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Thread: Which SUT or Head Amp for Benz Micro Ace SL and Trichord Dino?

  1. #1
    Join Date: Mar 2016

    Location: East Sussex

    Posts: 419
    I'm Nat.

    Default Which SUT or Head Amp for Benz Micro Ace SL and Trichord Dino?

    I currently have a Trichord Dino Mk 2 with NCPSU and although my Benz Micro Ace SL sounds really good I have the feeling it has more to give and after reading and posting on a recent thread I'm wondering if an SUT or a Head Amp would get more out of the Ace plugged into the Dino set for MM loading.

    Obviously a better phono stage would of course do that but at the moment I just don't have the funds to upgrade. Up until now with a Denon 110, Dynavector 10x5 and an AT OC9 Mk 1 the Dino has been a cracking phono amp and there are moments even now when the Benz sounds really good through the Dino but I know with a bit of help it could sound really excellent all of the time.

    So any suggestions?

  2. #2
    Join Date: Mar 2015

    Location: Berlin

    Posts: 50
    I'm George.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Natara View Post
    I currently have a Trichord Dino Mk 2 with NCPSU and although my Benz Micro Ace SL sounds really good I have the feeling it has more to give and after reading and posting on a recent thread I'm wondering if an SUT or a Head Amp would get more out of the Ace plugged into the Dino set for MM loading.

    Obviously a better phono stage would of course do that but at the moment I just don't have the funds to upgrade. Up until now with a Denon 110, Dynavector 10x5 and an AT OC9 Mk 1 the Dino has been a cracking phono amp and there are moments even now when the Benz sounds really good through the Dino but I know with a bit of help it could sound really excellent all of the time.

    So any suggestions?
    As always, you get what you pay for... Rothwell Audio being around here, many SUTs on offer, just ask, maybe he will be prepared to loan a demo unit within your budget to get some "feeling" whether it is the proper upgrade path or not.

  3. #3
    Join Date: Mar 2008

    Location: Galashiels

    Posts: 13,669
    I'm inthescottishmafia.

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    If you don’t have a largish budget, a head amp would probably be the way to go IMO, Firebottle makes a very good one.
    “Music has always been a matter of energy to me, a question of fuel. Sentimental people call it inspiration, but what they really mean is fuel. I have always needed fuel. I am a serious consumer. On some nights I still believe that a car with the gas needle on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio”

    Hunter S Thompson

  4. #4
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

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

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    Yup, seconded on Andrew's stuff. Either a Headspace (his head amp) or one of his SUTs, used in conjunction with the Dino's MM input, Tara, would really make your Ace sing!

    Just take Andrew's advice on which product to go for, or find out if there are any demo units you could borrow

    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.


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  5. #5
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

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

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ali Tait View Post
    Firebottle makes a very good one.
    Yup, I forgot Alan does head amps, which are also excellent. It's Tara's decision. It's good to have choice!

    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!!!


  6. #6
    Join Date: Mar 2016

    Location: East Sussex

    Posts: 419
    I'm Nat.

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    I have seen and read reviews of Rothwell Audio headspace it sounds an excellent choice and I will ask Andrew when I find his pm address if he has a demo unit.
    Quote Originally Posted by forsell View Post
    As always, you get what you pay for... Rothwell Audio being around here, many SUTs on offer, just ask, maybe he will be prepared to loan a demo unit within your budget to get some "feeling" whether it is the proper upgrade path or not.

  7. #7
    Join Date: Sep 2012

    Location: Derbyshire

    Posts: 542
    I'm mark.

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    I think you'll need to spend a lot more on a phono stage make significant gains on Dino/NCPSU. Head amps and SUT's will be a merry-go-round at that sort of budget which may be different, but not necessarily better...

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