montesquieu

Responses from montesquieu

Proteus compared to MSL ultra eminent ex
Surprised no-one has challenged the misinformation on the MSL. The MSL Ultra Eminent Ex is of a much, much later generation - more than 20 years later - than the Audiocraft mentioned, while the specs are nothing like it at all. I doubt the cartrid... 
Correct alignment for Fidelity Research 64fx/SPU?
Very late to this one but 52mm is the stylus to arm collar distance on an SPU. People working to 50mm are going to get a nasty tracking error. 
EAR 912 impression
The 868 isn’t the same, similar line stage perhaps but a hybrid FET-tube phono stage as opposed to all tube LR phono stage, 4 tubes in the unit vs 5 and you lose the flexibility. Some misinformation out there that these are the same, but they aren... 
Tube rolling for EAR 912
FWIW this is my experience exactly on my EAR 912 - tried Telefunkens, tried Teslas, went back to the standard tubes.  
Miyajima MADAKE experience
@wynpalmer4 Ana did a (part)bamboo cantilvered retip for me of a Premium BE 1.0 mono and to my ears it out performs my standard Zero 0.7, especially since I started using the MIyahia ETR-Mono SUT (which is a must with these cartridges - it's out a... 
FR66s vs Ikeda IT-407 CR tonearms
@maxghIT345 CR-1 handles in my system pretty much exactly as the IT407 - I don't think it's any less effective mass than the 20g of the original 407 despite the longer length - that may be the chrome finish or some other aspect.@chakster FR64S 
FR66s vs Ikeda IT-407 CR tonearms
Lot of very dogmatic but rather dubious assertion in the post above. Lots of VERY and ONLY in caps ... excessive use of 'much more' etc etc. Never owned an FR66 - heard a couple and really doubt their prices are justified, except as 'rare object' ... 
Miyajima MADAKE experience
I wouldn't personally send a Madake to either NWA or Expert.Ana Mighty Sound in France seem to be the high-end retip specialists in Europe these days. 
Miyajima Lab Zero Specs?
I would try both but suspect that between phono cables and SUT is the most appropriate place. 
Miyajima Lab Zero Specs?
Ideally the Zero needs a step-up. If hum is an issue then a mono button (or a double-y connector) cures completely. Seems to be less of an issue where a step-up transformer is used.I have three Miyajima monos - Zero 0.7, Premium 1.0, and Kotetu 78... 
Miyajima MADAKE experience
Well, I'm a huge fan of the SPU Royal N (this is my third and I swore I wouldn't sell it again). All the Miyajima stereo cartridges have a debt to the SPU series, so there is something of a common character, but much as I love the SPU, the Madake ... 
Miyajima MADAKE experience
Indeed the 'replacement' service seems very expensive and has rather changed the equation for Miyajima as a practical long-term purchase. It's my hope that this is a glitch based on incomplete understanding of the market, rather than a long-term s... 
EAR vs Audio Note preamp
Yes both use output transformers a tim de p speciality.  
EAR vs Audio Note preamp
To add, the SUT sections are different too, with four ratios rather than three ... though still marked 3, 6, (12) and 40 ohm the ratios in the 912 are higher, but can be attenuated 0, -6 and -12 dB via the intermediary transformer between phono an... 
EAR vs Audio Note preamp
No I’m absolutely correct. The 868PL is a tube-FET hybrid along with the inductor in the phono stage (four tubes, two each section) the 912 has five tubes and an all tube + inductor phono stage. The phono sections are different designs.