2. As a conclusion, this combination is of super value for money. From [ The Taming of The Vegen Audio System and It's Tuning ]

3. Very heavy panel with elegant finishing in silver white

4. I can see 8 pieces of 15,000uf capacitors as the filter for the DC power supply. On the both side of the chassis there are 8 pieces of power transistors array supplying powerful 220 watts of amazing power.

5. With this powerful output, it can drive most of the speaker system on the market.

6. After we hooked up the whole system, the music unreservedly start to play. Can hardly believe what will sound like after running in.

7. I played a Chai Chin folk song just received, and easily found that the encoded HDCD had a big difference to the normal disc.

8. The track "Ferry" starts, may be due to the speaker used, the beginning of the drum though not expected going down very deep, yet it's full body with blood and flesh make it real. Sometime, it reproduces even better than the floor-standing speaker system.
There is a small record company in Sweden called OPUS 3. They now have a latest "TEST CD 5" with HDCD encoded. Listen to track 4 "The Talk of The Town", is a jazz music with saxophone which is really give the author a sort of feeling of being there in particular the saxophone so real that it can be reach and touch it. As a whole, imaging is firm sound stage and transient is remarkable.

9. It can be regarded as a delightful afternoon to listen to this system. The E-220 is a transistor by nature with powerful 220W/per channel output, however, it's warm yet cohearan quality make it a versatile amplifier to drive any low efficient speaker or floor-standing type with ease.
From [ Be Careful, Don't Break Your Back Bone ]

10. The author could feel the Vegen CD-1 is different from others. It weights 2 kilos which can only happen in the very expensive CD players...
It's chassis structure also reinforce with heavy duty metal along with 9mm panel which is already very impressive. Furthermore, the CD turntable is based on a thick aluminum platform that I can be sure the entire player will be stablised hence sounds better.

11. The power supply is extraordinarily heavy containing 8 pieces of 15,000uf filter cap on each channel. Each channel uses 8 pieces of Fujitsu power transistors that give us full confidence of power rating.

12. The Image 6 from Vegen is a floor-standing type speaker system and is really designed for audiophiles and music lovers alike. It's a 3-way, 3-drive unit system design containing 1 metal dome tweeter and two 6.5" mid-bass unit made from PP and paper mixed material. Vegen's engineer successfully mixed these two units together.

13. It was surprising when the author start to play music. The sound stage is enormously wide-spreaded and transparent, giving a feeling of freedom. Moreover the texture is so solid that enable one could touch them alive. The detail of all timbers is exactly analogue to the clear night starry sky. It's perfectly amazing. To author's experience, similar imported equipments would cost you more than 60 thousand. (RMB currency, Yen)

14. The total cost of this set is a little more than 20 thousand Yen is a little miracle because the sound quality is so musical. This is author the first time to encounter such a audio system with such super value. At the same time, the author wonder how Vegen could make achieve at this price with this quality.

15. Analytical : May I borrow word highly analytical to descript it's performance yet as clear as a clear sky without any dust. Musical sound stage is so lively as being there as using an electronic microscope.
Frequency response is flat, no peak or valley were deteted so make the listener easy.
Dynamic contrast : E-220 gives 220W each channel is really of great value. No matter is full orchestra or chamber music, violin or piano solo, the E-220 could easily control the entire sound stage.
Soundstage : This is I like most. In most situations, you have to tweak a lot on placing the speaker system to get the best effect. Through the transcription of this E-220, just put the speaker in s comfortable location, the depth and width of the sound stage immediately show up in front of you. This also comes along with full hall effect which is airy like silk. This authority turns you home into a concert hall.
Musicality : It has the ability to get you drunk, and left to you a long time memory to think of every single musical note.
Density : Sound with density is the basic structure of this set up, yet you will find every instrument and vocalist has their own space.
Sound quality : Vegen E-220 is made from transistor but just as sweet , as warm, and as soft as tube amplifier, with warm golden tone. This Vegen E-220 comes from Canada is a mix of America's powerful impact and of European musicality, very suitable for Chinese audiophiles.

16. Besides, vocal reproduction in this set up is rich and warm, solid imaging with fine detail, Strings are airy. But the most impressive is the dynamic of the piano in terms of size verses dynamic, shows off it's greatness, yet every single note is like crystal clear. Such this could only happen in the range of 100 thousand Yen equipment.
The performance surprised me yet again the price gives me another surprise. Vegen had already deeply impressed me forever and so to my wish but never succeeded before. Now that I would highly recommanded to all readers and audiophile they could purchase this Vegen in affordable range but with great value. From ¡¾Delightful, Surprising ¡¿

17. When we open the packing of the AV-120, it was carefully wrap in a soft fiber sack with the Vegen logo printed that make the user had a feeling of by birth from a noble family. From the outlook of this AV amplifier, it doesn't match it's weight cause it is heavy..

