Continuing the International Sight & Sound Show….

In the International Sound & Sight Exhibition 2001, AFA Electronics Pte Ltd have two very accurate hi-fi components:

• The Bryston 14B ST Power Amplifier and
• the PMC MB2-XBD Loudspeaker system
  They really are great instruments that can reproduce true musical sounds whether on a large or small scale.

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On the fourth level, I was STRUCK by the clean and transparent sound of the AVM equipment and the Piega Loudspeaker system. In Room 406, AV One (S) Pte Ltd was displaying the AVM/Piega Sound System. The Piega P2 is Swiss made and AVM CD2 player and the A2 integrated amplifier are made in Germany, they give a highly detailed sound performance.
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In the Chiang Huat Co / Harmonix Combak Room 414, fancy your eyes on the $35,000 Harmonix PAT-777 single-ended 300B vacuum tube power amplifier and their first CD player together with a power conditioner ALS-777. Would you believe it if I tell you that a 7 watts tube amplifier can give you detailed, clean and dynamic sound? The sonic excellence from the Harmonix system is Truly Amazing! They will change the general thinking on sound reproduce by very large power amplifier and loudspeaker compare to single-ended tube amplifiers. Super stuff!
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Another room that impressed me on the fourth level was the Audio Jas room, they were displaying:

• Swedish made SAT integrated amplifier,
• North Star Design Digital Transport and DAC,
• NBS / Supra audio cables
  The room were filled with damping from Echo Buster. This room was a very dynamic room. No sonic overhang here. The sound came straight at you and that was dynamic. The Echo buster did a pretty good job in clearing the back sound waves.

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The TAG McLaren F1 Loudspeaker system was displayed at the fifth level. We got a chance to listen to the F1 in a truly room condition which we could not at their showroom. Some how I think that the room may not be an idea size for the loudspeaker to display its sonic qualities.

At Room 514, Audio Industries was displaying the Canadian LINAR preamplifier and power amplifier. Reference Audio at Room 515 was successful in bringing out fine sonic qualities from the new Wilson Benesch Discovery Loudspeaker System. I could see that those who were in the room enjoy what the Discovery was putting out. Audio 88 was at Room 518, as usual; they have plenty to show the consumer. Audio Space has a new preamplifier, the SA Pre-1, a 300B mono power amplifier and a DAC too.

THE AUDIO SPACE SA PRE-1 PREAMP

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As you can see, there was more equipment this year to see than last year. After going through three floor of audio components, what disappointed me was that besides Sony, apparently there were no other individual audio companies using the latest Super Audio CD formats to demonstrate their equipment. No SACD player was used to demonstrate a component for the consumer to listen in an environment totally filled with super 24/192 CD player or converters. We can understand that those who have a dedicated digital player of the same brand will promote their own player instead.

THE AUDIO SPACE 300B MONO POWER AMPLIFIER AND SILVERLINE LOUDSPEAKER SYSTEM.

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In the audio software rooms like New Disc Village (Room 405), Roxy Disc (Room 514) and Sembawang Music (Room 516) they will tell you the superiority of SACD and are promoting the format as the best at the moment. I am very surprise that no exhibitor cared to show SACD sound to be the best you can get from the current crop of audiophile components on show.

I hope that the top floor will be different…