Budget Entry Level Audiophile Hifi [Archive]

Outcast

26-12-2020, 12:56 PM

As the title states, I'm looking for some advice on good quality Entry Level Audiophile Hifi gear.

What I have already:

Rotel direct drive turntable
Musical Fidelity A3 Solid State Amp

So, no stranger to Entry Level Audiophile gear.

What I want to move to:

PrimaLuna Evo 100 Valve Amp
Phono Stage: I've looked at a few & I am now confused... :)
Rega Planar 3 Turntable (in about 12 months time)

My budget for an integrated tube amp & phono stage is between $3500 - $4000...

The Prima Luna Evo 100 & 200 together with an entry level Phono Stage (Rega MM Mk3, NAD Pp2e, Musical Fidelity LX2-LPS, Schiit Mani & there are many others I've looked at) come within my budget.

I'm not in a position to audition any of this gear as no-one in Cairns stocks this (or for that matter any Audiophile gear) gear so, I'm having to rely on reviews, etc... The PrimaLuna Evo tube amps get overwhelming good reviews & comments on user forums for an entry level tube amp. The Phono stage choice is where I'm somewhat bamboozled. However, I'm open to advice, suggestions on both.

I'd welcome any suggestions from members with experience in this area please. Please remember, I'm on a budget... I'm well aware of the limitations this places on me but, believe I should be able to get some pretty good bang for my buck as well as move to the Tube end of town.. :)

Thanks in Advance

Outcast

26-12-2020, 02:20 PM

:lol: yep.. you're right...

Then add to the mix my bass guitars & amp rig... my wife just loves my hobbies... NOT

26-12-2020, 04:10 PM

Hi Carlton,

based on a former life in the area I'd simply say that by far one will get the greatest benefit in changing things at either end of the chain, where movement is turned in to an electrical signal at the cartridge and where an electrical signal is turned in to motion at the loudspeaker. The phono preamp can also play a considerable part as their is sometimes considerable variation in the RIAA/equalisation. Those areas are where I would focus my attention in an analog system.

Best
JA

rrussell1962

26-12-2020, 04:29 PM

Hi Carlton, I'm with JA. Most decent amps are very competent so its worth focussing on the cartridge and phono stage. Planar 3 is a good turntable, I had one for years with the old RB300 arm and an Ortofon MC before I got talked into a Pink Triangle Export. Interested in your rationale for valve amplification. The A3 is a classy amp. I used to run Audio Innovations valve monoblocks with a pair of Impulse H3 speakers years ago but moved back to a Quad 99 / 909 Power amp solid state system. I found valve gear to be much fussier re partnering. What are you thinking re speakers? BTW Caxton Audio in Brisbane have great deals on stuff - specials on their home page. I have no connection with them other than being a customer for 20 years.

Outcast

26-12-2020, 04:56 PM

Thanx Gents,

Speakers... forgot to mention.. currently running a set of Jensen QX35 6 Ohm floor standing speakers.

My A3 is having some issues, source selection buttons don't stay selected when powering up. There is an audible click & the light goes out... it's taking me 5 - 6 power cycles to get the source selection to stay connected. I've spoken to an audio technician up here & he suspects dry capacitors & believes he should be able to repair it.

It is a fantastic amp which has served me well for 22 years... I just have a hankering for that warm, analogue tube sound.. which I have experienced with guitar amps but, not hifi... The PrimaLuna amp I'm looking at seems very well regarded in it's price point & has a few features that make living with a tube amp somewhat easier such as an autobiasing function, protection circuit for the amp in case of dead tube, toroidal transformers, quality components & point to point wiring...

As JA says, the snag for me is choosing a phono preamp... I know picking the right one will be the key to the whole experience...

