savoy014

Virtue Audio is the new kid on the block in terms of manufacturers offering ICEpower based products. ICEpower is by now quite established and there are many companies out there offering amplifiers based on their modules such as Bel Canto Design, Wyred4sound etc. I normally do not write detailed reviews but was suitably motivated by the M5001 which avoids being a “me too” product by virtue (no pun intended) of its tube buffer supplied by Dodd Audio. The M5001 is based on the ICEpower ASP500 module, which delivers 250 watts per channel into 8 Ohms and double the power into a 4 Ohm load. The ASP500 module includes a built in switching power supply and accordingly runs cool and efficiently. The stock module input impedance is raised from 8 kohm to 100 kohm due to the tube buffer. This presents a much easier load for preamplifiers to drive, in particular tube based designs. Appearance wise, the M5001 is quite handsome with a well finished case and lovely real wood veneer top. A variety of f...

The Acrolink 6N S-1400II sits about mid-way up in Acrolink's 6N speaker cable range and is a large gauge version of the S-1000II. Full specifications of the S-1400II can be found at   http://www.acrolink.jp/english/products/6n_s1400_2.html (Picture from Acrolink web-site) The S-1400II is a heavy but flexible cable and termination into your plug of choice is not difficult. There isn't much buzz about Acrolink speaker cables compared to their power cords (the 4030 being the most prominent of their line-up) and interconnects to a lesser degree. If you have a look at my previous forays into the Acrolink family, I have come to a personal conclusion that Acrolink has a house sound - a delicate midrange and a high frequency extension and air that is not sonically neutral but artistically beautiful. The S-1400II has the same delicate and refined midrange but a harmonically rich and heavy mid-bass and bass. In a complete Acrolink set-up, the combination works very well to add weight to ...

I managed to acquire an almost mint condition pre-owned Marantz CD6003 recently. Brand new, this CD player is priced at a modest SGD 388 in Singapore, pricing it in the mid-entry level category. Once upon a time, long long ago, a CD player of this build and sonic quality would cost at least two to three times the retail price of the CD6003. It's nice to see that the price of quality kit like this has come down over the years. The CD6003 is quite a handsome player and has good build and heft (slightly over 5 kg). The chassis is fairly rigid with a double layered bottom plate and compared to the SA8003, the immediate giveaway in cost cutting is an extremely flimsy CD tray. Based on the Cirrus Logic CS4398 DAC and Marantz's proprietary HDAM SA2 analog output stage, the CD6003 packs fairly advanced technology for a player of its modest price. An IEC socket permits you to play around with after market AC cords if you wish. Popping the hood yields no surprises, with three circuit boa...

Cary Audio's SLI-80 Signature Special Edition amp is now in the house ! Jaguar blue finish. Output tubes - KT88, 6550/KT88, EL34, 6CA7. Choose your favourite poison. Rear socket and trim pots are for bias adjustment WBT Binding Posts Also functions as a headamp. The headamp runs through the tube circuit and is not the usual separate opamp circuit Initial impressions were that of a very powerful sounding amp with good grip on the bass (not always a given with tube amps), but a slightly coarse midrange and moderate resolution. Thankfully, the sound opened up and the coarseness disappeared after a few hours of play time. It runs even hotter than my Cayin A-88T which tells you something !  Don't even think of placing this in an enclosed cabinet. Like the Cayin, the SLI-80 is based on a pair of KT-88 power tubes per channel in push pull configuration, with 6DJ8/6922 (the Cayin uses 6SL7 tubes here) input tubes and a 6SN7 phase splitter. The SLI-80 may also use K...

The listening environment is one of the most important "components" in the hi-fi chain that is often overlooked. How a speaker interacts with the room it is placed in will have a dramatic effect on how it sounds to the listener. In space scarce Singapore, most of us (except for the really lucky / well-heeled ones amongst us) have to make do with placing our audio setup in either the living room or a fairly small spare bedroom. The typical public housing flat bedroom in Singapore measures about 3 x 4 meters. This necessitates keeping the system small, choosing speakers that do not acoustically overload the room, or resorting to room treatment methods, or a combination of all of the foregoing. Why does the typical audiophile neglect room treatment ? Laziness ? Cosmetic issues ? Possible irate spousal response ? Anyway, I have just revamped my listening room and taken the opportunity to acoustically treat my listening room. Unlike American homes, walls in Singapore are almost al...

Rather unfortunately, it has been ages since I have last updated this blog. There have been lots of changes to my system and lots of new accessories to be covered. Stay tuned for updates on acoustic treatment, the Acoustic Zen Silver Reference II interconnect, Telos RCA caps and speaker post plugs, and much more !

Last weekend, I had one of my hi-fi mates over for some listening. He was interested to see how my Thiel CS 1.6 was faring in my system, as well as how it matched with the various amplifiers I had on hand. For those of you know who are not familiar with the Thiel CS 1.6, it is the smallest floorstanding model in Thiel's range. As a matter of line up, it is actually the replacement of the CS 1.5. Ultra compact models like the 0.5 do not have a direct successor model. A typical Thiel design, it is designed to be phase coherent as well as time aligned (provided you sit at least 8 feet from the speaker). It is a two way speaker, sporting all metal drive units. Unlike older Thiel models, the CS 1.6 uses in-house produced drivers. Instead of using a conventional rouind port, the CS 1.6 utilises a long thin slotted port in front. Here are our observations of the day :- 1. Matched with Diva M7 preamp and Cayin A-88T Sound is quite full with a very nice tube bloom. Bass is weighty but sligh...