uring the audio shows you can find both, interesting and boring things, new and vintage designs, big and small ones. But also the ones that you respect right from the start, and those that you do not even know whether to laugh or cry about. The loudspeakers and turntables often belong to the latter category. The reason for crying and / or laughing is a popular tendency to make bigger and bigger, or even huge devices. How else could one react seeing a turntable as big a two-door wardrobe? Or heavier than half of one's apartment? Maybe it is not an objective opinion at all, but only my own feelings? With age, I have more and more inclination towards elegant and minimalist solutions. While I appreciate efforts towards better and better sound quality, which often can get quite complex, my heart goes with simplicity. So when I saw for the first time, thanks to the Jürgen Straussman, who unfortunately is no longer with us, his turntable, I immediately fall in love with it (see HERE). The Cantano by KlangwellenManufaktur, the work of Mr. Oliver von Zedlitz, was the only components in Jürgen's system, except for the loudspeakers, that was not built by him. They both were proud of how well it sounded, praising also the Ortofon Anna MC cartridge they used. Let me add that they were also both proud Berliners. PHILIPP PETZKA Head of International Distribution Pan Oliver von Zedlitz in Krakow Oliver von Zedlitz is the owner of CNC-Gronemann GmbH in Berlin, which is producing the Cantano turntable. Main field of business of CNC-Gronemann GmbH since 50 years is the production of high precision parts for medical use or laboratories. He was and is, as many others too, a big music fan, especially played on vinyl. It turned out, that turntables available on the market were not really satisfying his understanding and requirements of a „good" listening experience. „All-rounder“ capabilities and especially vitality of sound have been missed out too often. So, with his company background, he started to develop an own turntable with the simple goal to „produce the best turntable ever". That is meanwhile 13 years ago and Cantano turntables has been shifting in shapes several times. Hundreds of materials and combinations of them have been tested, lots of concepts have been went through. Although, Oliver and his team are still passionately in continuous search for improvements, which is and will be a never-ending story, with the Cantano W/T they are finally confident to conquer the audiophile world globally. Hereby, the quality of Cantano turntables is arising from most advanced possibilities of manufacturing due to CNC background and, of course, time. The main principle, to reach vitality of sound, is not to reach a good sound while damping parts, but through the perfect combination of used materials and precisely perfect manufacturing. Mr Philipp Petzka, International Sales Manager. While unpacking the turntable in Krakow Here is a short description of differences between the previous Cantano, that Mr Wojtek Pacuła listened to a few years ago in Berlin, and the current Cantano W/TA: the tonearm is exchangeable now. Current solution allows to exchange the tonearm without any cable clips, which could lead to reductions in sound quality the tonearm (Cantano T) is now made to carry most kind of cartridges materials have been changed: Base of the TT. Is now a solid slate plate, not granite anymore the current model has a wooden frame around the slate. 4 kind of woods are available the new bearing with small spiral oil channels for lifetime lubrication (no invert bearing anymore) the new Tonearm has no outside visible damping anymore we now provide our own reference motor with own power adapter Cantano W Almost seven years later Mr Oliver von Zedlitz knocked on my door. Together with the sales manager, they brought a wooden box to my third floor, from which they extracted a turntable that looked very similar to what I saw in Berlin, armed with a tonearm that also seemed familiar to me. As it turned out, there are many things in their designed that have actually changed since my first encounter with Cantano. First of all, not only turntable, but also the company is now called Cantano and it now belongs to CNC-Fertigung Gronemann GmbH. Mr. Olivier is still the boss and chief designer, but the turntable has undergone a major metamorphosis. What is left from the original model is primarily the silhouette and a general idea. This is a minimalist, non-suspended turntable, with a belt drive and an external motor. Both the base and the main bearing module have a beautiful silhouette and, at first glance, seem very simple to built. The devil is in the details though, including the precision of the components making. In the general the model W - because that's how it is called - resembles the designs of Simon Yorke (e.g. S-10). There is a tall module with the main bearing that is smaller in diameter than the platter. Unlike the S-10, the W model is equipped with a base that performs an important role here because it is a vibration damping element. It was built of slate with a wooden frame. Slate is used by some companies as a dissipative element, but it is a material difficult to work with. You can find it, for example, in such products as: Transrotor La Roccia TMD (Polish) and Stacore Advanced anti-vibration platform, and the new Super Sound Device amplifier. The wooden that envelopes the slate is available in four different finishes. The platter consists of two elements. The lower one is made of aluminum on CNC machine, with a tolerance of 0.01%. Its upper part is en expensive and difficult to process graphite in a specially selected version and different than in the previous model finish. The main bearing is mounted in the steel module underneath. It consists of a hardened steel and a silicon carbide sinter axle that rests on a sapphire ball. Five grooves were made on the walls to lubricate the bearing with proper oil. The turntable features also a heavy record clamp placed on the axis. On request, the company can equip the turntable with a magnetic support for the platter, which, to a large extent, though not entirely, reduces axle pressure on the sapphire ball. The motor is encased inside a steel cylinder. It is placed next to the turntable, on the left. The belt tension can be set experimentally. The company offers two types of belts with smaller and bigger compliance, and the choice also affects the sound. A small switch on top of motor's housing turns rotation on, another switch allows user to change the speed (33 1/3 or 45 rpm). The wheel on which the rubber belt with a square cross section looks like it was made of a material called POM. The motor is currently powered by an external power supply, which has been developed by Cantano. Over the years, the company used very good electronics from Klein that was still displayed on manufacturer's website at the time of this review. However, the latest version was delivered for the test. The turntable features three feet consisting of a steel cone, screwed on a threaded stem, and an aluminum base. The cones are bolted to the stem with Allen screws, which gives them exceptional stability. Tracking Force Gauge Rega ATLAS The tracking force gauge that allows you to measure the VTF (Vertical Tracking Force), is a must-have for each vinyl record enthusiast. At least it should be. Although it should be enough to set a proper VTF once it is worth to re-check it once in w while. The simplest gauges are made of plastic. However, more and more people today use more expensive ones, with electronic reading. These are sold in two versions - bigger and smaller ones – featuring logos of many brands but actually produced by one of the Chinese subcontractors. The more sophisticated vinyl enthusiasts use even more expensive scales by Ortofon or Clearaudio. These gauges differ in accuracy, resistance to temperature and humidity changes and functionality. In Japan, however, there is a completely separate category of gauges, that can cost even several thousand zlotys. They are large and made to last so they usually don't appeal with their aesthetics. But their construction is different from all of those I've mentioned earlier - precision and repeatability are of the order of magnitude better, and above all the measuring elements are resistant to interference from the cartridge itself. I noticed more then once that when I lowered the stylus onto one of the popular gauges, it reacted so that even before the stylus touched the measuring tray, it already