SETUP 2024

Single Ended Triode Users of the Philippines 2024

At the dawn of the 21st century, I uploaded hifi systems owned by audio buddies who had been inspired by the Sound Practices ethos. These were the guys who originally coined SETUP. After a couple of decades, the number of Filipinos who indulge in this hobby has increased exponentially.

Here's what I saw and heard during my recent visit.😊

Harana Audio Workshop

Altec 311-60 horns + 288 drivers with Fostex super tweets on top of a pair of Harana V-Vent bass bins with partial horn loading

Transformer coupled preamp featuring WE417As + Lundahl iron

SE250 triode monoblocks with Tamura Amorphous iron

A bespoke stereo console + a pair of 2-way horn speakers

JBL horn speakers + SE triode amps

Aside from Altec and JBL equipped multi-way horn systems, compact speaker enclosures including the Silbatone cabinet are crafted to spec.

Monaural Hi-Fi

I featured this monaural hifi system over a decade ago. The highlight of this set up is the collection of idler driven turntables (Garrard 301, NEAT P58H, Lenco, Presto, Rek O Kut, etc.) with viscous damped tonearms fitted with GE RPX, VRII and Tannoy Variluctance phono cartridges + JE Labs SE10 and SE2A3 mono integrated amps. 

Pioneer PIM 8L wide range drivers housed in a 2 cf box and Silbatone cabinets + Altec 802 and 416A drivers converted to field coil with a Markus Klug 808 horn on top of an Altec 612 bass reflex cabinet

G.I.P Laboratory Monitor 1 based Hi-Fi systems

A multi-media set up

The Monitor 1s are driven either by a DIY SE245 amp with Tamura Permalloy iron or SE50 amp with Tamura Amorphous iron. A Clearaudio turntable with an Ortofon tonearm + DL103 spins LPs, EAR 912 preamp + more.

Klangfilm derived horn, a Joe Roberts' favorite!

A close up of the G.I.P. drivers - the D5016A field coil compression driver + 15" field coil woofer

Another pair of G.I.P. Monitor 1s

This redbook CD only based hifi system evolved from a pair of PHY-HP 2-way 12" Co-Ax drivers in Hans Kortenbach enclosures.

The aforementioned speaker system has been replaced by G.I.P. Monitor 1s as I reported during my last virtual visit.

Except for the La Diva CD transport, all the electronics - Zanden Signature DAC + JE Labs line stage preamp and SE10 monoblock amps have remained unchanged for over a decade.

Truth be told, that Philips TDA1541A-S2 equipped Non-OverSampling Zanden DAC was an inspiration for my DIY nosTDA1541tube DAC.😊

As an Altec user and Western Electric fan, I can only sing praises for G.I.P. Laboratory speakers!👏👍 It's also reassuring that I'm on the right track with my Altec experiments.😊

78-45-33

a jazz bar with a twist

To maintain their ears calibrated to the sound of live music, they hang out at this jazz kissa inspired bar, which also features live musicians jamming without amplification, conceived and managed by the founder and organizer of the annual November Hi-Fi Show in Manila.

Check their schedule on Facebook, Instagram and 78salcedo.com. These events get sold out fast so make sure you reserve seats!

Thanks for the fine cuisine, drinks, and most of all, the company. 

See you all again soon!🍻