's why i am audiotining the VT200 this weekend
maggielurva: sure, i can't play loud and hard-rocking music but for intimate, small-scale work my CL120 is enough for me
cheekeemm: huge and QUALITY power. If tube is the one that delivers that quality you crave for, then you know your direction
cheekeemm: well how loud do you want?
maggielurva: as loud as the c-j plays!
cheekeemm: in a small space, even low wattage amp can sound loud
maggielurva: you should listen to c-j playing the diana krall live in paris!
cheekeemm: if you want huge reserves for control - that's not loud. it is about control
cheekeemm: well if u r trying to recreate concert environment
maggielurva: reserves, control, whatever...you know what my CL120 is lacking
cheekeemm: then good luck with maggies - lots of power and $$$
cheekeemm: well only lacking because u compared with a power house like CJ
maggielurva: fortunately, my musical tastes is towards the sedate kind, soft and simple
cheekeemm: ok
cheekeemm: at least u know that
maggielurva: you don't drive a bentley to race with ferrari
maggielurva: maggie is like a bentley, elegant and refined......
cheekeemm: then stick to CL120
cheekeemm: or other ARC amp designs
maggielurva: listening to these ss behemoth, makes me understand and appreciate my CL120 more
cheekeemm: wonder how would maggie-pass combination be with a CD player that has a SETube output stage?
maggielurva: c-j thrashes my CL120 when playing dianal krall and eric clapton unplugged!cheekeemm: i wonder if the Meridian output stage is single ended? hhmmmmm
maggielurva: no lah
cheekeemm: wouldn't know unless you have the literature.
cheekeemm: single ended circuits are not uncommon especially in low power application as in CD/preamp output stages.
maggielurva: everyone's tastes is different. at least i know and get what i like!
cheekeemm: ok

excellent coke bottles!

to think that i actually deliberated for more than a month before getting it, the tungsol 6550 reissue from new sensor corp turned out to be super!

right out from the box, it is already achieving 85% on my score card. and it looks like a sexy coke bottle!

simply, tungsol 6550 reissue is the best current-production 6550 i have ever tried! forget about sevtlana-S 6550 and EH 6550 from new sensor. get the tungsol.

octave electronics is selling them at RM140 per piece.

handsome monoblock that is very tube-like

this new pass labs is the new single-ended Class A amp combining the very best of the original pass labs “aleph” series with the present “x” series characteristics. as far as i can remember, the previous "x" series has left me very cold. i have listened to x250 & x350, none impressed me.

suprise, suprise, suprise. in terms of detail, intimacy, lushness, detailed midrange, sweet and silky smooth top end (by solid state standards), transparency, the pass labs is actually a tad better than the c-j premier 350!

in fact, it actually sound tubey! the class A must be doing something right.

in terms of power matching, the 100-watt class A matches my maggie 3.6R perfectly, better than my 120watt class AB ARC classic 120. whereas the c-j, on the other hand, overpowers and overwhelms my maggie totally with its 600W (4 ohm). on extended listening, c-j's bass is too prominent for my tastes. it needs more room to breathe.

the pass lab xa100 actually have more refinement than the c-j premier 350. overall, a positive 1st impression.

ARC classic 120 - still great after 15 years

with my euphoria over the conrad johnson premier 350, i thought i am going to say goodbye to my ARC days. in fact, i am making some financial calculations as to how am i going to afford the c-j amp, which costs a cool RM32K.

but last night, i had a complete change of mind. i played some of my most intimate cds, eg. jacintha's here's to ben and stacey kent's best collections. to my utter shock, the c-j totally flopped at giving me the much-needed intimacy, delicacy and goose-bumps. what could be wrong? is this the solid-state factor at play? even with the aid of the over-achieving stage III magnus silver interconnects, the tonality is dull and lifeless, the highs lack the sparkles, sheen and airiness of my ARC. the high definition is also missing. where is the emotional involvement, romance and goose-bump factors that my ARC could provide in spades?

