Audio Note TT Two DL gramofon

 Prošle godine je predstavljen obnovljeni model Audio Note gramofona TT Two. Ovo DVA nije oznaka za drugu verziju istog modela već oznaka da je u osnovi ovog gramofona pogon od dva motora koji stoje jedan prema drugom 180 stepeni.

Ovaj model se pojavio davnih osamdesetih godina prošlog veka iz radionice firme Systemdek. Nakon što su dizajneri i inžinjeri firme odustali od modela drvenog sanduka i prešli na nove materijale, sve preostale zalihe kutija, staklenih tanjira, gumica, šasija je otkupio Peter Qvortrup i nastavio da proizvodi pod imenom Audio Note UK.

Osnovni dizajn gramofona Systemdek IIXX je vidljiv na ovoj fotografiji - tanjir i ručka leže na profilisanoj širokoj šini koja leži popreko ispod gornje ploče.

Šina se oslanja na tri tačke na gornju ploču i omogućava da se uklone sve neželjene vibracije iz okoline.

Tanjir je bio stakleni, precizno i fino obradjen na spoljnoj ivici.

Kad su zalihe iz preuzetog magacina iscrpljene napravljen je nov dizajn, vizuelno jednostavniji i precizniji. Ono što je ostalo isto je konstrukcija na šasiji ispod gornje ploče. Promenjeno je ime u TT One za varijantu sa jednim motorom (kao i kod modela Systemdek), a TT Two za unapredjenu varijantu sa dva motora usmerenih na 180 stepeni jedan u odnosu na drugog.

Podešavanje ravnoteže tanjira se obavlja preko zatezanja i popuštanja tri tačke oko motora. Promena brzine se obavlja preko promenljive veličine valjka na koji naleže gumica.

Dizajn sa prethodnih slika je ostao živ sve do ove godine kad je predstavljen novi model.

Evo nekoliko fotografija izbliza ovog modela.

Snell J

Nedavno mi je do ruku došao par zvučnika firme Snell sa oznakom J/III. Poznajem ove zvučnike jer sam isti model slušao ali iz fabrike Audio Note UK gde se još uvek proizvode pod istom specifikacijom i konstrukcijom.

Dakle o kakvom zvučniku se radi?

To je rešenje bas refleks kutije sa po dva zvučnika, visokotonac od 1'' i dubokotonac od 8'', veoma jednostavno i standardno, skoro neugledno.

Par zvučnika je bio u odličnom stanju, nedavno mu je zamenjeno vešanje (pena, guma oko dubokotonca) i bilo je veoma interesantno čuti kako zvuči sa različitim pojačalima.

Sama kutija je obložena furnirom koji se uz malo čišćenja i doterivanja vraćen u izvanredno stanje.
Kutije nose brojeve 48045 i 48046 i napravljene su 1988 godine.

Jedna od osobina Snell zvučnika je da je sa zadnje strane bio postavljen potenciometar za regulaciju jačine visokih tonova - prostim obrtanjem levo ili desno izražajnost visokih tonova se smanjivala i pojačavala.

Zvučnik je već tada pripadao visokoj klasi i posedovao je veze za posebno ozvučenje visokih i dubokih tonova - bi-wiring.
 
Zvučnik je izvanredno podržao veoma male snage pojačala od 3,5W u SE režimu pojačanja, ali i mnogo jače snage od 13 W, odnosno preko 40W u režimu PP.

Znak Snell je vidljiv sa zadnje strane blizu utučnica ali i sa prednje strane i predstavlja potpis dizajnera Petera Snella.

I na kraju jedna fotografija zvučnika iz neobičnog ugla, visoko odozgo - tu se vidi sva njegova kompaktnost i jednostavnost.

Sa vebsajta www.snell.no sam skinuo informacije o ovom zvučniku i ovako ih prenosim:

Model:	Type J/III
Years in Production:	1989-1995
Original Price per Pair:	$690.00
Power Rating in Watts:	15-150
Frequency Response:	48Hz-20kHz
Impedance:	8 ohm
Sensitivity:	91 dB
Dimensions:	30.5x15.5x12
Woofer:	8"
Mid:	-
Tweeter:	1"
Rear Tweeter:	-

VT4-C i VT4-B

VT4B i VT4-C

Kada pitate ozbiljnog audiofila da li bi voleo da poseduje pojačalo sa lampama 211, posmatrajte izraz njegovog lica! Gore je fotografija modela VT4 u dve varijante B (levo) i C (desno).

VT4-B u originalom kartonskom pakovanju sa papirnim ubrusom

Elektronske lampe koje su tridesetih i četrdesetih godina prošlog veka proizvodjene u Sjedinjenim Američkim Državama su neočekivano pred kraj veka dospele u žižu interesovanja ljubitelja reprodukcije zvučnih zapisa. Na slikama je verzija B - Yellow Tip (pogledajte žutu boju na vrhu). Pogledajte i pakovanje i oznaku da je napravljena za potrebe Armije SAD, godina 1935.

