I was in Japan last year, I couldn’t get into a record bar as they were full or you needed to make a booking. I found some great record stores like Disc Union in Tokyo that had three stores in Shibuya with a fantastic selection of new and used records that were well organised and all used records graded in condition which pretty much were in pristine condition. This is reflected by the people which were clean, respectful and honest. The Japanese people are amazing. They are also very passionate about hifi, music and the gear they use.
Jonathan, I love learning about those Kissas from you and your critical mention of today’s consumerism/capitalism and resulting approach to audio (and literally everything else we do in our lives). We have lost sight and touch of so many things, we don’t even realize what we are missing anymore. Very sad!
I'm happy that you made this video. I have only been to two listening bars, Bar Continental in Nashville (no longer open), and Salon Badin in Montreal. While I was there, people were talking like they would in any other bar or restaurant. Our western society has become so addicted to instant gratification from our phones that most people cannot sit and listen to a single song without doing anything else. I've also noticed this trend at live events like concerts. People on their phones, trying to talk over the music, etc. With AI and other things on the way, I don't think this issue will get better. I hope to visit Japan soon to experience a true kissa.
As far as I can tell you did this as one continuous shot (other than the B roll). Your ability to convey your thoughts so clearly is amazing. I was hanging on every word!
I share your ire at the cultural paucity in the west, in the manner you describe. I have also noticed that with the absolute tsunami of coffee shops in my country, England, I still have to search for a cafe that actually cares enough about what they are selling to make a cup of coffee worth drinking. They have all the kit, the image the style, but few seem bothered about what they put in the cup. And what's worse is that most people don't seem to care either, so long as they can buy into the image of cafe culture. I'm actually excited at the prospect of finding a new way, through music, to listen, as a shared activity. Of course we have live concerts/gigs, but it's only really the classical ones where people shut up to appreciate it. I hope we can extend this behaviour and the benefits it has, to allow our own kind of Kissa culture to evolve.
Your thoughts touched me deeply. I am a deep listener, and I have spent the last five years now putting together a hifi-system that recreates an experience I had as a young adult. The experience was really emerging with the music in a deep way. Putting this system together has been extremely difficult, expensive and time consuming, ended up with tubes and class A amplifiers, but very rewording. I have organized listening evenings with friends, where I serve cheese and some wine, and that has been amazing. No turn-table yet thought. :)
Yes, thank you for explaining this! I'm fortunate to live in Japan and greatly enjoy going to jazz kissa and just sit and soak up the vibe. Earlier this year I had the chance to visit Jazz Spot Basie, the most famous kissa up in Iwate. The owner is mostly retired and doesn't open the shop much, but I figured why not try so called and the owner was gracious enough to invite us in the next day as he happened to be having guests in. He took time to chat about the one of a kind 50 year old JBL speakers, the 71' Linn turntables he still uses, all the greats that have played live there - Count Basie, Elvin Jones etc... even brought out some excellent whisky on the house. He cares. He gives a damn about the people and the music.
I really enjoyed this video. What I like about the Japanese is their sense of tradition and how disciplined they are. I do admire their philosophy on life and doing the very best they can do. I love jazz and in my opinion they produce some of the best quality pressings. Thanks for this education. I really do appreciate it.
Thanks a lot for doing this Jonathan. And yes I think people forgot how to listen. Now it´s all about having some great equipment to impress people, but what´s the point if they don´t listen. Best thing, sit down and enjoy the music, be happy with what you have 😍 Ohhh, but that K3 spinning in the back, I want one 🥰😍🤩😎
I’m so with you on every aspect of this subject. I became interested in listening bars relatively recently, and always wondered how the listening part could be achieved in bars in western culture. So , I have visited now visited two places, one in Barcelona , and one in London. Although they were quite cool places, listening was secondary to eating and drinking and socialising. So I would say that, they are more HIFI , or music bars than listening bars. I’m optimistic and hopeful that there could be a market for a serious listing space in western culture, and that is something I would love to see happen.
