After the 2022 Munich High End HiFi show, I took a few days break in Munich and Stuttgart before Isaac, Kenny and myself flew to Aalborg, Denmark via Amsterdam. We took KLM flight and said goodbye to Munich on Wednesday 25th May 2022. The whole journey took about 4 hours including a 30 minutes delay from Munich. Word of caution if you plan to fly from Munich to Aallborg via Amsterdam, please ensure you give yourself at least 2 hours transit time. Due to the delay in departure from Munich, we nearly missed our connecting flight to Aalborg.
As soon as we arrived Aalborg, Lars Kristensen of AGD was already waiting for us. While our luggage were sent straight to the hotel, we went straight to AGD facility which houses Aavik, Borresen and Ansuz (and soon to be a 4th one hush2). The first thing that caught my eyes as I stepped into their facility is how welcoming all the staff were. Second was their award cabinet and wall of fame. For a relative young company (~10 years old), this to me is rather impressive.
I was first brought around their electronic workshop where Ansuz cables are hand made. Various inhouse technologies are implemented in their design which includes:
- Tesla coil principle - two coils wounded in opposite direction
- Analog dither technology - originated in radar to ensure stronger signal and greater range. It sends pulsating signal at precisely defined frequencies in anti phase. Amplifies the musical signal and eliminates background noise floor.
- Active cable Tesla coil - wound directly on the outer part of the cable to avoid airborne RF noise. With active, it is about 3 to 4 times more efficient than the passive version
- Double Inverted Helix Coil (DIHC) - a key advancement in audio tech. The wounding method is with one objective which to ensure lowest possible induction.
- Anti Aerial Resonance Coil (AARC) - The unwanted airborne sound waves (RF Noise) is absorbed in this coil.
.jpg)
Next was to look at Borresen speakers section. Yes, I had the liberty of listening to their next generation X3 speakers in Munich and here is where all the magic happens. The cross wooven drivers and also the ribbon tweeters were design using specific materials equivalent to what being used in F1 cars. The drivers are of a composite of 2 layers of very thin carbon on both sides of a 4 mm Nomex honeycomb core.
The closed ribbon tweeter design has a n exceptional 94dB and the moving mass goes as low as 0.01 grams. It was like holding a very thin layer of paper. My listening experience at high volumes with these speakers regardless of which model proofed to me non-fatiguing sound can be experienced with proper details be put in tweeter design.
Believe it or not, AI was used to come up with this 'basket' design which helps in propagating better airflow. The patented iron-free magnetic system has also been further refined. By having this, the inductance is about 10 times lower than conventional drivers. It is no even further improved to 12 times lower by replacing the copper pole rings with their in-house manufactured silver rings.
Then off we went to see Aavik electronics section. Besides the electronics technologies such as the Tesla coil and analog dither. Aavik paid lots of attention in material research to remove sonic distortion. This include eliminating usage of aluminum where its not necessary. Some chassis is now made of copper and some of the higher range products uses zirconium and titanium as well.
AGD facility is equipped with various test bench and in-house manufacturing machines which includes a cryogenic facility. Most of the products will have the option of going through cryogenic treatment that further refines the sound reproduction.
Each speaker also goes through a test in their sound chamber as part of the QAQC process.
Is it just all technical and manufacturing in AGD? Heck no. They have a dedicated marketing and social media section where they even have in-house studio for photography and video shoots.
As for listening area, AGD facility have 4 rooms (1 for blind test, 1 was being reorganised after the Munich show, 2 rooms I was able to have a demo of various speakers, power cables etc on the 2nd and 3rd day)
Its not all about work here. AGD even have in-house Irish pub for staff and guests to hang out plus a foosball table. The pub is also equipped with Borresen bookshelf speakers and Aavik electronics.
We ended the 1st day by going around their packing, storage and distribution areas plus a few accessories discussion on Sortz, Darkz and Sparkz.
All and all, I was fully briefed on the behind the stage works of Audio Group Denmark. The amount of engineering works, research, design plus the passion for music of the staff in AGD can be fully reflected on the quality of their products not only built wise but more importantly the music quality reproduction. One of the most comprehensive in-house set up I have seen in the hifi world.
-------------------------------------------------END OF DAY 1--------------------------------------------------------
.jpg)