The turntable upgrade will come in time... & maybe if I butter the wife up enough, maybe just maybe some new speakers... :)

I've got another phono preamp to add to the mix.. MOFI Studiophono... reviews & opinions seem a little less mixed/controversial than others I've been looking at... :)

xelasnave

26-12-2020, 05:33 PM

I don't know but I think folk get a bit carried away with the difference in sound Calton...I bought a cheap electric guitar, small amp and a looper...$250, $100 and $90 respectively...days ago..only cheap guitar, left he said ... now he did have a $7500 valve amp and various collector guitars but I noticed a telly at $5,500...So just in guitar and amp I could have spent $13,000 to get what?...little more than being able to boast that I had more money than sense I reckon...anyways my $350 investment sounds dam good in the van...the guitar I swears is as good as my Gibson ..it seems to be one of those Japanese guitars that came out that was good when folk still thought Japan could not make good guitars...the amp is a Yamaha and for $100 is brilliant...anyways what made me comment on folk getting carried away ..last night was watching Steve Stevens go thru his gear...he has a rack of maybe 10 or 15 on the tour he was talking about..this one has this and this has that..then his effects..on and on..then his amps...I honestly doubt if his extreme indulgence really comes out in the performance...he is Billy Idols guitarist if you did not know...great guitarist I think but it really is hard to tell thru all his grease....when I am on the electric with buzz and fuzz I sound hot let me tell you...the Gibson is great it generates an accompaniment with neat squeals and zz top type harmonics.

Anyways for me I am very happy to have spent a mere pittance rather than $13,000...I would rather boast how little I paid rather than how much I paid...anyways as I said I have a nice Gibson which I have no idea of value and I nice little Peavey 50 watt to bring up...

I love this looper...do you use one?
Great to lay down a 12 bar progression or a 4 chord thing and then add something else before you do a lead...but perfect to just have it play a cord over and over whilst you experiment with licks... doing it that way leaves no pressure to adjust to a cord change and must perfect the lick.

I guess my reality is I don't stop long enough to appreciate music in itself...usually more a background thing.

So gotta watch getting carried away again with guitars..I just now counted them..including the three strings ( 3 of) I have two acoustics and two electrics...

Anyways sure is nice to hear about your gear.

Addition..the guitar would go out of tune over night something the Gibson never does..It did not worry me but when I hit the hammy bar the guitar just dropped right out..so I retuned it and vowed never to use the yammy again...but I noticed the nut slipped to one slide..the head is offset so that is why..there is the tuning issue right there....anyways I bet that is why the previous owner sold it..after a while going out of tune like it did would send you nuts..and you would not notice because as you retuned the nut was dragged back to the base string side...anyways glued it down and now it's in tune the next morning....

Alex

Outcast

26-12-2020, 08:28 PM

I don't completely disagree Alex & one could easily spend $100k on high-end gear but, if you've never listened to serious hifi gear then I recommend you do... you'll be surprised at the difference..

When I bought my first decent amp, the musical fidelity A3, a SS dual mono block amp (no mixing of channels & tonally neutral) I discovered things in both my vinyl & CD collections I'd never heard before. The reproduction difference was staggering, I kid you not...

The valve amp I'm looking at is extremely modestly priced... I might have French Champagne taste but, my budget is definitely Aussie Beer...😊

ab1963

26-12-2020, 09:23 PM

Before i came to live in Australia from England 30yrs ago i had a Linn sondek,Itok and asak front end or turntable as better known 100 watt pure A class Naim pre and power amp and a pair of Gale speakers all well isolated on correct stands and was incredible but i play a few instruments and think that gives you the understanding of how important separation and tone is in appreciation of music even when you're just jamming with a few mates so i for one agree that money spent on quality hifi just as in telescopes is money well spent that's how i see it anyway

xelasnave

26-12-2020, 10:20 PM

Thinking it thru..I have never listened to music thru good gear.
I do like "live" music...it can't be better than live music can it?
Alex

ab1963

26-12-2020, 10:28 PM

I believe not but that's why audiophiles spend fortunes to try and replicate that emotion,feel etc that comes from live music

