I had a chance to visit Sameer this past weekend to listen to his setup but this time with the Ayon Stratos DAC/Pre and LM monoblocks. I had earlier visited when he had the Ayon Skylla and LM Integrated (connected as power amp). A lot has changed in his setup since that visit. Sameer has a very definite idea what he likes and has tried different gear in his pursuit of his preferred sound. After he told me that he was now quite satisfied with his setup I wanted to listen to it once again.
Music source was the Lumin feeding the Ayon Stratos via the Berkeley Audio Design Alpha (BADA) USB.
First up was our newly discovered Amancio d'Silva album "Konkan Dance". The album opens up with a trippy base line that gets you into a mellow groove and we were off. Before we knew it we were three songs deep into the album which gives you an idea of the seductive nature of the sound. By the time we reached the lovely guitar solo work in "A Song for Francesca" we were well and truly pulled into the music. And that is where we stayed more or less for the entire evening. Just grab a beer, kick back and relax as the music just washed over us. The album closes out with a rocker of number in “Konkan Dance” which got my attention with it’s grinding guitar and sax work.
Sameer has a serious jazz collection and I was treated to a delightful lineup starting with Wynton Marsalis, Ornette Coleman, the Manhattan Jazz Quintet and a Miles Davis tribute album “4 Generations of Miles” featuring George Coleman, Mike Stern, Ron Carter and Jimmy Cobb. To say that the time went by too quickly would be an understatement. Ornette Coleman’s classic “Change of the Century” was just sublime as we went through “Ramblin” “Free” and “Face of the Bass”. For good measure we got in a little bit of Cecille Mclorin Savant’s “Woman Child” – what a voice!
I prefer to ask people to play whatever music they like when I visit because it gives an idea of what kind of music they listen to and (maybe) gives an idea of the kind of factors that go into how they voice their preferred sound. Sameer, as I have come to know him, has a discerning ear that leans towards music by small ensembles in intimate settings. Delicacy and tonal richness are essential. No surprise at all in seeing Sameer move towards the rich musicality of the 300B driven Line Magnetics. And let’s not forget the incredible Ayon Stratos. However, the Pure Audio Project Open Baffle speakers offer a superb clear lens to project all that musical goodness coming down the wire.
Sameer has put together a fine system – again!
.
Music source was the Lumin feeding the Ayon Stratos via the Berkeley Audio Design Alpha (BADA) USB.
First up was our newly discovered Amancio d'Silva album "Konkan Dance". The album opens up with a trippy base line that gets you into a mellow groove and we were off. Before we knew it we were three songs deep into the album which gives you an idea of the seductive nature of the sound. By the time we reached the lovely guitar solo work in "A Song for Francesca" we were well and truly pulled into the music. And that is where we stayed more or less for the entire evening. Just grab a beer, kick back and relax as the music just washed over us. The album closes out with a rocker of number in “Konkan Dance” which got my attention with it’s grinding guitar and sax work.
Sameer has a serious jazz collection and I was treated to a delightful lineup starting with Wynton Marsalis, Ornette Coleman, the Manhattan Jazz Quintet and a Miles Davis tribute album “4 Generations of Miles” featuring George Coleman, Mike Stern, Ron Carter and Jimmy Cobb. To say that the time went by too quickly would be an understatement. Ornette Coleman’s classic “Change of the Century” was just sublime as we went through “Ramblin” “Free” and “Face of the Bass”. For good measure we got in a little bit of Cecille Mclorin Savant’s “Woman Child” – what a voice!
I prefer to ask people to play whatever music they like when I visit because it gives an idea of what kind of music they listen to and (maybe) gives an idea of the kind of factors that go into how they voice their preferred sound. Sameer, as I have come to know him, has a discerning ear that leans towards music by small ensembles in intimate settings. Delicacy and tonal richness are essential. No surprise at all in seeing Sameer move towards the rich musicality of the 300B driven Line Magnetics. And let’s not forget the incredible Ayon Stratos. However, the Pure Audio Project Open Baffle speakers offer a superb clear lens to project all that musical goodness coming down the wire.
Sameer has put together a fine system – again!
.
