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The end of the tunnel
I am a lost soul in the roaring sea of audio equipment mix-n-match. But let me start from the beginning. I was a die-hard tube guy ever since I contracted this audiophilia disease. I wasn't exactly lost as I was a happy owner of of Shindo Lab 300B and TAD horn for 6 years until a near miss when my young son almost toppled the TAD, all 95kg of it. So out the system went and I was lost since. That was two years ago.
I have since built and completely rebuilt my system a few times, using various combination of Nagra, Linn, Goldmund and FM Acoustics electonics plus first B&W and then Kharma speakers. The sound was good, but somehow I wan't happy. I have changed more gears in the last 2 year than my previous 10 combined. In the course of fiddling with equipment, I came across Argento a couple year back. And so a few weeks ago, when I realized AE is the new importer of Argento, I decided to contact Chris. Sitting in the showroom listening to the 300B amp driving Eufrodite, I realized then and there that I am still a SET guy through and through. So out goes the FM amp (really really nice amp, BTW) and in comes the Kondo Ongaku. I am finally in the vincinty of home again. I can smell it. But I am not home yet. With my Linn CD12, Ongaku and Kharma spekers I should be in the same street but I am not. Something is keeping the system prisoner. I know my Kondo cables well, and I don't think they are the culprit so I started swapping the power cords. I am not a cable kind of guys so my experience w/ cables are limited to Kondo, Siltech, Argento (Serenity 2 years ago) plus Jorma. I talked to Chris and decided to swap the Jorma out and try the Argento Level 1 Mk 2. Put in Chie Aaydo Best, and hit play. Tears almost come out when I heard her voice. I am looking at home, so to speak. The system is almost liberated. I just need to find the door key now. I was so thrilled. I won't bore you with the sonic details as it's not important. I think the important bit for any serious audiophile/music lover is that the system is where they are home with the music they love. It doesn't matter if the system has the best transient, most flashed out microdynamics or the lushest midrange in the world. What matter is that your system communicates with you. And I am really excited that I am almost there.
I am going to try out the SR SE this weekend. The competition is the Kondo KSL LP, a cable I have a lot of respect and love for. Will I be standing on the door mat with the SR SE? I will find out this weekend. But I know what the key is though. It's going to be a pair of wood horn, be it Rey Audio or TAD. Will I be in my old sofa with Argento and wood horn? Or will I be in someone else home? I am eager to find out.
I have since built and completely rebuilt my system a few times, using various combination of Nagra, Linn, Goldmund and FM Acoustics electonics plus first B&W and then Kharma speakers. The sound was good, but somehow I wan't happy. I have changed more gears in the last 2 year than my previous 10 combined. In the course of fiddling with equipment, I came across Argento a couple year back. And so a few weeks ago, when I realized AE is the new importer of Argento, I decided to contact Chris. Sitting in the showroom listening to the 300B amp driving Eufrodite, I realized then and there that I am still a SET guy through and through. So out goes the FM amp (really really nice amp, BTW) and in comes the Kondo Ongaku. I am finally in the vincinty of home again. I can smell it. But I am not home yet. With my Linn CD12, Ongaku and Kharma spekers I should be in the same street but I am not. Something is keeping the system prisoner. I know my Kondo cables well, and I don't think they are the culprit so I started swapping the power cords. I am not a cable kind of guys so my experience w/ cables are limited to Kondo, Siltech, Argento (Serenity 2 years ago) plus Jorma. I talked to Chris and decided to swap the Jorma out and try the Argento Level 1 Mk 2. Put in Chie Aaydo Best, and hit play. Tears almost come out when I heard her voice. I am looking at home, so to speak. The system is almost liberated. I just need to find the door key now. I was so thrilled. I won't bore you with the sonic details as it's not important. I think the important bit for any serious audiophile/music lover is that the system is where they are home with the music they love. It doesn't matter if the system has the best transient, most flashed out microdynamics or the lushest midrange in the world. What matter is that your system communicates with you. And I am really excited that I am almost there.
I am going to try out the SR SE this weekend. The competition is the Kondo KSL LP, a cable I have a lot of respect and love for. Will I be standing on the door mat with the SR SE? I will find out this weekend. But I know what the key is though. It's going to be a pair of wood horn, be it Rey Audio or TAD. Will I be in my old sofa with Argento and wood horn? Or will I be in someone else home? I am eager to find out.
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Comments
When one admits that nothing is certain one must, I think, also admit that some things are much more nearly certain than others.
When you are finding a media to communicate in the language of the music. It is indeed the most enjoyable part.
I am interested to know your serenity reference se against the Kondo cable. The transparency of the SRSE is quite shocking. Await your report.
Ju