displayed some weight - that an interference caused by magnets in the cartridge. The most popular high-end gauges in Japan include the ORB (for example the SMF2 model for 36,000 yen) and even more expensive The Winds ALM1 Arm Load Meter. The Atlas gauge introduced just a few days ago by the UK company Rega belongs to the same group of ultra-precise, stable over time, temperature-compensated measuring instruments. It is large, with a duraluminum housing, powered by the rarely-seen 9 V PP3 battery. The reading is provided by a three-piece red LED display. The Rega logo is nicely illuminated on the side. I used this gauge when setting up three different turntables and I already know that this is one of the best turntable accessories I have encountered lately. Atlas' indications are slightly different than those of the two gauges that I have used so far, and are more consistent. No cartridge did affect its readings, even the Miyajima Lab. The operation is a bit old-fashioned, but it rather adds more charm to it without any “side effects”. RED Fingerprint with a smile! Images: Wojciech Pacuła | Rega rega.co.uk Cantano T The T tonearm is a 12'' uni-pivot, but due to precision machining its weight is close to that of a typical 9" arm. It is made of titanium on CNC machine, and it features several steel elements. The headshell is small, round and bolted with the tonearm with two screws. The two elements stabilizing the arm horizontally are also made of titanium. The counterweight is made up of three wheels, screwed to the steel stem. The Anti-skating solution is based on a spring screwed to a curved spindle. The arm is attached to a rigid steel boom, and the boom to a slim column. The VTA adjustment is available, but it is not easy to repeat same result twice, because to change VTA one needs to unscrew the clamp on the arm column, but there are no indicators that would allow one to achieve exactly the same result the next time one performs this operation. Internal cable features a silver-plated copper wires soldered to gold-plated RCA sockets. These are fixed on a curved metal element behind the tonearm. This is a really great, elegant looking turntable. The turntable was set up in my house by Mr. Oliver von Zedlitz. It was placed on Finite Elemente Pagode Edition's top shelf. I have used my trusted Miyajima Laboratory Madake cartridge and the RCM Sensor Prelude IC phonostage. To setup the cartridge according to Baerwald's geometry I used Mr.. Feickert's protractor. The turntable was connected with a phonostage with Crystal Cable Absolute Dream interconnect, and phono with a line preamplifier -Ayon Audio Spheris III – using Siltech Triple Crown interconnect. CANTANO in „High Fidelity” TEST: KlangwellenManufaktur CANTANO - turntable Records used for the test (a selection) Denon Jazz in New York, Nippon Columbia ST-6004, „6th Anniversary”, LP (1978) Bill Evans, Bill Evans Live At Art D'Lugoff's Top Of The Gate, Resonance Records HLP-9012, „Limited Edition - Promo 104", 45 RPM, 3 x 180 g LP (2012) Billie Holiday, Lady Day, Columbia/Pure Pleasure PPAN CL637, 180 g LP (1954/2010) Brendan Perry, Ark, Cooking Vinyl/Vinyl 180 VIN180LP040, 2 x 180 g (2011) Depeche Mode, Where’s The Revolution [Remixes], Columbia Records 42003, 2 x 180 g LP (2017) Dire Straits, Brothers in Arms, Warner Bros./Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab MFSL-2-441, „Special Limited Edition No 3000”, 45 RPM, 2 x 180 g LP (1985/2014) Duke Jordan Trio, So Nice Duke, Master Music MSA-001, „Harmonix Master Sound”, 180 g LP (2017) Ella Fitzgerald, Ella Fitzgerald sings the Cole Porter Song Book, Verve/Speakers Corner Records MGV 4001-2,2 x 180 g LP (1956/2000). Julie London, Julie is her name. Vol. 1, Liberty Records LPR 3006, LP (1955) Semafor Combo, Semafor Combo, OBUH V30, 180 g LP (2012) Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio, Midnight Sugar, Three Blind Mice/Cisco TBM-23-45, „Twenty-Fift Anniversary Limited Edition | No. 0080/1000”, 45 RPM, 2 x 180 g LP (1974/2004) Japanese issues available at [REKLAMA5] The thing that I remember perfectly from listening to the first version of the Cantano turntable and tonearm was the dynamics – remarkable that reminded me of what I knew from live performances, and to a large extent repeating what I knew from analog master tapes. Straussman's whole system was focused on this element of presentation, and it was clear that this innate weakness of the recordings was targeted, but it was this turntable, along with Ortofon's cartridge, that dictated the whole direction. You do not have to be born with “golden ears” to confirm the prominence of this aspect of presentation also with the W and T versions of this turntable and arm. Unlike back then, this time I found this sound much denser and richer, simply put - much better. In terms of tonal balance, the German design is much closer to that of the Air Force Two (141 500 PLN + tonearm) by Japanese TechDAS, as well as the Model 20/3 (Polish) by British SME (around 100 000 PLN). Quite a different tonal balance is offered by Kronos Sparta (140 000 PLN) with Helena tonearm or Acutus Reference by Avid HiFi with SME V (around 75 000 PLN). At least it seemed so after a short listening session. In a long run everything started to change and I began to perceive its performance in the same categories as the Döhmann Helix 1 (180 000 PLN). And finally I stopped comparing it with any other turntables at all. The music played through Cantano is interesting in itself, no matter how it was recorded. This of course varies depending on which disc I listened to, but even with those records that I rarely reach for, I was engaged in the presentation, both emotionally and intellectually. Emotionally, because it turned out that I "rejected" some of those records unfairly and if only the proper setup is used, they have a story to tell, and intellectually because Cantano serves an interesting performance, saturated with information, detail but also pulsating with subcutaneous "beat", so I could compare them even with the best ones. The tonal balance of this turntable is very neutral. It offers a nicely extended treble and low, very low bass, but these band's extremes never dominate the presentation. They are a part of a larger whole, even in the recordings that were prepared to impress listeners with bass, such as Wintersun track from the Ark album by Brendan Perry or those in which the cymbals are highlighted and too powerful, as they are on the 2-disc Depeche Mode album Where's the Revolution. In both cases the properties of the recordings were legible, unequivocal, but never dominated the music. This turntable perfectly differentiates recordings, although at first glance it is not particularly exhilarating. For example, the sound is not warmed up, but it is often warm. When I played the original, monophonic release of Julie London Julie is her name ... Vol. 1 I heard an extremely low, warm vocal. That's how, at the time, this type of mono recordings were prepared, because the Nat 'King' Cole's and Dean Martin's recordings from this period sounded very similar. In comparison, the stereo versions are much brighter, harsher. The Cantano perfectly captivated the intentions of sound engineers and producers who wanted to convey the intimate side of Julie London's voice and tangibility of Bernie Kessel's guitar, but keeping them nicely separated. In turn, when I placed a record on the platter with high dynamics and properly presented leading edge of the sound, then Cantano immediately caught up with this type of presentation and delivered, for example, the Tsuyoshi Yamamoto's piano from the album Midnight Sugar album in the way that only the best turntables do, such as Döhmann Helix 1. These two designs share the ability to present the full dynamic range, which by most turntables is slightly limited/sacrificed for other purposes. Here everything is perfectly balanced. When I listened to the London's album I thought that it was a turntable created for vocals, focused on a warm, lower midrange. When I listened to Perry, or Kraftwerk I thought it was perfect for presenting wide soundstage, powerful bass and so on. Every time, with every type of music, it sounded differently. Without imposing its own character and without directing my attention to the specific aspects of the sound. Each time the sound was dense and focused, with great weight and dynamics. The latter is often associated with a rather bright sound, because it is easier to show the attack, the speed if one chooses to tune the sound a bit dialing down