Heads-up, changes en route: Adding AudioNet’s engineering-marvel Humboldt to the system

[u-sound]

Nice review. I would be curious to know what caused the change from the old dry Audionet sound to this new Humboldt sound which is quite different (and very enjoyable)?

well they invested so much in the developement of the scientist series that they went bankrupt.
or lets say they were just released but then the marketing and investments in posh shops at expensive places has killed them.
the owner now is mr.schwehr, he took the opportunity

 

[Kuoppis]

I think they went into Chapter 11 after the Stern/Heisenberg were released.

That aside, their ULA technology is a linearizing the signal real-time then uses MOSFETs to drive the output stage.

The scientist series, are extreme refinement and improvement on thier exiting ULA technology.

I'm speculating but, wondering *if the scientist series are using Bi-polar instead of MOSFET. For more resolution and overall refinement.

Aka like Soulution , which implements bi-polar transistors.

You might be right, with the ULA technology and the bi-polar transistors. At least I did not find anywhere a mention about the use of Mosfets in the design. In comparison, the older Max monos are using Mosfets.

Audionet are also not emphasizing the use of Class A, similar to Soulution. Instead, Gessler explained to me that they have been focusing on implementing the shortest signal path possible with no electromechanical (e.g. relais) or passive (e.g. condensator) components in the signal path. The signal is linearized in real-time at zero pass through.

In addition, it’s also a high frequency design, just like the Soulutions.

 

[Kuoppis]

well they invested so much in the developement of the scientist series that they went bankrupt.
or lets say they were just released but then the marketing and investments in posh shops at expensive places has killed them.
the owner now is mr.schwehr, he took the opportunity

I find myself corrected, Stefan Schwer is the owner now. And looks like he moved the company to Berlin. He has made his career in automotive and adjacent supplier industries.

But while an audiophile, he also holds a Ph.D. in amplifier design and is versed in acoustics.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Kuoppis]

Quite nice picture of the Humboldt’s innards. It’s really packed, easy to fathom it weighs 61 Kg.

Actually no wonder it’s so dense, as it’s all of the Stern and Humboldts together inside one casing, just with smaller transformers for the power amps and obviously less power stages. I don’t think any more would fit in.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Kuoppis]

Here are some comments from different fora related to a question also asked in this thread: What’s the difference between Scientist Series, former AudioNet products, and other top integrateds?


It appears that DC coupling is a big difference technically, also the bandwidth of the scientist series is quite a bit wider.

Since Humboldt has the same DNA as Stern-Heisenberg the assumption is Humboldt betters SIA-030. Humboldt has better resolution, SIA-30 is darker sounding.

———————-

Humboldt is, for me, the best Integrated I've heard: bettering Vitus, Pilium, Soulution, Nagra, Stern plus Maxs, CH M1.1s, D'agostino and EMM lab separates. Only the Stern & Heisenbergs eclipse this integrated IMHO.

Much more musically involving for me. Better dynamics (micro and macro), lower noise floor, exceptional transparency, low level and micro details, yet not at all bright or etched. Did I mention Dynamics?

All of these attributes, for me add up to more MUSICALITY. All the other contenders editorialize relatively speaking. (Check out Greg Weaver's comments on the line in general.) I know Weavers heard a TON more contenders than me, and a little birdie told me he's saving his hard earned pennies to buy the Heisenberg monoblocks.

———————-

The Humboldt, is so far ahead of Audionet's own MAX in all the above regards, that It's almost embarrassing. And I would still take the Audionet MAX's above the other brands under discussion.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Drummer62]

Mike, my guess is it’s Thomas Gessler or Stefan Schwer.

I met both when I was in Berlin to visit the Company for a report on Audio-activity, that you can find here:
audio-activity (dot) com/audionet

Mr. Gessler is the commercial director (and the chief designer, I think), while Mr. Schwehr is the CEO and owner.

 

[Kuoppis]

I met both when I was in Berlin to visit the Company for a report on Audio-activity, that you can find here:
audio-activity (dot) com/audionet

Mr. Gessler is the commercial director (and the chief designer, I think), while Mr. Schwehr is the CEO and owner.

Very interesting, thanks for sharing.

That means that the huge sound improvement in the Scientist Series is probably at least partly attributable to Mr. Gessler after all.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Drummer62]

I have more pictures of the inside, but I still cannot post them and I'm not sure it's allowed by the Magazine

 

[joeinid]

A few more posts and you will be able to post away. 10 posts is the minimum.

 

[Kuoppis]

I have more pictures of the inside, but I still cannot post them and I'm not sure it's allowed by the Magazine

Angelo, that would indeed be very interesting.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Kuoppis]

Schematic from Audionet product development...

Work in progress... Believe this is the Stern though, as Humboldt’s capacitor bank is more heavily loaded.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Kuoppis]

This is at least how the finalized Humboldt looks from the inside.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[XV-1]

This is at least how the finalized Humboldt looks from the inside.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Is that a real phono input, or just in name?

 

[kzhtoo]

Schematic from Audionet product development...

That’s just a simple BJT amplifier schematic with small signal analysis and gm calculation. Any first year modern electrical engineering student can do it. [emoji38]

Anyhow, Humboldt looks great. Congrats!!!

 

[Kuoppis]

Is that a real phono input, or just in name?

The Humboldt does not have an inbuilt phono pre, but one of the inputs can be configured for connecting one. And you can name any inputs individually to phono, DAC, or Sponge Bob for that matter, if you like.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Kuoppis]

That’s just a simple BJT amplifier schematic with small signal analysis and gm calculation. Any first year modern electrical engineering student can do it. [emoji38]

Anyhow, Humboldt looks great. Congrats!!!

Perhaps you could join the R&D team... [emoji3]

Not sure what they were doing, perhaps posing for a journalist.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[kzhtoo]

Perhaps you could join the R&D team... [emoji3]

Not sure what they were doing, perhaps posing for a journalist.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Then, the next humboldt mk2 will catch fire. [emoji38]

Yeah, probably for publicity. After all, there aren’t many who can read it. And the ones who can, half of them forget it. The corporate ladder has a way of making you forget things.

 

[Kuoppis]

Then, the next humboldt mk2 will catch fire. [emoji38]

Probably so... [emoji23]

I think they’re probably doing just fine without without that additional skillset.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Drummer62]

Is that a real phono input, or just in name?

It's just the name. My input n.5 is named "Drums" because I connected my Roland E-Drumset

1 - Digital
2 - Analogue
3 - HT
4 - Tape
5 - Drums

 

[AJR]

Kuoppis - just catching up on this. Very exciting! Looking forward to reading about your impressions.