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This review first appeared in the January 2012 issue of hi-end hifi magazine High Fidelity of Poland. You can also read it in its original Polish version here. We publish its English translation in a mutual syndication arrangement with publisher Wojciech Pacula. As is customary for our own articles, the writer's signature at review's end shows an e-mail address should you have questions or wish to send feedback. All images contained in this review are the property of High Fidelity or Oyaide - Ed

Reviewer: Wojciech Pacula
CD player: Ancient Audio Lektor Air V-edition
Phono preamplifier: RCM Audio Sensor Prelude IC
Cartridges: Miyajima Laboratory Shilabe & Kansui
Preamplifier: Ayon Audio Polaris III Signature with Regenerator power supply
Power amplifier: Soulution 710
Integrated amplifier/headphone amplifier: Leben CS300 XS Custom
Loudspeakers: Harbeth M40.1 Domestic + Acoustic Revive custom speaker stand
Headphones: Sennheiser HD800, AKG K701, Beyerdynamic DT-990 Pro 600Ω vintage, HifiMan HE6
Interconnects: CD/preamp Acrolink Mexcel 7N-DA6300, preamp/power amp Acrolink 8N-A2080III Evo
Speaker cable: Tara Labs Omega Onyx
Power cables (all equipment): Acrolink Mexcel 7N-PC9300
Power strip: Acoustic Revive RTP-4eu Ultimate
Stand: Base IV custom under all components
Resonance control: Finite Elemente Ceraball under CD player, Audio Revive RAF-48 platform under CD player and preamplifier, Pro Audio Bono PAB SE platform under Leben CS300 XS
Review component retail in Poland: 3.590zł for 1.8m power cord, 3.690zł for 4-outlet strip, complete set as reviewed 21.640zł


The basic role of audio magazines is to act as a type of filter for audio products and to offer consultancy. The former means choosing from an avalanche of new audio products those which are most interesting, most innovative and best sounding. Consultancy is focused on establishing on the basis of tests and reviews what kind of audio system a given component is most likely to sound best in; what’s worth buying and what’s not; what's a good match for something else and how to use it. There is however one more duty little spoken about – the educational role. It doesn’t get much attention because specialized hobbyist magazines such as of hifi are governed by slightly different rules than traditional industry magazines. In our case the research methods we use (auditions) are called into question and their results are undermined not on the basis of other results but in principle - by denying the very idea of such research.

Fortunately one can point at a part of that educational role which is free from any politics – finding new audio brands and manufacturers previously unknown in a given region. This is one of the areas that can only be served by transnational i.e. English-speaking Internet magazines. Srajan Ebaen with his 6moons.com has been doing it for many years. For the last several we've been trying to do the same at High Fidelity. Since audio components from all over the world can now be delivered directly to the editor, they can be made known to and taken up by distributors in the country in which the magazine is registered. If the distributors like them, they then take care of making such products available for the consumer.

Being 'godfather' to such brands is a personal source of pride as it realizes that last and least tangible aspect of the role of audio magazines – the role of promoter of good habits, good products, interesting people and interesting points of view. Our pride, among others, are the brands Leben, Acrolink, Musica, Gato Audio, Edit Audio, Entreq, HiFiMan and other now well-known brands in Poland. Not all of the manufacturers we present in our pages find a domestic representative but that's the roll of the dice. Those which do get developed become an important part of a given distributor's portfolio. Amongst these bright example also is the Japanese brand Oyaide Electric Co. Ltd., having its registered office in the capital of Japan, Tokyo.

While I have known this company since 2005 when our review of their 75AD Straight Line digital interconnect published in that year's September issue N°. 17, I only met its owner Mr. Satoru Murayama for the first time during High End 2012 in Munich. Soon afterwards we saw each other again in Poland as the head of Oyaide also came to Warsaw to attend our own Audio Show 2012. Even though we had no time to talk, we managed to shake hands and take a quick photo. We also agreed to an interview you will see published shortly.

Prepared by Mr. Murayama, I already had at home his top power delivery solution comprising the four-socket MTS-4e power distribution strip (the 6-socket version is named MTS-6e while ‘e’ indicates Schuko sockets) and five Tunami GPX-R power cords. Thus equipped I was able to wire up my entire system starting from the wall socket to power the CD player, preamplifier and power amplifier and finishing off with the headphone amplifier. A pleasant surprise was the autograph signed on the power strip by its designer. Because it was a coherent complete system with a cohesive internal logic using the same conductors for the power cords and internal wiring of the strip plus the same connector pins, I tested it as such by replacing my own reference power cord system.


Sound – a selection of recordings used during the auditions: Random Trip, Nowe Nagrania, 005, CD + FLAC 24/44,1 (2012); Ash Ra Tempel, Ash Ra Tempel, MG; ART/Belle, 101780, SHM-CD (1971/2010); Ashra, Belle Aliance Plus, MGART/Belle, 121914-5, 2 x SHM-CD (1979/2012); Bill Withers, Just As I Am, Columbia/Sony Music Japan, SICP-2633, "Natural Soul Collection", CD (1971/2010); Carlo Gesualdo, Madrigali, Rinaldo Alessandrini, Concerto Italiano, Opus111/Naïve, OP30486 (2000); Depeche Mode, Personal Jesus , Mute Records Ltd/ Sire/Reprise, 21328-2, maxi SP (1989); Dominic Miller, Fourth Wall, Q-rious Music, QRM 108-2, CD (2006); ...