Battle of the phone pres for my system.
I have a Yamaha GT-750 with a Hana SH mk 1. I had it running into my Musical Fidelity A1 and listened through Dynaudio Evoke 20 speakers. I have tinnitus so I listen off-axis and liked the sound. I had ordered a Decware Zrock3 and hadn't considered when I ordered it how I was going to use it. When if finally came, I realized I could only use it with my transport and DAC )and it was worth every penny.)
A friend lent me their Manley Chinook so I could see how it would work with my analog front end and the Manley/Decware combo was pretty sweet. I can't afford a Manley and after removing the Zrock3 and going head to head with the A1 didn't make me feel that I wouldn't choose it anyway. After casting about, I was all set on getting a 834 clone and putting in some nice tubes. Then I read about the Softone Model 4 and saw systems like @lalitk and @macg19 . It sounds like what I would want if I put some Mullards in it (though hopefully cheaper ones). I ran across many others who could afford a more expensive phono pre using the Softtone.
As I was searching, the google AI wanted to help so bad that I asked it what it thought. It said the Softone would match better with my equipment and gave a bunch of reasons that were things I hadn't thought of, like gain matching and cumulative power running through the system. It seemed to think that 834 would be more problematic and too much syrup.
I told AI to make the 834 work or I would delete it from the internet, and it told me to put a 5751 (less gain because of the Hana's output coming in) in V1, then a Raytheon then a Mullard. Or something like that for gain and sound differences taking into account my tinnitus and to match my system. It seemed sound thinking, but again, stuff I hadn't considered. I didn't write it down, but it made me wonder. It congratulated me on my awesome thinking on putting together my amazing system. I closed the browser to make it forget this ever happened.
I figured I thought I would ask real people what they thought since I'd prefer empirical evidence over data surfing. The other point in favor of the Softone is that it's a real product and not an aliexpress special, though plenty of people are happy with their clones, all are one and one are all.
Thanks.
@pindac Your analogy and approach is good. I'm in a really good spot at the moment and will enjoy what I have for a while with next priorities being vacation in Italy (Sept.), some proper diffusion and absorption on the front wall (very soon) and maybe a Lumin Dx3 to move to a nice, clean one box solution for digital. Almost certainly a Dos Loco will come later unless something happens with/to the MSL (I sincerely hope not!!!). Cheers! |
Keeping a Cart' intact is always an under-the-surface worry; it requires a vigilant attitude when working with them, and best to keep a boundary that prevents the uninitiated from getting too close. I know this well, as my Cart' is a one-off design; having it repeated also looks at the current time as a non-option, which does not leave me with a comfort zone where my future needs are being thought through. For Phon's; keeping one's eye firmly fixed on a particular design will keep their attention of other designs that might be a better synergy in the home system and could be one that becomes wedded to for the rest of their time. I strongly suggest an open mind and plenty of experiences during the time one id sharing time with a model selected and in use. Putting other owned audio equipment into a better to understand context. I have used the same ESL Speakers as the main speaker in the system from the mid 90's until the Xmas break of 25/26. I have used the same Power Amps in the system from the early 00's, and these still remain currently and will only be replaced when too much to work with; they are young men's sport. The CD Source has been the same for 10-ish years, and this is the first CD Source used in the system. Only Phonostages out of all the demos of audio equipment I have received are able to, with immediacy, influence an end sound and subsequently prompt decision making. When the end sound is right to the individual, it is right, and no other is going to dictate a different outcome. The rights for this individual were not found as an off-the-shelf product, but created by the hands of time-served electronics engineers, all of whom have the Vinyl Source as their passion for audio. |
@lalitk Good question. Working with Kevin Fielding (not sure if you looked at the reports but here is the most recent) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_27JndFi-2HYjtwqYWtf1LlBMfVXV9P5/view?usp=sharing I was trying to solve massive bass build up in the corners from the Harbeth 40.3 XDs. Kevin said either add massive amounts if absorption or get smaller speakers and stick a couple of subs behind the MLP. There is a huge space to pressurize as that space opens up into a large open plan living area. This was really good advice. The subs are integrated really well, you cannot tell they are there while sitting in the MPL, or anywhere else for that matter, and no bass build up in the front wall corners.
|
