Words by Rafe Arnott, photos courtesy of Peter Leong and Terry Tan. Photo above: Tan's dedicated listening studio with vintage Altec A4.
As the world continues to slowly emerge from social exile, it’s interesting to connect with people and learn how hi-fi enabled them to travel without physically leaving their homes. Being metaphorically moved through time and space, either to the moment of the recorded event being experienced through playback, or transcendentally lifted to an existential plane, music is possessed of a powerful engine for fuelling imagination, thought processes and relaxation techniques. Much like a Haruki Murakami novel, the main characters of a curated sound system are brought together with a purpose which is not always readily apparent, and only through the investment of learned association can one necessarily reveal motive and purpose.
It is through spending time with sound system components that one can discern whether they work in harmony or disunity, if it is the latter, then a ticket to ride will not be forthcoming any time soon. One must research, acquire and experience firsthand whether characters in your personal story of high fidelity – be it comprised of tube or solid state gear – will be able to hold your attention and ultimately guide you through a journey culminating in the suspension of disbelief. That listening to music is cited by many as a part o their daily routine to promote wellness, then listening through a thoughtfully assembled stereo system (nee mono), should promote it even further.
As the Listening Space series continues, I find the more individuals I connect with, the more there seems to be a recognition in those being interviewed of separate camps in high fidelity – not a new observation to be sure – particularly those who pursue curation of sound through vintage gear, and those who do not. I currently ride the fence, happily experimenting through pairings of vintage turntables, amps, speakers, preamps and cables with new ones to arrive at my preferred sonic flavour. Does anyone else out there do the same? Please write me and let me know. However you choose your mode of music transportation, enjoy it.
As I’ve written previously regarding this, a listening space is many things to many people, but the common thread which ties all these individuals together is the happiness music heard through a high fidelity system engenders. And so, Listening Space is back with a seventh instalment (Read the first HERE, the second HERE, the third HERE, the fourth HERE, the fifth HERE and the sixth HERE). In this article we connect with Terry Tan of Miri Sarawak, Malaysia.
This escape into hi-fi journalism is supported by Hi-fi Centre.
Photo above: Altec 1593B and replica Western Electric 91B mono blocs. The 91B use original 247A input transformers (circa 1937) which can be seen to the left of the left-hand amplifier.
Resistor Mag: Who is Terry Tan? What’s your backstory?
Terry Tan: “Thanks for inviting me in. I’m from Miri Sarawak, Malaysia. I’m an IT specialist in network technical support and I'm also an online used audio equipment reseller. I’m into music (compact disc), and first pressings. Also, some radio broadcast ‘promo’ albums for system reference. I have collected some LPs. but not really started yet. This will be my next journey to explore.”
Resistor Magazine: Have you ever played, or do you play any musical instruments?
Terry Tan: “I haven't played any instruments but I like to watch other people present and play instruments live.”
Resistor Magazine: Was there music in your childhood? Did anyone in your family listen to music on a stereo system or was it background noise on the radio?
Terry Tan: “I did grow with music when I was a child. My uncle’s house, he owned an ‘80s Sansui sound system, and i still remember the song called “Dancing Queen" from ABBA , and another Chinese Song called "Lao Ge” from Taiwanese singer Cai Qin. This song made me start to connect with music. My dad did not have any sound system when I was kid, I only listened to the radio when at home.”
Resistor Mag: Can you discuss how music plays a role in your life now? Many audiophiles seem to have a complex relationship between music and gear.
Terry Tan: “Music has become an important part of my life now and it can relieve stress. The main reason music is played is to listen comfortably, not to listen to oppressive and loud sounds. I’m enjoying the music presence most of the night time after working. I did not get into suffering audio nervosa.”
Resistor Magazine: Can you recall the first LP (or cassette or CD – physical media) you ever bought?
Terry Tan: “My first Chinese album (compact disc) was by Taiwan Singer Cai Qin in 1998 and this album makes me recall many memories in my life and I’ll still play it.”
Resistor Mag: Your sound system is formidable – few can claim to own Altec A4 – and seems to be in a large, dedicated space. Is it in your home, or do you have it at a separate studio/house/apartment?
Terry Tan: “Because of the huge size of Altec VOTT A4 (probably 2.1m/W x 2.6m/H including horn about 660 lbs) I started to plan a dedicated audio room in the backyard of my home six years ago which is around 475 sqft - (19ft/W x 25ft/L x 13ft/H) mainly for a horn speaker. This room took seven months to complete.”
