It is always a delight to hear from Yazaki-san as he travels the world pursuing audio adventures with kindred spirits, this time checking in from Surabaya, Indonesia, while visiting Handoko-san at his shop Mega Audio & Disc Collection. Thanks for sharing your audio adventures with us Yazaki-san!
"Dedicate to Jeff-san,
After pleasant business talk with “Sentimental Café & Studio” members, Kritapas-san, Nattawut-san and Tanawat-san in Bangkok, I took a flight to Surabaya, Indonesia on the 21st of last month. The flight was transited at Changi-airport, Singapore, and I reached Surabaya airport after 6 hours of flight, Handoko-san waited me to pick up.
In RMAF 2015, I had a chance to meet him just before our demo room (Devore Fidelity and SPEC CORPORATION) in the Marriott hotel. I was surprised that he came to Denver from Indonesia and it must be so long time flight. As it happens, I had lived in Semarang, Indonesia, one hour flight from Surabaya, about 15 years ago, so I felt a sense of affinity to him.
But he might be impressed with the sound of the demo room and after the RMAF, he offered us to be our distributor of our products in Indonesia. Of course, we highly appreciated his offer. And this time, he wanted me to hand-carry RSP-901EX for his demonstration at the listening loom in his shop, Mega Audio & Disc Collection.
The listening session was held uninterrupted from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm on 22nd / Oct. and his loyal customers, around 15 persons took part in. They looked to have experienced a wonderful time each other. You could see it by the attached photo, it was taken just after the session.
The main audio system in the shop was just same as in the demo room in RMAF2015, Devore speakers, our gun metal platter turntable; GMP-800EX with IKEDA 12 inches tone arm, phono-EQ; REQ-S1EX and our integrated amplifier; RSA-M3EX and its sound was far superior to the RMAF because of well controlled acoustic condition by the craftsman work of Handoko-san. And in this desirable environment, his customers fully enjoyed their favorite music and LP disc with no small sound level and I was very impressed with Handoko-san’s passionate and splendid demonstration skill because that he understand well each customer’s favorite music and the sound. But every guests felt well the differences and the improvements of the tone and the sound fields with using RSP-901EX. And I was so delighted and encouraged to have a chance to see their fully satisfied look. As a matter of fact, two sets of RSP-901EX, handed carry were sold out on that session.
Well, I had one more purpose for the visiting Handoko-san in Surabaya.
I longed for hearing the sound of his Marantz Model#7 which I had restored in this June and July. About Model#7, when I think back more than 35 years ago , it might be just the start of my “Capacitor Adventure” and I talked about it to Jeff-san below:
“Throughout my personal audio career, the capacitors might have occupied an important place for getting the desirable sound for me. When I first listened to the sound of Marantz Model 7 K, I just finished assembling in Jan. /1980.
I remember well, I was very impressed the sound of full of musicality, especially the comfortable low range with rich atmosphere.”
Yes, I have long loved and modified countlessly my Marantz Model#7 K, it was a kit form of Model#7 and released in the autumn of 1979 only for Japan market as an anniversary project of Marantz Japan at that time. But I don’t have the chance to see and hear the original Marantz Model#7. And so when Handoko-san asked me to modify his original one early this year I found myself accepting his offer.
But actually when I saw the inside of the Model#7 in this April, I felt regretful for undertaking the modification, because that his original one was already once restored but its restoration was not completed and also I found out one serious miss-wiring. And so I had to progress the restoration and the modification simultaneously.
But early July, when I finished all of the work and hear the sound, I was so surprised and impressed with the deep and the rich tone, I have never experienced before. I simply felt the modification would turn out to be a success. Handoko-san also looked like he is fully enjoying his reborn Model#7:
“Yes, I have been very happy with your modified Marantz 7 to enjoy listening to music more everyday” on 3rd / Sept from Handoko-san.
Well, early in the morning before breakfast on 22nd / Oct, he invited me his very personal listening room and this expansive room is available only for Handoko-san to enjoy his most favorite music. He has been an eager collector especially LP record and enjoying every kind of music in the world but in this room, he loves to hear female vocal such as Julie London and Diana Krall. But what a marvelous collection and his listening circumstances, I was simply so much frightened.
Handoko-san and I heard the first hit album of Julie London. At one listening, I strongly impressed, Julie is now singing just before us. The sound and the tone was exactly the same as I had experienced in my system early July. Of course, we were so happy to have the chance to hear the modified Model#7 in a twosome.
During my staying in Surabaya, Handoko-san expressed so many times his concept for audio that an audio-gear must be nothing less than a means but the most valuable matter would be content itself. Yes, the content means the music! I fully agree, but I think, I have long committed my favorite music and so have sought a long adventure of audio. Thankfully, I found out a kindred spirit in Surabaya, Indonesia.
As well, I would like to introduce you and your blog’s readers some kind of know how about the modification of Marantz Model#7 in near future.
Best regards,
Shirokazu Yazaki"
Thank you so much for sharing your latest audio adventure with us at Jeff's Place, Yazaki-san, you are always an inspiration!
I would like to send my greetings from Washington State to Handoko-san, and all the kindred spirits at Mega Audio & Disc Collection.
Like always, thank you for stopping by, and may the tone be with you!
