Phonostage Bake-Off - 08/07/18 - Penkridge *NOW CONFIRMED*

[Bigman80]

This sounds like it was a fantastic day! well done to all involved in putting it together!

Out of interest, was the AQVOX phono run through the current amplifying balanced inputs or the RCA inputs? I use the CEC phono stage which had the the samje designer and there is quite a dramatic improvement in soundstage dimensionality when using the balanced inputs as opposed to the single-ended inputs.

It was through the RCA as we didn't have capacity to use this option with every phonostage.

[hensa]

It was through the RCA as we didn't have capacity to use this option with every phonostage.

Thanks for the clarification. Its performance is even more creditable in that case! Well done again for organising such a great event.

[Bigman80]

Thanks!!

Yes it's performance was excellent and as Qwin stated, it's better in balanced mode so it really is a bit of a gem. All be it an expensive one!

It won me over during the Mozart tracks we played, I really felt it was possible to hear the room in which they were playing. Excellent stuff.

Thanks for the clarification. Its performance is even more creditable in that case! Well done again for organising such a great event.

[ff1d1l]

Back now, recovering!
Had a great day, great company, great gear, thanks to all who made it so.
More tomorrow.

[Bigman80]

Ok all, here's how I heard it. I'm not sure if the "Votes" will back me up but my ears, my opinion.

Left in running order.

Morning Solid-state phonostages:

5th - Clones Audio PA1 (£990). As far as SS phonostages go, I felt this one was pretty acceptable. Not really wide, deep or 3D but tone was good with good detail and very musical.

2nd - Russell Technologies phono stage (£3000 suggested). This isn't available for purchase as it's a prototype. Great phonostage and my favourite SS stage UNTILL we got to Mozart. Lost out on that final bit of micro detail. But that's all. Excellent phonostage.

3rd - Trilogy 907 (£8/900). I liked this one in terms of musicality but that was about it really, i didn't get taken away by it but felt for SS is was good. The owner has suggested this is due to the DD turntable and the Trilogy not getting synergy. I don't doubt him.

1st - Aquvox (£1700). Well, this one was a bit of a creeper. I wasn't sure at first but the more I listened, the more it's revealing nature got to me. The Orchestra in the Mozart tracks really came into space and the room they recorded in was evident. Placement of musicians was pinpoint. I prefered the Russell Technologies one up untill the Cellos tuned up and the strings resonance wine me over. A close fought battle but a worthy winner.

4th - Trichord Dino (£700). The top end let this one down. Against the better SS phonostages, there was a bit of a "sat on" feel. It also sounded a bit heavy to me due to this.

For my money?

The Solid-state phonostages all share tendancies to harden up at higher frequencies IMO and taking that into account, if I HAD to buy a SS one, I'd buy the Russell Technologies. It had a smoother presentation and the detail was more than enough to be very happy. I suspect better Opamps in the RT would even things out between the Aqvox and itself.

Afternoon: Valves,

5TH - EAR 834 (£800 typical used price) - atypical EAR phonostage, a bit heavy, a bit slow sounding but quite enjoyable. Didn't have the soundstage to compare to the better phonostages. Quality of sound was fine but presentation wasn't to my taste.

2nd - DIY Valve wizard (£5/600 suggested build price)/Croft (£500)/Vivant(£1200) - These three completely split the room. The Wizard was prefered to the 3/4/5th place stages and it was 50/50 between the Wizard and Vivant. The Croft then split the room again so I'll have to wait for the Votes to be counted to see what officially happened here. The Croft managed this lofty status whilst being used with a K&K SUT and my suspicion is that a better SUT/HA would see this reign in second spot alone. The soundstage and channel separation from the croft was as good as the VAS and tonally, the Croft was nearer the VAS than the Wizard or Vivant.
The Wizard and Vivant both share the same attributes of sounding wide open and having a large soundstage. For me, the Wizard has a slightly more open midrange and better bass whilst the Vivant sounded to have a slightly bigger soundstage. In all honesty, they are borne with ideas from the same mind so any differences is just nit picking. The room couldn't split them and neither could I.