Sedamdesetih godina dvadesetog veka g. Hiroyasu Kondo je u Japanu eksperimentisao sa različitim elektronskim lampama i različitim materijalima. Imao je veliki izbor lampi ali je izabrao jednu koja mu se učinila najprirodnija - model američke vojne lampe pod šifrom 211.

1982. godine je napravio prvo pojačalo sa lampom 211 u PP verziji. Trebalo mu je još šest godina da bi napravio legendarno pojačalo Ongaku u SE verziji.

Kad je izložen Ongaku je bio čudo - namotaji na transformatorima su bili kompletno uradjeni od srebrne žice, a unutrašnje povezivanje je takodje bilo srebrnom žicom.

Od tada ne prestaje fascinacija ovom elektronskom lampom - danas takvu lampu cene više stotina US$ a najtraženije su one najstarije. Zamislite proizvod koji je napravila ljudska ruka pre više od sedamdeset godina i koji još uvek može da radi! I to da radi sa strujom napona od preko 800 Volti!

Danas mnogi proizvodjači i dizajneri koriste istu lampu za pojačanje zvučnog signala, medju njima je i Audio Note UK sa širom paletom pojačala.

Tu su modeli Jinro (slika gore) sa kompletnim ožičenjem od bakarnih žica,
Tomei sa kombinacijom srebrnog i bakarnog ožičenja (slika gore), i konačno engleska verzija pod istim imenom - Ongaku (slika dole).Varijanta B je veoma retka, pravljena je ručno - ako pažljivo pogledate fotografije videćete ručnu izradu zavrtnja, ručno spajanje delova i savijanje materijala. Varijanta C je proizvodjena masovno, pogotovo nakon izbijanja II svetskog rata u fabrikama General Electric i Western Electric.

Konačno, da kažemo da i u Srbiji radi proizvodjač koji pravi pojačala sa lampama VT4-C. To je firma NAT iz Kragujevca sa modelom SE2 M

Za dalje informacije pogledajte websajt http://www.nataudio.com/. Prijatno slušanje kad dobijete priliku!

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Nakon pisanja ovog teksta pronašli smo još jednu varijantu lampe VT4-B. To su izvanredni primerci iz fabrike Westinghouse, sa mesinganom osnovom i opet obleženi žutom bojom na vrhu staklene boce. Numerisani su brojevima 27479 i 27714.

 

 

Ako se pažljivo pogleda unutrašnjosst lampi uočava se rad veštih ruku, zavrtnji su rukom pravljeni, žica koja vezuje osnovu sa vrhom je rukom savijena, žljeb koji drži maticu je takodje rukom savijen. Lampe su bile pakovanje u jednake kutije i obeležavane kome su namenjene, ovde su to jedinice veze Američke vojske.

Poslednja slika je lampa i originalna vojna vata u koju je bila umotana.

 

 

TT-Two Deluxe

What does this TT mean? It means TURNTABLE! What does this Two mean? It means TWO MOTORS! So what's the point to make turntable with two engines? Here is the review in HiFi Choice magazine.

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Audio Note AN-TT2 DeluxeTwin Engined


Audio Note has a range of new arms for its well established TT-2 turntable. Ed Selley finds out if two motors are better than one.
Audio Note is best known for its extensive range of valve amplifiers and digital products, but it has been producing turntables and vinyl accessories for many years. The current range consists of three turntables, three new tonearms and a range of moving-magnet and moving-coil cartridges. Tested here is the middle of the range TT-2 (numerically at least, the TT-3 is an altogether different beast), with a brand new Arm One and IQII moving-magnet cartridge.


The TT-2 itself has been in production for some time in basic black for £1,290, but is now available in a £2,200 Deluxe version tested here with real-wood veneers. The unit is a full plinth-type design with a three point suspended chassis placed within it. Parts of this basic design date back a very long way and the TT-2 could be regarded as a heavily evolved Dunlop Systemdek in some regards.


Act in balance Where the TT-2 Deluxe differs from virtually every other deck on sale is in the use of a pair of AC motors to spin the acrylic platter instead of one. The motors are mounted on opposite sides of the spindle and the theory goes that the two motors act in balance to completely reduce oscillation at the spindle, which is passed on to the platter. This is a difficult engineering process because if there is any variation in the motors, instead of improving playback they will exaggerate the oscillation further. Audio Note pair-matches every set of motors to ensure they behave the same and pays close attention to the chassis design to ensure that the two motors work in harmony.


The £655 Arm One is all new and a welcome addition to the ranks of sensibly priced tonearms. It is part of a three-strong range and uses a single machined piece of aluminium for the arm wand and a second machined section to house the ‘captured unipivot’ bearings. The combination of ‘Rega-mount’ fi tting (still referred to as such, despite Rega not using it anymore) and an easily adjustable VTA means it should work well on a variety of decks. In this instance, our sample arrived mounted on the Deluxe with IQII cartridge in place and required no adjustments.


The £420 IQII is part of Audio Note’s moving-magnet cartridge range and is an uprated Goldring design that uses higher-quality copper coils and a diamond stylus to obtain a much improved performance over the stock model. Audio Note phono stages are generally moving-magnet designs and the IQ series precludes the need for an external step-up transformer to obtain the required levels of gain.


