Another Audio Day in Hong Kong...

Bigger - argh When I upload from my computer the pics are tiny - but if I open them up from here in a new window and copy location I can make them bigger.

The guy that owned this shop was quite friendly - he had the little Martin Logan boxed speakers playing - really good for the money - also like them when I heard them at the California Audio Show. (err I should say the little speakers sitting on black speakers behind the turntable. Where's Waldo.

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These speakers were quite nice - I liked them more than the Reference 3a Grand Veena or the Devore Gibbon 88. About $5k - the speakers are from the brand Rossofiorintino (Italian) The model is called Certaldo - my HTC Butterfly S phone has difficulty in low or awkward lighting - they are built in the finest Sonus Faber tradition of really nice fit and finish and can be had in leather wraps.

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Another second hand shop - the Focal Diablo on the left had me salivating and if the AN K at the back were just a little bit lower priced I would have walked out of there with them - so so close.

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Acoustic Zen speakers with Cayin (the big silver beast) is part of Cayin's new high end series.

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And of course my dealer in HK (same building) with the new Line Magnetic CD 515 CD player. My big 219IA amp in black rather than silver. To the right on the floor are the big Melody power amps and in front in silver are Melody up scale amps Aoxidin. 211

You can also see the big Riogue Audio monoblocks behind the ATC 100 loudspeakers ($20,000US pair for the speakers) and Rogue Audio in the right shelf.

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Yes if you don't touch it you won't buy it. But it's irresistible not to touch it.

:no:
 
... (err I should say the little speakers sitting on black speakers behind the turntable. Where's Waldo.

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I had an itch to get a turntable a few weeks ago. I was 'close' to getting THAT turntable that you speak of but I controlled myself.:nono: Ended up walking out of there only paying down for a stereo stand.:tresbon:

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Another second hand shop - the Focal Diablo on the left had me salivating and if the AN K at the back were just a little bit lower priced I would have walked out of there with them - so so close.

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Did you get to hear any of these speakers? What ballpark $s would be needed to take those home?


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Acoustic Zen speakers with Cayin (the big silver beast) is part of Cayin's new high end series.

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The guy working in Cayin shop is very friendly and does not act snubby to all of his customers. I felt guilty leaving his shop without anything in my hand. :sigh:

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And of course my dealer in HK (same building) with the new Line Magnetic CD 515 CD player...
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That's where I picked up my LM Mini219IA. When I demo'ed them at his shop, he actually hooked them up to some very large speakers. I think it might have been those beasts that you speak of.

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Thanks for sharing these pics with us. I love looking at pics with rooms full of audio equipment. :banana:
 
The speaker with the yellow woofer is MBL Sounded quite good too. B&W and Wilson in the front and upper left is the new Linn speakers. I was looking long at the CD Two transport. $9000 is just too much - if it was $6,000 I'd have bought it. Hong Kong Dollars of course!
 
I've got a good friend living in HK that will be coming back here shortly before he moves to NZ. He asked if I "need anything from Hong Kong"......ugh
 
Here are more shops - incidentally all of these shops (except the tubes shop) are all in one 21 floor building.
RGA, where are all these places? I just moved to HK and would love to shop around for a new tube amp here!

Cheers
 
I wonder how the guys in HK stage and enjoy their setups... with most of them being in apartments and all.
 
gotta remember houses or apartments in HK are built with concrete. partially
to withstand 100+mph typhoons that come each and every year and sometimes
more than once. it is unlikely you would hear your neighbor's system and if you
do it's coming from under the doors or from the outside through the windows.

if you're into tubes, female vocals, classical music, vinyl, you cannot beat HK.

for stores check out review33.com - hundreds of stores selling CDs, etc.
 
gotta remember houses or apartments in HK are built with concrete. partially
to withstand 100+mph typhoons that come each and every year and sometimes
more than once. it is unlikely you would hear your neighbor's system and if you
do it's coming from under the doors or from the outside through the windows.

if you're into tubes, female vocals, classical music, vinyl, you cannot beat HK.

for stores check out review33.com - hundreds of stores selling CDs, etc.

One day i'll venture more into the orient. I'd love to see the hifi scene elsewhere.
Thanks for the heads up with the website.
 
RGA, where are all these places? I just moved to HK and would love to shop around for a new tube amp here!

Cheers

The place to go is

Grancastle Commercial Centre, 2T Sai Yeung Choi Street, Mongkok, Kowloon, Hong Kong

There are several other places around that particular building so keep an eye out. At the Lady market on the side streets there are places that sell CDs, LPs and special non dynamically limited CD and direct to disc masters - these are phenomenal and if more recordings were done this way SACD would never have come to be.

