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Thread: wam show 2018

  1. #101
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

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

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    Quote Originally Posted by oldius View Post
    True Marco. However, budgets often only allow us to hear products at a certain level. At that level, it's worth hearing a range of equipment to determine our preference, in our own context which may be far from optimal.
    Completely agree, Geoff, which is why it's always good to bear the latter in mind. I think it's fairly safe to say that you're more likely to hear a good SS amp, than a valve one, simply because the former are generally easier to make sound good, and often rather more cheaply, too!

    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!!!


  2. #102
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

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

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    Quote Originally Posted by YNWaN View Post
    I’ve listened to a prototype hybrid valve stage that Jez built and thought that very good, but I haven’t yet heard any full valve stages I could personally enjoy*. I’ve heard various valve amps I have liked - the current Trilogy stuff for example.

    * Actually, that’s not true - the Tron Convergence was very good.
    Absolutely, Mark. And how much is the above Tron, £3k or more?

    My point being that, just like with amps, you don't get 'affordable' great sounding valve phono stages, which are widely available, apart from those the likes of Glenn Croft builds into his preamps, or if you're a member here, those from small specialist makers, such as Firebottle.

    I'm not really into hybrid designs, as most (but not all) to my ears, rather than being the 'best of both worlds', end up being a master of none...

    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!!!


  3. #103
    Join Date: Jan 2009

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    The Tron is relatively cheap - 1K for the MM version and 1.2 for the MC.
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  4. #104
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

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

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    That's much less than I'd imagined, so definitely on the 'SPPV' list

    You know where I'm coming from, though.

    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!!!


  5. #105
    Join Date: Aug 2012

    Location: South Beds, UK

    Posts: 1,950
    I'm Mike.

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    I'm very pleased that the show went ahead and that all the visitors and exhibitors seemed to enjoy themselves.

    The show serves a great purpose, getting a bunch of otherwise anti-social old duffer's together for a great time and showcasing home hi-fi to the general public.

    Sort of like care in the community, enacted to music 😀
    Less bling, more integrity ©Spenagio

  6. #106
    Join Date: Jan 2009

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    Quote Originally Posted by Marco View Post
    That's much less than I'd imagined, so definitely on the 'SPPV' list

    You know where I'm coming from, though.

    Marco.
    Well yes, I guess I do and I don’t. I heard the Tron at a friends house and I want expecting to be as impressed as I was. In particular, it really didn’t do anything badly which is not as easy to achieve as one would think. However, he played it against his (then) Paradise and although their bone structure was similar I honestly thought the Paradise was a league beyond in terms of subtlety, nuance and absolute dynamic. But these things are in the ear of the individual.
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  7. #107
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

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    That's fair enough, Mark. However, you're comparing a 'no compromise' bespoke designed DIY phono stage, against a mid-market commercially produced one, so hardly a fair contest.

    How much do you think the Paradise would cost if it were produced by, say, Naim, and sold through their dealer network? I'm guessing more than £1200.

    And does GT Audio produce a more expensive valve phono stage than the Tron one you mention?

    [Edit: just looked, and the Convergence appears to be they entry-level unit. Perhaps the Seven, shown here (or the mono version), would be more of a match for the Paradise: http://www.tron-electric.co.uk/phono...n-phono-stage/

    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!!!


  8. #108
    Join Date: Jan 2009

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    Posts: 6,585
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    Oh yes, don’t get me wrong, I was really very impressed by the Tron and particularly so given the cost! It really is a bit of a bargain. I listened to the MC version and there was very little hum or hiss, which (as you know) is rare in high gain all valve stages.

    Also, as you say, it’s not a fair comparison. It is estimated that the Paradise would retail circa 6K+ if produced professionally , so more in line with Trons more expensive gear (which I don’t think I’ve ever heard).
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  9. #109
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

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

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    Yups

    With these things, one always has to compare 'like with like'. It says something for the Convergence, though, that it wasn't disgraced by the Paradise, given the significant disparity in cost between both, and suggests that the more expensive models in the Tron range would be capable of pushing the Paradise all the way.

    Btw, don't be so surprised that good quality, well-designed valve phono stages are as quiet as you've described. There's no reason for them not to be, if built properly. I wouldn't tolerate anything less - and when you're using a solid-state head amplifier, in conjunction with a valve MM stage, like I do, the noise is even less

    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!!!


  10. #110
    Join Date: Feb 2011

    Location: Liverpool, Merseyside.

    Posts: 1,328
    I'm Ben.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Marco View Post
    Yups

    With these things, one always has to compare 'like with like'. It says something for the Convergence, though, that it wasn't disgraced by the Paradise, given the significant disparity in cost between both, and suggests that the more expensive models in the Tron range would be capable of pushing the Paradise all the way.

    Btw, don't be so surprised that good quality, well-designed valve phono stages are as quiet as you've described. There's no reason for them not to be, if built properly. I wouldn't tolerate anything less - and when you're using a solid-state head amplifier, in conjunction with a valve MM stage, like I do, the noise is even less

    Marco.
    I have a Tron convergence stage (albeit one that has had a tweaking by FB) and recently had it up against a Paradise stage owned by BKsabbath of this parish. I don't know much about his paradise stage but he seemed very impressed with the Tron. There's a thread covering it in the bake off section.
    Technics SL1210 with
    SME IV Arm & AT OC9XML,
    Firebottle modded Tron Convergence Phono Stage,
    Bluesound Node 2i, Technics SL DZ 1200 CD
    Denon PMA1700ne amp
    Yamaha NS1000M Speakers.

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