My Visit To The Taiwan & Hong Kong Hi Fi Shows 2008

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Beitrag

Amp_Nut
Inventar

#1 erstellt: 13. Aug 2008, 09:46

Hi Guys,

I have just returned (last night) from the Taiwan & Hong Kong HiFi shows there.

This was the first time I have visited a HiFi show outside India.

Both the shows overlapped ... Taiwan was 7 to 9 August and HK was 8th to 10th. I therefore decided to visit the Taiwan show on the 7th & 8th and the Hong Kong show on 9th & 10th.

The trip was a THRILL - especially the Taiwan show. Last year too I had toyed with visiting these shows but cancelled my plans. I am glad I did the shows this year.

Based on my experience this year, the Taiwan show is a MUST, pilgrimage for any Audiophile !

The Hong Kong show occupies more space and also covers Video. Its a mela with only a few Audiophile santuries !

Some personal background.... I have recently bought a new HiFi system (pre-owned

) but desperately needed a good pre-amp.

Prior to departure, I had shortlisted the following :

1. Ayre 5Xe

2. The Audio Research LS-27

3. The VTL 6.5

Some tips I was given by some seasoned members on this Forum :

i) "The Taiwanese are masters in system set up." - Deaf

ii) "Listen to the Adams speakers" - Switch-it-on

iii) "You will have a BALL !" - Bhagwan 69

All the above came true !

THE TAIWAN SHOW

The show was held at THE GRAND HOTEL on the outskirts of Taipei. Its a beautiful hotel and the rooms had fairly good acoustics.... and of course the Taiwanese were vizards at setting up systems.

Take a look at the tastefully done up and deceptively simple systems set up. They all sounded superb. There was not a single room that I haeard, that was marred by room acoustics.... which was almost exactly the opposite in Hong Kong.

I am posting below, pictures of some of the most notable roomks with my personal opinions. (Yes, I AM, opiniated, and not that well informed as an Audiophile, so you are welcome to take many of my views with a large grain of salt.

I have reduced the pictures to approx 50 KB each... probably tooo aggressive a size reduction. Should you want high res pics, let me know....

Here goes ...

Amp_Nut
Inventar

#2 erstellt: 13. Aug 2008, 10:25

The first Room I went to ... BINGO

The Avalon INDRA speakers, driven by a Jeff Rowland 500 Watt ( switching - ICE Modules ) Integrated Amp.

LOVELY sound, good presence and resoloution, without any harshness.

[Beitrag von Amp_Nut am 13. Aug 2008, 10:39 bearbeitet]

Amp_Nut
Inventar

#3 erstellt: 13. Aug 2008, 11:04

That is the Remiyo ( i guess the sopelling is wrong) Stall. Very nice , smooth yet detailed sound. 2 things that did not work for me ... the Music was some Chinese stuff which I did not know... plucked strings ... and the tiny speakers left me wanting bass.

I did not think too much about this sound, and was about to leave when the guy spoke in English... aparently he is the Owner of Remiyo since he spoke in 1st Person, and said that THIS CD that he had mastered was the best CD to set up and evaluate a Stereo system.

Amp_Nut
Inventar

#4 erstellt: 13. Aug 2008, 12:29

No Prizes for guessing who THIS big Boy speaker is....

Could it be that the dealer ran out of resourses ?

There was only 1 one kept as a show piece...

Jest Kidding guys... Taiwan is a SERIOUS, and Large Audiophile market.

Judging by the number of dCS stacks on demo at the show, Expensive stuff SELLS !

Arj
Inventar

#5 erstellt: 13. Aug 2008, 16:17

Amp_Nut schrieb:

Hi Guys,

Some personal background.... I have recently bought a new HiFi system (pre-owned :( ) but desperately needed a good pre-amp.

Amp_NUt what is this Hifi you are talking about Please share the details Sir !

Congrats on the visit. i was reading about this in another forum ..did you hear the Burmesters ? apparently they had a monstrous setup ?

bhagwan69
Inventar

#6 erstellt: 14. Aug 2008, 03:53

Congrats on the visit. i was reading about this in another forum ..did you hear the Burmesters ? apparently they had a monstrous setup ?

I never went to the show - sad - I know - yet my 2 tit bits;

The Burmester was 'average'

The Moster set up - this year was - A] JM Labs - New Utopia Speaker & B] MBL

These were the 2 'really big' & 'elaborate' set ups.

In the Remiyo room - the new DAC was laenched. I have put the picture in a different thread on this forum - Siva's DAC thread [I think] !!

This is [was] the best Audio Show to visit on our Planet - period !! Mad - too good !!!

Congrats 'AN'
You sure had a Blast & I am sure 'learnt a lot'
Specially to set up & more importantly - what to listen to & how to listen & all the myth about 'snake oil' etc. etc.
High End is High End !!! There is [are] things to it !!!

p.s. no need to re s-size the pictures - image shack will do it for you.

Amp_Nut
Inventar

#7 erstellt: 14. Aug 2008, 11:10

Yes, I heard the Full Burmester setup.

The sound was VERY good. Great analog feel... no Digiti-tist !

However, the sound did not make it to my top 4 Favs at the show ...

The Burmester stuff gleams and looks great. The Gleem and shiny metal make it difficult to photograph casually, with a shirt pocket shooter, as you can see....

