My main focus and objective this time round would be on good old vinyl stuff, perhaps some desired accessories for my TT rig which I hope to find there. (actually only a couple of things I need for subtle improvement). Other than that it'll be looking for good cd's at discounted prices and listening to non-affordable hifi rigs. As for AV stuff..I'll give it a pass, (no oogling at the girls too..I'm too old for that! and the hifi is JUST PRETTIER!..and doesn't talk back!) as done in the last 3 shows.. since I've totally given up on catching up with AV. To me, as long as our free or paid TV broadcast standards are lagging and have so much to be desired, owning a whizz bang HD screen is not worth the consideration..for now...strictly my personal view.

This post has been edited by bsl555: Jul 24 2007, 12:46 PM

Ah!..As long as my own circle of friends don't look upon me as infantile..

Anyway..I'm already geared up and very enthusiastic on going to the show. I'll be there on 1st day AND the 3rd day. (usual routine as in the past). I know I'll bump into many friendly local hifi kakis. I know the S'porean kakis are making a trip here too..Yeah!..those flers ain't going to miss this, EXCEPT they most probably ain't buying anything, afterall, they get it cheaper at home.

I think I'll spend the 3rd day doing some serious auditioning..this time on good Head cans too.
I wonder if there's going to be any celebs there.. I mean Hifi celebs!..like Mr Marantz Ken Ishiwata!.. I had a photo taken with him last year.

This post has been edited by bsl555: Jul 24 2007, 01:10 PM

Good looks is one matter that'll not neccessarily sway a seasoned hifi buff.. Sound good or not?..THAT's the question!..regardless if its assembled on the kitchen worktop or haphazardly wired internally.
My own amplifiers.. My younger sis did once ask.."WHAT IS THAT! ????

Nevertheless..for TV, LCD...Looks good is a MUST!..

This post has been edited by bsl555: Jul 24 2007, 02:14 PM

You're gonna pay RM10 entrance fee and feel free to browse every exhibitor's room and stall there till 7pm more or less. Just like PC fair and some dealers operate a warehouse sales inside the hotel room.. sure got attractive deals that may suit your budget. It may be crowded...not forgetting thousands of visitors plying up & down in a hotel corridor... like visiting ayam!...

To ALL VISITORS.. BEWARE OF PICKPOCKETS!.. its been a warning since last 2 shows..

This post has been edited by bsl555: Jul 24 2007, 03:06 PM

Yes!.. a one hour lecture on the 1st day only, held in one of the conference rooms..limited seating..only for early birds..even then I was lucky a friend gave me the heads up of not I would have missed it too.

hehehe!.. Like Audrey Hepburn sings aloud in My Fair Lady.. Just you wait!.. When times change, people also change.

Its of course I won't be looking to buy vinyls..choice is few and which won't be cheap. I have my doubts on new re-issue vinyls which have been said to be direct digital transfers..so its not entirely worth buying. Better of with the cd version altogether. Besides, many old records, should the condition be prestine, the analog sound is better many times over compared to today's pressings. I've many records of the same album that'll beat the cd issue on a direct A-B comparison on my rig. Its just more realistic..from my own ears. OK..won't expand on that as it'll get more subjective.

The last time I enjoyed a DVD presentation was at one of the rooms having a full McIntosh system and they played Seiji Ozawa New Year 2002 which I sat there half hour enjoying the sight & sounds. In my thoughts,..no Japanese system during that show could make it as enjoyable as the McIntosh system. I enjoy concert videos very much, not so much the bang boom boom action movies..will only annoy my peace loving neighbors.

Why don't you click on the link provided by the Thread starter?.. all details are there.

Its there lah.. ALL there..
About the show, Show information = the time..the date..the venue, the TICKET PRICE!, and you'd get a free supplement from NST.

Maybe the site is not very responsive as could be many website hits these few days.

This post has been edited by bsl555: Jul 24 2007, 09:49 PM

Not really lah!. Show is a show.. for everyone and anyone wanting to audition megabuck systems for free.
Last year there's one vendor having a stack of Logitech Z series speakers for sale..(supposed to be offer price) but forumer Mike Chai said price not very competitive. Anyway I think the vendor offer those stuff for the sake of variety.
From observation, some hifi stuff are somewhat priced higher and higher year after year. Don't know why.

Who's salary?..the sales people at the hifi shop?.. My take is that a reputable hifi shop should have very knowledgeble and courteous individuals to handle any Q & A from all sorts of customers..regardless beginners or experienced customers. Hifi is a niche market..unlike selling sub RM300 play everything & anything DVD players which hardly need any sales talk...simple as buying a Pendrive.
C'mon!..look at the kind of staff employed at PC shops nowadays.. flers who know next to nothing and top it all with bad attitude selling PC hardware like kacang putih. (Pasar Rd electronic shops infested with uncaring attitude riddled staff and inherent sense of pride affectionately known as LCLY!). Gone are the days where computer staff are well dressed in a suit and many were degree holders, armed with particular product knowledge to serve customers. I'd stop patronizing any hifi shop the day I notice they employ morons to serve me. Pay peanuts and you get monkeys!.

