@fsmithjack The Colorado's commit no sins of omission or commission. All you hear is what your components bring to the party. They are as neutral as any IC's I have ever used. Feel free to look at my Virtual System to lend context to what I am saying here. Those cables ain't goin' nowhere!
OPINIONS PLEASE - Phonostage for new Rega P8/Apheta 2 - Sutherland 20/20 or Allnic 1201
OPINIONS PLEASE - Phonostage for new Rega P8/Apheta 2 - Down to Sutherland 20/20 or Allnic 1201 phonostages. Can anyone tell me anything about either? Would consider other in this price new/used but these seem pretty good.
I have got down to these two mainly for price (under $2k) and where my simple research has led.
I am big into Digital and want to play around with some decent vinyl.
Nothing crazy but good enough that my Bricasti MISE w/Built in Ethernet Media Player doesn't blow it away so I am trying to put together a decent enough vinyl front end that will sound good enough that I want to use it.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Background:
I recently ordered new speakers that should be in a few weeks. Time for me to set up my vinyl front end to prepare for them. I am trading my Magico S5 for S5 MK II.
____________
Room is 12 x 23 w/Cathedral Ceilings - 15 Foot a peak - Set on long wall
https://www.flickr.com/photos/35630112@N05/46190013771/in/dateposted-public/
Music: Assorted Music no metal or loud hard rock anymore really - not much Large Scale classical either but everything else.
Likes: Transparency- Delicate-linear-Dynamic-Fast - high resolution-microscope but not sterile not etched or lifeless - I know there is a fine Line here but I'm looking to walk it and come out on the right side - but real see through into the music with some sheen and dabs of warmth - transparent to the source because I love my DAC - image and sound stage lover - tight bass - hate flab - like speed and transparency as my selection choices might speak to
____________
From Audiogon Virtual System page:
https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/5160
Associated Equipment:
> Digital:
- DAC: Bricasti Design M1 Special Edition DAC
- Digital Transport: Bricasti M12 Built-In Ethernet Network Player
> Analogue:
- Turntable: Rega Planer 8
- Tonearm: Rega RB880 Tonearm
- Cartridge: Rega Alpheta 2 MC
> Preamplification:
- Linestage: Simaudio Moon Evolution P-8 Reference Preamplifer
- Phonostage:TBD
> Amplification:
- Power Amplifier: Pass Labs X250.8 Stereo Amplifier
> Loudspeakers:
- Transducers: Magico S5 MKII Reference Loudspeakers MCast Pewter, (Trading S5 MK I)
> Power Supplies:
- Linear Power Supplies: Uptone Audio JS-2 (2-Rail) Linear Power Supply, The Linear Solution LPS-912 Network Switch Proprietary Linear Power Supply, Breeze Audio 12v Linear Power Supplies (2-units),
- Switching Mode Power Supplies: iFi Audio iPower 9V DC
- Turntable Power Supply: Rega Neo PSU
> AC Power:
- Conditioning: PS Audio Noise Harvesters (6)
- Outlets: Furutech GTX (R), Oyaide R1 Beryllium (2),
- Surge / Spike Protection: Blue Circle Audio The Yalu Balula
- Power Strip: PS Audio Juice Bar MK II
> Audio Network Server / Hardware / Software:
- Servers: Small Green Computer SonicTransporter,
- Storage: WD My Cloud 12v 2TB NAS,
- PC: Qotom 190S Dual-Port - Baytrail J1900 12v Micro-PC
- Network Switch: The Linear Solution OCXO Audiophile Switch,
- Audio Software: Sonic Orbiter, ROON 1.4
> Cables:
- Interconnect Cables: Kubala-Sosna Research Emotion XLR 2.0M, Kubala-Sosna Research Emotion XLR 1.5M, Darwin Ascension RCA 0.5M,
- Speaker Cables: Kubala-Sosna Research Emotion 2.5M Spades,
- AC Cables : Kubala-Sosna Emotion AC 2.0M (2) Kubala-Sosna Elation AC 1.5M, Zu Event MK I AC 1.5M (3)
- DC Cables: Gent Audio Custom DC Cables (Canare/Oyaide) (6), Upton Audio DC Cable 1M
- USB: Audiocadabra Ultimus3 Double-Head Silver USB Cable, Curious Regen link, Uptone Audio USPCB A/B USB
- Digital: Black Cat Silverstar 75 BNC/RCA 1.0M, MIT Terminator-3 RCA 1.0M, DH Labs Silver Sonic D-75 RCA 1.0M (2), Tara Labs Prism 100dx-1 Tosilink 1M.
- HDMI: AudioQuest Chocolate 1.0M, AudioQuest Forest 3.0M,
- Ethernet: AudioQuest Vodka RJ/E 1.0M, Cardas Clear RJ/E 0.5M, The Linear Solution Custom RJ/E 1.5M.
