Not. The coolest audio aspect of Robert's double-size flat were the upscale Sonance 3-way inwalls driven by Willy Bauer's dps turntable or an Audio Note 4.1x tube DAC and a Roksan top-loading transport. With double-stereo in the big room from two pairs on opposing walls and one ceiling-mounted pair in the office driven from an Eastern Electric tube amp, this was about as stealthy, elegant, friendly and good-sounding an installation as one could imagine.


Look Ma - no speakers! As a very active eBay vinyl trader, Robert had plenty of LPs all over the place and took receipt of a new dps table the day we arrived, swiftly placing it inside a study cabinet with literally micro inches of space to spare [below]. With plenty of art objects on display, all cannily lit by a whole armada of remote-controlled lighting, this was an exceedingly well-appointed space that suffered nothing for not being bogged down by visible audio gear. And if you think inwalls are compromised dispensers of tricke/tinkle sonic wallpaper, think again - especially when concealed subwoofers enter the picture and the front-end is as choice as what Robert had on tap.


Using an Audio Note remote-control preamp for the multi-channel Sonance power amp for the big-room and kitchen inwalls (via the tape-out), the MiniMax for the office and the Audio Note 300B with Western Electrics for the freestanding AudioNote speakers flanking a Samsung High-Definition rear projection television in the study, all the electronics were hidden behind stretched-canvas doors for a clean appearance in keeping with the designer aspects of the space.


In a dedicated vinyl-only sound room, Robert had a top-of-the-line Level 5 AudioNote UK system with 2A3 monos, a tube pre and phono stage, Peter's AudioNote arm, cartridge and step-up transformer and RoomLens resonators as spatial expanders.


With hand-painted walls, tasty carpeting and low lighting, this room epitomized small-scale intimacy. The visual setup of the 'monitors' in stunning furniture-grade veneer and the custom Mahogany rack happily avoided the he-man ambitions so often portrayed in audio mags but shunned by real-world folks who don't want to sacrifice their rooms at the greedy altar of sound.


Two 7' tall custom LP cabinets were strategically placed on the first-reflection sidewall spot while two more occupied the corners behind the slightly toed-in two-way speakers. Ceiling treatment was mounted above a -- very comfy -- listening chair with foot stool and a Moth Audio valve attenuator provided additional dimmed lightning if desired.


Robert also collects rare tubes and had openly displayed and hidden caches of NOS valves in multiple locations, with a tubed and fully operational McIntosh tuner and a highly modified pair of Cabasse speakers in 'our' bedroom.


In keeping with the fruity theme of our tour, what did the 'big rig' sound like?

Think warm home-made apple pie - comfort food. Never sharp, edgy or disagreeable, the AudioNote vinyl system exhibited somewhat limited depth, this due to the close-wall placement, with excellent lateral spread and an overall sound that was clearly focused on midrange magic and thus stunning on all manner of Jazz. On complex orchestral works, it wasn't the last word in sorting out congested traffic conditions but had beautiful tone, with an emphasis on intimate rather than attempting hyper-resolved or dramatically charged.


Apple pie with cinnamon and honey instead of cane sugar is indeed a perfectly fitting stand-in for Robert's aural focus. It revels in long-term listening pleasure over audiophile fireworks and recalls a classic, somewhat old-fashioned sound suggestive of living at a slower speed, a perfect counterpoint to the 24/7 buzz New York City generates as a matter of course. Lacquered 13-layer Birch ply, Mahogany rack, vinyl, valves - it all added up to the aural equivalent of the picture on your left.

As we shall see in upcoming chapters that will chronicle the further stops of this tour, each owner assembles a system based on a personal aesthetic. Harvey 'Gizmo' Rosenberg was fond of calling the assembly of a fine audio system a highly creative enterprise of self expression. That's indeed what it boils down to - translating personal preferences and desires into a construct of hardware that creates a sonic space in which you feel at home. Don't expect reviewer critique from me then. All I shall attempt for this tour is to describe different flavors of sound and presentations to illustrate the wide range of possible outcomes that make this hobby as open-ended as it is. With sincere thanks to Robert Lighton for a wonderful place to stay and good company, I shall leave this installment with an artist quote taken off one of the LPs he played for us: "When I die, I want to be cremated, my ashes mixed with pot to be smoked by beautiful people to have a good time." If you know who said that, you know your Jazz and all that. Pass it around. Cheers.