Aavik Acoustics R-188, Phono Preamplifier for MC Cartridges and Optical Cartridges

Aavik Acoustics R-188, Phono Preamplifier for MC Cartridges and Optical Cartridges
Retail price € 15,000.00

EN.
General: The Aavik R-188 belongs to the latest generation R-X88 phono preamplifiers from the Danish brand Aavik Acoustics, which falls under Audio Group Denmark along with Ansuz Acoustics, Børresen Acoustics and Axxess. The Aavik R-188 has been renewed in many ways compared to its predecessor, the R-180. The enclosure has been completely redesigned, now made of different materials, and the design now comes from Flemming Rasmussen (Gryphon Audio founder and designer), and the R-188 can also be used with optical cartridges from DS Audio, which the R-180 cannot. The Aavik R-188 is the first model in the new I-X88 from Aavik Acoustics. The Aavik R-188 is the model below the I-288 and the I-588 from Aavik Acoustics.

Enclosure: The new enclosure of the Aavik R-X88 series is very thoughtfully designed in terms of design and material choice, the whole is very solidly built and neatly finished. This is due to Audio Group Denmark's endless attention to researching and using different materials for optimal sound quality. The electronics in your audio device is one thing, the enclosure is another. Your device's enclosure also contributes to a certain sound character. Aavik Acoustics made the enclosures of its first amplifiers from solid aluminum, after considerable trial, testing and listening they discovered that a more natural composite enclosure provided a more natural sound, which is what the R-180/280/580 enclosures were made from (the R-580 also had a titanium cross on the top plate and a copper interior). Now the enclosure of the Aavik R-188, which is based on the flagship models of Aavik Acoustics, the 880-series, is made of solid copper side plates and a bottom and top plate of a sandwich design with a solid copper plate, a natural composite material plate and a stainless steel plate. The feel and look is now even more premium, and this new enclosure has optimal resonance properties. The design is clearly derived from the stunning 880-series from Aavik and the whole looks very sleek and modern. What has been preserved is the very readable and dimmable red dot display. Large but quiet-looking. New is the absence of buttons which are now touchscreen buttons on the display, and also new is the illuminated Aavik Acoustics logo next to the display which is also dimmable along with the rest of the display. Also new are the large solid feet with Ansuz Darkz Feet integrated, which can be placed on Ansuz Darkz decouplers. A large part of this foot extends over the Ansuz Darkz decoupler, so you have less contrast between the color of the amplifier and the color of the Ansuz Darkz you place underneath it (the Ansuz Darkz S2T are, for example, made of polished stainless steel while the Aavik enclosure is black). Finally, the remote control has also been renewed, these are now the same beautiful and practical remotes that are also supplied with the 880-series, which makes the feel and look truly complete.

Technology: The highly advanced technology in the Aavik phono preamplifiers is unique. The power supply is a resonant mode power supply. Where normal switched power supplies use square waves, the resonant mode power supplies in the Aavik R-188 are driven by sine waves. This results in much less generated noise, which always benefits sound quality. The technical design is highly advanced and makes use of various techniques from sister brand Ansuz Acoustics. The Aavik R-188 features extensive Noise and Impedance Reduction via Ansuz Tesla Coil and Dither Technology. The Aavik R-188 has 36 Active Tesla Coils and 72 Active Square Tesla Coils. These Tesla Coils are supported by 3 pieces of Analog Dither Circuitry from the latest (3rd) generation. The power consumption of the Aavik R-188 is very favorable. The Aavik R-188 consumes only 1 Watt in standby, and during playback consumption is only < 15 Watt.

MC Element Input: The MC amplifier from Aavik is designed for absolute silence and precision. The fully balanced, floating input stage uses very low-noise BISS transistors to extract the finest details from MC cartridges. A soft 75μs filter reduces clicks and pops while a hand-selected passive RIAA network ensures perfect channel accuracy. The result is a pure, natural and highly dynamic analog sound.

