This section is divided as follows:
- Funk Firm: News
- Funk Firm: Q&A
- Funk Firm: Technical information about
- Funk Firm : An interview with the founder (later in 2008)
- Funk Firm : How to have a calm relaxed demonstration of the entire range
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Funk Firm: News
March 10th 2008 - First deliveries of the Sapphire
Arthur K tells me that the first deliveries of the Saffire, including mine, will be "In April" I didn't stop to ask which year! Seemed a bit churlish to do so. I think he meant 2008. We'll see.
March 5th 2008 - The Funk Firm AnTi tone arm
Yes, it will "probably" according to Arthur K, be at the Heathrow High-Fidelity show if "Patent issues are sorted out by then". If not, then he promises that his state-of-the-art upgrade to the venerable Linn Ittock, mounted on a Saffire will be there as a short term substitute for the AnTi.
March 1st 2008 - The Sapphire turntable
Yes, it will be at the show in the Syndicate #1 room
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Funk Firm Q&A
Question #01
"Can you explain how the K drive works?"
Answer (By Howard Popeck)
Err, no. I've not had time to ask Arthur about this. Sorry.
Question 02
"Did you really sell your Brinkmann LaGrange, etc because of the Funk Vector?"
Answer (By Howard Popeck)
That's not the entire story. I still believe that the Brinkmann LaGrange with 10.5 arm and EMT Ti cartridge is the most musically satisfying vinyl replay system I have ever heard anywhere and at any price. But ...
In 2007 I decided that I no longer wanted to be involved with the importer, Symmetry systems – and so I gave up the agency. However ...
The Funk Vector stunned me with (a) it's overall performance and the (b) jaw-dropping value. At that time I was using my own reference system which was the Levinson ML28 preamp into the Meridian M1 actives. From time to time I swapped the ML with the Krell KSP-7B. That system was, and remains, capable of producing a clean 25Hz in my room.
Anyway, the upshot was that in every respect, other than bass below about 35Hz (I'm guessing here) the performance was virtually, and I do mean virtually indistinguishable from the Brinkmann.
The points to note are these:
My Arm/cartridge had been set up by Helmut Brinkmann personally.
My Funk Vector was and remains equipped with the cheapest Rega arm (with a damaged output lead and the poorest phono plugs I have ever seen, and cheapest Goldring MM cartridge.
The Funk is/was literally 7% (yes, seven percent) of the Brinkmann. A no-brainer, I thought. And I still do.
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The Funk Firm: technical information
Nothing to report currently. Sorry about that.
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The Funk Firm: In-depth interview with THE man himself, Arthur K.
Sometime in 2008. Don't hold your breath though. If only some of what AK told me in the past few months is printable, it will be a fascinating read – if I ask the right questions.
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The Funk Firm
In a nutshell …
In the £800 to £5,000 price band, the most musically satisfying turntable I’ve heard to date is the Funk Vector Turntable – at a very reasonable £760 inc VAT. Incredible, but true.
Even with a cheap Rega arm and inexpensive Goldring magnetic cartridge (total cost around £950) it gave my Brinkmann LaGrange with 10.5 arm and EMT cartridge a serious run for it’s money – at just 9% (yes, literally) the price. How could I not stock it?
The back story …
I’ve known Arthur Khoubesserian for many years. In fact way back in the early 1980s I was one of his first and I believe most successful Pink Triangle retailers. In some ways, dealing with PT was like Musical Fidelity in those days. Each company was dominated by one rather unusual person – and I was pretty volatile too. A heady mix of egos. And in those days reliability was not all it could be. But like Musical Fidelity, Arthur was producing equipment with terrific musicality and high value.
I owned and sold many PTs. I even had one with a pink lid and pink top plate. It was in the window of my shop Subjective Audio in Camden Town for less than 1hr before it was snapped up at the asking price. Never saw one again.
My finest PT was with a Breuer 8 Dynamic arm and Van Den Hul MC1 cartridge. Like an idiot, I sold it. It took many years and numerous attempts to recapture that sound. I only achieved it once I’d purchased the magnificently engineered and at £10k +, seriously expensive Brinkmann LaGrange with 10.5 arm and EMT.
After an absence from the industry (for both he and I) we returned roughly at the same time, just a few years back. As soon as I heard the Funk Vector, it was that old PT magic in a new guise. Even the addition of a cheap arm and inexpensive magnetic cartridge didn’t rob the sound of its characteristic ultra-dynamic, clean, taut and visceral excitement. I just had to become a retailer for him.
Vector and Saffire:
I have the Funk Vector on permanent demonstration here. As I write this, I’m eagerly anticipating listening to the Funk Saffire. It has, I believe, the same bearing as was used in the truly legendary PT Anniversary deck. Should be truly terrific. So - watch this space.
Achroplat and Achromat:
Yes, I can supply the Achroplat Rega/Project replacement platters (12mm thick and 14mm thick) and the Achromat universal mat in both 3mm and 5mm thickness too.
Linn related:
Re the Funk partial and full upgrades to the LP12, in the not too distant future I anticipate having two LP12s on comparative demonstration – with identical arms and cartridges, one with Arthur’s magic incorporated and the other, standard.
All I can tell you is that the reviews aren’t wrong!
http://www.avreview.co.uk/news/article.asp?sp=)&v=1&UAN=550/