Hachidori Fukami Tape/Phono Preamplifier

[Zeotrope]

Starting a new thread to discuss this very interesting high-end tape and phono preamplifier.

Did anyone have a chance to hear it in Munich, or elsewhere?
If you have not heard it, please refrain from posting what you think - let's keep this thread factual and objective! I don't particularly care about perspectives that are biased and not based on direct feedback.

Let's also get price out of the way: USD75,000. Also, no need to comment on price and value. It is what it is.

https://www.hachidori-onkyo.com

 

[Zeotrope]

 

[Zeotrope]

 

[dminches]

Starting a new thread to discuss this very interesting high-end tape and phono preamplifier.

Did anyone have a chance to hear it in Munich, or elsewhere?
If you have not heard it, please refrain from posting what you think - let's keep this thread factual and objective! I don't particularly care about perspectives that are biased and not based on direct feedback.

Let's also get price out of the way: USD75,000. Also, no need to comment on price and value. It is what it is.

https://www.hachidori-onkyo.com

Is there a US dealer?

 

[Zeotrope]

No dealers, it’s all direct. There are US customers, at least one has agreed to let potential customers audition. He’s in Massachusetts, there may be others.

I have placed an order (but I’m not in the US).

Jonathan knows his stuff and I’m convinced this is by far the most sophisticated tape preamp available today.
One example is the Flux Loop which allows owners to easily calibrate inputs to their specific tape head.

 

[dminches]

On paper it looks like a very nice unit but the proof is in the sound, obviously.

Some of the other tape preamps on the market also have the ability to calibrate the unit (loading, level, treble and bass) to one’s specific head. I do it all the time with my tape preamp and it isn’t difficult or time consuming.

I would like to hear it in my system, if possible. I am not sure if the guy in Massachusetts is just letting people hear it in his system. That doesn’t interest me. I need to hear it where it is the only thing that has changed, ie. in my system.

I sent Jonathan a note but haven’t heard back.

 

[Zeotrope]

I agree that only by hearing it in your system does auditioning make any sense.

It is a ton of money, no question. There have been positive comments about Jonathan and his circuit design and how this sounds on another forum.

I believe the Massachusetts owner is just an owner, so he will not lend out his unit.

The adjustments available are not just for EQ but also for dampening.

 

[dminches]

Dampening? All I see in the manual is mid, treble and bass.

 

[Zeotrope]

Yes, the user adjusment settings are:
Dampening
Low Freq.
High Freq.
for each channel

Plus adjustments for the EQ curves:
Low and High per channel for each EQ curve
I don't recall seeing a Dampening adjustment for the Doshi.
Damping Resistance – for tape, this is the resistance that a high-impedance playback head is loaded with to damp high frequency resonance associated with all tape heads. For phono, this can be used to damp MM cartridges or load the secondary of an MC SUT (step up transformer).

 

[Foxbat]

I’m convinced this is by far the most sophisticated tape preamp available today.
One example is the Flux Loop which allows owners to easily calibrate inputs to their specific tape head.

You are convinced, heh? What is your conviction based on?

Can I ask you - how many other units did you have a chance to compare side-by-side before arriving at that conclusion?

What were the criteria of "sophistication" you used in your analysis? Do you have an advanced EE degree that allows you to do that?

I am sorry, but it sounds like you are simply regurgitating some promotional material.

 

[dminches]

Yes, the user adjusment settings are:
Dampening
Low Freq.
High Freq.
for each channel

Plus adjustments for the EQ curves:
Low and High per channel for each EQ curve
I don't recall seeing a Dampening adjustment for the Doshi.
Damping Resistance – for tape, this is the resistance that a high-impedance playback head is loaded with to damp high frequency resonance associated with all tape heads. For phono, this can be used to damp MM cartridges or load the secondary of an MC SUT (step up transformer).

If dampening refers to tape head loading, there is a switch on the back of the Doshi for low, med and high loading and a method to select the correct one. In my experience this adjustment is not critical with respect to the sound.

 

[Foxbat]

If dampening refers to tape head loading, there is a switch on the back of the Doshi for low, med and high loading and a method to select the correct one. In my experience this adjustment is not critical with respect to the sound.

You are correct, because typically the peak happens well outside the audio band, so you will only see it when using a flux loop. The value of that adjustment is debatable, unless it is very significant.

BTW, speaking of sophistication, I certainly like the two stage HF adjustment, as found on some machines, such as Ampex ATR, Telefunken M15A or STM-310. They allow you to obtain higher accuracy than typically is possible with the single HF control.

