Audionet Heisenberg Mono Amplifiers

[peter pan]

How close does the Humboldt come sonically to the Stern/Heisenberg combo?

i am an owner (a very lucky one, cant belive it myself) of the two and have done side by side comparisons in conjunction with the wilson sabrinaX.

i ll continue from post 15 to put it in context....
.....had the wilson tunetot with nagra classic amp, sounded great at lower volumes and did fall apart on higher volume.
then the humbolt....drives the tunetots, 87db, until the end without any kind of disortion. yes, i have seen the end, one woofer popped. humboldts display turned red with error warnings.
turned the humboldt off and on, pushed the woofer back and it worked again flawless.
later i upgraded to the sabrinaX, 87db again. but this time i had the same problem as in the beginning....the humboldt did fantastic music at lower to mid volume and then above it didnt fall apart but the beauty of freedom was gone.
then came the big brothers.
!!!!!
it sound somehow very similar, but the difference in my case is dramatic.
disortionfree until the end while i havent seen the end this time.
the sound has more strenght, mildness, content, intensity, density. when i switched back to the humboldt i truly started to feel i need to puke. but then after a few hours the sound gets good and seems to be quiet the same. and a day later you now you are lying to yourself and switch back to the big amps and heaven is back.
to my surprise, what i like best is the heisenbergs together with the pre from the humboldt.
certainly, this is all speaker dependent.
if you compare, you will see the humboldt doesnt double down, not at all in fact. while the heisenberg does. with sabrinaX, the difference in bass is crazy.
as shakti has said, the heisenberg will drive anything while with huboldt you will best try the matching.
that said, i was always a power-hungry listener and also dont get me wrong...i do love the humboldt.

 

[christoph]

i am an owner (a very lucky one, cant belive it myself) of the two and have done side by side comparisons in conjunction with the wilson sabrinaX.

i ll continue from post 15 to put it in context....
.....had the wilson tunetot with nagra classic amp, sounded great at lower volumes and did fall apart on higher volume.
then the humbolt....drives the tunetots, 87db, until the end without any kind of disortion. yes, i have seen the end, one woofer popped. humboldts display turned red with error warnings.
turned the humboldt off and on, pushed the woofer back and it worked again flawless.
later i upgraded to the sabrinaX, 87db again. but this time i had the same problem as in the beginning....the humboldt did fantastic music at lower to mid volume and then above it didnt fall apart but the beauty of freedom was gone.
then came the big brothers.
!!!!!
it sound somehow very similar, but the difference in my case is dramatic.
disortionfree until the end while i havent seen the end this time.
the sound has more strenght, mildness, content, intensity, density. when i switched back to the humboldt i truly started to feel i need to puke. but then after a few hours the sound gets good and seems to be quiet the same. and a day later you now you are lying to yourself and switch back to the big amps and heaven is back.
to my surprise, what i like best is the heisenbergs together with the pre from the humboldt.
certainly, this is all speaker dependent.
if you compare, you will see the humboldt doesnt double down, not at all in fact. while the heisenberg does. with sabrinaX, the difference in bass is crazy.
as shakti has said, the heisenberg will drive anything while with huboldt you will best try the matching.
that said, i was always a power-hungry listener and also dont get me wrong...i do love the humboldt.

Thank you for your extensive answer.
What preamp do you use with the Heisenbergs? I guess not still the Humboldt pre-out?

 

[peter pan]

