Chicken pimples?

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, HifiMan Susvara; 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 Cen.Grand DSDAC 1.0 Deluxe; Preamp/filter: Lifesaver Audio Gradient Box 2; Amplifier: Kinki Studio EX-M7; Headamp: Cen.Grand Silver Fox; 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
Desktop system: Source: HP Z230 work station Win10/64; USB bridge: Singxer SU-2; DAC: Sonnet Pasithea; Headamp: Kinki Studio THR-1; Speaker amp: Crayon CFA-1.2; Speakers: Acelec Model One Headphones: Final D-8000 & Sonorous X, Audeze LCD-XC, Raal-Requisite SR1a on Schiit Jotunheim R
Upstairs headfi system: FiiO R7, COS Engineering D1, Cen.Grand Silver Fox; Headphones: Raal 1995 Magna, Meze 109 Pro, Fiio FT3
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

It's what a non-native English speaker once called goose bumps. But today we won't go goosey or gooey. Today we develop hard lust bulges. Wood. Nipples. Looking at 2024's rear-view mirror, I asked myself a simple question. What kind of kit that I reviewed this year would I outright buy had I the discretionary funds under my kilt? The subtext is basic. It'd have to be stuff that improves what I own. Anyone in this game long enough will agree. Unless we move house to throw our current amp/speaker/room balance to the wolves; unless we throw not-me money at our existing unholy trinity; unless our narrowly defined tastes suddenly changed… improvement is really tuff. Going sideways to do 'different' is dead easy. Managing strictly better is far from. The longer we've been at it, the truer that gets.

As it happens, I encountered three products from Germany no less which met my narrow definition of 'right' whilst bettering the status quo without any theft in trade. Two of them would save a lot and simplify box count. The other would add significant cost and complexify the count. Let's start with the former: Lindemann's Move Mini monitor & Woodnote Combo network integrated. The small boxes are €1'800/pr, the amp is €2'250. At 1/10th the price of the classic 6½" 2-ways they replaced on my desktop, the 4" filter- and spider-less widebanders with auxiliary mini AMT at 15kHz/1st-order took names but no prisoners. The only edge my residents held was LF reach. Focus, resolution, imaging, treble, tone and time fidelity were all superior with the Bavarian minis. Despite their small drivers, at 1m in the nearfield upright bass and piano had sufficient weight to trigger no hunger for more. Once the stablemate network amp replaced my €6'250 Enleum AMP-23R of the same power rating, tonal wetness gained points and some small port ringing and bloom disappeared with lower output Ω where Enleum's is easily bettered. Without any analogue input, that Lindeamp also knocked my €2'700 Laiv Harmony DAC off its perch to eliminate one component from the signal path. Less stuff, less coin, better sound. If my OfficeFi had the upgrade funds, that's how I'd shine it up. All hail Norbert Lindemann's pointy ears, engineering chops and commitment to work within reach.

My second improver would be Michael Wydra's ModalAkustik MusikBoxx, a sealed two-way monitor with 6.2" Accuton mid/woofer and Mundorf's small dipole AMT on a time-aligned acrylic open baffle. The entire faceted box consists of stacked sheets of acrylic. They alternate black or white slices with transparent ones. That multi-lam stack then tension-clamps from the rear. The mid/woofer too pulls into the back via a longitudinal bolt. The crossovers of elite Mundorf parts live in external ribbed boxes of the same inert acrylic build to prevent eddy currents à la DNM. Biwire cables between filters and monitors come with, the low-mass stands are extra. At €8'097 for the lot, I'd rather exceed the €2K of my current MonAcoustics SuperMon Mini speakers of the upstairs system and their €120/pr white stands. I'd also add external crossovers which neatly tuck inside the tripod stands. Available in white, I not just loved the sound but also looks. Quad-upping the outlay should obviously buy better and in this case actually does by a margin sufficient to justify the plunge. The current status of my wallet simply forbids it. But today wasn't about ability, just pure unvarnished desire. It's how chicken pimples can morph into one's own hifi pimp.

Here's what my desktop would look like then, albeit without the separate DAC…

... and here is the wishful upstairs. I'd get both speakers in white. Michael simply wanted to show off his two finishes so sent me one each. Also, the stands really go the other way so with the single leg forward. I learnt this after I took the photo.

No matter. Today was mere what-if to highlight two finds which after 23 years on the beat still surprised and held real personal allure as well as being sized right for my intended applications and priced fairly for build and performance. 'Made in Germany' is mere coincidence when I don't have the patriotic gene.

For whom the cockerel crows? Exactly that so the good ol' chicken-pimple loosey-goosey bump 'n' grind. Given time of year, that dance could end in a fully defeathered though hopefully not tarred bird? If so, bon appetit!