This is so interesting, you should be able to work out a concept for such a listening bar that has different stages or zones, like when you enter the bar there are some drinks ...than you go further and have like a record talk and buying space , and finaly have the real listening room where people come together and realy listen , and so they can move from one room to another without disturbing the listeners in that specific room 🤔
Thank you Jonathan! I was in Japan about 10 years ago and visited Susumu Sakuma, the famous amplifier Builder after following his schematics in MJ magazine for many years. He owned a little club called the condor he about 100 different amplifiers all hooked up to the turntable, and he could switch between them at Will. I didn't know there was a name for the little clubs where we sat and listen to music and talked about vacuum tube amplifiers with the designer, but now I know I was in kissa!
Hello Jonathan, I am new to your beautiful and extremely informative videos. The quality and the sound of your voice brought me to listen to many of your videos which clearly gave me immediate respect for the excellence of what your life's work in analog sound means. True audio is not respected as important in our society, taste seems to have fallen into an area of who cares. They, I mean the public only can appreciate is it making money as a gauge to what success is. Culture and value of truth has slipped and faded away. I love what you are doing to bring to the people what invention, studies and dreams can bring back to people, please learn to just listen. With all of the equipment that is available that one can purchase today, you have explained marketing seems to be the only way companies look at what they can copy from one another to get a market share. I know you must look at history to understand what was created before in order to improve or create something new. I have been a person who was given the honor and opportunity to work with one of my idols for over 45 years Les Paul. Les said to me! Tom, do you know you have a god given ear, thats why you are working with me from now on. The year was 1965 . Thank You Jonathan, Tom Doyle
@@oswaldsmillaudio Hello Jonathan, Thank You for getting back. I can't believe the wonderful building you have refurbished as well as giving life to your dream of analog sound and listening to these great speaker systems and tube amplifiers of the past.
I've been following various Kissa bars in Japan over the last year. They love jazz and they love Accuphase amplification. That's how I also discovered Kenrick Sound in Japan, who meticulously rebuild older JBL professional speakers. Visiting one of those bars is on my bucket list. What an honor Jonathan. Congratulation on building a bridge with a respected company across the pond.
Audio Technica MM cartridge lover here. Have enjoyed the music on my many vinyl records for years with these (MicroLine and Shibata needle). I have recently switched to the vintage Philips GP412 cartridge (Shibata needle from new production, Tonar, Japan) which seems to be even more musical to my ears. I follow all of your videos, because for me they are thoughtful and entertaining at the same time.
I completely hear you and in full resonance with what you are sharing.. it is a shame we are culturally where we are , but I imagine enough of us in the world with heightened senses and appreciation for our analogue nature will eventually turn this ship towards a brighter future. There will always be noise.. today we call that noise digital.
Given its turmoil ; many in the world could, really, use such ( embraced ) escapism. As far as the, appropriate, clientele ; ( unfortunately ) we’ve been, ceremoniously, groomed in the fine art of, superficial, egotism - exhibits A & B : our, fearless, “ leaders ” and the many that fund them : American idols. Thanks for such, culture, enlightenment ; Mr. Weiss.
Tokyo and Japan in general is absolutely next level. Culturally, Japan is unfathomably deep. Every time that I go there and return to the United States I see and feel the chasm. I love Japan so much. Even more so now.
Thank you Jonathan, your remarks resound as a fresh breath of mountain air, as would have said Frederick Nietzsche. You seem to be on a very meaningful track, I would be careful not to let your exquisite aestheticism overshadow your deep spirit that might have even further reach.
I've thought of how cool it would be to have a Kissa here near me in Seattle. Apparently there's something like it but I've never been. Like watching football, my sofa is the best seat in the house. I liked your take on giving... the Japanese are better at America than we are... skiing, trout and bass fishing, baseball, jazz, Ametora... the list goes on.
I agree with what Jonathan says about the stereo mags promoting what ever the latest and greatest is. I still read some of them just out of curiosity, and though I am a long time music enthusiast, I know the game with all of them - every other page is an advertisement for something, so how can they be objective about anything? They can get sued for less than stellar reviews and they know that, they never include much in the way of measurements, because if a super expensive piece of gear measures bad, there is no way to talk around that. Also the high-end audio is mostly based on subject reviews of what one person or group of reviewers think, and they never go into whether extremely high priced gear is really better than something that is much more cost effective. Or a better way of saying it is - Does the price differential of the piece of gear which costs more than a nice luxury car justify its performance over something that is much more obtainable for most people? You will never see that kind of article printed Stereophile, Absolute sound or any of the rest that takes tons of advertising dollars. However, that brings me to OMA. Their stuff is also sky-high priced and not obtainable for most people. Its a very niche product, and I am not sure the cost of their products just their performance either. After certain price point, I think all this equipment is just "trophy" pieces that rich people buy to show off in their homes to their fiends that are into this, or for others that are uninitiated. I guess everyone has to decide for themselves just how far to go.
that s the problem with globalization , we just take the tip of the idea of the other cultures . But we have people like you Jonathan that will give us this inside . The respect , the atention to the other s art. The MAGIC moments that we get with good nusic and gear is beautifull , but to bring that to others in a dailly basis is fenomenal.
