Dgob, I think at this point you would be better of contacting Acoustic Signature directly (http://www.acoustic-signature.com/). They have an email listed in their website. When I was looking into what tonearms would be a great match for the Mambo, I sent my question to that email address and I got a response from Gunther himself! I've never had any problems with it, but if I do I feel confident that either my dealer in the US or AS in Germany should be able to take care of it. |
Dgob, Sorry to hear all the hassle you went through. Here in the U.S., Larry Diaz from High-End Palace has been great. I've never had a problem with mine, but he's always very attentive with any issues. I totally agree with you in regards to this table's setup. If set up properly on a great platform + record mat + clamp, the sound is very, very realistic. I have the Mambo on an HRS M3 platform, with the Boston Audio Mat 1 and Basis Audio Reflex clamp. This combo gives me a very quiet, fast, articulate, taut and solid sound. One of the main reasons I went for the Acoustic Signature turntable is that it is based on proven technology. I did some research, and experimented myself with another table, on oil viscosity and its effect on the sound. I've found that the oil used need to be specially formulated for the oil-well and bearing tolerance in order to suppress the resonance generated by the bearing itself. So each turntable/bearing design must have its own oil formulation. The only company that explicitly stresses this fact is Basis Audio. I have not heard any other companies stressing this enough. The AS bearings are self-lubricating, so maintenance is zero. And from what I saw when unpacking mine, it seems that the bearing structure is user replaceable. The motor is just dead quiet. I cannot tell whether it is on or off buy touching it. I put my ear as close to it as I can and I hear nothing. I'll get a stethoscope when I get a chance to see if anything reaches the outer surface of the motor case. I've listened to a few very high-end turntables, from Brinkmann Balance to Continuum Criterion. I find the sound of the AS Mambo to be more articulate, with more space between the instruments and better dynamic contrast, while at the same time being as quiet as those turntables. Those systems were much more expensive than mine, so I don't think there was any issue with the rest of their audio equipment. I'm also confident that all the parameters were set up properly. It might be that the Coperhead tonearm was one of early units, which had some issues, but I don't know either. I like to read turntable reviews and tend to get excited from what they describe. But I always get much more excited by the sound I get right here at home. So I haven't even contemplated changing the AS Mambo. Judging from its sound performance, and assuming that it sits on a top notch platform or shelf, and with the right mat and clamp, the sound is simply magical. Best, iSanchez |
Dgob, Thanks for sharing your findings with mats, clamps and stabilizers. I also experimented as much as I could for some time. I tried these mats on the Mambo: - Ringmat XLR - Ringmat Anniversary - Funk Firm Achromat Universal Record Mat 3mm & 5mm - Rega Colored Turntable Mat - Rega Turntable Felt Mat - Herbie's Audio Lab Way Excellent II Turntable Mat - Speed Carbon Graphite Turntable Mat - Extreme Phono Donut None Felt Mat - Boston Audio Mat 1 - Micro Seiki CU-180 Copper Turntable Mat - SAEC SS-300 Solid Turntable Mat - Audio-Technica AT600 Ceramic Mat And the following clamps: - Thorens Stabilizer - Clearaudio Twister - JA Michell Record Clamp - ClearAudio Clever Record Clamp - Acoustic Signature Record Clamp - Micro Seiki ST-10 Gun Metal Disc Stabilizer - Basis Audio Reflex Clamp - Brass Stabilizer (don't remember the brand) I ultimately settled on the Mat1+Basis clamp. I had to add a little tweak though. The O-ring that the Basis clamp comes with is 1.98mm in width, which is not enough to flatten some records. I use a Viton O-ring, 3 MM width, 6 MM inner diam. This O-ring flattens all the very dished records I have. The use of the Basis clamp also means that I have to turn off the turntable to flip the records, which doesn't bother me. I thought that this routine would put too much stress on the motor or Alpha power supply, but so far no problems. In my setup, the Micro Seiki ST-10 Gun Metal Disc Stabilizer (1kg) comes close to the Basis clamp, but the Basis has an edge IMO. My guess is the the O-ring at the under edge of the clamp really helps to absorb the energy generated by the stylus. I contemplated a wall shelf as well. The issued is that all the walls where I live are constructed with studs and thin sheet-rock. I've seen the internals of these walls, and they are not built very sturdy. I would have to reinforce the wall in order to have a wall shelf. I then discovered that my wood floors have a cork layer between the wood slats and the concrete slab, which dampen vibrations pretty well. This is not uncommon for new buildings nowadays. I can jump on this floor and nothing shakes. The floor still resonates when I played loud music. The HRS platform takes care of it in my setup. The sound overall is very taut and clean. Other items I use to set up and tune-up the Mambo: - Pro 3600 Digital Protractor: this is a calibrated digital protractor to measure all angled surfaces with accuracy of 1/100th of a degree. I tried the Cartridge Man Digital Level Gauge, but that device didn't work. Once the turntable had been zeroed for both perpendicular axes, rotating the gauge around it own center, still on the table, would display a non-leveled reading. This was confirmed by the retailer I bought it from, so I returned it. Recently, a mechanical engineer colleague of mine recommended the Pro 3600 to me. I find this tool indispensable now. - Mint Tractor: It takes a good hour or two to set up the cartridge, but it is definitely worthwhile. I've tried other protractors, but this one by far allows for the most accurate cartridge set up. -K.A.B. Speed Strobe: genius. - Cartridge Man Digital Stylus Force Gauge: the only one I've found where the stylus is placed a the same level as the record. Best, iSanchez |