> Sundries / Accessories:
- Audio Racks: Solid Tech Hybrid 3+3 Shelves Audio Rack w/White Shelves and Silver Pillars, Solid Tech Rack of Silence Amplifier Stand
- Isolation Devices: SRA Ohio Class Isolation Platform, Symposium Acoustics Svelte Plus Isolation Platform, Isoacoustic Iso-pucks (8), Red Dragon Audio Ceramic Cable Elevators (4), EdenSound Brass Vibration Weights (8), Bright Star IsoNode Footers,
- Re-clock/Tester: DROK USB Multi-meter/Tester, Wyred 4 Sound Remedy Femto.
- Fsmithjack
I have got down to these two mainly for price (under $2k) and where my simple research has led.
I am big into Digital and want to play around with some decent vinyl.
Nothing crazy but good enough that my Bricasti MISE w/Built in Ethernet Media Player doesn't blow it away so I am trying to put together a decent enough vinyl front end that will sound good enough that I want to use it.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Background:
I recently ordered new speakers that should be in a few weeks. Time for me to set up my vinyl front end to prepare for them. I am trading my Magico S5 for S5 MK II.
____________
Room is 12 x 23 w/Cathedral Ceilings - 15 Foot a peak - Set on long wall
https://www.flickr.com/photos/35630112@N05/46190013771/in/dateposted-public/
Music: Assorted Music no metal or loud hard rock anymore really - not much Large Scale classical either but everything else.
Likes: Transparency- Delicate-linear-Dynamic-Fast - high resolution-microscope but not sterile not etched or lifeless - I know there is a fine Line here but I'm looking to walk it and come out on the right side - but real see through into the music with some sheen and dabs of warmth - transparent to the source because I love my DAC - image and sound stage lover - tight bass - hate flab - like speed and transparency as my selection choices might speak to
____________
From Audiogon Virtual System page:
https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/5160
Associated Equipment:
> Digital:
- DAC: Bricasti Design M1 Special Edition DAC
- Digital Transport: Bricasti M12 Built-In Ethernet Network Player
> Analogue:
- Turntable: Rega Planer 8
- Tonearm: Rega RB880 Tonearm
- Cartridge: Rega Alpheta 2 MC
> Preamplification:
- Linestage: Simaudio Moon Evolution P-8 Reference Preamplifer
- Phonostage:TBD
> Amplification:
- Power Amplifier: Pass Labs X250.8 Stereo Amplifier
> Loudspeakers:
- Transducers: Magico S5 MKII Reference Loudspeakers MCast Pewter, (Trading S5 MK I)
> Power Supplies:
- Linear Power Supplies: Uptone Audio JS-2 (2-Rail) Linear Power Supply, The Linear Solution LPS-912 Network Switch Proprietary Linear Power Supply, Breeze Audio 12v Linear Power Supplies (2-units),
- Switching Mode Power Supplies: iFi Audio iPower 9V DC
- Turntable Power Supply: Rega Neo PSU
> AC Power:
- Conditioning: PS Audio Noise Harvesters (6)
- Outlets: Furutech GTX (R), Oyaide R1 Beryllium (2),
- Surge / Spike Protection: Blue Circle Audio The Yalu Balula
- Power Strip: PS Audio Juice Bar MK II
> Audio Network Server / Hardware / Software:
- Servers: Small Green Computer SonicTransporter,
- Storage: WD My Cloud 12v 2TB NAS,
- PC: Qotom 190S Dual-Port - Baytrail J1900 12v Micro-PC
- Network Switch: The Linear Solution OCXO Audiophile Switch,
- Audio Software: Sonic Orbiter, ROON 1.4
> Cables:
- Interconnect Cables: Kubala-Sosna Research Emotion XLR 2.0M, Kubala-Sosna Research Emotion XLR 1.5M, Darwin Ascension RCA 0.5M,
- Speaker Cables: Kubala-Sosna Research Emotion 2.5M Spades,
- AC Cables : Kubala-Sosna Emotion AC 2.0M (2) Kubala-Sosna Elation AC 1.5M, Zu Event MK I AC 1.5M (3)
- DC Cables: Gent Audio Custom DC Cables (Canare/Oyaide) (6), Upton Audio DC Cable 1M
- USB: Audiocadabra Ultimus3 Double-Head Silver USB Cable, Curious Regen link, Uptone Audio USPCB A/B USB
- Digital: Black Cat Silverstar 75 BNC/RCA 1.0M, MIT Terminator-3 RCA 1.0M, DH Labs Silver Sonic D-75 RCA 1.0M (2), Tara Labs Prism 100dx-1 Tosilink 1M.
- HDMI: AudioQuest Chocolate 1.0M, AudioQuest Forest 3.0M,
- Ethernet: AudioQuest Vodka RJ/E 1.0M, Cardas Clear RJ/E 0.5M, The Linear Solution Custom RJ/E 1.5M.
