The April issue of Hi-Fi News and RR has a report of the Ken Kessler visit to the TechDas factory with plenty of details and some inside pictures of the Air Force one and Two and the D7 Supreme.
TechDAS Air Force 2
- Thread starter JackD201
- Start date
Thanks for mentioning TD were in the latest HFN, that was a great article by Ken going into detail about the differences between the two TTs. Also Nishikawa-san's pose with the Stella team looks exactly like the one taken with Jack
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Finally closed two orders for TD Air Force 2s. I'm looking forward to comparing both tables side by side. I also ordered two sample flagship TD Ti Cartridges. These should be very interesting as the lower model TD COI is the cart that gets all the playing time in my system these days. This collaboration between friends for almost 4 decades, Matsudaira-san of MY Sonic Lab and Airtight (Motor) and Nishikawa-san (body) is indeed something special.
garylkoh
WBF Technical Expert (Speakers & Audio Equipment)
Jack, any Genesis owners with the TechDas in Manila? I should be there soon setting up a pair of Dragons.
AF2 will have the standard aluminum platter. I have the Aluminum and Stainless Steel upper platters for the AF1. I won't be able to use the same exact model Phantoms but I will be able to use the same cartridges and Phonostage.
I don't believe the AF2 has optional platter materials. It looks like duralumin only according to the website.
Edit: correction aluminum A5056.. Not A7075 Duralumin like that in the AF1.
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garylkoh
WBF Technical Expert (Speakers & Audio Equipment)
I was at their factory last month and spent a couple of hours listening and comparing the two tables and have a good handle on the differences between the two. I already have the AF1 and have the AF2 on order.
Please PM me with your questions!
david
A few pictures of their listening room and AF2 production run.
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Steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
From what I hear yes. Heavier platter and bigger power supplies and it's own stand. I won't be in the market. I have brought vinyl playback to the limit...at least to my satisfaction....especially with my use of the TS-140 Active isolation table. See the interview w/ Nishikawa-san below:
http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/meet-your-maker-hideaki-niskikawa-of-techdas/?page=2
Didn't realize I had to fold the rear seats of a GL to fit the boxes
AF2 installed beside AFO
Now to decide which arms, Ennie, Minnie, Miney, Larry, Moe or Curly (Elite still in its box)
The keen eyed will notice that this AF2 has an AFO platter. It was an experiment to see if there could be a modular approach going upwards. As it turned out the final price ended up far too close to the AFO for the exercise to be practical much less successful in the marketplace. The extra weight of the platter meant using the AFO Control/Air/Condenser Box, Bearings, Calibration of the suspension……lots of expensive labor. Nishikawa-san says this will be the first and last of its kind.
If you also noticed, the things on the platter are the optional platter dustcover/ alignment template. They don't cost much and save a lot of wrestling with the huge acrylic dustcovers.
AF2 installed beside AFO
Now to decide which arms, Ennie, Minnie, Miney, Larry, Moe or Curly (Elite still in its box)
The keen eyed will notice that this AF2 has an AFO platter. It was an experiment to see if there could be a modular approach going upwards. As it turned out the final price ended up far too close to the AFO for the exercise to be practical much less successful in the marketplace. The extra weight of the platter meant using the AFO Control/Air/Condenser Box, Bearings, Calibration of the suspension……lots of expensive labor. Nishikawa-san says this will be the first and last of its kind.
If you also noticed, the things on the platter are the optional platter dustcover/ alignment template. They don't cost much and save a lot of wrestling with the huge acrylic dustcovers.
Hi Jack, thanks for posting - love it. Is that a pic at your brothers place or yours, just seeing the Durand's and thought your brother only had these installed. Nice collection of arms - decisions - decisions
I look forward to learning more about Nishikawa-san design.
Interesting idea but personally I would still prefer my cover when not in use and don't find it too cumbersome, what I like is it keeps the dust off everything.
I look forward to learning more about Nishikawa-san design.
Interesting idea but personally I would still prefer my cover when not in use and don't find it too cumbersome, what I like is it keeps the dust off everything.
garylkoh
WBF Technical Expert (Speakers & Audio Equipment)
Jack - make the dust cover locally because it would cost way too much to have one shipped. If you would like, I will do a design for you. This is the one I designed for myself for my Roksan turntable - the AF1 and AF2 will need larger, but the design should be essentially the same. Cut on a CNC machine, using the good stuff (HMWA), it ended up costing me nearly $800 for one. But making a run of them for all your customers wouldn't cost much more than for just the first one as most of the cost went to the CNC machine programming and set-up.
The open corners also means that it won't boom if you play with the cover on.
The open corners also means that it won't boom if you play with the cover on.
