Super Rare Audiophile Gear - Rick Brown of Hi Fi One - Part 1 of Million Dollar Audio System Series

Prior to visiting the home with the million dollar Acapella speakers, I visited with the people responsible for bringing that amazing system together.

Rick Brown owns HiFi One which carries some of the most esoteric, cutting edge audiophile products available. The legendary Steve McCormack was also involved in collaborating on this system with his own products by SMcAudio as well as working with David Berning and Ypsilon on these one of a kind amps.

This video will showcase some of those products and even more stuff you won't see anywhere else.

Here's a brief list of the gear involved in the video:

Berning Hi-Fi One edition SET. 20wpc OTL with Ypsilon silver wired external chokes in a 4-box reference amplifier

SMc/Hi-Fi One edition VRE-2 Silver Reference line stage

SMc/Hi-Fi One Nexus AC Power distribution and grounding enhancement system and Furutech V1 AC cable 

EnKlein Hi-Fi One edition XerXes speaker, interconnect, AC, digital and grounding cables

Döhmann Helix One Mk 2 turntable

Reed 5a tangential tracking pivoted tonearm 

Lyra Connoisseur 4-3 line and phono stage  

Lyra Atlas Lambda cartridge

emm labs  SACD transport, DA2 v2, and NS-1 streamer 

Stillpoints Aperture room treatments racks and isolation devices 

Ayra RevOpod isolation devices

The Sonorus Audio Proximity analog room correction system

Tidal Akira speakers

If there are any links in the description or video, it may be an affiliate link for which I may earn a commission.

[rg]

That's one amazing system/setup! Can't wait for the audio clips.

[dan.nathan]

You're supposed to kick the tires, not the tubes! I nearly died laughing :D Thanks for the review Jason. I heard the Akiras at Doug's place just outside Philly and what they do is simply amazing. Its what I've been hunting ever since.

[phatjbl]

Would be nice to have this big bucks to go to a pair of those speakers ....Heard the old model years back....and a Dohmann Helix 1 at its Australian launch with Mark bloke too. Love this video and your honesty

[pkats]

Very cool! Thanks for another super interesting video. I would love to find out more about that “subwoofer”

[coryrogers]

His wife In the back outside doing kung Fu 🤣

[Nonsense]

as always Jason I really love and enjoy the videos that you produce absolutely amazing! Thank you buddy! that was a great informative video and it’s actually nice to see one of the men that I admire the most in the hi-fi industry Steve McCormick because of his amazing designs in his amplifier products back when he designed the McCormick DNA250 Amp. I have a feeling that you’re very familiar with that Amp! A good friend of mine had that amp in his system powering MBL 121’s great loudspeakers I believe they’re one of the best monitors ever manufactured they’re just amazing at reproducing music I know they don’t give down much low lower than 35 or 30 Hz but it doesn’t matter most of of the music we listen too doesn’t go down below that frequency range! the small monitor speaker with that amazing tweeter smaller version of the one that’s in there very expensive loudspeakers!

The DNA 250 was considered one of the most analog solid-state amplifiers ever made! it got rave reviews and there’s a great article with Steve being interviewed I believe by the absolute sound 15 years ago where he discusses how he designs amplifiers and how he listens to capacitors that he uses in the build process and evaluates it after the Crossovers are in the circuit! I’m not aware of very many engineers that love music are audio files and it actually take the time a year or longer to come out with a design after trying what 30 or 40 different parts and auditioning them before the final release build is sold to the public man that’s an amazing accomplishment special especially since the fact that he’s a brilliant audio designer and I don’t think most people really appreciate his work and his work ethic and how he and his design process I don’t even think that 10% of the manufactures of high-end audio equipment take his approach!

[jctai]

That system looks fantastic, I do question the room though. Even though each of those stillpoints are much lauded and cost $800 a piece [though i'm sure he's accomodated] I can still hear easily a lot of reverb and echo through the mic. Does he want a little liveliness in his room or does that air velocity (analog DSP?) compensate?

[MichaelAmster]

Listening to Steve talk in that room, makes me feel that it is pretty echo-y. Seems like it needs more damping to lower the RT60. I would imagine more could be done to make that great equipment sing

[shanestephenson]

Amazing gear Jason, but I can't help thinking how lively and bright would that room be it sounded very echoey. I'm sure with equipment like that it wouldn't have been, but just that was the impression I got through your microphone.

[Nonsense]

OMG I’m ROTHLMAO Air Velocity Driver Box and control unit from SonorUs Audio. I don’t think I’ve laughed this hard about anything in my entire life about the high-end Audio community which I’ve been a member for over 47 years! I’m not poo pooin the idea! I just can’t stop laughing about it! Ha ha ha ha I still can’t stop laughing as I’m dictating this! Off the deep end! Why would anyone design something that less than 1/10 of 1% of Audiophile‘s could wrap their head around this technology! And will be able to utilize it especially in Living Room/Den where we can close the door. most people do their listening rooms and they’re not sealed environments.

it’s a niche in a niche market place. I wish them good luck but that’s really the nth degree of tweaks..

[pf]

Man what an amazing system. Very interesting bit about the subwoofer/ non- subwoofer. So I guess the debate over the correct pronunciation of Tidal continues. 😂 Doug White who’s probably the premier dealer for Tidal pronounces it Tie- dal so I’m gonna stick with that.

[ambcog]

As if you need us to push you over the edge of buying that thing. 🤣🤣🤣
Hell yea you should get it. I would if I had the money. That’s an amazing idea. ✌️

[anandshah]

At 4.20 are they diffusers or bass traps behind the centre console

[thevintageaudiolife]

I gasped @ 11:51! that sounded like an expensive kick on that one of a kind Tube amp, hope all is ok!

[CountOfWoodlands]

I will definitely buy a pair of Akiras as soon as I move into a new house.

[erickdeetonsr.]

Definitely buy the Sub… but what would you do with that REL No. 25?

[bingdong]

Do you have any affordable million dollar speakers in stock?

[DrBroncanuus]

7 min 43sec...looks like Steven Seagal cameo in the background ?

[Nonsense]

Is that Rick Browns wife in the backyard doing TiChe?

[bigkidstoysav]

This is a great video, it would be so amazing if you could see our NEW video and let us know what you think!