News & Announcements

June 20th 2013

Busy spring with KS Park’s recent offering of the hand built mighty H5000 DHT phono stage. Has taken months to receive my unit as every one built for us was redirected to a retail customer. Now that it’s here, it ain’t going anywhere! Out of the box, music poured out effortlessly. Why the Cuda Hemi convertible picture? Because it may be the only sensible comparison of the H5000 DHT with it’s nimbleness, balanced power to weight ratio and an accomplished sense of a great investment. We are carefully seeking a fair and revealing reviewer to describe the sonic territories of this radically reinvented design. More to come.

In recent months Kang Su has been putting finishing touches on the 12’ rear loaded horn speakers designed utilizing Supravox full range drivers and Fostex supertweeters. Our Singapore dealer Yan Kassim recently made the trek to Korea to hear both the S7000 and S9000 series speaker systems. He was impressed! The S7000’s are 93dB with the S9000 (9” full range driver) is easy to drive with 97dB efficiency. All of the Allnic amplifiers are naturally a good match. One combination of the ALLNIC T1500 (12.5 WPC) Integrated sounds marvellous with the ALLNIC 7” S7000’s shown in the pictures. The S7000’s are on route to western Canada, will report findings soonest.

Under construction is the Allnic Audio website. Web designer Gehres Weed and content contributor Gerry Simon says we should be live with the new, cleaner, fresher and up to date Allnic website by summer’s end. Speaking of websites, our new dealers in UK (Lotus Hi-Fi) Australia (Audio Heaven) and Canada (Alternative Audio) are up and running! As always, may the music be with you.

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FEBRUARY 12, 2013

Happy New Year and best health and prosperity to all!

Much happening in recent months. The H5000 DHT is near ready for customer ordering, the long awaited custom KR242 tubes used are shipped from Kron Audio in Czechoslovakia. The 4 custom made gain tubes in each circuit will replace the rare Telefunken RS242s initially used in first 20 ALLNIC DHT phono stages. More gain, less microphony and slightly smaller bottle size of the KR242 will enable lifetime supply of replacement tubes for H5000 and to elevate performance levels. Kron Audio is an established and well respected Audio Tube and electronics manufacture for many years. We look forward to a long and positive association with Dr Eunice Kron, they can be reached at www.kraudio.com My dear friend John DeLisle and mentor extraordinaire is the first hobbyist outside of Korea to hear and work with KS PARK’s legacy H5000 DHT LCR Transformer coupled phono stage, a world first. This, with permission, John’s thoughts early January 2013:

Dear snow shoveler.

This is what I sent to KS about the H5000 upgrade.

“Dear KS,

Well …….. you did it again! I have waited a few days to experience and consolidate my impression of the changes to the H5000. I noticed an enormous increase of bass control and dynamics, immediately. After a a while I felt the need to adjust the arm. I was hearing past anything that I was able to perceive before. Perceive before…… that is the key. The new transformers have taken the resolution to a new place. The H500 has lost all of it’s politeness and simply slaps you in the face! So ….get the setup right. I am able to hear things in the arm / cartridge adjustment that were not there before. I have no idea if things still will change but will keep you posted if that happens. One again…congratulation KS.”

Warmly
John

And then John’s comments of February 8th, 2013: Just arrived back from a serious listening session Oh Generous One! The H 5000 is such a kick ass thing…man! Slam bang bong with the most ridiculous transparency you ever heard. On top of that I have finally got the Head amp giving me the resolution that I want … so with its extra power, bass and slam you don’t want be here. I will be happy to talk to Pedro if he want’s to even though I might sound like an over enthusiastic drug dealer in relation to the H 5000 DHT. Be good

During recent months we have discovered a super tonearm to harness PURITAS’s energy. The KUZMA 4 Point tonearm exhibits Puritas’s power, delicacy, texture and incredible dynamic shadings. Truly a marriage worth noting. This man is ordering another KUZMA to set up a show down with revered Lyra Atlas, a cartridge twice the price of Puritas. More to come.

A busy winter for ALLNIC REVIEWS. Under review is the ALLNIC H3000V with Harry Paearson. His new site since separating from The Absolute Sound is www.hpsoundings.com . Dagogo’s Jack Roberts wrote kind words of Puritas www.dagogo.com Marshall Nack of The Positive Feedback crafted excellent feedback of ALLNIC H3000V and HA3000 http://www.positive-feedback.com/ and our good friend in Italy, Stefano Bertencello jumped in with his comments of his recently acquired Puritas. http://twogoodears.blogspot.ca/

What we have here is a sneak preview of designer, engineer and music lover KS Park’s latest venture. For the past 6 years MR PARK has sampled drivers world wide to design and develop an efficient design capable of refined resolution and tremendous boogie factor. This my friends is the 97dB effecient 11” Supravox Full Range Alnico Driver with Fostex Compression Supertweeter with his minimalistic crossover. If you GET what Allnic is about, you’ll love this new line of speakers. ordering in mid March with Production May delivery 2013.

