Hi All,
An intensive demo VIP evening with lots of news….
Where to begin, well, Lars and Frits are as always at/on/in their game and put up their high quality, very pedagogic and eye opening demo.
The new ‘2’ series where on display. System used from start was a full wired A system with their new U-150 amp and a Primare CD as transport transduced by a pair of Raidho D1.1. The equipment was supplied from a D distribution box and all units resting on DTC Darkz.
And off we go, first change was from A Mainz to A2 mainz from the ‘wall’ to the box. Everything snapped into focus, less background and the feeling was more analogue, kind of more effortless dynamics. My demo/music memory tells me it’s a nose ahead of a C mainz.
More things happened in between but then we moved to the C2 series of Mainz, and again a jump up in all parameters, and for me this was even bigger than the previous A to A2 and it reminded me about when you go from C to D mainz but for me it had a different voicing than a D Mainz and again there is an analogue feeling to it or perhaps call it homogeneous meaning more musical. I am not sure this character would fit my Guarneris but with the Raidho it was a welcome addition. In conclusion, this new 2 series add more space, blacker background, better dynamics and sound more effortless. Some have described it as work in this forum, could be, though without loss of anything.
On the technical side, you can see that there is a new technology deployed where Michael B evolved his first ideas into a supercharged application like on the D2 Mainz. There is no longer a ‘diamond’ coating on the connector housings but the new technology is so much better that the good effect from the coating kind of was reduced to nothing. Not to mention how expensive they were to manufacture.
Anyway, now the NSC technology stretches outside the connectors and housings and actually the NSC tech is applied between D connectors and the D housings which includes several more windings due to the increased distance. This increase in distance/area together with a new wire geometry and some other magic from MB gave a very positive impact. Let’s say that this extended NSC just added some more muscle to noise suppressing. You can see the new turbo charged NSC winding through the sleeving and the rest of the cable is classically twisted to reduce induction build up.
In general, all new cables have become a bit fattier, physically, because of the new technologies, changes to insulation or cable winding geometry however I do not know if also the cross sections have been increased.
The big bang for the buck is the C2 mainz. By the way, the new POM will in principle be the old A. Of course, D2 Mainz take it to another level though I feel that it has to be judged from a system balance standpoint.
My view is that the best to start is with a Mainz box and a Mainz from the wall to the box and then start adding Darkz (preferable DTC) to all equipment which I did my self. After that add Mainz cables, Signalz and finally Speakz, but this is my personal view of course.
Some words about the U-150, not to my taste in looks and some in the audience shouted “Nice looking alarm clock” but some really liked it and the smart thing is that it is modular in terms on that you have to buy the DAC and RIAA modules separately which is great from a personal tailoring standpoint. The sound follow all of the Aavik hallmarks and I think it didn’t lack anything in performance albeit a little less control but until comparing it to U-300 the truth stays with the U-150.
On another note, someone in the audience shouted when will you launch your own CD-drive! And both Lars and Frits started squirming like worms on a hook but finally they said something about that they have been discussing it and it is now on an idea stage slash kind of dipping the toe into externalizing this, if I correctly read their cryptic answers and grinning’s. Thumbs up for this, no doubt a good transport kicks the streaming alternatives I heard.
Well the evening continued with connecting the new 2 series of Digitalz and of course going from an A to A2 brought forward some gains and in general the ‘new’ voicing, or the lack of any voicing, could be heard in all new 2 series, a feeling of a more effortless presentation of the music = more live!
Now to more news, the ‘signal’ side of the new D2 series now have a spilled down DTC technology into them and D can be used passive or even better active with the DTC power box. And speaking about the DTC power box, adding this just to the D Mainz box brought loads of background blackness and increased effortlessness. When applying the active feed to the DTC digitalz/signalz/speakz the performance really jumps up. In basic, if I understood Frits correctly, the DTC feed the screen of the cables just like some kind of noise buster suppressing the ground fluctuation due to noise and build up inductive currents. All the DTC preproduction digitalz/signalz/speakz have smaller versions of the DTC oval coverings however Frits told me that it will change for something else for the release to retailers.
We also had a go on the new speaker cables, and he same hike in performance was heard there and what struck me was how good even the new A2 sounded and to hear the D2 in its best the DTC powerbox will be mandatory (an understatement, I know), as this brings this cable really further up the musical bliss ladder than just the jump when adding a passive D2 speakz after a C2.
After this the benefits/downside of adding/omitting the Darkz was demoed with full effect and as a holder of 24 DTC Darkz myself and knowing how good these ‘pucks’ are, they are a now brainer.
Now I kind of exhausted myself but there could be so much more to say but I will leave it to you when you have the chance to listen to a demo.
Just to make clear, I have no affiliation with Ansuz nor Aavik.
I am pretty sure Emil or other from Ansuz at this forum kindly will correct any technical description flaws.
EndNote, the new series move the bar not only one notch rather 2 with some cables and the ‘lower’ series is really much better than before.