[Beitrag von Amp_Nut am 14. Aug 2008, 11:13 bearbeitet]

Amp_Nut
Inventar

#8 erstellt: 14. Aug 2008, 11:45

The Audio Research Room at the Taiwan Audio Show.

I am a fan of the new Audio Research range, which I feel has now moved away from its earlier House sound, which I found wolly and less precise that I would like. The new range ( paradoxially released only a couple of months before the owners sold out ) is often reviewed as the ideal between Valve & SS sound .

I had GREAT Expectations at this room...

Sadly, tghis room was a relative let down. TOP Notch Stuff but the sound seemed compressed and somewhat bloated. I would attribute it more to the Room set up than the equipment...

( P.S: Still... on My way back from Hong Kong, I bought myself the LS26 Pre Amp... AR's number 2 Pre ... )

Amp_Nut
Inventar

#9 erstellt: 14. Aug 2008, 11:54

" The HALCROs are Cold, lifeless and and analytical "

"The Siltech's have a midband Issue "

That was in my head, as i entered this room. The room itself was not Huge, as the Siltechs would want.

The pairing was un-usual.

So this room was a Hi End Under Dog ?

Forget all that... This was one of my 4 Best Sounds at the Taiwan Show 2008.

Warm, Intimate, detailed without being harsh ... just LOVELY !

bhagwan69
Inventar

#10 erstellt: 15. Aug 2008, 03:47

Amp_Nut schrieb:

Forget all that... This was one of my 4 Best Sounds at the Taiwan Show 2008.

Warm, Intimate, detailed without being harsh ... just LOVELY !

It is a good speaker;

You must hear it in Pune - a different presentation;

Teac [esoteric] front end - AR Pre - Canasya [tube] power amp - controlled environment.

Looks ???

bhagwan69
Inventar

#11 erstellt: 15. Aug 2008, 11:54

This is a 'gift' I got from 'A.N' a few hours back;
Most generous - thank you sir

Amp_Nut
Inventar

#12 erstellt: 16. Aug 2008, 12:53

Arj Wrote:

Amp_NUt what is this Hifi you are talking about Please share the details Sir !

Arj, my apologies for this Tardy reply. I have been trying to puit in 25 Hours to a day, after I returned, to catch up with lost work...

To compound it, Sify's Internet service at my residence has been Extremely Erratixc, and service shoddy.

My 'New' ( Pre-owned ) system is :

Amplifiers : 2x Gamut M200 Monoblocks ( 200 Watts / Channel)

Speakers: Revel Ultima Studio loudspeaker

http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/302/index.html

Speaker Cable: Transparent Audio - "Plus Bi Cable"

Pre-Amp: Audio Research LS 26

http://www.arcdb.ws/LS26/LS26.html

http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/audioresearch_ls26.htm

http://www.audiorese...%20LS26%20Review.htm

http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/amp/messages/12/128351.html

Source: Denon 2900 Universal Player ( Due for change)

As a result, my old components are up for sale ( I will put up a separate post in the Buy / Sell , once I get a breather.... :

FOR SALE - Speakers : Sonus Faber Extremas

http://www.stereophile.com/standloudspeakers/915/index.html

FOR SALE - Speaker Cables : MIT Terminator-2

FOR SALE - Speaker Cables : Audioplus

( I used both these to Bi-Wire The Sonus Faber Extremas )

FOR SALE - Amplifier : Prima Luna Prologue-2 Valve Amp using KT-88s.

http://www.primaluna-usa.com/prologue2.htm

http://www.eeonline....valve-amplifier.html

I believe that the PL-2 and the Sonus fbor Extremas sing Very Well together.

No Obligation Auditions welcome.

Cheers

[Beitrag von Amp_Nut am 16. Aug 2008, 12:55 bearbeitet]

Arj
Inventar

#13 erstellt: 16. Aug 2008, 13:58

COngratulations Sir

truly some setup and fullrange.

So what are you deciding on your Source. I think am sure it is a Transport + DAC ?

the extremas are truly great speakers..on of the all time classics and better than some of the new ones being dished out by Sonus Faber..if i had even known about this i might have delayed my speaker purchase!

Amp_Nut
Inventar

#14 erstellt: 16. Aug 2008, 16:36

Hi Arj,

Thanks for your appreciation ...

Yes, the Extremas Too are for sale...

The Source remains an enigma.... While I would CERTAINLY like to explore a HDD based system, I currently do not have a USB DAC... or ANY DAC for that matter.

I just bought myself a Wadia iTransport, but since I do not have a DAC, was thinking of selling it at cost ( US $ 400 ) its 2 days old .....

Posting in the Buy - Sell.

bhagwan69
Inventar

#15 erstellt: 17. Aug 2008, 04:28

Amp_Nut schrieb:

I just bought myself a Wadia iTransport, but since I do not have a DAC, was thinking of selling it at cost ( US $ 400 ) its 2 days old .....

Good Call !

All the Best !

I would recommend the Audio Research USB DAC as a solution.
There is also a Chord DAC - the one you saw & heard in Taipei - Blue Plastic Lit. Very Very good product - I really like Chord DAC's. Have used it @ home and in different set ups.
Research it.