Houdini

In ditching so-called “Best-practise-wisdom” this means that every single, un-isolated deck in the world is compromised.

Funk introduces Houdini. Derived from AK1, Arthur Khoubesserian’s statement arm, Houdini is at the heart of The Isolation Bubble philosophy and concept. Namely, to Isolate the cartridge from as much of negative, external influence so you hear noticeably purer music.

Houdini is a decoupler with high dynamic stability.

Cross-referencing on Linns, Projects, Reed, Rega P1- P10, Schroeder, SL1200s, SME 30, Thorens, VPI - the results are consistent. Houdini brings the master tape closer, hence why we call it “the next step in analogue”.

How it Works

The Idea:

The stylus and cartridge are all that actually get music from records.

Everything else gets in the way. To understand, consider this: Whenever you change the arm, the sound changes. It’s the arm affecting the music.

Firmly bolting the arm to the cartridge is wrong. (Two screws are bad, three are worse still.)

We only want to hear the cartridge getting the music.

If only we could isolate it from the all other influences.

It took two years to analyze and then solve the problem and the results was Houdini.

It has re-written the rule book and delivers significant improvements in sound quality from all turntable systems.

For correct operation, to get the maximum resolution, controlling stability and preventing wobble is paramount. A lump of rubber won’t do. To our delight, a customer tried it and conceded we were right all along.

Houdini is a decoupler with high dynamic stability, its design comprising first, a complex 3-point suspension. This forms a virtual anchor point above the cartridge. to create an “island of stability”. Plus a torsion tether to control phase distortion of the stylus scrubbing back and forth in the groove to provide unparalleled isolation and all in a tiny volume just 6mm deep.

Houdini provides an enhanced sense of pace and greater dynamic range, allowing for higher volume settings. Harshness and brashness is removed with no penalty.

The improvement is at a fundamental level.

The benefits can’t be recreated by any other means, nor can they be

over-stated.

But how well does it match my arm and cartridge?

Slowly, as I have come to understand more and more, I have been able to peel back layer upon layer of what is and what is not important. Grounded in science, Houdini is no different.

Although the results do indeed sound “magical” there are sound principles operating - pun unintended. As ever, others, who not having spent the years learning, have been only too willing to aggressively shoot first and then not bother to ask any questions, only to find themselves making fools of themselves in the face of the undeniable results.

But they are still confounded by how Houdini is so universal in its application. It’s physics and only physics.

It’s not “Alaka-Zam!” - It’s “10 Hz”

The market is awash with so many arms and cartridges, which in turn form so many possible combinations; it seems fantastical that one product should work on all these diverse combinations. How then does Houdini work?

Houdini complements arm-cartridge combinations with a system resonance in the region of 10Hz and the beauty is that covers 99% of combinations out there. Clever eh?

Some strange, super exotic designs don’t work and they don’t work e.g. Audio Note IO, mass 19g; compliance <4cu. They don’t work only because they would need a different set of parameters from Houdini. It’s like tuning the suspension on a Formula 1 car.

It’s because we can’t control each application we offer your money back. We want happy customers.

Easy, no fuss, no hassle!

Houdini Diversity PDF

Above Video: Independent fitting of a Houdini by a user who had never previously fitted a cartridge.

Compatible with all major Cartridge Types

BOLTED

THREADED

The Funk Houdini is available in two different variants, depending on your existing cartridge type. Watch our videos for specific instructions to set up with your existing turntable equipment!