I agree with what you are saying. For myself, I am envisioning a sound healing temple, like a Geoship (geodesic dome structure) and having people coming in taking mushrooms for the purpose of sound healing and going inwards. I’m saying this because on mushrooms, the listening for me becomes so enhanced and it feels really good to actively listen deeply with all of your attention and take notice of all the nuances in sound (which under mushrooms, creates visuals to accompany the music as a bonus, called synesthesia, when 2 senses become linked) In that state, I don’t want to eat, drink, converse, think…but just simply be steeped and fully immersed in the music (with hopefully the best speakers money can buy with the proper treatment of sound diffusion)…at least that’s my dream 😄 ... I’m going with your monarch speakers 🙌🏼✨
No, disagree. First off, full respect for John as a HiFi systems designer. However, his supremely confident monologues about music culture are not fully informed. Like John, I’ve visited many Kissa in Japan (>20). I’ve also visited 5 in Europe and over 15 in US,…more than anyone else I’ve met. I experienced different vibes in the Kissas of Japan. First, they are very much about alcohol. Second, the patrons are not silently listening. This is a Western, fetishized fantasy of how the Japanese operate. In almost all cases, I’ve found Kissa to be social spaces filled with groups of friends drinking, eating, visiting. Are the Japanese naturally more subdued and quiet than Americans,…of course. Plus the spaces are often treated acoustically and, of course, have very intentional crafted sound systems,…so the background noise is lower and more controlled, and these systems sound great. But the idea that the Japanese are always respectfully sitting in silence, focused intently on every note of the music being played is almost comical. Besides, what would be the point of these spaces if that’s how people acted? Why not just do that in a private listening room at home? Next, John’s disparaging take on American listing bars is uninformed and snippy. The comment about Supreme is a barely veiled, unnecessary jab at OJAS. His comments about the one listening space in Brooklyn he visited (sounds like Public Records) are fine, but that is a comically small sample from which to develop such sweeping generalizations about this emerging trend of listening spaces. Unfortunately, it is characteristic of what I’m hearing from many old-guard audiophiles. They are very quick to denigrate what is happening (perhaps because it is new and completely independent of the influence of the traditional audiophile industry and media?). A few points: It is wrong to assume that all of these new listening spaces are trying to emulate the Japanese Kissa tradition. Just because Kissas (so far) have been the most developed case, globally, where restaurant owners put acoustics and curated music at the center of the hospitality experience, that doesn’t mean the Japanese Kissa way is the only way. Frankly, I find it offputting when westerners try to re-create the Japanese Kissa too loyally. The Kissa makes sense in Japan. Let’s find a different interpretation that makes sense in America. Second, incredibly innovative and high-integrity things are happening with this trend, worldwide. There are many different and creative approaches to making bars and restaurants better listening spaces. Believe it or not, there’s a lot going on outside of Williamsburg. HiFi Bars (outside of Japan): maps.app.goo.gl/yRWPUaQ7BvSNrTfL8?g_st=i John clearly has a lot of wisdom and expertise. I wish he could muster a more open-minded and humble perspective towards this new movement and find a way to contribute to it in a positive way. He claims he is opening his new place soon. Great, maybe he can show us all how it’s done. In the meantime, would be nice to see some simple acknowledgment that acoustics and music have been sorely neglected in bars and restaurants forever. And anyone out there who’s working to improve that situation deserves a fair and honest evaluation, not to be dismissed with uninformed, sweeping generalizations.
and now Jonathan? now that you discovered all those things, how to proceed? honestly the fantastic stuff you produce, are headed to the same person that you re talking about on the fantastic video above. for what i m undersatnding about your words, probably this trip was a volta stone for you to rethink the entire thingabout what, who and why. interesting discussion...
