Eye-opening CAS session

Computer Audio is now the 'in' thing. Everybody seems to be talking about it - especially the younger iPod generation. Even older audiophiles who grew up with dinosaur turntables are getting interested in it.


Hifi4sale forum organised a CAS event at CMY Sunway Giza, Petaling Jaya, on Saturday which was an eye-opener for some 30 audiophiles.

Some of the audiophiles who turned up for the event.

The audiophiles who turned up were eager to know more about CAS.

The hifi4sale moderator/administrator
talking about the finer points of CAS.

The ProAc/Wadia/Prima Luna system used for the demo.

Kicking off the session was the administrator/moderator of hifi4sale (who declined to be named) who demonstrated the differences in sound quality between the Operating Systems of Windows and Mac using iTunes, and between CD and a ripped CD file streamed from a laptop via USB.


The system he used comprised a pair of ProAc D38r speakers, Prima Luna DiaLogue One tube integrated amp, Wadia 381i CD player (with digital inputs including USB) and his Mac Mini. He also used the Cambridge DACmagic and Brik Audio DACs.


He also tested a US$5 download called Bit Perfect. He used only 16/44.1 files and CDs for his session and streamed the files with an off-the-shelf and a Kimber USB cable.


Later, LS3/5A guru Jo Ki demonstrated the effects of different platforms and cones supporting an external hard disk (placed upside down) on tonality.


The system he used comprised his Bryston BDA1 media player, Wadia 521 DAC, Jeff Rowland Chorus preamp, Jeff Rowland 250 Monoblocks and a pair of Dynaudio Confidence C1 speakers.

Jo Ki with his platforms and cones.

He used sheets of glass and plywood (probably made of birch) and cones from Golden Sound, Goldmund and Wave Kinetics. 


The CAS session was interesting and many of the audiophiles were eager to know more about how to get started.


What was perhaps more interesting was that some audiophiles could not resist using the Clearaudio Concept turntable that was in a demo set-up to spin  a Guns N' Roses album and some of those present commented: "Digital no fight lah."


Hifi4sale should be commended for organising such sessions as it would only serve to improve the knowledge of audiophiles in Malaysia and CMY should be thanked for allowing its premises to be used and also for donating two audiophile CDs for the lucky draw.