The Analogue Hi Fi Key Component

HK Snob

UK Lancashire 33.3 Phono

This is an UK hand Made Phono Unit. “33.3”
Right price, right design with simple is best concept, isolated power supply. Limited edition gramophone / pick up preamplifier. The '33.3 Limited Edition' Limited to just 33 examples, this Moving Magnet phono stage has been designed for the absolute best sound quality per £. It is designed and built in Lancashire, and boasts some sound enhancing features. Obviously all valve (2x ECC83 double triode Class A operation). Each channel is assembled on it's own individual board, mono construction if you like. The shortest signal path possible, with no need for internal wire or connections, maximizing low level detail and lowering distortion. A separate power supply is included, minimizing hum field and power supply induced noise. All components are high tolerance and very carefully selected. All are hand made, and all are subject to 100 hour burn in and test. The design was to make longevity and low noise a priority over absolute gain. Unlike some of our competitors, the sound quality of the '33.3' will not deteriorate with age. The circuit uses active RIAA equalization, again using the highest tolerance matched components throughout.

· Compact size: 29 wide x 17 deep x 11 tall (CM)

· Optimized for Moving Magnet (S&B M.C. step-up transformers fitted on request)

· Active RIAA Equalization curve

· 2x Class "A" Twin Triode Valves

· External Power Supply

· Hand Made in Lancashire

· Limited to just 33...

I will try and test it and will publish a Review on it… It may be another upgrade for my Anthem Phono. Price is Super only 500 pounds including shipment to HK! Why not as Britian has definitely a better taste music audition and tuning on the system than those low cost China made ShanZhai maker!

Call me if you want one.. I can forward you the contact, it is limited to 33 uinits only... sold out Soon!

HK Snob

Ortofon Jubilee MC Cartridge

I had been using P3 for one year over, does not mean that it is no good, but in view of the hi frequency transparency, I do think that there is a room for improvement, hardly could persuade friend of mind to borrow one of his two Jubilee for my audition.

I spent just 15 minutes to replace the Phase Tech P3 to Jubilee, it is easy to install, and it is almost the same weight as my P3. it is solid built, and the Nude Shibata stylus definite makes a lot of difference getting more scores.
After a while… It was done with all the set up.

I put on some of my favourite LPs and listened,… to my surprise, the sound has a lot more details, the overall tonal performance is classified as Hi grade, the bass is tight and the overall music production is no Hi Fi, but warm like Rosewood Signature II, bright but not too much as VC2 Gold Finger Diamond…It is quiet… very quiet.

I love it… I have to listen for more LPs before I can conclude how hi the scores are…
I think it is a great Cartridge… one of the top ten likely I the world of best cartridge. And the price is not that stunning High! Will have more comment after more rounds of repeated listening.

HK Snob

Sound Glory AV Supplies Mong Kok

Sound Glory's Mr. Tsang has been running the shop of many years at MongKok, the shop is situated at Rm 22, 4/F, Waing Wah Bldg., 14-24 Sai Yeung Choi Street, Kowloon, H.K.

They represent Canary Audio and EAR...etc.

Mong Kok Snob

Best buy Phase Tech P-3 MC cartridge

The Phase Tech P-3 MC cartridge is likely the best Valued and best performed MC cartridge I had ever used…
The P-3 Alexandrite is made by Kyodo Denshi Eng Co., Ltd Japan.
Here is the specification
Stylus : line contact/bending rate 0.03x0.03, diamond
Compliance: 7.3x 10¯6 cm/dyne (100Hz)
Output Voltage : 0.27mV
Impedance: 4 Ohm
Pressure: 1.7-20.g
Frequency Range at play” 10Hz-30KHz
Separation: >30 db (1Khz)
Channel Balance within 1 db (1Khz)
Temperate range 20-26 deg C
Cantilever :pure boron
Magnet: NeoDeltaMagnet
Base: Duralumin (with DLC treatment)
Look at the Specification, Channel separation is >30db and Channel Balance is within 1 db, that tells you how good Japanese craftsmanship can be…
Frequency Response is 10Hz to 30Khz… although they do not carry the +/1X db, and from my ear listening , it is wide.
The Pure Boron Cantilever , that is the material for Expensive Cartridge
From the Listing test, it is very detail, dynamic, true and not a Hi Fi Cartridge, it is so natural and longer you listen, the more you feel it is made for music not Hi Fi demonstration.
Go for it if you had budget concern, when I buy it last year, its is about HKD$9000. now it is over HKD$10,000.00
Well, if that is not too serious about the dynamic… not like the clearaudio VC 2 diamond…that has a better Dynamic than CD!
If that is not too much care about the mid-range that has Koetsu charisma, then probably you should go and buy it…
One more merit of this cartridge, it is very durable…. Not easy to get damages….
All you need is a quiet pre-pre-amp!
HK Snob

Lo Sir's Audio Equipment

Lo Sir has been active for Audio for many years, his preference is Solid State Pass Lab power Engine. The Loudspeaker is DynaAudio 30 Annivesary Limited 1,000 Pairs.

Space is limited , but the sound stage is huge, probbably due to the Power amplier. but the texture is not as fine as the vacuum Tubes power amplifier. Well they got power and that is what Lo Sir is looking for...

