Lifeaudio

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

It's a live-wire gap between respect and ridicule. Take Thailand's Lifeaudio for example. The abundance of gleaming gold on their cable connectors, footers and rack hardware could seem garish. Yet we can't deny the quality of production and obsessive care which obviously go into it. Their stands for monitor speakers seem beyond overkill but their machining is undoubtedly top notch.

What's the appropriate response to seeing such kit in a post, on a social media or other webpage? Cynics will invoke the nouveau riche with more money than sense and taste. Those who come from other luxury goods will applaud the transfer of visual and material indicators to high-end audio. After all, if Bentley and Bugatti cars can do it, why not audio? Different cultures have different responses to gold. Heavy metal is its own audience. I'm admittedly more cynical on the matter than applauding it. As a member of the press, it's simply my job to keep our audience informed and entertained. And at the very least, this counts as visual entertainment, does it not?

I wrote the above industry feature dubbed Get a Life? in May of 2022 as a short exposé. Thirty months later, "we'd like to discuss a review of our audio cables and/or footers with you. Our sister company has been producing handmade high-end audio cables as well as footers and other accessories for many years here in Bangkok and we are expanding to other markets. We'd most likely start with a review of a footer but are open to any ideas or suggestions." Signed Eran More, no company email, URL or photos. You'll appreciate why I flashed on my earlier feature. Which isn't to say that Thailand doesn't host other hifi brands for cables and footers. Lifeaudio were simply the only ones I'd heard of. Checking on my older article's weblink, I no longer saw footers or racks, just a portfolio of cables looking like the above. But Eran had mentioned a sister company. Perhaps the vibration isolation products had migrated to another site? I asked for a URL and pricing. "Thank you for following up. I've been collecting the info you requested and will send it soon. In the beginning we're looking for a review on a versatile footer which can be used as a component/speaker pad or damping weight; and a series of power cords across three different levels. We're Tav Audio and started marketing Lifeaudio products outside Thailand. We're currently working on web pages for these products. You can already visit our site but the products I'm referring to aren't listed yet. We're still building new product lines, tiers and models and will gradually introduce more products." Visiting Tav's website revealed a Bangkok hifi shop. As an established retailer they possess the infrastructure for end-user sales. Expanding beyond Thailand's borders with a 'house brand' puts a new spin on Singapore's Vinshine/Beatechnik concept. That is a web-based hifi portal without brick 'n' mortar presence. If I read these tea leaves correctly, something interesting is afoot.

… to be continued…