Moving Magnet only!
The Funk Firm's revolutionary phonostage for Moving Magnet cartridges!
Having installed the Isolation Bubble, there is more work that needs to be done. Improve problems from the Cartridge.
Our ultimate goal is to reproduce all the sounds of the recording at the same level, no one being louder or softer than in the recording. A flat frequency response.
Well, Amplifiers, CDs & streamers, they all have a flat response. It’s the same goal with records. But, it has nothing to do with RIAA! In his review of Akutrak, Sircom states the many people will feel RIAA to be sacrosanct. He’s right. But, RIAA was designed merely to reduce noise and allow longer play time on a disc by reducing LF. Feed a flat signal with the correct upside down time constants and you get a flat response out. No big deal...
But the cartridges them selves… They aren’t perfect. Their responses aren’t flat and there’s nothing RIAA can do about that, leaving us to “live with them”.
Does spending ludicrous sums on “perfect”, flat response phono stages make sense?
Think about it: Input: a non-flat response cartridge, output the same non-flat response, only, louder! Just how dumb is that?
That defines what technology is about: A problem to be solved. With Akutrak, Funk has solved it. With Akutrak, you get the desired flat response, with any MM cartridge!
Akutrak is a state-of-the-art, moving magnet phono-stage. Its inherent sound is: Open, delicate, musically informative, so with Akutrak, cost-effective moving magnets compete head on with moving coils*
Then Akutrak gets into its stride. It actually “reads” the load from the cartridge, processes the signal and corrects the response.
- Green: This falling response is 10 dB down at 20kHz and is very dull. Incredibly it is from a very reputable turntable manufacturer. This makes it an ideal, and representative candidate with which to demonstrate Akutrak’s ability.
- Yellow: (middle) This is the corrected response via Akutrak.
- Red: (top) This shows the response can be further enhanced if so desired.
(Akutrak is not a filter or tone control. If it were, you’d have peaks / dips with different cartridges.)
To set Akutrak up?
Simply turn the Eros knob and listen until it sounds “right”. Your ears will tell you.
After all, that’s why you have a hifi system, isn’t it? To listen and enjoy?
(Eros: Equalising the response correctly back to how they were recorded, your records WILL sound just “Right”.)
Akutrak’s capability doesn’t end there. Eros helps to balance the system to your room.
What of the discs that don’t work in our system? We all have them, yet we enjoy the music.
Again, Akutrak. Eros moderates screeching highs or enhances unintelligible recordings.
HiFi Plus’ review concluded:
“This gives an exciting glimpse into what turntable replay can sound like and I think for many, there might be no turning back”