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Sandy Re:Workz review

Some says Jun’s kick-ass drumming on Sandy’s Re:Workz is distracting, taking too much prominence over the vocal. i guess this is a polarizing album for the fans…it’s either you like the raw live house jam (aka: Live from Daryl’s house) or hate it because Sandy is like whispering to the ears. i could detect some slight clip-like on the Fender Rhodes on Track 3 as well as Track 2 of the steel-string guitar. nonetheless, this album is a keeper for me.

in music, it’s either a keeper or it’s not. so the 5 stars rating system of iTunes is a redundant function. you listen to it or your don’t. don’t need to classify by ratings.

Mirror Image .2P Preamp Week 3

More information regarding this 22 years old preamplifier from USA. After searching the great internet, i found out that there is a review of the equipment with its 1.1SB Revised stereo power amp in Issue 85 of The Absolute Sound (Jan/Feb 1993).

The reviewers has slightly mix recommendation for .2P, with favorable comments on it’s musicality , easy on the ear for musical enjoyment. However, it was noted that their enthusiasm will upped another level if not for the price range (suggested retail US$3200 back in ’90s) that should be subjected to higher audio standards.

Personally, I am more than happy to have a musical unit rather than “world class” that does not perform musically. Paired the .2P preamp with Rowland Model 10 as well as the Blue X XLR cable, this will be my reference standard for quite some time.

Time for me to concentrate on the music and let the equipments disappear. That my friend is audio for the win.

ISSE 2014 Singapore

Went to the Hifi show like a little boy to a candy store. My own fav equipments are the Harbeth SHL5+ , Divini Audio, Weiss DAC & Egglestonworks

The Harbeth SHL5+ was slamming the house !

This pair of Divini Audio was singing !

Adam Compact active speaker

PLiXiR power conditioner/interconnect cable/power cable
Weiss MAN301 Network player
Weiss Medus DAC
Certon Integrita C4 NAS

Egglestonworks

Kent Poon & William Whey

Embracing Music

With the Mirror Image .2P preamp settling down with Rowland Model 10, now it is time to pair it up with a good balance cable. It’s a very good pair of wire indeed.

Previously, I am using a T-loan from William his trusty RCA-XLR Canare cable that I found it to be decent wire. Not until, he passed me the top of the line XLR cable (which will remain anonymous now and i shall called it Blue X).

The sonic signature of Blue X as observed, felt and sensed

* there are more punch and slam to the music. it is not just about balance vs unbalance gain difference. The audio wire projects a lively and bigger stage then before. It is like Cheer Chen is singing in the room, FOR me and not to me. Blue X neither attenuates the highs nor the lows.

* probably will take at least 200 hours to burn in and it is already show promising personality.

* Blue X just presents what was there in the music originally, like unveiling of aural nirvana.

* yes, there is music muscle during playback session and i yearn to listen to the music more and more. isn’t it the goal of music pleasure ?

* to skeptics and detractors, it might seem too incredulous to think otherwise. wire is wire, any wire duh. but listening is believing: the holographic presentation of Blue X to any music is like the bridge to aural enlightenment. it amplify the senses and you might say it’s a HDR version of a photo.

And that my friend is audio for the win.

Cheer’s Gibson Hummingbird

我拥有一把Gibson hummingbird的琴,这是一把乡村摇滚或是蓝调吉他手爱用的款式,我当初买它,是因为刚开始有机会表演的那个时期,我的生活真的很穷困,我需要在每次演出之前向乐器行租借吉他,每次表演都得要适应不同的琴,碰运气的感觉真的是非常痛苦.后来渐渐地,当家教,在麦当劳打工,也从演出酬劳里存了一些钱,没想到平生买的第一把吉他却又意外地被好朋友摔断了,于是我的外婆决定资助我,让我有机会再次拥有属于自己的乐器.

