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This review first appeared in the April 2011 issue of hi-end hifi magazine High Fidelity of Poland. You can also read this review of the Loit Passeri in its original Polish version. We publish its English translation in a mutual syndication arrangement with publisher Wojciech Pacula. As is customary for our own reviews, the writer's signature at review's end shows an e-mail address should you have questions or wish to send feedback. All images contained in this review are the property of High Fidelity or Loit.

In November 2011 I was solicited to review the Loit Passeri. Given its stout price but lack of any digital input I declined. I talked about it in this industry feature. My colleague Wojciech Pacuła didn’t feel hampered by the same compunctions however which now allows us to publish a review of this flagship player regardless – Ed.

Reviewer: Wojciech Pacuła
CD player: Ancient Audio Lektor Air
Phono preamplifier: RCM Audio Sensor Prelude IC
Cartridges: Air Tight Supreme, Miyajima Laboratory Waza
Preamplifier: Ayon Audio Polaris III with Regenerator power supply version II
Power amplifier: Tenor Audio 175S, Soulution 710
Integrated amplifier/headphone amplifier: Leben CS300 XS Custom version
Loudspeakers: Harpia Acoustics Dobermann
Headphones: Sennheiser HD800, AKG K701, Ultrasone PROLine 2500, Beyerdynamic DT-990 Pro
Interconnects: CD-preamp Acrolink Mexcel 7N-DA6300, preamp-power amp Wireworld Platinum Eclipse
Speaker cable: Tara Labs Omega Onyx
Power cables: Acrolink Mexcel 7N-PC9300
Power conditioning: Gigawatt PF-2
Audio stand: Base
Resonance control: Finite Elemente Ceraball under the CD player, Pro Audio Bono platform under CD player
Review component retails: €22.000


I learnt of the Loit project by coincidence more than a year ago and was delighted. Check out these concept drawings to step into my shoes. They were created in April 2007 by Russian industrial designer Artemy Lebedev of Art Lebedev Studio. The project investor to realize these drawings became privately owned Loit Design Private Limited based out of Singapore. According to Lebedev, he worked with the following design parameters – the player had to be unique, beautiful and brilliant like a piece of jewelry. Together with the player whose working title at the time was Eagle he also conceptualized an amplifier which would form an anti-vibration platform for the player to sit on. Seeing these drawings I quickly contacted Loit and asked about review interest for High Fidelity. "Yes! As soon as work on the player is complete you will be the first person in the world to see and test it."

Many years passed during which the company had to overcome technical challenges to adapt the project to the real world. I think final cosmetics actualy exceed the original concept renderings but the essential shape and main features were obviously retained. The machine is based on the Philips CD-Pro2 LF drive and six Russian 6H30 twin triodes (three per side) which handle voltage gain and I/V conversion (the latter is very rare). Loit has since patented their single-stage active current/voltage circuit.

The Passeri chassis consists of two modules, a very rigid triangular frame of vibration-resistant molded steel and a braided carbon fiber cover atop that frame. Carbon fiber not only has vibration attenuating but also electromagnetic shielding properties which sees it routinely used in upscale cables and equipment rack shelves these days. Loit's display is a large custom LCD panel and the machine rests on three large corner pillars.

The company’s Kam Lup Yoong did everything in his power to facilitate a speedy delivery of an eventual review loaner.


The first unit shipped to their Dutch representative and was on the verge to move on to Poland when I was asked to allow them to first showcase it during an industry event. The more people would see it the better so I said ‘why not’.


This led to a brief stay with a French reviewer so that after all I wasn’t the first person to spend time with it.
  

Dutch show system of Loit Passeri, Kanzy Kaam-1000 integrated amplifier,
Blumenhofer Acoustics Geniun FS1 speakers and Heaven's Gate cabling


Perhaps that was fortuitous. The player quickly became damaged having originally been designed for 220V. With our European 230V power lines certain voltage stabilizers self-destructed. This also took out the ultra-low jitter OCXO word clock. This Passeri unit was repaired in Holland but the original clock module wouldn’t reactivate so the stock clock of the CD Pro2 had to be connected instead.

I now had to decide whether to accept this repaired unit or wait another half year for a new one (these players are made to order against an advance order list). I thus accepted the machine as is with the proviso that when a new 230V unit became available I'd write an addendum.


Sound – CDs used during the review: Stereo Sound Reference Record. Jazz & Vocal, Stereo Sound, SSRR4, SACD/CD; Ann Richards, Ann, Man!, ATCO/Atlantic Records/Warner Music Japan, WPCR-25181, CD; Cassandra Wilson, Silver Pony, Blue Note, 29752, CD; Charlie Haden & Antonio Forcione, Heartplay, Naim, naimcd098, CD; Chris Connor, Chris Connor, Atlantic/Warner Music Japan, WPCR-25163, CD; Chris Connor, Witchcraft, Atlantic/Warner Music Japan, WPCR-25166, CD; David Gilmour, On An Island, EMI, 355695, CCD.


Depeche Mode, Ultra, Mute, DMCDX9, Collectors Edition, CD+DVD+FLAC 24/44.1; Dominic Miller, Fourth Wall, Qrious Music, QRM 108-2, CD; Freddie Hubbard, Open Sesame, Blue Note/Audio Wave, AWMXR-0012, XRCD24.; George Michael, Faith, Epic/Sony Music, 7753020, 2 CD+DVD; Gerry Mulligan Quartet, Dragonfly, Telarc, CD-83377, CD; Harry Belafonte, Belafonte at Carnegie Hall, RCA/Sony Music, 7783322, LPCD-M2 Mastering, No. 0953, HQCD; Jim Hall, Live!, Horizon/A&M Records/Universal Music Japan, UCCM-9225, CD; Laurie Anderson, Homeland, Nonesuch Records, 524055-2, CD+DVD;; Madaleine Peyroux, Bare Bones, Rounder/Universal Music LLC (Japan), UCCU-1188, CD; Milt Jackson Quartet, Statements, Impulse!/Universal Classic&Jazz/Victor Entertainment, UCCI-9088, CD; Pink Floyd, The Dark Side Of The Moon, EMI/EMI Music Japan, TOGP-15001, SACD/CD; Savage, Ten Years Ago (Twenty Years Later), Extravaganza Publishing Srl/Klub80, CD002, CD; Savage, Tonight, Extravaganza Publishing Srl/Klub80, CD001, 25th Anniversary Limited Edition, CD; Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto, Getz/Gilberto, Verve, 24/96 FLAC; Suzanne Vega, Close-Up, Vol 1. Love Songs, Amanuensis Productions/Cooking Vinyl, COOKCD521, CD; The George Shearing Quintet & Nancy Wilson, The Swinging’s Mutual!, Capitol/Toshiba-EMI, TOCJ-9468, CD; Thom Yorke, The Eraser, XL Records/Warner Music Japan, WPCB-10001, CD.