This must be the longest wait before I can fully complete a hifi review :( . And for this, I need to apologize to this pre amp designer Lau Wai Pan for the delay. Expressing ideas and experiences to words has been a bit of a struggle. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed this local masterpiece which has injected a certain level of musicality to my SPL Audio pre and power amp.
The Specification and Built
The Jumpan pre amp is equipped with:
1 x XLR in
1 x XLR out
2 x RAC in
1 x RCA out
Hence, you have a choice to use either one depending on what is available on you power amp.
On the front fascia, it is quite basic and straight forward. A selector switch between RCA and XLR input and a volume/attenuator knob with a volume level indicator.
Lo and behold - it also comes with a pal size remote control which works really well.
I tried a few connection variation but in the end, I feel that using all XLR connections sounds best.
The unit is sturdily built and slim in size (24 x 34 x 6 cm - D x W x H). Easily placed o any standard size hifi rack. As it was built sturdily, using heavier interconnects should not pose any problems for the unit to stay grounded to the rack. I particularly dislike too light of a unit that will not allow heavier interconnects or cabling to be used without the unit being unstable.
The Set Up
1. Power amp - SPL Audio Performance S800
2. McIntosh MCD350 SACD player
3. Sony HAP Z1ES Hi Res streamer
4. Borressen X3 speakers
The Listening Session
Playing Zee Avi's The Book of Morris Johnson, the Jumpan added a wider presentation to what I use to hear from my previous SPL pre and power set up. While the bass remains authentic to SPL, this pre amp definitely added some life to the set up as the SPL Pre and power sounded clinical and can be monotonous at times.
Zee Avi vocal came out strong and dominant sounding compared to the overall music presentation. To me this is one unique attribute of this Jumpan pre amp, it amplifies the vocal of the song. It really did justice to Zee's vocal.
Playing a piece from the legendary Kombo RTM truly shows the musicality of the pre amp. Given a live recording like this, I was expecting to sound thin and a bit one the bright side. Not with the Jumpan. It provides a lively, airy and at the same time, a meaty musicality. It gives out a very engaging experience, bringing back memories of tunes from the past.
The wind instrument sounded super clear with no ear--pinching experience. Sweet and luscious. The percussion was hard hitting and authentic to the sound of 60s/70s. Compared to me SPL pre amp, this Jumpan pre amp injected more liveliness to the overall musicality.
The Conclusion
A well thought design!
It a solidly built with transparency as its unique character. The SPL Audio power amp might not be the best match for the Jumpan as I was informed that it works better with power amp which has 50K to 100K impedance. Nevertheless, I could still experience great difference compared to my SPL Audio Director Mk2 pre amp.
The overall performance of this passive preamp leans towards clarity and lively musicality. It somehow is able to inject some lusciousness to a clinical SPL Audio pre and power combo. If one is looking for a straightforward, minimalize pre amp, give this Jumpan a go. For further enquiries, please contact Lau Wai Pan on Facebook.
I have been using ASCENDO subwoofer, surround and ATMOS speakers for a few years now. It blends well into my PMC LCR speakers and ARCAM AV. receiver. However, my 5.1.2 HT set up is not ideal to fully experience ASCENDO capabilities.
On 15th Feb, I spent a few hours with James Tan in AV Designs to explore the ASCENDO set up and really experience what it can do. The main HT room is equipped with a 24" infrasonic sub alongside the other ASCENDO speakers. Mind you, the AVR was a JBL but still the set up was amazing. James and his team have been tweaking the set up and it was a vast improvement compared to my previous visit many months ago.
Playing movies like A Quite Place and 13 Hours brought out the grunt and hard hiting bass from this set up without loosing any clarity from the LCR speakers. It provided a very engaging and enveloping, non-directional experience of bass extension. Can really experience how a bullet shot sounds like.
What really impresses me was when it was put on a 2 channel demo. In this drum video, the amount bass that comes out of this set up can make any drummers start to tap their feet. Deep, cohesive and fast sounding to keep up with the drummer playing pattern.
To have a room like AV Designs show room would be a dream. I may just settle with adding more subs to my set up 😬😬
Do visit Audio Visual Designs to experience what I experienced here. Ask for a demo today!
Wireless hifi systems are no longer a taboo subject in the audiophile community. While the traditional wired setups are still seems to be the reference, wireless systems have its own place in the community. Some wireless systems can even be at par or exceed it of a wired systems. One of them that has landed in my den is the Capella; by Triangle HiFi.