i thought long and hard on this perplexing turn of event. i can only summarize as this: the c-j may be the more honest amplifier compared to my ageing 15 year-old ARC classic 120, but the later provides a euphony that is positively intoxicationg to the ears. yes, the highs of my ARC (coupled with the stage III cables) may be over-beautified, the mids have again an over-beautified bloom and "wetness" and warmth... all these excessive beautifications, albeit veering away from truth, are very very pleasant to the ears, that's why i call it euphony. who cares about accuracy when it sounds this good? in contrast, the c-j sounded too matter-of-factly, too powerful (600W at 4 ohm, seriously my maggie does not need this sort of power!), too bassy, too sensible and too dry, lacking the tonal beauty, emotions and delicacy that my type of audiophile yearn for.

true, i am mighty impressed with the c-j when i played diana krall's live in paris and eric clapton's mtv unplugged at 90db on my maggie. it simply kicks ass and sounded like a live concert in my hall. the extra power and headroom are exhilarating, or so it seems. but life is not about live and loud rock/jazz concerts every day. you need intimate stuff to soothe your jaded soul; you need ethereal female vocals with bare accompaniment; you don't need behemoth solid-state power amp for music that doesn't demand power!

in the end, regardless of how impressed i am with the c-j as a world-class solid-state amp, i still think solid-state amps don't do it for me. i have tried hard to accept it as a practical alternative to finicky tube amps but i still can't accept its obvious shortcomings.

so, i am gonna be stuck with tubes for a while yet. tu-bey or not tu-bey, that's already not the question. the question is how much i enjoy the music from my ARC classic 120. immensely, is the answer!

possibly the best solid state amp in the world

what the c-j 350 is:

huge sound, lively, vivacious, snappy, foot-tapping, pacy, rhythmic, big headroom, huge soundstage (depth and width), refined, exuberant, humougous energy reserves, neutral, natural midrange (not solid-state-ty), sensible sound (vs romantic), fantastic bass, open highs, lifelike images, fresh, clear, upbeat, communicative, DIMENSIONAL, powerful, imperturbable, resolving, controlled, kick-ass, rich tonally, punchy, dynamic, articulate, textured, vibrant, expressive, gripping, agile, extended

conclusion: in short, best solid-state amp i have ever tried!

what c-j 350 is NOT:

romantic, delicate, intimate, light shining from within (a la tube), midrange bloom is missing, highs are not so magical as my ARC, not magically emotive (as my ARC)...it does not do female vocals (e.g Le Mon & Janice) as well as my ARC, neither does it convey the intimacy of small-scale works, or music that does not require power.

conclusion: these are indeed minor grouses against the overwhelming list of positive attributes!

next trial - PASS LAB XA100 mono block and BLADELIUS GRENDEL

guess i need to give up high-end hi-fi and see a psychiatrist for treatment of audiophilia nervosa.
i have been without my hi-fi for more than 2 months hence my lack of blogging.

what is suspected to be a sure case of weak power tubes has turned out to be.......

1st suspect - bad power tubes

so the frantic search for the best 6550s in the world sees me contacting jim mcshane (the tube guru in audio asylum), the tube store (an online tube supplier), martin electronics (s'pore), frankie (well audio lab, s'pore) and many other tube suppliers. i did 3 days of intense research on the internet on the availability of 6550s in the market. in the beginning, i was partial towards the new tungsol reissue 6550. both martin and jim have them in stock. but later i found out that this new tungsol comes from the same russian factory (owned by new sensor, US) that produces the grossly inferior svetlana 6550 and EH-6550. i was too scared to try new sensor tubes again. way too scared.

i was also tempted to buy the svetlana winged-c 6550 from the tube store; this being the more superior svetlana that audio research has been using for years. svetlana winged-c is produced by st.petersburg factory in russia and it is much better than new sensor's svetlana.

in the end, i took a gamble and settled for electro harmonix EH-KT90 for a change. according to ah chee of audio art, ipoh, KT-90s are direct plug-n-play with 6550s, all it takes is to rebias the tubes once. he claimed that KT-90s have sweet-tops and powerful bass. since i am an adventurous audiophile, i am game to try these new tubes, afterall audio research once used them in their amplifiers (eg. V140) in the mid-90s.

that was a month ago, i am still waiting for my tubes! damn it.