Mike
An intensive demo VIP evening with lots of news….
Where to begin, well, Lars and Frits are as always at/on/in their game and put up their high quality, very pedagogic and eye opening demo.
The new ‘2’ series where on display. System used from start was a full wired A system with their new U-150 amp and a Primare CD as transport transduced by a pair of Raidho D1.1. The equipment was supplied from a D distribution box and all units resting on DTC Darkz.
And off we go, first change was from A Mainz to A2 mainz from the ‘wall’ to the box. Everything snapped into focus, less background and the feeling was more analogue, kind of more effortless dynamics. My demo/music memory tells me it’s a nose ahead of a C mainz.
More things happened in between but then we moved to the C2 series of Mainz, and again a jump up in all parameters, and for me this was even bigger than the previous A to A2 and it reminded me about when you go from C to D mainz but for me it had a different voicing than a D Mainz and again there is an analogue feeling to it or perhaps call it homogeneous meaning more musical. I am not sure this character would fit my Guarneris but with the Raidho it was a welcome addition. In conclusion, this new 2 series add more space, blacker background, better dynamics and sound more effortless. Some have described it as work in this forum, could be, though without loss of anything.
On the technical side, you can see that there is a new technology deployed where Michael B evolved his first ideas into a supercharged application like on the D2 Mainz. There is no longer a ‘diamond’ coating on the connector housings but the new technology is so much better that the good effect from the coating kind of was reduced to nothing. Not to mention how expensive they were to manufacture.
Anyway, now the NSC technology stretches outside the connectors and housings and actually the NSC tech is applied between D connectors and the D housings which includes several more windings due to the increased distance. This increase in distance/area together with a new wire geometry and some other magic from MB gave a very positive impact. Let’s say that this extended NSC just added some more muscle to noise suppressing. You can see the new turbo charged NSC winding through the sleeving and the rest of the cable is classically twisted to reduce induction build up.
In general, all new cables have become a bit fattier, physically, because of the new technologies, changes to insulation or cable winding geometry however I do not know if also the cross sections have been increased.
The big bang for the buck is the C2 mainz. By the way, the new POM will in principle be the old A. Of course, D2 Mainz take it to another level though I feel that it has to be judged from a system balance standpoint.
My view is that the best to start is with a Mainz box and a Mainz from the wall to the box and then start adding Darkz (preferable DTC) to all equipment which I did my self. After that add Mainz cables, Signalz and finally Speakz, but this is my personal view of course.
Some words about the U-150, not to my taste in looks and some in the audience shouted “Nice looking alarm clock” but some really liked it and the smart thing is that it is modular in terms on that you have to buy the DAC and RIAA modules separately which is great from a personal tailoring standpoint. The sound follow all of the Aavik hallmarks and I think it didn’t lack anything in performance albeit a little less control but until comparing it to U-300 the truth stays with the U-150.
On another note, someone in the audience shouted when will you launch your own CD-drive! And both Lars and Frits started squirming like worms on a hook but finally they said something about that they have been discussing it and it is now on an idea stage slash kind of dipping the toe into externalizing this, if I correctly read their cryptic answers and grinning’s. Thumbs up for this, no doubt a good transport kicks the streaming alternatives I heard.
Well the evening continued with connecting the new 2 series of Digitalz and of course going from an A to A2 brought forward some gains and in general the ‘new’ voicing, or the lack of any voicing, could be heard in all new 2 series, a feeling of a more effortless presentation of the music = more live!
Now to more news, the ‘signal’ side of the new D2 series now have a spilled down DTC technology into them and D can be used passive or even better active with the DTC power box. And speaking about the DTC power box, adding this just to the D Mainz box brought loads of background blackness and increased effortlessness. When applying the active feed to the DTC digitalz/signalz/speakz the performance really jumps up. In basic, if I understood Frits correctly, the DTC feed the screen of the cables just like some kind of noise buster suppressing the ground fluctuation due to noise and build up inductive currents. All the DTC preproduction digitalz/signalz/speakz have smaller versions of the DTC oval coverings however Frits told me that it will change for something else for the release to retailers.
We also had a go on the new speaker cables, and he same hike in performance was heard there and what struck me was how good even the new A2 sounded and to hear the D2 in its best the DTC powerbox will be mandatory (an understatement, I know), as this brings this cable really further up the musical bliss ladder than just the jump when adding a passive D2 speakz after a C2.
After this the benefits/downside of adding/omitting the Darkz was demoed with full effect and as a holder of 24 DTC Darkz myself and knowing how good these ‘pucks’ are, they are a now brainer.
Now I kind of exhausted myself but there could be so much more to say but I will leave it to you when you have the chance to listen to a demo.
Just to make clear, I have no affiliation with Ansuz nor Aavik.
I am pretty sure Emil or other from Ansuz at this forum kindly will correct any technical description flaws.
EndNote, the new series move the bar not only one notch rather 2 with some cables and the ‘lower’ series is really much better than before.
Mike