Built solidly in a gorgeous glossy finish, equipped with its own mini isolation stands for a quick table top set up, this system is another example of wireless done right. As oppose to other wireless speakers such as the KEF LS50, the Capella comes with a separate dedicated master input unit called the Stereo Hub.
SETTING UP
In this modern world, one of the test in my requirement is the set up process. Anything that is too complicated and takes more than 10 mins is a big no-no for me. Glad to report that it only took the Capella 5 minutes to be fully connected to my home network.
THE INS AND OUTS
The Capella is a very digital based system with 3 optical, 1 coax, 1 USB ins but its not short of analogue as well with 1 pair of RCA and 1 of 3.5 mm aux input. It can also be connected to a TV with a HDMI ARC. On the wireless connectivity, there is Bluetooth and WiFi.
THE SPECS
This active speakers comes with a total power output of 2 x 100 W where each driver has its own converter and a dedicated 50W amplification circuit. It is also equipped with its own DSP that adapts to the the driver behaviour to deliver at the peak of the system potential.
The system also offers auto calibration to your listening area. Works well with iPhone microphone but for Android user, a Zen microphone needs to be purchase separately.
One big plus point for me is that it comes with its own app. I am quite fussy on this based on my previous experience of streamers that depends on 3rd party apps. You can also control the unit using the supplied rather nifty remote control.
THE SESSION
As I see this system to be more of a lifestyle system, I have combined the usual test tracks with some daily music I listen to.
Take Five - Kenichi Tsunoda Big Band
The Sound of Silence - The Ghost of Johnny Cash
Soolaiman - Neil Young
The Moon Represents My Heart - Zhao Peng
If I Can Dream - Elvis Presley
With the Take Five rendition by The Kenichi Tsunoda Big Band, the Capella hit the right notes and dynamics as it really made me swing listening to this track. It managed to present a lively ambient and filled my dining area with a very energetic presence. The wind instrument was in perfect harmony with the low frequency spectrum, creating an impactful presentation.
On The Sound of Silence, the presentation sounds really huge and it really envelopes me in an immersive experience. The deep voice of David Radcliffe (I believe he is the singer of The Ghost of Johnny Cash) sounded really deep on the Capella, given the size of the speakers. Even the higher notes sounded full of dynamics and blended well as one coherent presentation. I can't pinpoint whether this system leans towards either side of the spectrum. Quite balanced in many ways.
While the Capella seems to be quite neutral, it does not mean it cannot belt out a heavy thumping bass sound. The percussion into on Soolaiman, it digs deep into the sound of the tom toms and at the same time, the sound of the snare and vocal remains to be sharp and melodious respectively. On this particular track, I really like that the Capella remains to be true to the original sound of Neil Diamond.
On the Chinese track by Zhao Peng, this is when my attention was at the peak as the Capella presented a sound that really pulled me into an emotional state. The soothing voice of Zhao Peng just flow right through my whole body regardless that it was not in a language that I can really understand. This is what I call a scenario where the music really spoke to me.
Now, on the last track by Elvis, this track supposed to be emotional as well as uplifting. I mean, he is The King of Rock & Roll. This is where I feel that the Capella felt a bit short with regards the energy on track like this. I could do with a little bit more power to elevate the 'struggle' that Elvis faced at that time. It was still immersive but not enough for me.
THE CONCLUSION
The Cappella is one capable wireless system. It offers both elegant looks and sound. The overall sound is neutral to me but it does not mean it is incapable to surface up the lows and highs when it is needed. The system is also very user friendly and connectivity is abundance.
Where does it fair better? Against a conventional wired hifi or wireless lifestyle set up?
My answer is both. To me, the primary offering by Capella is the lifestyle set up with full flexibility on where to place the speakers and also to hide the main hub. However, I have no doubt, given a decent speaker stands and placement similar to a conventional system, it can deliver an at par experience.
The Capella can be demoed at The Expert Group Malaysia, located on Level 2, The Gardens Mall, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City, KL.
The Expert Group team will also be part of the upcoming Kuala Lumpur International AV show 2024, to be held at The Gardens Hotel from Friday 25th to Sunday 27th Oct (10 am to 7 pm)
When Stars Pickers offered me to review these 2 products, I could not resist it and said yes. Having the R7 unit which I purchased last year during the KLIAV show, I was really keen to know what R9 can offer. As both the R9 and K9 are 2 different designs, the review is more about what each of the model can offer, its signature sound and also which headphones are best matched with.
