Maxx Audio Visual In Seremban.

KL hifi gang bangers making their way in to Maxx Audio Visual. See if you can spot the identities these guys?

Maxx Audio Visual showroom is located at 66, Jalan Toman 4, Kemayan Square, Seremban town, about an hour's drive from south of Kuala Lumpur. A few KL hifi gang bangers were making a day trip to Seremban to meet up with like minded enthusiast, and sample their audio systems, plus tuck in some of those famous original Seremban Siew Pau!

First stop along the way, we stop by Maxx Audio Visual and share with you, pictures of their showroom.

Maxx Audio Visual main foyer is mostly dedicated to Triangle loudspeakers and Exposure electronics. Seen here on demo are the latest Triangle color, with matching stands.

More Triangle, Genesis Trio speakers with their dedicated designed stands.

Thriangle Espirit series loudspeakers, and some pre-owned hifi selections.

Cables galore, XLO, Kimber and MIT.

Maxx Audio Visual is the authorised Triangle distributor in Malaysia.

This is the high end AV demo room,

A closer look at some of the AV components that make this room tick.

Triangle Magellan Cello(left), standing proud next to Genese Quartet, which is a bargain speaker for it's size! Interested? Call Maxx Loh to find out.

A Krell 250W stereo power amp driving either pair of Triangle floor standers.

SVS PB13-Ultra flagship sub woofer. Hear to believe the mind blowing experience!

This SVS is the biggest, baddest...ass sub woofer I've heard. It's got the power to not only shake the room, floor or sofa, but also one's pair of guli-es(balls). During the AV demo, I felt all that with my trouser's bottom flapping too!

After the totally out of this world AV demo experience, with our guli-es shaken, not stirred, we headed for those famous Seremban Siew Paus.

You can contact Maxx Audio Visual by calling Benjamin or Maxx Loh at 06 7620811 or 017 6778820. And lastly, don't worry, they are really friendly chaps!

Excellently Made - Kimber Kable KS-3033 Loudspeaker Cables

With the Kimber Kable KS-3033 loudspeaker cables in my system, the cycle was finally complete.

I have progressively moved from Kimber’s power cords (PK14 and PK10 Gold), to its interconnects (KCAG) and now its loudspeaker cables, the KS-3033, to complete an all-Kimber installation.

The KS-3033 is the entry model in the Kimber Select loudspeaker cables range. In the 3-series Select cables, the KS-3033 is a copper cable. Going higher, you’ll get the KS-3035, a copper and silver hybrid. Finally, the KS-3038, a fully silver loudspeaker cable.


The packaging and the construction of the KS-3033 is the best I have come across among loudspeaker cables, well worth the RM10,470/8tf pair list price. The pair came in a sturdy, padded, genuine Pelican case – way much better than the cardboard boxes and plastic bags that the others came in.


The KS-3033 is a very thick cable, using the description ‘water hose’ will not be inappropriate. The pair came with beautiful WBT bananas on both ends. The cable’s girth, its sheath design and colour, gave it a sort of menacing, macho look.

Hooking them up between my amp and the loudspeakers was no problem despite its size. It was flexible and could be easily routed.


Describing the physical attributes of the cable is easy, describing the sound is more difficult. I mean this in a good way though. The KS-3033 handled the entire frequency spectrum equally well, there was no one area that stuck out. It did not have an overt character anywhere.

With this even-handed temperament, the KS-3033 let the rest of the system speak for itself. Anyone who does not like cable to be a tone control should just check the KS-3033 out.

I believe anyone who moves up to the KS-3033 will be impressed by its supple and tuneful bass, its clear and natural mids and the clean, smooth highs.


My own set of cables was eventually swapped out of the system and the rest of Kimber Kable went in, creating what’s called a “cable loom”.

As expected, and in line with previous experience, there was no matching problem. The Kimber sound was beautifully even. The little treble dryness that I noticed with the PK-14 power cords was there, but was not obtrusive. I’d take it any day compared to, say, an unruly or jangly highs. I believe it was also easily cured if it was not your own cup of tea, exchanging them with the excellent PK-10 Gold will just do it.

In a sea of cable brands where some occupy the ‘smooth and refined’ end, and others go to the ‘big sound and impactful’ end, Kimber Kable occupies the great middle ground. With Kimber, I had the uncanny feeling that I was just listening to the recording and the equipment that reproduced it. Kimber’s cables were just quietly and faithfully passing the music signal on from one piece of equipment to the next.

And that is just how it should be.

Kimber Kable is available from Hi-Way Laser. Contact Kenny 03-7873.8325; 019-281.3399 .

Excellent Silver – Kimber Kable KCAG interconnects

This is second step of my ongoing investigation of Kimber Kable. After the earlier listening of Kimber’s power cords, I went on to its KCAG silver interconnects.

