TechDAS Air Force Zero (real final photo)

hvbias

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Jun 22, 2012
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Yes I don't think techdas has the nuance for classical music, this has been consistent across every system I heard and models. It throws a large powerful sound that impresses

I'm primarily a classical listener and I thought AF1 was the most natural sounding TT I've heard.
 
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Tango

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Yes i definitely missed the unfortunately i wasn't at munched in 2018 and can you tell something about the performance/sound ?
I wasnt there either Amadeus. Dietrich sent me pictures and video clip. It was also in Mr.Fremer's video.

Kind regards,
Tang
 

bonzo75

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I'm primarily a classical listener and I thought AF1 was the most natural sounding TT I've heard.

Which are the other ones you compared it to our considered?
 

bonzo75

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Gian, we non owners of AS2000 continually fret about the AS2001.

I won't buy an SME3012 unless a better SME comes out, you know, like a V or V-12.

In Japan they used to have this thing called Kaizen, which was gradual step by step improvement on a daily basis. Looks like manufacturers and customers here follow this.

Anyway the business strategy is brilliant. Like they taught Caesar in his marketing course, you keep expanding the product line... Upwards and downwards, fill in the gaps in the line. This also reduces costs of raw materials as you become a bulk buyer. You get some existing customers to upgrade, you get some new ones jumping in, and you create a premium brand umbrella for your lower priced models.
 
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airbearing

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May 2, 2012
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I had the chance listening to the Apolyt at Dietrich´s place. Great sound coming from the stabilized drive and the big platter, comprised by different materials.
TechDas is using a big platter too. I would like to hear the Apolyt again with tube amplifiers. Dietrich is preparing a set up. Gecom (building the Caeles) has two more units available. But as Tang said correctly it is not made for plug & play. Guess there will be a small Apolyt some day, maybe this year...

www.audiocirc.com
 

Audiophile Bill

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Mar 23, 2015
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I had the chance listening to the Apolyt at Dietrich´s place. Great sound coming from the stabilized drive and the big platter, comprised by different materials.
TechDas is using a big platter too. I would like to hear the Apolyt again with tube amplifiers. Dietrich is preparing a set up. Gecom (building the Caeles) has two more units available. But as Tang said correctly it is not made for plug & play. Guess there will be a small Apolyt some day, maybe this year...

www.audiocirc.com

I think Kedar heard the Caeles at Swen’s room
 

CKKeung

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Jun 17, 2011
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Thanks for all the info above.
But is Apolyt a finished product and ready for sale?
 

bonzo75

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CKKeung

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Apolyt is a finished product. They deliver it in a big and smaller version (a little lowered). You may also have it in full black design, meaning the columns are black too.

Good!
I shall tell a few frds of mine in HK that there are alternatives other than the AF Zero.
 

PeterA

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Dec 6, 2011
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I also asked this question in the event. Apparently, Nishikawa san has a broken relationship with Marc Gomez of SAT. I should not quote his personal comment on Marc but it was quite negative.

TechDAS will develop its own tonearm to match with its turntable.

It is kind of interesting that after SAT launched the four new tonearms with some great reviews from Myles Astor and M. Fremer that the brand is so rarely discussed. What happened? People must have simply rediscovered the SME 3012R instead.
 

Tango

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It is kind of interesting that after SAT launched the four new tonearms with some great reviews from Myles Astor and M. Fremer that the brand is so rarely discussed. What happened? People must have simply rediscovered the SME 3012R instead.
What did Fremer and Myles say about the new one?

Kind regards,
Tang
 

PeterA

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What did Fremer and Myles say about the new one?

Kind regards,
Tang

They both liked them. They reviewed different models and no direct comparisons were made. There was a lot of chat about it at the time. Fremer's review is in Stereophile, and Myles' review is in Positive Feedback, I think, and also on AudioNirvana. I heard whichever SAT arm Myles had at the time when I visited him. He also had a VPI arm. They both sounded extremely good in his wonderful system, but they had different cartridges, so we did not do a direct comparison.
 