Dgob, Fantastic. The testing of mats is a rewarding pastime when you notice the differences they offer. I remember my time with several of those illustriate mats. I do wonder though (technically naively) if the aluminium stabilizer (as opposed to gunmetal, cork/natural fabrics, alloys or steel)has that something extra due to its and the Mambo's material and sound propogation obviously being matched in speed and density. At least that seems to partially explain what I get when it comes to producing a vivid and vital performance with the Mat1/AS Grip - and hopefully more so with the Mat1/Bren1 (just sounds right!:~). Fingers crossed! IMO, the Mambo material has something to do with it. I know that the aluminum used for the platter is different than the aluminum used for the plinth. My understanding is that the aluminum at the base is "softer" than the one on the platter, so it can handle better vibrations coming from the shelf where it sits on. Also, the use of the brass inserts (silencers) in the platter may be affecting its resonance frequency for the better. This may explain why the difference between different clamps/stabilizers is not as pronounced as the differences between mats. The mat material, in the case of the Mambo design, should mostly interface with the record/stylus relation. I haven't been able to acquire the Audio Technica AT-666, nor the Jeweltone Crystal stabilizer. I actively tried to find the AT-666 about a year ago without success. I also use concert halls and live music (mostly classical) as a reference, and not other audio systems so much. Over the years, I've been lucky enough to listened to many cost-no-object systems. Some of them were close to real music in a good acoustic space, but most miss to render the pitch and texture that real performances provide. I also have the Dr. Feickert's protractor, Geodisc and Turntable Basics alignment tool. With the Dr. Feickert's protractor, the metal piece fits loosely on the spindle of the Mambo, but some electrical tape folded on four points in the hole solved this issue. The Mint Tractor is much more accurate since it is built for each turntable/tonearm combination and it takes the diameter of the spindle into account. The only drawback is that it probably cannot be used on a different turntable/tonearm combination. One will need a 10x loupe for the set up since the arc line is very thin and it's practically impossible to get the tip of the stylus on the line with just normal vision. I find that a 25lb platter produces a more stable speed and sound when it's completely leveled. One has to imagine how stable of a speed a 25lb rotating mass can produce if it is leaning just a bit in one direction. The Pro 3600 Digital Protractor is really great at leveling anything. I use the 45 RPM adapter that came with the Avid bubble level on the spindle and then the Pro 3600 on top of it. According to the Pro 3600 documentation, it uses a liquid-filled angle sensor. As the liquid moves, a microprocessor then analyzes the changes and calculates the angle. The speed of the Mambo is spot on when it is leveled with this tool. The sound is then very articulate, taut and clean. Timing and pitch of the musical notes sound spot on, at least to my ears. I have about 7 or 8 different bubble levels. When I set them up on the same surface, and in close proximity to one another, each one has a different reading of the angle of the surface. This puzzled me for a while until I asked a colleague of mine about it. He then suggested the Pro 3600, or one with the same precision, if I wanted to level any precision instrument that needs to be absolutely flat in order to perform at its best. Since I consider a turntable like the AS Mambo a precision instrument, it was very easy to make the decision to get one. Best, iSanchez |
Dgob, I tend to get a gap sometimes at the edge between the platter and the Mat1. I correct this by applying the appropriate pressure to the Basis clamp so that when it is locked in place it doesn't dish up the record and the Mat1 with it. I've also tried with good success placing a 1.9mm O-ring in between the platter and the Mat1. When the clamp is off the record, the Mat1 will float a bit. But when you apply force with the clamp, the Mat1 makes an even contact with the platter, while at the same time having a uniform contact between the Mat1 and the record. Best, iSanchez |
Hi dgob, The Mat2 replacement should be arriving soon. In the meantime, I decided to give the Silencer platter another try. To my surprise, it is remarkably great. For some reason, the sound is quieter with more detail and more definition and extension a both ends of the audio band. I understand now your pitch difference perception. The naked Silencer platter on the Mambo is spot on when it comes to pitch definition. I achieved this by using the Grip MKII clamp. I found this clamp to be the best match for the platter without a mat. I have to yet do the A/B comparison between the naked Silencer platter and the Mat2. I shall find out when I get the Mat2 back. Best, iSanchez |
