Air Force 1 Premium - New Flagship

rockitman · May 3, 2016

maslak34 said:
View attachment 26745

new premium.. will be in munich

Not a big departure from the original visually. Is this suppose to be the AF Zero or is that still under development ?
Can't wait to hear what's new. I wont be in the market. My current table is just fine. If I need a bit more, I put on a RTR tape. This guy wont be keeping up with the Jonzez...

rockitman · May 3, 2016

mikem said:
The latter.

From descriptions of the SAT and professional reviews posted by
Fremer and others, I felt the improvement over the Elite would
be more significant than the step up from the AF3 to the AF2.

I wouldn't count on that. You need to hear both in your system to determine if the margin of improvement (if any) with the SAT is worth it. I don't trust Fremer as my only data point. There's too much variability from one system to the next, one phono stage to the next, cabling, cart, setup, ect. Where is the improvement really coming from ??? That is the question that is not so easy to answer.

MadFloyd · May 3, 2016

Thanks for enlightening me.

JackD201 · May 3, 2016

Didn't mean to sound mean Ian. Had a long hard day. Made me a little sensitive. Please accept my apology if I came out terse.

amirm · May 3, 2016

MadFloyd said:
Too bad they didn't do anything about the aesthetics.

What do you think of AF3?

To me it looked more high-tech but less of a statement product than AF1.

rockitman · May 3, 2016

MadFloyd said:
Well this is obviously subjective and I certainly don't mean to offend anyone. I don't like the white plastic look and would prefer more 'bling' (brass, silver, chrome etc.).

Again, very subjective. I think even Fremer mentioned he liked the AF2 better than the AF1 aesthetically. When I first saw the thread about the premium, I thought it would look more impressive is all...

if you ever lifted an AF1 w/o it's heavy double platter system, cheasy is the last thing that comes to mind. Fremer doesn't pick my underwear.

Frank750 · May 3, 2016

MadFloyd said:
Well this is obviously subjective and I certainly don't mean to offend anyone. I don't like the white plastic look and would prefer more 'bling' (brass, silver, chrome etc.).

Again, very subjective. I think even Fremer mentioned he liked the AF2 better than the AF1 aesthetically. When I first saw the thread about the premium, I thought it would look more impressive is all...

I love my AF2 but would take the AF1 in a heartbeat if I could afford it. I have no illusions that the AF2's sound is even close to it or is built to nearly the AF1's exacting standards, no matter the arm attached to it.

MadFloyd · May 3, 2016

rockitman said:
if you ever lifted an AF1 w/o it's heavy double platter system, cheasy is the last thing that comes to mind. Fremer doesn't pick my underwear.

Did Fremer call it cheesy? I certainly didn't.

@Jack: you didn't sound terse at all. No worries. Photos don't always do justice to the finish of products.

Anyhow, aesthetics preferences notwithstanding, I'd still have the AF1 if I could afford it. Sonics are much more important!

PeterA · May 3, 2016

MadFloyd said:
Did Fremer call it cheesy? I certainly didn't.

@Jack: you didn't sound terse at all. No worries. Photos don't always do justice to the finish of products.

Anyhow, aesthetics preferences notwithstanding, I'd still have the AF1 if I could afford it. Sonics are much more important!

I think I read that the performance of the AF1 and AF2 is fairly close and that the price difference is mostly fit and finish. There is a video interview of the designer comparing the two. Have people directly compared the two? Do people think the AF2 is closer to the AF3 or to the AF1? I heard the AF1 once at Rockitman's house. It was the quietest vinyl replay that I have ever heard. And the table looked gorgeous in person.

I would love to hear that SAT arm, but it is mighty expensive.

Are there any updates on the AF Zero?

analog brother · May 3, 2016

about time this version came out!
not that i could ever afford it....