on its richness. Not in this case. Richness, saturation of the sound are the key to Cantano's sound. Double bass, kick drum, bass guitar, vocals, piano - all these elements have a solid support, that makes listener “flow” with the music, and not fight against the flow. This aspect of the presentation comes from the remarkable resolution of this turntable. The class of device can be easily identified by focusing on the relationship between resolution, selectivity and detail. The German turntable delivers information, not details. What does it mean? Firstly it sounds like music, not sounds, and secondly one can hear a lot of things, but without been able to say why, at least not at first. Like, for example, the differences between digital and analog recordings. The latter are a bit more dull and less dynamic with this turntable. But if it's a good recording, like Denon's 1970s PCM ones, we get a lot of music with that. On the other hand, if it is a modern digital recording and therefore modern pressing, the presentation is simply boring, not exciting. Normally these differences are presented as harshness, issues with dynamics, etc. Once you listen to them on Cantano, you will know much more about them. What with the most expensive turntables is different, sometimes better, is, for example, scale of the sound. The TechDAS Air Force One delivered an incredibly huge scene. The same was true for both Kronos turntables - Sparta and Pro, the latter featuring the Black Beauty (Polish) tonearm. More detailed sound, but in a good way, was delivered by SME turntable. And even bigger volume of the sound, bigger phantom images are the domain of bit warmer-sounding turntables such as Kronos and Avid, but also – the Döhmann. Please note, however, that all these are much more expensive products, while Cantano offers similar, remarkable level of performance. And in terms of differentiation and ability to deliver an amazingly coherent presentation with a lot of information it is often, except a very few competitors, just as good as the rest of them. And let's add to this something that should be highly appreciated by many. Despite delivering a lot of information, the cracks and pops are not emphasized. I would even say that they are slightly tempered, i.e. very well “damped”. Listening to even heavily worn off records will not be a problem with this turntable. This is not quite the same as with the Air Force One, where there were separate plans for music and pops and cracks, but I had no problem with that. Summary Mr. Oliver von Zedlitz's turntable has a class. That's a term used once to describe unique women or men – all it took was just one look at them and it was obvious – they have a class. Others, no matter how hard they tried, simply never had IT. That's how I perceive the Cantano - the W turntable and the T tonearm. It is modest in expression, sophisticated in design, and it sounds beautifully. It does not impress so easily as other decks, i.e. it does not seduce listener after the first few minutes. One needs some experience to understand what the class of this device is about. It is about the beauty of music without imposing turntable's own character – that's exactly it. Specifications (according to manufacturer) Cantano W Speed range: 33.33 to 45 U/min Drive: optional reference drive from „Klein“ Bearing: hardened steel on a sapphire ball Turntable: graphite of special density and black anodized aluminum Flutter: 0.04% with „Klein“-Drive  Weight: 29kg  Measurements of the baseplate: 45.5 cm x 36 cm  Chassis: wood-encased slate  Deviation from nominal speed: 0.04%  Acceleration time: approximately 5 sec Cantano T Suitable for all cartridges up to 16g Material: titanium Effective mass: min. 11g (comparable with 9 inch tone arm) Cartridge attachment: thread distance 12.7mm Total weight without counter weight: 148g Signal cable: silver-coated copper cable Overhang: 10.8mm Effective tone arm length (including overhang): 304.8 mm Distance from pivot: 294mm Offset angle: 16° Tone arm resonance frequency with Lyra Argo I: 11.2Hz Maximum tilt angle: 0.8° [hfgallery] [img mini="foto_testy/1708/cantano/th/05.jpg" big="foto_testy/1708/cantano/05.jpg" src="foto_testy/1708/cantano/05.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1708/cantano/th/06.jpg" big="foto_testy/1708/cantano/06.jpg" src="foto_testy/1708/cantano/06.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1708/cantano/th/07.jpg" big="foto_testy/1708/cantano/07.jpg" src="foto_testy/1708/cantano/07.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1708/cantano/th/08.jpg" big="foto_testy/1708/cantano/08.jpg" src="foto_testy/1708/cantano/08.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1708/cantano/th/09.jpg" big="foto_testy/1708/cantano/09.jpg" src="foto_testy/1708/cantano/09.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1708/cantano/th/10.jpg" big="foto_testy/1708/cantano/10.jpg" src="foto_testy/1708/cantano/10.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1708/cantano/th/11.jpg" big="foto_testy/1708/cantano/11.jpg" src="foto_testy/1708/cantano/11.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1708/cantano/th/12.jpg" big="foto_testy/1708/cantano/12.jpg" src="foto_testy/1708/cantano/12.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1708/cantano/th/13.jpg" big="foto_testy/1708/cantano/13.jpg" src="foto_testy/1708/cantano/13.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1708/cantano/th/14.jpg" big="foto_testy/1708/cantano/14.jpg" src="foto_testy/1708/cantano/14.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1708/cantano/th/15.jpg" big="foto_testy/1708/cantano/15.jpg" src="foto_testy/1708/cantano/15.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1708/cantano/th/16.jpg" big="foto_testy/1708/cantano/16.jpg" src="foto_testy/1708/cantano/16.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1708/cantano/th/17.jpg" big="foto_testy/1708/cantano/17.jpg" src="foto_testy/1708/cantano/17.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [/hfgallery]

WORLD PREMIERE hen, during one of his visits in Japan, at the Tokyo International Audio Show exhibition, Gerhard Hirt asked those who came to his presentation how many of them had over 10,000 Compact Discs at home, almost half of the participants raised their hands. It was supposed to be a joke – an introduction to the fact that the best time for that format was gone and that music lovers had two choices: either to return to vinyl or to jump into the unknown, i.e. hi-res files. That seemingly unimportant event gave the owner of the Ayon Audio company some food for thought. He is a man of the analog himself, but has been offering excellent CD players for many years and, thanks to his close cooperation with his friends from the Austrian StreamUnlimited Engineering company, he has had access to the latest technologies connected with CD (and SACD) transport control, as well as to digital signal processing systems. In spite of that, he was convinced that those were the last days of the format – and he was not the only one. In contrast to others, Gerhard decided to do something about it. The result of those efforts was the CD-35 player, available in two versions: Standard and Signature (read HERE and HERE). CD-35 SIGNATURE The device was designed as a high-quality CD player with a bonus – the possibility to play SACDs. A really good drive (but not the best one, as Gerhard himself admits) was used in it. The player produced as good sound as similar devices costing two or three times more, mainly as a result of work on the drive control software and an innovative digital section. It is clear that a tube output circuit with tube amplification also did their job. However, it was the digital section that brought the sound to a level thanks to which the CD-35 became one of Ayon Audio bestsellers – a device that is discussed, talked about or even argued about by many people. The player had its world premiere during the 105th meeting of the Krakow Sonic Society in November 2016. Soon afterwards, its first review ever was published, also in “High Fidelity”. It was because we already knew then that the device was Gerhard’s and his people’s success – created by a group of engineers and their friends who listen to prototypes together. A special thing about it was that an exceptionally functional device producing unique sound was offered at a sensible (as for high-end) price. While listening to music with Gerhard then, it came to Janusz’s (the host’s) and my mind that this could somehow be continued. In the end, one of