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Santamomo, thanks for your CD
Santamoto,
I just cut straight to the point. Of all the audiophiles whom I know in Hong Kong, I always put you on the Number 1 spot in terms of listening skills. You constantly surprise me how fast you can grasp the essence of anything within 2 or 3 mins. I somewhat feel that you skills are inborn more than experiences, albeit I never doubt you have plenty. Because you communicate differently with me than most people who have wealth of audio experience behind. Your angle stems from the musical perspective more.
I was so happy to clean up the ROOM NOISES for Ronald last night. All I did is just put a copper resonator at the back of the wall facing the listening position, one silver on the right hand corner, two diffusors at the back of the Kharma, plus one interlace at the center of the empty ceiling. You immediately spotted everything cleaned up, maybe, after 1 minute, before Ronald opened the wine bottle.
Your endorsement of the FLOW (FR) on the Theta dac alongside demand for more speed on transient attacks/energy burst led us into the realm of FMR. It is normal to ask what will the FMR do extra when the FR already offers so much of everything immensely.
But if the acoustics are not right, these masterpiece creations will not be able to perform what they are suppose to be.
Your CDs will be a reference for you to judge my system as you are a jazz lover, whereas I am purely classical. But I do believe that a good system should be able to perform all kind of music well at reasonably quality level.
PT
I just cut straight to the point. Of all the audiophiles whom I know in Hong Kong, I always put you on the Number 1 spot in terms of listening skills. You constantly surprise me how fast you can grasp the essence of anything within 2 or 3 mins. I somewhat feel that you skills are inborn more than experiences, albeit I never doubt you have plenty. Because you communicate differently with me than most people who have wealth of audio experience behind. Your angle stems from the musical perspective more.
I was so happy to clean up the ROOM NOISES for Ronald last night. All I did is just put a copper resonator at the back of the wall facing the listening position, one silver on the right hand corner, two diffusors at the back of the Kharma, plus one interlace at the center of the empty ceiling. You immediately spotted everything cleaned up, maybe, after 1 minute, before Ronald opened the wine bottle.
Your endorsement of the FLOW (FR) on the Theta dac alongside demand for more speed on transient attacks/energy burst led us into the realm of FMR. It is normal to ask what will the FMR do extra when the FR already offers so much of everything immensely.
But if the acoustics are not right, these masterpiece creations will not be able to perform what they are suppose to be.
Your CDs will be a reference for you to judge my system as you are a jazz lover, whereas I am purely classical. But I do believe that a good system should be able to perform all kind of music well at reasonably quality level.
PT
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What an untrue compliment it is! You really have made me blush. How could an ordinary "domestic audio helper" like me live up a fame like that. Anyway thanks for your praise.
Also I'm grateful you've given us a chance to audition the FLOW cable yesterday night; given the fact that this famed cord has been so sought after recently. The audition, as brief as no more than an hour though, of the FR had given me a very positive impression.
Neutrality aside, the vintage Theta Gen Va remains a capable machine. While lacking the finest harmonics decay and ultra details found commonly in latest top DACs, the coherence of the Gen Va makes it hold well against the recent top dogs. But when it comes to selecting powercords, it's a hard nut to crack given its abundant output voltage. In the past, thick ones were either dull (overshielded), slow, hollow, lack of zest, while thinner ones almost always flat and edgy. Where to strike the balance relies largely by chance less by choice in the past. For whatever reason, the Gen Va was where we hurried last night plugging to unveil the beauty of this beautiful Argento FLOW REFERENCE...
Ample reverberation within an embracing warmth was among the first things that I noticed. Many upmarket cables are able to do this no biggies indeed, I initially thought. But what made this FR unusual was its "ease" of doing music, it didn't take long for me to realise the lack of strain also help create a more palpable yet close to silent ambience.
Second thing I noticed was its proximity to real sound, where imagings became less pinpoint and seperation became not as prominent. What in return was music notes flow more freely around a deeper more complex interlacing soundstage.
I would have hooked the FR with the transport where I expect will yield a more balanced sound. I definitely will report on that when Ronald is allocated a piece.
Again I would like better bite, better burst maybe. Something subtle like when a trumpet player is about to play a note on the trumpet where tension is building up to a point that a pulse of air is burst through the lips into the mouthpiece. From where the player is still holding the note to the happening of the burst, I want more bite. This was the only area what the FR failed to deliver last night, by a narrow margin. Was it the Gen Va, was it the FR or was it mismatching? We will find out; I am a fastidious pain in the ass when it comes to detail.
Until then, the following still follows the followed. Ronald is still queuing for his FLOW.
Not yet. Got really tied up recently. Ronald rang me the day he received his FR and over the phone I could feel the thrill in his voice. You made him a happy man.
He had tried the FR on the transport and DAC, with positive result which is similar to what we heard on the first audition. In brief, the overall rendition is more life-like and less hifi.
He kept saying music became "less processed". Like what? I urged him to elaborate more. "Like when we talk face to face your voice never sounds being processed through a mic. And now with the FR vocal sounds exactly like this! There are always hints of echo with other cables."
PT, isn't it wonderful? That's probably the highest regard a FR user can give. I will let the FR run in a bit and promise I will give you a detailed report.
By the way, the little wooden diffusers and resonators are working magic in my friends' set ups. The hit-rate is 100 pct so far. It's such a great product that enables the less room-acosutic fortunate audiophiles begining to see the light. Since there's no hard and fast rules to restrict the maximum number of these adhesive tools, actually addictive is the more accurate word, your room acoustic skill and your integrity will be of decisive importance to prevent overmanning the diffusers and resonators. So far I am glad to see appropriate application and honesty.
Please keep up the good work. Thank you.