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Thread: Headamps - Grass Greener?

  1. #1
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Yorkshire

    Posts: 9,302
    I'm Andrew.

    Default Headamps - Grass Greener?

    I love my little Lentek head amp especially when used with my EAR 834 clone but I'm beginning to wonder if the grass if greener and if I should try something different. A Paul Haynes head amp would be at the top of my list but these are very rare and Paul seems to take months to make anything. So, any suggestions would be welcome.
    SS
    CD Teac VRDS25X(Audiotuned) DECK 1210 Mat Crystal Audio Mods MN Base/Bearing/Platter+Ebony armboard Feet Isonoe PSU Paul Hynes SR7EHD-27XL/DCSXL Ag DC lead/3 Stage Regs/Recap PCB+No Pitch/Strobe/Light ARM SME V(Kondo Ag Rewire&Tags) MC Cadenza Black FGS CABLES Arm Yannis SPD-4 IC Yannis 222 Litz+Ag bullets Power WAR PRE ATC SCA2 SPEAKERS ATC 50ASL STANDS Atacama PHONO Sugden Masterclass PA4 SUT Ortofon ST80SE POWER PSAudio P10

    VALVE
    PRE
    Croft Epoch(Modded) AMP Sondex S100 (Modded) SPEAKERS Tannoy 15"MG+RFC Warwick cabs+ Ref XO + Batpure supertweeters DECK Garrard 301 Mat Teunto Bearings 401(Bastin) Plinth Bamboo Arms 3009/3012 PSU Eagle+Tachometer MC Ag Meister II/FGS + Ortofon SPU MONO CABLES Arm Yannis 420.5 Litz+ SpeakerPC Tripple C+WBT-0681 Ag IC Oyaide FTVS-510 AgWBT 0110Ag Phonostages Paradise(4 Box Mega-Modded) / Croft Musicmaker



  2. #2
    Bigman80 Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by REXTON View Post
    I love my little Lentek head amp especially when used with my EAR 834 clone but I'm beginning to wonder if the grass if greener and if I should try something different. A Paul Haynes head amp would be at the top of my list but these are very rare and Paul seems to take months to make anything. So, any suggestions would be welcome.
    Is this for use with your EAR?

  3. #3
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Yorkshire

    Posts: 9,302
    I'm Andrew.

    Default

    YEP! The Lentek & EAR clone combo truly is a giant killer. It's rare that I'm impressed nowadays but I'm impressed!
    SS
    CD Teac VRDS25X(Audiotuned) DECK 1210 Mat Crystal Audio Mods MN Base/Bearing/Platter+Ebony armboard Feet Isonoe PSU Paul Hynes SR7EHD-27XL/DCSXL Ag DC lead/3 Stage Regs/Recap PCB+No Pitch/Strobe/Light ARM SME V(Kondo Ag Rewire&Tags) MC Cadenza Black FGS CABLES Arm Yannis SPD-4 IC Yannis 222 Litz+Ag bullets Power WAR PRE ATC SCA2 SPEAKERS ATC 50ASL STANDS Atacama PHONO Sugden Masterclass PA4 SUT Ortofon ST80SE POWER PSAudio P10

    VALVE
    PRE
    Croft Epoch(Modded) AMP Sondex S100 (Modded) SPEAKERS Tannoy 15"MG+RFC Warwick cabs+ Ref XO + Batpure supertweeters DECK Garrard 301 Mat Teunto Bearings 401(Bastin) Plinth Bamboo Arms 3009/3012 PSU Eagle+Tachometer MC Ag Meister II/FGS + Ortofon SPU MONO CABLES Arm Yannis 420.5 Litz+ SpeakerPC Tripple C+WBT-0681 Ag IC Oyaide FTVS-510 AgWBT 0110Ag Phonostages Paradise(4 Box Mega-Modded) / Croft Musicmaker



  4. #4
    Bigman80 Guest

    Default

    I have spent the last four weeks or so listening to various headamps and SUTs. I have ended up getting asking Alan to fit his MC JFET input into the Wizard phonostage.