I will not bore you with a detailed specifications as that can easily be accessible on the Fiio website but one thing I will mention here is that both units are well equipped with various connectivity and features.
THE HEADPHONES
For this review, the following are the headphones used for this review. I only used 1 reference track frm Qobuz - Soolaiman by Neil Diamond on Hi-Res 24/192
Beyerdynamic T1
Sennheiser HD700S
Audeze EL8
Grado HEMP
HOW WAS R9?
Beyerdynamic T1 - On the R9, the percussion on this track sounded very tight and punchy but still retain the 'hollowness' sound. With the R9, the listening ambient was very holographic where again the multi-instrument on this track created a very enveloping experience. The R9 also presneted a very natural mids and highs where Neil's vocal sounded very dynamic and at the same time highly filled with natural expressions by him.
Sennheiser HD700S - This is quite the opposite of the T1. The track sounded thin but neutral with no dominance of any particular audio spectrum. It is also highly transparent with a clear and crisp vocal by Neil. Some background noise was also very audible making it sound a bit sharp on the highs.
Audeze EL8 - As opposed to a punchy bass, the EL8 had a deep extensive bass that goes really low on this track. I personally prefer this kind of bass response instead hard hitting and punchy. Really good mids as well, making the Neil's vocal sounded really good and full of emotion. However, it would be more enjoyable with sweeter highs. At times, it can sound a bit flat with the mids and lows dominating the presentation.
Grado HEMP - Surprisingly, I enjoyed the R9 most with the Grado HEMP. The best clarity that I can experience is with the Grado and R9. Although the background noise is highly audible, it was actually helping to make the overall presentation to sound more natural in all aspect. Natural bass, vocal and instruments. Sufficient to make the song sound really alive, in sync with the sound of that era.
HOW WAS K9?
Beyerdynamic T1 - This to me is the best combo presentation of the Soolaiman track. Overall punchier, solid and extensive bass but maintained a balanced presentation across the audio spectrum. Neil's vocal sounded expressive and melodious throughout. The percussion maintains the hollowness tune but with great precision and sound accuracy. Very engaging experience that led me towards tapping my feet and moving my body to the tune.
Sennheiser HD700S - The K9 matches better with the Senns compared to R9. A better control of highs and smoother with the mids can be experienced with this combo. However, still thin sounding but with a slightly deeper dive in bass. Still maintains a high level of transparency where Neil's vocal as the main highlight of this pairing.
Audeze EL8 - Even a bigger sound with an enveloping ambient can be heard when paired with the K9. Maintains the extensive bass with deeper dive with sufficient mids. The percussion sound was really engaging to me, and it just continue to draw me in to the enveloping sound ambient. The highs were slightly sweeter than the pairing with R9 but to me, it still lacks that magic sparkle.
Grado HEMP - Again, somehow the Grado HEMP can really shine with Fiio amps and DAC. With this pairing, even a better clarity and liveliness were experienced. Each instrument placement and precision can be heard with this pairing. Bass is sufficient and does not overwhelm the HEMP. It maintains its natural presentation. The drums really got me going with this pairing. Neil's vocal was best presented here.
THE CONCLUSION
So, which one is better? As I mentioned earlier, this is not a shootout. Both K9 and R9 have its own value proposition and very much dependent on the following:
The headphones you want to pair them with and sound signature you like - both the K9 and R9 are capable to drive the 4 headphones I have with their own unique sound delivery.
I find the best pairing is between Grado and K9 and R9. If you prefer clarity, natural and neutral sound, you will not go wrong with both amps.
If bass dominance is your preference, both K9 and R9 can give your Audeze a good low frequency works.
Somehow, I do not feel Sennheiser will match well with both amps. Both the Senns and K9/R9 are great products but somehow, it does not gel well together.
For best musicality, I must say the Beyerdynamic matches well with either K9 or R9. The best overall musical enjoyment came from this pairing.
Your utilization plan - if you plan to have a separate music source from your amplification, then K9 is the way to go. It is purely a headphone amplifier with a built in DAC. However, if you require an All-In-One music source and amplification, the R9 is the way to go.
As a conclusion, similar to my hifi approach, I do believe that having a separate source and amplifier yields more musicality. Hence, my preference would be the K9 if musicality is the objective. The R9 is feature packed and that's the way to go if an All-In-One unit is required.
Both units are available at Star Pickers Audio Library retailed at RM2499 for K9 and RM6999 for R9.