This post has been edited by bsl555: Jul 26 2007, 08:55 PM

For PC fair, Distributors offer quantity discount and better than normal times for dealers to have quick sales and be competitive. Same goes for most peripherals from monitor to other pc parts.

Ok!..off to the show now..breakfast/brunch outside first!.

Enjoy the show guys!..


This post has been edited by bsl555: Jul 27 2007, 10:01 AM

I usually take pics on 1st day..but didn't. Ended up bumping into all the hifi kaki and its like a old boys school reunion with everyone busy yakking away and catching up since the last show.
Guess what?...only a handful of lang lui promoters there and its like no one was interested in salivating at them..
CD prices?.. I think that shop purposely jack up the normal prices and then give 20% discount!.. They cannot bluff me lah!..yet there's people still buying.. I didn't buy any..NOT even 1. There's one exhibitor selling all sorts of China import audiophile cd's..China version XRCD's, Telarc ROund Up, even Burmester CD-03?.. WTF?.. I know Burmester never allowed their demo cd to be printed outside Germany..Oh well..nicely packaged..it can fool anyone!. RM25/pc!
I'll be there again Sunday..this time to seriously audition the rooms with nice rigs.

Met up with Scotty the mod!.. very nice and accomodating chap!.

This post has been edited by bsl555: Jul 27 2007, 11:52 PM

We're NOT ready for it lah!.
Saw an introduction to Panasonic 5.25" BluRay drive.. RM2.2k offer price.
50GB Blueray writeble disc..RM200/pc..
Go figure!.

China imported "audiophile" cd's (one can easily spot them with a very poor quality hologram stuck on the shrink wrap) has always been cleverly and nicely packaged to look like its an original. Prices are way lower than legitimate ones. Most experienced hifi kaki I know would perhaps buy one for the sake of trying out or listening to them in the car or toilet...but most of the time distance themselves from them like the plague!. IMHO, regardless of price, I view these China cd's no better than those P ones from Petaling street..only a difference in packaging.

On another note..I think today's event at opening time was somewhat quiet. No door gift, Not very lively, Less exhibitors selling their own audiophile cd's, should I say hardly any groups of lang lui, and No celebs like Ken Ishiwata this year.. A bit too eerie! sigh!.

High end turntable upgrade parts on display..the Flat Earth Linn Sondek LP12.
Upgrade Ekos tonearm : RM23k
Upgrade Suspension and armboard : RM11.2k BUT..the quality of the machining was JAWDROPPINGLY SUPERB!. (but my sifu quietly told me its possible to have it fabricated in Segambut.. IF there's a legitimate CAD drawing!) BTW..it comes with 2pcs allen key screwdrivers too!.. Quality ones!..not hardware shop ones ah!.
OMG!.. this Linn Sondek will break your bank account in 5 seconds and NO bank will offer you a loan to finance this..not even Tai Yee Long!.

Valve & Vinyl shop from Plaza Ampang: Loads & loads of nice desirable audiophile (above RM100) and used vinyl records. (somewhere RM50 and above).. but exhibitors are too rigid on prices and you're lucky if you can scrape RM10 discount from those 3 figure priced records.. Too stiff!.. sorry..NEXT YEAR perhaps!

This post has been edited by bsl555: Jul 28 2007, 12:22 AM

Hmmm... more channel INPUT can come FOC.. but more OUTPUTS means more speakers and THAT costs some more money!...lots of money especially for quality speakers...speaking of decent Home AV setup!. Oh well!..my 2 sen!

I heard that the vendor selling China cd's got shut down..raided by the authorities on Sunday...so much for China "audiophile" cd's!.
For the record, I ended up NOT buying even one cd..except for the FOC mystery gift cd at the ticketing counter.
Got myself a pack of offer "Grundig" brand CDR's for RM10 and a spanking new toy in the form of Pro-ject Cartridge alignment tool from Tong Lee who's now the dealer for Pro-ject turntables. The Project RPM10 on demo was georgeous!..new graphite arm..reminds me of the same material used in badminton rackets.
OK..off to enjoy my morning tea!..Its raining now..!

Hmmm!...I bumped into quite a few folks who drove down from Penang. You should have made it a point to come..only once a year and I know many wouldn't miss this for the world..even the Singaporean kaki!..

China Mei-Mei Hifi? Professional Audio with 2 kinds of sounds only

Flers talking about Zen Stone in another thread..
Here's one system DAC and amp SET in STONE..real STONE!.
47labs!.. don't ask the price..you'll faint!.

Someone whispered to my ear.. the DAC is the same Non oversampling DAC like the one found in DIYParadise, amp is GainClone.. and THESE originals? by 47labs you pay Japanese PREMIUM bucks!.. Sell your g/f oso maybe not enough!.

This post has been edited by bsl555: Aug 1 2007, 02:57 PM