Expansion

Reviewer: Srajan Ebaen
Financial interests: click here
Main system: Sources: Retina 5K 27" iMac (i5, 256GB SSD, 40GB RAM, Sonoma 14), 4TB external SSD with Thunderbolt 3, Audirvana Studio, Qobuz Sublime, Singxer SU-6 USB bridge, LHY Audio SW-8 & SW-6 switch, Laiv Audio Harmony; Active filter: Lifesaver Audio Gradient Box 2; Power amplifiers: Kinki Studio EX-B7 monos & Gold Note monos on subwoofer; Headamp: Enleum AMP-23R; Phones: Raal 1995 Immanis; Loudspeakers: Qualio IQ [on loan] Cables: Kinki Studio Earth, Furutech; Power delivery: Vibex Granada/Alhambra on all source components, Vibex One 11R on amps, Furutech DPS-4.1 between wall and conditioners; Equipment rack: Artesanía Audio Exoteryc double-wide 3-tier with optional glass shelves, Exoteryc amp stands; Sundry accessories: Acoustic System resonators, LessLoss Firewall for loudspeakers, Furutech NCF Signal Boosters; Room: 6 x 8m with open door behind listening seat; Room treatment: 2 x PSI Audio AVAA C214 active bass traps
2nd system: Source: FiiO R7 into Soundaware D300Ref SD transport to COS Engineering D1; Preamp/filter: Lifesaver Audio Gradient Box 2; Amplifier: Kinki Studio EX-M7; Loudspeakers: MonAcoustic SuperMon Mini + Dynaudio S18 sub; Power delivery: Furutech GTO 2D NCF, Akiko Audio Corelli; Equipment rack: Hifistay Mythology Transform X-Frame [on extended loan]; Sundry accessories: Audioquest Fog Lifters; Furutech NFC Clear Lines; Room: ~3.5 x 8m
2nd headfi system: DAC: Cen.Grand DSDAC 1.0 Deluxe; Headamp: Cen.Grand Silver Fox; Headphones: Raal 1995 Immanis
Desktop system: Source: HP Z230 work station Win10/64; USB bridge: Singxer SU-2; DAC: Sonnet Audio Pasithea; Head amp: Kinki Studio THR-1; Speaker amp: Crayon CFA-1.2; Speakers: Acelec Model One Headphones: Final D-8000, Audio-Technica ATH-A990Z
Upstairs headfi system: FiiO R7; Headphones: Meze 109 Pro, Fiio FT3, Raal 1995 Magna, HifiMan Susvara
2-channel video system: Source: Oppo BDP-105; All-in-One: Gold Note IS-1000 Deluxe; Loudspeakers: Zu Soul VI; Subwoofer: Zu Submission; Power delivery: Furutech eTP-8, Room: ~6x4m
Review component retail: €TBA

Sub. In certain, er, subcultures, a sub implies a dom. But replace dominator with domestic hifi then add the right continuance et voilà: an established audio brand's subsidiary. China's Jay's Audio, maker of top-loading CD transports and DACs, split off LHY to offer cost-effective network and digital accessories whose size and price lends them ideally to mail order. I use two of their network distributors and one masterclock. Vinshine Audio, the Singapore web portal originally marketing Denafrips, Jay's and Kinki worldwide—their first brand has since been replaced by Laiv—spun off Beatechnik as the new portal for Jay's and LHY. Back on the manufacturing side, iFi spun off Silent Power, Kinki Studio of China Exact Express, a name which like audio owns its own web domain to launch as exact.express. Whilst to my ears it suggests a same-day print shop or other quick service, it's actually the repository for their truly excellent Earth and Flame cable lines. Those make up the signal arteries of my two main speaker systems. And then there's Kinki's Emei integrated, solitarily badged and styled as CHoco Sound though hosted on Kinki's site. Confused yet?

When I asked Ken Ng why their already dominant Kinki badge needed a subsidiary for wires still branded Kinki Earth when I reviewed them, I was told that it avoids the limiting perception of these cables being only for their own electronics. That and different distribution make for a perfectly defensible argument. I'd simply counter that the name Exact Express is quite astringent, Kinki Studio's established brand cachet and associated goodwill far sweeter and stronger. But it's not how today's cookie crumbles. It rather follows publisher Doug Schneider's preference for multiple spin-offs whose totality he calls his SoundStage Network.

So rather than home today's kit under Exact Express or CHoco Sound, our expansionist team at Kinki Studio launched a fourth brand.

This time I didn't even ask. With my inner marketeer already on the defensive over Exact and CHoco, I've now completely lost this plot.

But my job is reportage not disgruntled unpaid consultant. My subversive reaction to their branding and associated matters (cough) matters ass. Let's leave marketing decisions to heads more capable and hard than mine. After all, anyone calling an audio review site 6moons is a bit soft upstairs. Though whilst I'm still plunking my harp, let's underscore a point. Time. Branding is about time. Whatever we call something—Yahoo¹, anyone?— it'll solidify into an entity of clearly defined qualities if we're consistent and just put in enough time. Those qualities manage expectations all by themselves. Kinki Studio already put in said time. They're fully paid up. A new brand starts from scratch. And if we append 'by' or 'subsidiary of' to circumvent the reset like Lexus by Toyota, why not stick with the original? By now my harp is so out of tune, I'll stop picking on it. Instead:

"Howdy good lookin'. What's a gal like you doing in a place like this?"
"Man, that's about the limpest pickup line possible. You've not been out much, have ya? But just because it's Monday and I've not heard it in forever, I give you a break. Wanna hook up?"

I'd not heard that line in like ever. My "yes" came out a bit too enthusiastic perhaps?
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¹ In case you didn't know, Wikipedia defines a yahoo as a rude, noisy or violent person. What a brilliant company name. And whilst Germany's T+A is short for Technik plus Applikation, puerile English convention turns it into something that rhymes with Brits 'n' Brass.