JO KI, TRUE CONNOISSEUR OF FINE AUDIO (Part 2).

My last visit to JoKi’s audio den was around 2019. Here, the report was written based upon my impression of his latest set up from my recent two (2) consecutive listening sessions.

The audio system may looked and consisted with similar components as per my previous 2019 visit.

However, with careful examinations at his audio system/ set up, I noticed much have changed, added, tweaked, tuned, moved, repositioned…etc, etc, etc.

JoKi has spent considerable amount of money upgrading his LS 3/5a speakers based audio system from vintage tube electronics to the ultra expensive electronics from the elusive and exclusive brand, FM ACOUSTICS. Not to mention (but to stress the point) that he has invested considerably in his collection of more than thirty (30) pairs of vintage LS 3/5a,… vintage tube electronics (suitable/ recommended for LS 3/5a),…and all of multiple brands (too).

If money was not considerable enough (to some?),…then his burning/ flaming passion and dedication to heighten/ push the boundaries of sound quality of the LS 3/5a for more than thirty (30) years with constant works, tweaks, components, accessories, devices, acoustic treatments, space, dedicated room,…etc, etc, etc…must have worth a (heavy) load!

To me, it was as heavy and sacrificial as a CAREER!

Did it pays off?

The few times that I visited his audio system, the set up under went some changes (except the use of the LS 3/5a speakers),…and each time he has managed to impress me with what was possible, in terms of sound quality with the LS 3/5a speakers. Some may argue that his efforts may only alter the tonality/ coloration of the speakers,…and not actually heightened the performance of the speakers. I beg to differ,…the ‘change of better tyres to the same car does in fact heightened the performance of the same car‘.

Here, each time, JoKi managed to impress me with better resolution, overall control, intimacy and presentation…,and that was no small feat.

The recent two (2) visits, I was exposed to his more elaborate use of his newly designed Vibration Control Tunning Devices, Obit (Taiwan) Footers, GIK Acoustics (UK) Bass Traps,…etc, etc, etc.

First, the dynamic and bass from the couple of pairs of Falcon LS 3/5a coupled with the REL (UK) subwoofer and a pair of the AB1 subwoofer stands were impressively hard hitting,…strong punch to the gut,…and fast…and nimble too! (Of course, not Home theatre-like)…I felt the confident that the system could play any genre of music,…even 80s Disco tracks!

Second, the audio system was more than able to maintain coherency and naturalness (no harshness throughout the audio bandwidth) even at lounder than ‘any normal/ reasonable listening volume’,…and also any ‘LS 3/5a speakers based audio system’…I never felt the musics were coming from a diminutive speakers.

Easily, JoKi’s set up of his LS 3/5a speaker based audio system managed to play loudest, in comparison with other similar audio system,…and without strain and fatique to any listener.

Third, the heightened highs and the sense of airiness enimated from those LS 3/5a (couple of pairs) gave out a sensation of ‘a‘ recording venue (I cannot state ‘the‘ recording venue since I was not there or present at the recording session), and spacing among the images of performers in the recording...added realism to the presentation of the recorded media.

The 47 Labs (Japan) CD Player 4713.

From when and what I heard here, I would say JoKi’s heavy considerations spent damn paid off and damn worth it!

Now, for me…the music continues to sing…enjoys

Each listening session was served with good tea,…and good music too.

JoKi replied,

“Dato Danon Han Hong Den, thank you very much for this very encouraging review.

I don’t have much hobby, and to be more specific, this is my only hobby.

I enjoy unravelling the artistry and technique of musicians, hearing the injection of their discipline intertwined with their personality, producing such great works that demand great respect from me, and I cannot let them down with a poor sounding system not doing justice to their lifelong efforts and aspirations.

Through science of Sound (as Energy in space), that my audio system must live and work for such purpose demand great efforts in order to fulfilling such feat! Hence, such commitment become my personal quest inevitably!

I don’t emulate the mass crowd, neither do I like savour flavour of the season or era in this hobby explained my continual using LS3/5A to charter my audio journey. If it hadn’t been Falcon LS3/5A, on my later days, I might have been limited by my other aging pairs in terms of dynamic range.

Besides the realistic sonic presentation of music scores, I valued a lot on the contextual elements when “the music” was being played (and recorded), naturally I value reproduced contextualism to conjure up to a believable state with enveloping ambient, and without boundaries of soundfield as if I am sitting in the same ambient space with the musician(s), and they perform right in front of me.

I am glad you, one who had scaled the Everest of audio journeys with only flagship (and with multiple of flagships) could still be able to listen to my truly humble and, in comparison to yours, such “tiny” system. It says a lot about your very own personality, humble and down to earth, true understanding of what this hobby is all about. We know this is just to enjoy the Music, good enough to takes us believing that we are momentarily THERE, when our system is powered ON!”