 The Funk Saffire
Visually stunning and radical, Saffire is Anniversary’s modern day replacement.
The Saffire (Linn Ittok tonearm not included)
Introduction:
“Pink Triangle’s Anniversary heralded a milestone on the turntable’s development”. 18 years on, its legendary performance has people fighting over it, willing to pay double its retail price on Ebay. (Yes, really) So, it’s true.
Ease of use, Feedback and dust covers:
Saffire is machined from a solid slab of acrylic. Sculpted and finished by hand it provides the necessary inert, stable platform to hold arm and record in correct relationship.
Although the solid structure permits ease of use, immunity to feedback is limited. In Saffire, feedback control is transferred from within the deck to an advanced (optional) Achromatic isolation base, which also supports the new dust cover.
Funk’s designers have been at pains to ensure the dust cover complements Saffire’s exciting appearance avoiding the look and feel of simple box-like afterthought, commonplace in other designs.
The Power Source and Belt Drive:
On the face of it, Direct Drive might seem the ideal when turning a platter. Further investigation, however, yields a surprising alternative concusion: that the Belt drive has advantages over Direct Drive! This is due to its faster rotor speeds which then generate more error pulses for the servo to act on. More pulses result in lower and hence more gentle (less invasive) levels of correction.
Saffire then uses the latest derivative of the DC system first seen Anniversary but now at a much higher level of sophistication.
K-Drive is simply the best. Driving the motor, the output operates as a single ended, class A stage. Unique in turntable drive. The system of operation automatically provides for a high level of mains isolation.
Finally and significantly K-Drive has unmatched load tolerance.
Set the speed, then whether the stylus is in the groove or not, the speed remains constant. We are not aware of any other product, anywhere, which achieves this level of sophistication.
Very much blurring the boundary between DD and belt drive, Funk’s patented 3-pulley Vector Drive system is accepted as the best way to turn a platter with a belt.
Saffire has the latest generation, with the Vectoring pulleys spinning on precision ultra low noise PTFE ball bearings.
Direct Drive in all but name Saffire enjoys the best advantages of both belt and DD.
No one else can lay similar claim.
The Bearing:
With state of the art figures, Anniversary’s bearing has stood the test of time. Refined for Saffire, it nonetheless remains the natural choice.
Record support:
The solid balanced acrylic main platter provides the inertial load to K-Drive, with a 5mm Achromat providing the best in impedance termination for your records. A clamp ensures even mechanical coupling.
The Funk Saffire, A.N.T.I. and K-Drive (Bristol 2008)
The “Tone Arm”
A stable relationship between platter and arm is critical. Too solid and it adversely affects the arm’ sperformance.
Funk’s new A.N.T.I. F•X arm transmits more energy away from the cartridge than any other arm.
Where is all this energy it to go?
This necessitated development of a new 3-layer composite sandwich armboard to optimally terminate the energy from the cartridge.
Listening:
Saffire is indeed a serious piece of design. Late into the night, whilst your record quietly spins, Saffire’s soft glow creates a mood; partnered with A.N.T.I., explore what treasures your records still hold: Space, depth, bass power, transients, openness, black backgrounds and rhythm. All there in controlled measure. Saffire returns an exemplary, elevated performance.
So, Anniversary’s replacement? Saffire lives up to it and all within a sleek, retro-modern exterior for you to enjoy.
Turn down the lights and it looks even more spectacular!
Available April 2008 the funk firm…ever closer.
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