Audio Tekne Acp 8801MKII Turntable

amadeus

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Jan 13, 2018
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I know and i am very friend with Mr Imai,that visit me in my home 4/5 times and every Christmas,Birthday,new year always write to me.
When need to find some distributor in Italy,or need some,always ask suggestion to me.
He is very simple and i never listen him speaking bad of some other brands.

15 years ago one my friend went to Japan to visit him and he listen Imaisan talking with another italian guy that want to buy and ask discount.
He replay to come another time because is not ready for his sound.
So he is not a businessman

I had his system since 1993 to 2012 and i can tell are the most natural sound i listen.I put in comparison,Mactone M8 V otl,Sakuma,Shindo petrous with WE 300 B limited and Shinonia,and all top ANJ Gakuon,M10,Kegon,Ongaku,M7 ksl and Souga,but no comparison,AT was the most transparent and natural

I know well this TT and listen many many times because Italian distributor has,is very good but i always listen it a little dark,could be there is too much Carbon block,but is really very good.
I had same model made from Be Yamamura in 1992 and was amazing

I love AT,then for some reason i change since 2012

View attachment 41052


Wowww you are really a connoisseur of Audio Tekne i do not go so far i have heard some Audi Tekne gear Like the big two part Phonostage the top of the line Preamp and the 300B push pull power amps and they are all great stuff i have big respect to this master creator.

I like to Combine and to me all Audio Tekne System will not really satisfy me i am afraid.

Regarding the Dark sound of the Audio Tekne TT i am sure this is wrong combination of Cartridge Phono cable Powercord Linestage.
Mater of Synergy and fine tuning by example i do not use the Audio TT whit the Audio Tekne Cartridge because to me this is a boring Cartridge...
 

amadeus

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amadeus

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Jan 13, 2018
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You have right,
is TT and his cartridges on dark side with a weak bass

The pre 9501 and mono amp 9502 are incredible natural and transparent


Well after many conversations during some months i was succeed to get Mr Imai so far to build a Audio Tekne ACP 8801MKII for me which has some exceptions like:

-Universal Head-shell so i am not depended on only Audio Tekne Cartridge.
-Din Output so i can experiment whit different phono cables.
-A second Arm Support and Base for a second Arm!

Whit the right Cartridge and System synergy no way that there is Weak bass and sound is Dark.
This is only the mater if you play this TT conservatively whit out being open for combinations by example by the already burned inn ACP8801 of the Distributor going from Audio Tekne Cartridge to Koetsu Coralstone was a revolution it was Much opener faster better tighter and more tuneful Bass Voices to die for...

When we played Holst the Planets whit Zubin Mehta and Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra you could count the numbers of the Violins.
 

djsina2

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May 30, 2019
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What an incredible looking machine that turntable is. I'm just now getting into Audio Tekne and for me it's been a true revelation. I'm surprised you say the Audio Tekne cartridge is boring. On my 4Point this is the best cartridge I have heard (when using a matching Audio Tekne phono pre). I also wouldn't call the Audio Tekne house sound "dark", but it is quite a bit different for sure. If you need that artificial high end sizzle then it's probably not for you. Extremely natural and live sounding in my opinion.
 
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amadeus

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Jan 13, 2018
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What an incredible looking machine that turntable is. I'm just now getting into Audio Tekne and for me it's been a true revelation. I'm surprised you say the Audio Tekne cartridge is boring. On my 4Point this is the best cartridge I have heard (when using a matching Audio Tekne phono pre). I also wouldn't call the Audio Tekne house sound "dark", but it is quite a bit different for sure. If you need that artificial high end sizzle then it's probably not for you. Extremely natural and live sounding in my opinion.

I have heard the Audio Tekne own Cartridge once and it was boring but probably i have to give it a chance again whit some fine tuning and experimenting whit load..

Audio Tekne Turntable is everything but not dark its very natural but very fast and lively same time and some comments like weak on bass is also absolutely prejudice.. I have the best bass performance i have heard anywhere for instance on my Audio Tekne TT!
 
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PeterA

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Dec 6, 2011
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View attachment 41015




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I am wondering why (almost) know body doesn't know the Audio Tekne ACP 8801MKII Turntable Made Fully from Carbon :

- Separate Power Supply Whit 2 input tubes and 2x300B Tubes (!)
- Separate Turntable Motor
- Turntable whit Air Bearing
- Turntable Arm from Carbon.
- Air Pump

I have heard this TT at Distributors Studio side to side to Vertere s Beautiful Reference TT and Arm and i am very much shocked why the Techdas Airforce one,Walker Audio,Kronos pro and even Micro Seiki SX8000MKII or American Sound boys do not talk and did not discovered this Master Work of Mr Kiyoaki Imai..?

Its truly a Stradivarius in the Hype and also not Hype TT world it is the most undiscovered probably therefor also most underrated Maestro...