一开始我常会想,吉他上面有着华丽的图案会不会太招摇.但是日后我才知道我幸运地在还是非常便宜的时机就买到它,颜色很特殊,手感很好,声音很放松,而这个图案就是它之所以成为经典的原因之一.一种声音可以飞行的象征.简直就像一切都注定好的那样一见钟情.剩下的就是让自己的弹奏匹配得上它.每一位弹吉他的朋友都羡慕我拥有这么好的琴,它帮助我写了大部分的曲子,也陪我在很恶劣的气候中长途飞行,坐车颠簸,吹风淋雨.我的战友!但后来,我为了方便,几乎演出完回家也不曾将它拿出来练习.就让它放在外出用的特别订做的盒子里.里面整整齐齐放满了表演需要的工具,它开始从日常生活中消失了.只有录音,演出,拍照,我们才是一起的.甚至心血来潮买了另外一把外形十分抢眼,许多摇滚乐手都拥有的Gibson J200百年纪念琴,放在家中当成练习琴.

我的HUMMINGBIRD开始会在某些场合微微走音,修理吉他的师傅认为它的状况很好,我仍旧定期交给吉他保养厂,换上新的弦,擦拭,做琴杆物理式的调整.除湿.但我常常轻声皱着眉头责怪它.”实在是太不听话了”,”真是太不给面子了”.在它没有展现出该有的魅力之时.就这样,每次表演前的彩排总变成我最害怕的事,我们的问题已经不是恶劣的环境或是不可靠的音响公司,而是彼此是否发出了使对方舒服的频率,这种只有我在乎的枝枝节节.像是情人不信任的探索.若没有人发现的话,这种状况维持了一年多.

前几天,我朋友边开车边赞美他从来不洗也不整理的车,我在一旁觉得很好笑,觉得这像是一个嘲讽似的.没想到,他很严肃地告诉我,他真的很爱他的车.还告诉我关于两个空的塑料袋的实验.实验者对一个空塑料袋不断责骂,对另一个持续到赞美,实验维持3个星期之后,把相同条件的面包放在两个塑料袋;被骂的塑料袋里的面包以非常快的速度就发霉了,当然,另一个面包奇妙的维持了更长久的新鲜.这种类似的理论,从听音乐的牛可以产出较好喝的牛奶,对植物说话可以帮助植物生长,到现在的空的塑料袋;我联想到的当然是我这把常常挨骂的可怜伴侣.我自己思索,是不是我的吉他生气了?被我骂到心灰意冷.我陷入了深深的反省,反省这一段时间对所有事情是否用错了珍惜的发法,然而错误的珍惜方法会不会只是一种借口,一种想要被更多欲望覆盖而失去了尽头的理由.
结果是肯定的.我开始回想我买这把吉他的种种;写的第一首歌,上台做第一次表演,第一次吉他盒子上面贴上小心轻放的贴纸目送它随着输送带进入机舱.每一次我是多么恐惧地在机场打开盒盖检查是否被粗心的行李员摔坏,也因为它特别的颜色让我怎么朴素的穿着,靠着它也不会显得太过狼狈.原来一直躲在它的保护背后唱着的,是如此安全.闭上眼睛唱的时候,我有时甚至觉得我在飞

虽然不明就里的朋友们在一旁也觉得我最近行为诡异,我开始把该对它表明的种种感谢化成合理但还是稍嫌肉麻的语言,对它说话了.也许是巧合,但我宁愿相信不是,那丰沛浑厚的声音有再度在两天前的一个小演出让我听见了(没有太多人知道那天我的感谢和成就其实来自于这里).

Cheer Chen Collection

Mirror Image Audio .2P Preamp

There is so little information about this obscure black box. Zenn Audio listed it recently for sale of a Mirror Image Audio .2P preamplifier that comes with a huge external power supply. The condition is 6/10 and I needed to use contact cleaner to remove some surface corrosion. I suspect this preamp to be at least 20 years old with the company long since gone. As i need a dedicated preamp for my system and it fits the following criteria: balance XLR output, industrial looking as well as the budget.