the basic limitations imposed on the CD-35 was the price that was not to exceed €10,000. So, in December the same year we met the Ayon Audio owner at a pleasant restaurant at the Old Town Market Square in Cracow, where we agreed that we would prepare a special version of the CD-35 that would somehow honor our passion. CD-35 HIGH FIDELITY EDITION Based on our suggestions, on feedback from users and the Ayon Audio design team members’ own ideas, the “no-compromise” CD-35 High Fidelity Edition player (“HF Edition” for short) was to be created. The starting point was the CD-35 Signature model, so the form and structure of the device were to stay the same. It seemed to Gerhard, as he says, that it would be a quite simple operation (if anything can be simple in such cases), i.e. he would change, improve, replace or enhance something – in the end, the budget was to be much bigger than in the case of the CD-35. That did not happen. Subsequent changes made it necessary to change things further and improvements necessitated further improvements, etc. For example, when 2-Watt resistors in the tube circuit were replaced with their tantalum equivalents (€20/unit, bought at a discounted price using our informal connections, 20 per player), it appeared that the power supply circuit had to be changed, as it was possible to make it better. That meant redesigning the whole circuit board. When the output circuit was ready, the DAC section was looked at. In the standard version that was the AKM AK4490 circuit which proved to be very effective in this role. This time, a decision was made to try out its special selected version – the AK4490EQ. Gerhard did not expect too much but the changes surprised them all – the sound became dark, dense and less “artificial”. Although the sound of the CD-35 did not previously lack anything, there was no turning back as comparisons always demolish the current hierarchy. In order to be able to make the change, Ayon Audio had to prepare full implementation documentation for that DAC and send it to Japan, to the AKM company, with a request for approval. The Japanese reserve the right to issue opinions on circuits using the EQ version. When permission was granted, Gerhard breathed with relief. There were more such changes and their range surprised everyone in Ayon Audio. The company owner told me that if he had known things would change like that, he probably would not have decided to do it all, as the project was very costly and took him a lot of time. He will get no return on the investment and could have spent the time on profitable projects. Profits from the sales of the CD-35 HF will never cover the amount of money spent on its development. It is because it was to be a prestigious project since the very beginning, some kind of a quest of friends, such as the Argonauts looking for the mythical golden fleece. Moreover, had it not been for the success of the basic versions of the CD-35, the HF Edition version would have never been created. It is a strictly limited version – only 50 units have been manufactured, i.e. less than nothing. It is enough to mention that Ayon Audio has 55 distributors all over the world. Each ordered a few to several units straight away already before the version was created. Now it is up to people from Ayon Audio to divide them somehow… Each unit has a special plate at the back panel, with the “High Fidelity” logo, a subsequent number (x/50) and Gerhard’s signature. One of the most important features of the HF Edition is the presence of anti-vibration Franc Audio Accessories Ceramic Disc feet in a special finish. The RCA plugs (WBT NextGen) are also new. When it comes to elements such as the buttons, cooling shields or the cover holder, etc., they are black. Only the CD chamber collar remains silver. One of the most important changes was the change of the point of reference for sound. For many years, Gerhard had been using a turntable (also the expensive Lumen White). This time, partly under the influence of articles from “High Fidelity” and partly because of the suggestions of Dirk Sommer from hifistatement.net and Sommelier Du Son, the point of reference was an analog master tape. Two Studer tape recorders were bought for Ayon Audio specially for this purpose and tapes were lent by Dirk. I do not think I need to remind you that the LP and tape are two different worlds, so the effect of this change had to be special. THE MEETING Just like previously, Gerhard himself brought the player to the meeting. As he said, the device had only been used for 24 hours and needed ca. 100 hours for a full warm-up time. He also remarked that tube devices should not be left turned on at night. It is because supply voltage increases at night, usually to considerably more than 230V, which badly affects their lifespan. The new Ayon Audio player was compared to our reference Ancient Audio Lektor Grand SE player (A/B and B/A comparisons, where ‘A’ was the Ayon Audio player and ‘B’ was the Ancient Audio player. After the first part, we had a short break. Each participant brought one or two (SA)CDs and we listened to a 2-minute part of one track from each of them. We only compared CDs and then listened to SACDs after the official listening session. Recordings listened to during the meeting Harmonie Universelle II, wyk. Montserrat Figueras, Hespèrion XXI, La Capella Reial De Catalunya, Le Concert Des Nations, Alia Vox AV9839, CD (2005) Tron – Legacy, soundtrack, muz. Daft Punk, Walt Disney Records 9472892, “Special Edition”, 2 x CD (2010) Barney Kessel, Shelly Manne & Ray Brown , The Pool Winners Rides Again!, Contemporary Records/JVC VICJ-41595, K2 CD (1957/2006) Cat Stevens, Icon, A&M Records 0600753330425, CD (2011) Kraftwerk, 3-D The Catalogue, KlingKlang | Parlophone 95873424, 7 x CD (2017) Marilyn Manson, Personal Jesus, Interscope Records 9864166, SP CD (2004) Mrozu, Zew, Warner Music Poland 9585932, CD (2017) Norah Jones, Not Too Late, Blue Note/Universal Music Japan 3117176, SHM-CD (2006/2016) Takeshi Inomata, The Dialogue, Audio Lab. Record/Octavia Records OVXA-00008, SACD/CD (1977/2001) Verdi, Verdi Choruses, wyk. The Chorus And Orchestra Of L'Accademia Di Santa Cecilia, Rome, Decca/Lasting Impression Music LIM XR24 018, XRCD24 (1964/2007) Yes, Fragile, Atlantic/Warner Music Japan WPCR-17604, “7” mini-LP”, SACD/CD (1971/2017) Marcin Krakow Sonic Society Frankly speaking, I do not know how to adequately summarize this listening session, but I know one thing: the difference is enormous. The sound of the Ayon Audio player is much deeper, has better dynamics, more space and depth, and there is mass in this sound. These are the main differences that repeatedly characterized each piece of music that we listened to, no matter what type of music it was. However, I will also say that some things were more precise with the Lektor. Despite that, if I were to compare pros and cons, I would give 20 – 30% to the Lektor and 70 – 80% to the Ayon Audio player. It is no use analyzing details as the new CD-35 is simply fantastic. Tomek Krakow Sonic Society I must put it this way: I know one should not use bad language in such a magazine, but if I could use one strong word, I will do it in a moment. I have been coming here for about 15 years and my point of reference has always been my first visit that completely blew me up and redefined my idea of what should be pursued in sound, of what is important and what is not. After these 15 years I am totally fucked to pieces by how the Ayon CD-35 High Fidelity Edition played music. This is sound that is absolutely out of this world, incomparable to anything else – enormous, emphatic and dynamic, showing events in a “fleshy” way. What we heard at the previous meeting and what seemed to be great now comes across as rickety when that system can be compared to the Ayon player and there is absolutely nothing to talk about (the comment is related to the first part of the Krakow Sonic Society meeting No. 111 when we tested a new Ancient Audio amplifier – an article is going to be published in September – Editor’s note). None of these pieces of music – jazz, classical or electronic – sounded as outstanding with the Ancient Audio as with the Ayon Audio player and the difference is exceptionally huge. For example, Personal Jesus performed by Marylin Manson that me and Bartek saw literally a moment ago in Katowice and that proved to be extremely badly recorded, was possible to listen to with the Ayon Audio player. It still sounded like a badly recorded album but I had no problem with listening to it, whereas