Outcast

27-12-2020, 12:02 AM

No but, with a good recording & quality audio gear it's as close as you can get without being in the audience... :)

27-12-2020, 06:27 AM

Hi Carlton,
The input selection problems on your A3 at startup and then for a few cycles certainly suggests a powersupply/aged capacitor issue, but could also be something to do with switch/relay contacts or even an intermittent contact or circuit trace that changes (improves) as the unit warms up. Capacitors though seem very likely and you can likely know for sure before changing them especially if they are oozing any liquid/gel gunk from their vents or on to the circuit board, or their case is split open usually at their tops or their Equivalent Series Resistance measured by a special meter is highervthan expected. If you need to change capacitors ask your tech to check the ESR in circuit first to help verify that it is a capacitor related fault and also replace the capacitors whilst he is at it with a Low ESR type of the highest temperature rating for potentially longer life and better performance.

Best
JA

Outcast

27-12-2020, 11:37 AM

Thanks JA

Max Vondel

27-12-2020, 07:00 PM

I can recommend Eric Chan (McChanson on Ebay) based in Sydney
He recently custom built me a single ended triode based on the 300B.
Using interstage transformers instead of capacitors. So a total of 8 transformers!
Max power 10 Watts but I rarely even run it at 6 Watts.

Matched with a Pair Psvane 300B-T Mark II Treasure Tubes.
I have owned a lot of tube amps over the years, EL34, KT88, KT120 etc
Ultra linear and single ended. This is by far the best I've had n heard. He does have a very minimalist website. And comes with a lifetime warranty (his lifetime...lol)

Price with valves around 3K. I have used them with full range folded horns up to complex 4 way speaker setups. And they drive all loads with ease. Plus you can specify all components you want to use, point to point wiring, ALPS pots, silver wire etc

Eric has built 4 amps for me over the years and never a problem with any of them

Eric: https://www.mcchanson.com/
Valves: https://grantfidelity.com/ (note, lots of tubes on Ebay are counterfeits, this is a reliable source)

morls

28-12-2020, 02:52 PM

My experience of setting up mixing rooms and recording has taught me that the listening environment plays a crucial role in getting the most out of your equipment. Speaker placement, furnishings and floor coverings contribute enormously to the sound. The shape and volume of the room determines which frequencies are reinforced or attenuated. There are some really good, and not too expensive, options for room treatment available. It's worth looking into if you're going to be dropping big bucks (for me, anything over $300 is big bucks) on audio gear. The best gear in a poorly treated and set up room is not going to sound good. A little bit of treatment and careful placement of acoustic diffusers can make a real difference. There are phone apps now (free) which can give basic acoustic analysis.

Having a specific listening position is crucial too. If listening to stereo, the equilateral triangle setup with tweeters at ear level is the most often recommended starting point.

Outcast

28-12-2020, 05:35 PM

Hi Stephen,

You are absolutely correct... no point in putting decent gear in an echo chamber.

Happy I've got my 'listening' room as sorted as SWMBO will allow... carpeted, soft furnishings, material wall hangings, etc....

I won't say it's perfect but, it's as good as the wife is gonna let me get.. :)

morls

28-12-2020, 07:46 PM

Sounds great :thumbsup:

ab1963

28-12-2020, 08:13 PM

You have to remember that to play music live will always be number 1 if i was offered a 3k hi-fi system or 3k of top class live concerts i would jump on the live gigs

Stonius

28-12-2020, 09:43 PM

I would have to disagree, my friend. Live audio is full of compromises that a recording studio is designed to address. One of the key aspects of setting up a live gig is to tune the room, subtracting the frequencies that are reinforced by resonant nodes created in structures with invariably parallel walls. So in terms of fidelity, you can get much better control and reproduction in a studio, BUT without a thousands-strong crowd, do you get the same performance? Not usually.

That being said, one of my favorite albums of all time is U2's under a blood red sky. I don't care that it's not the best sound quality, it's the raw energy of the performance that makes that record.