18. Look into the amplifier when open up the top cover, the author can see few compartments which was designed to avoid interference between all amplifier stages.The extraordinary over-size toroidal transformer had become the main attraction of this AV amp plus 8 pieces of large filter cap. Let me remind you,
each cap is 22,000uf, so give a total capacitance of 176,000uf. What else will you ask for as this had never happened in most of the AV amplifier before
In stereo mode, the main channel output 120W into 8 Ohm, when drop down to 4 Ohm, it can give you almost 240W., really big current driving.


19. We test the amplifier with 2 DVD. One is Jurasic Park and the other Airline Kane. The moving of the creature's stepping sound full of dynamic and sense of moving and the cracking sound of trees so real that make your heart pumping. Airline Kane's fighting scene is of great energy and speed. That means the AV-120 is capable to reproduce the real effect of the movie.
AV-120 is also an audiophile's amplifier. We tested it with a classical track from the butterfly lover. Not only the fine detail transcription of the violin can we hear, but also the show up of the full orchestra in a solid imaging. May be the effect of the extra size transformer and the large filter cap. Furthermore, we put a few vocal tracks, drum sessions, the AV-120 could handle at ease. As a moderate price AV amplifier, playing 2 channels stereo in fact satisfy the author a great deal.
From [ Not Ordinary Feel----Vegen QAV-120 AV Amplifier, delightful, and Surprising ]
20. Look at the extra size transformer, assuming it exceed 600 watts. It also implies this is an amplifier of large supply current capability, as when the loading drop, it produce more current.

21. It was also a surprise when the author starts to play the first track. The sound from the Image 6 speaker response was very quickly with energy. Comparing to my own equipments, mine's should be retired in particular the drum session,
the Vegen AV-120 along with the Image 6 can show the touching of the drum stick and the extended vibration of the drum. It is really very analytical in low frequency.

22. it is full of harmonic from mid range up and sound stage is much deeper than the equipment I have. Before the sound stage is flat and now a 3D effect. It is hard to imagine I can enjoy a high-end quality in this price range.

23....in particular the ability of reproduce the hall effect as it was recorded, absolutely the sound stage is alive.
It is hardly believe that chamber music could achieve such a dynamically full of energy. Now that I found in this Vegen set up. It is really happy to listen to.

24. Now as the fog has gone , I am able to see a clear sound stage that every instrument and vocal had their own position. This is what we called 3D effect. From [ The First Encounter in the year of Millennium--Testing the Vegen Audio Equipment ]

25. This track from "The Jazz of Pawn Shop", I can only feel that the pub is so spacious and the timber of the instruments are excellent. According to our experience, when the drumsticks hit on the drum, there are several tone combine together. That is the timber of the wood and metal when hit on the symbal. This Vegen set up can accurately reproduce this mixed timber. Besides, I can find a lot more people in this system than any other systems.If we turn off the light, it was exactly being in the pub.

26....very strong feeling of sound stage. One can see the little lips of the female soprano are moving but her voice reflected into the air in all directions. The back up orchestration is far behind the front wall that make the vocal seems stand alone in front of the stage. It's live that had the feeling to encore once more. Sometimes, this is no money can buy.
From [ Listen to The Vegen, Speaking of Esoteric ]

27. ... fact is rather unpredictable, the combination use of the CD-1 and E-160 could drive the LS/35A at ease and seems like the 35A was able to sing. Using this pair of Vegen system has given me an idea that is , if one use this system to run up any loudspeaker would shorten the running time fro sure. From [ First Review to the Vegen's Amplifier and CD Player ]

28. ...this shows that the amplifier has the ability to resolve the inner details of the music. This is regarded as the most difficult part in audio system but I could find it here. From [ Vegen's Experience ]

29. ...luckily the reproduction from this Vegen audio system is full of detail information and energetic so one can hear every instruments or vocal had a very good separation...
...as an high-end brand name, it should posses this quality of 3D...
...Vegen audio system takes me to a total new dimension, the depth and width of the sound stage is totally a new experience...

30. When music starts to play, pure clean sound came out from the system as if walking in the morning by the side of lake of Ontario, breathing fresh air. Tone color is inclined to the blue side as the sun of North America. The author can hear the extension of high frequency. The mid range though not thick but is absolutely with muscle. The low is good enough, or should say the full spectrum is well balanced. In this respect, the system no matter play any kind of music, the Vegen could reproduce them in a way without colorations.

