Magazine Interview: Audio Art, February 2004

P.S. The following interview is copied from Audio Art Magazine , February, 2004, Issue No.185, and translated by Tien's Audio Studio

Old Wine In New Bottle, What A Life! 
An Interview of Mr. Tien, Taipei City

Written by Martin Liu, Executive Editor

I dare say, any audio fan who walks into Tien's audio room, would definitely think that the owner is an old guy. Just look at the single-ended tube, the large speakers piled up by antique Goodmans drivers, the analog mainly source, and those out of print vinyl collections, who will thought of Tien a 30 something young man?

Why a young man like old stuff? It all began when Tien was 15 years old, while his brother, studied in University at that time, took him (or drugged him, whatever you feel like it) into the audio field. At first, Tien listened to whatever his brother purchased. Later on, when he gradually has his personal preference, he became the buyer. His brother provided only money. In such enviable situation, Tien had accumulated respectable audio knowledge while he was young.


Destroy before revolution

In the beginning, Tien followed magazine review to purchase all kind of new equipment. Especially, during his studied in the states, Tien owned the whole set of Krell KBL/KSA-250, Apogee Studio Grand, etc. All those evinable combination at that time. However, this is also his turning point in audio career. Why said so? That was because one day, the pre-amplifier couldn’t work, the direct current output through the amplier to the speakers. The whole costly set were shot down in just one second! This shocking fact made Tien started to think: Is it correct way to play audio? He hence began research classical audio. I couldn’t help think of Japanese audio designer and critics Uesugi (Designer of Uesugi U-Bros amplifier), whom rebuild his audio system after his previous system and his house were destroyed by Kobe earthquake. I must say, thanks to the accident, otherwise Tien would never put down everything to try a whole different revolutionary way! 

Please note that I say Tien plays "classic audio", not "antique audio". Why not antique? That's because even though Tien uses way old equipment like Goodmans Axiom 80 driver, the box however, is brand new designed according to the blueprint. Besides, 2 drivers in one side could cause large amount of sound pressure, also produces extremely high efficiency. Although he didn't exactly measure it, Tien estimates the efficiency at least around 100dB to 103dB. The drivers were purchased by himself, the box was made by an acquainted carpenter after the blueprint. The cost of the speakers will not be over NT$100,000 (about US$3,125). Most of the cost were the drivers itselves. As regard to the age of the drivers, they are certainly not too cheap. Nevertheless, as regard to the price of modern hi-end audio, it is not expensive at all. According to Tien, people like him who plays old drivers are everywhere in the east coast of the states. It is also very convenient exchange information through the internet.

What's next? Tien intends to find 4 other Goodmans Axiom 80 drivers that maybe hard to find outside, and make 4 drivers in one cabinet. With 4 driver coupling, it will has 64 ohms high impedance. Such high impedance will make it very easy to work for low power amplifier. Besides, high impedance output transformer is easy to wind, not like the requirement of low impedance output transformer. You can even wind it by yourself! See, this is already way beyond the age when Goodmans drover were designed. Although there is old win inside the bottle, different bottle shape gives those wine an opportunity to express new and exquisite taste. Who dare says it's not good when old wine in new bottle? 

Amazing Allure of 0.7 Watt

Speakers with such high efficiency, which amplifier should we choose? Readers of our Dr. Ko's column "My Scent Anthology (Wo-Wen-Chi)" must not feel unfamiliar with the power amp on the floor. That's right, it's the 171A amplifier made by Huang Kuo-Lin. Does this 0.7 watt power amp can really drive any speaker? You got to know that, even the most common active plastic speaker on the computer desk, or the computer sound card, need over 5 watt output. These speakers often become aliasing when you turn the volumn higher. To be honest, numbers like 0.7 watt, I only find it in the specification of a walkman earphones!

Therefore, even though my colleagues whom has visited Dr. Ko's house, promised me the amp will do very well. Those words did not help raising my confidence to this flyweight amp. However, the sound from Goodmans driver convinced me in the first second. Tien plays his favorite Jazz records, though not large scale, but the intimacy, the transient dynamic and speed that samll-scale jazz particularly has, made me feel that this sound is not less than modern equipment high-end audio. I believe that anyone who listens to the sound, will tell it is indeed very good. Why 0.7 watt amp performs so well? Tien thinks, the amp drives the speakers easily without crossover. Low watt can enjoy the delicious sound dynamics, which is also the reason that attracts Tien keeping on his way.

Jazz Mainly Collections

Doesn't this sound "antique" at all? I don't think so. At least when I listened to Tien's favorite LPs, the sound is clean, fast and solid, tympan and cymbal sounds pretty real. Most importantly, even the signal pass through cartdrige, phono, step-up transformer, pre-amp, power amp, and all the way to the speakers, the sound is still so direct. While listening, I can really feel the jazz trump, the vibration of tympan, the metal smell of cymbal, and the distinguish materiality and rich overtone a vibraphone should has. Sound like this, is never "antique" at all!

(to be translated...)


Related Articles: 

Magazine Interview: Audio Cite, October 2006 
Magazine Interview: Audio Art, February 2004 
Magazine Interview: GQ, October 2004 
Latest Event: "The Choice of US$15,000...CD/SACD or LP?"
Latest Article: Fresh Water Comes From Its Source
About Tien's Audio Studio