November 20th, 2012

RMAF was successful. Steve Dobbins hosted Xact Audio’s room exhibiting his Beat turntable, Frank Shroeder’s arm and Zu’s newly designed Defintion 4’s.

ALLNIC L5000 DHT (Direct Heated Triode) line stage and ALLNIC H3000V phono stage controlled the front end. Tremendous complimentary feedback evolved from the fine sound In Xact’s room. Good work Steve!

Currently under sound trials in Belgium, Korea and soon Canada, the new 2 piece ALLNIC H5000 DHT phono stage boasts rarely heard purely Direct Heated Triode technology. The difficulty of building such a circuit is microphony, resulting in an elevated noise floor. With Allnic’s patented tube socket technology, the H5000 DHT phono stage proves it can be built with a normal noise floor and microphony. The recent biggest drawback of this circuit is acquiring the rare 70+ year old Telefunken RS242 gain tubes used in each preamp. Exorbitant pricing is $500 per Telefunken, 4 required for each preamp. We are working with a famous tube manufacturer for a custom tube of Mr KS Park’s specifications to replace the German built RS242 and we anxiously await samples! Current listening tests and sales indicate unparalleled performance levels, even against world class ALLNIC H3000V. Owing to the unique nature and limited production of this legacy product, contact HAMMERTONE AUDIO for availability and feedback.

The ALLNIC PURITAS moving coil cartridge is a source of pride and frustrations. The cartridge with it’s industry leading energy and soulful resolution, marvels when coupled with a HEAVY MASS TONE ARM. Recent panel listening tests concluded the very heaviest arms with PURITAS sound best. Think of truck shocks on a Honda Civic. The car would bounce out of every pot hole rather than glide through the unevenness. Similar technology here using heavy mass tonearms to control the extreme low compliance of PURITAS. Attempting use of Medium to Light mass arms with this cartridge will bounce from the groove causing the illusion of mistracking or sibilance. This is reminiscent of the Ikeda and Decca cantileverless cartridges and the challenge to operate them successfully. Fine performance results are achieved with Fuch, Origami (custom mass) Fidelity Research S, Audiocraft, Ikeda, Durand, Dynavector and the Ebony, Cocobolo Reed arms. KS Park promises in the near future to design and build a comparable high performance cartridge with a medium compliant suspension suited for a range of medium mass arms like SME, REGA, and other fine offerings.

We retired the entry level ALLNIC H1200 Phono Stage this past spring. We sold over 600 of these excellent valued ALLNIC phono stages. The 2 pairs of 6201 and 6112 tubes used in the H1200 do not possess a comparative life span of our more advanced models. If you feel your Allnic H1200 is need of new tubes, send a photo of it in your system. HAMMERTONE AUDIO will send you a FREE replacement set of tubes regardless of age, purchase point or location!

HAMMERTONE AUDIO wishes all our customers warm thanks for the continued support as we enter our 5th year of partnership with KS PARK and ALLNIC AUDIO.