2nd suspect - ARC preamp

while waiting for the tubes to arrive, i took the trouble to do a proper isolation test by borrowing the same amplifiers - ARC classic 120 monoblock - from my friend. and horror of horror, i found out that my ARC power amps (and its tubes) are perfectly ok!!!! it was the ARC LS-25MkII preamp that is causing the slow and lethargic sound!!!

so i immediately sent the preamp to audio art, ipoh (where i bought it from) for a thorough check. it took ah chee two weeks before he could do a A/B comparison with another ARC LS-25MkII preamp from his customer. he said the preamp is perfectly OK too!!!

damn it. where is f**k is the problem then? audiophile nervosa can cause someone who seldom swears to swear a lot.

3rd suspect - loose power cords

when i brought home the preamp today, i immediately hooked it up and listen attentively again. fuck, the sound is still lethargic and slow! i leave it on for about one hour then suddenly, the sound gained energy and speed, but the overall sound is still very "moong" (blur), lacking the fantastic definition that my system used to have.

so i decided to check my various power cord connections.... damn it, the connection to the richard gray box seemed to be loose.... the hubbell 20A female plug of my harmonic tech AC-11 power cord doesn't quite grip tightly with the richard gray male IEC...could be this the real culprit that has eluded me for 2 months????

i tightened the contact and switched the system on again. omfg!!!! it was back, this is the normal sound of my system!!! omfg!!! omfg!!! i solved the problem, after 2 months of frantic and sleepless nights!!!!

omfg. i could not believe that i was so careless and neurotic to have omitted checking the basic things first.

i called ah chee and told him how i solved the problem on my own. ah chee broke into chuckles and warned me that the higher end you hi-fi is, the more susceptible it is to little little deviations. i think i have to give up high-end for good.

but first i am going to see a psychiatrist tomorrow.

==========

afterthoughts...2 days later

after listening to my system for 2 days, it is true that the sound never quite attains 100% of its optimal level. it does not sound lethargic but rather it has lost its sparkles and tightness. sure, it must be the weak tubes again so i wasn't over-reacting in the first instance. the 2nd instance of the preamp sounding slow was a genuine case of negligence. so i have no choice but to wait for my EH-KT90. what a bummer.

hope 2006 will be a better year for hi-fi!

double take's christmas album has plenty of audiophilia credentials

the last double take's album (their debut) was such a marvellous recording that even audiophiles picked them up without a complaint.

returning with their 2nd album, a christmas album, this recording is even better than the first. roger wang, the sabahan guitarist and recording engineer, must have been an audiophile in his previous life to come out with such a gem of recording.

very warm, vivid, airy and pristine guitar sound, coupled with mia palencia's (the female vocalist) honey-toasted and smokey voice, you have a combination that never fails to entertain. if you system has good presence, you should have mia presented in a very palpable manner. it is as good as hearing her sing live! also, if your system fails to capture the liveliness, crispiness and attack of the guitar, then something is definitely wrong.

roger has refreshing arrangements for some of these old-time christmas songs, while mia penned two very sweet songs specially about christmas in malaysia.

something that all malaysians should be proud of.

you are going to thank me profusely if you follow my advice diligently:

call audio art, ipoh (05-2432339) and ask them to install the stage III concepts jumper into your MCB (circuit breaker), that's assuming you have a dedicated audiophile-grade MCB for your hifi. (note: MCB is the "fuse" installed in your ELCB)

the results are nothing but astounding. imagine adding 2-3 times the impact of a richard gray power delivery box. the improvement are shocking, surreal, tangible, across the board, covering the full spectrum - transparency enhanced, mids density thickens, lows more tactile and bouncy, ambience and air more apparent, harmonic textures become richer, highs more refined.... i would have willingly paid RM5-10K for this sort of improvement in my system. but no, a single unit of stage III jumper only costs less than RM1K.

the improvement i derive far exceeds the change of interconnects, speaker cables or power cords. it will probably makes sense since we are talking about the source of your power supply. over the last few months, i have become a fervert believer that power supply makes or breaks the system. power corrupts, as they say.

of course, you can use other make top-grade jumpers like AQ, but you won't derive the full pleasure if you don't use stage III.

people who know my system well know how exquisite the highs are. now i have upped the ante. it is quite a sound to behold. damn shiok and damn fun too.

listen up, hurry up, do yourself a great favour.