The ultimate system can reproduce the music like a live experience, however such system doesn't exist. There are many different design philosophies, what designs brings us closest to the live experience? This depends on your preference.

When listening to live music, what do you enjoy most? The sound or the music? Without a doubt it's music. But when choosing a system we tend to focus on the sound, especially the sound qualities that are easiest to discern (extension, resolution, dynamics, soundstaging, etc.). Most designers focus on these qualities too. Often it's assumed these sound qualities will also bring musical enjoyment in the long term, but of course that's not the whole truth.

Most of the time we hear music via audio equipment, not live. So audio equipment is judged mainly by comparing to other equipment. We believe this has created a sound of it's own, influencing our wishes, and increasing the gap with live music significantly. Equipment comparisons lead to a totally different result than a comparison with live music. That doesn't have to be a problem, as long as people enjoy what their equipment produces. However it's not the best approach for everyone, especially in the long term.

In some sytems highs seem present all the time, live you'll hear only highs when they are played. Acoustic live music can sound "midrangy" in comparison, but at the same time it can be more transparant (without sharp highs). Live tones have lots of body, weight seems to be present in almost every tone (listen how much bass a cymbal can produce), but it's never pushy. The bass can be firm and free, open at the same time. Each instrument sounds harmonically coherent from low to highs (in high-end audio, bass and highs are typically detached from the midrange). Live music sounds effortless, fluid and dry at the same time (not grainy), there's a huge diversity in timbres, colors, each tone "sings" with a beautiful decay. Make some sounds in your room, snap your fingers, tap some wood, whatever, this is your reference.

Few designers give priority to the musical aspects. Music is much more than just frequencies, like a painting is much more than just paint, there's a magic world within. Rythm and harmonics are the essence of music. Harmonics (keynote and overtones "singing" together in different proportions) create endless variety in timbres, colors in sound, richness, opening the way to our emotions.
This harmonic "singing" is a rare quality in audio equipment, requiring a very pure chain from source to speakers with as few phase distortions as possible (most high-tech power supplies fuck this up, CD-players too).

We're not looking for a constant flow of deep bass and sparkling highs, but we want to be surprised if they suddenly appear in a recording, true beauty is subtle. We want a system that offers endless diversity, we prefer natural beauty with all it's imperfections to that same perfect layer of make-up.
Also we're not looking for a system that creates a virtual 3D soundstage, we simply want a bit of that feeling that the musicians are present in our own room (tangible), focussing on placement can be spectacular but what's the relation to enjoying music? Do you focus on sound, placement, etc, while enjoying live music, or do you want the music to take you away? What do you want at home?

The problem with auditioning a system is that you start focussing on sound, because you want to judge the system, not the music. Usually it takes a lot of listening to many different recordings before you start recognizing that there's hardly a particular sound to recognise here.
We think magic can't be created by a system (otherwise you'll end up with a sause that you'll get bored with eventually). The magic has to come from the music, for that we use a system that has few pretentions.

Autitioning can be done in Utrecht, the Netherlands, by appointment: ). We strongly recommend a complete system, however we don't expect many people will buy a complete system, certainly not at once. You are welcome to bring your own equipment and we'll try to fit it in.
You are also welcome to listen if your seriously interested but can't afford such a system (our systems are expensive, starting from something like €20000). Just don't expect good sound, it's music only :)

Most of our systems are composed by Cees Pel. These are custom systems for which he builds and/or modifies equipment himself, and we use products from other people/manufacters. If you like the way our systems sound, you can order something silimar and he 'll try to finetune it to your taste. He's got much experience, he can overview a total chain including acoustics and hears what can be improved, can translate technology into sound/music.
He builds his own amplifiers with Tamura transformers only. They are an essential key in preserving the harmonic structures from a recording.
Tamura transformers are quite expensive, but Sun Audio from Japan makes affordable amplifiers and kits all with Tamura transformers (they're also distributor for Tamura). These provide a perfect basis for more affordable versions, Cees Pel designed modified versions of several Sun Audio amps. A Pel-version of a Sun Audio SET stereo amplifier starts at about €3000 up to about €5000 (hand-made parts, other tubes, etc.). He's also designed modified versions of the Welborne Labs DRD 300B, DRD 2A3 and DRD 45. Price is about €3000 a pair.

We use high efficiency speakers with units from PHY-HP and Goto, volume transformers from Audio Consulting, phonostages, CD-transports and DACs from 47labs and now CD equipment designed by Cees Pel himself. He spends a lot of time solving the problems of CD playback and the results are incredible, really! (yes, others claim that too, feel welcome to visit us).