Sitting

I am in a Cat Stevens kind of mood - " Sitting on my own not by myself, everybody's here with me" and that is how I find myself when folks call in and ask me to compare one of our products to re-branded Chinese brand (NAD, Cambridge) or for that matter, a Chinese brand (Cayin, Prima Luna, Vincent) to one of our brands

And it is not really true that our brands are sooooo superior that they are not even worth the discussion - that is not it all. In fact, the brands, mentioned above a really excellent brands. They are just, well, priced liked the real estate market in 2003-2004.

And this is the part that everyone misses. A new paradigm has emerged in high end audio and I hope you do not miss it. Pacific Valve aside, there is now and there will be for the foreseeable future, a chance to purchase some excellent high end products at rock bottom prices. Pacific Valve aside, companies like Morrow audio and Vacuum tube valley are re-branding the Yaqin products and selling them to you at a reasonable price. They, in effect, are imitating our "Insurance" model of giving you the best from China, but with warranty, repair and support. And although we do not carry the Yaqin products, (sans for an excellent tube buffer), we applaud these folks.

But you may miss it. I still see prejudice on the audiophile boards. And just like the folks that believed in the spontaneous generation during the 18th century, we have folks on the boards that still believe in the combustion generation; Chinese audio equipment self-destructs like the mission impossible tape, and given the chance, a KT88 amp will take the high-road to pyrotechnics. If they are not tooting the fire extinguisher horn, they insists that the efforts of a Pacific Valve, Morrow or VTV result in a slave labor camps that makes the tomfoolery on the "Lord of flies" seems conservative.

But you may miss it - because this nonsense goes unchallenged. Someone asks a question, these ridiculous statements are made, and then the thread ends. The truth of the matter, is that if any of this were true, the gang of 3 (Pacific, Morrow, VTV) would surely be out of business by now. The truth of the matter is, when you buy a Ming Da, Yaqin, Jolida or for that matter a Cayin amp, you are helping a family business grow and prosper in a country where persecution and lack of freedom are to the culture what 12AX7s are to phono preamps. Helping, not hurting a family business in a country like this, well folks, this, is a nice sound.

The folks that import Chinese products and triple the cost they are missing it - not Mr. Morrow or the folks at VTV- they are getting it.

So I am sitting answering these emails asking to compare equipment at a reasonable price with equipment that is triple the price of what you can get it for at a local cafe on Heifei. But why? Don't miss it

All the best,

Vic

A New Pair of Phones


I am the first to admit that I am not a head phone guy. I just don't get it - why listen to a pair of speaker cans when you can tap your toe to some gut thumping bass.

Alas, we now carry quite a few headphone amplifiers and someone has to comment on them and that someone is me. Oh yes, my new phones are AKG 701s which replace my Grado SRS 225s

Let me say that the AKGs are a world of difference on some of these amps. And let me go so far as to say that the art of headphone - amp matching is a much more arduous art than the art of amplifier-speaker matching. This art's refinement is so much so that your phones can sound thin, tinnny and our of sorts with the wrong amp. Its more than just a roll-off of highs or a softening of the bass.

Friends of the low impedance Grado are not friends of the high impedance AKG - except for one Doge 6120 head amp, who seems to be friendly to all.

The BL Audio is no friend of the Grado, but endears itself, to the AKG - except for the fact that the volume control must be adjusted to the 1:00 position. The BL Audio is delicate, light and pretty darn quite. So unique is the little guy that I dare use it as a passive preamp for a CD player and will be comparing it to my Ming Da MC 2A3

The Bada sound stage is a delicate dance with the AKGs it throws a sound stage wide and deep and yet gives me just wonderful details and warmth.

The Doge 6 is the best all around. It has a slightly warm bass that is needed with phoned (MHO) and silky smooth highs. I equipped mine with Phillips 6BQ5s and 5751s - ah...

The new Ming Da is in a class by itself and it shines above the Doge in just about every aspect except the high end where me thinks the Ming Da is slightly rough around the edges.

And that's the way they sound........

With AKG 701s, at least....