For Audio Note head over to Elephant Holdings in Wanchai - they also carry a complete Einstein System and Roksan. This is the biggest Audio Note retailer in the world.

http://www.elephant.com.hk/products_sub.php?nid=33

If there is a particular brand you are after - just go to their website and find their HK distributor which will have an address and google map so you can locate them.
 
With some mention of Audio Note, i thought i'd post this. Although not quite in HK...
While i was passing through Singapore during my travels, i made it a point to visit a few retailers.
Heres one with some Audio Note gear. The Audio Note speakers were setup in another room.

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There are also a few dealers on Pottinger street in central - Avantegarde speakers as pictured above is one such dealer along with Nottingham turntables and I believe YG Acoustics and Kondo (formerly Audio Note Japan).
 
Another Day in Hong Kong post.

I am finishing up my 8th year in Hong Kong I often head to the big audio shop building with 18 of 21 floors with different Audio retailers.

One room that has stayed in business that entire time and always sounds quite good (even with speakers I don't particularly love) is Sound Master - and the other day I was in there and yet again the sound was really very good.
Top left is a two box preamp with 300Bs. Speakers are Avalons. The monoblocks are what caught my eye - the big ones use the mighty 212 tube. The smaller monoblocks are priced at $40,000 HKD for the pair and put out 30 watts SET power - And they are changeable to US and Euro voltage.

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System 2 was also quite nice sounding - top left is an integrated amp using 300Bs - the interesting thing here is that each channel uses two 300bs - but you can take one out of each channel if you have High Efficient speakers - if you need more power - put the second tube back in. they even managed to get those KT88s and 150s that I don't much like to sound good.

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I don't believe it is sold in the US and be careful because there is a different company with the same name.
The owner dealer designer does speak English - so if you are interested you can check out their FB page. https://www.facebook.com/soundmaster.com.hk/
 
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I also went to a number of other rooms and saw the big Momentum amps, Wilson speakers full MBL and others.

I went to Audio Note Dealer number 2 here in Hong Kong as well. I stumbled upon them by fluke as I didn't know there was a second dealer.

This room has the Ongaku $130,000US + integrated amp) - which the fellow running the room prefers to the Kondo Gaku-On II monoblocks (over $200,000US). He also carries the AN UK Balanced P4 monoblocks on the floor near the speakers being run from an M8 preamp - as they sold their M10 preamp ($150k).

Speakers were massive horns by Cessaro. They also have the massive NOLA speakers and Broadman (formerly Bosendorfer) along with Kharma speakers. sitting beside one of the Cessaro horns. Needless to say this room is for the .1%

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(Kharma speakers at left - Cessaro Horn speakers. Audio Note UK Ongaku middle, Kondo Audio Note Japan Gaku-On are the four amps in copper, P4 Balanced power amps are back lower rack on the floor. Audio Note CDT 6 and DAC 5 Fifth Force transport and DAC ($190,000US CD replay)

Ongaku
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Nola Grand Reference - ($290,000 US or so)
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Broadman speakers - didn't catch the price but it's going to be HIGH - Porsche high no doubt

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If you're wondering - no these massive speakers do not fit into HK apartments - the rich guys here rent a manufacturing facility and visit their gear on the side.
 
Sound Master!!

I explored that building based on the recommendations in this thread (thanks RGA!) and ended up buying a tube amp from Soundmaster. See photos below.

This is the 88.3 model, 30/60w switchable. It runs on these tubes: KT88x4 - 6SN7x2 - 6SL7x2. I had it custom built with switch to change between 120v/240v. It absolutely sings when playing jazz and accoustic recordings. The Lam family does an amazing job running an independent business making high quality products.

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Sound Master!!

I explored that building based on the recommendations in this thread (thanks RGA!) and ended up buying a tube amp from Soundmaster. See photos below.

This is the 88.3 model, 30/60w switchable. It runs on these tubes: KT88x4 - 6SN7x2 - 6SL7x2. I had it custom built with switch to change between 120v/240v. It absolutely sings when playing jazz and accoustic recordings. The Lam family does an amazing job running an independent business making high quality products.

View attachment 1542719 View attachment 1542724 View attachment 1542725

Fantastic looking amplifier. I wish they would sell worldwide - I mean he has universal transformers - Line magnetic does not. The excuse is usually some rubbish about universal transformers not being as good - but I think it's about being cheap.

The guy always puts out good sound in his room - the best I ever heard from KT 88 was with his Grey Bottle tubes - NOT CHEAP. But if you ever try them I would like to know if they are nice over the long term.

I'm a 2A3 guy but they also make grey bottle 2A3 and once I can afford the amplifier these will be my first rolling tube.
 
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