I just thought I’d pass on some thoughts of a fascinating visit today.
Paul Stratton runs Z Axis Audio, based in Sussex, South Of London. His main trade is as a master furniture craftsman, but his big passion is high end audio, and under the name Z Axis he manufactures a range of audio components including a balanced power transformer, equipment racks/isolation and cables. He also is a main dealer for Concert Fidelity amps and dac from Japan, and runs a heavily modified Sony DD tt in a nested plinth he designed, with an SAEC506 12” tonearm and ViRa Aidas Panzerholz diamond MC cart, Allnic H3000 phono, Esoteric K07 transport. He has also heavily modded a pr of ML Spire stats, removing woofers and crossovers from the main spkrs and isolating these in beefed up seperate cabinets with upgraded parts.
Paul was a great host, happy to have me over despite me not being an immediate customer, putting up with my desire to hear good analog as a compare for my current tt reinstall.
We had been in intermittent contact for a while, and so when the opportunity arose to visit, I took it. Paul was gracious enough to drive me 50 miles to and from a distant destination due to train issues.
I took my “go to” lp, my desert island disc, Stomo Yamashta “Go”, an amazing exercise in continuous music covering atmospherics, ambient, symphonic, avant garde, percussion frenzy, funk and ballad, featuring Steve Winwood, Al Di Meola and Klaus Schulze, all wrapped up in mid 70s expansive production. Paul added some Ravel after for good measure.
—
I’m a pretty critical listener, having heard some downright poor and unbalanced systems recently that couldn’t be redeemed.
But I also recognise a thoroughly impressive and consistent sound when I hear it, and that was the case today.
First I was truly struck by the seamless sound on offer, certainly a first in my experience of MLs. There was no apparent disconnect of stat panels and woofers, maybe a direct result of seperating the subs boxes/crossovers and beefing up cabinets. Whatever, this was hugely impressive, I just felt I was listening more to full range drivers, albeit with vastly increased frequency range. Music truly appeared with no hint of where from. Bass was highly impressive, mids went back forever, and treble soared but was never cutting. Here, the Concert Fidelity amps showed their mettle truly providing the music and getting right out of the way. All message, no messenger.
The analog setup was not as I expected it to sound. A 1970s Japanese DD could have been harsh, grey, mechanical. On the contrary, the sound was natural, warm, detailed and nimble. I was highly impressed, also with the 1970s SAEC506 arm, surely a great alternative to the SME 3012R. The biggest surprise was the little known Aidas MC cart, truly even top to bottom, and without doubt the best cart I’ve heard wrt surface noise - there was minimal evidence of this on my lp that is not that quiet in my system. A true uber performer.
It was hard to seperate out other aspects of Paul’s system, but the consistent, expansive, immersive and downright enjoyable sound must have been a synergy of carefully chosen components, superbly modded gear, and Paul’s very own personally designed balanced transformer, rack and cables.
Paul is a really friendly voice on varied topics on WBF, was even more charming and self effacing in person, and runs a truly exemplary system with fascinating components created with his personal stamp.
A wholly enjoyable day, thanks Paul.
Paul Stratton runs Z Axis Audio, based in Sussex, South Of London. His main trade is as a master furniture craftsman, but his big passion is high end audio, and under the name Z Axis he manufactures a range of audio components including a balanced power transformer, equipment racks/isolation and cables. He also is a main dealer for Concert Fidelity amps and dac from Japan, and runs a heavily modified Sony DD tt in a nested plinth he designed, with an SAEC506 12” tonearm and ViRa Aidas Panzerholz diamond MC cart, Allnic H3000 phono, Esoteric K07 transport. He has also heavily modded a pr of ML Spire stats, removing woofers and crossovers from the main spkrs and isolating these in beefed up seperate cabinets with upgraded parts.
Paul was a great host, happy to have me over despite me not being an immediate customer, putting up with my desire to hear good analog as a compare for my current tt reinstall.
We had been in intermittent contact for a while, and so when the opportunity arose to visit, I took it. Paul was gracious enough to drive me 50 miles to and from a distant destination due to train issues.
I took my “go to” lp, my desert island disc, Stomo Yamashta “Go”, an amazing exercise in continuous music covering atmospherics, ambient, symphonic, avant garde, percussion frenzy, funk and ballad, featuring Steve Winwood, Al Di Meola and Klaus Schulze, all wrapped up in mid 70s expansive production. Paul added some Ravel after for good measure.
—
I’m a pretty critical listener, having heard some downright poor and unbalanced systems recently that couldn’t be redeemed.
But I also recognise a thoroughly impressive and consistent sound when I hear it, and that was the case today.
First I was truly struck by the seamless sound on offer, certainly a first in my experience of MLs. There was no apparent disconnect of stat panels and woofers, maybe a direct result of seperating the subs boxes/crossovers and beefing up cabinets. Whatever, this was hugely impressive, I just felt I was listening more to full range drivers, albeit with vastly increased frequency range. Music truly appeared with no hint of where from. Bass was highly impressive, mids went back forever, and treble soared but was never cutting. Here, the Concert Fidelity amps showed their mettle truly providing the music and getting right out of the way. All message, no messenger.
The analog setup was not as I expected it to sound. A 1970s Japanese DD could have been harsh, grey, mechanical. On the contrary, the sound was natural, warm, detailed and nimble. I was highly impressed, also with the 1970s SAEC506 arm, surely a great alternative to the SME 3012R. The biggest surprise was the little known Aidas MC cart, truly even top to bottom, and without doubt the best cart I’ve heard wrt surface noise - there was minimal evidence of this on my lp that is not that quiet in my system. A true uber performer.
It was hard to seperate out other aspects of Paul’s system, but the consistent, expansive, immersive and downright enjoyable sound must have been a synergy of carefully chosen components, superbly modded gear, and Paul’s very own personally designed balanced transformer, rack and cables.
Paul is a really friendly voice on varied topics on WBF, was even more charming and self effacing in person, and runs a truly exemplary system with fascinating components created with his personal stamp.
A wholly enjoyable day, thanks Paul.