yes i do and love it this way.
the funny thing is, actually very funny for me, i didnt wanted to upgrade.
i forgot to mention, last summer i had the alexia2, 91db, with the humboldt for a short period and power was quiet good.
so when i had not so good power with sabrinaX, i thought about subwoofers or going back to alexias.
well, the humboldt is so good i thought this is my amp forever and anything above is just greed.
i wondered many times, how the stern/heisenberg would sound, however, i told myself stay humble.
humboldt=humble.
easy to stay humble with such a good machine, and to get real, it was already uber expensiv for my budget. heisenberg/stern unreachable!! stuff to dream about and maybe listen to it at next munich.
lol, just before christmas the man who bought the nagra amp called me and asked me if i wanted a brand new heisenberg that was laying around at some broker who has to get rid of it before end of the year.
i stayed humble and said no thanks, not for me. he then mentioned a real silly low price.
the heisenbergs HAVE to be sold now and how much am i willing to pay.
incredible position if you dont want buy and the other wants to sell.
ahh, i need to mention this is the guy as well who bought all of the amps i mentioned above and lots more. it is very easy with him, call him, he comes within hours, things are out of the house and you have the cash in the pockets. speed is insane. however, downside, as soon as he drives away you realize how little you got.
cut the story short, actually my best audio story, the only good one where i ever felt as a winner, he did agree to a price that must be below production price.
i bought it then for reselling.
well, sure, use it first.....and here we are, when i take the heisenberg out of the system, that is a loss that can not be compensated with whatever i would add in the future like better source or tweaks etc.
decision = heisenbergs are not for sell. only if i get bankrupt.
sound together with humboldt a pure dream. certainly a wrong feeling somehow with the humboldts unused power section. it is there for nothing. or even for the bad. not a long term solution.
later...not long ago i had finally had the chance to loan a stern.
i found the stage a bit wider but liked the dynamic and focus better from the humboldt pre.
dont quote me, i am not sure about. please note, both pre are buildt with identical parts and circuit.
the decision went against the stern. not a very good deal was there. the window to do the decision too small. may be i buy the stern when i will find a used one. and i hate the idea of selling the humboldt. either way, humboldt with heisenberg, wrong but certainly no need to change anything.
if you like the humboldt, you 100% guaranteed will love it much more with a added heisenberg. dramatic!!

 

[nirodha]

The Humboldt would be my replacement if the Nagra pre (Jazz) and power (Classic) were to leave. Love everything I read and see about the Humboldt. Will have to check out where I can hear one in Germany since there is no Dutch importer.

 

[peter pan]

hi nirodha
what speakers are you using?
actually i went from nagra classic to humboldt (with wilson tunetot) and it was a good move.
at lower volume nagra classic amp was really good in a whole nagra system.
pre was from the tubedac which is very similar to the jazz.

highendbroker in netherland has a demo humboldt for sale, price is around 29k euro.

 

[shakti]

The Humboldt would be my replacement if the Nagra pre (Jazz) and power (Classic) were to leave. Love everything I read and see about the Humboldt. Will have to check out where I can hear one in Germany since there is no Dutch importer.

Karel of W&W Audio is importing (and selling) Audionet to NL, he mostly has Humboldt on Demo.

Home W&W Audio | Verkoop nieuwe en tweedehands audio apparatuur, inruil mogelijk

Verkoop nieuwe en tweedehands audio apparatuur inruil mogelijk

www.wenwaudio.nl

 

[FDPDK]

Nirodha
i was just looking at Audionets homepage , and can see there are several dealers in Germany
not sure where your located but think Nederland , so i think that a dealer in the city Münster would be close to you but i just put the link for you here so you can take a look yourself.

Händler & Distributoren – AUDIONET – Ministries of magic.

Verzeichnis der Audionet Händler in Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz sowie der Distributoren weltweit.

www.audionet.de

 

[nirodha]

Thank you FDPDK! I am busy trying to sell my Nagra pre and power. I really want to hear the Humboldt. Will keep u posted.

 

[FDPDK]

Thank you FDPDK! I am busy trying to sell my Nagra pre and power. I really want to hear the Humboldt. Will keep u posted.

Your welcome , and will look forward to what your findings will be.

 

[nirodha]

Karel of W&W Audio is importing (and selling) Audionet to NL, he mostly has Humboldt on Demo.

Home W&W Audio | Verkoop nieuwe en tweedehands audio apparatuur, inruil mogelijk

Verkoop nieuwe en tweedehands audio apparatuur inruil mogelijk

www.wenwaudio.nl

Thanks! Mailed him yesterday. Hope to get an answer soon.

