Happy New Year! 2008 is here!

Wishing everyone Happy 2008!

http://technabob.com/blog/2006/10/21/the-800-compact-disc/

http://www.tech2.com/india/news/hifi-audio-systems/glass-cds-are-forever/2407/0

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Great CD - The Royal BalletGala Performances

The Royal Ballet has historically been the most highly sought after of the RCA Living Stereo releases. Recorded in Kingsway Hall by the legendary Kenneth Wilkinson, this title features selections from The Nutcracker Suite, Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty among others. The performances are conducted by Ernest Ansermet directing the Royal Opera House Orchestra and the sonics are incomparable.

Georges Bizet Carmen

Carmen is a French opera by Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Meilhac and Halévy, based on the story of the same title by Prosper Mérimée.

The story is set in Seville, Spain, circa 1830, and concerns the eponymous Carmen, a beautiful Gypsy with a fiery temper. Free with her love, she woos the corporal Don José, an inexperienced soldier. Their relationship leads to his rejection of his former love, mutiny against his superior, turn to a criminal life, and ultimately, out of jealousy, murder of Carmen. Although he is briefly happy with Carmen, he falls into madness when she turns from him to the bullfighter Escamillo.

Please see details: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmen

Of all the version of Carmen, my favorite is the 24kGold CD by Classic record where the recording is the best!

Great CD - Famous sound of 3 blind mice

专辑简介：

由三盲鼠自已精挑细选出10首爵士经典名曲，网罗多位国宝级的日本知名乐手及唱将，其中包括有爵士天后细川绫 子的“Bridge Over Troubld Water”(选自TBM-XR-3008)和中本麻里的“Tuxedo Junction”(选自TBM-XR-3005)。低频效果和临场感憾人歌曲“Aqua marine”(选自TBM-XR-0015)以及山本刚的钢琴名曲“Misty”(选自TBM-XR-0030)。。。等各唱片的首选名曲，以TMB- XRCD重新制作发行。值得一提的是母带以20BitK2所发展出高解析音质发烧技术，效果逼真`音质甜美`空间感十足，可听性极高。成为当时许多爵士乐 迷手中的梦幻极品。

三盲鼠于1970年创立,开山鼻祖藤井武当初致力于提携被大唱片公司所忽略而默默无闻的音乐人,如今这些人都以充沛的 精力跃升为乐坛的“千里马”。细川绫子`铃木勋`山本刚`今井英人等都是其中的佼佼者。六十年代末美国咆哮和硬咆哮爵士乐的光彩逐渐转弱之后，在日本出现 了日式咆哮复兴与运动，众多三盲鼠的著名录音都是那个时期留下的唱片。三盲鼠当时就用最顶极的录音器材和技术来录制这些唱片。不论是近年才发烧的乐迷，还 是资深的乐评人和音响评论家，大家都很认同日本三盲鼠（TBM）的录音水平和专业程度。

三盲鼠标榜他们的音乐具有摇摆性、流畅性、创意 性，以及独特的个性。藤井武为制作人，神成芳彥负责录音，西择勉担任艺术指导，这个铁三角组合也一直被人怀念。很可惜三盲鼠受大环境的影响而经营不佳，先 后由日本Phonogram、Trio、德国ATR、美国Cisco与香港金弦代为发行，但八十年代以后就几乎沒有新录音了。长久以来音乐迷对三盲鼠的优 异录音则是念念难忘，他们是最早把录音器材与录音配置图标示出來的爵士唱片之一，近场录音的真实感少有匹敌。说到三盲鼠唱片的录音效果，它们具有超一流的 分离度和透明感，录音效果之好就象演奏者站在你面前演奏一样的逼真，再加上唱片旋律大都优美动人，往往使人顿生轻松洒脱之感，强烈的现场感`丝丝入扣`默 契传神的演绎每每使聆乐者喜出望外。

http://lib.verycd.com/2005/07/28/0000058494.html

Tschaikowski (1840-1893) Nutcrackers

Great CD Jennifer Warnes

http://avmagazine.com/09/the_well.htm

Great CD : Mozart Requiem in D minor (K626)

The Requiem Mass in D minor (K. 626) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was composed in 1791. The requiem was Mozart's last composition, and is one of his most powerful and recognized works, not only for its music, but also for the debate over how much of the music Mozart managed to complete before his death, and how much was later composed by his colleague Franz Xaver Süssmayr.

Despite debate about how much of the music was Mozart's, the Requiem has taken a prominent place as one of Mozart's most important works

Western Electric 124b - One year with me

124b3
Originally uploaded by maxbliss888

Time flies very quickly! The Western Electric 124b has been with me for one year! During the year, many equipments come and go...except this pair of 1950s WE124b.

The WE 124b sound is one of the best as its natural muiscal charateristics will enable one to enjoy hours of music without feeling tired!

It is truly one of the best vintage power amplifiers on Earth!

