There were components from two companies that really impressed me at the WAVE AV Experience last weekend at Eastin Hotel in Petaling Jaya, and they were from both ends of the spectrum.
Components by Nagra were in Perfect Hi-Fi’s room which had the Nagra Reference series driving Sonus Faber speakers.
In the demo system were the Nagra Reference DAC, Nagra Reference Preamp and Nagra Reference Amp (which is actually a pair of monoblocks). These cost a lot of money — the DAC costs US$104,500 (single power supply) and US$137,500 (double power supply), the preamp also comes with single or double power supply options and costs US$104,500 (single power supply) and US$137,500 (double power supply). The monoblocks cost US$132,500. In Malaysia, the total amount would buy you a double-storey link house in an upmarket neighbourhood.
To complete the demo system, a Nagra streamer (US$5,000) and a pair of Sonus Faber Amati Supreme speakers (US$78,000) were used.
When I heard the Nagra HD Line some years ago, I was impressed by the Nagra HD preamp and power amp. The Reference series take the performance to another level and the Sonus Faber floorstanders in the demo system delivered really good sound.
On the other end of the spectrum, the component that impressed me was the diminutive but colourful DALI KUPID standmount speakers, priced at only RM1,795 per pair, and they come in five colours.
In Stars Picker’s room on the third floor, the DALI KUPID speakers were driven by a 10-watt Cayin MT-12N valve amp and they really punched above their weight — the sound was punchy and big. In Stars Picker’s other room on the 15th floor, there was another pair driven by a 40-watter Cayin valve amp, but I preferred the sound of the less-powerful amp.
