Hello and welcome, this is Chris Leung. I founded Audio Exotics in 2009 with a single studio in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. In 2013, I pioneered the idea of a private solo exhibition at the HK Convention and Exhibition Centre, at risk of inadequate audiences. That first AE Super Hi End Audio Show was staged in partnership with Audiotechnique. The result was shocking – there was nothing short of a full house of attendees!
In 2014, AE commissioned and presented the ground-breaking mono amplifier, housing type 212 tubes – Chouku (長空) – by Yamada Kazutoshi of Zanden. That became an instant legend.
In 2015, we extended from one exhibition room to two, showcasing the Goebel Epoque Reference Speaker with the Ba Force subwoofer tower.
In 2016, the show was further expanded to 3 rooms with another commissioned project: Qian Long field coil speakers by Cessaro, driven by the Engstrom flagship mono amplifier – Eric.
In 2017, AE commissioned and launched the peerless Goebel Divin Majestic.
In 2018, the show was extended to 4 rooms due to an ever-increasing number of participants from Hong Kong and the rest of Asia. Immense credit must also be given to all the ground filtration instruments (Troy Signature, Empress, Troy Elite, Troy Elite NG) by Tripoint Audio and mechanical vibration management by SRA’s racks and amp stands. Excellent cables by Argento, Skogrand, Vertere, and Dalby Audio Design have also contributed immensely to the AE experience. Subsequent marvelous additions from 2018-2022 to our portfolio includes: Arya Audio, JMF Audio, Wellfloat, Esprit, Sternklang, and Jenalabs.
So, we have certainly grown from strength to strength over the years since 2013. I opened up AE Central, integrating with a vinyl record store in 2017.
Subsequently, the flagship cost-no-object showroom – Divin Lab began operations in 2019.
We now have 3 studios in Hong Kong showcasing the unity of bespoke electronics to the service of music.
Our latest venture is the Singapore studio, where everything from the location, to the shape and size of the rooms, the acoustics, the aesthetics, the experience, the equipment – and most importantly, the overall integration of all these elements… has been painstakingly thought through by our team.
And there are more projects in the pipeline. We are truly Asia’s audio platform.
The unique approach of AE has always been thinking “out of the box”. We move away from conventional commercialization of products that satisfies general demand, to an artisanal approach of curating talented designers to craft unique instruments for the service of music.
We don’t want to follow market trends. Rather, that the market follows us. This approach requires patience, a long-term vision, a taste of risk and tremendous trust between AE and our partners. Capital is not the biggest constraint. The obstacle has always been the mindset of the customers. Our painstaking efforts of exemplifying ultimate playback standards have successfully built up into an exclusive and loyal customer base with conviction to achieve uncharted excellence.
This adventurous spirit has driven the virgin launch of the following fine products that would not see the light of day without AE: the Zanden Chouku (長空) single ended mono amplifier, the Zanden Chukoh (宙光) Preamp, the Zanden Jinpu (仁風) Phono stage, the Zanden KAUN (火雲) double push-pull mono block amplifier, the ERIC mono amplifier by Engstrom, the Goebel Divin Majestic speakers, Cessaro Carmen horn speakers, the Cessaro Qian Long (乾隆) Field Coil speakers, the Tripoint Troy Elite, the Wadax Atlantis Reference DAC, the SRA Virginia-AE amp stands, the Thales Statement Arm, and the Thales Exquisite Extreme Exotic (gold coil) cartridge.
From 2018-2022, I navigated the company to facilitate more intellectual exchanges with professional musicians/composers including eminent Super Star Aaron Kwok Fu Shing, renowned classical/film score composer Elliot Leung, Cellist Perrin Laurent, grand Chinese opera master 朱慶祥 , famous Canton Pop lyricist Poon Wai Yuen (潘偉源), and famous Canton Pop singer Jason Chan etc. I also did numerous rounds of charity works for Food Angel through composition of a Monologue Drama leveraging Hi End Audio to orchestra pre-selected music that corresponds to the development of the drama by speech of one man (myself). The novel delivery of such performing arts is unique winning accolades widely from the society at large.
The soulful playback experience of our showrooms always captures the heart of many. The playback standards were endorsed by leading critics such as Alan Sircom of Hi Fi Plus in the UK, Roy Gregory of the Audio Beat in the US, and Lincoln Cheng of Audiotechnique. As a matter of fact, we have an overseas visitor thread on the AE forum sharing their unforgettable listening experiences. I humbly believe our business model is on the right track to become a regional franchise. From end to end, AE quite simply is, and has to be, a phenomenal experience.
Chris Leung
chris@audioexotics.com