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Atma-Sphere vs. Supratek

I placed an order last year for a Supratek Cortese LCR preamp; it will still be a few months until it will arrive at my home in Silicon Valley. Meanwhile I keep reading good things about the Atma-Sphere MP-1 and Mp-3 instruments. Can anyone voice an opinion about those two brands, both hand-made tube machines in a similar price range? I listen to all kinds of music, including opera, mostly on vinyl [Basic 2200 Signature with Vector 4 arm and Benz Micro LP-S cartridge, Sunvalley phono stage with EMIA SUT, MSB Platinum Signature CD transport and DAC, LinkwitzLab NCore6 active crossover/amplifier, and Linkwitz LX521.4 open-baffle speakers (best speakers I have ever heard)]. For preamp I am currently using Ed Shilling’s The Truth. For me a natural-sounding soprano voice is the pinnacle of well reproduced music.

128x128reimarc
sns
3,003 posts
 

I'd like to throw out my above comments as to assembly tidiness and best build pracitces to audio equipment manufacturers out there. I understand you may not want to come out and criticize Supratek, but tell us why you observe and conform to well organized, neat and tidy build practices? Does this have bearing on sound quality or reliability? Are there objective best build practices, or is it an arbitrary construct that you feel obligated to follow?

blackdoghifi's avatar
blackdoghifi
45 posts
 

To be fair to Supratek, the later units are better built than earlier ones. Early ones were a complete and utter rats nest of bad connections, poor grounding, and downright dangerous wiring.

However they are still not very neat and tidy inside which does lead to problems.And like Chorus above, I’ve a higher percentage of Supratek, than Atamasphere.

You can see what a new one looks inside here (at the bottom, left photo) on my website. Full disclosure, it's compared to my lower priced preamp.

https://www.blackdoghifi.com/About.html

 

tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,831 posts
 

Blackdog - While i happen to agree w much but not all of your design and manufacturing principles, I do think for transparency you should add your industry affiliation in signature block to each post.

Best to you

Jim

blackdoghifi's avatar
blackdoghifi
45 posts
 

My mistake Jim. Post edited.

 

 

david_ten
5,480 posts
 

@sns 

I don't see this as subjective opinion or biases affecting our judgement. 

I wouldn't expect you to. That's the beauty and effectiveness of bias.

It is entrenched, so it masquerades as self preserving and confirming... and btw as authority (you know what 9 out of 10 would choose, as an example):

I presume showing people side by side internal photos of Supratek and Atma-Sphere and asking which one appeared to be better constructed, I'd bet nine or ten out of ten would pick the AS. 

I just know...

I just don't trust ...

My point is that your first post was about you, not the OP. 

@reimarc in his opening sentence states he placed an order for the Supratek Cortese LCR...and in the first reply you disparage, disqualify and question that decision. 

Now you are asking for:

I'd like to throw out my above comments as to assembly tidiness and best build pracitces to audio equipment manufacturers out there.

Start a thread. It's a good question. 

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