Not too many Acoustic Signature owners here?

[theaudiogeek]

I tried the stock mat but much preferred the sound of the Synergistic Research UEF Record Mat #1.

I also use the SR UEF Record Weight, usually with the red tuning module.

Thank you. I got the AS S-Grip with the table. What do you think of the SR UEF record weight?

 

[hogen]

I tried the stock mat but much preferred the sound of the Synergistic Research UEF Record Mat #1.

I also use the SR UEF Record Weight, usually with the red tuning module.

Interesting! Was this compared to the new carbon AS mat, or the old leather one?

 

[Johan K]

Thank you for heads up. I can imagine how heavy it will be. I had to struggle when I had the Montana. That table with the platform looks awesome ! That platform has to be a beast to hold this table.

Yes, I had the Montana here for a while too, yes the Montana was heavy and very beautiful, but (almost) like cotton if you compare with the Ascona . The plattform was something like 30kg it’s like 60-70lbs I belive… anyway it was quite heavy aswell.

Tonight I’ll give up vinyl - Going out and have some drinks with some old work mates and friends. So if I’m not myself before the end of of next week - I wish you the happiest weekend with your super beautiful new Ascona Neo

Very best regards

/ Johan

 

[theaudiogeek]

A friend helps you move a turntable. A best friend helps you move . . . a body.

You only need a regular friend. Get some help!

Ha ha ha... Most likely I will reach out to one of my buddies to get this on the stand. I was having second thoughts about involving another person but, thank you for helping me make my decision.

 

[theaudiogeek]

Yes, I had the Montana here for a while too, yes the Montana was heavy and very beautiful, but (almost) like cotton if you compare with the Ascona . The plattform was something like 30kg it’s like 60-70lbs I belive… anyway it was quite heavy aswell.

Tonight I’ll give up vinyl - Going out and have some drinks with some old work mates and friends. So if I’m not myself before the end of of next week - I wish you the happiest weekend with your super beautiful new Ascona Neo

Very best regards

/ Johan

Thank you! I'm looking forward doing the install. You have great time with your buddies!

 

[gds7368]

Hi there BillK,

I’ve had the Typhoon, the Montana and now finally the Ascona…
In my opinion I think the prestanda of the three is like ”tripp - trapp - trull”..!!
-What I mean is.. The prestanda double in each step uphill. That is what I found anyway.
The Typhoon was just an amazing turntable, but when the Montana arrived, I was chocked how much better it was in every way…
I thought it couldn’t be much better than that, untill I heard the Ascona… It just blow me away…
The power, the attack, the airyness, the size of the soundstage, the quiet background and the 3D image… Ohhh my god… Just monster prestanda!
And then more: I found that the Ascona Neo machine it self was MUCH more quiet than the two previous turntables together …

This is just my opinion and thoughts when testing out the turntables here at my place.

/ Jk

The HRS M3X2 plattform was custom made, regarding the weight for the Ascona Neo with three arm bases and the three diffrent arms, and the experience is magic..!!

Before when I had the Typhoon and the Montana i did not use any platform att all.
That was okay I tought… With the platform it’s a hole diffrent game.

The Ascona performs on a hole diffrent level.
It is so ineffected of vibrations from the floor, from the rooms atmosphere and from sound preasure, so it is almost scary.
The zero vibrations out on the stylus and cantilever, due to the platform interaction with the turntable - makes the background dead quiet. Sometimes I really have to see if the platter actually is turning, because it’s so quiet. At the same time, it’s helps the Ascona to come alive and give the music that superkick of power that just leaves you with a smile on your face… it’s hard to describe in words… ( if you know what I mean ).. it has to be heard… It is over 70+ parts in the platform.. hard to beleave, but it’s a fact. It is truly an amazing piece of component, and it makes a huge part in the overall performance of the turntable. Sooo … -the experience is magic!

/ Jk

Anyone hear the previous Ascona vs the Neo version? I have the mk2 version which I purchased sight unseen/unheard just to "try a turntable" during the pandemic, and it's so good I'm virtually 100% analog at this point. Not sure what I'm missing in the Neo update ....

 

[hogen]

Anyone hear the previous Ascona vs the Neo version? I have the mk2 version which I purchased sight unseen/unheard just to "try a turntable" during the pandemic, and it's so good I'm virtually 100% analog at this point. Not sure what I'm missing in the Neo update ....

I have tested the arms, 5000 vs 5000 NEO, and 7000 vs 7000 NEO. Not the turntables unfortunately.

 

[Johan K]

Anyone hear the previous Ascona vs the Neo version? I have the mk2 version which I purchased sight unseen/unheard just to "try a turntable" during the pandemic, and it's so good I'm virtually 100% analog at this point. Not sure what I'm missing in the Neo update ....

Sorry gds7368, I can’t tell. I have only had the Neo series TT here…

I’m glad to hear about your Ascona MK II, and that you’re virtually 100% analog.. It’s the same for me.. -since I got the Ascona here, I hardly play anything but vinyl… Supercool?!

All the best

/ Jk

 

[Johan K]

Ohh yeah, I forgot to tell, I’d survived the drink party with my buddies, so it is off to bed soon with sweet dreams of analogue playback, and hope that the night passes on very quickly, so I can fix my morning coffee and start up the system with some beautiful music.

/ Jk

 

[2fastdriving]

What is the difference between the Ascona neo standard platter and the invictus? I thought it came with the invictus one, I didn't know that it was an upgrade. Approximately how much retail?

 

[theaudiogeek]

I understand the upgraded platter comes with the brass inlays and its $11K. When I looked at ASCONA, I was under the same impression.I was told that I could upgrade the platter which I did not go for.