Contact them on 012-3392040 to arrange for a demo with your headphones.
Star Pickers Audio Library organised a Chord Electronics Day where special guests John Franks and Rob Watts shared to the attendees the latest updates on Chord products.
For local audiophiles and AV enthusiasts, the name SVS is no stranger to them including yours truly. In my previous home theater set up, my rear and ATMOS speakers were from the PRIME series and also the main subwoofer as well. They were very capable speakers to complement my LCR which were the PMCs. Nevertheless, I never really had the chance to test or use them as a pair stereo set up or even a lifestyle set up.
When AJ of The Experts Group Malaysia mentioned about the Wireless Pro and 3000 Micro Sub set up, it intrigued me to review them. I had them for 3 weeks (about 2 weeks of serious listening) and I must say, they continue to live up to their name even for a 2 channel set up. Read on to know why!
THE SPECIFICATIONS
First of all, the Wireless Pro speakers are sold separately from the subwoofer i.e. it is actually a stand alone unit. It can belt out music without the connection to the subwoofer.
The term wireless can sometimes be misleading. As far as I remember, my first 'wireless' set up was a SONY home theater system for my apartment in Abu Dhabi when I was stationed there between 2005 to 2007. At that time, the term wireless was mainly referring to my rear speakers as I did not need to run cables to the main unit at the front. However, there was a need to have 2 additional eletrical plugs to power up both rear speakers. Hence, it was one of those 'wireless' but not truly 'wireless' if you get my drift.
Not with the PRIME Wireless Pro! Even the power cable to the main unit with the front display is equipped with attached cable to connect to the other speakers. Hence, you just need one eletrical power supply point to power both speakers.
The subwoofer however, needed a mono RCA subwoofer cable to connect from the Wireless Pro.
As a wireless powered speakers, the Pro is equipped with a dual Class-D power amps for discrete Bi-Amplification at 200 watts RMS power with a digitally controlled tweeter to woofer Xover at 2kHz.
The pair is relatively sized decently as a bookshelf speakers at 295 mm x 180 mm x 228 mm (HxWXD) and weighs about 5.6 kg each. It is recommended as well to either place them on a decent speakers stands or an isolation platforms such as the IsoAcoustics Aperta.
The pair also comes with a neat little remote that does all the basic function.
INS AND OUTS
Inputs
1 x RCA
1 x optical
1 x 3.5mm Line In
1 x HDMI (ARC)
1 x Ethernet
Ouputs
1 x sub out
Bluetooth 5.0 with AAC and aptX
1 x Ethernet
Wireless Connectivity
Bluetooth 5.0 with AAC and aptX
DTS Play-Fi - Losslee 192 kHz/24 bit via critical listening mode over WiFi
The 3000 Micro Subwoofer is a fully active unit, designed with a dual opposing 8 inches drivers. Measuring at 278 x 297 x 271 mm (HxWxD), this sub is not to be underestimated. Weighing at about 10 kg, this unit complemented the Wireless Pro speakers seamlessly; providing sufficient grunt and low frequency envelope to make the sound reproduction very musical indeed.
It comes with a pair or RCA ouput and input in which I only connected the sub via a single RCA mono interconnect to the Prime Wireless Pro. The volume and phasing of this sub can either be done manually through the soft touch buttons at the rear panel or also via their app. (However, I believe you need to purchase a wireless audio adapter for this to work via Bluetooth)
The subwoofer amplification comes from an 800 watt RMS, 2,500 watt peak Sledge STA-800DM built in amp with a fully discrete MOSFET output high-effiiciency Class D switching topology. Fully packed into this tiny in size but muscular in sound. For the full specs and features, click here.
THE SESSION
I tested out this set up in stages below:
1. Without the subwoofer
2. With the subwoofer
My review below however will only be with the subwoofer with some comparison context to listening without the subwoofer.
Before describing the listening session, the first test that I always do is the CONNECTION STABILITY. In this modern era, this is essential for any wireless system. First of all, setting up the speakers into my home network.
The SVS Prime Wireless Pro Bookshelf speakers was fully set up physically and gained connectivity within 20 minutes. That is how simple it is. Using the DTS play-Fi app on Android, connectivity to my home network was a breeze. Music services to Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz and Roon were seamlessly connected within seconds of logging in.
The system was put into a looping streaming for 1 hour and it passed El Hefe's HiFi Reviews stability test ✅️✅️. ZERO signal dropouts over wifi.