Optical Element Input: The special optical input of the Aavik R-188 unleashes the full potential of the innovative optical cartridges from DS Audio. Thanks to a direct-coupled, floating input stage, no additional DC-blocking capacitors are needed, preserving transparency and spatial reproduction. Very low-noise regulators power the LEDs and photocells of the cartridge while adjustable high pass and low pass filters optimize the reproduction of low and high frequencies. This technical design of the Aavik R-188 truly brings out the exceptional smoothness, speed and clarity that make optical cartridges so special.

Sound:The Aavik R-188 features a very well articulated, clean and honest sound that provides a decent live experience. The R-188 is a clear step forward compared to its already excellent predecessor. The music is cleaner, the soundstage is tighter, quieter and even more organized. There is more liveliness in the sound which provides an even more engaging listening experience. The bass is deeper and more rhythmic and the control over the speakers is optimal. The sound of the Aavik R-188 is neutral, dynamic and lively, but in a way that remains true to life and does not cause listener fatigue. The distinction between foreground and background in the recording is clearly perceptible and there is very good clarity when a lot happens in the recording. Also important is the harmony in which everything that is individually easy to follow works together. This means you not only hear exactly what happens in the recording, but it also remains musical and enjoyable to listen to without the feeling that the recording is being 'dissected'. The Aavik R-188 simply sounds very musical. Relaxed and an enormous 3D bubble. The space in which the performers play is very well audible and the atmosphere is well conveyed to the listener. The Aavik R-188 sounds tight and dynamic and lets everything be heard when requested, but there is also a certain calm and comfort over the sound that allows you to play quiet intimate music and an pleasant emotional transfer takes place. The sound is therefore excellently balanced and the overall picture simply works. Dynamically, the Aavik R-188 goes further than most phono stages; the R-188 does not provide an unnatural warmth or coloration in the sound that one expects in a phono preamplifier as an "analog" sound, the Aavik R-188 sounds truly analog instead, that is uncolored but very musical. Due to the noise reduction in the Aavik R-188, the spatial imaging is large and quiet and the background is jet black and extremely deep.

Conclusion:The Aavik Acoustics R-188 is a unique phono preamplifier that is very suitable for most high-end turntables using MC or optical cartridges. Due to its neutral and honest sound, the reproduction is lifelike and the smallest details are displayed with the greatest ease. The operation is very simple and refined and the display is readable from great distances without being distracting.

Other Aavik Acoustics Phono Preamplifiers from the R-X88 Series: The other phono preamplifiers from the R-X88 Series of Aavik Acoustics, the R-288 and the R-588, are built according to the same principle. The functionality and visual design of all Aavik R-X88 phono preamplifiers is the same. The differences lie in the amount of noise and impedance reducing techniques using Tesla Coils, Anti Aerial Resonance Coils and Analog Dither Technology applied in the phono preamplifier. Sound-wise, going from the Aavik R-188 to the R-288, you take a nice step forward in terms of definition, spatiality and detail and a blacker, quieter and deeper background. From the R-288 to the R-588 you take another step forward in these areas. The format of the housing of all amplifiers from the R-X88 series is the same.

Specifications of the Aavik Acoustics R-188:

Brand: Aavik Acoustics Denmark
Model: R-188
Type: Phono Preamplifier
Warranty Aavik Acoustics / Ohm-Audio B.V.: 24 Months
Phono Input MC: 1 x Unbalanced RCA for MC Cartridges
Phono Input Optical: 1 x Unbalanced RCA for Optical Cartridges
Analog Outputs: 1 x Line Out RCA
Finish: Black, Copper and brushed Stainless Steel
Trade-in: Negotiable

Technical Specifications:

Max Input (MC Cartridges): 5mV rms
Gain: Choice of 58dB or 64dB at 1 kHz
Load Impedance, Adjustable from 50 Ohm to 10,000 Ohm

Max Input (Optical Cartridges): 500mV rms
Gain: 26dB

Dimensions:

Dimensions: 44cm Wide x 43cm Deep x 11.6cm High
Weight: 21 Kg Net

Manufacturer Website: Aavik Acoustics R-188