Best Hifi combination

"Playing" with Hifi can be a very sentimental and emotional hobby. Very often, we can see much arguments and quarrel over the various hifi forum owing to personal views and perceptions plus the fact that there are many monetary factors involved.

For me, it is only a hobby. I have change my hifi equipemnt very often. During these peiod, I have let go Elekit iintegrated amplifier, Fisher 80c, Leak 10, Quad II twice, Thorens TD124, Thorens TD160, Altec 604E speakers.

Why? The reason is not because the items are no good but due to personal taste preference. I like Leak 12.1 alot owing to its great warm sound, great sound stage as well as details plus the KT66 tubes.

For me the best combination A consists of Leak 12.1 + Fisher 400CX + Tannoy Canterbury.
In addition, I like Mcintosh MC240 + Marantz 7 + Rogers LS3/5A
For bed room, I think the Pye HF20 Single ended with the full range speakers are the ideal combination.

There are many hifi collectors in Hong Kong. Some specilaised in Marantz & Mcintosh, some in Leak, some in Eico. For me, since space is a constraint, I am very happy and contented with the above set that I have. The Pilot SA232 using the EL84 suddenly become a lonely child as I could not find a pre-amplifier to match it.

In fact, I have listened to my Leak 12.1 + Fisher 400CX + Tannoy so often that the rets are on the shelf over the past months.

If anyone ask me for my opinion, I would advice one to go for "one" very best set rather than having so many "average" sets. Moroever, my preference is not to have too many set of the same or similar items which is why I sold off 3 set of LS3/5A and kept one for reference and use. IMHO, all the LS3/5A has very coomon characteristics (i.e Good mid) ireegardless of the brands.

Thus, since wants are unlimited and resources are limited, rather than spending all the budget on one kind of speaker and one kind of sound, my prefernce is to go for one large speakers (12 inch & above) ; one LS3/5A for pure vocal listening and one full range speakers.

By having these 3 kinds of speakers, we can enjoy full Orchestra music with the large speakers, light jazz and vocal for LS3/5A and use the full range for pure vocal and pure violin or one instrument.

Hifi, is means for the reproduction of actual music to our ears. Since there is no one single speakers that can satisfy all our requirements, one has to know what type of music one likes. Like what they say, one man's food is another man's poison.

Enjoy your music!