The 2 pairs of KCAG interconnects replaced my own Audioquest Sky and JPS Superconductor 2. One pair went from my Ayre C-5xeMP universal player to Pass Labs X2.5 pre-amp and the other pair from the pre-amp to Pass Labs XA60 monoblocks.

The KCAG is a slim cable, I could make out 3 shoestring-like silver cables weaved together to form one interconnect. Its slimness makes it very flexible, thus installing them and routing them in the system was not a problem at all.


As a silver cable, the KCAG has many of the virtues typical of silver cables. They sound very clear and open. The image was highly focused and nicely delineated, that means that soundstaging in terms of image specificity was very very good.

The KCAG’s best performance area was the highs, it was very extended and also sparkly, yet sounding smooth and never jangly. It sounded more extended than the copper cables I have heard and even slightly more extended than my Audioquest Sky, which incidentally is also silver.

The 2 pairs of KCAG, when compared to my Audioquest+JPS combination, were leaner in the mids. I suppose it is a matter of listener taste, see whether you tend towards a focused and slimmer sound or a more, for the lack of a better word, voluptuous one.

The KCAG’s bass was good too, though not offering as much impact as copper cables. It sounded well defined and tuneful. It was a more organic bass sound. Listening to jazz, for example, each double bass notes sounded natural and different, rather than an incessant drone.

For its list price of RM3,470 per balanced meter pair, the KCAG offers excellent value for one to go into the silver cable world.


Now, I am also building up to a Kimber Kable ‘cable loom’, i.e., same-brand cable in the entire system. The KCAG is the second step. Pairing the KCAG with Kimber’s own power cords, the PK14 and PK10 Gold (refer to my post here for the write-up on the power cords), I have to say that the cable loom proponents do have a point.

It is all a matter of matching.

The solid bass from the Kimber power cords, especially the PK10 Gold, made the system's bass into a articulate and yet an impactful one. While the quietness of the power cords allowed the clarity and extension of the KCAG to shine through. It was like having the best of both worlds.

I preferred the performance of the KCAG with the Kimber PK14/PK10 Gold power cords, rather than my own set of Shunyata (which are more a midrange beast). The all Kimber pairing complement each other better.

While I am not saying not to mix and match cable brands, I do think now that sticking with a cable brand throughout lessens or eliminates the probability of making a mistake, i.e., a cable mismatch. If you have an aim to achieve a certain sound with your cables, by all means go ahead and find the best cable combination for the job; otherwise, the success and return may be higher if you stick to just one.

I shall now go on to the third and last Kimber Kable cable pair, the KS-3033 loudspeaker cables. They are next.

Kimber Kable is available from Hi-Way Laser. Contact Kenny 03-7873.8325; 019-281.3399 .

Solid Performers - Kimber Kable PK-14 and PK-10 Gold power cords

This is the first step in putting into my system a complete set of cables from one cable company, to make what's called a 'cable loom'. The cables come from Kimber Kable. Refer to my post on October 25 "Kimber Kable Loom' for the details of the cables to be used.

Slowly building downstream to the complete Kimber set, I started with the power cords. Hi-Way Laser provided 2 pieces of PK-14, Kimber's entry level power cords at RM850/6ft; and 2 pieces of PK-10 Gold, one step away from its top Palladian model, at RM1,490/6ft. The model number is also the gauge number of the power cords. Thus the PK-10 Gold is a much thicker power cord than the PK-14. Common sense would dictate that the thicker cords should go to the more power hungry components, i.e., my monoblocks that draw 300+ watts continuous; and the thinner one into the frontend components, and that was how I started.

I checked Kimber's website for the difference in the power cords' additional designation, which are, in addition to the basic version, 'Gold' and 'Palladian'. The difference is apparently in the quality of the Wattgate connectors used - the basic models use Wattgate Economy connectors, while the Gold and Palladian models use Wattgate Audio Grade connectors. In addition, the Palladian models have a box added to the middle section of the power cords, ala MIT and Transparent.

The PK-14 and PK-10 Gold power cords are very well built. They feel robust, weighty and 'no non-sense', just a solid cable with solid connectors put on both ends.

Kimber Kable PK-14 Power Cords

I started with the PK-14s replacing my Shunyata Python Hellix's on my CD player and my pre-amp. The Python cost more than 4 times the PK-14. Though I have to say that the PK-14 was bettered by the Python, it held itself well (I should be relieved that my high-investment cords bettered the cheaper ones ;-) ).

The PK-14 was quiet and clear. It imbued the sound with excellent solidity and good body, rather than being effervescent or diffused. The sound had very good foundation. The soundstage was also very well defined and well anchored. I came to see these as the common traits of Kimber's power cords after I put the PK-10 Gold into the system too.

The PK-14, when compared to my Shunyata Python Helix, however, had a less sparkly quality and was also slightly drier. Such a comparison was of course unfair, due to the huge gulf in price. I wanted to see if the PK-14 was a worthy first upgrade step from stock power cord, those that come packed with our equipment. So I duly made the comparison.

There was no contest, I always preferred the PK-14.