Cheers

Markus

alpal

29-12-2020, 08:08 AM

It's almost impossible to equalise a room.
It is perhaps better to use headphones?

morls

29-12-2020, 09:36 AM

That's a good point, one advantage of using headphones is that you can eliminate the shortcomings of the listening room. It's also a great way to get into the detail of the music. And yes, it's difficult to equalise a room, but you can reduce reflections between the speaker and listening position, and there are excellent bass traps that can tame at least some of the resonant frequencies. These two measures alone can make a big difference

Terry B

29-12-2020, 11:42 AM

My only comment is before spending up big is to test your own hearing. I have reasonable audio equipment but have not been using it as much as in the past.
I know my hearing is reduced compared to when I was young. I recently did a simple test with my kids using a frequency generator easily found on multiple websites. I could not hear anything above 10000hz whilst my 20+ yr kids could hear up to 18000hz. This was very disappointing. Testing very low sound was harder to do as the little speakers on my computer couldn't play them so neither I or the kids could hear them.
My point is spending up to hear the theoretical extra 2% of fidelity when your own hearing is compromised is probably not worth the effort.
:)

alpal

29-12-2020, 03:27 PM

I know how they equalise a room at say a pub for a band to play.
They use a 32 band graphic equalizer and they can see it come up as red
on a channel that is resonating with the building.
They simply turn that channel down till it's in the green area.
That way they have control over 32 frequency bands in the audio range.
I don't know anyone who can do that at home?

Outcast

31-12-2020, 02:12 PM

So... after much reading & consideration, I've pulled the trigger on a Primaluna Evo 100 integrated amp & a Mofi Studiophono pre-amp...

https://www.primaluna-usa.com/primaluna-evo-100-tube-integrated

https://www.mofielectronics.com/studiophono-phonostage

Now to let the dust settle with SWMBO before we discuss a new turntable & some new speakers...:eyepop:

Astrophe

01-01-2021, 05:09 PM

I can highly recommend the Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista Integrated amplifier, from the early 2000s. That's the Nu-Vista M3 integrated....there is a newer version out, the Nu-vista 800, currently priced around $18K, so that's a bit beyond your budget, although it's an excellent amp.

So the Nu-Vista M3 has a nu-vista valve pre-amp section linked to a solid state power amp...pumping out about 275 watts RMS., giving a very tube like sound with a good phono section thrown in.

Just be aware that it is a two box integrated....the amplifier proper (in one box) and an outboard power supply in a second box. A bit strange that an integrated amp should have two boxes, but that's the way they were built.

https://www.georgemeyer-av.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Musical-Fidelity-M3_1.jpg

xelasnave

01-01-2021, 08:13 PM

Congratulations Carlton from what I can see you will have a very nice system. Where will you put it..do you have a special room?
Alex

morls

01-01-2021, 08:14 PM

Looks like a great setup

Outcast

01-01-2021, 09:12 PM

Cheers, all being equal it should all arrive this week... looking forward to first hearing... :)

Thanks Alex, I believe it should be good, yes... not necessarily bigger & better than what I have but, different.. & that was the aim of going down the valve amplification path...

It's setup in the spare room, alongside my bass rig... not a particularly large room hence, no desire for stupid amounts of power output...

My current setup is pictured below... the new amp will replace the one on the left which is in need of a thorough service & possibly some capacitor replacement... I will then put it away for my son so he has a nice starting point to a quality hifi setup when he moves out... :)

I'd love to move from my Musical Fidelity A3 SS to a Musical Fidelity valve amp... I looked at their valve amps longingly when I purchased the A3 over twenty years ago... couldn't afford it then, can't now either...

The PrimaLuna's seem to have acquired a good reputation having been around now since 2003. Dutch/German design but, like most things these days, manufactured in China which.. keeps the cost to the purchaser down...

I'll update the thread once I've set it all up & had a good listen & then again, once the valves are nicely burnt in...

