Carl, very good review. Your description of what you are hearing with the H-3000 parallels the results I am getting with the H-1500 phonoamp. I was fortunate enough to have a friend loan me his H-1500 as he was moving up to the H-3000. I kept the phonostage as I could not go back to my solid state Jasmine phonoamp which I thought was very good. I also used a Manley Shrimp linestage which had been modified with upgraded parts and NOS tubes by Israel Blume. It outperformed the stock Shrimp in all sonic parameters. I still have not decided to part with it because I liked this piece so much.
I went further and purchased the L-1500 linestage & Verito cartridge. This is the best sound I have ever experienced in my home environment. The Allnic phonostage & linestage were revelatory in that they allowed me hear more fully the capabilites of my Frankenstein monoblock amps and Zu Druid speakers.
Up until the Allnic inclusion, my amps and speakers had not been as satisfying as I thought they were capable of and I was looking for alternative amps and speakers. Not any more! It is possible that some Druid owner's may give up prematurely on these speaker's as I almost did before feeding them with a potent & nutritious signal.
The Allnic pieces have yielded dynamic bass without overhang or bloat, which I did not think my 8 watt SET amps were capable of nor my Druids could deliver. What is most satisfying is the top end extension, especially on cymbals and triangles that are as clear as glacier water but without that glaring sizzle that hits you in the back of your neck and makes you grimace. Separation of instruments is exceptional.
There is a record by Chico Freeman on the India Navigation label entitled "Spirit Sensitive" it is free jazz but not too way out. There is one cut where Chico plays bass clarinet in unison with Cecil McBee playing upright string bass with a bow. Previously the two instruments seemed like they were pasted one on top of the other, like a giant bass clarinet. The Allnic's allowed each one to be distinguished, additionally you can hear when one instrument starts a micro moment before the other further distinguishing the two instruments. You hear the reediness of the clarinet in contrast to the resonance of the bow against string bass. This gives the performance a voluptousness and excitement not previously experienced.
I bought the record Jazz at the Pawnshop over 20 years ago. It has sat mostly unplayed. Understandable with all the exciting vinyl coming from Music Matter's and Classic records, etc. For kicks I put it on and again another revelation. Before this was just an audiophile record you put on for sonics. Now the club ambience is exceptionally palpable. I hear much more clearly than before the ice tinkling in glasses of the patrons and in one instance someone drops a glass and it shatters. The heightened sense of reality by revealing the clubs ambience more clearly gave me a different perspective on the performance. What is outstanding is the portrayal of drums & cymbals. They ring with a golden shimmer and clarity. The trailing aftertones are not lost but slowly fade away into silence. The stick against the drumhead or the rim is propulsive. These features makes these Danish Jazz musicians fun to listen to unlike previously. Why should hearing all of the micro details outlined really matter? It tells me that the equipment is not veiling, hindering or somehow obscuring the passing of the signal. This is what I have been missing for too long and have now obtained.
I did not intend this post to be so long. As I started to just give a brief comment my fingers took over. My apologies for the length of the post and diverting attention away from the H-3000 to H-1500.
Carl, I congratulate you on your ability to move up to the H-3000. But for me, I'm staying put. I hope more people get a chance to hear what the Allnic pieces are all about.
I went further and purchased the L-1500 linestage & Verito cartridge. This is the best sound I have ever experienced in my home environment. The Allnic phonostage & linestage were revelatory in that they allowed me hear more fully the capabilites of my Frankenstein monoblock amps and Zu Druid speakers.
Up until the Allnic inclusion, my amps and speakers had not been as satisfying as I thought they were capable of and I was looking for alternative amps and speakers. Not any more! It is possible that some Druid owner's may give up prematurely on these speaker's as I almost did before feeding them with a potent & nutritious signal.
The Allnic pieces have yielded dynamic bass without overhang or bloat, which I did not think my 8 watt SET amps were capable of nor my Druids could deliver. What is most satisfying is the top end extension, especially on cymbals and triangles that are as clear as glacier water but without that glaring sizzle that hits you in the back of your neck and makes you grimace. Separation of instruments is exceptional.
There is a record by Chico Freeman on the India Navigation label entitled "Spirit Sensitive" it is free jazz but not too way out. There is one cut where Chico plays bass clarinet in unison with Cecil McBee playing upright string bass with a bow. Previously the two instruments seemed like they were pasted one on top of the other, like a giant bass clarinet. The Allnic's allowed each one to be distinguished, additionally you can hear when one instrument starts a micro moment before the other further distinguishing the two instruments. You hear the reediness of the clarinet in contrast to the resonance of the bow against string bass. This gives the performance a voluptousness and excitement not previously experienced.
I bought the record Jazz at the Pawnshop over 20 years ago. It has sat mostly unplayed. Understandable with all the exciting vinyl coming from Music Matter's and Classic records, etc. For kicks I put it on and again another revelation. Before this was just an audiophile record you put on for sonics. Now the club ambience is exceptionally palpable. I hear much more clearly than before the ice tinkling in glasses of the patrons and in one instance someone drops a glass and it shatters. The heightened sense of reality by revealing the clubs ambience more clearly gave me a different perspective on the performance. What is outstanding is the portrayal of drums & cymbals. They ring with a golden shimmer and clarity. The trailing aftertones are not lost but slowly fade away into silence. The stick against the drumhead or the rim is propulsive. These features makes these Danish Jazz musicians fun to listen to unlike previously. Why should hearing all of the micro details outlined really matter? It tells me that the equipment is not veiling, hindering or somehow obscuring the passing of the signal. This is what I have been missing for too long and have now obtained.
I did not intend this post to be so long. As I started to just give a brief comment my fingers took over. My apologies for the length of the post and diverting attention away from the H-3000 to H-1500.
Carl, I congratulate you on your ability to move up to the H-3000. But for me, I'm staying put. I hope more people get a chance to hear what the Allnic pieces are all about.