Thanks for this. You’re Spot on. Unfortunately here in the USA the culture that is recognised and known about is POP culture. As a musician who’s been to Japan dozens of times on tour, made many recordings on Japanese label etc, what you say about the care, passion and love for our cultural gifts to the world is evident there. The tiny jazz clubs throughout the country also sometimes double as listening spaces with hand made tube gear , speakers tweaked from VOTT, JBL, Klipsch , horns of different varieties as well as commercial gear from Accuphase, McIntosh, Marantz etc. Wonderful recordings from Blue Note, Riverside, Prestige, Contemporary etc. The Kissa’s are just as you described. They’re not fancy or trendy. Very warm and homey. The “Master” that run them are very loyal to the tradition and the customers are as well. I really don’t think it could happen here. People here just really don’t care and they’re clueless. Unfortunately. Thank you for sharing this! I’ve always wanted to visit your shop in Dumbo as I live in the area. As a musician I am pretty busy in the city but I’m also an audiophile and your equipment is fascinating to me.
I was in Japan recently and my main wish was to go to a Kissa. Unfortunately I failed mainly because after a day of normal tourist duties I was too knackered to be bothered to do more than hit the locality near the hotel at night, and my sig. other is not really into Jazz. Knowing something about the size of many Japanese bars, I suspect that the average Kissa does not hold many people. I think that trying to get people to shut-the-bleep-up would be the main problem in any venue of "commercial" size in the west.
Dear Jonathan, how great of an assessment of the Japanese culture and way of thinking about music and living this is! Congratulation! The only problem is that with all of your amazing knowledge and experience about music reproduction devices, you've decided to target the 99% of the richest people in the world who can afford your gear! This makes no sense and is in total contradiction with the Japanese way of thinking about music and how to make it accessible to "ordinary" people! I admire your work, but not so much your philosophy about money making....
A couple of years ago I saw my first Rough and Rowdy Ways gig. At the Palladium in London. A phone free concert, I was astounded to be at my first medium to large venue gig in 40yrs where the audience STFU and listened. It was an experience that allowed the artist to be in command of the audience. A few weeks ago I went to see the show for the third time, at the Arena in Liverpool. Still no phones but full of 'tick box concert' drunks. Disastrous. The space was unsuited for the show but the audience were incapable of sitting and listening. I'm glad I went, its probably my last Dylan concert, but I'm very glad I bought a heavily discounted ticket a few hours before the gig. If I had paid the hundreds that some will have parted with then I think I might have been a little less tolerant of the serial concert wreckers. It's a shame because they prevented the artist from giving them a personal experience, something to remember. Stiil, at least they got the over-priced tee and the hangover.
You are so RIGHT !! I've been to Jazz clubs and performances all over the US and the majority of the time people are so self absorbed with their own nonsensical BS and pointless chit-chat that the performance is either badly degraded or ruined. Still, I go when I can to at least "HOPE" to enjoy the efforts of these extraordinary musicians. I'd be amazingly delighted to have enjoyed just a small percentage of the many performances I've attended over the years. There is a time for talking and having a good time, however, there are times when one should keep his/her BIG FAT, loudmouth pie-hole SHUT !! Thanks for starting a way overdo dialog regarding public rudeness/inconsideration; maybe some will listen !!
Other listeners are influencing our own reception of music. Perhaps one of few steps to reconnect with other human beings after such a huge division made by politicians. Remove alcohol from the equation and we have a new positive movement.
This is deep, this is excellent.
Thanks, a lot
Fascinating video Johnathan, thanks.
I was in Japan last year, I couldn’t get into a record bar as they were full or you needed to make a booking. I found some great record stores like Disc Union in Tokyo that had three stores in Shibuya with a fantastic selection of new and used records that were well organised and all used records graded in condition which pretty much were in pristine condition. This is reflected by the people which were clean, respectful and honest. The Japanese people are amazing.
They are also very passionate about hifi, music and the gear they use.
Jonathan, I love learning about those Kissas from you and your critical mention of today’s consumerism/capitalism and resulting approach to audio (and literally everything else we do in our lives). We have lost sight and touch of so many things, we don’t even realize what we are missing anymore. Very sad!
