THE EMPEROR WEARS ALL THE CLOTHES... And that is not to say that this mortal subject has been struttin' around without clothes.
It's been a good few months in audio. First we get a new phono stage, then a new table and arm, and then a loaner DAC to start our 'blasphemous' server journey,
a few trips here and there with Chairman Mor(ita), and yesterday, I got an invite that I had been waiting for more than 2 and a half years (roughly)
- a return trip to the Imperial Palace, not in Beijing or Vienna, but in the eastside of Quezon City - in the palace of the Bozanian Emperor of the audio world, to listen to the MKII revision of the astounding VR11 and the second 'city premiere' of the Tech Das Air Force 1 turntable.
Before anything else, we need to review the 'view' of the 'frontage' of the palace:
Let's move a little closer:
Now, a peek at the killer tube amps, from VAC, WAVAC, and VTL - all lucious mono tube affairs:
A view from the rear shows cleanly spread out python-like cables and power cords:
Close Up look at the VAC and WAVAC amps:
Now, the row of 'Side Arms' - they are located in the ride side of town.
Closer...
Another angle...
The Tech Das AF1 air bearing turntable and a STUDER A 820 Reel to Reel tape deck:
Closer look at the AF1 with 2 fabulous looking tonearms from Durand - the Telos (back) and Talea (right side)
The Studer A 820 R2R Tape Machine:
The Ampex Aria R2R Tape Machine:
Before anything else the Emperor had marked in the RSVP invitation an 'imperial edict' to bring some 'O.W.N.' Promo, Hot Stampers, Test Pressings, and the like for use as program material, while he will 'take care of the rest'.
DONE!
Arriving at 1.30 PM, I was asked by the Emperor what record do we start with. For a while I felt a blankness in the mind, akin to feeling 'without clothes', completely frozen by the new array of 'side arms' aside from the sight of the newly revised VAC and the new WAVAC amps, not to mention the VTL nuclear bombs.
I would like to breathe a little first. Then, after getting hold of myself, I began to open my WS bag of hot stampers that actually were just stamped by myself.
In the meantime, the Emperor was putting on a tape of a familiar album that got me to sit and listen with pleasure before even unloading my own stampers. I knew it was going to be a most pleasurable few hours to come. When all was a bit settled, I plucked a JVC test pressing of Ken Kreisel's own production of JAZZICAL, a jazz/classical trio which was astounding as it was intimate. One of the best trio's I've ever heard. Then, I picked a promo copy of my favorite Kenny G Live Lp to start the ball rolling. This is the first time I have played this in a true big system of scale and unrestricted dynamics and boy, this rendition will never be the same again when I go home, I said to myself.
The balance, the timing, the tone were all perfect to my ears and the dynamics and scale was unlike any other time I have heard in my own system. Next came my demo copy of another pancake staple item of mine - Brothers Four Sings Lennon McCartney. Wooooooooooohooooooooo!!!!! Sooooo Sweet!!!!! Melting some butter there. And I heard the Emperor quipped: "Phil, why does my copy sound different?" I had to pretend not to hear that at the risk of more edicts being issued.
Oh wow, we had to play ALL songs and finish both sides as each minute became dessert just melting in my mouth.
I heard another quip: : "Are these REALLY not for sale"?
Well, that's what it said in the back cover - Demonstration Copy, Not For Sale. I think that was the right answer,.
"Did you bring your girlfriend"? Startled, I asked, WHO? Did the Emperor know something NO ONE knows????
"CAROL KIDD - your girlfriend".
OHHHH Carol Kidd. (What a RELIEF!) Si girlfriend Carol pala. YES! My own hot stamper pa.
'When I Dream' was playing. And it was so lush and sweet now that I began cursing either my amp or the reissue Gold Lion power tubes.
Naka Shuguang select KT88s pala ang mga VACs. Hmmm....
Problema na ito pag uwi ko.
When Carol was done making me weak, I had to whip out pareng Dave (Grusin) and his Mountain Dance Nimbus Supercut from my bag to revitalize me like Lipovitan does
. This one I had brought to the 'baby' VR 9 system of Jack so I know how fabulous it could sound and to date was the most awesome I had heard. NOT ANYMORE. Sorry Pare, BIG IS STRONG. SHAQ IS SHAQ.
I always say to myself, you don't know what is best till you hear something better. And this was it. The sheer height of the 11MKIIs DOMINATED the sound field. Punong puno. Height, Width, Depth - the complete definition of 3D. All so well defined I could have drawn the boundaries of them all. To say impressive is now an understatement. To say the most balanced, best textured, and most natural rendition I have ever heard is more like it. LIVE, like I'm in the recording studio itself and I feel and see the bodies of Harvey Mason and Marcus Miller on the stage. It was as vivid as it can get and as I've never heard before. The attack and wallop of the bass and drums on the last cut of side 2, Either Way, bolted me to outer space. Nuclear fission in audio.
Then came the real AMMO's of the afternoon. The Emperor started to play full orchestral music I am familiar with on his Studer Reel to Reel tape player. They use the term organic. Yes, it seems some pesticides have removed the pests from the non-tape source, I hate to say. But for the lack of a better terminology, the little dark background noise that is present in vinyl has altogether vanished in tape. It is as transparent and clear as can be. Palpable, and almost one can feel the artists enough to touch them. Size, body and weight are very very present in the tape playback. To me, it is the ultimate source as I had first heard it a couple of years ago in a friend's room in SF. If one thinks soft to loud dynamic contrasts is ruled by digital, or the best of vinyl, I would have to say it is not, as the dynamic contrasts heard through R2R can journey from the softest and sweetest of tones to the most staggering blows of bass and percussion instruments I have so far heard on recorded music. We have to point out thought the caveats in keeping this medium - it is complicated to maintain, technicians and all, the tape has to be climate regulated for fear of fungus, mildew and the like, and the limited titles to be procured all pose great challenges to the prospective user. But the user here is the Emperor, who does not hold back on anything in audio. He knows what he is doing, and at times in partnership (or shall we say in cahoots) with his brother,
even knows what he is GOING TO DO NEXT.
For that, I shall keep my lips
until the next edict, I mean, invitation, is issued.
Words are really not enough to describe yesterday afternoon's experience. All told we run music for about 6 straight hours with minutes of bathroom breaks.
And in the middle, I was treated to the wonderful company of jokes and laughter from Jack and Mr. K himself, Keith aka KUZ.
Plus witnessing an incredible wine selection and tasting display initiated by Mr. D was an event by itself.
And thanks to the Empress for the fantastic grilled burger/sausages dinner with a fabulous slew of side dishes that made me more hungry the more I ate.
And amazing that while eating beef and 'dogs', we talked PORK!.
It was an ear opener indeed and a few hours of this rev'ed us into a nightcap of one more album before we all called it a night. From beginning to end of the session it was as exciting an event that I've ever been to, and when I was taking the pics even at ISO 400 and 800 I can't help but notice that there seems to be some camera 'shake' when there never was before in other instances. Was my heart pulsating that induced hand tremors just by LOOKING at the audio sidearms and bombs?
Reminds me of the first time I saw a girl that induced me to be
.
And for that, a big thank you, dear Emperor, for making me feel YOUNG again.
HAIL CEASAR!!!