Appreciated Ron, you are v welcome! We are starting the 3rd production batch about now.
Cheers,
Taiko Tana-LPS-Setchi---listening
- Thread starter Mike Lavigne
- Start date
Appreciated Ron, you are v welcome! We are starting the 3rd production batch about now.
Cheers,
Spent some time at Mike's this afternoon listening to analog and experimenting with the Takio units.
As baseline, we listened to Mike's NVS turntable with two separate setups:
1. Colibri Stradivariarius on Sapphire Durand Telos arm
2. Goldfinger Statement on stock Durand Telos arm
Initially, we listened with the new Takio unit under the NVS. Very interesting...the baseline sound was improved compared to my previous pre-Takio visit. More air, better articulation and improved frequency extension. I asked Mike to play a number of reference tracks for me, blinded to the arm/cartridge combination. With one exception, it was easy to identify which set up was playing, but the differences had clearly narrowed.
Then I supervised (i.e. I drank a beer
) as Mike labored to place a second Takio unit under his DartZeel preamp. The benefit was immediate and readily audible; akin to giving the Dart PEDs. The basic character of the system was still there; it was just better. Most interesting to me: the differences between the two set ups, though still discernible, had narrowed considerably. Indeed, where previously I preferred the Goldfinger; now the Colibri was slightly favored on most recordings (except on recordings with a preponderance of high frequency energy).
Not sure the I can explain it, but I'm definitely convinced. A very cool upgrade to an already great system.
As baseline, we listened to Mike's NVS turntable with two separate setups:
1. Colibri Stradivariarius on Sapphire Durand Telos arm
2. Goldfinger Statement on stock Durand Telos arm
Initially, we listened with the new Takio unit under the NVS. Very interesting...the baseline sound was improved compared to my previous pre-Takio visit. More air, better articulation and improved frequency extension. I asked Mike to play a number of reference tracks for me, blinded to the arm/cartridge combination. With one exception, it was easy to identify which set up was playing, but the differences had clearly narrowed.
Then I supervised (i.e. I drank a beer
) as Mike labored to place a second Takio unit under his DartZeel preamp. The benefit was immediate and readily audible; akin to giving the Dart PEDs. The basic character of the system was still there; it was just better. Most interesting to me: the differences between the two set ups, though still discernible, had narrowed considerably. Indeed, where previously I preferred the Goldfinger; now the Colibri was slightly favored on most recordings (except on recordings with a preponderance of high frequency energy). Not sure the I can explain it, but I'm definitely convinced. A very cool upgrade to an already great system.
Spent some time at Mike's this afternoon listening to analog and experimenting with the Takio units.
As baseline, we listened to Mike's NVS turntable with two separate setups:
1. Colibri Stradivariarius on Sapphire Durand Telos arm
2. Goldfinger Statement on stock Durand Telos arm
Initially, we listened with the new Takio unit under the NVS. Very interesting...the baseline sound was improved compared to my previous pre-Takio visit. More air, better articulation and improved frequency extension. I asked Mike to play a number of reference tracks for me, blinded to the arm/cartridge combination. With one exception, it was easy to identify which set up was playing, but the differences had clearly narrowed.
Then I supervised (i.e. I drank a beer
Not sure the I can explain it, but I'm definitely convinced. A very cool upgrade to an already great system.
thanks Mark, for taking the time today to help me investigate the Taiko Tana upgrades to the stock Herzan TS units. I appreciate the feedback, moral support, and your tempering as always. some posting here has offered the idea that active isolation does not improve the performance of turntables. everyone has a right to their opinion, but what i'm hearing is considerable benefit from the active Herzan, and then another step up from the Taiko Tana treatments improving the power supply and adding the panzerholtz top layer and plinth for both the power supply and TS unit itself. I had been listening to that since Tuesday night and I've really enjoyed it. as the power supply broke in and things settled the effect has improved and solidified.
the other TS-150 Taiko Tana unit has been under the SGM server for the last month. today; after establishing a base line of NVS tt performance with the Taiko Tana, for the first time I moved the Taiko Tana TS-150 from under the SGM to under the dart pre (which includes my phono). later I did move the stock Herzan TS-150 to under the SGM but for Mark I did not take the time to get that set up, we just listened to the upgrade of the stock TS-150 to the Taiko Tana version on vinyl performance. I agree with Mark's perceptions, likely my perceptions are stronger in degrees, and since he left 6 hours ago now I've listened and it's been quite the ride of new references. it's like I have a new better preamp and phono stage. I will post more later about how the MSB Select II's digital performance has been effected by the change.
in the pictures below you can see the Taiko Tana underneath the dart pre, and the stock Herzan TS-150 is now under the SGM server.
Spent some time at Mike's this afternoon listening to analog and experimenting with the Takio units.
As baseline, we listened to Mike's NVS turntable with two separate setups:
1. Colibri Stradivariarius on Sapphire Durand Telos arm
2. Goldfinger Statement on stock Durand Telos arm
Initially, we listened with the new Takio unit under the NVS. Very interesting...the baseline sound was improved compared to my previous pre-Takio visit. More air, better articulation and improved frequency extension. I asked Mike to play a number of reference tracks for me, blinded to the arm/cartridge combination. With one exception, it was easy to identify which set up was playing, but the differences had clearly narrowed.