 

[2fastdriving]

I understand the upgraded platter comes with the brass inlays and its $11K View attachment 103606

Well that is not cool, because their website is misleading then. It basically says it comes that way, the way I read it.

 

[BillK]

Interesting! Was this compared to the new carbon AS mat, or the old leather one?

The new mat with the circles in it that comes with the Montana NEO, I believe it's carbon fiber.

 

[Johan K]

What is the difference between the Ascona neo standard platter and the invictus? I thought it came with the invictus one, I didn't know that it was an upgrade. Approximately how much retail?

I understand the upgraded platter comes with the brass inlays and its $11K. When I looked at ASCONA, I was under the same impression.I was told that I could upgrade the platter which I did not go for.

View attachment 103606

Well that is not cool, because their website is misleading then. It basically says it comes that way, the way I read it.

The new mat with the circles in it that comes with the Montana NEO, I believe it's carbon fiber.

Dear Acoustic Signature Friends,

It was the same surprise for me when I was to order my Ascona Neo in Nov-2021. No one told me anything about the platter at first, that the retail price for the TT was with a platter not shown at any pictures. In my case, I was quite sure about that extra cost for an additional tonearm base, and I wanted to have two extra bases to maximize the TT with a total of three tonearms, so that was no surprice, except that each tonearm base was almost in the range of $2000 - $4000 dollars in total. At that point, my dealer reached out to me and said that -”the TT does not come in the way it’s shown”… so I asked him what he ment!? First then I was told that, to have the Invictus platter is an additionell $10.000 (in 2021). Well I said, that was NOT what I first had in mind to pay… but I actually went for the Invictus platter in the end, and today I could not be happier, because the Ascona is far more expensive today (2023) (like everything else) then it was back in 2021, even though it is the same machine.

About a year ago, in Jan-Feb 2022, as I have told before, I had the Montana Neo here for a brief moment, in the awaiting of the Ascona. At that point, the Montana came with the leather mat. It was ofcourse circle holes in the leather mat aswell, but today (2023) they have maybe upgraded the mat to carbon - but that is more than I know at this point.
All I can tell, is that the carbon mat that came with my Ascona is super fresh and looks really estetic and have the feel to it that the hole turntable really is something extra. The best bonus is that it sounds wonderful.

Now?: Let’s spinn some Ella Fitzgerald.. and have that hot nice cup of saturday morning coffee.


All the best vinyl weekend

Cheers

/ Jk

 

[BillK]

I looked again and the Montana NEO mat looks like carbon fiber but is floppy, so it may be leather, I really don’t know.

I do know the SR UEF sounds better.

 

[gds7368]

I have the non-carbon mat. Anyone compared the two?
I'd be glad to buy the carbon mat if it sounds better ....

(spinning vinyl as I type)

 

[Johan K]

I have the non-carbon mat. Anyone compared the two?
I'd be glad to buy the carbon mat if it sounds better ....

(spinning vinyl as I type)

I haven’t compared the two unfortunately, but I have tested them separately and I definitely like the carbon mat more.

 

[theaudiogeek]

@Johan K - The installation went very well. Had my buddy help me yesterday evening setting it up. I had to take the table down since I got the arm board extended with incorrect length (I have a 12" TA-7000 tonearm). All is good. ASCONA is a fine piece of engineering and a behemoth. The sound quality is much better than Montana. I am thrilled with this table.

 

[2fastdriving]

Dear Acoustic Signature Friends,

It was the same surprise for me when I was to order my Ascona Neo in Nov-2021. No one told me anything about the platter at first, that the retail price for the TT was with a platter not shown at any pictures. In my case, I was quite sure about that extra cost for an additional tonearm base, and I wanted to have two extra bases to maximize the TT with a total of three tonearms, so that was no surprice, except that each tonearm base was almost in the range of $2000 - $4000 dollars in total. At that point, my dealer reached out to me and said that -”the TT does not come in the way it’s shown”… so I asked him what he ment!? First then I was told that, to have the Invictus platter is an additionell $10.000 (in 2021). Well I said, that was NOT what I first had in mind to pay… but I actually went for the Invictus platter in the end, and today I could not be happier, because the Ascona is far more expensive today (2023) (like everything else) then it was back in 2021, even though it is the same machine.

About a year ago, in Jan-Feb 2022, as I have told before, I had the Montana Neo here for a brief moment, in the awaiting of the Ascona. At that point, the Montana came with the leather mat. It was ofcourse circle holes in the leather mat aswell, but today (2023) they have maybe upgraded the mat to carbon - but that is more than I know at this point.
All I can tell, is that the carbon mat that came with my Ascona is super fresh and looks really estetic and have the feel to it that the hole turntable really is something extra. The best bonus is that it sounds wonderful.

Now?: Let’s spinn some Ella Fitzgerald.. and have that hot nice cup of saturday morning coffee.


All the best vinyl weekend

Cheers

/ Jk

Thanks for the clarification. I think it's even worse though, because it is not only the pictures which all show the invictus platter, but the description of the features clearly say that the platter has a brass sandwiched layer. It does not say that is an upgrade feature. I did read that there was an upgrade feature for gold plating.

 

[Johan K]

Thanks for the clarification. I think it's even worse though, because it is not only the pictures which all show the invictus platter, but the description of the features clearly say that the platter has a brass sandwiched layer. It does not say that is an upgrade feature. I did read that there was an upgrade feature for gold plating.

Dear 2fastdriving,

Yes Sir I agree to your last post. Yes you are right, even the description does not say anything of a standard platter… It’s all about the heavy platter with the brass inlays.
And yes, I got quite upset too when I found out about it and then it was like $10-11K more if you choose the Invictus platter… That is not a nice way to advertise.. not cool at all..

/ Jk