Analogue Heaven in Paris - My Visit to Ana Mighty Sound

[byrdparis]

you all invited to Israel.
promise you good food and great music.

 

[Hyperion]

You're all invited to Sweden as well. I promise you decent food (meatballs) and music (Ace of Base).

/ Marcus, www.perfect-sense.se

 

[amadeus]

You are all also invited to Netherlands i promise kick ass Sound/Music and very good quality Coffee or Turkish Tea.

Home - Amadeus Audio

amadeusaudio.nl

 

[byrdparis]

You're all invited to Sweden as well. I promise you decent food (meatballs) and music (Ace of Base).

/ Marcus, www.perfect-sense.se

actually music wise, Sweden unleashed the most great band in the world. OPETH.

 

[Hyperion]

actually music wise, Sweden unleashed the most great band in the world. OPETH.

We've got our highs and lows

 

[AudioAbe]

Two years ago, I reported about my trip to Paris where I spent 3 days at Ana Mighty Sound listening to all their turntables. This allowed me to select the CSPort TAT1 M2 as my end game analog front end.

I recently returned to Paris for a second pilgrimage to this analogue heaven.

This time, I spent 4 days with the sole goal of having fun, discovering some music (François has a vast collection) and providing constructive feedback along some comparative listening sessions.

François has recently brought in the full line of Soundsmith cartridges and I was curious to discover the brand new top of the line Hyperion MK II MR against other cartridges I am familiar with (I had the chance to listen to 10 different cartridges in my system as part of the acquisition process of my new turntable).

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The first days, we fitted the Hyperion MK II MR on a suspended direct drive STST turntable mounted with a Schroeder CB-L with Silver internal wiring (I have a similar tonearm but the shorter version on one of my turntables) and on a TechDas Air Force 5 Premium mounted with a Glanz tonearm. The rest of the system was the darTZeel NHB-18 mk2 preamp and the stereo power amp NHB-108 model Two feeding a pair of Thrax Lyra SE with the additional passive bass modules Thrax Hades. All cables (interconnect and HP) were from the Hemingway Z-Core Beta and Sigma range.

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The Hyperion is detailed and very natural. The STST set up was more convincing than the TechDas one as the latter was less detailed and somehow dead.

We swapped the darTZeel stereo power amp for the mono blocks NHB-468 and the soundstage which was already great became even better.

The following days were dedicated to an all-out assault confrontation between the Dohmann Helix One MK II (François is waiting for his MK III so if you are interested by a good deal on his demo MK II, just reach out to him) and the CSPort LFT1 M2 with its linear tracking arm. The Helix One was fitted with both the SAT LM-09 and the Schroeder Referenz SQ tonearms.

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We also brought into the mix a Thrax Yatrus direct drive turntable mounted with a Schroeder CB fitted with the Soundsmith Sussurro MK II but it was under par against the two heavy weights.

The phono stage was the six box Phasemation EA-2000. We swapped the darTZeel preamp for the Thrax Libra connected to the NHB-468.

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We listened to the Hyperion mounted to the SAT and the CSPort linear tracking arm and compared it against the My Sonic Lab Signature Platinum, the Phasemation PP 5000 and the darTZeel prototype with the diamond cantilever. We started with Hyperion on the SAT/Helix One combo and the darTZeel cart on the LFT1. The Hyperion with the Helix One was impressive but was even better when mounted on the LFT1. I wonder how the Linear Tracking version of the Soundsmith Hyperion mk2 MR could sound even better. The MSL/Schroeder combo was the least convincing (everything being relative) whereas the darTZeel and PP-5000 carts gave me the exact same feeling I had when I listened to them in my system.

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With all the cartridges, the LFT1 had a slight edge over the Helix One as it sounded more natural and authoritative.

We finally swapped the NHB-468 for a bi-amp combo comprising a pair of Thrax Spartacus 300 B driving the Lyra SE and a pair of Thrax Heros mk II driving the Hades bass modules. This was definitely my favorite set up but you will need to bear the heat of four giant pure class A power amps.

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I am convinced that we could even get better by converting the LFT1 into a TAT1 fitted with both the CSPort linear tracking arm and a SAT LM-12 (my combo). The Hyperion would do some serious magic on the SAT LM-12.

