Creation is the key!
Music is an essential mode of expression because it brings true pleasure and is one of the easiest ways to travel through different cultures. It's an immediate feeling which enters deeply into the soul and lives there forever. I've always lived with it. And very soon I realized that I would need good equipment to appreciate great sound. But as I spent a very long time moving from place to place throughout the world, I quickly grew accustomed to compact solutions. I used many monitors of all kinds: Triangle Minimum, Rogers LS 3/5a, Boston Lynnfield 300L, Dynaudio Contour 1.3, Dynaudio Contour Special 25, Pierre-Etienne Leon Quattro Reference, JCT Acoustics Héritage. They are tiny but offer a very special kind of truthfulness. And I love integrateds too with both sources and amps even though I must admit that my regular integrated amp is not exactly compact with its 50cm depth and 25kg weight. But it should deal with the 1.2 kVA and 360 watts!
I love the minimalist approach but early on dove into the deepest levels of optimization and tweaks. As far as I remember, wires have always been one of my serious subjects of reflection. Plus AC power and vibrations. That's why I use a lot of Acoustic System accessories. They are absolutely essential. One by one, I tried all the great speakers stands and Franck Tchang's are simply the best! I also love simple but effective wires from Crystal, MPC and Hi-Fi Cables & Co - discrete but powerful.

As an audio journalist, I've enjoyed the privilege to hear between 15 and 20 new products every month for fifteen years. This permits me to forge a serious value scale. But as an editor, I clearly know that it's essential to be extremely attached to product longevity because music lovers acquire components for a long time, not just a brief weekend audition.

Never forget that the system is a tool and nothing else. It's the

way and not the goal. In hifi like with many other topics, one should always look at the creator to fully understand the creation. Creation is key and the true human aspect is fundamental. I deeply respect the men behind their work, in hifi as in all great things in life. Just keep one thing in mind: When the system performs at its best, it's a good time to forget it and let the music -- and wine -- flow!