I'm happy that you made this video. I have only been to two listening bars, Bar Continental in Nashville (no longer open), and Salon Badin in Montreal. While I was there, people were talking like they would in any other bar or restaurant. Our western society has become so addicted to instant gratification from our phones that most people cannot sit and listen to a single song without doing anything else. I've also noticed this trend at live events like concerts. People on their phones, trying to talk over the music, etc. With AI and other things on the way, I don't think this issue will get better. I hope to visit Japan soon to experience a true kissa.
As far as I can tell you did this as one continuous shot (other than the B roll). Your ability to convey your thoughts so clearly is amazing. I was hanging on every word!
Thank you :)
I share your ire at the cultural paucity in the west, in the manner you describe. I have also noticed that with the absolute tsunami of coffee shops in my country, England, I still have to search for a cafe that actually cares enough about what they are selling to make a cup of coffee worth drinking. They have all the kit, the image the style, but few seem bothered about what they put in the cup. And what's worse is that most people don't seem to care either, so long as they can buy into the image of cafe culture.
I'm actually excited at the prospect of finding a new way, through music, to listen, as a shared activity. Of course we have live concerts/gigs, but it's only really the classical ones where people shut up to appreciate it. I hope we can extend this behaviour and the benefits it has, to allow our own kind of Kissa culture to evolve.
Thank you for bringing this concept to our attention. I believe that listening is an important aspect of human life, and affects our ability to learn.
Your thoughts touched me deeply. I am a deep listener, and I have spent the last five years now putting together a hifi-system that recreates an experience I had as a young adult. The experience was really emerging with the music in a deep way. Putting this system together has been extremely difficult, expensive and time consuming, ended up with tubes and class A amplifiers, but very rewording. I have organized listening evenings with friends, where I serve cheese and some wine, and that has been amazing. No turn-table yet thought. :)
Yes, thank you for explaining this! I'm fortunate to live in Japan and greatly enjoy going to jazz kissa and just sit and soak up the vibe. Earlier this year I had the chance to visit Jazz Spot Basie, the most famous kissa up in Iwate. The owner is mostly retired and doesn't open the shop much, but I figured why not try so called and the owner was gracious enough to invite us in the next day as he happened to be having guests in. He took time to chat about the one of a kind 50 year old JBL speakers, the 71' Linn turntables he still uses, all the greats that have played live there - Count Basie, Elvin Jones etc... even brought out some excellent whisky on the house. He cares. He gives a damn about the people and the music.
I really enjoyed this video. What I like about the Japanese is their sense of tradition and how disciplined they are. I do admire their philosophy on life and doing the very best they can do. I love jazz and in my opinion they produce some of the best quality pressings. Thanks for this education. I really do appreciate it.
Thanks a lot for doing this Jonathan. And yes I think people forgot how to listen. Now it´s all about having some great equipment to impress people, but what´s the point if they don´t listen.
Best thing, sit down and enjoy the music, be happy with what you have 😍
Ohhh, but that K3 spinning in the back, I want one 🥰😍🤩😎
I’m so with you on every aspect of this subject. I became interested in listening bars relatively recently, and always wondered how the listening part could be achieved in bars in western culture. So , I have visited now visited two places, one in Barcelona , and one in London. Although they were quite cool places, listening was secondary to eating and drinking and socialising. So I would say that, they are more HIFI , or music bars than listening bars. I’m optimistic and hopeful that there could be a market for a serious listing space in western culture, and that is something I would love to see happen.
I live in Japan and I need to find these Kissa's. I can't wait to experience this .
And thank you for your observations and thoughts. I really share them.
Another insightful, educational and thought provoking dive into the culture of sound. I am a better person after listening to your conversation.
This is so interesting, you should be able to work out a concept for such a listening bar that has different stages or zones, like when you enter the bar there are some drinks ...than you go further and have like a record talk and buying space , and finaly have the real listening room where people come together and realy listen , and so they can move from one room to another without disturbing the listeners in that specific room 🤔
Great talk
Thank you Jonathan! I was in Japan about 10 years ago and visited Susumu Sakuma, the famous amplifier Builder after following his schematics in MJ magazine for many years. He owned a little club called the condor he about 100 different amplifiers all hooked up to the turntable, and he could switch between them at Will. I didn't know there was a name for the little clubs where we sat and listen to music and talked about vacuum tube amplifiers with the designer, but now I know I was in kissa!
You are right with your explanations on how people Listen here.😊
Thanks Jonathan for posting this informed take on the history of the audio industry & a kind of sad state of the union address as well.