> Sundries / Accessories:
- Audio Racks: Solid Tech Hybrid 3+3 Shelves Audio Rack w/White Shelves and Silver Pillars, Solid Tech Rack of Silence Amplifier Stand
- Isolation Devices: SRA Ohio Class Isolation Platform, Symposium Acoustics Svelte Plus Isolation Platform, Isoacoustic Iso-pucks (8), Red Dragon Audio Ceramic Cable Elevators (4), EdenSound Brass Vibration Weights (8), Bright Star IsoNode Footers,
- Re-clock/Tester: DROK USB Multi-meter/Tester, Wyred 4 Sound Remedy Femto.
- Fsmithjack
- ...
- 51 posts total
liamowen Thanks for the info. It's funny as one Pass Labs XP-15 showed up for sale on Audiogon last night. I was thinking long and hard about this one! Love the build quality and simple and clean industrial design. It works for me that is for sure... I don't just like Pass Labs. I LOVE them! I have owned probably close to a dozen of their products over the years. I have got to speak and write with Nelson over the years on n many occasions and honestly I don't think there is a nicer and/or more knowledgeable person on the planet. He is such a kind person that shares his time with anyone, any time. I remember I needed XLR jumpers for my X350.5 amp and he mailed them to me himself and of course no charge. His handwriting with a just a regular stamp. It's not the money but he is busy like most of us. You know he get's and envelope, stamp and drops off and Its the time and consideration. Some may say bid deal. To me the little things matter. I use to love and own Rethm Saadhana V3 Speakers which are 103db efficient and his First Watt amps sounded better than anything, anywhere and I had some seriously expensive, 5 digit DHT 2A3, 300B amps and one of his FW $1500 used amps blew their doors off. I could on and on about Nelson. Wayne Colburn I think does most of his pre's and his pre's are great and IMO some of the best in each price range. That said just not quite up the standards set by the amps IMO. The like Pass amps better and they can go to toe to toe in their price range with anything anywhere. Sure his $10,000 amp is not going to outperform another companies $30,000 amp but put his $10k amp vs other $10k amp and his $30k amps vs other $30k amps and I will go with Nelson any day. That said I bet that XP-15 sound mighty fine in my rig :) |
fossda Thanks so much for the kind comments. My table is a little different as it is the P8. I am not sure if it sounds any better than the RP8 but I like the cool to me looks of the new model :) Actually, my goal of buying was to choose a good quality table that is the simplest to set up and the closest to plug and play while hopefully still being good enough. Also, a cart made to go with the table and already mounted and set up and ready to go to keep me from messing it up.. My other foray into vinyl went no where. I bought what I found hard to set up and fine tune set up (for me at least and never got it to sound good). Never heard any of that magic everyone writes about. My Bricasti was so much better and I just dumped the vinyl system. I had: Analogue: Turntable: VPI Aries Limited Edition 3D, Tonearm: 10.5 Inch Printed 3D Arm, Cartridge: Denon DL-S1, Step Up Transformer: Bob’s Device Cinemag 1131, Phonostage: Mark Levinson No.326s Preamplifer with Phono, This is some decent gear but never could get it set up right. Had a vinyl guru come over and work on it for hours. So frustrated I thought I would try again with a much simpler system that hopefully sounds nice. I don't know if my new set up will be better than my digital but my hope is that it is good enough to make me want to listen. Honestly, I think something was definitely wrong with my last try at vinyl. The last time on a scale of 1 through 10 it went like this. My Bricasti Digital System 8/10 Analogue 2/10 My digital system is good but not that good. I have heard really good vinyl at dealers and thought my system sounds nothing like that. I heard a Rega RP6 with Exact 2 at a dealer that was a 1,000 time better than my set up above. I said then ok let me try some decent Rega gear that is made so someone like me can't mess it up. Heck, if my system sounded like that RP6/Exact 2 then I would be psyched and why not? I bought better gear so this time i hope I can get some decent sound. I am really looking forward to it. |
fsmithjack- your previous rig unquestionably was up to the task. Something was amiss there. Being a VPI owner, can't recall ever reading feedback from other VPI owners with the DL S1. It is a known great cart, but being a very low gain, it does require extra attention to details. Did the supposed "guru" suggest a different cart. That could have been the game changer. A higher gain model and loose the step up? Doesn't matter, you have a great table. It's supposed to be nicer than the RP8 This is the "BEST" phonostage based on price/performance at the moment https://www.upscaleaudio.com/collections/cary-audio/products/cary-audio-ph-302-mk-ii-phonostage All tube, including rectifier. Upgraded parts. I would jump on this if I didn't already have a tube unit. What the heck is "best?" It subjective. |
- 51 posts total