TLi

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May 27, 2016
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They both liked them. They reviewed different models and no direct comparisons were made. There was a lot of chat about it at the time. Fremer's review is in Stereophile, and Myles' review is in Positive Feedback, I think, and also on AudioNirvana. I heard whichever SAT arm Myles had at the time when I visited him. He also had a VPI arm. They both sounded extremely good in his wonderful system, but they had different cartridges, so we did not do a direct comparison.

Nishikawa san has used both original SAT tonearm and the latest model in his listening room and in various demo. He like the original one over the new model.
 

Gardener

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Sep 23, 2017
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Thats a great pity if Techdas has fallen out with Marc Gomez.
Having met Mark , he is real gentleman.
I think his arm works incredibly well with bothAF1 and AF2 ( have not heard AF3)
 

TrackingAngle

Industry Expert
Mar 4, 2014
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The amount of ignorance and speculative foolishness expressed by some here is truly appalling. Are you sure this isn't the "What's Worst Forum" when it comes to how low human nature can express itself? I most certainly compared all of these SAT arms in my review and you can listen for yourself to direct comparisons between the original SAT arm, the aluminum yoke model and the new CF top of the line model.

They are "blind" 96/24 files using the Ortofon MC Century cartridge on the Continuum Caliburn.

There's another file that's an unidentified turntable arm and cartridge.

My 13 year old writer Malachi Lui (who shows more maturity and class than some in this thread) correctly identified which SAT arm was which and his reasons were precisely what i wrote in Stereophile, though my review had not yet been published. He preferred the top of the line CF-09.

As for what happened between Nishikawa-San and Marc Gomez, it was not about the quality of the arm, but rather something else that I won't get into here.

The new CF is considerably better than the original, which was considerably better than any arm I've heard though of course I've not heard them all. An AnalogPlanet reader who owns the SAT, the Axiom and the Vertere said he thinks the SAT best. Of course whatever you prefer......

Why not go to AnalogPlanet and listen to the 3 unidentified files? Decide for yourself. The interesting thing about the new top of the line arm is that it doesn't reveal its superiority immediately. The original arm has 'more' but less well controlled bass and a bit of edge that can be confused for 'detail'.

What went down between Nishikawa and Gomez was very sad because the combo of SAT CF-09 and Air Force One Premium is quite special and the "fight" has not stopped people from buying the SAT to use with the AF-1.

Ultimately it is the customer and not the manufacturer who makes these decisions! Even in Japan. Myles can speak for himself....
 

airbearing

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May 2, 2012
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I am not sure if this is a thread about tonearms as analogplanet is expressing. Analogplanet, are you on the wrong thread? SAT and SAT-tonearms might be a different thread. Anyway, what is interesting is that TechDas has successfully established very good copies (great technology!) of the old Micro-Seiki line. I used a Micro Seiki 8000 II from 1995 and was very sad to give it away to New York. I still own a 8000 with a Double Platter as well as two sided motors.
In the end I am a bit disappointed about the Zero One. Despite of it´s greater mass I miss a powerless bearing or a real bi-radial air bearing. Also I do not see an adjustment of the horizontal leverage. No active air suspension or a concept of sound conduction in the table.

Yes, we might look back and remind of the good old technology Micro Seiki and Nishikawa san established in the field of turntable building. But now we should look into new concepts and new technology which is possible to invent. Should ´nt we begin a new chapter?

www.audiocirc.com
 

spiritofmusic

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Jun 13, 2013
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David, that's genius!
 

hvbias

Well-Known Member
Jun 22, 2012
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940
New England area
Which are the other ones you compared it to our considered?

Well none in a side by side test :) I am a piano player and know that the AF1 sounded very natural. I do think vacuum hold down turntables have a slight signature and can have a tendency to sound over damped, but I hear this as more obvious on something like Basis than the AF1. I don't think this over damped sound has anything to do with midbass bloat.

Edit: also not sure why Michael was being so aggressive, I see nothing disparaging about SAT tonearms in this thread and I too am wondering if this belonged in another thread?
 
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rockitman

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Sep 20, 2011
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I'm primarily a classical listener and I thought AF1 was the most natural sounding TT I've heard.

I agreed until I got my AS2000. That said, I could of lived happily ever after with the AF1. It plays everything including classical very well. The AF1 will continue to reside in my system alongside the AS.
 

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