HungHom Snob

Latest Set-up of Audio System

Cartridge; Phase Tech P3 MC
Linn Sondek LP12 Table
Ittok Mark III tone arm
Vendetta Research SCP1 Pre-pre amp (Recent modified with shielded power cable, Jensen Copper Foil output Capacitors plus John Curl’s personal advice for added smoothing capacitor, changed with fast recovery Rectifiers…)
Anthem Phono Amp Pre1P (modified using Black Gate Capacitors Telefunken CCaX2, ECC801SX2)
Audio Space Pre-amp (modified by using 4 Power Black gate Smoothing TaraLab 6N copper bare wire for interconnect, servo amp for ECC803S bias. Telefunken ECC803Sx2, ECC802S x2)
Marantz 8B power amplifier (Gold Lion KT77X4)
Harbeth HL-compact loudspeacker
Silver Convention Silver Spur Interconnect cable between Pre-pre and Phono and between Phono and pre amp.
Sound is satisfactory after replacing with Silver Convention cable! It is time to put a Better Cartridge on the LP12… and to replace the cable between Pre-amp and 8B with Silver Convention's Silver Shadow.
My desire buy is Koetsu Rosewood Signature II (almost impossible to be found), Phase Tech P1…
Sound Effect is more than I am feeling Happy with, I will not envy another audio system anymore.

Kowloon Snob

A Fan of Quad in HK

This is a set-up o f a HK’s Hi Fi Man, he has the similar taste as my but he could afford to use all the Quad ESL57X4 and Quad II amp X2. Linn Sondek LP12…
He said that the treble is as thin as, as smooth as silk. Mid would make your ear mellow.
The bass is the only area that you can criticize, that is why he doubles it… So you had better keep your eye closed and listen…

NT Snob

UK Hand Made Interconnect Audio Cables Silver Convention's Silver Spur

This is a suprise as I received the package from a good friend in UK, he has known a expert in hand crafting Audio Signal Cables, honesty, Britain is used to be the best maker Audio equipment, this related to their history in music appreciation. As everyone knows if only using the measurement equipment to deign a cable may not be the best way in pleasing your ears, though the oscilloscope may have a perfect square waves and sinusoidal wafer forms., The secret lies in the tuning of the material, the right amount of shielding and the air gap between the signal and ground wire., No matter what kind of material, solid gold, plated gold, 6N copper wire, silver or Silver plated copper wire… all have the predicted wave form performance, but how it reproduces the right amount of tonal structure the balance, the quietness and the frequencies response would very much determined by the experience. I always admire something from the UK. Aston Martin DB5, Lotus Esprit, Rolls Royce Silver Shadow, best turntable likes Garrard 501, the Linn Sondek LP12, The best BBC monitor LS3/5A under no changes at all on the set-up for 50 years, and yet the most desirable miniature Bookshelf today!
The best audio amplifier Quad II, the best Electrostatic Loudspeaker Quad ESL57.
The best Studio Monitor KEF103AB, the best …
I keep the cables in the box for week as I was on trip to Bangkok, once I went back yesterday, I started to work on the connection, you will see that my system are mounted on granite shelf, the whole shelf weighs about 500 Pounds, and I have no way to move it at all, It took me 3 hours to replace the 1M RCA cable between my Vendetta Research SCP1 into the Anthem Phono Amp, and the cable 2M between the Phono and the Audio Space Preamp. After a while, without burning in at all, I was SHOCKED to hear that I had been cheated by the original Kimble Silver wire for three years as I see there is the clear sky about my LP and I feel that there is rainbow on my Turntable.. and there is a good depth of the stage, I feel the trumpet is in the 11 O’clock position . The treble is crystal Clear and well defined at the harmonics. It is clear and is smooth as Thai Silk, the bass is solid and come like wind that blow up my trousers… and that is not cabinet booming… the Harbeth HL Compact had not been performed so rigorously since I bought is two years ago…. The Phase Tech P3 cartridge is a mid end series of Phase Tech but it bring me at least 70% of my Clear audio Gold Finger VC2 Diamond! It was awesome and I listened to the RCA Red-Seal LM-1976 Heifetz plays JS Bach Sonata No.1 Partita No.2 … You will not feel that this is Mono at all, as all my focus is on the Heifetz sentimental feeling on the Violin, and the violin is so vivid that I could almost smell the existence of the Italian masterpiece playing in front of me, without ignoring that this was recorded some 55 years ago…
I inform the British Snob told be to wait as it is just offering 70% of the power of the cable, once it has been run in,.. it is tell me how good my system is….
Well, Listening is believing! I will bring this two cable to Lo Sir, Andie, and Andre in Malaysia to try out as their system which worths about HKD$2,000,000.00 which may have a high resolution to tell the upper limit of what The Limitation of Hi Fi is supposed to be!
I am eager to listen it after the run-in…
And if you are not believing… I am the Lucky man that I can get this cable at connected into my system…. May be you should try it in your systme…. You will agree on what I am trying to say! Life will be lonely if you use the Expensive and yet not ear pleasing cable…
Music has no limited as it is analogue Music played by Silver Convention’s Silver Spur!
HK Snob

Audio Space Show Room in Ap Liu Street

When you want to buy a budget Amplifier of a Hi Fi system, Think about Audio Space!
Now there is a budget system that could easily fulfill your desire to own a mid performance Audio System with limited budget…
I am talking Audio Space. And I am sure you have seen the Ad that Andy Lau was sitting down in this room for buying his Hi Fi system, Yes, this is the Audio Space Main show room in Ap Liu Street. Audio Space have been running more than 15 years and They are doing OEM for some of the German and Japanese Audio makers, Of course, all tubes amplifier.Today I went to listen to their Audio Space L/S35A. Well they have been working with some of the German supplier and their Loudspeaker is Assembled in Taiwan.
The Sound is comparable to the Roger L/S35A and Audio Space is even more powerful than the Roger in terms of Bass., But the one I listed is not yet full run in – I can not draw the comment if that is Better and the Rogers!? Well, all it takes is your time to go and Listen.
Their price is From HKD$9,500 to HKD$12,800. Depending the type of wood and finishing of the cabinets.
PS Say my name for Less 10% discount!

Ap Liu Street Snob