LATEST ADDITIONS

China 2006
I'm That Crazy Guy
Wes Phillips  |  Dec 02, 2006  |  3 comments
I was listening to Barque & Consonance's Opera Audio Consonance M-15 loudspeakers when Lino Faragi introduced himself. "I'm that crazy European guy who opened up a hi-fi shop in China—the first non-Asian to do high-end here," he said, handing me a card for Sound & Vision in Shanghai. "We do things a little differently. Come see us."
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China 2006
Mine!
Wes Phillips  |  Dec 02, 2006  |  0 comments
I bought the Classic Radio R601P on the spot. Beautiful walnut cabinet, warm tube sound, and that lovely magic tuning tube below the dial—all for under $500.
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China 2006
Innards
Wes Phillips  |  Dec 02, 2006  |  0 comments
The Classic Radio JR-455 from the other side. Kids, this is how they used to make 'em back when radios were built like cathedrals.
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China 2006
More Retro Radio Goodness
Wes Phillips  |  Dec 02, 2006  |  0 comments
Classic Radio's JR-455 was giving me goosebumps. Tube warmth and precise analog tuning pulled in some of the most satisfying sound of the show. I didn't get the list price on this baby, but I did get a look at its naughty bits.
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China 2006
No Translation
Wes Phillips  |  Dec 02, 2006  |  1 comments
These behemoths from Jungson have no English name, although they do have a US price: $49,000/pair. The bottom cabinet sports a 13" woofer and the top pod has a 4" ribbon tweeter. The midrange and midrange/woofer drivers are ceramic drivers from the German manufacturer Thiel, but nobody knew their sizes.
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China 2006
Hot Head
Wes Phillips  |  Dec 02, 2006  |  1 comments
Ming Da's MC66E headphone amp really juiced my lizard. It boasts a 15Hz–50kHz frequency response and put out 42Wpc (92dB), using two 6N6 and one 12AX7 tubes. Not available in the US, it sells for 1760RMB, or about $210 USD.
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China 2006
Ready For Its Close Up
Wes Phillips  |  Dec 02, 2006  |  0 comments
Here's a better look at the tubes from the Original CD-A6T—they're miniature 6C7B, a military tube.
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China 2006
Original!
Wes Phillips  |  Dec 02, 2006  |  0 comments
Original was getting great sound with its $3000 Leonardo CD-A9II CD player and AF 2008 preamp and AF-2008 monoblock power amps ($4500 for all three), played through Dynaudio Contour S 1.4s. But off to one side was a smaller CD player that caught my attention, the $800 CD-A6T. That's "T" as in tubes—you can see the little suckers up in the upper right hand corner of the PCB.
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News
Classical Heaven?
Wes Phillips  |  Dec 02, 2006  |  0 comments
One of the great tragedies of Tower Records' lingering demise was that classical music lovers lost perhaps their most reliable source of recordings. Say what you will about brick-and-mortar record stores, there was something wonderful about finding what you wanted where it was supposed to be. Just try looking up, say, Bruckner's Fourth Symphony on Amazon and see what you get. (Amazon's AI, as good as it is, is a classical music idiot.)
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China 2006
Mr. Jimmy Yu
Wes Phillips  |  Dec 01, 2006  |  First Published: Dec 02, 2006  |  0 comments
While I was drooling over the Classic No. 16.0, its equally charming designer, Mr. Jimmy Yu introduced himself to me. He seemed pleased that other people appreciated his work—and from the size of the crowd ooowing and ahhhing in the Classic room, I was far from the only one who did.
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