 

[Thieliste]

Interesting stories guys!
If one day i can afford the Borresen 05s i would certainly purchase a pair of Heisenberg and drive them direct with a Totaldac D1-Twelve MK2 with 2 D1-drivers.
For Borresen 03s i would pick the Humboldt, perfect match.

 

[nirodha]

After having lived with the Humboldt for two weeks now, my heart bleeds for other manufacturers. But guys, keep at it. Even though you will never reach this summit in sound reproduction, there is always a buck to be made in the lower stratosphere

 

[sbo6]

After having lived with the Humboldt for two weeks now, my heart bleeds for other manufacturers. But guys, keep at it. Even though you will never reach this summit in sound reproduction, there is always a buck to be made in the lower stratosphere

Can I ask what speakers you are running with the Humboldt?

 

[nirodha]

Can I ask what speakers you are running with the Humboldt?

Hi, my speakers are Kef 207/2 and, admittedly, are the present ‘weak spot‘ in my set. But they are not bad and still give me great pleasure . I would not trade them in for any Kefs on the market today. Certainly not for the Blades which I have heard serveral times.

 

[Addicted to hifi]

Hi, my speakers are Kef 207/2 and, admittedly, are the present ‘weak spot‘ in my set. But they are not bad and still give me great pleasure . I would not trade them in for any Kefs on the market today. Certainly not for the Blades which I have heard serveral times.

Very nice.what brand are the cables?

 

[nirodha]

Very nice.what brand are the cables?

Power cables Furutech nanoflux NCF into and from the Pure Power 6E NCF. Interlink silver/gold custom made and loudspeaker cables Elrod Master Diamond. Interlink next to upgrade Elrod Master Diamond. Hopefully soon.

 

[nirodha]

Ánd I just read that Furutech has developed NCF RCA terminations. These, in combination with Elrod Master Diamonds should be epic! https://www.furutech.com/2021/08/31/21017/

 

[Zero000]

Shakti I have met you a couple of times post Munich over some food.

I was the guy with the French onion tea shirt last time. I say that as you commented on it.

Seriously, you are in a good place for some decent speakers. Avalon don't make them.

Phone up and have a good chat with Graz. He will build you something completely fucked up. You won't believe your ears.

I know saying something like that takes a massive leap of faith. But seriously I have been into hi-fi since I was 5 and I am now 58. My current spec Duettas a few months after a substantial mod are crazy stupid good. Just absolutely outstanding.

Get some high spec custom built Full Range and give Graz a challenge...

They will sort you out until you die. Seriously. They will.

 

[sbo6]

Hi, my speakers are Kef 207/2 and, admittedly, are the present ‘weak spot‘ in my set. But they are not bad and still give me great pleasure . I would not trade them in for any Kefs on the market today. Certainly not for the Blades which I have heard serveral times.

Thanks for your information. Nice system. I do agree that new speakers would yield further sonic benefits and would be more commensurate with your Audionet in terms of SQ. You might like Giyas, they're phenomenal IMO and also 4 way designs which have inherent benefits in terms of dynamics and effortlessness since each driver covers less frequency range than 3 ways.

 

[christoph]

Shakti I have met you a couple of times post Munich over some food.

I was the guy with the French onion tea shirt last time. I say that as you commented on it.

Seriously, you are in a good place for some decent speakers. Avalon don't make them.

Phone up and have a good chat with Graz. He will build you something completely fucked up. You won't believe your ears.

I know saying something like that takes a massive leap of faith. But seriously I have been into hi-fi since I was 5 and I am now 58. My current spec Duettas a few months after a substantial mod are crazy stupid good. Just absolutely outstanding.

Get some high spec custom built Full Range and give Graz a challenge...

They will sort you out until you die. Seriously. They will.

I think Shakti doesn't really have a flat wall where he could place the Dipoles against for at least a symmetric back wall.
So Dipoles most probably won't work in Shakti's room