To me it's the most beautiful, revolutionary, forward thinking, bad ass looking piece of audio gear currently in existence...
American Sound, "The Absolute Nothing"
- Thread starter PeterA
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Beyond the obvious overwhelming importance of how it sounds, it’s physical and visual presence is sure to be polarizing.@Republicoftexas69 wrote: "Lord,. Regardless I am sure it is quite the kit, though my wife thought it looked horrid. I told her no worries it is way beyond our budget."
When it comes to unaffordability —at least as far as My wallet might reach-- I understand and concur.
While I understand the eye-roll, I would like to add that, when I first saw this sculptural object at the place of manufacture, I had turned a corner ‘and there it was’: I simply could not avert my eyes.
This turntable has tremendous presence.
While I don’t know your wife, I suspect that —were she to be the kind of person who revisits things after a first impression— she might just look differently upon The Absolute Nothing, particularly were she able to experience it in person.
I happen to have been in awe of it from the moment I saw it. That said, my appreciation has grown into affection with more time spent in its company.
As we say in the car world, some vehicles are ’not for the faint of heart’. This turntable’s appearance might not appeal to all visual tastes; it’s sound, however, is its raison d’etre.
I’m not a fan of “more is more” designs which I believe describes Wadax and much other gregarious gear in high end audio. I think the best designs are about what is left out rather than what is added. It can be a thin line.
It’s ironic that this design, which is to me defined by lot’s of somethings piled on more somethings, was given the title of “The Absolute Nothing.”
But still you have to admire the bravery of the thing and I bet he sells every one of them.
Sounds very good the Hilary hahn vid , she is off course a excellent violinist
I like these early photos I took a month ago, before finishing was completed, because the angles show just how massive the platter is. There is a lot happening visually, but there is a purpose to every element of the design. I am generally in the "less is more camp", and love the simple look and design of my AS2000, but in this case, the facets wrapping around the surface do have a very specific function. They also break up the surface visually for reducing the scale of the object.
The very top of the worm-drive dial is visible in the top photo between the motor case and the turntable plinth. Turning the dial moves the motor mount toward and away from the platter, allowing the user to adjust thread tension and the resulting sound. The overall design is considerably more developed than is that of the AS2000. The main difference between the two designs seems to be in the control and management of resonances, both internal and external, resulting in less perceptible noise corrupting the information extracted from the grooves and then getting the information to the needle and then to the tonearm with as little mechanical influence as possible. I think this is why I heard such a sense of calm and such a large amount of musical information or resolution and energy in the presentation.
The very top of the worm-drive dial is visible in the top photo between the motor case and the turntable plinth. Turning the dial moves the motor mount toward and away from the platter, allowing the user to adjust thread tension and the resulting sound. The overall design is considerably more developed than is that of the AS2000. The main difference between the two designs seems to be in the control and management of resonances, both internal and external, resulting in less perceptible noise corrupting the information extracted from the grooves and then getting the information to the needle and then to the tonearm with as little mechanical influence as possible. I think this is why I heard such a sense of calm and such a large amount of musical information or resolution and energy in the presentation.
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There are plenty of reasons not to drop uber heavy pieces of audio gear on your foot, but with that weight AND sharp facets, even more caution needed.
I was going to ask how some senior citizens lifted that.
The Hells Angels chapter of cage fighting audiophiles kindly helped with the setup.
Awesome, 5 piano movers !
The five guys knew what they were doing. DDK overseeing everything.
Its a crazy wild design, to my eyes a little less garish than Wadax, but with a certain early StarTrek alien planet gestalt. Love the strobe markings on the platter… if speed is dialed in for 33, is it automatically dialed in for 45? Or does the strobe light frequency change (since there are not two sets of markings I can see?)
Bravo to David, certainly a “no stone left unturned” effort. Maybe I’ll hear one someday.
Bravo to David, certainly a “no stone left unturned” effort. Maybe I’ll hear one someday.
Bob, the strobe frequency changes to match each speed. As you write, “no stone left unturned “. Someday there will be one in Utah for you to hear.
Those are sailboats in dedication to Peter.
The firey red of the strobe playing on the platter as if from an underground vulcanic furnace is but one of the ways light dances across multiple facets and finishes as the eye moves around it.
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