with the Ancient Audio player it sounded terrible and there was no music in it at all. One could have as well play it on a portable CD player and it would have sounded better. Why talk about it a lot if there is nothing to talk about, as our host says. For me, this is undoubtedly “The Sound of the Year” – at least “the year”. Bartosz Pacuła MusicToThePeople.pl | HighFidelity.pl/news Krakow Sonic Society Similarly to Tomek, since I came here for the first time (i.e. some ten years ago), it has been the point of reference for me, especially when it comes to the soundstage and dynamics. For the first time I hear something that, as Tomek says, fucks to pieces. It is as Gerhard said – it is sound close to a master tape – it moves towards this direction. The main feature of the sound of the Ayon Audio player is that it, similarly to the sound of a master tape, seems a little flat (at least at the beginning). It is very broad, but not deep. I missed that sometimes as the Ancient Audio player does it in a spectacular way. Nevertheless, it did not mean anything. There is only one player that I would like to compare the Ayon Audio device to – the Chord Blu MkII i DAVE, but here and now the Ayon Audio player rules. I respect the constructor of the Ancient Audio player but it seems to me that this is the moment to pass the crown to a new king. Wiciu Krakow Sonic Society It is a very interesting event – these two devices differ significantly. I experienced the phenomenon of adaptation – adaptation to sound. As I had come to the meeting earlier, I had been listening to the device already since 1 p.m. When we turned the music on for the first time (and it was only classical music), I paid attention to an exceptional amount of low midrange in the sound – there was a lot of it and it seemed to me to be too much, although the whole thing was great straight away. I like it – I play music using an Ayon Audio source (transport + DAC) myself, but it seemed to me that there was a surplus of it in the CD-35 HF Edition. I also got the impression that the sound was a little heavy and that too dark. While I was listening, my perception was changing – when I listened to Yes, for example. Now I know that this is not the problem of the Ayon Audio player but the Ayon Audio and Ancient Audio players are simply and literally like the day and night. When we started listening to the Ancient Audio player during the first round of the listening session, I had the impression of being suddenly exposed to full sunlight – I experienced shock and an unpleasant feeling of sharpness. While I was continuing to listen, I liked some of the albums (like Barney Kessel) more with the Ancient Audio player, but Mozart, for example, was really more interesting, pleasant and physiological when I listened to it on the Ayon Audio player. Apart from that, what Marcin said is true, indeed – the sound is denser, fuller and heavier – there is mass. I would not cross the Lektor out as it is still an outstanding device, but here and now I am astonished by the sound of the CD-35 HF Edition. Rysiek B. Krakow Sonic Society Let us start with the fact that these are two different sound philosophies and two different aesthetics. For me, the sound of the Ayon Audio player is close to what we hear at a concert, while the Ancient Audio player produces “studio” sound. It sounds the way it was engineered at the studio – points out individual instruments and perfectly differentiates tone colors. However, it does not fill the soundstage with such density as the Ayon Audio player which, in turn, is musical. However, when it comes to tone colors, the Ayon Audio device is poor, in my opinion. I think that Gerhard will need to work on it, focusing mostly on tone colors. The Ayon Audio player also has its advantages when it comes to dynamics, while bass is often out of control and that needs to be improved. I liked albums with electronic music more with this player as they were full of swing, pleasant, nice to listen to, with a filled and dense soundstage. The Lektor showed the weaknesses of these albums resulting from poor sound engineering, which can either be regarded as a disadvantage or an advantage. For me, the viola da gamba from the album that I brought sounded better with the Lektor, similarly to Mozart brought by Wiciu, whereas Barney Kessel and electronic music were much better with the Ayon Audio player. I think that Jarek and Gerhard should listen to their players, find their weaknesses and correct them. Janusz Krakow Sonic Society I am still getting used to this sound, as it is completely different from everything that I have listened to so far. However, I am enough acquainted with it to be able to say that changing the player to my Lektor that I have “always” owned (let me also remind you that I was the first owner of the Grand player and then of the Grand SE version) can be summarized in three words: it was painful. Very painful, let me add. What does that mean? Here I heard what can be heard straight away (if you have certain equipment and somebody tells you about it from the outside, you regard it as good will and believe in it): an analog master tape sounds dark and seems flat. Only operations that aim to “tune” players bring out artificial details, artificial depth and unnatural effects. One can instantly hear upper midrange in the sound of the Lektor! So, I fundamentally disagree with Rysio! We even have nothing to talk about… Why? The Lektor represents different sound aesthetics and offers a different range. Perhaps this is why such a comparison does not make sense, because it is as if we were comparing a master tape with a digital CD. For me, this is no comparison at all. I knew how that would end. But, ok, “show must go on”. Rysiek B.: How come there is nothing to compare? Someone likes A and someone else likes B, right? Wiciu: Sure, everything can be compared – both devices play CDs, don’t they? Janusz: No, don’t talk bullshit. I know this player, this system and I am telling you in full knowledge of the facts that this comparison does not make sense. It is because the Lektor “bluntly shouts”. Now it can be seen that it plays unnatural sound. Wiciu: How come unnatural? Two weeks ago it sounded natural and now it doesn’t? Everyone praised the sound when we were listening to Jarek’s new amplifier... So, what’s happened? Janusz: Listen, unlike many people that I know personally, I can admit making a mistake – I’ve clearly been wrong for the last few years! However, I hadn’t been able to get to know that until I heard something as radically different from the Lektor and, additionally, so much better. This comparison changes one’s hierarchy of values and one must be a fool not to admit changing their mind – if there are differences, of course. Wiciu: No, no – I don’t agree. If something was good before, it can’t be bad now! I am shocked by the difference between the players, but one can’t deny something that they used to value only because they’ve heard something better. Janusz: Time will pass until I become fully accustomed to this sound. It is not that everything is perfect now and this is the end of the road. The fact is that the sound shows that the Lektor represents a completely different “area” – it is a different category of sound – excellent sound, but now I’m at a completely different place. It is like comparing travelling by the TGV and the Soviet Trans-Siberian Railway – I travelled by both. They are both top-class, but I floated in the TGV and got off the Trans-Siberian train shaking like a bat. Let me make things clear – this is not an eulogy of the Ayon Audio player, as it still needs to warm up for us to be able to claim anything for sure. However, even now we can hear that the Lektor does not even attempt to do certain things – it is because it constantly provides us with beautiful upper midrange, without differentiating anything there. There is no filling of the lower midrange, as the player barely knows it, but mostly there is no bass saturation. After these few hours of listening, I know that there is no returning to the Lektor for me anymore. Wojciech Pacuła „High Fidelity” | Krakow Sonic Society We have made no agreements with Janusz at all and it is not that we need to defend anything – in the end, we’ve both been successfully using Ancient Audio players for years. However, I would like to say that I don’t understand what you’re saying at all, Rysiek. It is not that I disagree with you, which often happens, but my mind cannot comprehend what you said. Rysiek B.: So, let me add something: