The Hong Kong Audio Experience

[RGA]

I have lived in Hong Kong for the last 9 years and I posted a short post many years ago in the New Value thread but I think it may have more general interest that that. I will update with photos that I have taken directly but some of you might enjoy seeing some of the videos and pictures of the audiophile world of Hong Kong and Tokyo.

As some folks are stuck at home with Covid - I figure I would post the eye candy video of an Italian Audiophile wandering the shops of Hong Kong. He speaks a little English but it is mostly in Italian.

I have been in these shops many a time myself. See if you spot your favorite gear. And see if we are paying too much in Hong Kong.

$7,800 HKD +$1,000 USD (give or take a couple bucks). There is no sales tax in HK. Many of the shops are second hand outlets some are mixed. They usually come off the price 5-10% but that's about it.

This first shop is in the crazy busy electronics district called Sham Shui Po. He deals in second hand and the gear is usually in excellent shape.

 

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This building is in MongKok 18 or so floors of dealers in the famed Grancastle building.

Everyday is like an audio show here. I have been to and auditioned the gear he covers and I will post some of my phots and opinions on some of the rooms later.

 

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In the video above (post 2) at 8:20 is the Sound Master Room - these guys make their own tube amplifiers and always sound nice - they tend to offer better sound than a lot of the more expensive competition and they do offer their amps in 110v. So perhaps before I move back to Canada I will pick up one of their offerings. Kind of looks like and sounds like Jadis but for 1/5th the price. And for 1/5th the price it's pretty close. They have been in business for decades and their store is usually packed. So they have something going for them.

 

[RGA]

Part two

Really cool Line Magnetic Amplifier - the tube rises and falls - save your money! 212 tubes are monstrously expensive. The amplifiers run ~$30,000 pr - they also sell Rogue Audio (American) and Melody Valve Audio (Australian - made in China) and Nagra.

Speakers carried are ATC, Rogers LS-3/5a, Zu Audio.

Watch the cool power amp at 4 minutes. It's like those Miata headlights - umm but it costs more than a Miata!

 

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I managed to visit the Hi Fi Supermarket in Tokyo in January - my last vacation for awhile (stupid virus) and so I did spend an afternoon wandering this place as well as another one - don't ask me where lol. Tokyo is not as user friendly for English only speakers. If you want "easy" Asian travel - Hong Kong and Singapore are your best choices - everything is in English and most people are pretty fluent. That is NOT the case in Japan or South Korea.

Japanese prices $110,000 YEN = $1,020USD

 

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Adding a few photos of some Hong Kong showrooms over the years

Reference 3a and MSB - Also Rosso Fiorentino loudspeakers (right triangular top) I actually like the sound of these more than new Reference 3a - I preferred the older 3a speakers from the late 1980s and 1990s.

 

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B&W 801Matrix with Mingda and Cayin amplifiers - the big ones at the back are the Mingda Power amps.

Close up

 

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Various audio shops
Triode Corp Japan (Red and silver tube amps) - Magnepan, Paradigm, Vivid Audio

Tuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuubes

Cayin amplifiers and Acoustic Zen speakers (left)

Speeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeakers

 

[No Money]

Good intro there. The Grancastle Bldg can keep you occupied for a goodly length of time.

There are a few really high end places as well. I was with an overseas friend a while back, actually a long while back, pre COVID, and we went into one showroom where the cheapest speakers started at HKD 150,000 or so, about USD 19,000, amps where more expensive. We were ushered out the door firmly but politely when it was quickly established that A) we weren't serious buyers, and B) if we were, not at that level.

 

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Other dealers

Clearaudio Statement turntable VTL amplifiers and humongous speakers. Tiny apartments and HUUUUGE speakers - They have their priorities straight here.

Chinese guys rent or buy commercial spaces and visit their stereo on the weekends! Forget mistresses - they visit their Clearaudio Statement turntables.

Same dealer also has

 

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Rogers' new LS-3/5a with Audio Note Cobra integrated and Roksan Radius 7 turntable

All Audio Note UK

Trenner and Freidl Showroom - I am hoping to stop by there next week for a full audition as Trenner and Freidl make one of my all time favorite loudspeakers in the "RA" but I would like to try one of their mre affordable entries (ahem) as the RA was $25,000US back in 2010. Oh and they won't fit in my apartment. The RA are the big ones. They can be placed near walls and in corners and have a down-firing woofer. Made in Austria

With their ViVa amplifiers from Italy (Although I bet you could guess they were from Italy).

 

[RGA]

More SPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEkers

And I Audiokarma has a lot of vintage folks here so I don't want to leave you guys out - This place had the old Quad amps, Dynaco ST-70, McIntosh is always everywhere in Asia of course. MC275 they want $32,000 HKD - Opening ask. Hmm -

Speakers with wooden drivers? Looks like it.

 

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You're gonna need a bigger wallet

YG Acoustics, Flagship Luxman power amplifiers, Pass Labs amplifiers - the speakers at that back that look weird are from Japan - and because it's from Japan they will probably be outstanding. And the price will be outstanding or should I say Astounding!

 

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Oh but wait - perhaps you need an even bigger wallet for this room - the big amp there in the middle is I think from Burmeister and the monthly electric bill probably costs more than my first car. Well that was a Ford Escort - so probably not TOOOOO bad. It's the cables - what a nightmare! Speakers are Focal - I guess the Orange one would be so it could match your Porsche Turbo S? Although if you buy the speakers you might have to sell for a Mustang GT - they make a matching colour!

 

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Ahh - now for a room that was not crazy priced (relatively speaking anyway) McIntosh amplifier with Fyne speakers. Apparently some engineers left Tannoy to start Fyne - and I certainly got a Tannoy vibe. As I like Tannoy this was quite an agreeable pairing as McIntosh can sometimes be a little rounded - but this can aid a speaker like Tannoy that can lean a little thin and bright - I liked it. I'd still rather a McIntosh tube amplifier instead.

 

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The "it mystifies me why people like this stuff" room. The prices are nuts - the sound is extreme hi-fi - the female jazz singer on the super hi-fi disc is center - ooh ahh - but there is no breath of life - no soul. It sounds so technical it takes the joy out of everything. The fellow next to me leaned over and said it looks Chinese - like tacky. I could live with that but I sat for around 15-20 minutes - classical, vocals and it escapes me. I would have tried to stay longer if there had been something to hold onto. I get the sense it was designed from a textbook - everything is there for you to say "check out that great image placement or non resonant cabinet. Okay but it reminded me of an airbrushed photo of a beautiful woman - She looks perfect but it's not reality - it is artifice.

Speakers are from Vivid Audio - basically engineers left B&W and formed this company. Dan D'Agostino amplifiers - he is formerly of Krell. I never much liked Krell or B&W so my reaction is somewhat the same as my reaction to Krell/B&W. Anyway - this set-up is well over $100,000USD

Notice the tape on the floor - they spent a LOT of time setting up these speakers so they are as good as they can possibly sound in the treated room.

 

[RGA]

Take one zero off from the above Vivid Audio/D'Agostino set up and here IMO is a nicer sounding rig - Line Magnetic - unfortunately I was blabbing to someone and forgot to take down the name of the speakers. I have heard this and a low end pair from the same outfit and liked both. They have promise.

I bought my big Line Magnetic 219ia from this shop - it is at the back dead center it weighed 55kg so in the end it was just too ridiculous for me.

 

[goodolpg]

Wow. Eye candy.
And probably ear candy in person.

 

[tcdriver]

Cool pictures. Good report. Thanks.

 

[manu et deo]

Nice pics, thanks for sharing!