From excellence derives perfection
The star sisters of 2020, Amber and Rose, continue to sing with welcoming praise and interesting trades: Airtight Supreme, Lyra Titan, Dynavector XV1S, and Ikeda, to name a few. The price to greater than expected performance makes these twins a pleasant surprise. Simply stated, "the Amber just made everything better."
In a three-part video, Allnic's KS Park discussed different technologies with respect to vinyl music reproduction. The magnetic coil cartridge is basically a generator or a dynamo that converts the vibration from the groove to electric signals. The machine that cuts the grooves at the LP is the cutter head and is not a generator but a motor. The motor converts electrical energy into kinetic energy, which essentially is the opposite of a generator. The grooves are, in essence, stored potential energy. Cutter heads used in pressing vinyl are difficult to engineer, and few manufacturers do. Also, cutter heads have almost the same structures, regardless of manufacturer. This has to do with the complex nature of the vibration energy.
Like speakers, cutter heads are composed of magnets and voice coils. As the voice coils move left and right, the chisel cuts the groove accordingly. So the most ideal magnetic coil cartridge has the same structure as the cutter head, minimizing distortion.
So this style of cartridge design emulates the cutter head, and the left and right channel signals are reproduced by only vertical moments. Each channel is offset perpendicular to the other, whereby the left channel signals go into the left wall of the groove, and the right channel signals to its respective right wall of the groove. Essentially the cartridge tracks the groove as the cutter head did.
Kang Su’s MC Cartridge vs. Cutter Head video and Allnic Reviews
This culmination of insight dawns the Amber and Rose. Allnic's Kang Su Park has spent over half his career experimenting with, innovating, and introducing new moving coil cartridge designs, and the new Amber and Rose MC cartridges are the culmination of a final six-month, laboriously intensive, collaborative endeavor between Mr. Park and David Beetles of Hammertone Audio. As I followed their trials and tribulations - experiments with damper compounds, compliance, impedance, voltage output and resonance characteristics - my eager anticipation grew, knowing what passionate energy and extensive knowledge and expertise this project entailed. The outcome could only be fantastic, and the feedback about the Amber and Rose siblings from testers, and now purchasers, has exceeded my most optimistic expectations.
Where these two stand out from their predecessors is an increase in compliance allowing use with medium mass tonearms. This was achieved through a local Korean rubber supplier providing a unique compound not found from the usual world’s rubber suppliers, both supple enough to keep this blindingly fast cartridge in the groove and pliable enough to elevate the compliance. In addition, experiments with different materials treatments of the aluminum body have resulted in improved damping that enhances the relationships among all the elements of construction.
At the professional level of every sport, the peak performance capabilities of the star athletes are almost the same. This pair of siblings is no different. Each demonstrates its own strengths, but both exhibit a degree of unparalleled excellence in their respective playing fields. The dual magnet design common to both these cartridges emulates the LP cutting lathe’s cutter head providing outstanding signal separation, air, and delicate nuances. The sound of the Amber is deep, spacious, layered with organic weight, and life-size with great energy demonstrated through timing and rhythm. Dynamics and bass resolution are to envy for any manufacturer. The Fritz Gyger stylus and Boron cantilever combine to reduce record groove noise and provide excellent tracking.
The Rose has an Aluminum cantilever and a different cartridge body treatment, with similar sonic qualities as the Amber maintaining great pace and rhythm while providing slightly less upper-end energy, overall warmer presentation, and accelerated dynamics -- proving to be a favorite among those passionate about classical music.
The Rose offers lovely resolution, texture, and a correct sense of space. Very quiet in the groove. For systems on the slightly aggressive or thin side, this is the perfect source that possesses strengths the Amber does not have.
You will definitely want to hear the Olympic-level performances of these two new “track stars” from Allnic’s analog audio master, KS Park!
The Amber and Rose are $4900 and $2900 respectively and in stock. This value is further emphasized when paired with the new H-5500 phono-stage! Trades are always encouraged and inquire about our attractive package pricing. Please see our Demo and Trade page for special pricing. Email or call with questions or check availability. New reviews for 2021 are at their editors and the pieces are ready to be appreciated!
Allnic's AMBER and L-8000 DHT line stage preamplifier are Audiophilia Products of the Year!