for me, the Ayon Audio player produces sepia sound and the Lektor is multicolored, live. Tone colors constitute the greatest difference between them for me – I think the Lektor is better in this respect. Wiciu: Well, yes, one could say that the Lektor provides sharper tone colors while the Ayon Audio player – more balanced ones. Rysiek B: Exactly – and I like differences, “action”. Besides, bass, as you will probably agree, is out of control in the Ayon Audio player! Tomek: No, absolutely not for me! Janusz: What are you talking about, Rysiek? Nothing gets out of control! Rysiek B.: Guys, it was impossible to listen to Wiciu’s Mozart on the Ayon Audio player. The double bass was simply too large! Wiciu, Janusz: No, no, it’s not true! Wiciu: When I listened to the double bass, it really seemed to me that there was a little too much of it, but not that it was uncontrolled – it was more about proportions. Anyway, perhaps it is just the matter of being used to something? Wojciech Pacuła: Rysiu, I don’t understand what you’re saying, as when it comes to tone color, the Lektor was – in this comparison, not generally speaking – as flat as a plank. I am not thinking about the soundstage and dynamics, but about tone color differentiation. I think these are neither two aesthetics, nor it is a comparison of two “offers”, but two different values that play next to each other and are hard to compare. The Lektor is a perfect example of playing a CD on the highest level. Perhaps only listening to a full dCS Vivaldi system showed what can be done better. The Ayon Audio player is an attempt to come close to the source, to tape, with its special features that are not present in LPs, CD players manufactured to date, not to mention files. It is rare for a constructor to have said something that is almost 100% per cent consistent with what I hear. When Gerhard talked about using a master tape as the reference, I had doubts whether he knew what he was talking about, as most people have never heard it and I thought he was only telling fairy tales. Only working with tape, i.e. recording, editing, etc., contributes to establishing a certain model in one’s head. This is why people from recording studios often do not value the LP, as they hear changes that take place between tape and vinyl. If we assume that the starting point is analog master tape… Rysiek B.: The starting point is a live performance, not any tape! Janusz: No, no, no! Wojciech Pacuła: I agree with Janusz – a recording is a completely different event than a concert, or even a performance in front of microphones. It is a completely new work of art which depends on the arrangement and selection of microphones, editing, reverberation, and many other things. It is like Edwin van der Kley said at the previous meeting – a recording is like a painting. A live event constitutes a frame, but is only a secondary point of reference, while the primary one should be mother tape, i.e. a specific standard for the given recording. Tomek: Sure – last week I attended a Paradise Lost concert and it was so bad that I would not like to hear it at home. Rysiek B.: But I am talking about acoustic instruments played without a sound system, not about a rock concert. Janusz: But this way you throw out half of all music, as there is also electronic music, right? What is the standard for it? Besides, an acoustic concert is a unique event – it takes place once and is never repeated. You don’t get a chance to attend CD recording sessions and then play these recordings at home, and remember what it sounded like at a concert. What you’re talking about is only an attempt to approximate, most often a weak one, some concert to a completely different recording. […] Conclusion A similar discussion went on for another hour. It is symptomatic – only the most interesting products provoke us to ask fundamental questions. Both the Ancient Audio Lektor Grand SE and the Ayon Audio CD-35 HF Edition are outstanding devices. However, the latter produces completely different sound – it sounds like an analog master tape to a large extent. At first sight, it seems nothing is happening there. In reality, so many things happen there that it is hard to believe. Everything else compared to it is, in my opinion, untrue and artificial. It is a player which creates incredibly engaging sound that will be understood by few. Please do not get me wrong, it is not that I am boasting about my listening skills – I stay as far away from it as possible. However, one needs to mature to perceive certain things and it is no use pretending that it is not so – it is not democracy and equality, but everything depends on experience. It is wonderful that now we have a device that can help us gain it. Having said that, let us return to the Lektor and Jarek for a while. I must stress something again: this man is a visionary. Several years ago he offered a CD player that then turned my outlook on digital sound upside down, has not changed much, but until recently had been a point of reference for all other digital sources. Only lately, the best sources such as CEC, Métronome Technologie, Totaldac, Chord and the top-class dCS have shown that others have made progress in the meantime, mostly when it comes to processing digital signal, which is connected with very high costs. It is something Jarek will not overcome, unless he comes up with a new idea. So, the situation is as follows: the CD-35 HF Edition player is an outstanding device, but one needs experience to appreciate what it represents. Not everyone will fully like it, as one must remember about Rysiek’s “different opinion”. The player’s premiere will take place in September or October and Gerhard is not planning to test the device, as he says it is unnecessary – we know very well what we are dealing with. The only test that will be made available is going to be published in “High Fidelity” – I do not know in which edition yet, but most probably in October or November, depending on how long it is going to take the device to warm up. I think I will use the player during an “out-of-the-office” meeting of the Krakow Sonic Society – a workshop devoted to Master CD-Rs during the Audio Video Show 2017 exhibition – please feel invited! Finally: Janusz already owns the CD-35 HF Edition No. 2/50, Gerhard has kept No. 3/50 for himself, while No. 1/50 is kept at the “High Fidelity” office as a reference. So, only 47 units are going to be sold. Therefore, perhaps it is worth planning, ordering, booking a listening session now, before it is too late. SYSTEM USED DURING THE LISTENING SESSION CD player/preamp: Ancient Audio LEKTOR GRAND SE (a new version) Power amp: Ancient Audio SILVER GRAND MONO (new version) Power conditioner: Ancient Audio Re-GENERATOR Speakers: Sonus faber ELECTA AMATOR Interconnect: Siltech TRIPLE CROWN Speaker cable: Siltech DOUBLE CROWN (bi-wire, 2 x 2.5 m) Power cables (all elements): Acrolink MEXCEL 7N-PC9500 Rack: Base Anti-vibration accessories and acoustics correction: Acoustic Revive Wine: LocusVini.pl store + participants Ayon Audio products are distributed in Poland by the NAUTILUS. [hfgallery] [img mini="foto_testy/1708/kts110/th/05.jpg" big="foto_testy/1708/kts110/05.jpg" src="foto_testy/1708/kts110/05.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1708/kts110/th/06.jpg" big="foto_testy/1708/kts110/06.jpg" src="foto_testy/1708/kts110/06.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1708/kts110/th/07.jpg" big="foto_testy/1708/kts110/07.jpg" src="foto_testy/1708/kts110/07.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1708/kts110/th/08.jpg" big="foto_testy/1708/kts110/08.jpg" src="foto_testy/1708/kts110/08.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1708/kts110/th/09.jpg" big="foto_testy/1708/kts110/09.jpg" src="foto_testy/1708/kts110/09.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1708/kts110/th/10.jpg" big="foto_testy/1708/kts110/10.jpg" src="foto_testy/1708/kts110/10.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [/hfgallery]

