TechDAS Airforce V arrived :-)

[shakti]

As I love to play around with tonearms and Carts, it became obvious , that my AF3P cannot provide enough space.
My remaining Micro Seiki Turntables could not meet the performance of the AF3P.
But a crosscheck with the AF V showed, that the little thing from TechDAS is very very good.
As some of my Micro Seiki were rare collectables, I sold some and bought the AF V instead.
All of my gunmetal Micro Seiki Tonearm bases do fit AF3P and AF V too, so I can quickly interchange them.
* BIG FUN*
I would say, that AF V is underestimated, had the old AF3 in my home just once, so no real A to B comparison,
but from my memory I would not see a big difference between old AF3 and AF V.
AF3P is still a bigger step, if listened to them with the same tonearm, as SME 3012R.
But if the AF3P has a more simple tonearm and the AF V a more premium tonearm, the differences become relatively small and the AF V underlines his good value.

Actually it is a hard decision, if the AF V will stay in my main room with the Maxx 3 or will become the main source in my "Horn&Tube" room and set up.

 

[Bodhi]

Congratulations on your new Tech Das AFV Shakti. Very nice! My dream tt would be an AF3 Premium with Graham and Shroeder tonearms...one day!

 

[Ron Resnick]

Congratulations, Shakti!

 

[Lagonda]

As I love to play around with tonearms and Carts, it became obvious , that my AF3P cannot provide enough space.
My remaining Micro Seiki Turntables could not meet the performance of the AF3P.
But a crosscheck with the AF V showed, that the little thing from TechDAS is very very good.
As some of my Micro Seiki were rare collectables, I sold some and bought the AF V instead.
All of my gunmetal Micro Seiki Tonearm bases do fit AF3P and AF V too, so I can quickly interchange them.
* BIG FUN*
I would say, that AF V is underestimated, had the old AF3 in my home just once, so no real A to B comparison,
but from my memory I would not see a big difference between old AF3 and AF V.
AF3P is still a bigger step, if listened to them with the same tonearm, as SME 3012R.
But if the AF3P has a more simple tonearm and the AF V a more premium tonearm, the differences become relatively small and the AF V underlines his good value.

Actually it is a hard decision, if the AF V will stay in my main room with the Maxx 3 or will become the main source in my "Horn&Tube" room and set up.

View attachment 47039 View attachment 47040

You have to admire the priorities of a true vinyl lover, 4-5 expensive turntables, but no budget for a new lamp !

 

[shakti]

You have to admire the priorities of a true vinyl lover, 4-5 expensive turntables, but no budget for a new lamp !

my music room hosts a collection of used industry stuff, the lamp is a 110year old original Kaiser Idell Lamp, value might be even higher, than many new lamps would cost

 

[Lagonda]

my music room hosts a collection of used industry stuff, the lamp is a 110year old original Kaiser Idell Lamp, value might be even higher, than many new lamps would cost

Looks just like the lamp i used doing my homework as a kid ! I guess the age is
about right.

 

[audioquattr]

Congratulations Shakti!
I heard one at the dealer and found it very good.
Their words are it sounds at the level of normal Af3.

 

[byrdparis]

Fantastic!
congrats. the V looks awesome. i love my AF3P, but when i got the original 3 and they came out with the V, i couldn't wounder how good it is compared.

btw - which arm is it in the left bottom spot?

 

[tima]

my music room hosts a collection of used industry stuff, the lamp is a 110year old original Kaiser Idell Lamp, value might be even higher, than many new lamps would cost

NOS bulbs?

 

[shakti]

Fantastic!
congrats. the V looks awesome. i love my AF3P, but when i got the original 3 and they came out with the V, i couldn't wounder how good it is compared.

btw - which arm is it in the left bottom spot?

This is a Fidelity Research FR24 MkII tonearm.

If you like FR64s, you might like the older FR24 MkII too, the FR24 is designed for more light Carts with a higher compliance, but similar performance to FR64s.

Effective mass (depending on headshell) is around 15 to 17, Fr64s is above 30.

Currently FR24 MkII are relatively cheap, as everybody is focussing on FR64....

 

[wbass]

Thread necro here, but a question about the AFV... How solid/stable are the arm mounts? I've heard occasional speculation that the cantilevered design might not be an ideal way to mount an arm with proper stability.

I've got a couple big arms--a GrooveMaster 12-J and a Kuzma 4 Point 14--and I'm wondering if there'd be a bit of bounce hanging them off a long armboard from one of the pegs on the AFV.

Thanks!

 

[shakti]

this construction has worked for Micro Seiki for decades and will work for TechDAS as well for decades.
no need to think for 5 minutes on this topic...

 

[BillK]

The main concern I've seen about this method of mounting arms has been from competitors who do it another way.

In the end, everyone will always have their own opinion on the subject.

 

[djsina2]

Pretty sure if the table was bolted down I could stand on the armboard. To think it can’t support a tonearm well is comical.

 

[BillK]

Well, try it, we want to know.

 

[wbass]

Pretty sure if the table was bolted down I could stand on the armboard. To think it can’t support a tonearm well is comical.

Fair enough. But there are also well respected TT builders who prefer not to use the cantilevered armboard approach and instead employ big solid arm pillars (Galibier, Reed, Kuzma XL tables). With a big arm especially, every little bit of stability and rigidity would seem desirable. Not having ready access to a TechDAS table (but having been quite tempted by them), I just wanted to hear some other folks thoughts. I'm sure the Tech armboard system works great, but it's good to gather more info when possible.

 

[djsina2]

Fair enough. But there are also well respected TT builders who prefer not to use the cantilevered armboard approach and instead employ big solid arm pillars (Galibier, Reed, Kuzma XL tables). With a big arm especially, every little bit of stability and rigidity would seem desirable. Not having access to a TechDAS table (but having been quite tempted by them), I just wanted to hear some other folks thoughts. I'm sure the Tech armboard system works great, but it's good to gather more info when possible.

Are you sure they specifically prefer not to use it or the way their table is designed doesn’t necessarily facilitate this type of mounting scheme? You can see the AS-2000 is a no holds barred flagship table and uses the same type of armboard as the lowly AF5.

 

[BillK]

Fair enough. But there are also well respected TT builders who prefer not to use the cantilevered armboard approach and instead employ big solid arm pillars (Galibier, Reed, Kuzma XL tables). With a big arm especially, every little bit of stability and rigidity would seem desirable. Not having ready access to a TechDAS table (but having been quite tempted by them), I just wanted to hear some other folks thoughts. I'm sure the Tech armboard system works great, but it's good to gather more info when possible.

As I stated, high-end audio companies are based around design philosophies.

Those who believe in massive arm supports will design them in and will disparage other approaches.

Those who dislike vacuum hold down will have other methods of keeping a record flat and will disparage vacuum.

…and so on.

 

[wbass]

Fair point. I know that Thom Mackris, who makes the Galibier tables, doesn't like the cantilevered armboard approach. He's said this to me over email, and I don't think he'd mind me sharing his stance. Anyway, I just thought I'd express that I've heard at least a couple different philosophies on how to best mount an arm. I'm no expert, certainly!

 

[wbass]

As I stated, high-end audio companies are based around design philosophies.

Those who believe in massive arm supports will design them in and will disparage other approaches.

Those who dislike vacuum hold down will have other methods of keeping a record flat and will disparage vacuum.

…and so on.

For sure. And I think that the best we can do, as consumers, is go out and audition and gather the impressions of other end users. I keep an open mind on everything.