Saskia 2 Reference tt

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
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E. England
Hi all.
After needing various cold showers contemplating David's AS-2000, and putting thought into a final final tt purchase for myself, the Saskia always enters my mind.
However, I've never seen an official review of it, no owner reports, only sporadic show reports none more recent than 4 years ago, no website, and highly intermittent contact w designer Win Tinnon/Moisin.
Can anyone enlighten me as to Win and Saskia status?
 

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
14,598
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E. England
Well, what can I say?
A thread on a ground breaking design gets no replies.
No show reports more recently than 3-4 yrs ago.
No user reviews.
No reply from the designer to my PMs via WBF.
Requests to senior guys on this forum can't help me.
And finally, no replies to my emails to the designer over the last couple of years.
No news as to whether Saskia is a going concern.
What can I say?
 

BruceD

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Dec 13, 2013
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Hi there S,

I've heard the TT with the superb Schroder Arm--it is an excellent TT.

Hmm--no replies to your enquiries?--I had similar when I sat a table with the designer at RMAF dinner and was looking to ask more on the Turntable from him--

I must admit I was surprised at the reluctance to engage in any meaningful dialogue--ah well I felt his order book must be well filled so I left it at that.

I hope you have better luck:)

In the UK you have some excellent examples of the Idler--namely the 301(I own one of these) or Modded Lenco/Thorens 124, and suggest auditioning some local examples which can give outstanding playback for your £

The AudioGrail 301s ( especially with the Shindo bearing)in Cusworth or Lignolab plinths with SME12Rs/ SAEC WE506/etc would be worth considering.

Anyway I'm sure the others here will assist --so good luck and good listening :)

BruceD

SK1.jpg
 

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
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BruceD, thanks for the feedback.
TBH, this isn't good enough.
If his order books are full, just let me know, I'll understand, congratulate him, and either hang on or move on.
With no contact I'll only move on, not hang on.
And if he really didn't run with the ball when you showed genuine interest and curiosity, he ought to be ashamed.
Louis the designer of Kronos didn't let me leave the room at Munich, so proud was he with his tt and wanting to engage.
This is a $53k bespoke piece of kit, not a microwave that a shop assistant at minimum wage can't be bothered to engage with the customer on.
The way I see uber priced gear, is that for the money I expect something above the minimum.
Tinnon isn't even providing the minimum.
Pass.
Move on.
 

spiritofmusic

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Jun 13, 2013
14,598
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E. England
Bruce, I'm running a direct rim drive tt from a guy who has spent years deconstructing Lencos to see how they tick, and how to improve upon them.
And he believes he has.
The Saskia 2 Ref would have been a dream final destination tt that I had put very serious consideration into. Paying for it would have been "trying" LOL, but from everything I've gleaned about it, I'd have been confident it would have given me "more" for my money than uber tts at a similar price.
But pride of ownership also comes thru a connection with the designer, worry free aftercare, and these last aspects are absent from anything else I might feel good about this tt.
There's another fascinating tt thst despite continued emails to the company elicits zero response.
What's going on?
 

BruceD

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Dec 13, 2013
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Bruce, I'm running a direct rim drive tt from a guy who has spent years deconstructing Lencos to see how they tick, and how to improve upon them.
And he believes he has.
The Saskia 2 Ref would have been a dream final destination tt that I had put very serious consideration into. Paying for it would have been "trying" LOL, but from everything I've gleaned about it, I'd have been confident it would have given me "more" for my money than uber tts at a similar price.
But pride of ownership also comes thru a connection with the designer, worry free aftercare, and these last aspects are absent from anything else I might feel good about this tt.
There's another fascinating tt thst despite continued emails to the company elicits zero response.
What's going on?

Fair enough SM, there is a plethora of choice for your TT so I know you will look listen and digest--my thoughts are still with the drive and power of good idler-like I said the A Grail local ones-Proviso if possible with the Shindo bearing and Platter

may impress you with what they can produce sonically --I still have soft spot for this combo below tho--this would surprise!-I heard it up against the AF2--we agreed on the MS as superior.

Good Hunting,

BruceD

MS1.jpg
 

BruceD

VIP/Donor
Dec 13, 2013
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Yes I have a friend with the Jean Nantais Lenco and it is superb into his Ocellia FCoils!

BruceD
 
Last edited:

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
14,598
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E. England
BruceD, a world awaits if I reinvestigate tts
My thread was really borne out of frustration w Saskia and Win Tinnon.
His attitude to you is endemic of what I'm (not) getting.
I just thought the WBF community might know more, I mean there are some serious tt guys who post here.
 

Argonaut

Well-Known Member
Jul 30, 2013
2,362
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N/A
Well, what can I say?
A thread on a ground breaking design gets no replies.
No show reports more recently than 3-4 yrs ago.
No user reviews.
No reply from the designer to my PMs via WBF.
Requests to senior guys on this forum can't help me.
And finally, no replies to my emails to the designer over the last couple of years.
No news as to whether Saskia is a going concern.
What can I say?

Perhaps we are all simply worn out Marc!
 

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
14,598
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E. England
Sure Harlequin.
Inbox "can we talk about your tt?"
Reply? Hmm, not sure I can be bothered.
A few more times over a couple of years.
Same deal.
Yep, still all simply worn out.
 

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
14,598
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E. England
Sure Harlequin, I'm afraid requests to people who don't reply like Win could be classed as rhetorical requests too.
It's a shame, I'm coming to the end of major upgrading, but may splash out on one last big ticket present to myself.
The Saskia was right up there as a potential candidate, but I guess not anymore.
 

PeterA

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Dec 6, 2011
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Sure Harlequin.
Inbox "can we talk about your tt?"
Reply? Hmm, not sure I can be bothered.
A few more times over a couple of years.
Same deal.
Yep, still all simply worn out.