For Canadian Vinyl Junkies, as of October 2012 London Drugs now carries Speaker’s Corner and Mobile Fidelity LP’s with a 30 DAY EXCHANGE GUARANTEE!

ALLNIC H1200 owners, free replacement tube offer in effect whether bought new or on preowned market. Simply forward picture of your H1200 to your local dealer or to me. FREE!

As always, thanks for being with us. ALLNIC AUDIO, what you hear is true!

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November 20th, 2012

RMAF was successful. Steve Dobbins hosted Xact Audio’s room exhibiting his Beat turntable, Frank Shroeder’s arm and Zu’s newly designed Defintion 4’s.

ALLNIC L5000 DHT (Direct Heated Triode) line stage and ALLNIC H3000V phono stage controlled the front end. Tremendous complimentary feedback evolved from the fine sound In Xact’s room. Good work Steve!

Currently under sound trials in Belgium, Korea and soon Canada, the new 2 piece ALLNIC H5000 DHT phono stage boasts rarely heard purely Direct Heated Triode technology. The difficulty of building such a circuit is microphony, resulting in an elevated noise floor. With Allnic’s patented tube socket technology, the H5000 DHT phono stage proves it can be built with a normal noise floor and microphony. The recent biggest drawback of this circuit is acquiring the rare 70+ year old Telefunken RS242 gain tubes used in each preamp. Exorbitant pricing is $500 per Telefunken, 4 required for each preamp. We are working with a famous tube manufacturer for a custom tube of Mr KS Park’s specifications to replace the German built RS242 and we anxiously await samples! Current listening tests and sales indicate unparalleled performance levels, even against world class ALLNIC H3000V. Owing to the unique nature and limited production of this legacy product, contact HAMMERTONE AUDIO for availability and feedback.

The ALLNIC PURITAS moving coil cartridge is a source of pride and frustrations. The cartridge with it’s industry leading energy and soulful resolution, marvels when coupled with a HEAVY MASS TONE ARM. Recent panel listening tests concluded the very heaviest arms with PURITAS sound best. Think of truck shocks on a Honda Civic. The car would bounce out of every pot hole rather than glide through the unevenness. Similar technology here using heavy mass tonearms to control the extreme low compliance of PURITAS. Attempting use of Medium to Light mass arms with this cartridge will bounce from the groove causing the illusion of mistracking or sibilance. This is reminiscent of the Ikeda and Decca cantileverless cartridges and the challenge to operate them successfully. Fine performance results are achieved with Fuch, Origami (custom mass) Fidelity Research S, Audiocraft, Ikeda, Durand, Dynavector and the Ebony, Cocobolo Reed arms. KS Park promises in the near future to design and build a comparable high performance cartridge with a medium compliant suspension suited for a range of medium mass arms like SME, REGA, and other fine offerings.

We retired the entry level ALLNIC H1200 Phono Stage this past spring. We sold over 600 of these excellent valued ALLNIC phono stages. The 2 pairs of 6201 and 6112 tubes used in the H1200 do not possess a comparative life span of our more advanced models. If you feel your Allnic H1200 is need of new tubes, send a photo of it in your system. HAMMERTONE AUDIO will send you a FREE replacement set of tubes regardless of age, purchase point or location!

HAMMERTONE AUDIO wishes all our customers warm thanks for the continued support as we enter our 5th year of partnership with KS PARK and ALLNIC AUDIO.

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July 23rd 2012

It is mid summer with heat, heat and more heat. Most of North America is gripped in continuous record breaking temperatures with fires, flash flooding and all manners of weather conditions. It has been so hot, my big rig has not been turned on for almost 3 weeks opting to watch movies in the relative cool of the basement. If there is drawback to owning tube equipment, it’s the added heat that big mono blocks will instill! Speaking of tubes, Jack Roberts of www.dagogo.com had a very nice post of the previously reviewed ALLNIC L3000 and H3000’s. Mr Roberts is currently is listening to our ALLNIC MONOLITH on the very good AMG Viella 12” arm and reports the combo is staggering good. A decision was made to send our Puritas for an audition while the VIELLA remains in his possession along with the new ALLNIC H1201 phono stage and the AUT2000 step up transformer system..

