2014 HiFi/HeadFi/HT Reflection

First of all, I would like to say thank you  all those who have visited, commented and bashed my blog.  Without all of you, this blog would not reach over 70,000 visitors (40,000 this year alone compared to 30,000 in 2013 when I started the blog).... and NO.... this does not include my own visit :)

Secondly, thank you to the following individual and companies in NO order of preference:

1. Victor Pheh of HiFi Creations for loaning me the Magnet power amps and power conditioner for the first 2014 review
2. James Tan and Tony Low of AV Designs for PMC poison especially the PMC Twenty 26
3. Max Loh and Yoon Tat of Maxx Audio for your SVS and AudioPhysics poison
4. Steve Chua of CMY Audio OU Branch for the Oppo poison
5. Spin Doctor Mastan Latiff and Khalizul for the vintage GL78 TT
6. Tony Lee of LTB Enterprise for the continuous Musical Fidelity updates
7. Chong of Stoner Acoustics for the UD120
8. Nick of Hard Graft Records for getting me those great metal LPs
9. Stevie of Tower Records for getting me the long awaited Charles Trenet LP
10. Radzi of Teenage Head Records for an excellent RSD this year
11. Khairul Fahmi from Embrace JB for all those Legoland LPs :)
12. Foo Lek Choong for RSD shopping and continuous TT poison
13. Mr. Dick Tan for not forgetting me in KLIAV show
14. Willy Low of AV2Day for sharing hifi wisdom 
15. Erik Goh for hifi sessions and kopitiam
16. Bassraptor, WongKN, Foong, Bal for managing HiFi4sale
17. Blogger Sting for personally helping me with the PMC26 review
18. Mr. Andrew Everard for his kind comments and advise on my Oppo HA1 review
19. Wilmslow Audio in UK for providing me with a replacement tweeter for my TDL RTL3SE
20. What Are You Listening To Right Now FB Group for an excellent HiFi session this year.
21. LP Lovers Forever Whatsapp Group
22. PMC UK for the souvenir gift
23. WhatHiFi UK for shortlisting my hifi set up for the top 10 finalist for July 2014

Did I leave out anybody?

I started 2014 with a personal target to improve on my HT set up as I am quite happy with my HiFi and HeadFi set up.

Dream to have but may put some effort in getting one in 2014

1. Bryston Mini T speakers to replace my Mission M34i home cinema front speakers

2. A projector and screen set up / 60" or 65" TV

So how did I do?

In

PMC Twenty 23

PMC Twenty Centre (swayed)

Samsung LED CURVE TV 65" 9000 series

SVS NSD12 Subwoofer (swayed)

Oppo HA-1 headphone amp (swayed)

Lenco GL78 TT (swayed)

Many many many LPs and BluRay and HFPA

Out

Mission M34i

Infinity Primus Centre

Musical Fidelity M1 HPA

Wharfedale SW150 sub

YEESSSS... I am weak when it comes to HT/HiFi/HeadFi... So sue me... :)

So...whats in store for me in 2015? With the oil price slumping.... I may have to set an objective of ZERO hardware changes.... except for the following:

• Installing the presence and surround back speakers to complete my 9.1 channel home cinema (speakers are already available, just need installing)

So, I am starting my 2015 with:

2 Channel HiFi Set Up

Musical Fidelity M6i integrated amplifier

Musical Fidelity M1 PWR power amp

Musical Fidelity M6 DAC

Musical Fidelity M1 CDT

Musical Fidelity M1 ViNL phono stage

Musical Fidelity M1 CLiC universal media player/streamer

Bryston BHA-1 Headphone amp and Alessandro Grado MS Pro headphone

SONY MDS JA20ES minidisk player

Onkyo Cassette Deck

ClearAudio Concept TT

GL78 Lenco TT

Apple TV

Dell Windows Laptop with Samsung UA55HU8000 TV

Belkin PF50

Full Siltech Classic Anniversary 330L cable, IC, power cable, digital cable

Tombo cable elevators

and...

Home Theater Set Up

Yamaha RXV 2067 AV receiver

PMC twenty 23 front speaker

PMC twenty Centre

Wharfedale Diploe rear speakers

SVS NSD12 subwoofer

Oppo 95EU BD player

SONY CDP XB930E CD player

Apple TV

ASTRO B.Yond PVR

Marantz DV4000 DVD player

Samsung UA65HU9000 65" UHD Curve TV

Darbee Darblet DVP5000

Bedroom Set Up

Oppo HA-1 headphone amp with Beyerdynamic T1 Tesla headphone

BOSE WAVE system

Naim Mu-so Is Here

The highly acclaimed wireless network music player, the Naim Mu-so is finally here in Malaysia. Managed to sample the quality in CMY, One Utama today. Thanks to Steve Chua for the demo session.

At RRP of RM 6,300, it can be considered as a 'higher end'.... all in one wireless system. But for those looking for simplicity without compromising on SQ, do audition this unit. This unit is going out the CMY door like hot goreng pisang. I was tempted to get one immediately but was saved by the presence of the Mrs and also there was no stock available at the shop heheheh :)

This unit can go loud.... really loud without any sound of distress. Superb.