Hello Jonathan, I am new to your beautiful and extremely informative videos. The quality and the sound of your voice brought me to listen to many of your videos which clearly gave me immediate respect for the excellence of what your life's work in analog sound means. True audio is not respected as important in our society, taste seems to have fallen into an area of who cares. They, I mean the public only can appreciate is it making money as a gauge to what success is. Culture and value of truth has slipped and faded away. I love what you are doing to bring to the people what invention, studies and dreams can bring back to people, please learn to just listen. With all of the equipment that is available that one can purchase today, you have explained marketing seems to be the only way companies look at what they can copy from one another to get a market share. I know you must look at history to understand what was created before in order to improve or create something new. I have been a person who was given the honor and opportunity to work with one of my idols for over 45 years Les Paul. Les said to me! Tom, do you know you have a god given ear, thats why you are working with me from now on. The year was 1965 . Thank You Jonathan, Tom Doyle
Thank you so much, Tom. Huge respect to you 🙏
@@oswaldsmillaudio Hello Jonathan, Thank You for getting back. I can't believe the wonderful building you have refurbished as well as giving life to your dream of analog sound and listening to these great speaker systems and tube amplifiers of the past.
I've been following various Kissa bars in Japan over the last year. They love jazz and they love Accuphase amplification. That's how I also discovered Kenrick Sound in Japan, who meticulously rebuild older JBL professional speakers. Visiting one of those bars is on my bucket list. What an honor Jonathan. Congratulation on building a bridge with a respected company across the pond.
Audio Technica MM cartridge lover here. Have enjoyed the music on my many vinyl records for years with these (MicroLine and Shibata needle). I have recently switched to the vintage Philips GP412 cartridge (Shibata needle from new production, Tonar, Japan) which seems to be even more musical to my ears. I follow all of your videos, because for me they are thoughtful and entertaining at the same time.
I noticed that too! In a lot of the audio show TH-cam videos the turntable is just sitting there.
I completely hear you and in full resonance with what you are sharing.. it is a shame we are culturally where we are , but I imagine enough of us in the world with heightened senses and appreciation for our analogue nature will eventually turn this ship towards a brighter future. There will always be noise.. today we call that noise digital.
I remember a "Kissa" in Bangkok with a Western Electric WE16a replica, such a smooth and beautiful cafe. Unfortunately they close some years ago.
Given its turmoil ; many in the world could, really, use such ( embraced ) escapism.
As far as the, appropriate, clientele ; ( unfortunately ) we’ve been, ceremoniously, groomed in the fine art of, superficial, egotism - exhibits A & B : our, fearless, “ leaders ” and the many that fund them : American idols.
Thanks for such, culture, enlightenment ; Mr. Weiss.
Tokyo and Japan in general is absolutely next level. Culturally, Japan is unfathomably deep. Every time that I go there and return to the United States I see and feel the chasm. I love Japan so much. Even more so now.
They are full of themselves, arrogant, xenophobic and racist as phuck
Thank you Jonathan, your remarks resound as a fresh breath of mountain air, as would have said Frederick Nietzsche. You seem to be on a very meaningful track, I would be careful not to let your exquisite aestheticism overshadow your deep spirit that might have even further reach.
I would absolutely LOVE if you create something like this here. I’d drive up from DC at least two a month. 🙌🏾🤘🏾👏🏾
I've thought of how cool it would be to have a Kissa here near me in Seattle. Apparently there's something like it but I've never been. Like watching football, my sofa is the best seat in the house. I liked your take on giving... the Japanese are better at America than we are... skiing, trout and bass fishing, baseball, jazz, Ametora... the list goes on.
Fascinating ❤
Great...I totally agree...thank you.
Kenrick sound on TH-cam specializes in furnishing kissas in Japan with their upgraded JBL speakers and custom tube amps.
