A Visit to Mik Bhavnani - Unique Audio UK

[Audiophile Bill]

Hi All,

Just following up on the recent post from Barry regarding his visit to Mik.

I was very fortunate indeed to get the chance this week to finally visit Mik and his incredible audio room.

I realised immediately after entering the audio lair that it really warranted that I write this up more formerly. I have put together a small report with lots of images to salivate over and published it in the online mag Positive Feedback (that I write for).

https://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/unique-audio-uk/

I hope you enjoy the report - Mik has achieved a truly world class system and is a delightful host. It has been *very* difficult to get all those mighty fine decks out of my head this week lol. I wish to sincerely thank him for his kind hospitality.

Best.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Fantastic report Bill, also backing up Barry's recent visit.

So, you could almost imagine loving a DD tt? I guess the Rockport is very special indeed.

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Fantastic report Bill, also backing up Barry's recent visit.

So, you could almost imagine loving a DD tt? I guess the Rockport is very special indeed.

Thank you Marc.

Oh gosh Mik’s Rockports are just unbelievable. Incredible to think of them being direct drive such is the musicality and nuance. It is worth noting that not all Rockports are created equal - Mik has spent years and a lot of resource to get them to this level. Each one is tuned differently too.

 

[Tango]

You Brits are very interesting individuals.

Gian also told me of the use of platinum that gives incredible sound. Just that Platinum is so damn expensive.

 

[microstrip]

Hi All,

Just following up on the recent post from Barry regarding his visit to Mik.

I was very fortunate indeed to get the chance this week to finally visit Mik and his incredible audio room.

I realised immediately after entering the audio lair that it really warranted that I write this up more formerly. I have put together a small report with lots of images to salivate over and published it in the online mag Positive Feedback (that I write for).

https://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/unique-audio-uk/

I hope you enjoy the report - Mik has achieved a truly world class system and is a delightful host. It has been *very* difficult to get all those mighty fine decks out of my head this week lol. I wish to sincerely thank him for his kind hospitality.

Best.

Great report, many thanks! A real proof that implementation can surpass any audio dogmas - I particularly appreciated the SME30/12 / AirTangent combo. Mik seems to own a great number of AirTangent tonearms!

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Great report, many thanks! A real proof that implementation can surpass any audio dogmas - I particularly appreciated the SME30/12 / AirTangent combo. Mik seems to own a great number of AirTangent tonearms!

Hi Micro,

He does indeed have a shed load of those Air Tangent arms including numerous Air Tangent Reference arms. I guess Mik is a fan of linear tracking since both Rockports are LT, so is CS Port, and also Air Tangent Ref on Blue Pearl. The only non LT that evening was the Lyla on the SPJ. That said he has a gigantic collection of pivoted arms and likes them a lot too.

I too have a serious interest in hearing that specific SME too - I bet it sounds awesome with that arm on it. Fingers crossed I can go to revisit again and hear it.

 

[Audiophile Bill]

You Brits are very interesting individuals.

Gian also told me of the use of platinum that gives incredible sound. Just that Platinum is so damn expensive.

Yes but in the morning when Mik gets up he can talk about his views on heavy multiples of silver conductors that he told me was worth exploring if one can’t do platinum - I certainly can’t be shelling on all that platinum but can certainly explore silver.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Great write-up Bill!

Mik has talked about many of these treasures in our phone conversations but the details and pictures really paint the picture.

his system is in another league beyond any relevance to commercial products. he just cannot leave anything he really loves stock. he has to push it further.

thank you!

 

[Barry2013]

A great report Bill.
It really is a very special experience.
The fact that you also concluded that the Rockport was the best sounding deck also reassured me that I can still rely on my ears.

 

[108CY]

Yes but in the morning when Mik gets up he can talk about his views on heavy multiples of silver conductors that he told me was worth exploring if one can’t do platinum - I certainly can’t be shelling on all that platinum but can certainly explore silver.