Resistor Magazine: Is there a theme to your music/record collection, do you cover a lot of genres, or tend to focus on specific ones? Are you into seven-inch 45s? Or mono recordings, for example?
Terry Tan: “I just started my record collection, but it will be in my future plan to start vinyl soon. Majority of the records in my collection are newer 12-inch 45rpm pressings.”
Resistor Magazine: How did you get involved in high-end audio?
Terry Tan: “Well... that is the interesting question. Today high end audio can be categorized into modern type and vintage type. I’m a vintage type, albeit high end equipment. I owned my first sound system set when I was at secondary school in 1995, my first hi-fi set was Pioneer A400x which is a 50 watt/channel solid state intergrated amplifier, Sony CDP590 and Tannoy sixes 601, cabling was Cable Talk, all-in around $400USD from my audiophile friend. I sold this set after two years and upgraded to a vintage valve amplifier. I started this way. Why did I get into the vintage audio gear? It’s all with one reason: vintage audio gear sounds more warm, has a sweet midrange and is relaxing."
“The current system is enough for me to enjoy listening and relieve the stress in my life. Because the system plays emotional music instead of loud and noisy, I can sit in my music room for a long time and enjoy it with peace of mind.”
–Terry Tan
Terry Tan: “My first vintage audio set was a 1947 Leak TK 12.1 mono-bloc, 12-watt triode amplifier from England. CD player was a Studer A730 studio broadcast model, speakers were early Rogers Ls3/5a Gold Blade 15 Ohm. This system use to be my reference for quite some time. I started to change direction in 2009 after visiting some Taiwan vintage high-end audiophiles who were using Western Electric equipment, this is many audiophiles dream system. I sold all my previous audio gear and moved forward into Western Electric equipment… and it took me three-to-five years to secure a set of it.”
Resistor Magazine: Music first, or gear first? Which is the master, which is the servant?
Terry Tan: “For me Music is first. It can raise one's mood, and make me calm and relaxed. Music also allows us to feel nearly, or possibly, all emotions that we experience in our lives. Audio gear just a secondary option for me.”
Resistor Magazine: Tubes, solid state or both? And Why?
Terry Tan: “What is tube sound? – I feel tube sound is analog, and has full-bodied scale, sounds smooth, relaxed and more emotional. There's a fullness to tube sound that solid-state equipment lacks.”
Resistor Magazine: Describe your current system in detail and how you ended up with what you have.
Tony Tan: “Current system consists of a Sony CDP3000 (Player 1 & Player 2) / CDS3000 (main control playback system) / CDF3000 (output fader) used as a pre-out. This CD player is made up of a CDS-3000 remote control unit and CDP-3000 Compact-Disc player with one CDF-3000 fader volume output. This is a system for professional use marketed from 1984 (for the Japanese market, 1985 for Europe) and in production until 1990. Because of its vocation, the reader is equipped with balanced audio outputs on XLR bases, 3-pin power cables (separate power supply for each element of the system), the interconnection readers / control unit being carried out by means of cables with DB15 connectors. An additional DB9 socket on the back of each CDP-3000 allows control by an optional wired remote."
Photo left: Part of Tan's CD collection.
Photo above: Sony CDS-3000 control unit with headphone out.
Terry Tan: “The presence of two CD players may suggest that the CDS-3000 control unit allows a sound fade between the two sources, thus acting as a mixing desk. This is not the case, since the CDS has no audio outputs, except for a headphone output on the front. However, an optional module equipped with XLR inputs and outputs allowing the mixing of signals between the two players was offered by the manufacturer. This was inserted between the CDS and the CDPs and was attached to the right side of the console (CDS). Without the addition of this module, the set therefore behaves like a double CD player with a separate control panel, and the absence of effects functions (fading, mixing, etc.) limits the possibilities of use in a professional environment. In addition to an uncommon presentation for the time, the CDP-3000 reader surprises with its depth (47 cm) and its weight (approx. 8 kg), despite being more compact compared to the previous model CDP-5000 (52 kg)."
Photo above: Tan pictured in his dedicated hi-fi studio with his vintage Altec A4. The structure took seven months to construct and complete.