I listened to the following tracks with and without the subwoofer. My reference will only be on QOBUZ but TIDAL and Spotify were tested too.
Take Five by The Kenichi Big Band
Take Five by Dave Brubeck
Turn Me On by Norah Jones
Enter Sandman by Metallica
The Sound of Silence by The Ghost of Johnny Cash
Take Five by Big Band Kenichi
On this track, the speakers were able to deliver a very lively ambient with layers and layers of multi instruments being tightly played. This is not a particularly easy track to be played as it involves a complex arrangement that needs a good reproduction to really get the music going. The subwoofer added that additional kick to the song in which without it, it can sound a little bit laid back with all the highs playing frm the multi instrument band. The sound stage also sounded big compared to the size of the speakers. At one point, my kids thought I was playing the song from my main hifi set up. It was one of the more entertaining session I had with this set up.
Japanese Roots by Takadake
I must say that this track was the track that really made me say that this is one capable wireless speaker set up. The wind instrument sound really lush yet chilling with enough energy to get listener excited. I was fully engaged and mesmerized with the level of clarity and how deep it can go with the bass. Yes, the subwoofer added some juice to it but on this track, even without the sub, it can really belt out an energetic performance. The percussion on this track sounded tight with the sufficient amount of dispersion that I like. It maintained the similar huge soundstaging that gave me an immersive experience.
Turn Me On by Norah Jones
I then had to test the speakers with some vocals. Norah's vocal really stand out with this wireless speakers. It manages reproduce the build up from a relaxing intro in which there was a good blend of her vocal, piano and percussion into an emotional roller coaster. As soon as she hits some high notes, it sounded even more engaging. As it goes into the bridge, the set up created that cyclic emotion to build towards the emotional finale of that track.
Enter Sandman by Metallica
Now, this is where it got a bit tricky. With the stellar performance thus far, I was expecting a kick ass, energetic and andrenalin pumping session with this track. While the guitar riffs of Kirk Hammer sounded really ferocious, I find that Lar's drumming lacked a bit of punch even with the subwoofer on. James's vocal still came out clearly and upfront as there was no overwhelming dominance from the high and low spectrum. It was just the drumming didn't come out as I expected especially the intro of floor tom and other tom toms. It was still a very decent performance for metal music but I could do with a little bit more dive in the low end spectrum of frequencies.
The Sound of Silence by The Ghost of Johnny Cash
The highlight of the session came from this track. It sent me chills and emotional engagement. The Wireless Pro just reeled me into a deep unawareness of my surrounding. My mind just floated away with the huge sound stage and the reproduction of that vibrating vocal. It filled up my dining area with such ease and without comprimising any essence of the song. Truly an enjoyable listening experience.
THE CONCLUSION
Of many all in one wireless systems that I have owned and reviewed in the past in the likes of BOSE, Bluesound, SONY, Samsung, KEF etc, this SVS Prime Wireless Pro is the most comprehensive yet simple to set up and use. It has a stable connectivity to all major online streaming services and able to stream uncompressed Hi Res files with no signal dropouts even on wireles mode. A big plus point here.
The sound quality that it can provide actually warrants it to be paired with a decent speaker stands if one intends to use this as a main stereo set up as oppose to easy listening set up for in the likes of dining area, bedroom or small living room. For desktop use, it is recommended to have a pair of isolation platforms such as the IsoAcoustics Apetra.
Without the subwoofer, the Wireless Pro is still able to deliver a very engaging musical presentation. Clarity, huge sound stage and luscious vocal are the 3 main strength based on my listening sessions. With the subwoofer, it elevates the Wireless Pro to be more emotionally engaging as it made the music wraps over me plus, it gives out that extra low frequencies thumping effect as well.
To summarise, if you are looking at getting into a true all in one wireless set up while maintaining a more 2 channel hifi looks, this Prime Wireless Pro should be on your audition list. At RRP of RM4,900 a pair (and RM 5,210 for the 3000 Micro sub for that extra kick), this can be at par or even better sounding than certain entry level hifi set up. You will also eliminate the headache of figuring out a match between amplifier, streamer unit and a pair of passive speakers, let alone the interconnects and speaker cables.
Oh! Did I mention that The Experts Group is having a promotional offer? Better grab them while you can.
For audition, make your way to The Experts Group Malaysia outlet, located at The Gardens Mall, Lot S-207, 2nd Floor, Mid Valley City, Lingkaran Syed Putra, 59200 Kuala Lumpur. They can be contacted on 012-6462738 to book for a demo session.