I agree with what Jonathan says about the stereo mags promoting what ever the latest and greatest is. I still read some of them just out of curiosity, and though I am a long time music enthusiast, I know the game with all of them - every other page is an advertisement for something, so how can they be objective about anything? They can get sued for less than stellar reviews and they know that, they never include much in the way of measurements, because if a super expensive piece of gear measures bad, there is no way to talk around that. Also the high-end audio is mostly based on subject reviews of what one person or group of reviewers think, and they never go into whether extremely high priced gear is really better than something that is much more cost effective. Or a better way of saying it is - Does the price differential of the piece of gear which costs more than a nice luxury car justify its performance over something that is much more obtainable for most people? You will never see that kind of article printed Stereophile, Absolute sound or any of the rest that takes tons of advertising dollars. However, that brings me to OMA. Their stuff is also sky-high priced and not obtainable for most people. Its a very niche product, and I am not sure the cost of their products just their performance either. After certain price point, I think all this equipment is just "trophy" pieces that rich people buy to show off in their homes to their fiends that are into this, or for others that are uninitiated. I guess everyone has to decide for themselves just how far to go.
that s the problem with globalization , we just take the tip of the idea of the other cultures . But we have people like you Jonathan that will give us this inside . The respect , the atention to the other s art. The MAGIC moments that we get with good nusic and gear is beautifull , but to bring that to others in a dailly basis is fenomenal.
I agree with what you are saying. For myself, I am envisioning a sound healing temple, like a Geoship (geodesic dome structure) and having people coming in taking mushrooms for the purpose of sound healing and going inwards. I’m saying this because on mushrooms, the listening for me becomes so enhanced and it feels really good to actively listen deeply with all of your attention and take notice of all the nuances in sound (which under mushrooms, creates visuals to accompany the music as a bonus, called synesthesia, when 2 senses become linked) In that state, I don’t want to eat, drink, converse, think…but just simply be steeped and fully immersed in the music (with hopefully the best speakers money can buy with the proper treatment of sound diffusion)…at least that’s my dream 😄 ... I’m going with your monarch speakers 🙌🏼✨
No, disagree. First off, full respect for John as a HiFi systems designer. However, his supremely confident monologues about music culture are not fully informed.
Like John, I’ve visited many Kissa in Japan (>20). I’ve also visited 5 in Europe and over 15 in US,…more than anyone else I’ve met.
I experienced different vibes in the Kissas of Japan. First, they are very much about alcohol. Second, the patrons are not silently listening. This is a Western, fetishized fantasy of how the Japanese operate. In almost all cases, I’ve found Kissa to be social spaces filled with groups of friends drinking, eating, visiting. Are the Japanese naturally more subdued and quiet than Americans,…of course. Plus the spaces are often treated acoustically and, of course, have very intentional crafted sound systems,…so the background noise is lower and more controlled, and these systems sound great. But the idea that the Japanese are always respectfully sitting in silence, focused intently on every note of the music being played is almost comical. Besides, what would be the point of these spaces if that’s how people acted? Why not just do that in a private listening room at home?
Next, John’s disparaging take on American listing bars is uninformed and snippy. The comment about Supreme is a barely veiled, unnecessary jab at OJAS. His comments about the one listening space in Brooklyn he visited (sounds like Public Records) are fine, but that is a comically small sample from which to develop such sweeping generalizations about this emerging trend of listening spaces. Unfortunately, it is characteristic of what I’m hearing from many old-guard audiophiles. They are very quick to denigrate what is happening (perhaps because it is new and completely independent of the influence of the traditional audiophile industry and media?).
A few points:
It is wrong to assume that all of these new listening spaces are trying to emulate the Japanese Kissa tradition. Just because Kissas (so far) have been the most developed case, globally, where restaurant owners put acoustics and curated music at the center of the hospitality experience, that doesn’t mean the Japanese Kissa way is the only way. Frankly, I find it offputting when westerners try to re-create the Japanese Kissa too loyally. The Kissa makes sense in Japan. Let’s find a different interpretation that makes sense in America.
Second, incredibly innovative and high-integrity things are happening with this trend, worldwide. There are many different and creative approaches to making bars and restaurants better listening spaces. Believe it or not, there’s a lot going on outside of Williamsburg.
HiFi Bars (outside of Japan):
maps.app.goo.gl/yRWPUaQ7BvSNrTfL8?g_st=i
John clearly has a lot of wisdom and expertise. I wish he could muster a more open-minded and humble perspective towards this new movement and find a way to contribute to it in a positive way. He claims he is opening his new place soon. Great, maybe he can show us all how it’s done. In the meantime, would be nice to see some simple acknowledgment that acoustics and music have been sorely neglected in bars and restaurants forever. And anyone out there who’s working to improve that situation deserves a fair and honest evaluation, not to be dismissed with uninformed, sweeping generalizations.