31. THE POWER OF RESOLOTION. After warm up for not more than 1 hour, the system had gone into normal playing mode that shows the real performance of the system. We then play the Adagio from Karajan, the system was able to define the violins group and others such as cello or double bass., from pizzicato to full orchestration as if the strings are breathing at the same time .
This is on of my favorite test track to test equipments. It's not easy but the Vegen could transcribe them nicely.
Secondly we play a track from the RCA Red Seal. It's a Kiss live recording in Moscow. Every musical note and the touching of the keyboard were so clear along with the breathing of the piano body.
...during this session, we have another CD player cost a bit over 10,000 yen to AB compare with Vegen's CD-1 (brand name withheld) . Obviously the Vegen CD-1 play music without a curtain in front of the speakers. The differences so much that we believe it's the 24 bit processor functioning. From [ Some Tutorial on Speaker Placement-----Message from Vegen's director Jim Cary ]

The following is the translation of that article appearing in the Hong Kong/China audio magazine Super AV

Vegen, Promoting The Truth of High Fidelity
When I was the first time walk into Vegen's showroom in Guangzhou, facing whole lot of their products and I was not impressed, at least not particularly any one model. I mean it. For so many years, I 've been audio critic and had seen a lot of low to high-end equipment. It is not that easy to arouse my enthusism . Until I took a closer look at their each models and listen to them. I've found myself was wrong. I must tell the readers my feeling toward Vegen's audio products.

One thing for sure, their products are not eye-catching sort of design but with the atmosphere of elegant. This is very clever showing that their designer knows what they are doing and find their own way and own class.

Definitely they are not aiming for the beginner market but to the audiophiles who really love music. It 's outlook design is not like other American or European products nor like Japanese sophisticated cosmetic design. However, you will find them easy to get along with and the more you look at it, the more you would appreciate it's simple and pure look, such as the E-220 integrated amplifier which the front panel reach the thickness of 10mm with a large volume control. Others are small push button. Nothing less but not thing more than you wanted. This silver white panel with black chassis is a fine contrast to look at. Moreover, the solid and heavy structure of these amplifiers would benefit the sound quality great deal.
Open up the top cover of the E-220, I can see 2 pieces extra large size toroidal transformers near the front panel. Each channels had 8 pieces of 15,000uf filter caps, altogether 120,000uf of capacitance ! There are 4 pairs (8 pcs) of power transistors on each channel. Needless to know their output power, this layout already confirmed this a large current amplifier. The power amplifier is of dual mono design, which guarantees a better resolution in music reproduction in terms of separation, and imagery yet powerful and well defined. I may say, the elegant outlook cannot judge it's powerful performance.

The design of their CD-1 cd player also follows their design philosophy. Transport is from the musical Phillips made and the DAC is from the latest 24-bit , 128X oversampling from an American Company CRYSTAL. On the other hand, the speaker system such as the Image-6, is also not a eyes-catching outlook, however, one can tell this is really an audiophile's speaker system. There are 2 pcs o 6.5" mid bass units, one is PP cone it is really punchy dynamic, while the other is more musical paper cone. The tweeter is made form metal. Together with precision X'over unit, this 3-way, 3-units speaker system is really something.

Before I came to this showroom, somebody told me that the cloths that Vegen dressed is not so eyes-catching, but you will see a lot when it was undressed.

Obviously, Vegen's design had put more effort into the inner content of the equipment that is to design a good audio system.
Secondly is the core of the sound quality.

After detail visual inspection, we now had a lot more confidence, and friendly towards their products. Until when we started listening to music, we all showed our respect and put our thumbs up high. It is music !

We play a track from the RR recording titled TUTTI, The Firebird. We could feel immediately enormous sound stage, melody with powerful dynamic, penetrating swiftly into every corners of the room.

Then we listened to the LEGEND's Swan lake extract, the session of violin and cello solo. This particular track was performed by Karajan directing the Vienna Philharmonic . the CD now is from 1965 recording but the master tape was processed through 96KHz/24 bit of re-mastering. The background noise of this recording is a bit noisier but very musical in particular playing the above-mentioned track. We could hear the airy sound of the touching between the string and the bow, yet the vibration of the cello chamber is breathing with the correct timber that is excellent. This totally transcribed the romantic scene of the Prince and the Swan. It was so beautiful that we repeat the track after once again.

Next we played a track from the album of DAVID OSBORNE's My Heart Will Go On. It's a piano music with orchestra back up. We found that every notes were so nicely reproduced as if we were putting beside a creek listening to the flowing water, fluent and silky.

The last track we listened to is a recently become very popular vocal group from Beijing, the Black Duckies, singing the "Praise For The Past Golden Age", " Our Field ", "The flowing Water of The Steam ", " Let's Row The Boat ". These are the most popular songs are from the 50's and that all the way with me up to my middle age, stimulating my good old memory. Now transcribed by these 3 young girls whose voices are so crystal clear, give me another romantic feeling.