Here are a few words of Jack’s blog. “Still, if you are someone who values the very best of tubes combined with the very best of solid-state, it will surely be worth the effort. I promise you that you will be rewarded with a truly realistic and emotionally involving musical experience. The second preamp I want to remember is the combination of Kang Su Park’s Allnic Audio L-3000 line stage and H-3000 LCR Reference phono stage. Kang Su Park of South Korea has been a devout lover of valve electronics for a few decades. First he was with Silvaweld, then he started Allnic Audio. Allnic was the company that would give him the opportunity to build equipment that would compete or exceed products from established companies like Audio Note UK, Kondo, Shindo, Wavac, and the like. I promise you, he has not fallen short in these lofty goals. Starting with the build quality of his duo on through the sonics, this combo is simply one of the best in the world regardless of price.

The first couple of things I noticed about this Allnic combo was how incredibly quiet they were and the sense of solidity they add to the music. They have the best way of handling space that I have ever heard. They also breathe incredible air into your room while giving an incredible clarity to voices.

Two words jumped out at me from the very start with the L-3000 preamp: space and transparency. They portray spatial information in a way I have never heard before and it is transparent beyond anything I have ever heard. Having said, that I should also mention it’s very dynamic, reveals the nuances of music beautifully, has great scale, and has this incredible sound stage. Images are very precisely placed, tonal color is very good, and it has a wonderful way with the flow of music. There is no doubt this is a very, very special preamp. This is simply a preamp I will never forget”

Reviews and feedback of our new H1201 phono stage are excellent as well as the new Monolith, a moving coil design mono cartridge. H1201 comments will be posted soon by Chris Chamberlin and David McCallum of Ernie Fisher’s excellent innerearmag.com

Thanks for visiting us at the Hammertone Audio website and hope you will visit us on Facebook. Your patronage is deeply appreciated!

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MAY 10TH 2012

MAY 10TH 2012

May 4th through May 7th, Kang Su Park of Allnic Audio flew in from Korea to visit Hammertone Audio’s David Beetles in Kelowna, BC. As well, from Calgary, Allnic product owner, friend and Allnic Audio’s manual writer, Gerry Simon.

Coincidental with their visit was the arrival of the new “Allnic H1201” phono stage. This tubed unit, with resistor/capacitor-based RIAA circuits, sounded refined immediately out of the box. The Allnic H1201 employs four Mullard E180CC tubes and shares the same four gain level step up transformers with Allnic H1500 and H3000 phono stages. The initial listening session, with only an hour of break-in and warm-up, had the soundstage and dynamics offered very splendid resolution and palpable ease of delivery. The next evenings session proved to be better again with highs extending and mid-bass gaining definition, power and weight. Our perception is that with around 100+ hours, the H1201 phono stage will offer levels of excellence on a level of units twice and thrice her $2950 price. BRAVO, Mr. Park, BRAVO!!!

Kang Su’s Saturday was spent at work bench actively instructing upgrades, tweaks and minor repairs with our new Canadian Affiliate, Ron Heinze of Tru-Tech Electronics (Kelowna, BC). Kang Su and Ron spent a shoulder-to-shoulder, head-to-head, full eight hour work session sharing Allnic service and warranty methodology. They were able to upgrade, service and train on the Allnic H3000, L5000, H1500, L1500, H1200 and inspect recent trades to be ready for resale. (For excellent service and upgrades of your favourite audio components, please contact Ron at 250.764.1234.)

Kang Su had also shipped the new aluminum cantilevered versions of the Puritas cartridge which - we were hoping to sample while he was here. Unfortunately, these did not arrive prior to his departure. He states the Puritas Aluminum version cartridge will offer 85 percent of the performance levels of the prized Puritas Boron cartridge. This done at a more manageable price point. The cartridge’s compliance is elevated - meaning easier arm mass matching. More to report on this later this week once we have this girl mounted to test compliance matching of various tone arms.

Sunday was a splendid Okanagan Valley day, lots of sunshine and 20C degree temperatures. We had opportunity to goof off, enjoy the beautiful sights of Kelowna and do a round of mini-golf on a monster putting course. KS putted well - but at times we thought he was at the driving range…

Kang Su and Gerry departed this Monday morning. Kang Su announced he will be back in the autumn, with his lovely wife and son, for a much deserved holiday. Thanks to all those that contacted Mr. Park over the week-end - he appreciated every visit and call.

And many, many thanks to Mr. Park. Kang Su is a brilliant audio designer. It makes me proud to be his friend. It simply amazes me at how much he knows and how willing he is to share all that expertise and knowledge.

That’s all for now - but remember - our best deals get done on the phone. David @ 1-250-862-9037

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May 2, 2012

Three more days until Mr KS Park arrives in our home Friday. We look forward to this week-end, he brings with him the long anticipated H1201, Allnic’s new entry level phono stage designed like a younger brother H3000. This CR RIAA circuit sharing the multi gain step up transformers has been under tests for past 3 months.Kang Su the sound is wonderful, projected retail will be under $3000. This week-end KS Park shall be sharing knowledge with Ron Heinze of Tru-Tech, Kelowna, for Allnic updates and warranty concerns. Ron may be reached at 250.764.1234.