Enjoy the short sample below.

SVS Haven in Seremban - Maxx Audio Visual

I first got to know Max Loh sometime in early 2012 when I was working on projector and screen installation for my home. But then the project was deferred as me and the Mrs was blessed with our 3rd child. Nevertheless, we still keep in touch based on our common interest in home cinema and hifi.

Along the way, I have gotten to know about Max's renowned status as the King of Sub in Malaysia, primarily with his SVS line up. However, since 2012, I have only manage to experience SVS shear power during the KLIAV show in 2012 and 2013. This is mainly because his shop is in Seremban, about 1 hour 45 mins from my home and with 3 kids....its just so darn impossible to visit his shop.

Nevertheless....comes 2014 and I wanted this year to be my home theatre year. I wanted to revamp the whole set up except for my AVR. TV, front speakers, centre speaker...aaandd a subwoofer...  Max came back various options of SVS subs and AudioPhysics front. I had to scrap the idea of projector and screen as its just not conducive enough to set it up in my living room. 

Max and Yoon Tat.... did not complaint of my request to test out subs and speakers at my house.

At the end, I finally succumbed to the SVS sub poison and became one of the owners of a very talented sub.

And finally after over 2 years, I made a point to visit his shop in Seremban on my way back from a bowling tournament in Melaka on 13th Dec 2014. It coincides with the new arrival of SVS Prime Series..... and the word Prime is just an understatement for this very capable speaker range at a fraction of a price.

After enjoying that, I was then treated with the SVS Ultra set up....

All and all, it was  good visit...Max and Yoon Tat were being their ever friendly self eventhough I know they were actually a bit under the weather.

For excellent dual sub experience.... Maxx Audio is the place to visit.

You can visit them at 66G, Jalan Toman 4, Kemayan Square, 70200 Seremban, N.S.D.K. Tel: 017-6778820, 016-3229428, 06-7620811 Email: maxx@htkaki.com, info@htkaki.com

 

Revival of Another Old Gem - TDL RTL3SE

Last year, I managed to rekindle my love with an old flame....the Sony CDP XB930E CD Player.

It was true sentimental moment.... and since then, I have this urge to get back all my older kit when I was a student in the UK.

Back in 1997, I have purchased this pair of TDL RTL3SE from Richer Sounds, Brighton. It was my first 'major' hifi purchase at GBP400. At that time, the exchange rate to Malaysian Ringgit was 1:7, hence it was about RM2800 for the pair. Big money for a first year student there. How lucky I was to be able to work part time manning the Dinky Donuts kiosk in Brighton's famous Palace Pier.

Anyhoooo..... this pair have been driven with various amps.... Starting with Sherwood, Marantz PM57, Musical Fidelity X-A1/X-A50 bi amping and lastly Yamaha RXV795RDS. It has seen a share of 2 channel stereo and 5.1 Dolby Digital/DTS home cinema. I have lived with my home cinema without the need of a subwoofer for quite sometime as with the bass I am getting from this pair, there is just no need of a sub.

However, 10 years later in 2007, after moving from Brighton to Dungeness to Folkstone to KL to Bangi.... one of the tweeter died on me. It just stopped working. After Yahoo-ing for TDL, I was shocked to read that TDL has gone bust. Further research led me to Wilmslow Audio. Though not the same brand, I managed to locate an equivalent tweeter. But of course, I then had to move house again. Hence, instead of bringing this pair from my late mum's house, I decided to purchase a new pair of speakers... the Mission M34i. And thats it, this TDL was kept in the store room until this year. After my mum's passing in June 2013, I finally had the courage to start cleaning my late mum's house. And that when I was rekindled back to this pair. Immediately brought it back to my house and started to Googling for Wilmslow Audio. A quick email to them, and sure enough within a day, I received a reply with a suggestion from Neil. After exchanges of a few emails (and a few delays due to my normally hectic life), I purchased a pair Monacor DT-99 was purchased via Paypal. About 3 weeks later, the parcel arrived. It costs me RM338 ~ GBP66.66 for a pair plus postage from UK to Malaysia.

My 3 steps Tweeter Replacement (not to be followed)

1. Test the new tweeter by connecting an extension cable from existing tweeter to the new one to ensure the crossover is working

2. If the new tweeter works, uninstall the old tweeter. I just cut off the old tweeter

3. Strip off enough length of the cable and wrap it around the terminals of the new tweeter

....all in 20 mins

I then put my ProAC D18 to rest..... and the TDL RTL3SE took centre stage....

Jazz on my TDL RTLSE

And now.... my TDL RTL3SE.... is being bi-amped by Musical Fidelity M6i and M1 PWR. Playing this jazz track.... it just bring back memories of my Brighton life.

The bass from this pair somehow is more open than the D18 but not as widely spreaded out by the PMC Twenty 23 and 26. But it still delivers quite a stunning performance for a 17 years old speaker.

So thank you Wilmslow Audio in the UK. Pleasant company and people to buy hifi components from.