MatthewC · May 5, 2016

So........ anyone seen it yet? What are the upgrades?

number95 · May 6, 2016

rockitman said:
Not a big departure from the original visually. Is this suppose to be the AF Zero or is that still under development ?
Can't wait to hear what's new. I wont be in the market. My current table is just fine. If I need a bit more, I put on a RTR tape. This guy wont be keeping up with the Jonzez...

I presume AF0 will have significantly heavier platter compared to AF1 and it will have its own dedicated rack which may have similar properties like Herzan etc.

PeterA · May 6, 2016

number95 said:
I presume AF0 will have significantly heavier platter compared to AF1 and it will have its own dedicated rack which may have similar properties like Herzan etc.

So will TechDas replace air suspension with electronic servo (Herzan) in the future for their flagship model, the AF Zero, or combine the two as Rockitman is doing now?

number95 · May 6, 2016

PeterA said:
So will TechDas replace air suspension with electronic servo (Herzan) in the future for their flagship model, the AF Zero, or combine the two as Rockitman is doing now?

Peter, that is a very good question and I don't have the exact answer. Just a guess, it may be the latter as the name of Nishikawa's design implies it is "air" force flagship, air suspension plus electronic stabilization integrated would be fun

)

number95 · May 6, 2016

From a friend in Munich: AF1 Premium has a brand new motor.

XV-1 · May 9, 2016

Have any AF1 owners compared their tables to the Kronos Pro?

If you read the Stereo & Mono review the Kronos is several steps above the AF1. Now we have a new power supply which is at least 35% better sound quality than before.

Big numbers in level or improvement that I find hard in believing.

http://www.audioshark.org/kronos-196/kronos-scps-1-kronos-does-again-9782.html

bonzo75 · May 9, 2016

XV-1 said:
Have any AF1 owners compared their tables to the Kronos Pro?

If you read the Stereo & Mono review the Kronos is several steps above the AF1. Now we have a new power supply which is at least 35% better sound quality than before.

Big numbers in level or improvement that I find hard in believing.

http://www.audioshark.org/kronos-196/kronos-scps-1-kronos-does-again-9782.html

Detlof has both. He said on this forum that he marginally prefers the Kronos

At least from the way they sound at Munich, without both being in the same room, but comparing differences of each w.r.t the digital, they seem to do different things - techdas has more slam, bang, weight, bass...Kronos seems to be in the "TT should disappear" school. Get both

number95 · May 9, 2016

XV-1 said:
Have any AF1 owners compared their tables to the Kronos Pro?

If you read the Stereo & Mono review the Kronos is several steps above the AF1. Now we have a new power supply which is at least 35% better sound quality than before.

Big numbers in level or improvement that I find hard in believing.

http://www.audioshark.org/kronos-196/kronos-scps-1-kronos-does-again-9782.html

I find it hard to believe either one is couple of steps above than the other. It is a matter of personal expectations from a super deck at these levels rather than a single path I presume.

XV-1 · May 9, 2016

bonzo75 said:
Detlof has both. He said on this forum that he marginally prefers the Kronos

At least from the way they sound at Munich, without both being in the same room, but comparing differences of each w.r.t the digital, they seem to do different things - techdas has more slam, bang, weight, bass...Kronos seems to be in the "TT should disappear" school. Get both

Ha ha. I would luv to get both

I hope Detlof respoinds to this thread.

This was more about the new power supply making the Kronos at least 35% better, so in essence a LOT better than the AF1. If the power supply really makes a 35% improvement it will be light years ahead of any table available which I am having a hard time believing.

I am with No 95, I am guessing it will be more down to personal preference.

rockitman · May 9, 2016

XV-1 said:
Ha ha. I would luv to get both I hope Detlof respoinds to this thread.

This was more about the new power supply making the Kronos at least 35% better, so in essence a LOT better than the AF1. If the power supply really makes a 35% improvement it will be light years ahead of any table available which I am having a hard time believing.

I am with No 95, I am guessing it will be more down to personal preference.

how is 35% improvement calculated ? I always find opinions/stated percentages of subjective improvement to be pretty random and unreliable.

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