There is no doubt that PRO-JECT is one of the driving forces responsible for the renaissance of the vinyl record. Since 1990, with persistence and commitment, it has introduced the next generation of turntables for both beginner and advanced music lovers. At the top of the lineup one will find well known models from the '9' and '10' series as well as their prestigious Signature versions. However, we have to remember that it was the basic models that renewed an interest in the vinyls records, and they still constitute a core of this manufacturer's lineup. The 1590 PLN Essential Phono is not the cheapest Pro-Ject model - below in the pricelist one will find two other models - Elemental (890 PLN) and Primary (999 PLN) - but it's the Essential that is marketed as "your first audiophile turntable." It was appreciated by the EISA that awarded its basic version with the Best Product 2017-2018 in the Best Value Turntable category. | FLEXI RANGE It's not a coincidence that I write about the "basic" version - by going to the manufacturer's website, you'll find six different versions of this model. Hence the name of the series is "Essential Flexi Range". The idea was to reach different customers with one turntable. The existence of the "Flexi" series seems natural today, but initially it faced some resistance, because somehow this way of thinking stigmatized in the eyes of "true" audiophiles the idea of "pure" analogue. But Mr. Heinz Lichtenegger, the founder and head of the company, is particularly sensitive to the market's pulse, to the needs of the customers and, as it turns out, he was once again right. The essence of this series is the modification of output and power supply modules. In its basic version, it is simply a turntable with an analog signal supplied from the MM Ortofon OM 10 cartridge, with manual speed adjustment. The 21st century is, however, a “digital” world. To make life easier for people and give them the ability to rip records to computer memory or to connect it to systems that do not have analogue inputs at all, Essential III can be purchased with an additional (to analogue) digital optical output. This will be the 'Digital' model. It can also be connected to our system wirelessly, via the Bluetooth module, that's the 'Bluetooth' model. Further improvements concern ease of turntable's operation. The 'SB' model offers built-in power-supply adjustment and electronic speed-control, and the Phono version, the one under review, features a built-in phonostage for MM cartridges. At the output we get a linear signal, which can be sent directly to any amplifier or even to active speakers. And there is yet another model, the top one, bearing the proper name of RecordMaster. It features a built-in speed-box and an analog-to-digital converter with a USB output which makes ripping records to a hard drive very easy. | ESSENTIAL III PHONO The Essential III Phono is a simple, non-suspended turntable with an asynchronous motor and an 8.6-inch aluminum arm. Each of these elements alone does not make a big impression. Skillfully combined together they offer something special. The base is made of plain MDF coated with high-gloss lacquer, in one of three colors: black, red or white. The main bearing is small. The platter is made of the same MDF and covered with high gloss black lacquer. The low tolerance platter bearing features spindle of hardened, polished flat steel, sliding on a small ball place in a brass bush. The plate is covered with a thin felt mat. The asynchronous motor is mounted on the rear and uses an aluminum drive pulley and rubber belt to drive the platter. The pulley was precisely cut with a "diamond" - meaning diamond cutting tools. The motor voltage is supplied from a small wall power supply. The belt has a round cross section. The tonearm used for the Essential III turntables is shorter than the standard 9". This means greater distortion outside "zero" points where stylus is perfectly parallel to the groove wall. As always, the producer had to operate within certain limits and compromise accordingly. Here he shortened this arm to make it as light and as rigid as possible. Aluminum tube weighs exactly the same as the carbon one in the high-end 9cc EVO arm. In theory, the same cartridges can be used in both of them. Both arms are lightweight, yet they both work exceptionally well with a heavy, low compliance Denon DL-103. Why? - I have no idea, but I love the sound. | Setup The Essential III Phono was originally designed as a Plug-n-Play device, ie it is almost ready to play music immediately after unpacking. This makes it easy for anyone unfamiliar with a turntable setup, also for those who are not interested in turntable because they usually require some knowledge to set up. This time, they have only a few simple steps to do: place a mat on the platter, connect the power supply, put on a belt and anti-skating weight and push the counterweight on the arm. The counterweight can be adjusted even without the scale. But if we want to set VTF precisely, the stylus balance will be necessary - I used the beautiful Rega Atlas. The supplied cartridge is factory mounted and set up. The set includes nice looking pseudo- balanced cables, with solid, gold-plated plugs, sold by Pro-Ject as the Connect it E. We install them in the RCA jacks located on the back of the turntable. They are closed in a small box with a switch that selects whether the signal in the output will be delivered straight from the cartridge – in that case we need an external phono preamplifier - or it will be a linear signal which allows connection directly with preamplifier or integrated amp. The time needed to install this turntable should not be longer than 15-30 minutes. The Pro-Ject turntable was tested as a set, ie with the Ortofon factory installed cartridge, in-build phonostage and the Connect to E interconnect. The Essential III Phono was placed on the Acoustic Revive RAF-48H anti-vibration platform, and on the top of the Finite Elemente Pagode Edition rack. As a reference I used the RCM Audio Sensor Prelude IC phonostage. Additionally I also used the Pathe Wings cork mat. PRO-JECT in “High Fidelity” REVIEW: Pro-Ject RPM-9 CARBON – turntable REVIEW: Pro-Ject HEAD BOX RS + POWER BOX RS UNI 1 - headphone amplifier + power supply unit REVIEW: Pro-Ject RPM-5.1 CARBON – turntable REVIEW: Pro-Ject PRIMARY THE ROLLING STONES EDITION | PHONO BOX E – turntable REVIEW: Pro-Ject PRE BOX RS – DAC, read HERE (Polish) REVIEW: Pro-Ject BOX DESIGN MaiA – integrated amplifier, read HERE (Polish) AWARD OF THE YEAR 2014: CD BOX RS + PRE BOX RS DIGITAL – Compact Disc transport + D/A converter/preamplifier, read HERE REVIEW: CD BOX RS + PRE BOX RS DIGITAL – Compact Disc transport + D/A converter/preamplifier, read HERE AWARD: BEST SOUND 2014 | Pro-Ject 1XPRESSION CARBON CLASSIC + Ortofon M SILVER - turntable + cartridge, read HERE REVIEW: Pro-Ject 1XPRESSION CARBON CLASSIC + Ortofon M SILVER – turntable + cartridge, read HERE (Polish) REVIEW: Pro-Ject Box CD SE + DAC Box FL - CD player + D/A converter, read HERE (Polish) REVIEW: Pro-Ject ART-1 (+ Denon DL-A100) – turntable (+ cartridge), read HERE REVIEW: Pro-Ject RPM6 SB + PRO-JECT PHONO BOX SE – turntable + phonostage, read HERE (Polish) REVIEW: Pro-Ject 2XPERIENCE – turntable, read (Polish)HERE REVIEW: Pro-Ject RPM5 SUPERPACK – turntable, read HERE (Polish) REVIEW: Pro-Ject HEAD BOX MkII – headphone amplifier, read HERE (Polish) REVIEW: The Π Ject Family Saga vol. 1, read HERE (Polish) REVIEW: The Π Ject Family Saga vol. 2, read HERE (Polish) Records used for the test (a selection) Clannad, Nádúr, ARC Music/Music on Vinyl MOLVP908, 180 g LP (2013) Depeche Mode, Cover Me [Remixes], Columbia Records 5483411, 2 x 180 g LP (2017) Dire Straits, Brothers in Arms, Warner Bros./Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab MFSL-2-441, „Special Limited Edition | No 3000”, 2 x 180 g, 45 RPM LP (1985/2014) Duke Jordan Trio, So Nice Duke, Master Music MSA-001, „Harmonix Master Sound”, 180 g LP (2017) Johann Sebastian Bach, Suites per Violoncello Solo BWV 1011-1012, wyk. Rocco Filippini, „Club of the 496 | Limited Edition No. 086”, Fonè (2016) Skaldowie, Bajka zimowa, Kameleon Records KAMPL 18, 180 g LP (2017) Sun Ra, The Futuristic Sound Of Sun Ra, BYG Records 529 111, LP (1969) Japanese issues available at [REKLAMA5] Pro-Ject turntables are an excellent example of this company's ability to reconcile fire with water, low price with good performance. Essential III Phono is an incredibly satisfying product. Everything in its sound is in the right place. If we have the right experience and can compare it to more expensive models of this company or more expensive products of competition, we will be easily able to point out the elements which, in the name of this internal consistency, have been sacrificed. It is actually a confirmation of the class of Czech engineers responsible for this construction. There is no other way but to appreciate their efforts to provide such a pleasant sound for such an affordable price. The 'good performance' that I mentioned is in this price