Hello Dgob, For me, this is the mat the rules them all. In my system, the Mat2 works way better than the Mat1. The lower treble was an area that the Mat1, in my opinion, was a bit fuzzy. the Mat2 renders the lower treble with increased clarity and focus. The biggest improvement is in bass slam, texture and definition. For some reason, the Mat2 manages to go lower in the bass, while at the same time tightening the bass. I went back and forth several times between the Mat1, SAEC SS-300 and the Mat2. The marked increase in bass depth and definition was a constant that the Mat2 was able to accomplish everytime I put it back on the Mambo. I'm very impressed about the Mat2 being able to offer a very dramatic improvement over the Mat1. It has much better sound definition than the Mat1. All this came as a surprise to me since I was just expecting a minor improvement overall. The Mat2 is in a much higher league than the Mat1. Boston Audio should have called it the Mat5, since it sounds about 5 times better than the Mat1, at least to my ears. A few more notes: - The Mat2 is as quiet as the Mat1. - The Mat2 offers better balance and definition from top to bottom. - The Mat2 is very rigid. It won't bow when using a thick O-ring with a reflex clamp, which was always a problem with the Mat1. - The Mat2 is 5.11mm, measured with a calibrated Mitutoyo coolant-proof caliper. The Boston Audio website states that it is 5mm thick. The original Mat1 is 3mm thick. - The weight is 564 grams (this is not dead accurate since I don't have a calibrated scale). The Boston Audio website says it weights 540 grams. The original Mat1 weights 360 grams. Best, iSanchez |
Hi Dgob, It seems that there is a frequency shift with the Mat1, but at least in my system, it was not toward a higher pitch. So a contralto sounded like a contralto in my particular case. There was though some sort of compression in the lower treble and the bass was not as deep, fast, and tight as it is with the Mat2. The Mat2 is closer to using no mat at all with the Mambo, while being more quiet than the Mambo platter with the Silencer inserts. I don't notice a frequency shift with the Mat2, but I still need to listen more to be 100% sure about this. I haven't had the Mat2 for much time since there was a bit of a delay with the shipment due to the relocation of the Boston Audio factory. Best, iSanchez |
Hi Dgob, I'm sending my Mat2 back to the factory for an exchange because mine had a little dent that looks like a gap in the graphite. It'll probably take about 10 days for the exchange process. At the moment, I have the Audio Technica AT-600 Ceramic TT Mat on the Mambo. This is a mat that I haven't spend much time with. I haven't done A/B comparisons with the Mat2, but at least in my system, it compares vavorably to the SAEC SS-300 mat. I listened to Diana Krall today and there is no shift in her voice that I could detect. I've been to one of her concerts and her voice via the Mat2 seems to have the same pitch as with her voice in the live concert I went to few years ago. The same I could say about the Mat1, as far as I can remember. There seems to be an emphasis on the mid-range with either the Mat1 or the Mat2, when compared to the SAEC and the Audio Technica mats. Best, iSanchez |
Hi Dgob, The new replacement Boston Audio Mat2 came in a few days ago. After testing the Mat1, SAEC SS-300 mat, Audio Technica AT-600 Ceramic TT Mat and the Mat2, I still hold to my impressions posted earlier. The Mat2 manages to accomplish a more balanced sound, which means that the lower frequencies are in proportion to the mid-range and the higher frequencies. The Audio Technica mat comes in close, but it sounds a bit thin by comparison. Now, between the Mat2 and the Silencer platter. In each case, the Acoustic Signature Grip MKII was used with a 2mm thick O-ring. The AS Silcencer platter has much more extension at both ends of the audio frequency. The bass is deeper with more definition and power with the Silencer platter. The highs tend to be a tad cleaner with the Mat2. I paid very close attention to the mid-range. I used Diana Krall records since I've been to one of her concerts. Singing live, she has a more powerful and effortless voice than what her records portray. Her voice pitch definition with the Silencer mat was spot on. Her voice has more presence as well with the Silencer platter. I woudln't say more forward, but just more air and definition. With the Mat2 her voice has a bit less dimensionality. I still say that the Mat2 is the best mat out of all the mats I own. The fact that with the Silencer platter there is more power, detail and presence is quite a pleasant surprise. If you'll be using a mat, then I highly recommend the Mat2. I first decided to try out as many mats as I could for my own personal education. I wanted to know how important the record/platter/mat interface was in analogue playback. During 3+ years trying quite a few, I had no idea that the best record interface is the Silencer platter/Grip MKII clamp combo. Thanks a lot for the suggestion. I tried the Silencer platter with no mat in the early days after I got the Mambo, but I did not use a reflex clamp with it. I also tried the Silencer platter with the Basis Audio reflex clamp and the Michell reflex clamp. The Silencer platter/Grip MKII clamp pair is what really brings the power, speed, definition and solidity of the bass and the rest of the goodies I mentioned above. Cheers, iSanchez |
Acoustic Signature is really back in business! I contacted Acoustic Signature asking them where I can get replacement belts for my Mambo. After two years, the belt seemed still fine, but I thought it was time to replace it. I got a response the same day. During this process, I had emails contact with both Gunther and Otto. Even thought this was just a simple belt inquiry, I got as much attention as if I was asking to buy a turntable! Overall, I'm very glad that they are offering top-notch customer service to match their top-notch turntables. Best, iSanchez |