Terry Tan: “Western Electric 91B mono bloc amplifiers (majority of parts are original) with 247A (1937) input transformers, using 300B x 1 / 310A x 2 / 274A x 1. In 1936, under its film sound subsidiary Electrical Research Products Incorporated (ERPI), Western Electric commissioned the 91 amplifier for use in the wall-mounted Type 500A amplifier set. Amplifier sets like the 500A combined with a projector, loudspeakers, and other tube amplifiers to make up "Wide Range" and subsequent "Mirrophonic" sound systems in the 1930s. These early sound systems, manufactured, installed, and maintained by Western Electric, introduced a booming Hollywood movie industry and moviegoers worldwide to the magical, yet naturalistic wonder of high-fidelity sound reproduction. Even small-to-midsize hometown venues, for which the WE91 series was designed, could be equipped with lifelike, synchronized sound for motion picture. Light years have passed since the birth of electroacoustics and yet the 300B remains the triode of choice for serious music lovers worldwide. The 91B's output stage utilizes the 300A (the 300B's almost identical predecessor) to effortlessly reproduce film soundtracks in a large room, with only 8 watts / channel output."
Photos below: Left – An original 1930 Mullard Master Four Radio (still working). Right – A mix of crossovers employed with the Altec A4 including a custom DIY (300Hz) breadboard-mounted one from Japan, and the vintage Altec N500C and N500F.
Photo right: One-to-one replica Western Electric 91B, 300B valve mono bloc.
Terry Tan: “Speakers are vintage Altec Lansing VOTT (Voice Of The Theater) A4, complete with wings. The A4 tips the scales at 290kg, are 109dB efficient, with a 500Hz crossover (N500C or N500F), is an 16 Ω two-way, bass-reflex system with front horn (805B / 300HZ) and 515B bass driver. These are in the "A" series Altec production line. The A4 and versions of the VOTT were introduced in 1945 to much acclaim. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences immediately began tests of the new system that confirmed the sonic improvements. By 1955, the Academy adopted the VOTT as the industry standard for motion picture playback.
"The VOTT's were to remain in production at Altec into the 1990's. The A4 utilized a single H210 cabinet with attached wing walls to reinforce the bass response. The drive units in the VOTT were the 288C high frequency compression driver and 515B low frequency bass driver. However, these units were more of an evolutionary development compared to the significant advance of the 210 bass horn. The 288 was actually a permanent magnet version of the field coil 287 with only a few refinements.
"The 515 bass driver was a legacy of the previous 604 duplex design. The need to mount a horn throat inside the cone's voice coil resulted in the use of a 3-inch diameter coil for the bass driver. This design was carried over into the new 515 woofer since the larger diameter brought a number of advantages in efficiency and power handling. This driver, along with the cone of the 604, were the first examples of 15-inch drivers using flat-wire coils.
"Cabling is Western Electric 16AWG power cord, Western Electric multistrand cable for interconnect and speakers cable.These cables were made in the ‘20s (16WG single solid core / multistrand from the ‘30s through the ‘50s).”
*Info courtesy Lansing Heritage.
Photos above: Vintage Mark Levinson ML1 preamplifier with PLS external power supply, Fairchild 412 turntable with Fairchild 280A and General Electric mono cartridge.
Terry Tan: "On the analog side, I have a vintage Fairchild 412 turntable with Fairchild 280A and General Electric mono cartridge. This will feed into a '70s Mark Levinson ML1 preamplifier with PLS external power supply. I also have a vintage PKE EA-06 moving magnet phono preamplifier."
Resistor Magazine: Would you describe your sound system, and the music it plays as an emotional comfort? Does it help promote well being – relaxation – in your life? I ask because many audiophiles suffer from audio nervosa.
Terry Tan: “The current system is enough for me to enjoy listening and relieve the stress in my life. Because the system plays emotional music instead of loud and noisy, I can sit in my music room for a long time and enjoy it with peace of mind.”
Resistor Magazine: What have you learned about high fidelity over the years you’ve curated your equipment? Is there any advice you’d pass on to those looking to explore this world and integrate a system like yours into their life?
Terry Tan: “Just enjoy the music, and don’t get caught up in whatever others are saying or doing. Do your own thing.”
You can follow Tan on Instagram as @vintageaudiolab
Photo below: Vintage Altec 805B multicell horn with Altec 288C compression driver used in the A4 setup.
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