My next challenge is to replace my ageing Jensens with something that is easily driven by a modest valve amp...

There are a number of Australian made speakers I'm having a bit of a look at.. particularly these:

https://www.adelaidespeakers.com/valve.html

rrussell1962

02-01-2021, 06:56 AM

Those speakers look interesting Carlton. Efficient transmission line speakers can go really well with valve amps. The folded horn Impulse H6's and Audio Innovations valve gear I had years ago sounded really nice. Looking forward to reading your impressions of your new amp. I remember the nu vista series! It was out of my league at the time and probably still is. Musical Fidelity have always made nice gear.

Astrophe

03-01-2021, 02:46 PM

If you're in the market for Aussie made speakers (and why not), then do yourself a favour and have a serious look at the Wyndham Audio BR1:https://www.wyndhamaudio.com.au/products/wyndham-audio-br1-loudspeaker

A compact speaker with an amazing punch....and totally musical.

Another consideration for your Prima Luna valve amp...and depending on the type of music you listen to....would be a well-sorted pair of Quad 57 Electrostatic speakers. If you listen to vocal, jazz, classical, they are unbeatable. A bit left of centre these days...they were released by Quad in 1957...they consistently top the lists of the world's all time best speakers, and even after 60 years, they are superb at what they do best....MUSIC. A good (refurbished) pair of Quad 57s from the mid 1970s would cost about $3K or so:

Outcast

03-01-2021, 10:08 PM

Thanks John,

I'll take a look at those BR1's... my current speakers rate at 92db sensitivity (allegedly) so, we'll see how well the new amp drives them first....

Googled the Quad 57's... my god.. they'd take up half my spare room.. :) They certainly look a little different... I've never listened to Electrostats... must remedy that one day...

Cheers

04-01-2021, 06:19 AM

Definitely try and have a listen one day, they are remarkable, especially The Quad ESL which reveals an incredible amount of inner detail in the music with no boxy loudspeaker colouration. They have their limitations of Sound Pressure Level and extreme low bass, but these can be overcome by stacking 2 or more pairs for greater output and bass as well as adding a good subwoofer with an electronic crossover to high pass the Quads from anywhere in the 40-80Hz, to suit your taste.

I have a Double stacked set currently in storage until the day I finally finish our renovations and listening room that I will modify further into a modern monolith type look. The QUAD ESL was sometimes custom-stacked by it's owners, except for one uber expensive commercial version in the 1970s: The Mark Levinson HQD. Here are some pics of various stacked QUADS for interest.....
https://mniec.wordpress.com/2013/02/12/stacked-pair-quad-esl-57-electrostatic-speakers-gallery/

The look is very 1970s or earlier, but the sound is .... I'll quote the "Audio Critic Magazine":
"With the two panels six to seven feet apart (centre to centre) and angled slightly inward, and with a single auditioner sitting perfectly centred about six to eight feet back from the speakers, NOTHING - repeat, NOTHING! we know of equals the transparency and definition of the Quads. NOTHING. The speakers seem to disappear; only the music is left. All other speakers are slightly coloured by comparison...."

Best
JA

Astrophe

04-01-2021, 03:13 PM

Guys, I had a pair of Quad 57s for 40 years. When I moved into a retirement unit, I had no room for them, so reluctantly I had to part with them. It was like getting a divorce, with about the same degree of trauma.

I then moved onto the Wyndham Audio BR1s and while they are not the 57s, they are perhaps the next best thing and made right here in Oz.....as good and anything made overseas and often even better at the same price point.

I still miss the 57s...there's just nothing that compares to them and considering they were designed in the mid 1950s, that is really saying something. Peter Walker (the designer) was an audio genius and his creations are now the stuff of legends. Oh how I miss my 57s. Cheers.

Outcast

06-01-2021, 10:37 AM

Well, for those interested my PrimaLuna valve amp was delivered yesterday & setup in my spare room.

