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Thread: Matt The Funk Firm and Houdini the latest offering from Funk.

  1. #111
    Join Date: Feb 2020

    Location: Texas, USA

    Posts: 5
    I'm Johnny.

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    Very interesting.....

  2. #112
    Join Date: Mar 2008

    Location: Birmingham, Midlands, United Kingdom.

    Posts: 155
    I'm Matt.

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    Jame's adventure with his Rega P3 ann Houdini.



    Thankyou very much James with your help in creating this video.



    https://youtu.be/7QB212Sk764
    Last edited by matodono1; 21-09-2020 at 10:38.

  3. #113
    Join Date: Mar 2008

    Location: Birmingham, Midlands, United Kingdom.

    Posts: 155
    I'm Matt.

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    The latest fitting video.



    https://youtu.be/Sgtyqs_R4gQ

    Regards, Matt.

  4. #114
    Join Date: Mar 2008

    Location: Birmingham, Midlands, United Kingdom.

    Posts: 155
    I'm Matt.

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    When you can get a German to be this effusive you must be onto something.

    Indie Röhre wrote...
    At first I had no association with Houdini. Turning the pages helped me. The first search hit reveals something about a magician and escape artist who was so ingenious that he got the myth of an invincible superman. “To houdinize” was found in American vocabulary after his death. This is supposed to show how someone magically just escapes any sticky situation. Did Funk Firm boss Arthur Khoubesserian want to link the name to the historical wizard? Will the Houdini enchant me, will magical material be used, does it play with Houdini like unleashed? First of all, a lot of questions.
    What is a Funk Firm Houdini anyway. The Houdini, which is reminiscent of a ray in terms of shape, is simply a decoupler for pickup systems and is mounted between the headshell and the system. There was something similar from the Cartridgeman, but the Houdini is much more complex. A small bag is delivered with the Houdini, a template for shortening the screws, a particularly thin screwdriver (with which you can tighten the screws through the Houdini from above) and a set of nylon screws.
    DSCF9809.jpg
    When you have the Houdini in front of you, it becomes clearer how it works. The Houdini consists of a mount with a movable platform on the underside. How exactly it is stored cannot be seen from the outside. The pickup is attached to this easily movable platform. With two more screws you mount this construct on the headshell. So that the mounting screws that come from above do not touch the lower screws on the cartridge, they have to be shortened. A template is included to help cut to the correct length. It is placed on the headshell. First push the screws through from below, place the template on top. Cut off any excess with the nail clipper or cutter knife. Finished.
    In this way, the screws do not push the lower ones through from above and thus do not affect the suspension. So the pickup is located on the platform that allows slight movements - very minimal residual mobility. You can tell when you press your thumb on this platform that very little movement is possible. So you don't have to worry that the pickup will swing or something like that.
    DSCF9811 (1) .jpg
    Incidentally, the enclosed manual is made extremely well with very ingenious drawings.
    It is crucial that the pickup itself is not attached to the headshell with screws, but detached from it on the decoupling platform. The rest will probably remain a Khoubesserian secret. According to him, he started doing it ages ago. Now that he's already a little over 70, he wanted to fulfill this dream and revolutionize analog playback. He claims that he can use it to raise mediocre tonearms to a very high level; differences to expensive arms without Houdini would no longer be audible. A lofty goal. But now he has already caused a stir in the analog scene with the achromat and the vectoring drive.
    He is silent about the materials used. In the pictures you can see a slightly roughened material. What is under the platform cannot be seen. The screw in the middle secures the platform from improper use, for example by trying to somehow dismantle the pickup while the screws are still too tight. So the Funk Firm Chef has thought of that too.
    I thought I would try out whether Funk Firm is right with its ambitious goals.
    So I mounted a Houdini on the Rega RB900. There is an Aidas MC with a wooden body, the whole thing runs with an Acoustic Signature Final Tool mass drive. The Houdini is 6mm thick, so the VTA needs to be adjusted. Azimuth fitted well after the screws were tightened. It looks great - see picture. It took me 30 minutes to assemble. But I also worked very calmly and prudently. The openly constructed pickup worth 3K needs to be handled with care. Then I cut off a screw for the headshell too short. I would wish there were spare screws with me (luckily I had spare screws myself, as I have two Houdinis).
    Assembled:
    DSCF9786 (2) .jpg