Since few days i am very happy and proud owner and it is not burned inn and also not fine tuned i didn't listened to different combinations of Power-cables, Phono-cables yet...

It sounds yet after even only 15 hours of Burninn very promising and wonderful.

I will keep posting and will be glad answering your questions.

I think this table looks very cool and I like the design concept. I am not so sure about the closed system and all of that carbon material though. I would love to learn more. Perhaps the reason people who like high mass belt drive air bearing tables don't talk about this much is that so few people seem to have heard it.

Can you make a video of your system playing an LP and share it with us for a taste of the sound?
 
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amadeus

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Jan 13, 2018
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I think this table looks very cool and I like the design concept. I am not so sure about the closed system and all of that carbon material though. I would love to learn more. Perhaps the reason people who like high mass belt drive air bearing tables don't talk about this much is that so few people seem to have heard it.

Can you make a video of your system playing an LP and share it with us for a taste of the sound?
Can you make a video of your system playing an LP and share it with us for a taste of the sound?

I will soon!
 

ashandger

Well-Known Member
Jun 14, 2013
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Can you make a video of your system playing an LP and share it with us for a taste of the sound?

I will soon!
One with your wonderful CS Port LFT 1 would also be very welcome and most enjoyable. Many thanks
 

djsina2

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May 30, 2019
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Some pictures of my Audio Tekne ACP-8801. This is a new version that Imai made for me called the “simple drive system”. There is no 300B drive unit. It’s a new drive system that is integrated into the motor box.
 

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amadeus

VIP/Donor
Jan 13, 2018
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Some pictures of my Audio Tekne ACP-8801. This is a new version that Imai made for me called the “simple drive system”. There is no 300B drive unit. It’s a new drive system that is integrated into the motor box.
Looks great congratulations!
What Cartridge are you using the Audio Tekne?
So as i understand the powersuply is integrated in the motor drive system and it is not a Tube Power Suply?
 

djsina2

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May 30, 2019
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Looks great congratulations!
What Cartridge are you using the Audio Tekne?
So as i understand the powersuply is integrated in the motor drive system and it is not a Tube Power Suply?
Yes, the Audio Tekne cartridge.

That’s correct. Everything is in the motor box. To switch between 33/45 I have to move the belt between two pulleys. The knob next to the power button adjusts voltage to fine tune the speed. As I understand it yours does speed switching based off frequency and not voltage. I believe mine also has an upgraded motor from the standard one. Imai mentioned it’s a 6 pole motor and the last one he had, which he had been holding onto.
 

iaxel

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Oct 25, 2016
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Trying out a Fuuga cartridge… Works surprisingly well given the arm has no adjustments other than VTF and there is no slotted headshell.
So is it built only to fit the audiotekne cartridge?
 

djsina2

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May 30, 2019
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So is it built only to fit the audiotekne cartridge?

It’s designed for their cartridge, yes. You can use others though with success. Audio Tekne makes an optional slotted headshell for their arm. I may get it just to see if there is a difference. As far as I can tell the current geometry does not follow any standard and Imai seemed to imply it doesn't really matter. It's a unique turntable system for sure, which breaks some rules, but works extremely well. Clearly superior to my CSPort TAT2 3012R combo.

The SME looks like a toy in comparison.
 

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tima

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Mar 3, 2014
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Trying out a Fuuga cartridge… Works surprisingly well given the arm has no adjustments other than VTF and there is no slotted headshell.

What do you think of the Fuuga? My experience with a single cartridge is that it comes out of the box requiring little adjustment other than VTF if you can start with the headshell parallel to the platter in both dimensions.
 
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iaxel

Well-Known Member
Oct 25, 2016
390
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It’s designed for their cartridge, yes. You can use others though with success. Audio Tekne makes an optional slotted headshell for their arm. I may get it just to see if there is a difference. As far as I can tell the current geometry does not follow any standard and Imai seemed to imply it doesn't really matter. It's a unique turntable system for sure, which breaks some rules, but works extremely well. Clearly superior to my CSPort TAT2 3012R combo.

The SME looks like a toy in comparison.
Which cartridge do you use on the 3012R?
Also, do you have the CSPort linear arm as well?
 

djsina2

Well-Known Member
May 30, 2019
1,125
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What do you think of the Fuuga? My experience with a single cartridge is that it comes out of the box requiring little adjustment other than VTF if you can start with the headshell parallel to the platter in both dimensions.

The Fuuga seems to have the same height as the Audio Tekne cartridge. From the pictures of Fuuga I had thought that maybe it was going to be taller. Headshell is parallel. It sounds great. So far my quick summary would be the AT is wider and more 3D and the Fuuga is tighter in the bass with more treble energy. The Fuuga also seems to have a bit more detail. I think AT is more “live” sounding and Fuuga is more “studio” sounding. I do like that the output is .35mv. The AT is .1mv which requires a lot of gain.
 
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