I definitely enjoyed my stay in Paris and I came back with a shopping list of vinyl which have been ordered.

Extract from the classical music playlist:

- Bach, Cello Suites BWV 1007-1012, Recomposed by Peter Gregson
- Bach, Goldberg Variations, Michel Kiener
- Beethoven, Diabelli-Variationen op.120 für Klavier & Orchester, Uri Caine / - Concerto Köln)
- Dvorak, String Quartets Nr.12 & 13 Pavel, Haas Quartet
- Gluck, Orfeo & Euridice, Georg Solti
- Haydn, Piano Trios, Beaux Arts Trio
- Haydn, String Quartets op. 33, Weller Quartet
- Schubert, Lieder The Shepherd on The Rock, Elly Ameling

Really interesting report - I love reading these (I keep saying to François that I will make it to Paris to visit, but I have yet to do so. My wife is concerned that I may end up remortgaging the house to buy a full Anamighty set up! Whereas I feel it would be money well spent...)
Out of interest, was the SUT used with the Hyperion the EA-2000T, part of the Phasemation EA-2000, or did you need to use a 1:10 SUT, perhaps by Consolidated Audio as seen in the pictures?
I mention this only because I have read that @shakti uses the 1:10 Consolidated Audio SUT for his Hyperion (https://www.whatsbestforum.com/thre...ference-phasemation-ea-2000.35034/post-818145 and https://www.whatsbestforum.com/thre...ference-phasemation-ea-2000.35034/post-818129 )
The Hyperion is at the top of my list of Cartridges to hear.

 

[dcc]

We used the 6 box Phasemation EA-2000 with its dedicated SUT.

 

[gian60]

You're all invited to Sweden as well. I promise you decent food (meatballs) and music (Ace of Base).

/ Marcus, www.perfect-sense.se

Could be one day i will come to visit you and Perfect Sense.
My son live and work in Stocholm since 3 years,now founded also a girlfriend,i visited him one time but will go again next year.

My son last week sent to me photos and video of Stampen jazz club where recorded Jazz at the pawnshop

 

[shakti]

We used the 6 box Phasemation EA-2000 with its dedicated SUT.

interesting, never tried, always used the 1:10 step up for soundsmith,
have to do it!

 

[Hyperion]

Could be one day i will come to visit you and Perfect Sense.
My son live and work in Stocholm since 3 years,now founded also a girlfriend,i visited him one time but will go again next year.

My son last week sent to me photos and video of Stampen jazz club where recorded Jazz at the pawnshop

I would be more than happy to welcome you here

/ Marcus, www.perfect-sense.se

 

[miniguy]

you all invited to Israel.
promise you good food and great music.

Where in Israel are you located?

 

[byrdparis]

Where in Israel are you located?

I'm located around 20 minutes from Tel Aviv, so very central. But israel is very small as I'm sure you know

 

[miniguy]

I'm located around 20 minutes from Tel Aviv, so very central. But israel is very small as I'm sure you know

I should have contacted you when I was there in July. Oh well next time.

 

[byrdparis]

I should have contacted you when I was there in July. Oh well next time.

i will be happy to host you whenever you got the chance.

 

[adrianywu]

Paris is indeed one of the centres of audio innovation. I visited La Maison d'Audiophile many years ago with an introduction by my friend Jean Hiraga. I visited Jean this summer in Lille, but La Maison has long closed. Sad.

 

[Audiohertz2]

Jean Hiraga !

Audio blast from the past , glad to hear he is still healthy and well..


Regards

 

[adrianywu]

Jean Hiraga !

Audio blast from the past , glad to hear he is still healthy and well..


Regards

He has overcome a health scare, and is doing well. Still very active in experimental audio. He has built an "improved" Altec A5, and a system based on original WE15a horns and 555 drivers.

 

[Massimo66]

François, the owner of Ana Mighty Sound, is a close friend. Due to the pandemic, I was unable to cross the border to pay him a visit we both had been expecting for a very long time. Having been fully vaccinated over the summer, it was about time to go to Paris.

Ana Mighty Sound’ showroom is located in a very quiet street of the 20th arrondissement where you can still feel the true Parisian spirit. Having lived myself in Paris for several years, I had a sense of being projected back 25 years ago whereas the neighbourhood where I lived has suffered from the gentrification and has lost some its charm.