range equivalent to 'refined sound'. This is another type of refinement, obviously, than in case of expensive turntables. But not less valuable, perhaps even more desirable and commendable. This way novice vinyl fans get their hands on a product that will pull them into the magical world of black records and encourage further development of their interests, perhaps even force them to buy more and more new vinyls. The basic value of this presentation is its completeness. Everything here plays with everything, supports everything and in everything. It's a warm, saturated sound embedded on a strong midbass. It is obvious that the Ortofon cartridge used on this particular arm does its best, because it is responsible for the richness and saturation of the sound. It is complemented with dense midrange and gently rolled off upper treble. It does not matter what record we listen to, because these qualities are the basis of this turntables sound, they define it. Therefore, there are no pops&crack with new records, there is almost no noise. Importantly, there is no problem with any hum or hiss or preamplifier noise. When it comes to old releases that have survived many turntables already, let it be the 1969 BYG Records The Futuristic Sound of Sun Ra, the cracks are audible, there is no doubt that it is an older and slightly worn out album. The turntable's class manifests itself in the way it treats these distortions - because cracks and pops are distortion - as something less important than music itself. Warm high tones deepen the impression of fullness and presence of instruments, masking all the stronger "peaks". With new 180g records there is, as I already mentioned, a beautiful silence. This is a turntable that will play new releases of older music, with digital remaster as well as new digital recordings, in a very nice, very "analog" way. They are soft, rich and devoid of digital artifacts, which more “true” designs can scare the listeners with. It has a negative influence on differentiation, it's probably clear, but it's a compromise not just acceptable but even needed and expected. Combined with a strong midbass it results in a large scale sound with a wide soundstage. One can't expect particularly high dynamics nor resolution. The fans of precise, neutral sound, will have to look for another deck. | How to improve sound quality The Essential III Phono is a system composed of many elements, but with an open structure, ie it is possible to replace some of them: cartridge, power supply, phono preamplifier, mat. Moreover - it also reacts to the improvement of the stability of the surface it is placed on. In this case, each change must be well-thought-through and tried. Systems that are so well composed as this one can be easily “spoiled”, even if we use theoretically higher quality components. I would start with cartridge. The OM 10 Ortofon is quite good, but it is not particularly resolving and it makes sound “thick”. The higher models of the same brand is where I would start, but it is worth also to try the Music Hall cartridges. This company doesn't make their own pickups but rather modifies Goldring's. They work really good on Music Hall and Pro-Ject turntables. The second improvement may be a phonostage - I strongly urge you to try one of the PJ models because they are voiced to work with PJ decks. You can also check whether the cork mat works better than felt one. The last two changes, however, are risky because they lead to the opening of the sound. It gets more tangible, detailed, but it is easy to lose the coherence that is one of the main advantages of this model. Therefore, perhaps, the only change that Essential III Phono really needs is the cartridge and the furniture it is placed on. All others are optional and - ultimately - not necessary. Summary This is a great set. The turntable is easy to set up and is characterized by a sound that encourages you to listen to music. Starting from hi-fi you can point out the features that are a result of compromises such as: low dynamics and not so good differentiation. Part of this "proposal" is also the weighty bass and the treble roll off. In this case I would put this type of assessment away, because it makes no sense. Here everything plays together, delivering a dense, warm, pleasant sound. This is a perfect proposition for music lovers who just begin their great adventure with music. The Pro-Ject Essential III Phono is a non-suspended turntable with a built-in phonostage. Its base is 17 mm thick MDF board in high gloss finish. The motor, tonearm and platter are installed in the base. The 300mm platter is also made of MDF, lacquered with high gloss finish and balanced. On top of it one applies a thin felt mat. It is much better than the one used previously - it is rigid and does not attract static charges, ie it does not "stick" to the platter. The main bearing is a simple system consisting of a hardened steel spindle, a brass bed and a steel ball; the spindle has a flat bottom. The asynchronous motor is mounted in the rear left corner. Together with the electronic voltage stabilizer, it is enclosed in a metal housing. It is powered by an external 15 VDC wall power supply. A precision-made aluminum pulley is mounted on its axis. It has two diameters, because the rotation speed is changed manually by moving the belt from one to the other. The belt is made of silicone rubber and has a round cross section. It is wrapped around the perimeter of the platter./p> The 8.6 "arm has an effective length of 218.5 mm and overhang of 22 mm. It is made of aluminum tube, with its end flattened and formed into a headshell. Its bearings consists of steel pins and sapphire beds. A small counterweight moves along the plastic spindle. It features a classic anti-skating solution – a weight on a line. The only adjustment available to user is the VTF. The signal is output using a pair of RCA sockets. They are mounted in a small box also housing the phono preamplifier. On the side there is a switch, which allows user to choose whether he user the in-build phonostage or an external one. The set includes a transparent hinged cover. The turntable features three simple rubber and plastic feet. There is no possibility of adjusting their height, so it is important to ensure that the surface on which the turntable is placed is leveled and decoupled from the floor. Technical specification (according to manufacturer) Essential III Phono Speed: 33, 45 (manual speed change) Principle: belt drive Speed variance: 33: 0.70% 45: 0.60% Wow & flatter: 33: 0.21% 45: 0.19% Platter: 300mm MDF with felt mat (0.8kg) Main bearing: stainless steel Effective arm length: 218.5 mm Overhang: 22.0 mm Effective tonearm mass: 8.0g Counterweight for mass: 3 – 5.5 g (included) Tracking force range: 0 - 25mn (OM5 18mn recommended) Included accessory: power supply, dust cover Power consumption: 4.5 W max Dimensions: 420 x 112 x 330mm (WxHxD) Weight: 5.0 kg (net) Ortofon OM 10 Output (1 kHz, 5 cm/s): 4 mV Chanel balance (1 kHz): 1.5 dB Chanel separation (1 kHz | 15 kHz): 22 dB | 15 dB Frequency response (-3 dB | ± 2 dB): 20 Hz-25 kHz | 20 Hz-20 kHz Tracking (315 Hz): 70 µm Stylus type: elliptical VTF range: 1.25-1.75 g (12.5-17,5 mN) Recommended VTF: 1.5 g (15 mN) Recommended load resistance: 47 kΩ Recommended capacity: 200-400 pF Weight: 5 g [hfgallery] [img mini="foto_testy/1711/projects/th/05.jpg" big="foto_testy/1711/projects/05.jpg" src="foto_testy/1711/projects/05.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1711/projects/th/06.jpg" big="foto_testy/1711/projects/06.jpg" src="foto_testy/1711/projects/06.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1711/projects/th/07.jpg" big="foto_testy/1711/projects/07.jpg" src="foto_testy/1711/projects/07.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1711/projects/th/08.jpg" big="foto_testy/1711/projects/08.jpg" src="foto_testy/1711/projects/08.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1711/projects/th/09.jpg" big="foto_testy/1711/projects/09.jpg" src="foto_testy/1711/projects/09.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1711/projects/th/10.jpg" big="foto_testy/1711/projects/10.jpg" src="foto_testy/1711/projects/10.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1711/projects/th/11.jpg" big="foto_testy/1711/projects/11.jpg" src="foto_testy/1711/projects/11.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1711/projects/th/12.jpg" big="foto_testy/1711/projects/12.jpg" src="foto_testy/1711/projects/12.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [/hfgallery]