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Thread: PetRat HiFi

  1. #11
    Join Date: Feb 2012

    Location: Falun, Sweden

    Posts: 2,245
    I'm Mike.

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    Simply beautiful!
    Nice, tidy, and a collecton of Hifi worthy of a high end store!
    Wouldn't mind a listen in the future!
    Regards Mike

  2. #12
    Join Date: Nov 2011

    Location: Newcastle UK

    Posts: 3,745
    I'm Rich.

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    Yummy!

    You win the internet today. That valve ISIS...
    One of these days... I'm going to cut you into little pieces.

  3. #13
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

    Posts: 110,012
    I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.

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    Congrats, Peter - what a wonderful system!

    It's just the sort of thing we like to see on AoS, as your equipment choices demonstrate some proper lateral thinking (i.e you haven't simply bought 'flavours of the month' or obvious choices from mainstream manufacturers), and have achieved synergy and created your own musical nirvana.

    Interesting that the A23 (103) works with the Koetsu. I'll have to remember that in future! How would you describe the sound of the Leben phono stage, which I presume is MM only? I've always admired the products from Leben. Which valves does it use?

    The Cants/EAR combo should be a 'juicy' one, too...

    I'd love to pop down for a listen sometime! Enjoy

    Marco.
    Main System

    Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.

    Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.

    Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.

    CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.

    Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.

    Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.

    Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.

    Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.

    Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.


    Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!

    Also **SAY NO** to unjust 'vaccine passports' or certificates, which are totally incompatible with a FREE society!!!


  4. #14
    Join Date: Feb 2012

    Location: Surbiton

    Posts: 113
    I'm Steve.

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    WOW.
    Amplifier:
    Sony DA-2400ES
    Sources:
    Technics SL-PG490 CD Player
    Pioneer N-50 - Network Streamer
    Sony MDS-JB940 Mini Disc Player
    Sony BDP-S360 BLU RAY
    SKY HD 1tb Box
    Speakers:
    Paradigm Monitor 7 Monitors
    Paradigm Centre
    Mordaunt Short Rears
    Cables:
    Tellurium Blue speaker cables with bridges
    and terminated with Z plugs
    Black Rhodium twist.

  5. #15
    Join Date: Jul 2011

    Location: Northamptonshire

    Posts: 1,914
    I'm Peter.

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    Quote Originally Posted by sirAndy View Post
    Do you have any thoughts on the A23 SUT? I've just acquired one myself (from a very scrupulous person) and I'm rather pleased with it.
    The Auditorium23 SUT I have is the original one designed for the Denon 103, a cartridge I was keen to try. Obviously, it worked well with that, giving a very nice presentation, rather different to my usual Transfiguration Spirit, which is more 'hi-fi' / modern in its approach. That got me thinking and I started looking to get an EMT15 as my next upgrade, as everyone says it works brilliantly with the SUT and is a, sort of, turbo-charged version of the 103, majoring on coherence and musicality, if that makes any sense. However, they are not easy to find (used), and while searching I came across the Koetsu at a good price. Having just heard one at this year's Scalford show and been mightily impressed, I decided to go for it. I was a bit worried whether the SUT would work OK with such a different cartridge, but luck would have it, it seems like an excellent fit. I only have about 50 hours on the cartridge so far, but I am loving it already. The modern Koetsu Black seems to have better treble and bass than the old ones, and I am not missing anything in those areas that I can detect, although it is the glorious midrange that is the major attraction. It works much, much better with the new Audio Note 1 arm than the SME IV. That new arm is very good, and to be honest, if I had to choose between the SME IV and the AN, I'd certainly keep the AN.

    Regarding the A23, this is my first stand alone SUT, but compared to the EAR868 phono / preamp I owned for many years, which uses TdP's MC3 transformers, I think it is slightly more 'lively' and 'palpable', being less 'matter of fact'. I prefer the A23, but others who value objective neutrality might prefer the EAR.

    The A23 is actually rather mysterious, there being no published spec, but I have been told from a very reputable source that he measured a gain of 13x, but I am not sure if there is any additional resistive loading also being applied. Anyway, I am waiting for my Spirit to come back from being re-tipped, so am hoping that will also work OK with the A23, fingers crossed. By the way, Auditorium also do a similarly priced higher gain version for use with Ortofon SPUs, and also a couple of mega-buck Hommage versions.
    Last edited by petrat; 30-04-2013 at 11:20.

