My HiFi journey began quite simply: I originally just wanted a compact system. But then my uncle got involved. He owned the impressive MB Quart 3200, a Sony power amplifier TAN-77, and the ESD 1000 – a setup that immediately fascinated me. His advice: buy separate components! To make this dream a reality, I worked during the holidays and delivered newspapers until I could afford my first proper system: a Technics CD player, a matching amplifier, and MB Quart speakers.
Over time, my interest in music and HiFi technology deepened. I attended HiFi fairs and visited specialty stores, constantly noticing that elsewhere, the sound always seemed better than at my place. Around the age of 16, a HiFi store became my regular stop. There, I saw a Martin Logan ReQuest – and that was the moment that changed everything. I knew: I had to own something like that one day!
Years of listening, testing, and gaining experience followed. My goal was a high-end system, but which one? Initially, I considered Audio Physik and Restek. But then, I came across an issue of Stereoplay (5/04). On the cover: a Martin Logan! How could I have forgotten that? In the magazine, the Martin Logan Aeon was tested with an Octave V70. It sounded promising. I ordered exactly that combination from the next dealer – and two weeks later, it was at my home.
The first listening test? A dream! That airy, transparent sound – I was completely hooked on electrostatics. Through the old Octave forum, I connected with Andreas Hofmann, which eventually led to the legendary Octave meetings in Karlsbad. Over time, this developed into a friendship that gave me access to numerous Octave devices. I was able to try out many amplifiers and gradually owned almost everything from Octave, always searching for the next sonic step.
My journey through the Octave world began with the V70, followed by the HP200 with RE280, then the RE280MK2 with HP300, then RE280MK SBB, up to the combination of HP500MK3 with RE280MK2 SBB – a truly impressive and harmonious combination. Finally, the golden MRE130s with the HP500MK3 came into my home. But I wasn’t fully convinced by this combination. The MRE130s had more control, but something was missing. I almost sold them again – until I got an HP500SE at a good price. And then? CLICK! That was the perfect combination, and it’s still playing to this day!
Of course, it wasn’t easy to find the ideal tubes, but that’s what makes Octave special: With tubes, you can tailor the sound character to your preferences – and at an incredibly high level.
Oh, and reliability? A topic I never had to worry about. Not a single failure – not even with my old HP200, whose driver tubes were almost 20 years old.
Today, I enjoy my Martin Logan Aeon in combination with my perfect Octave setup – a journey that has been more than worth it!
