Manley Chinook problems, Part II: Chinook's Revenge

Kudos to Manley for all they did for you

 

there's a reason why i avoid new up and coming equipment manufacturers, especially cartridges. you take a risk on a $750 cart hoping that it will sound like a $1000 cart just because of some good press reviews? no thanks. lesson learned guy, congrats.

 

What TT you have?

 

Fortunately Needle Doctor took the Hana as a return, so I didn't lose any cash. They're great to work with

 

VPI Prime Scout

 

I wonder if the Hana is simply more susceptible to static discharge? I definitely am having more static issues with mine vs the Dynavector it replaced. I also changed decks at the same time so it's hard to say. I suppose some carts are just more prone to the issue. I don't necessarily think it's a knock on the Hana carts though. Mine is sounding brilliant, and most of my LPs show zero issues.

 

OK good. I have encountered static problems because of very low humidity but never from a cartridge. Strange, but as noted here when you have a new design you never know what the operational problems can be until they are put into a variety of systems. Obviously Hana needs to study what is causing this but maybe they will just go into denial.

 

Glad you got the issue sorted out.

Quick question ; how did you eventually try a different cart? Only asking because you started the thread about the Chinook.

Also, what do you think of the sound VS the Hana?

 

I eliminated every possibility and the only constant was the Hana. So I tried a new cart and solved the problem

The Hana was amazing other than the popping issue. Great detail. But the Bronze is great too

 

Manley should be interested in hearing about this so they can find what the issue was.

 

So I had the same problem with my Prime, my Rogue Ares, and my LOMC Cadenza Black cart. My problem was solved with changing the tubes. Something was up with one of the tubes. It may have had something to do with static build up, as the Prime causes a ton of static for whatever reason. Your Chinook has tubes, right? Did you ever change those? With any odd noises (thumps, rustling noises, static, etc.) I always start there and trouble shoot by moving them side to side (L to R). I also try to figure out of its source or system tubes causing the issue.

LOMC also forces more amplification, and tube noises are therefore amplified more than usual. In other words, if you have a problem with a tube, it will sometimes be made worse with a LOMC.

 

didn't the hana play OK with your other phono preamp?
if so, then it is a bad combination between the hana and the manley wherby the pops from the overly static prone hana are made worse by the gain of the chinook?

 

My Prime behaves normally. No static here, thankfully.

 

Yes it was fine with the Parasound

 

Put some Amperex in that Chinook some day.

 

I have Phillips NOS in there right now, which I think is the same as Amperex from what I've read

 

Guy I'm sorry to say but it wasn't your Hana. Its hard to tell from your video but if the pops are scary like yours cart hit something but the music keeps playing, and thats what it seemed to be to me, then its your chinook. I had the same issue and sent 2 new units back, it was a bad capacitor, I'm bummed they are acting like they never heard of this before. The MM circuit is separate so the real question is what MC cart have you used with the chinook with no pops? I didn't see one listed? Make sure you try one for a few weeks before your warranty runs out. I've include 2 email chains below. Manley was wonderful with me and made sure I had a perfect unit in the end.

Hope it works out,
Jeff

Exchange from Fremer Below apologize for reverse order.

From: jeff kleinberg
Sent: Monday, May 05, 2014 12:33 PM
To: Fremer, Michael
Subject: Re: Phono Stage

Hi
Oh did not know this was a known issue, will call them. At the end of the arm tube is an Allen key. It's inset.

Jeff

Sent from my iPhone

> On May 5, 2014, at 12:26 PM, "Fremer, Michael" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Jeff: my understanding is that early Chinooks had that popping issue. I don't know when yours is from but I bet if you contact Manley they will repair it free of charge…. you can tell them I sent you!
>
> To which set screw are you referring?
> ________________________________________
> From: Jeff Kleinberg
> Sent: Saturday, May 03, 2014 3:56 PM
> To: Fremer, Michael
> Subject: Re: Phono Stage
>
> Hey,
> Thought I had plenty of time but my chinook seems to have bit the dust. Horrific loud pops randomly after swapping 3 sets of tubes. Put the alephono in no pops. Had just installed the 3D arm and thought I could have screwed up a setting, but it sounded too great between the horrific Pops.
>
> Thanks
> Jeff

Exchange from Manley

On Wed, Oct 14, 2015 at 6:20 PM, Gamma Ibarra <[email protected]> wrote:
Hi Jeff:

Sorry for the late reply, I thought I had replied to you, but I cant find it on my emails.

I am really sorry for the recurrent problem on your Chinook.

Please send the unit back the us and I am taking to Paul to see if replacing the unit is a better option a this point as you have had many problems already.

Please use the same FedEx account to ship this Chinook back to us.

Let me know if this is ok with you.

Thanks and apologies again.
--

Gamaliel "Gamma" Ibarra, Director of Operations
Manley Laboratories, Inc.
13880 Magnolia Ave. Chino, CA 91710 USA
Tel: +1 (909) 627-4256 x311 www.manley.com
Come join Manley Labs on Facebook!


From: Jeff Kleinberg>
Date: Monday, October 5, 2015 at 5:06 PM

To: Gamma Ibarra <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: MANLEY LABS service request

Hello
Unfortunately my unit is experiencing the pops again.

Jeff

 

Did you consider any of the MC Ortofon cartridges, like the Quintet series, as a replacement instead of the MM Bronze?

 

Does it happen with pop music?

 

How would you compare the Chinook to the JC3+?

 

Didn't try a different MC cart. After sending the Chinook back and forth over a 6 week period, I just gave up and went with a MM cart, the Bronze. It's been perfect since the switch.

 

No I had enough of the whole thing and just wanted it to be over

 

@SamS Depends on your system of course, but on mine it was the Chinook all day. Much better detail and realism than the JC3+.