  6. #16
    Join Date: Sep 2009

    Location: Derbyshire

    Posts: 9,228
    I'm Josie.

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    .
    Last edited by The Black Adder; 30-04-2013 at 14:56.
    Ultrafide U500DC power amplifier - Croft Vitale )highly modified) - TRIO L-07D Turntable - Denon DL103C1 - Funk Firm Houdini - Lentek MC head amp - 15" Tannoy Monitor Gold Loudspeakers in Lockwood Major cabinets (From Trident Studios) - Tannoyista SPEC 3 Custom Crossovers - VanDamme Black Speaker Cable


    Tannoyista.com

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  7. #17
    Join Date: Jul 2011

    Location: Northamptonshire

    Posts: 1,914
    I'm Peter.

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    Thanks

    Quote Originally Posted by Marco View Post
    How would you describe the sound of the Leben phono stage, which I presume is MM only? I've always admired the products from Leben. Which valves does it use?.
    The A23/Leben/Shindo replaced a longtime resident EAR868PL, which is a very nice one-box preamp. By the way, I had found the 868 to be vastly improved on the previous EAR preamps I had, having previously lived with both 834P and the 864, which is the 834L and 834P in a flash box.

    The Leben phono uses a single pair of General Electric 12AT7 (ECC81) with a valve regulated supply. The website gives further details about the design approach and there are Stereophile and Positive Feedback reviews online. It is a single input MM stage, but the low gain quoted on the website is wrong, it being a more normal 37dB. It is very quiet and nicely dynamic. I bought it to match a Leben 300XS I briefly owned, and it was clearly the superior component. The dealer I got the phonostage from says his customers stop upgrading once they have one ... he can now count me in that group.
    (Edit - but be wary of very high output impedance, as measured in Stereophile review - probably needs 100k input impedance on preamp)
    Last edited by petrat; 30-04-2013 at 19:50.

  8. #18
    Join Date: Jul 2011

    Location: Northamptonshire

    Posts: 1,914
    I'm Peter.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Andrei View Post
    Question: looking at this gear I suspect that digital is a four letter word?
    Nope! It's just more difficult to photograph the cdp, as I'm too lazy to lift it out ... it's a bit of a lump. It sits down there because, for some reason, it sounds better on the low shelf than the top shelf.

    For 9 years I had a Naim CDX2, which got played every day and all day. Never found anything I preferred in my price range, until my current one. By the way, I reckon the CDX2 is a real used bargain at the moment (all the Naimees are going 'streaming' and selling up). Anyway, I thought the 'straight' Isis was OK, a very capable CD player, but not really a significant improvement on the Naim when I auditioned it when it first came out. Some time later, I got the chance to hear the 'valve' version ... what an improvement! I reckon it's not actually the valves that make the big difference, it's the different DAC used and the variable filter options that are not on the standard version. For me, Filter option 3 gives a very lifelike presentation, and makes CDs a joy to listen to. As a 'last ever' cd player, I also like the lifetime warranty and spare laser mechs that Rega keep should they be needed in the future.

    By the way, before anyone assumes I'm particularly wealthy, most everything I have was bought secondhand or ex-demo / extremely generous trade-ins from excellent dealers. Basically, about four years ago I decided that my hard-earned savings were not getting any significant interest and (hopefully) not going to be needed until retirement, so I put the money into stuff that would give me pleasure now, and also not lose anything if I was forced to sell up later. Fortunately, my wife agreed!
    Last edited by petrat; 30-04-2013 at 20:12.

  9. #19
    Join Date: Apr 2013

    Location: Baldock Herts

    Posts: 3
    I'm Bryan.

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    Eclectic.
    I am impressed. I trust it sounds as good as it looks.

    How did you get it in the house?

  10. #20
    Join Date: Jul 2011

    Location: Northamptonshire

    Posts: 1,914
    I'm Peter.

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    With difficulty! Each speaker weighs 10.5 stone ... but fortunately they were delivered by a very strong man with a trick-trolley. They are in the converted garage room at the moment, and I'm waiting for my brother's annual visit so we can shift them and try them in the big living room.

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