KONDO mit "Best Sound" auf der CES 2008 in Las Vegas

One of the last suites visited but with the best sound of the show in my estimation was the ANJ International Limited, previously known as Kondo Audio, before the untimely death at last year's show of its founder, Hiroyasu Kondo. Of course I could be a little prejudiced as Steve Klein, their American distributor at Sounds Of Silence, is a good friend, and I use their IO-J cartridge, but others have also commented at the Audio Asylum on the great sound of this room. Unhappily their equipment is out of my price range, but if you can afford it, there is no better that I've heard.

As I was making my rounds in the hallways of building 1600 I heard violin sounds that just drew me into the room as if someone were playing live. The components in this super esoteric room by Kondo Audio Note are for a very few lucky chosen ones. The sound of classical music especially chamber music was out of this world. One of my favorites Mozart’s Violin Sonata was naturally rendered. The sound was delicate, transparent and lifelike. The violin and piano tonality were spot on; it was like listening to the real instruments. The only bad news is that you will need to take out a second mortgage (a big one) to own this dream system. Audio Note featured the legendary Ongaku integrated amplifier ($80K), a 27 Watts stereo classic 211 single-ended configuration and a preamplifier, none other than the flagship M-1000 MK II ($85K) driving the S-18 prototype loudspeakers and KAS-DAC ($30K) was in the system along with the 47 Lab PiTracer transport ($25K). Finally, all silver Kondo cables were used to connect the components.