    Then it could go to the listening appointment:
    Trio, the current best of double LP in colored vinyl is allowed to go first.
    0731454242929.jpg
    The track "DA DA DA I don't love you, you don't love me" is determined by the bass drum. A slack booom, booom, now becomes Pamm, Pamm! Holy Maria! This is immediately noticeable, the punch is now extreme. Fine details penetrate the ears. The stage moves closer together. This means that everything is a little closer. I notice this in the small, quiet intermediate part, where the lines of text ... I don't love you, you don't love me ... are apparently whispered directly into the microphone. I hardly heard that before. Now it sounds almost eerily close. I rub my hands in excitement and play the song all over again. In the second run, however, thoughts arise as to why it ended like this with drummer Peter Behrens. It was a cool sock. He died impoverished.
    The LP On the boards button is on.
    R-1160943-1278356748.jpg
    The eponymous track on page 2 sounds fantastic. On the left, Rory's guitar solo is very intense, on the right an impressively finely fanned out drum kit, but not too far out. It is now "pushed together" more realistically. How the Houdini can influence my sound stage is a mystery to me. All notes come out smoothly, including the sax. No squeaking music. The Houdini detoxifies the reproduction. You follow the notes and dream Feeling so close to Rory again, unfortunately I never saw him live.
    Now the Kings of Leon are allowed to ride a carousel and hiss? Yes, yes and yes again. No kitties. Youth and Young Manhood to 2 times 180 grams.
    0889853473113.jpg
    The plate had a hook. Now the guitars are badly distorted anyway and the singer is dumpling his way through the songs. Woe to something that doesn't fit in the setup. Then it becomes exhausting. That was also so- pay attention to the past tense. It also sounded a bit musty. So the voice seemed slightly overcast.
    Holy Lord Choral Society. Now something is going on. All is well. The track "Wasted Time", oh that's wonderful. How is the song drifting, what's that cool. It sounds fresh, cleanly read from the groove, as if it were from CD, there is no crackling noise, the unfortunately too short drum and bass solo in the middle of the song is superb. Then that snotty voice. I could jump through the living room. Why don't i do it The parquet is not polished. The stage is set accordingly.
    And those are the inner grooves of the plate, gentlemen. The Aidas MC drives safely like the Hamburg subway on its rails. There are delicious views:
    DSCF9806 (1) .jpg
    The voices are absolutely cast in their given form. At least I don't have any more problems with S-tones. Too often it is pushed onto the Lp's and the mix. You make it too easy for yourself. Realization for me now - today.
    And here again. The instruments on an unrealistic stage that are too far out have disappeared. No, it's not too narrow now. Everything rather suitable. No drummer's octopus arms. The excellent PRAT is noticeable in fast songs. With air drums I now get into almost every rock song. I'm still keeping up with Kings of Leon. Let's see if that's the case with the next LP. This is the drum thunderstorm program.
    Time for rock'n'roll. Yes, she is again. The last record. Some get choking, the neighbors are made to report you to the uniformed men. The spiders fall from the ceiling. You drive out every woman on a first date. You can't make yourself less popular. Slipknot will try to rip my tonearm away. The band has been linked to youth deaths. But that could never be proven. The appearance of this band will make any grandmother swoon. I carefully place the plate Antennas to hell.
    713UmP8feNL._SL1425_.jpg
    What's happening now? Title "Eyeless" plays. The dog turns on its back and the legs point upwards. Does he give up or do I have a new Slipknot fan? To be on the safe side, I'll take him out. Because now it is turned louder. Shaking my head, I "listen" (does the term really fit?) To the sounds. Unbelievable these drums. Shit. The tablecloth is about to fly off the dining table. That's not normal. I laugh my head off. Corey Taylor has a quirk. But his vocals are played more cleanly than ever. Whoa, shouts one off, but in the chorus he sings haunting melodies again. Fat. And those heavy guitars. The paint rolls off the loudspeaker. If you have the courage, please listen. Hot. Everything is sorted great. Each instrument is presented for itself. No, metal doesn't have to be a pulp. Here, too, the Houdini helps to analyze the music, to present it in all its facets. Differentiate instead of smudging sound.
    And what Arthur Khoubesserian promises, that records that once sounded exhausting, can now be played, he keeps. I haven't been able to hear the Slipknot in one yet. Now it becomes an experience. I am still shaking my head. It doesn't exist, what did that guy invent? The Houdini is a magician. Or does Arthur have magic hands? The name couldn't be more appropriate. If you're ever reading this, Arthur: Thanks Arthur for this gift to the Analog fans. You are now King Arthur to me.