Then I supervised (i.e. I drank a beer
Not sure the I can explain it, but I'm definitely convinced. A very cool upgrade to an already great system.
Pls convince Mike not to let go his NVS. However spectacular his new AS could be, this NVS setup should still be among the best of the best...and a sure thing he could rely on.
Best regards,
Tang
Hi Mike and Mark
during your listening session did you turn off the Herzan or did you play it both ways, with and without the Taiko Tana in place. For me this is the only true way to know what the differences are. Mark's listening experience was anecdotal as he didn't hear it both ways. I am sure the sound was very good but how can you say with certainty what the before and after effects are. Do what David and Christian did and turn it off and in this case you have to listen both with and without the TT
Just my $0.02
during your listening session did you turn off the Herzan or did you play it both ways, with and without the Taiko Tana in place. For me this is the only true way to know what the differences are. Mark's listening experience was anecdotal as he didn't hear it both ways. I am sure the sound was very good but how can you say with certainty what the before and after effects are. Do what David and Christian did and turn it off and in this case you have to listen both with and without the TT
Just my $0.02
Steve,
in the case of the dart preamp, yes.....yesterday we first played 90 minutes of Lps with the stock Herzan TS-150, then another 90 minutes of the same Lps with the Taiko Tana TS-150 version.
Mark has heard the NVS without the Herzan back some years ago; the Stock Herzan TS-140 under the NVS (likely 30+ times over number of years), the smaller TS-150 Taiko Tana under the NVS a month ago and 2 weeks ago the stock Herzan TS-140, and then yesterday the TS-140 Taiko Tana under the NVS.
I've heard each configuration multiple times with all the units off, on and active.
when Mark visits typically there is a cartridge alignment aspect going on to some degree, and so we pull out certain specific pressings to assist; these are well known to us in my system. so the familiarity of this music to us both in my system is pretty intimate. and this music goes back to the Durand tone arm development sessions.
Mike
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Christian and David,
I spoke with one of the engineers at Table Stable and discussed with him what's going on in the AVI when [ the power is on, but correction not enabled] , and when the correction is enabled
He said when the power is on but not enabled there is no voltage going to the piezo transducers. Mechanically there should be no difference to the spring, damping and mass relationships and motion behaviour whether the power is on or off.
The suspicion then lies with an electric field effect or an electro magnetic field effect when the power to the AVI is on.
One interesting simple experiment to carry out would be to ground the top plate to a good ground socket, terminal in the system / room, and see if that has an effect (positive or negative) on the SQ differential when the power to the AVI is on.
During our experiments with the AVI, we never had a conductive top plate. With all our TS testing we have always had a conductive top plate, and usually connected to a Setchi D-2 via the BNC connector on the back
Edward - EuroDriver
Emile Bok is Taiko Audio
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This is very interesting Edward, so if this is the case what we’re hearing could be the effects of this electromagnetic field on the cartridge and/or nearby wires and electronics.
david
thanks guys for your thoughts, and I agree with you that having a reference to the new big dog would be preferred.
I would love to keep the NVS; especially hearing it with the Taiko Tana now, it's really amazing. but reality requires it likely to go away to help facilitate the AS-2000 acquisition and related gear and system logisitics.
OTOH it may return not long after the AS-2000 lands, as it would be on the top of my list of 'second' tt's if I can make that happen. there are too many other recently acquired toys in my room to do everything I would like to do right now. I have to choose.
the other thing for me, is that I tend to choose one most favorite arm and cartridge combo and just play that when I have multiple choices, so I can just think about the music. I know others would love to be able to hear the AS-2000 and then hear how the NVS compares directly. but that is not a high priority for me.
but my mind is open to evolving.
Mike, the uber faithful “one woman” men ie one tt, arm and cart, amongst vinylphiles can certainly seem a bit sidelined by the tt/arm/cart “bigamists” and “harem owners” out there with two, three, four arms, and potentially dozens of carts .
Hard to say Chris because if that magnetic field (?) theory is true then it should be present in active mode doing its thing too but it’s not. We know what we’re hearing and it’s easily repeatable so no guessing there but if this is true then a passive table will sound way better under the AS2000.
david
IME with PS noise is if it’s there then you’ll hear it even if the equipment is in standby, with some just plugging it in is enough to destroy the sound but this isn’t the case here and none of the associated harshness is present either.
david
.as a 44 year married (to the same woman) guy, I am faithful by nature.
the AS-2000 itself does tend to push you into multiple arms and cartridges, which pushes you into multiple phono stages too. so the NVS going away still actually will leave me with more choices. but only one tt.
but no doubt getting deep into multiple tt's again looks like fun once I get past this next stage. if so, the NVS is most likely.
will I ever post about a wooden box full 10 vintage cartridges? maybe. it's cool stuff to be sure.
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