The "Allnic train." I like the analogy because I'm quite happily on the ride right now.

Cjfrbw - The L 3000 and L 4000 are a good listen by ant standard. With the gear you've got already, I'm not so sure I would change. My situation mat be different. Apparently this April/May 2009, Allnic is introducing a tube based speed controller that regenerates 60W of useable power at 240 volts a/c.This is good news for my Garrards - and it won't break the bank to move up in the chain. My VPI SDS will be gone.

Gersimon the "dilettante." - VERY funny indeed. For those of us on this thread who would tire of the "higher" high end - don't fret - because if you're at Gerry's house you can always choose between one of several tube based systems he has in his home. I have heard a better sounding system in Edmonton - but fell short on the $300,000 CDN price.

Cjfrbw - I will quote Gerry (very respectfully - but without his permission.) "I own two Allnic Verito cartridges because they are better than anything else I own." Gerry went on to rant and rave about the new Allnic "Z" - and I do trust in Gerry's opinion. The proof is in the pudding as they say.

I compared the "old" Allnic to the London Decca Reference and a couple of Ikedas - but now David Beetles of Hammertone Audio is absolutely ecstatic - and he compares the new Allnic "Z" to the Lyras and Airtight carts in the $10,000 range. This new cart sells for $2800.00 US - so my very sincerest advice to all here is to heed the word. Like Gerry - I'm not financially linked to Hammerone - but I have bought twelve pieces of gear. HERE'S a very pleasant surprise. David Beetles telephones me last week - and says "please send your old cartridge back to the factory - you are getting the new one free of charge." I would love to hear anyone beat that story given that there is a recession going on. "Customer appreciation" - says Dave. I just got ripped off by a well known Garrard dealer in England - and so the news was very welcome to me.

In a rather sudden and unexpected turn of events I walked out of Dave's house a few weeks ago with a very rare and pristine Audiocraft arm. Dave showed me on the net that there was another for sale in Japan. It could not have been in better condition as mine was mint - but it was still $2500.00 more.

I'm telling you guys in honesty that Beetles is honest and very fair. He also hooked me up with Gerry Simon - and now I can say with certainty - there are two more gentlemen in my circle of friends.

I did have a problem with Dave one time (buzzy tube amps) - and I'm actually glad I did. As good as all of our business was to that day - it wasn't until the problem developed that Dave jumped into high gear.The only thing he didn't do was drive three hours and knock on my door.

I spoke of a new power supply earlier in this thread. I haven't seen it, nor heard it - and the first one is still on the bench in Korea waiting for hand-wound transformers from the supplier to arrive. Dave will call - i'll send money - and my sound will improve. That is the always the net result when buying with Dave.

There are four Allnic "Z" carts out there right now in the hands of some of the best analogue men in the world. Allnic and Hammertone are hearing that their "top 100" Verito has been bumped up to the "top 10." The word to the wise "early adopter" is that the price does not reflect that - "yet."

Like Gerry,. I met Dave through Audiogon - and I watched Allnic North America bloom. David Beetles was a pretty successful businessman in another venture.With good reason - I expect to see the same development here.

cameronbs March 29, 2009 04:20

Correction on the Allnic Verito price. It retails at $2200.00 US.

cameronbs January 19, 2009 01:54

I thought I would chime in with some insights I gained through my experience with Allnic, and Allnic's North American distributor - Mr. David Beetles. I'll just get to the point, and say that Dave has sold me some beautiful gear over the last couple of years. He has been one of my greatest educators - and he has moved me farther along the audio path than I had ever intended to be.

Earlier today I discussed the H3000 with Dave, and a few other audio related concerns. According to Dave, the H3000 reacts very little to cabling ,footers, or tweaks.Negative interaction with other components is extremely negligible - and synergy seems to naturally occur. High build quality and LCR technology (balanced transformer signal path, with no capacitors in the way) - offers a level of refinement so great that traditional DIY improvements have almost no sonic impact on the sound. As a disclaimer, I will say Dave uses good cables in his personal system - and his choice of arms, cartridges and tables are almost second to none.

Dave and his company - Hammertone Audio - have sold me some of the best equipment out there - including a Koetsu Onyx Platinum, VTL/Tara Labs tube amps,turntable , tonearm, cables and whatever else I need. Oh, and yes - an Allnic 1500 phonostage. Right or wrong as this may be - I do own and enjoy one of the best systems I have heard.

We are planning to compare the Koetsu to the Allnic Verito, and after listening to the Verito, the Koetsu might be gone. The current Verito is an excellent cartridge as it is - and an upgraded boron cantilever Verito is on the way to market in the next few weeks. I preferred the Verito/H3000 to several of Daves cartridges in the $5000.00 - $6,000 range. To be a bit more clear - it was the best I heard that day. I believe it sells for $1700.00 US.

The Allnic cartridge is a very special thing. It's high on my list of "things to buy" - but after speaking with Dave I ponied up and bought the H3000 now. It was well received at Las Vegas - and I simply could not afford what that will eventually do to the price. It is the best phonostage I have heard.

I have to admit that Dave has become my mentor and friend. It all started long before any sale. I was new and looking for help and saw Dave's ad on Audiogon. "Phonecalls welcomed and expected" told me that "Beets" was a pretty good guy to know. We have done a lot of business since then.

Bob Cameron

cameronbs January 17, 2009 10:53