Been a big fan of AT for years.
and now Jonathan? now that you discovered all those things, how to proceed? honestly the fantastic stuff you produce, are headed to the same person that you re talking about on the fantastic video above. for what i m undersatnding about your words, probably this trip was a volta stone for you to rethink the entire thingabout what, who and why. interesting discussion...
Thanks for this. You’re Spot on. Unfortunately here in the USA the culture that is recognised and known about is POP culture. As a musician who’s been to Japan dozens of times on tour, made many recordings on Japanese label etc, what you say about the care, passion and love for our cultural gifts to the world is evident there. The tiny jazz clubs throughout the country also sometimes double as listening spaces with hand made tube gear , speakers tweaked from VOTT, JBL, Klipsch , horns of different varieties as well as commercial gear from Accuphase, McIntosh, Marantz etc. Wonderful recordings from Blue Note, Riverside, Prestige, Contemporary etc. The Kissa’s are just as you described. They’re not fancy or trendy. Very warm and homey. The “Master” that run them are very loyal to the tradition and the customers are as well. I really don’t think it could happen here. People here just really don’t care and they’re clueless. Unfortunately. Thank you for sharing this! I’ve always wanted to visit your shop in Dumbo as I live in the area. As a musician I am pretty busy in the city but I’m also an audiophile and your equipment is fascinating to me.
I was in Japan recently and my main wish was to go to a Kissa. Unfortunately I failed mainly because after a day of normal tourist duties I was too knackered to be bothered to do more than hit the locality near the hotel at night, and my sig. other is not really into Jazz. Knowing something about the size of many Japanese bars, I suspect that the average Kissa does not hold many people. I think that trying to get people to shut-the-bleep-up would be the main problem in any venue of "commercial" size in the west.
Well said
great jazz clubs and a symphony... there are music lovers out there, we just use a different setting.
Bello/Magnifico.🙏✡️✡️✡️✡️✡️✡️👑
100 % agree.
These western listening bars are just hipster hang outs and totally miss the point.
Great video.
Dear Jonathan, how great of an assessment of the Japanese culture and way of thinking about music and living this is! Congratulation! The only problem is that with all of your amazing knowledge and experience about music reproduction devices, you've decided to target the 99% of the richest people in the world who can afford your gear! This makes no sense and is in total contradiction with the Japanese way of thinking about music and how to make it accessible to "ordinary" people! I admire your work, but not so much your philosophy about money making....
More Kissa please
Yes!!!❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Agree with you. But you need to go to all blues NYC completely different experience!
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A couple of years ago I saw my first Rough and Rowdy Ways gig. At the Palladium in London. A phone free concert, I was astounded to be at my first medium to large venue gig in 40yrs where the audience STFU and listened. It was an experience that allowed the artist to be in command of the audience. A few weeks ago I went to see the show for the third time, at the Arena in Liverpool. Still no phones but full of 'tick box concert' drunks. Disastrous. The space was unsuited for the show but the audience were incapable of sitting and listening. I'm glad I went, its probably my last Dylan concert, but I'm very glad I bought a heavily discounted ticket a few hours before the gig. If I had paid the hundreds that some will have parted with then I think I might have been a little less tolerant of the serial concert wreckers.
It's a shame because they prevented the artist from giving them a personal experience, something to remember. Stiil, at least they got the over-priced tee and the hangover.
Breakthrough video
You are so RIGHT !!
I've been to Jazz clubs and performances all over the US and the majority of the time people are so self absorbed with their own nonsensical BS and pointless chit-chat that the performance is either badly degraded or ruined.
Still, I go when I can to at least "HOPE" to enjoy the efforts of these extraordinary musicians.
I'd be amazingly delighted to have enjoyed just a small percentage of the many performances I've attended over the years.
There is a time for talking and having a good time, however, there are times when one should keep his/her BIG FAT, loudmouth pie-hole SHUT !!
Thanks for starting a way overdo dialog regarding public rudeness/inconsideration; maybe some will listen !!
Other listeners are influencing our own reception of music. Perhaps one of few steps to reconnect with other human beings after such a huge division made by politicians. Remove alcohol from the equation and we have a new positive movement.
Vi går al' på da' lokum å skier så et' braver, oss' dig der do'