Some search on the internet reveal that this is a high end brand back in the early ’90s. There is even an interesting blog from a Chinese site on his encounter with Mirror Image Audio pre & power amp.

My assessment of this preamp is favorable. Most importantly, it gives the oomph-energy to the music feeding thru it. The .2P preamp simply deliver the sound with ease to the Jeff Rowland Model 10 power amp. Why i say this because I could feel my previous preamp was choking the music, whereas the .2P provide engagement, nice accentuated highs and sense of airiness.

Now i truly believe why Robert Harley says that the preamp has a profound effect on the music system’s overall performance.

Mirror Image Audio products are OEM by a company called Polyfusion Audio. This preamp estimated retail price at ~~US$2,500~~ US$3,200 (so relative value in today term around US$3.8k – $5k)

Some specs on the net:

Preamp .2 / S / N: LINE 96dB / TAPE 110dB Impedance: ALL INPUT 18kΩ / OUTPUT 300Ω UNBALANCED 600Ω BALANCED / THD: 0.01%

Specs for the power supply :

Toroidal Transformer
Regulated Dual Polarity Outputs
Three DC Output Jacks
Internally Programmable for all Line Voltages

AC Input
Voltage	100 to 240 volts AC (programmable)
Frequency	50 to 60 Hertz
Current	2 Amps Max
Protection	Fuse (user accessible)
Connection	Molded 3-wire cordset, 6 ft. (removable)
Transformation	Custom 210VA Power Toroid
DC Output
Voltage	+35VDC and -35VDC
Current	2.5 Amps (max. continuous) each side
Connectors	(3), five circuit Neutrik XLR
Protection	Electronic Current Limiting
Interconnect	Custom 5-wire cordset supplied with Neutrik XLR connectors on each end
Physical
Dimensions	3 1/2 x 6 1/4 x 14 3/4 inches (overall)
Weight	8 pounds 10 ounces (net)
Finish	Black Anodized Aluminum

Love’s Tapestry

Back in 2009, PoP Pop Music released a limited edition album featuring Roger Wang & Gina Panizales ” Love’s Tapestry”. I got the CD with serial number 555 of 999. The recording is superb and every sense an audiophile recording. Recorded and mixed in Kuala Lumpur by Vong and sent to Doug Sax of The Mastering Lab for mastering.

What i wanted to say is this is a “fussy” album that need to be best heard with a proper sound system. It sound lifeless and disengaging thru my Monitor Audio x Roksan K2 integrated amp. Even when changed to KEF LS50 or Duntech speaker with Jeff Rowland Model 10 power amp, it doesn’t enhance the listening experience.

I almost wanted to cold storage the album until today. As I just got a dedicated preamplifier, Mirror Image Audio .2P from Zenn Audio, i wanted to give it one more shot. The result is simply amazing. There is life to the music! Gina’s vocal sound much more livelier with punch! Soundstage is big and the highs are nicely accentuated. Now, I confirm my system’s weak link is at the pre-amp stage.

What joy and vindication to hear this fine album at last! That my friend, is audio for the win.

PS Audio Dectet

Initially, I thought the hum and buzz caused by signal cable of the RCA-XLR connection. That was rectified by using a RCA-RCA to the Rowland amp.

With the purchase of a power conditioner, the overall noise floor dropped and vinyl listening is enjoyable. So much so, i decided to get a dedicated tube phono stage. At the same time, i swap back the RCA – XLR connection to the power amp. Guess what, no hum and buzz! This is great swap just for the experiment. That my friend is audio winning.

Tube 12AX7 Phono amp

Paired the Rega RP6 with a home-brew tube phono amp by Frankie of Well Audio Lab. With the PS Audio Dectet Power Conditioner introduced to the system, noise floor has been reduced and i feel it is time for a dedicated phono amp. It has been a audio-festival month so far !

Gonna run in for 50 hours before commenting on the sonic properties. This phono amp can accept both MM & MC cartridges. Tube for MM, with MOSFET for MC and variable differential load.