It has no trouble driving my Jensen QX2 35s... there is a choice of 4 or 8Ohm taps so, after a bit of googling, I decided to use the 4Ohm tap into my 'nominal' 6Ohm speakers...

The sound out of the box is sweet; I won't say there is a massive difference between what my A3 produces & what the PL gives me but, there are some subtle differences that, IMHO are really nice.

High highs are less harsh, not so shrill at their peak.. vocals, particularly female are warmer and more relaxed.

Plenty of bass, nice & tight with plenty of warmth & sustain, no loss in that department & the mids are just beautiful, a touch more clarity in the mids & just a warmer more mellow, even tone. This is running the stock EL34 power tubes which, although not yet 'burned in' still sound quite sweet out of the box. I'll be interested to see how the tonal character changes over time...

It has plenty of volume for the room I use it in & seems quite capable of producing 'neighbour annoying' volumes without any sign of clipping...

One thing I have noticed, these tube amps run hot, very... I had read about this but, you don't realise how warm/hot they get from just reading about it...:)

The idea of 'tube rolling' is already in my mind... considering a matched set of Genalex KT88's for comparison with the stock EL34s

Unfortunately, the second part of the package hasn't yet arrived so, with no phono stage at present, i can't comment on how my vinyl sounds... I'll update that aspect when it arrives...

My Musical Fidelity A3 is certainly no slouch in terms of a high quality SS amplifier but, valves just seem to add a subtle warmth to the music & a touch more clarity in certain registers...

In short, could not be happier with my purchase at this early stage... it's certainly added a tonal quality to my listening that is indeed very enjoyable without colouring the artists recording intent...

Cheers

Astrophe

06-01-2021, 04:35 PM

Excellent Carlton, it's always pleasing to buy new equipment and find that you are happy with it. Alas, it's not always the case. Most of us who have been around audio for some little time, have had a number of experiences with new purchases that don't always live up to what is claimed for them....or the new gear sounds completely different from the way it sounded in the dealers showroom. Be interested in your impressions of the phono stage when it arrives.

blindman

06-01-2021, 06:56 PM

Once you hear electrostats, there is no way back to boxes (eventually Sonus Faber or Serblin - but for these you have to get a loan from the bank).

Just do not buy Rega Turntable. I had one. Not that bad, but there are much better for similar money (try through Forum).
Good luck

blink138

06-01-2021, 07:09 PM

hi carlton i am a bit late to this party, though i have been following it since the beginning
at first i was going to add my 2 cents worth in on the amplifier, but you had your mind set on the valves which is fine
i find the valves a bit "slow" and less engaging, however i have not heard any modern ones
i run an accuphase power and pre which i would not part with and i am very happy with my system as a whole, but two areas i will spend money on soonish is to do more research into speaker cables and, like you am very interested in a separate phono stage though the built in phone mc setting on my accuphase seems extremely good
for something different i would certainly audition a valve phono stage, but i am open to either
one important thing when considering the turntable is to think seriously about having an external motor and belt to turn the platter
this has been the major difference for me in quietness of my prescious records
up until about 5 years ago i had my rega 3 since 1982 and with moderate to higher volumes the motor underneath turning the spindle used to rumble and of course then the cartridge picked it up and magnified it and so clarity was lost at even moderate volumes no matter how isolated from vibration the deck was
i have never heard a quieter turntable than the one i have now ( the project evolution 10.1) with it's outboard motor, whisper quiet even on higher volumes except of course for the wonderful pops of records
next, do not under estimate mass in a platter, the best dampening of them all (except for the magnificent suspension from a thorens!)
i also have the wonderful ortofon kontrapunkt A moving coil
DON'T SCRIMP ON YOUR SPEAKERS, this could let all of your hard earned a big waste in my books
in the 80's a good pair of speakers made an average system sound better, now though i start with the pointy (literally) end of things with a good cartridge and styli
look out for a decent second hand pair of brits i reckon
i have had my celestion ditton 66's since 1982 also and i love them to bits, very efficient on low volumes with amazing clarity
pat

Outcast

06-01-2021, 10:57 PM

Cheers Pat, you are correct, I was very keen to head down the tube path.. I can't comment on more vintage era valve gear but, this Primaluna seems extremely good for the money. No idea what I might be missing in say a McIntosh or similar but, my wallet suggests I probably never will..