Great Vocal Cds

Great CDs

Igor Stravinsky: The Firebird/Petrushka/FireworksComposer: Igor Stravinsky
Conductor: David Zinman, Orchestra: Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Audio CD (June 14, 1991) , SPARS Code: DDD

Great CD

Great Cd

• CD: Purcell: Welcome to All the Pleasures
  Henry Purcell (Composer), Alfred Deller (Conductor), Robert Elliott (Performer)
• CD Tomita: Tomita Kosmos, The Tomita Planets ( This 1976 release by Japanese electronic composer Isao Tomita presents his all-electronic adaptation of The Planets Op. 32, which was written during 1914-1916 by British composer Gustav Holst (1874 - 1934)

Hifi 2007 - A year in retrospective

2007 is slowly coming to an end. Looking back, my hifi journey in 2007 has been an exciting one with continuous exploration and learning.

I am glad that in2007, I have managed to pair my WE 124b with the Nagra PLL preamplifier (after pairing with Fisher 50C, Fisher 400CX, WE120a, passive amplifiers). In addition, I have also managed to upgrade my CD player to Linn Genki (the important of source), and found the rare Rogers LS3/5a Gold Badge and the WE274b rectifier tubes. This year has also been a year of re-discovery of classical musics..

One of my achievement is the streamlining of my spare vintage gears. In 2007, I have managed to follow the "one in one out policy. The summary activities are as follows:

• For the LS3/5a I have sold off my Chartwell LS3/5a & Ram LS3/5a and other Rogers LS3/5a in return for the rare LS3/5a Gold Badge.
• For the Pre-amplifiers, I have moved from Fisher 50C to Fisher 400CX to WE120a to passive amplifier and finally to Nagra PLL. I was disappointed that friendship came to a test after the Fisher 50C incidents but I am glad that I have managed to move on with the Nagra PLL : )
  
• Tannoy Mini replaced with another Altec 755a (yes...another pair)
• No more DIY: I am not a good DIYer...
  

Great CDs - Movies sound tracks

I have very few moves sound tracks. My favourite movie soundtracks CDs are: Sleepless in Seattle (many great classics), Out of Africa, Gone ith The Wind, Evita, Casablanaca and the Producers, Somewhere in Time, Cry freedom, Havana, Alien, Midnight Express..

Geat Violin CD - David Oistrakh & Michael Rabin & Heifetz

Heifetz, David Oistrakh & Michael Rabin are three of my favourite Violinists. The Oistrackh Cd consists of the 1950s recording, while the Michael Rabin's CD set are one of the few excellent Michael's recording. Heifetz Jascha 海菲兹 - 小提琴, Reiner 莱纳 - 指挥, Chicago Symphony Orchestra 芝加哥交响乐团

David Fyodorovich Oistrakh (Russian: Давид Фёдорович Ойстрах, David Fiodorovič Ojstrah; September 30 [O.S. September 17] 1908 – October 24, 1974) was a Russian violinist who made many recordings and was the dedicatee of numerous violin works.
His recordings and performances of Shostakovich's concerti are particularly well known, but he was also a performer of classical concerti. He worked with orchestras in Russia, and also with musicians in Europe and the United States. Oistrakh's recording of Beethoven's Triple Concerto with Sviatoslav Richter and Mstislav Rostropovich is also well known, and the violin concerto of Aram Khachaturian is dedicated to him, as are the two violin concerti by Dmitri Shostakovich.

Heifetz was born in Vilnius, Lithuania, then part of the Russian Empire. There is controversy over his birth year, which is sometimes placed a year or two earlier to 1899 or 1900. It is sometimes claimed that his mother had made him two years younger, but there is no reason given for this. His father Ruvn Heifetz was a local violin teacher and served as the concertmaster of the Vilna Theatre Orchestra for one season before the theatre closed down. Jascha took up the violin when he was three years old and his father was his first teacher. At five he started lessons with Ilya D. Malkin, a former pupil of Leopold Auer. He was a child prodigy, making his public debut at seven, in Kovno, now Kaunas, Lithuania playing the Violin Concerto in E minor by Felix Mendelssohn. In 1910 he entered the St Petersburg conservatory to study under Leopold Auer.

He played in Germany and Scandinavia, and met Fritz Kreisler for the first time in a Berlin private house together with other noted violinists in attendance. Kreisler, after accompanying the 12-year-old Heifetz at the piano in a performance of the Mendelssohn Concerto, said to all present, "We may as well break our fiddles across our knees." Heifetz visited much of Europe while still in his teens. In April 1911, Heifetz performed in an outdoor concert in St Petersburg before 25,000 spectators; there was such a sensational reaction that police officers needed to protect the young violinist after the concert. In 1914, Heifetz performed with the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Arthur Nikisch. The conductor was very impressed, saying he had never heard such an excellent violinist.