In conclusion, the audio quality of this Vegen system had a lot of muscle and power. They supply to you continuously with ease. As a whole, the character is open, frank and transparent, with passion in the bone. It is more likely as the sunshine in California, full of energy of the young people.

One thing for sure, Vegen had already done it's job properly in terms of high fidelity, in particularly the core elements such as musicality and the spiritual statement of the musicians are excellent.

At last, we all confirmed that the Vegen audio system had gained our points in quality per dollar that we regarded as of super value. Just think about the total system (CD-1 player, E-220 amp, Image-6 /1 pair) costs only about 20,000 Yen, it really is a good bargain.

Finally we come to the end of this Vegen's impression, and there is words come into my brian. "Vegen, promoting the truth of high fidelity". Taking this opportunity, I like to convey my personal appreciation and thanks to these two gentlemen from Vegen, Paul Green who taking care of designing the amplifiers and CD player, and Jim Cary who contributes his expertise in designing such a good speaker system. Moreover, I wish there will be more audio equipment like Vegen, promoting the truth of high fidelity and letting us a step closer to true fidelity and more affordable to most audiophiles.


The following is the translation of that article appearing in the Hong Kong/China audio magazine HIGH FIDELITY 2000.5

Listen To The Vegen's Series Of Equipment
Last month, there were few friends from Canada. What was it ? They Came in here to enjoy music and I of course, took out some CDs from my Rack and start to play. In a few days time, I had built up a good relation with these Canadian friends. Who are they ? They are in fact audio System including a pair of Image-1 monitor speaker, one set of E-65 integrated amplifier, and one set CD-1 player. Of course, they had Become my personal musician.

Listening to the Vegen audio system was impressive that it gave the author a sense of solid in sound stage. Contrast between the pianissimo and the strongest passage is amazingly fine. Except the high is a little bright. However, the bass response is thick but free. This impressed me the most.

This is a high definition audio system that could resolve the most inner detail of the groove such as harmonics, the locations of the instruments, and the timber etc. The Vegen was able to reproduce them nicely, in particular when full orchestration shows up. In other word, that is the 3D sound stage along with the spectacular width. This is simply because it has the power of resolve the most inner detail. When high level appears, there is no sign of compression. It also let me listen for a long time without listening fatique. This Vegen system is not emphesise any frequency band but just to reproduce music faithfully in a state of being well balance.

Image-1 is a bookshelf monitor, 2-way, 2 drivers in a bass reflex configuration. The tweeter is a metal dome with a 155mm mid-bass driver. The 4 corners of the front baffle is in a style of cutting back in order to reduce the sound wave diffraction. Though it is designed to be a monitor, yet, the designer tended to tweak a little to be use at home.

Furthermore, if one wishes to bring the most from this monitor, a proper stand is necessary. From the manufacturers indication; the Image-1 's recommanded power is from 10w to 150w, impedance is 8 Ohm with frequency response from 50Hz to 20KHz. Sensitivity is 88db.Dimensions being 230mm X 390mm X 310mm.

CD-1 is Vegen's only CD player specially designed for music lover. It's silver whit panel with blue screen composed an elegant outlook. The front panel is 10mm in thickness and the chassis also delibritly thickening up to 2mm. This will enhance the total performance of the player resulting in better sonic definition. To deal with vibration, Vegen engineer also put under the CD transport a thick aluminum block to secure the transport thus eliminate the unwanted vibrations. In the CD-1, it uses lots of integrated circuits and high precision parts such as metal film resisters etc,. In this arrangement, very low distortion achieved. Thanks to the 128 X oversampling and the 24 bit Delta-Sigma DAC, the end result is the minimum time distortion. CD-1 has the following specification; Frequency response is 20Hz to 20KHz, +/- 0.5db., signal to noise ratio is 92db., dynamic range is 96db., channel separation is 90db.

E-65 is the smallest brother in the family, going up is the E-100, E-160 and E-220. When designing the E-65, Vegen's engineer tends to make them simple but elegant outlook. Concerning circuit design, they used the well -known IC AD-T121 as their front -end input. That is also why it achieve more linear and higher input impedance which is benefit to the source supply. On to the power amp section. The intermediate stage uses the C-5171 and A1930 to form a complimentary pair that is a good match for this stage. The final output stage use a pair of high- speed Toshiba pair 2SC5200 and 2SA1943 as current boost.

Power is supplied through a toroidal transformer with pair of 10,000uf filter cap.
This Vegen audio system though not the top notch of the family, yet as a whole, it's performance had met to my satisfaction. Today the AV system is dominating the market but we have such a good Hi-Fi system as the Vegen, I feel very much to cherish such good product. And it let me have a little taste of the desire of " having them always by my side" and lift my level of music enjoyment----that is listening with your heart.