I googled the Pro-ject 10 Evolution, my.. what a beast.. thankyou for your advice on turntables.. I will keep an eye out on the Stereo Net forum & see what turns up...

Now that I'm satisfied that the new amp can drive my existing speakers in a satisfactory manner, I have more time to consider my future options & save some coin to possibly set my sights a little higher.. there are some bargains that turn up on Stereo Net, much like here for astro gear so, I'll be keeping a close eye on what comes up..

However, like I mention below.. nowhere to audition up here... I have to work on reviews, opinions and advice & then, take a punt...

Cheers, anything specific you might suggest to keep an eye out for in terms of turntables? I've joined Stereo Net.. plenty of nice (and sometimes expensive) gear appears to change hands on that forum... :)

Thanks John, indeed... it's even a bit more of a gamble for me as there is simply nowhere I can practically go to audition gear. We used to have 3 genuine hifi stores up here, now we have none.

Astrophe

07-01-2021, 06:47 AM

Carlton, I lived up in Cairns in the late 1970s. I bought quite a bit of gear through Targa Hi Fi. I guess they're not around anymore. Back then, they used to stock some really good gear. I recall buying a Fons turntable with an SME arm and Shure V15 type 1V cartridge from them. Fons was a Scottish brand and no longer in existence. A shame really, because they made excellent TTs. I must have spent quite a bit of money at Targa Hi Fi....Fons/SME/Shure were all fairly expensive back then. Cheers.

rrussell1962

07-01-2021, 07:38 AM

Excellent news that you are happy with the amp Carlton, sounds like you may need a trip to Brisbane at some point to audition some gear! There are a couple of decent hi fi shops left here. It has been interesting reading what gear other people have and have had over the years. After a long journey including an Audio Innovations valve set up / Pink Triangle Export TT in the 80's I ended up with a Quad 99 CDP / 99 Pre / 909 Power and 2805 Electrostatics which I am very happy with, although it is very difficult resisting the temptation to audition new things! Really enjoying everybody's contributions to this thread.

Outcast

07-01-2021, 06:44 PM

We moved to Cairns 15yrs ago, Navy posting... family never left although I had to a few times..

I remember Targa Hifi; there was also Cairns Hifi in Manunda & Stereo World on McLeod St near town... briefly, there was another high end HIFI shop opened in Cairns Central but, it didn't last long.

Sadly, they are all gone now.. The likes of JB Hifi & Harvey Norman pretty much took them out at the knees when they began stocking reasonable quality gear at prices the specialist stores just could not match...

Those hifi stores have probably been gone about 10 years now.. &, the chains responsible for their demise, don't even stock decent gear anymore unless you're in the market for a sound bar & not much else... :(

glend

07-01-2021, 07:29 PM

I saw a Utube video today which asked if 'Vintage' hifi gear superior to the modern stuff. It was mostly dealing with FM receivers, in this case it was the Pioneer SX-450 Stereo Receiver.
It seems that vintage hifi is a pretty serious thing for some folks, I saw a very nice reel to reel setup on another video. I did not think you could even buy quality tape anymore.

rrussell1962

07-01-2021, 08:33 PM

My parents had a Pioneer Music Centre from the late 1970's, remember the flat slab with a tape deck, tuner, turntable and amplifier. Out of curiosity I hooked it up to the Kef Coda 2 speakers I had at the time. Holy Crap - it sounded really good! There is a lot of unloved vintage gear out there which sounds really good.