Some great trades on route. We have an ARC CD7.5 CD Player, Ayre V1XE Power Amplifier, Roy Clark Grease bearing 301 with a beautiful Woodsong plinth, an EMT 997 12” tone arm, an Allnic L3000 with output transformer upgrades and a mint Allnic T1500. Other recent trades include a Porter Plinthed SP10Mk2, Linn Sondek, Please call for delivered price. Calling 250.862.9037 gets preference and we guarantee rapid decisive deals and yes, Hammertone Audio will accommodate your excellent trade.



Next post we shall report first hand listening experiences with the new Allnic H1201 phono stage. Until then, enjoy life!

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April 12 2012

Much has been happening in recent weeks. About 9 months ago I received some very interesting interconnect cables from a fellow Canadian and wire manufacturer of note, Rick Schultz (formerly Virtual Dynamics) Rick sent some magnetic drive prototype cables of what he claimed would reduce noise floor by 14 percent and offer a resolving glimpse into the Allnic electronics true abilities. Rick owns and uses Allnic products. They include H3000 phono stage, Puritas (3) L5000 DHT, and the A6000 50 WPC 300B mono blocks. Having the identical system in my home made perfect sense to give these a try. Rick graciously sent me what I needed to connect my system. To summarize, I bought the cables and tested and compared with other flavors until quite recently.

Last July, Rick moved family and business to Plano, Texas. After months of orientation, he set up shop to produce these fine cables as a new company http://www.highfidelitycables.com . 2 weeks ago, Rick sent me the new production commercial version of his cables. The sonic capabilities of the prototypes was exceptional but with the arrival of the finished product, my system just took on a whole new level of performance. The usual complimentary buzz words apply but the new cables matched and pushed Allnic L5000 DHT’s ability to resolve the space, timing and reverb venue of the source recordings was nothing less than spectacular. I lived with one pair of the HFC’s between preamp and amplifiers for a week before inserting a secondary pair between phono stage and preamp. Pretty amazing that each pair could cascade the continued impact.

Just in and installed from Scotland is a custom Audio Origami PU7 with increased mass by special request to marry with our low compliance Puritas cartridge. Audio Origami’s Johnnie Nilsen added a bronze insert into the aluminum wand to increase rigidity and supply the needed mass. After 2 nights of listening, I have to give 2 thumbs up for a beautiful result. The Puritas now possesses greater resolution, bass control and some of the best bass I have heard from this cart /arm combination. In very near future, this arm will be under review. Projected retail of this over achieving bad boy will be reasonably priced starting at about $3900 for the Natural Aluminum finish. The North American versions of the PU7 come with the lock down below arm board nut system. For those wishing the traditional Rega mounting system, it’s available. Options include silver wiring and anodized colors to suit wife, life or surroundings.

About 4 years ago before our move back to British Columbia, I had invested in a pair of 15” LSU?HF/15/8 Tannoy Gold Monitors. I received them and never opened the boxes. Last night we did and WOW, these are near perfect! They were housed in cabinets during their entire life, show beautifully and appear to be in perfect shape. Yes, available and more pics can be supplied.

The chassis’s for the new H1201 phono stage arrive at factory next week. KS Park has been testing the new RIAA circuit, claims it to be near perfect. Expect the first units to be available May 22nd. KS PARK will be visiting Canada May 4th-7th, please call if you wish to speak with him personally at 250.862.9037. The awesome Allnic A5000 DHT 300B amplifiers were recently reviewed and going to print in June’s issue of Stereophile. Audiobeat’s Roy Gregory’s recent H3000V comprehensive review is a must read. http://www.theaudiobeat.com/blog/allnic_h3000v.htm. Ernie Fisher’s recent thoughts and like’s of the Allnic T2000 and L3000 can be enjoyed at Ernie’s Inner Ear Magazine. http://www.innerearmag.com/reviews/amplifiers/Allnic_T-2000.shtml

An LP record of interest. James Blake self titled. During setup at RMAF last October, Wilson’s Peter McGrath brought in the CD of James Blake to help set up the Wilson Sasha’s we demonstrated Allnic with. Friend Gerry Simon visited me in Kelowna recently with the album after his assistance in RMAF room setup. In minutes with his help and RMAF experience, the James Blake album was instrumental in gauging Wilson Sasha speaker placement in regards to room pressurization. A cool tool.

We deeply appreciate your patronage, please follow us on Facebook. As always, thanks for your trust.

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