The Ratios of platinum are very different the diameters are extremely critical on both, they cannot be used as a single core conducter, the largest dialect can be up to 4mm with silver with up to 62 varying conductors for each frequency it is a rather painstaking exercise, I feel I am a mere beginner but am getting somewhere hopefully. Platinum the largest can be 1.6mm the smallest conductors are crucial to avoid clogging. I have found that silicone rubber is also really important to be used with silver this provides a extra humaness to its performance. To get silver to have the same scale a copper with the grain free sound of silver is a very very difficult art. Platinum naturally has a sense of scale hence the smaller conductors.

 

[108CY]

Great report, many thanks! A real proof that implementation can surpass any audio dogmas - I particularly appreciated the SME30/12 / AirTangent combo. Mik seems to own a great number of AirTangent tonearms!

The sme combination air tangent is rather interesting, the mounting board is critical. I have found extensive gold and chrome plating makes a big difference especially when doing the inside of the pistons there has to be a generous amount of copper and nickel under-plating this really really changes things. Also the tolerances of the main bearing are so tight that selecting the right one makes all the difference. The gold has a softer more human sound while the chrome a bigger larger picture its very very apparent the differences.

 

[PeterA]

This is very simply an unbelievable collection. Thank you Bill for the report, and thank you Mik for allowing Bill to share it with us. Just when you think you have read about some amazing things in audio, a story like this one comes around, and things need to be reset. This is what is possible with one's life's work.

 

[the sound of Tao]

Wow, what a set up and a fantastic read, many thanks Bill.

Quite the amazing snapshot of Mik’s rather more than amazing world. Joyful.

 

[bonzo75]

Great report, many thanks! A real proof that implementation can surpass any audio dogmas - I particularly appreciated the SME30/12 / AirTangent combo. Mik seems to own a great number of AirTangent tonearms!

Mik was working with Alistair of SME since he (Mik) was 13. So he knows which engineer made what arm and which table. He also changes the SME table by taking it apart and putting it back together with new towers and damping, from what I understand.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Bill, did you get a proper listen of the Blue Pearl Gem? I remember being obsessed by this tt after that HiFiPlus review, what, 15 yrs ago, my dealer at the time able to procure it. I just loved the exotic looks, hugely positive review, and it's price was extra terrestrial. Nothing like an unobtainable trinket to make you want to obtain it.

Did you hear it much? What did you think?

 

[bonzo75]

Bill, did you get a proper listen of the Blue Pearl Gem? I remember being obsessed by this tt after that HiFiPlus review, what, 15 yrs ago, my dealer at the time able to procure it. I just loved the exotic looks, hugely positive review, and it's price was extra terrestrial. Nothing like an unobtainable trinket to make you want to obtain it.

Did you hear it much? What did you think?

I did manage to get a listen to the earlier model
http://zero-distortion.org/blue-pearl-jem-vs-kuzma-stabi-ref/

However Mik's would be much transformed from this one.

 

[Taiko Audio]

You Brits are very interesting individuals.

Gian also told me of the use of platinum that gives incredible sound. Just that Platinum is so damn expensive.

I used platinum wire a lot around 10 years ago, when you “only” paid around euro 80 / meter for awg 24. An interesting property is its high ohmic resistance, just 2”-4” of wire can replace resistors in loudspeaker crossovers.

 

[108CY]

Sadly to get specific diameters constructed these days is very very difficult, very few manufacturers want to go near it and insanely expensive. The ratios of the conductors are very different to silver or copper. One can still buy from industrial suppliers some smaller diameters in lengths while still expensive the annealing tends to be a problem and rather important.

Best.[/QUOTE]

I used platinum wire a lot around 10 years ago, when you “only” paid around euro 80 / meter for awg 24. An interesting property is its high ohmic resistance, just 2”-4” of wire can replace resistors in loudspeaker crossovers.

 

[Taiko Audio]

Agree, I abandoned it when the price tripled a few years after. I think it went up even more at some point in time.

 

[108CY]

Agree, I abandoned it when the price tripled a few years after. I think it went up even more at some point in time.

Yes price vary,s greatly depending on thickness a killo un processed is around $28,758.84compared to silvers $540, a lot goes on top into having custom diameters and annealing done the same as silver.