High standard After extracting the TT-2 Deluxe from its packaging, first impressions are good. At a price point where some very large and very shiny designs are available, the Audio Note can look a little sober by comparison, but the TT-2 has much to commend it. The fi t and finish is excellent and the veneering, in particular, is of a very high standard. The TT-2 is not an especially heavy design, but still feels solid and well constructed. The unit is also supplied with a Perspex cover which is always a welcome addition.


The suspension is locked into place with a transit screw and removing it will allow you to level up the suspension via the three bolts at the suspension mounts. String the belt across the two pulleys and set the platter and the deck is ready to go. With the recommended tracking weight on the cartridge, we found the deck was a little sensitive to footfall when placed on a rack, but switching to a wall shelf eliminated this, so would be the better option if available. With the noise of twice as many motors as usual to suppress, the TT-2 is also impressively quiet. If the TT-2 is a pleasant surprise, the Arm One is something of a revelation. This is an immaculately finished and well thought out unit that is as good as anything we have seen under £1,000. Changing cartridges is extremely simple and it seems able to cope with any cartridge it is likely to be partnered with. The cueing action and the general arm movement suggest the bearings are excellent as well.


Persuasive case With the suspension level and the output connected to the internal phono stage of an Audio Analogue Verdi Cento, the TT-2 makes a very persuasive case for itself. The first impression is of an extremely low-noise floor. With the deckearthed correctly, there is almost no background noise at any volume level and no hum whatsoever. The two motors allow the platter to spin up to speed almost instantly and the perceived pitch stability is excellent.
Sonically, the TT-2 is a muscular and powerful performer. It manages to sound effortless across a wide variety of music and is possessed of excellent pace and timing. Up tempo recordings are delivered with real urgency and this is underpinned with a tight and potent bass that starts and stops with aplomb and underpins the performance. Slower and calmer recordings still benefit from this innate timing without sounding forced or hurried.


While the twin motor design is specifically intended to combat oscillation, like the multiple motor Voyd designs from the 80s and 90s (which Audio Note went on to build themselves), there is a sense that the twin motors also bring something to the sound as well. There is a pace and energy that the Audio Note has that adds considerably to the performance as a whole. There is also a technical argument that multiple pulleys would combat oscillation as effectively as multiple motors, but whether the deck would still possess this beguiling energy is unclear.
Further up the frequency range,the combination of deck, arm and cartridge combine to give an open and airy sound with strong tonality and good detail retrieval. The soundstage is not as wide as a Michell Gyrodec and even after extended running in, we found the IQII to be slightly bright, but not unworkably so and nothing that thoughtful phono stage matching wouldn’t accommodate.


Musicality is a difficult concept to pin down exactly, but the Audio Note has it in spades. It generally manages to get toes tapping and heads nodding and leave you enjoying the music rather than analysing it. This is not to say that there is any lack of detail or focus, but the presentation as a whole is more important than the constituent parts.


Vocals are generally excellent and there is a real sense of the space a recording was made in. Towards the end of our listening session, we substituted another moving-magnet cartridge in the form of a Clearaudio Virtuoso and not only was this simple to do (thanks to the Arm One), we found that the slight brightness was tamed without affecting the substantial low end and rhythmic ability, which are clearly innate to the deck and arm.


Musical enjoyment The TT-2 Deluxe is a very fine turntable and one that impressed us considerably. Due to its very distinctive design, Audio Note equipment can often work best in the context of an all-Audio Note system. While we don’t doubt that this turntable would sound excellent in this context, it works equally well outside of this as well. You could be one of the most passionate advocates of solid-state imaginable and still find the superb timing and wonderfully open presentation to your liking.


Separate to the entire package, the Arm One is a very welcome addition to the ranks of sub-£1,000 tonearms. This is a beautifully built and very well thought out design that should work well with a variety of cartridges and turntables.


There are many turntables at this price point that offer much more visual drama than the TT-2, but few of them can match it for sheer musical enjoyment. The Audio Note, therefore, is a winner.


LIKES: Powerful and engaging sound

DISLIKES: Sensitive to footfall; manual speed change only

WE SAY: A wonderful turntable with great sound and considerable flexibility, thanks to an excellent tonearm
PRODUCT: Audio Note TT-2Deluxe turntable(£2,200); Arm Onetonearm (£655);IQII- phono cartridge£420).

ORIGIN:UK/Austria

TYPE:Belt drive turntable

DIMENSIONS:(wxhxd)470x170x360mm

WEIGHT:4kg (approx)

FEATURES:• Twin motor beltdrive turntable• Three pointsuspension• Captured unipivottonearm• Choice of real woodveneers• Moving magnetcartridge with highquality copper coils,aluminium cantileverand diamond stylus

DISTRIBUTOR: Audio Note UK TELEPHONE: 01273 220 511 WEBSITE: audionote.co.uk

DISTRIBUTER SRBIJA TELEFON: +381 64 2468 685, WEBSAJT: http://www.audionote.rs/