VK Music

It was arduous to search out focus in Victor Kong’s room. Between the practically invisible AER BD3B/650mm horn audio system ($9800/pair) and the varied amps on static show—Sun Valley SV-1616D 300B built-in amp ($2450), or the Elekit TU-8900 ($3050) or Elekit TU-8850 ($1850) energy amps—my palms felt sweaty, my head, dizzy. Is this SET-amp lover’s heaven?

Victor’s lively setup included a VPI fortieth Anniversary HW-40 Direct turntable ($22,000) with the incredible Hana Umami Blue MC cartridge ($2000) allied to a Sun Valley EQ161D phono stage ($1585), Pre161D preamplifier ($1550), and SV-128ii SET energy amp ($5500) (16/25Wpc), with custom-made Hashimoto PT/Choke/OPTs.

Victor performed a Chris Botti report. Trumpet was pure and willowy. The room stuffed with a dense atmosphere, the music sounding virtually reside and freed from the system. Cymbals and snare drum sounded a tad ethereal—not fairly grounded—however magnificence and bloom had been there, in heavenly doses.

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November 20, 2023 at 03:39PM