    As for King Arthur? We always knew!


  5. #115
    Join Date: Aug 2010

    Location: Hannover, Germany

    Posts: 54
    I'm Knut.

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    yes, and the Houdini ist still mounted and it also brings out many details. So it is able to present also emotional music not only metal or hard rock. At the moment I spend some time with Chris Stapleton and "Whisky and You" from the album "Traveller". Very impressive ans musical and superb tracking of my Aidas MC. The control of sibilants is remarkable.
    Knut.

    Acoustic Signature Thunder & Final Tool, Technics SP15, Ampearl RE1030 Valve Phono, Ampearl Valve phono LCR RE2030, Ampearl RE1031, Tribute SUT, Aidas MC, Linn Akiva, DS Audio E1, Nagra VPS
    Legat Audio SETA E130L SE, Legat KT88 SE , K&T Donar, JE Labs Open baffle with Philips 12202, BK elec SUBs P12 & XXls400

  6. #116
    Join Date: May 2012

    Location: Toulouse, France

    Posts: 6,562
    I'm Kevin.

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    My Houdini is finally being shipped.
    I am looking at capturing a few “needle drops” of some tracks with and without the Houdini, so people can get to hear what it does - just for fun.
    I am looking for a few interesting tracks to use.

    The thing is, I am not going to tell people which is which straight away....
    Kevin

    Too busy enjoying the music....

    European loan coordinator for Graham Slee HiFi system components..

  7. #117
    Join Date: Mar 2008

    Location: Birmingham, Midlands, United Kingdom.

    Posts: 155
    I'm Matt.

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    Quote Originally Posted by indie roehre View Post
    yes, and the Houdini ist still mounted and it also brings out many details. So it is able to present also emotional music not only metal or hard rock. At the moment I spend some time with Chris Stapleton and "Whisky and You" from the album "Traveller". Very impressive ans musical and superb tracking of my Aidas MC. The control of sibilants is remarkable.
    Hello Knut,

    Sincerely I thank you for an incredible write up. We really appreciate your input.

    Matt.
    Last edited by matodono1; 26-09-2020 at 15:48.

  8. #118
    Join Date: Mar 2008

    Location: Birmingham, Midlands, United Kingdom.

    Posts: 155
    I'm Matt.

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    Funk Houdini fitting instructions. There is also a PDF version which will be available as a download from the new site when it is launched later this week.

    Thanks Matt.


  9. #119
    Join Date: Feb 2020

    Location: Fife, Scotland

    Posts: 160
    I'm Gordon.

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    Nice to see some instructions for the Houdini, I didn't receive any with mine!
    However, pretty self explanatory if one is familiar with cartridges, headshells and all the associated setting up.......
    Still experimenting with mine, but getting the feeling that it can put a £600 cartridge into a similar league to a £6000 cartridge (my own carts)...... MMmmmmm?
    Technics SL1000R, DynavectorXV1t, Garrard 401, Jelco SA750LB, Decca Reference, ATVM750SH, AT33Mono, Hana Umami Red, Reimyo CDP777, EarYoshino 912, Ear Yoshino 509s, JBLK2 SL5800s, ART Dram interconnects / speaker cables.

  10. #120
    Join Date: Mar 2008

    Location: Birmingham, Midlands, United Kingdom.

    Posts: 155
    I'm Matt.

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    Quote Originally Posted by WullieD20 View Post
    Nice to see some instructions for the Houdini, I didn't receive any with mine!
    However, pretty self explanatory if one is familiar with cartridges, headshells and all the associated setting up.......
    Still experimenting with mine, but getting the feeling that it can put a £600 cartridge into a similar league to a £6000 cartridge (my own carts)...... MMmmmmm?
    Five weeks ago when I claimed that a Houdini'd 1042 was making better music than a non Houdini'd Benz LPS on a better arm people were almost ready to have me committed to an asylum.

    Your post just made me smile.

    Thank you. M

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