Audionet Scientist Series: Humboldt Integrated vs Stern and Heisenberg Separates : Having Your Cake and Eating it Too?

musicfirst1

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I know that by now, many have heard the big separates, as I have been lucky enough to hear on two separate occasions in two vastly different setups (a BIG thanks to both Don and Bill for hosting me). I now feel that, for me, they are the best amplification I've yet heard.

But I'm very curious if anyone has heard the Humboldt Integrated at length to be able to form an opinion on its comparative performance to its bigger siblings.

Thanks guys.

Kerry Humboldt.jpg
 
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bonzo75

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I am interested in knowing at what level do their separates take off (increase in quality).
 

musicfirst1

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IMO, The Audionet Scientist Series (Humboldt Integrated, Stern Preamp & Heisenberg Monoblocks) are in a different league from the AMP and MAX series performance wise.
In fact, based on my audition of the Humboldt Integrated driving the YG Hailey 2s as well as the MAX Monoblocks and Stern Preamp driving the significantly more ambitious Sonja 2s, I preferred the Humboldt setup..
 
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Mdp632

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@musicfirst100 I wonder what has changed with the high end Scientist series that makes it sound so much better?

Not like the regular or standard Audionet electronics are lacking in resolution, speed and neutrality.

Perhaps Audionet will have a Stereo version of the Heisenberg Monoblocks in the future?

Nevertheless, still very expensive but, Uber sounding SOTA amplification.
 

musicfirst1

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Well, reading Audionet's propaganda :), It appears that DC coupling is a big difference technically, also the bandwidth of the scientist series is quite a bit wider.

Don't get me wrong the MAXs are better than all the other SS designs I've ever heard, but the Scientist series is better by a significant margin, moreso than one might expect at the edge of the art.

I would certainly choose the MAXs hands down against everything else I've heard if the Scientist Series didn't redefine the SOTA in SS for me.
 

Thieliste

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Well, reading Audionet's propaganda :), It appears that DC coupling is a big difference technically, also the bandwidth of the scientist series is quite a bit wider.

Don't get me wrong the MAXs are better than all the other SS designs I've ever heard, but the Scientist series is better by a significant margin, moreso than one might expect at the edge of the art.

I would certainly choose the MAXs hands down against everything else I've heard if the Scientist Series didn't redefine the SOTA in SS for me.

How does the humboldt differ from the Vitus SIA-030 in terms of sound ?
These two are on my short list for my new rig.
 

ICOREM

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Hi all
I have a full Audionet stack [Max + Pre G2 + Pam G2]. Did anyone have the chance to compare the Humboldt to the MAX/Pre G2 in the same setup ?
Thanks
 

Thieliste

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In Peter's review you can clearly hear the difference between Stern-Heisenberg and Vitus SIA-030 on the fisrt track :



Since Humboldt has the same DNA as Stern-Heisenberg i would assume Humboldt betters SIA-030.
Humboldt has better resolution, SIA-30 is darker sounding.
 
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musicfirst1

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Hi all
I have a full Audionet stack [Max + Pre G2 + Pam G2]. Did anyone have the chance to compare the Humboldt to the MAX/Pre G2 in the same setup ?
Thanks
While not in the exact same setup, I heard the Humboldt with the YG Sonjas
Hi all
I have a full Audionet stack [Max + Pre G2 + Pam G2]. Did anyone have the chance to compare the Humboldt to the MAX/Pre G2 in the same setup ?
Thanks
See my post above (#4). The Humboldt, for me was signiificantly better than the MAX/Pre G2 in these two setups heard back to back in two similar rooms and on similar speakers (YG Hailey 2s driven by the Humboldt vs the more ambitious YG Sonja 2s driven by the MAX/Pre G2s).
I also heard the big Heisenbergs and Stern separates that afternoon. I would say the Humboldt had more in common sonically with these cost no object separates than it did to the MAX/PreG2 setup.
 
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EuroDriver

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In my experience, as the system noise floor gets lower, and the system transparency increases, you can hear the sonic advantage of monoblocs over their stereo siblings more and more. Crosstalk at levels we used to think were un-necessarily low can be heard / perceived in the soundstage delivered.

Monoblocs deliver a more well defined sound stage, and more realism for many listeners than their stereo, in one box / chassis siblings. I would claim that there is a tonality improvement as well, but YMMV
 
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3125simon

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Hello, sorry to bring this back, but I’m interested in the STERN with the MAX. Bit more affordable!!
Anyone any experience of this combination?
 

3125simon

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Thanks
 

heihei

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Hello, sorry to bring this back, but I’m interested in the STERN with the MAX. Bit more affordable!!
Anyone any experience of this combination?
Yes I demo'd this, and it's the wrong way round. Heisenberg are the star of the Stern / Heisenberg pairing IMHO. If you wanted to cheapen it up, then Heisenberg with a passive pre (and poss TotalDAC driver) would beat Stern / MAX.
 
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3125simon

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Thanks for your feedback.
I’m thinking now of Accustic Arts Mono II as better bet than Max.
Regarding the Heisenberg, it’s just more than I want to spend...
I will go and listen to these combinations next week - let’s see.
 

LL21

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Interesting. Before you got the Stern, did you ever consider another preamp to go with Heisenberg which I have read is spectacular?
 
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3125simon

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Interesting. Before you got the Stern, did you ever consider another preamp to go with Heisenberg which I have read is spectacular?
Actually, I haven’t bought the STERN yet. I’m trying to figure out the power amp part having been offered a great deal on a stern.
I was originally looking at a Vitus SIS 30, but for similar money I can get STERN a plus Max or Accustic Arts Mono II...
cannot hear them together and with Covid making things more difficult, hard to decide....
 

LL21

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Got it. My understanding is your Vitus SIA 025 is pretty fantastic. You certainly are going to reach pretty high to get fully clear of that performance level from my understanding. Are you able to use the SIA solely as a preamp? I wonder if that would enable you to sink your current investment into the amp first and go all out...and hold fire on the preamp for the moment?
 

musicfirst1

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Humboldt is, for me, the best Integrated I've heard: bettering Vitus, Pilium, Soulution, Nagra, Stern plus Maxs, CH M1.1s, D'agostino and EMM lab separates. Only the Stern & Heisenbergs eclipse this integrated IMHO.
 

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