    For me, it's the best of both worlds. The fluidity and 3D soundstage of a SUT without the mechanical sound i got from multiple HAs. And it has the loading ability that's usually unavailable with SUT'S. It's ultra clean too.

    I know Alan has a switchable version for MM and MC so it doesn't have to be a permanent deal

  5. #5
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Yorkshire

    Posts: 9,302
    I'm Andrew.

    Default

    Thanks for the advice, but, I'd really need something plonking in the EAR to assess the effects and I don't think Alan will be up for that!
    SS
    CD Teac VRDS25X(Audiotuned) DECK 1210 Mat Crystal Audio Mods MN Base/Bearing/Platter+Ebony armboard Feet Isonoe PSU Paul Hynes SR7EHD-27XL/DCSXL Ag DC lead/3 Stage Regs/Recap PCB+No Pitch/Strobe/Light ARM SME V(Kondo Ag Rewire&Tags) MC Cadenza Black FGS CABLES Arm Yannis SPD-4 IC Yannis 222 Litz+Ag bullets Power WAR PRE ATC SCA2 SPEAKERS ATC 50ASL STANDS Atacama PHONO Sugden Masterclass PA4 SUT Ortofon ST80SE POWER PSAudio P10

    VALVE
    PRE
    Croft Epoch(Modded) AMP Sondex S100 (Modded) SPEAKERS Tannoy 15"MG+RFC Warwick cabs+ Ref XO + Batpure supertweeters DECK Garrard 301 Mat Teunto Bearings 401(Bastin) Plinth Bamboo Arms 3009/3012 PSU Eagle+Tachometer MC Ag Meister II/FGS + Ortofon SPU MONO CABLES Arm Yannis 420.5 Litz+ SpeakerPC Tripple C+WBT-0681 Ag IC Oyaide FTVS-510 AgWBT 0110Ag Phonostages Paradise(4 Box Mega-Modded) / Croft Musicmaker



  6. #6
    Bigman80 Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by REXTON View Post
    Thanks for the advice, but, I'd really need something plonking in the EAR to assess the effects and I don't think Alan will be up for that!
    Fair enough.

  7. #7
    Join Date: Oct 2012

    Location: The Black Country

    Posts: 6,089
    I'm Alan.

    Default

    I do have a re-capped head amp you might like to try, it certainly punches above its (original) weight.

  8. #8
    RothwellAudio Guest

  9. #9
    Join Date: Apr 2015

    Location: Central Virginia

    Posts: 1,736
    I'm Russell.

    Default

    I am not seeing the point of having two amps, or an SUT and amp, to do the same job that one amp can do? Perhaps I am not experienced in the benefits of doing it this way? My Phonomena is a battery powered solid state unit, that has a half dozen gain settings and lots of loading options. I used it with a Grado Gold when I first got it, I really didn’t see what was so great about it. Until I got my Sumiko MC cart. and suddenly this preamp was shining! Background is jet black, great extension, without favoring any frequency range. I’ve heard better, usually in more expensive units. But my point is, I don’t see the benefit of using two boxes to accomplish the same thing? Maybe I’m missing out?

    Russell

  10. #10
    RothwellAudio Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by alphaGT View Post
    I am not seeing the point of having two amps, or an SUT and amp, to do the same job that one amp can do?
    All electronics hiss - it's a fundamental part of the universe. When LOMCs first appeared it was pretty much impossible to get a good signal-to-noise ratio without using a step-up transformer, so step-up transformers were obligatory. When transistors came along it didn't make much difference - you still needed a step-up transformer unless you were prepared to tolerate a certain amount of audible hiss. With modern solid state electronics it is now possible to get very low levels of hiss, but still not quite as low as you can get with a step-up transformer. The down-side of SUTs is that they're prone to hum pick-up.
    Still, noise issues aside, there are plenty of people who believe that the sound quality you get with a SUT cannot be beaten.
    As for "extra boxes", audiophiles seem to love using more and more boxes. Phonostage in one box? Why not pay more money and have it two?

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