 

[Zeotrope]

If dampening refers to tape head loading, there is a switch on the back of the Doshi for low, med and high loading and a method to select the correct one. In my experience this adjustment is not critical with respect to the sound.

It can make a big difference for high frequency response/rolloff. But most tape machines/heads don't reproduce high frequencies well (or the tapes are degraded), so I guess that's why it can be perceived as not making a big difference.
I have been very impressed with the HF response of the Papillon, very neutral and well balanced.

Interesting that Jonathan Knight didn't get back to you. I would try again. He got back to me quickly.
Incidentally, the Doshi founder did not get back to me quickly, and when he did, it was a curt, almost flippant reply with a 'could care less attitude'. Me question was actually very pertinent: if he had experience using the lower impedenance Photovox head of the Stellavox TD9/Metaxas Papillon. He just said "no". Business lost.

 

[dminches]

I know Nick very well and if he didn’t provide more information it wasn’t due to his care for his customers. He was likely slammed at the time.

What else were you hoping to get from him? It sounds like he answered your question.

Nick has driven to my house to spend the day setting things up. That’s a 7 hour round trip.

 

[Zeotrope]

I'm good now as I have found the preamp I wanted.
Nick seemed to not have any interest in dealing with a new client. I've had the exact opposite experience with Jonathan, and I've made it a point to not work with anyone I don't enjoy working with or who isn't passionate about working with clients. It's just a side note that I wanted to mention because you seem to have not gotten a reply from Jonathan... just interesting, that's all.
I also think the Fukami is a better product -- as it should be, it's a lot more expensive.
Everyone I have purchased a component from: Nagra, Metaxas, DarTZeel, Seismion, Shunyata, Kondo/Rhapsody, JVC,... has been phenomenal to work with. But that's not by default.

 

[Foxbat]

But most tape machines/heads don't reproduce high frequencies well

Could you please name those "most" machines that do not reproduce high frequencies, so people could avoid them?

What is "high frequencies"? 10K? 20K? 50K?

 

[Foxbat]

I also think the Fukami is a better product -- as it should be, it's a lot more expensive.

 

[dminches]

I'm good now as I have found the preamp I wanted.
Nick seemed to not have any interest in dealing with a new client. I've had the exact opposite experience with Jonathan, and I've made it a point to not work with anyone I don't enjoy working with or who isn't passionate about working with clients. It's just a side note that I wanted to mention because you seem to have not gotten a reply from Jonathan... just interesting, that's all.
I also think the Fukami is a better product -- as it should be, it's a lot more expensive.
Everyone I have purchased a component from: Nagra, Metaxas, DarTZeel, Seismion, Shunyata, Kondo/Rhapsody, JVC,... has been phenomenal to work with. But that's not by default.

Not sure why you blindly equate quality with price. That is often not the case. If that’s how you assess products you never would have bought from Doshi since his gear isn’t uber expensive.

As I said, I emailed Jonathan over 24 hours ago and never heard back.

 

[Zeotrope]

I did not say "blindly" did I?
I have studied both offerings carefully, and after 30+ years in this hobby, with my own experience building amps and designing speakers, I am pretty good at judging one product's superiority over another.And I've been right a hell of a lot more times than I've been wrong.

While cost is certainly not the only attribute, it's easy to see that the Fukami is a lot more expensive to produce. I also resonate with how Jonathan has gone about applying his extensive experience and his goal of what he wanted to accomplish. I didn't read or hear of much of that with Doshi. I actually think the Doshi is vastly overpriced for what it is.

You seem happy and set on your Doshi, and out to "prove" that it's just as good as the Fukami, so I'm not sure why you are even posting here?
There are no units available to be lent out - I have already answered that question for you.
You wrote to him only 24 hours ago and expect a reply within 24 hours?! The guy doesn't know you and he's in Japan. It sounds like you're in the US, so it can easily be a couple of days before you get a reply. I wouldn't use that to judge him. It's not Best Buy's call center.

 

[dminches]

Let’s be honest, you haven’t heard the Fulami so I consider that blind for me since the only thing that matters is what it sounds like.

Regarding Doshi vs Fukami, I am out to prove nothing. The Fukami is a very interesting piece and that why I wrote Jonathan. I am not playing any games.

Frankly, it isn’t that much lore expensive than the Doshi since his tape and phono units combined are $50k.