The stock power cord sounded loose and the details were not so well defined. The PK-14 also showed up with better bass weight and bass definition.

The PK-14 would be a worthwhile companion for entry and mid-level components. If your equipment sounded a bit bright, splashy and lacking some body, try the PK-14.

Kimber Kable PK-10 Gold Power Cords. Note the high quality Wattgate Audio Grade Connectors

Next, I replaced the Shunyata Taipan Helix on my monoblocks with the PK-10 Gold power cords. Now, that was a closer match in the price department, though the Taipan still cost about 30% more.

The positive qualities I noted with the PK-14 were there, in greater measures - quietness, solidness, and excellent body. I especially enjoyed the bass performance, it had punch and great impact. The soundstage was pretty well spread out in all 3 dimensions. Details were excellent, they were portrayed on a black background such that I could listen into the sound.

Compared to the Shunyata Taipan, the Kimber was much better at the bottom. The Taipan, though, was more open at the top. I would call it largely a draw, but you have to choose the traits that suits you system better as they excel in different areas.

The PK-10 Gold is definitely a big step up from the basic PK-14. For the asking price, it is great value.

Putting the 4 pieces of Kimber together created a sound that has excellent solidity, was quiet and came with very good details. The things I would like to ask for was a bit more air and further improved musical flow. There was also a slight dryness in the sound that I would like to see eliminated. In these areas, the PK-10 gold did much better than the PK-14. So on a hunch, I decided to swap the power cords around and see what would happen. The 2 PK-10 Golds went to the CD player and pre-amp and the 2 PK-14s went to the monoblocks. It looked incongruous; the thicker guys went to the small boxes, while the skinnier guys went to the big ones. However, such an arrangement was not without foundation, there have been many audiophiles reporting putting the better cables to the front of the chain, and I have the same experience myself. I found that my system sounded better with the Shunyata Python Helix in front rather than the Taipan.

And so it was. The system sounded more confident with the PK-10 Gold in front, it had a better grip on the proceedings. The sound stage expanded and was better defined. There was more air. The earlier noted slight dryness was nearly banished totally. Excellent! I was now enjoying music putting in one CD after the other. I wished I had 4 pieces of the PK-10 Gold, they fit my system very well, I believe putting them all round would have brought the performance up even further.

These Kimber power cords are very very good. If you can stretch the budget I'd urge you to jump straight to the PK-10 Gold. However, the PK-14 could serve as an excellent stepping stone as you move up from stock power cord.

From here, I shall go on to the Kimber KCAG silver interconnects, that is the story for next time.

Kimber Kable is available from Hi-Way Laser. Contact Kenny 03-7873.8325; 019-281.3399 .

Kimber Kable Loom

Many of you must have heard this by now - hooking up your systems with cables from only 1 brand, also called a cable loom, will give you better sound. Nordost is a strong advocate of this (perhaps the originator even?). Our fellow blogger, Lam Seng Fatt of hi-fi avenue, also tested this with MIT cables and reported positive results.

We are also going to investigate this here too. Big E collected an entire set of Kimber Kable from Hi-Way Laser for this test, enough to link up an entire system, starting from the mains supply, going all the way to the loudspeakers. And I got this tasty assignment.

Kimber Kable galore:
left: KS3033 speaker cables (RM10,470/8ft pair);
top right: KCAG balanced interconnects (RM3,470/m pair);
bottom right: PK14 powercord (RM850/6ft) and PK10-Gold powercord (RM1,490/6ft)

Kimber Kable PK-14 (14 gauge powercord), I'll use them on the CD player and pre-amp

Kimber Kable PK-10-Gold (10 gauge powercord).
This thicker powercord will be hooked up to my monoblocks

Kimber Kable KCAG silver interconnects.

Kimber Kable KS-3033 speaker cables comes with the best cable packaging I have ever encountered, a genuine Pelican carrying case.

I hope to report on these cables individually and as a cable loom if time permits.

Kimber Kable is available from Hi-Way Laser. Contact Kenny 03-7873.8325; 019-281.3399 .

KLIAV 2010 - Hi-Way Laser

Hi-Way Laser will cover both home theatre and hifi in KLIAV2010.

On the home theatre front, you'll get the see the best of projection technology from Vivitek and Mitsubishi,

and get to hear the best cinema sound that MK Sound System has to offer with its top range, the MK150 THX system.

On the hifi front, Hi-Way Laser will be showcasing Ayre's digital, the QB-9 DAC and top of the line KX-R pre-amp and the MX-R monoblocks which had impressed us greatly recently.

QB-9 DACKX-R Pre-amp

MX-R Monoblock

Loudspeakers featured will be from ATC and Canton.

They will all be strung together with cables from Cardas and Kimble Kable.

Hi-Way Laser will also be holding a number of special offers with discounts up to 50% during the show, check out their announcement banner on the right side.

What can be better at the show than finding your next upgrade at a great price from Hi-Way Laser?