Video Comparison: trebles of Hannbach Goldin Vs Knobloch CX Actives EDIT: new video
 

Hi (EDIT: better new video, new strings given more time to settle over night and recording was clearer)

In a previous thread somebody asked me to do a comparison of:

Knobloch CX Actives trebles (HT) Vs Hannabach Goldin trebles

So I recorded a song with the Hannabach Goldin strings, and then after I thought I'd change strings to compare them. The Hannabach strings were not old at all, and I should have let them live out their time, but I was impulsive. The Knoblochs had been on for an evening and a morning and had been stretched and played well before recording.

I tried to keep everything the same: position of the mic, the bass strings are the same in both (Knobloch CX MT), my playing (sorry there is a little extra intro in the 2nd video).

To avoid bias, listen yourself before you read my opinions.

Hannabach Goldin:



Knobloch CX actives:



My qualitative observations so far:

• The Goldins appear to be more balanced in tension across the three trebles; more balanced in feel. The increment in tension from the 3rd to the 2nd to the 1st in the Knobloch set is more obvious.
  
• The Knobloch 1st string seems tighter (more tension and maybe stiffer), and appears much more powerful than the Goldin 1st.
  
• When first tuning up the Knobloch 3rd gave me an impression that it was tubbier than the Goldin 3rd. That might be because it needed time to stretch, or that it was due to a slightly larger gauge compared to the Goldin 3rd. Playing it now however, it sounds fine.
  
• The Knoblochs are less flexible than the Goldin trebles. This might be due to a higher tension, or a slight difference in material. But the Knoblochs are easy to play; I still find them less stiff than Savarez Alliance.
  
• The Knobloch trebles sound more powerful to my ear in general (no idea what it is like for an audience). This is probably due to a slight increase in tension.

I think the Knoblochs sound brighter and clearer, less mellow. What do you think?

I can't discern 3rd string tubbiness through my laptop speakers. What I can hear is the sharper character of the Knobloch CX actives. During the early strum, the Goldins sound comparatively flaccid. For my own playing/tunings, the Goldins do well - haven't tried the Knobloch CX actives.

Hi Bax, I'm starting to really like these Knoblochs. For the style of music I play, the extra power and brightness is what I like.

I updated the Knobloch video the following morning after they had had more time to settle in. I think the recording is better, and the differences are easier to discern.

Do you consider these CX actives as generally characteristic of the carbon family?

A simple answer: Yes :)