A day with Mani and his Tune Audio Animas horns

the sound of Tao

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Lol yes... definitely music and espresso before, music and wine after... like a good day at work.
 
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spiritofmusic

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Graham, it was really refreshing for me to have my previous opinions well and truly trashed today. However Mani has put his finger on things, in that he feels he has eeked out optimal performance thru stringent choice on dac and server, synergistic amps, and a fantastic take no prisoners attitude to power. He's also helped by a room, which on the surface looks too small for the Animas, and is not far off square, that just shines w minimal attention to acoustics.
 

manisandher

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spiritofmusic

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I would never swap my Zus out for the Animas, my spkrs are just so well suited to 75% of my music collection, and prog/fusion/electronica I still genuinely believe sounds best on idler > digital, SET > SS, Zus > horns.

But if I truly expanded my exposure to classical and jazz (which is really my main aim in this hobby, lps and Tidal streaming), it would make a lot of sense to consider running Animas as a second system.

And I cannot believe I've just written that.
 

manisandher

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Love it! Great looking space Mani. The Animas are one of the few speakers I think are end-game also.

If they are right for you when you listen then they are pretty much right for life. Super addictive.

Thanks - really appreciate the comments.

Mani.
 
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spiritofmusic

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Well that didn't take long, did it? ;)

Mani.
I always want the best for Ked. It's best he looks past Zu.

I only say this because I genuinely care.
 

the sound of Tao

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I would never swap my Zus out for the Animas, my spkrs are just so well suited to 75% of my music collection, and prog/fusion/electronica I still genuinely believe sounds best on idler > digital, SET > SS, Zus > horns.

But if I truly expanded my exposure to classical and jazz (which is really my main aim in this hobby, lps and Tidal streaming), it would make a lot of sense to consider running Animas as a second system.

And I cannot believe I've just written that.
May I quote you... lol. Marc great to hear you enjoyed them. They have something very right about them.

I’d love Animas for a third system... oh my, did I really say that??? Better get back to some real world trimming down on the speaker front. I am a hopeless horn addict :)
 

manisandher

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I would never swap my Zus out for the Animas, my spkrs are just so well suited to 75% of my music collection, and prog/fusion/electronica I still genuinely believe sounds best on idler > digital, SET > SS, Zus > horns.

Marc, I'm really looking forward to hearing your system at some point. It's great that it sounds good with the majority of the music you currently listen to.

Mani.
 

manisandher

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I was quite happy with this thread... until all this talk of Animas being good for 2nd and 3rd systems :(.
 
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spiritofmusic

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Mani, I know you want to hear my tt and arm in particular. You're in for a treat, I've modded or significantly added about two dozen changes to stock tt/arm/cart/phono to make it maybe the most bespoke Salvation/Terminator out there. It makes a pretty compelling case for analog > digital.

On the flip side, there was an awful lot to be impressed with re yr Phasure gear. As you say, maybe these making the difference on my new found admiration for the Animas.

However, you'll never convince me a tt would be out of place in yr rig. I could look at that lp collection and cry LOL.
 

spiritofmusic

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I was quite happy with this thread... until all this talk of Animas being good for 2nd and 3rd systems :(.
Mani, once my classical/jazz album listening is 51% versus 49% prog/fusion/electric jazz/electronica, Animas become the main system chez moi.
 
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the sound of Tao

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I was quite happy with this thread... until all this talk of Animas being good for 2nd and 3rd systems :(.
Mani, that’s not order of preference... just the order of when they arrive. An Anima system would be up the top. I just can’t see me being able to afford them these days. Our dollar is weak and my need to eat is strong.

I do have the advantage that I can visit my mate whenever I need a fix.
 
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microstrip

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Ahem...
View attachment 51122

They really work as excellent diffusers though.

Mani.

Congratulations on the room and system. I do not think that the LP boxes work as diffusers - probably partially as absorbers, although I do not have coefficients of absorption for hard cardboard or the typical resonance frequency of the air inside an LP box. They also look great!
 
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spiritofmusic

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Francisco, it's a crime those lps are not being played. It's a very sweet collection.
 

spiritofmusic

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Marc, thanks for your comments on the Animas! Looking forward to hearing them myself in a few weeks - but it will be on Wavac tubes.
Keith, really looking fwds to yr take. Have no idea if Wavacs a good choice. I didn't like Traformatic on Animas at Munich.
 

microstrip

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(...) Would be happy to answer any questions, should anyone have any.

Perhaps I will have a few - it is really nice to have someone in WBF with expertise in the Phasure player! Can you give us a brief description of such system? Does the Phasure works as a server?
 

Ron Resnick

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Thank you, Marc, for this very interesting and detailed report!

I agreed with you on the Animas we heard in Munich in 2017 with the (absolutely amazing looking) Trafomatic tube amps (fuzzy-sounding on rock). And here you liked the Animas on solid-state playing digital!

Mani -- Congratulations on a great room and an obviously great system!

PS: I wish somebody on this forum would buy Avatons!
 
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Zero000

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Munich 2011 and the Animas were fantastic playing classical.

Munich where a Modwright was used and they were bloody terrible. Really dreadful.

I have a video of the 2011 setup on YouTube somewhere.
 
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manisandher

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Perhaps I will have a few - it is really nice to have someone in WBF with expertise in the Phasure player! Can you give us a brief description of such system? Does the Phasure works as a server?

Will cover the Phasure front end in a following post, when I have a bit more time - there's a lot to it. It comes with a bit of a learning curve, but once set up can be pretty much maintenance free. The sound quality is by far the best I've managed to achieve from any digital front end.

More later...

Mani.
 

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