Michael Rabin (May 2, 1936 - January 19, 1972) was an American violinist of Romanian descent.He began to learn the violin when he was seven. His father George, a violinist in the New York Philharmonic, noticed his talent. A lesson with Jascha Heifetz was arranged and the master advised him to study with Ivan Galamian, who said he had: "no weaknesses, never." His mother Jeanne was a Juilliard-trained and successful pianist. He began studies with Galamian in New York and at Meadowmount and The Juilliard School, and went on to appear with a number of American orchestras before his 29 November 1951 Carnegie Hall debut in the Paganini D major Concerto, with Dimitri Mitropoulos conducting the New York Philharmonic. He first appeared in London on 13 December 1954, playing the Tchaikovsky Concerto at the Royal Albert Hall with the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Sir Malcolm Sargent.

Michael Rabin recorded concertos by Mendelssohn, Bruch (Scottish Fantasy), Glazunov, Paganini (no. 1 in D major-2 recordings), Wieniawski (No.1 in f-sharp minor, No. 2 in d-minor), and Tchaikovsky, as well as the Paganini Caprices. He recorded the Bach Sonata in C major for solo violin and the Ysaÿe Third and Fourth Sonatas for solo violin, as well as virtuoso pieces, including an album with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra.

Rabin played in a Bel Canto style. During a recital in Carnegie Hall, he suddenly fell forward and momentarily lost his balance, and this was the beginning of a neurological conditon which was to affect his career adversely. He died prematurely at the age of 35 from a head injury sustained in a fall at his New York apartment.

He performed for many years on the "Kubelik" Guarnerius del Gesu of 1735

(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Great CDs

These are some of the Great recording classical CDs produced in the USA. There are a total 12 different CDs in 24K Gold CD.These CDs were not very popular during the 1990s when these were produced and the recording company went bust as a result. However, these CDs were later "discovered" by audiophiles. Owing to ahigh demand and lowin supply, many of the prices have increasedto as much as US$150-300 depending on which CDs..

With the finding of 5 CDs, there are7 more to go in the search list with the most difficult being the CarmenCD and David Oistrach violin Cds..

Vintage Leak TL12.1 - Original vs Clone

What make the Leak TL12.1 sounded great are the original power and out put transformers as well as the orginal TCC capacitors. Recently, there has been a great deal of change as there are now Sifu who advocates using of new capacitors and even new output/power transformers in repairing 12.1

At the end of the day, the fun in vintage amplifier is in its originality and its authenticity, i.e. original components. the prices of the amplifiers will much depened on how original are these components. With the complete change in the capacitors and resistors plus output and power transformer, is the Leak 12.1 still the Leak? or has it become a clone 12.1?

Beautiful Nagra

In hifi, most of the time we will focus our attention on the sound and the presentation of music. However, the Nagra preamplifier is a pierce of art by itself..solid finishing, well built and fully functional.

The Nagra PLL has no phono section. Initially, my plan is to get the Nagra PLP (with phono funtion: 8 tubes in total) However, since I am not playing with phono now, it seems like a waste to pay additional HK$33,000 for the PLP (PLL retail at HK$62,000 vs HK$95,000 for the PLP) Nevertheless, being Swiss, Nagra has provided the new phono stage VPS, for PLL user who wish to have a phono section but without necessary upgrading to a PLP. This clearly demonstrate the clear and quick thinking of the Swiss!

The Nagra PLL preamplifier seems to be able to provide the warm sound from the tube amplifier without having the "fat" sound. With a compact size, it also eliminates the need for big space and ease of transportation. I ahve yet to try the vintage Telefunken or Mullard 12AX7 and 12AT7 as even with the new tubes, the sound is fabulous! With only the use of 3 tubes (two 12AX7 and One 12AT7), it makes upgrading of tubes relatively cheap..In addition the 12AX7 tubes could also be used in my the other preamplifier, the Marantz 7..

Initial assessment of Nagra Preamplifier

After two nights of listening, I must say that the Nagra PLL preamplifier is one of the best match preamplifier for my WE124b. The Nagra PLL is exceptionally quiet, transparent, musical as well as details. Its strength lies in its ability to bring our the smoothness of the music from the WE124b.

With the Nagra PLL, I could say that my search for the hifi gear is over. The modern Nagra preamplifier matches very well with the vintage WE124b.

My current set up in HK are:

Preamplifier: Nagra PLL

Power amplifier: Westen Electric124b

CD : Linn Genki

Speakers: 755a

IMHO, these simple set up could bring out the very best in music! There is many other good vintage preamplifiers such as the Fisher 400CX, Fisher 50C, Pilot etc. However, not wanting to "collect" so many items, I will have to do some serious audition and keep only those that I like. Hifi is about matching. The Fisher 400CX is very dynamic and musical. However, owing to the high gain in Leak TL12.1, the Fisher 400Cx is not an ideal partner for Leak 12.1. The Marantz 7, on the other hand with its more neutral sound, will match well with the Leak TL12.1

The Fisher 50c stories have been a painful one where friendship has been brought to the test~~

Enjoy!