François’ showroom is solely dedicated to analogue and operates by appointment only to provide the best customer experience.

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There are no less than 9 turntables on direct display and ready to be played: PTP, Thrax, AMG, Reed, Döhmann and CS Port with multiple tonearms from AMG, Reed, Schröder, Glanz and CS Port. The choice of cartridges is commensurate: Sculpture A - the inhouse brand, Allaerts, Phasemation, My Sonic Lab, Mutech and many others as well as a large choice of step up transformers among others Sculpture A, Phasemation, Thrax and Consolidated Audio.

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There are two STST turntables and a Garrard 301 in the backroom ready to be set up if need be.

Phono stages are from Sculpture A, Phasemation, CS Port and Thrax.

The main loudspeakers are the Thrax Lyra SE with the active subwoofer Bassus. These high-resolution loudspeakers are driven either by a DarTZeel preamp/power amp combo or a Thrax preamp/mono power amps combo comprising among others the Libra preamp which I am rather familiar with as I own one.

View attachment 82261

There are several integrated from DarTZeel and Thrax should you wish to go for a more compact system. The new bookshelf loudspeakers from Thrax, the Sirens, just landed should you want to listen to a more diminutive but not less impressive setup.

François distributes Stacore platforms, Elpispandora and Black Cat cables. He has also developed his own phono cables.

Ana Mighty Sound will soon represent the Steinheim loudspeakers and Hervé Deletraz will ship him a pair of DarTZeel NHB 468. I would have loved listening to the Thrax Spartacus 300B but they were not in the showroom during my visit.

Ana Mighty Sound has a tree tier analogue offering articulated around the following turntables:

- Top: AMG Viola Forte, Döhmman Helix 1, CS Port TAT2 and LFT1

- Middle: Thrax Yatrus, AMG Viella and Reed Muse 3C

- Entry: PTP and AMG Giro

I spent almost three days at François’ place and he complied with all my wishes.

I listened to all turntables and none of the setups were disappointing. Each of them has its idiosyncrasies. It is a matter of personal taste and budget. Even the « Entry” level offer provides limitless pleasure.

I am currently building a small « office system » which will incorporate a basic turntable hence I wanted to compare some entry level gear namely tonearms and cartridges. In a matter of minutes, the AMG Giro and the PTP turntables were set up with Phasemation PP 200 cartridges so I could make a direct comparison.

The highlights of my visits were:

Top: CS Port LFT1 turntable with the new Sculpture A cartridge connected to a full Thrax system via a Consolidated Audio Silver SUT

Middle: The Reed Muse 3C turntable set up in idler mode with a Reed tonearm and connected to the DarTZeel preamp/power amp combo via a Phasemation EA550 phono stage and a SUT from the same brand

Entry: PTP with a Schröder tonearm and Phasemation PP 200 cart connected to an integrated Thrax via a Phasemation EA350 phono stage and a Sculpture A SUT

If you are in Paris, do not hesitate to call François for an appointment. You won’t be disappointed.

Good afternoon. Sorry if I reopen this post but I'm having trouble getting in touch with François. or with the Ana Mighty sound shop. from March 18th to 21st I will be in Paris and I wanted to visit this dream place. I have already sent two emails in December December December and a few days ago to have two of my cartridges reviewed. But they receive no response. do any of you know how to contact them other than the institutional email. Thank you in advance

 

[dcc]

Good afternoon. Sorry if I reopen this post but I'm having trouble getting in touch with François. or with the Ana Mighty sound shop. from March 18th to 21st I will be in Paris and I wanted to visit this dream place. I have already sent two emails in December December December and a few days ago to have two of my cartridges reviewed. But they receive no response. do any of you know how to contact them other than the institutional email. Thank you in advance

I have reached out to François.

 

[Cala]

Good afternoon. Sorry if I reopen this post but I'm having trouble getting in touch with François. or with the Ana Mighty sound shop. from March 18th to 21st I will be in Paris and I wanted to visit this dream place. I have already sent two emails in December December December and a few days ago to have two of my cartridges reviewed. But they receive no response. do any of you know how to contact them other than the institutional email. Thank you in advance

Dear Massimo,

Thanks to Denis and this thread I found out about your retip inquiries that were (as your email) in our spam box ! I am coming back to you quickly.