Outcast

09-01-2021, 04:20 PM

The Mofi Studiophono phono stage finally arrived on Friday; hooked up to the TT & amplifier now so, Vinyl is back on the menu....:)

Relatively simple to setup, plug in the TT cables & ground wire, pair of semi decent interconnects from the PS to the Amp. Haven't played with any of the dip switches as (A) I have no idea what I'm doing & (B) it's a pretty bog standard MM cartridge/stylus so, pretty much leave it set out of the factory I figured.

Vinyl plus PS then on to tubes... hmmmm, sweet sounds (not withstanding dirty records)...

The mofi doesn't seem to add any colour although, I can't really say this definitively as my tube amp doesn't have a Phono stage inbuilt.

Couple of useful things on the Mofi; it has a 'Mono' switch which cancels out one of the channels if playing a recording that is mono. This removes the noise from the stylus reading in the vertical plain & now, having tried this feature on some older recordings, I have to say they sounded much warmer & all in all, more pleasing to the ear. So, this 'Mono' feature definitely seems like something useful rather than a techno gizmo with no meaningful use.

It also has a 'Subsonic' Switch, this removes inaudible sound signals.. it works... but, obviously you can't hear that it works. With the switch disengaged, you could at times see somewhat radical pulsing of the woofer drivers, with it engaged, this disappeared completely.... I'm guessing it will help the drivers not to stress or overwork too much.. I'm not really that sure.

Dip switches to adjust impedance & gain settings, they don't look overly user friendly, dip switches rarely are however, seems pretty standard on most of the Phono Stages I looked at. I don't necessarily see myself moving away from recognised MM carts/stylus to MC so, not sure if I will fiddle with these in the future or not... I understand that a tweak here or there can sometimes provide improvement to signal quality/frequency response.. I've never had this type of option before so, will take some reading before diving in...

Now looking at options for a new TT... can't afford a fortune. but, have found a few options that I think are worth more consideration:

Pro-ject Debut Carbon Evo, Music Hall MMF5.1 & Audio Technika LP7; they're in the money range I can afford so, if anyone out there has any experience with them, please let me know your thoughts...

Cheers

Astrophe

13-01-2021, 03:43 PM

Hi Carlton. Is this the phono stage you are talking about? https://www.mofielectronics.com/studiophono-phonostage

Outcast

13-01-2021, 11:58 PM

That's the one John...

I now have an Acoustic Signature Primus TT with TA500 tonearm enroute... I've discovered HIFI's equivalent of IIS... Stereonet... some tasty gear going for generally good prices on there...

Found someone semi local who, is apparently considered a bit of a TT guru.. he's offered to help me set it up as well as put through some carts (he has 80 or so apparently)... to figure out a good, affordable match for my new acquisition...

Astrophe

14-01-2021, 03:40 PM

Great Carlton, sounds like you've fallen on your feet there. I was going to suggest a new TT, but you beat me to it. Yes, Stereonet has some wonderful members who will go out of their way to help you. Just be aware that Stereonet is not the same as IIS, because it is a commercial venture, somewhat masquerading as a community based forum. Alas, many things (in life) are not always what they appear to be. Don't be taken in. Good luck with your quest. John.

14-01-2021, 04:50 PM

There is no masquerade John. I was a moderator there for ten years and can tell you that it started and remains a community based forum to serve the passion of its members, many of whom are hardcore audiophiles (the odd vidoephile too). Sure it looks professional and has advertising content, like many community based forums, but that is to support the running expenses of providing server hardware, good bandwidth, licensing, software and IT services to keep the forum running and looking fresh.

Additionally there are detailed policies that cover Commercial/Sponsor Members as well as general members. Beyond that there are quite obviously separate classified sections for Commercial/Sponsor Members and general members.

There's no masquerade. It's a wonderful community of like minded audiophiles that love to discuss their passion, sometimes passionately:D, but always respectfully. The friendships made just in the comradery of on-line discussions there, sees many members hosting get-togethers for their forum friends in their own homes. Now that .... is a community based forum !

Best
JA