I thought you had already moved on many posts ago. I wouldn't waste any more time on this effort. Who would want to get involved with a company and spend this kind of money when the information is almost non existent and they don't bother to respond to inquiries? Life's too short and there are so many other options. Forget about it.

Don't you have your refurbished analog coming back soon anyway and your newfound interest in digital streaming?
 

spiritofmusic

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Jun 13, 2013
14,598
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E. England
Peter, sure.
Like all guys on this forum I can certainly daydream.
The Saskia was a real lottery win object of desire for me, I'm a sucker for well implemented idler, and this took the concept to a new level.
I also have a thing for wishing to invest in smaller boutique companies, with great results so far re my main components, even my transformer is not from one of the big boys.
The thread was really just to see if there was any perspective to be had on Saskia, and Win the designer.
---
Yes, I am very much anticipating the return of vinyl in my system.
I'm making a few significant mods ahead of its install, and of course the Stacore Adv awaits.
But I have no doubts there is a killer tt out there that I'd have to stretch financially to if I wanted that "last" treat to myself.
I'll endure SME is on the list if indeed I do go down this path. My current tt has the potential to satisfy me fully for good based on its performance v my Eera in London. If the upstick I'm getting with my Eera here can be replicated proportionately with my analog, I'll be in a state of happy disarray!
 

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
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Hi all.
After needing various cold showers contemplating David's AS-2000, and putting thought into a final final tt purchase for myself, the Saskia always enters my mind.
However, I've never seen an official review of it, no owner reports, only sporadic show reports none more recent than 4 years ago, no website, and highly intermittent contact w designer Win Tinnon/Moisin.
Can anyone enlighten me as to Win and Saskia status?

No need for cold showers just rationalize a little. We should dream about getting what we prefer. And IMHO, unless we do not have listened to we can not prefer. Remember that besides spreading information, audio forums are also a way of keeping the flame of unobtainium.;)
 

pcosta

Well-Known Member
Jul 25, 2010
364
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950
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
I would take a EMT 927 over the Saskia any day.

I heard the first Saskia and the last Saskia both times at RMAF. I don't think there are many out there. I have heard stories and they are not good. He did give me a large Saskia long sleeve shirt. He talked about a more affordable version that he apparently was working on. The last time he showed there he was very engaging and was really working to drum up sales. I almost felt uncomfortable with pressure to buy. I was just taking in a show.
 

Stacore

Industry Expert
Feb 23, 2017
641
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180
Gdańsk, Poland
stacore.pl
BruceD, thanks for the feedback.
TBH, this isn't good enough.
If his order books are full, just let me know, I'll understand, congratulate him, and either hang on or move on.
With no contact I'll only move on, not hang on.
And if he really didn't run with the ball when you showed genuine interest and curiosity, he ought to be ashamed.
Louis the designer of Kronos didn't let me leave the room at Munich, so proud was he with his tt and wanting to engage.
This is a $53k bespoke piece of kit, not a microwave that a shop assistant at minimum wage can't be bothered to engage with the customer on.
The way I see uber priced gear, is that for the money I expect something above the minimum.
Tinnon isn't even providing the minimum.
Pass.
Move on.

Not sure if it helps/is the case, but Win was active few yrs back at the Lencoheaven.
He was very helpful, shared his knowledge and experience generously, and seemed to me to be a great person.

Cheers,
 

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
14,598
5,403
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E. England
Pcosta, that's fairly enlightening. I believe there were issues with the motor speed control psu on the first Saskia - if I'm incorrect Win, please put me straight.
And last thing I heard in my one and only chat with Win 2-3 years ago was that his order books were full.
Reading btwn the lines, maybe things are not so good, but the drive to get new customers isn't there.
Who knows, I don't want to highlight bad karma.
Yes, the EMT 927 looks the killer choice, but what a minefield. More chance however of picking up one rather than an American Sound.
 

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
14,598
5,403
1,278
E. England
Jarek, my almost instinctive drive to support the enthusiast/boutique/vfm good engineering company is well repeated thruout a lot of my posts here.
TransFi, Soundndsmith, Eera, NAT, Zu, Sablon, Westwick, Symposium, and now Stacore, are all examples of where amazing SQ marries with exceptional VFM, and in many cases this is added to by as close contact with the designer as one can get.
I really value the good vibes I get from Sean of Zu, Mark of Sablon, Peter of Symposium and now you of Stacore.
There was the possibility that Saskia could have been the most extravagant example of this, a truly cutting edge design in the area I rate most for tt playback, and a direct line to the engineer/designer.
Not to be.
 

Stacore

Industry Expert
Feb 23, 2017
641
196
180
Gdańsk, Poland
stacore.pl
Jarek, my almost instinctive drive to support the enthusiast/boutique/vfm good engineering company is well repeated thruout a lot of my posts here.
TransFi, Soundndsmith, Eera, NAT, Zu, Sablon, Westwick, Symposium, and now Stacore, are all examples of where amazing SQ marries with exceptional VFM, and in many cases this is added to by as close contact with the designer as one can get.
I really value the good vibes I get from Sean of Zu, Mark of Sablon, Peter of Symposium and now you of Stacore.
There was the possibility that Saskia could have been the most extravagant example of this, a truly cutting edge design in the area I rate most for tt playback, and a direct line to the engineer/designer.
Not to be.

Sure Marc, I understand your point. Maybe sth has happened, one never knows.
Anyway, if you are patient and persistent enough, I believe 927 can be hunted
and projecting from 930 I own, this must be a dream idler.
Contacting all 3 EMT specialists would be my starting point.
/I'm shooting my own foot helping you hunt a machine I'd like to find myself one day ;) /
 

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