Allnic remains family-owned and operated and demonstrated an ongoing evolution in recent years, with the ZL Cable product line, coupled output transformer circuit redesign of the 7000 and 8000 series, in-house vacuum tube manufacturing to support and improve performance of their expanding product line, the OTL/OCL preamplifier series and introduction of an industry first: The 61-Step Constant Impedance Attenuator. And most recently, silver wound nickel alloy cores for specific applications. KS Park’s first son TH, with a Master's degree from prestigious Yonsei University, heads Management, Marketing and Accessories division. Introducing TK Park, KS’s second son, studying Electronic Engineering at UC San Diego, will along with his father lead the R&D division. Allnic’s domestic retail sales are exclusive to Audio Mentors, owned and operated by KS Park’s extended family. Like the quality demonstrated in each Allnic component, the foresight of an evolving legacy and attention to detail almost guarantees establishing Allnic with the worldwide recognition it already deserves and what I believe will become a household brand name.
What I respect most about Allnic is the attention to detail and respect for quality. The 2021 introduction of their introductory preamplifier (L-6500), phono stage amplifier (H-5500) and integrated amplifier (T-2000 30th Anniversary!) all were a wide departure in performance from their predecessors because of the innovations mentioned above. Allnic truly is an investment to last generations!
In 1916 Western Electric engineer G.W. Elmen, seeking a material that could be magnetized more easily, developed alloys of iron and nickel that came to be called permalloy. Later, permalloy became important for music reproduction systems. The recently introduced and now famous 'amorphous cores' are also based on nickel. The name Allnic is derived from All Nickel core transformers, and all Allnic's signal transformers are made with nickel alloy cores such as PC or PB permalloy. Allnic believes that as a coupling device for amplifying stages, transformers are much better than capacitors. Permalloy transformers are well worth their high cost and challenges in manufacturing because they transfer over 90% of the signal while retaining dynamics and fidelity compared with capacitors and their less than 5% efficiency.
The new L-6500 Line Stage Preamplifier retains all these benefits without sacrificing quality. This achievement was both challenging and rewarding! Listeners all agree: The NOS tubes supplied present a warm sound and with GEC brand tubes are strikingly engaging emotionally with their inherent lush sound while retaining clarity and detail. This new sonic presentation is welcoming to Allnic’s linestage product line.
Allnic Audio manufactures its own transformers, hand-wound in-house, and uses what it views to be the best core material, permalloy. Allnic Audio’s unprecedented, wide (16Hz ~ 75kHz,-3db), low distortion, and ultra-flexible(up to 20kHz square wave response) output transformer helps Allnic Audio to realize the ideal transformer coupled amplifier. Of course, gain tubes are also carefully selected for three critical factors for function with the permalloy output transformers: high gm, low internal resistance and high mu.
Also, transformer output pre-amplifiers are much safer than capacitor output pre-amplifiers when coupled with solid-state amplifiers, even safer than direct coupled solid state pre-amplifiers because transformers block any surging voltages to the next stage, surges that can severely damage amplifiers and speakers.
The L-6500 features pure class A operation, an ultra-high speed automatic voltage regulation circuit utilizing vacuum tubes, and individual current meters for each channel. In addition, Allnic Audio uses its own, in-house designed, precision oil-clutched motorized attenuator, not a digital IC volume control or low-cost carbon film volume control with a motor; the L‐6500 has no (± 0db) channel imbalance at any volume level. Finally, with five (5) pairs of inputs (three balanced XLR and two unbalanced RCA) and three (3) pairs of outputs (one balanced XLR and two unbalanced RCA), the L-6500 provides great flexibility for multiple connections.
For a limited time only, David Beetles of Hammertone Audio. Don Corby of Corby's Audio and John Ketcham of Kevalin Audio are supplying this unit at the fantastic price of $6900 including delivery to anywhere in North America. Considering the L-6500’s feature set and pedigree, if you’re in the market for an absolutely outstanding preamp around this price, and even well above, you may want to act soon.
Items stocked for the holiday season are selling fast. New orders on non-stocked items are 3-5 week delivery time. Please look at our Demo/Trade-in/Closeout times for some fantastic deals.
Closeout dealer pricing for the 25th Anniversary series at $6900 for the integrated, $5900 for the amplifier. $9800 for a set of M-2500 PX25 Monoblocks! Call 503 292 5592 for details.
See our 2021 blog page for new products and the latest innovations from Allnic.
For a complete list of review publications for current production Allnic cables and electronics.
