Anyone have a TechDAS Air Force III or III Premium?

[Lee]

Just wondering what owners thought about it, pro and con.

Thanks.

 

[gian60]

I have AF3P since end 2018 and i can speak only well
I dont know if their price range competitors sound little better or little worse but

Sound is very very good
Look is awesome
Construction is awesome
since 2018 never one small problem
you can put 4 tonearm
pump absolutly no noise

I suggest Premium version because has platter of 29 kg against the normal AF3 with platter of 9 kg plus pump little better

 

[mtemur]

It’s an excellent turntable. I mean the AF3P. it only needs a nice isolation base. IMHO
if it had a better motor (lower wow&flutter) and an isolation solution added to the package then it would be an end-game turntable. new rubber suspension feet isolates a little and sounds better but don’t do the trick.
IMHO it is one of the best turntables on the market.

 

[shakti]

love my AF3P
is used on an active isolation base.
plus small Artesania damper on the motor
plus longer MS SF-1L belt to make 4 arms more easy

 

[bazelio]

Shakti - how would you compare and contrast the AF3P against the MS SX-8000II ? I recall that you've owned and sold the Micro Seiki.

 

[shakti]

difficult to compare, as I had them not side by side.

From my memory SX-8000 was playing bottom up with more substance, AF3P has more detail and is a little more vibrant.
If you change the OE alloy tonearmbase of the AF3P to the OE gun metal Micro Seiki Tonearmbase you can customize AF3P
to a better tonearm match, which can make a difference.

Both can be improved with a "better" motor. The final stage of my SX 8000 was using the Dereneville motor.

Both are benefitting from a good and solid base. The MS Air base had a "tone" ,
So I preferred HRS or an active base in critical resonance situations.

 

[bazelio]

@shakti did you have a stock, unmodified motor for the SX-8000II at any point? When you say "more substance" do you mean a warmer, thicker sound?

Thank you.

 

[shakti]

@shakti did you have a stock, unmodified motor for the SX-8000II at any point? When you say "more substance" do you mean a warmer, thicker sound?

Thank you.

I mostly used the original SX 8000 MkII motor (which is one development step ahead of the MkI Motor) But as I had Sperling and Dereneville motors available, I tried them. Sperling was below the original motor, Dereneville ahead (if you are looking for micro details)

and no, the SX 8000 MKII is not "warm or thick" in sound at all. The heavy cast zinc chassis of the SX 8000 is just better, than the milled alloy chassis of current production TechDAS. It is more easy to follow the deeper bass notes with SX 8000 MkII.
(at least in my former set up)

As everything is a compromise, you see myself listening to an AF3P.
But I can understand everyone, who's decision will prefer SX 8000 MkII .