4TH - Digna. (£550(ish) This little box was outstanding. The level of sound reproduction was a bit of a shock and at no point sounded outclassed. Didn't have the finesse of the better phonostages and did harden up at times BUT it hadn't been run in and I expect this to improve over time.

3rd - Vincent PH700 (£700) The real surprise package of the day. Sweet, mids with airy treble. Wide soundstage and lots of depth. Incredibly good and at £500 it's a must buy for any enthusiastic vinyl owner on a budget. Lost out a bit to the others on that last Nth of a degree but goddam, it was good.

1st - VAS (£1600)

The VAS (Bulgarian origin) was a supremely good phonostage and my absolute favourite of the day. This is a serious phonostage. £1600 says so too. It had separation, soundstage, depth, width, height and the vocals, oh man! they were beautiful. This one stole my heart and when it got played via an Audio Innovations SUT, well, John Lee Hooker was recording live in front of me. Boom Boom Boom Boom.......

MM only, this is a special phonostage. I want one. Very very special.

For my money?

It's such a shame that the VAS was/is MM only, because that's the only reason I'm not selling all of my surplus gear to buy one. I hate the idea of messing around with SUTS/HA to get it to work well with the Kontrapunkt b. The difference between this and the Croft were closer than one would expect for the money but ultimately the VAS just has a bit more to offer. MM only is a problem for me. If it wasnt, I'd already have emailed an enquiry.

A class leader? I don't know but definitely stunning.

Voting results CONFIRMED

A few corrections/additions marked by *

Voting results.

Clones PA1 v Russel Technologies - Unanimous vote to Russel Technologies.

Trilogy 907 v Russel Technologies - 12 votes to Russel Technologies.

Aqvox 2Ci v Russel Technologies - 7 votes to Aqvox 2Ci

Trichord Dino v Aqvox 2Ci - 1 vote to the Trichord Dino.

__________

Ear 834 v Wizard DIY (hybrid) - 10 votes to the Wizard.

Digna by Mr Nixie (hybrid) v Wizard - 2 votes to Digna, 8 votes to Wizard.

Vincent PHO-700ps (hybrid) v Wizard - 5 votes to Vincent, 7 votes to Wizard.

Firebottle Vivant (hybrid) v Wizard

*4* votes to Vivant, *3* votes to Wizard. Two votes were taken due to the vocal abstinence to vote by attendees who couldn't choose between the two. This was the actual result

Croft 25R (K&K SUT) (RIAA version) v Vivant 4 votes each.

*More abstinence from voting due to the closeness in the qualities*.

Croft 25R (K&K SUT) v VAS (K&K SUT) - 2 votes to the Croft, 11 votes to the VAS.

A little later with dwindled numbers of attendees:

Vivant v Wizard No votes cast, too close to call.

[Bigman80]

Back now, recovering!
Had a great day, great company, great gear, thanks to all who made it so.
More tomorrow.

Glad you're home safe mate. Good to meet you and thanks for bringing your wares. The Luxman was great. The Urei's were an interesting listen too.

[pankon]

Gentlemen,

although some of us have not had the chance and pleasure of being physically present at the phono stage bake-off, nevertheless we are reading your comments with great interest.

Thanks a lot!

Cheers,
Panos

[ff1d1l]

As with the NEBO bakeoff, and unsurprisingly given that it was billed as a phonostage bakeoff this was almost exclusively a vinyl event - there was a brief innings of a broadcast Techie SL1200 cd player at the lunchtime standown, but aside from that it was vinyl, vinyl all the way.

Which was great, as I listen mostly to digital these days for various reasons , and I was reminded just how devastatingly good a micro rock trundling round in a micro groove can sound. Dependent of course on how accurately the trundlings are caught, amplified and translated into sound.

Before getting down to the serious business, it was great chatting with new and old faces.

It was a game of two halves, pre lunch solid state, with the thermionic gods then worshiped all afternoon.

On the days showing, you would have to come away with the impression that valve is an easier technology to implement. My take is that the best of the mornings solid state (Aqvox, Russel) were equaled or easily surpassed by most of the afternoons offerings.

Several times in the afternoon I felt unable to vote as the sound was so good, and differences were down to swings/roundabouts.
With some revisiting my overall preference - the one I'd have taken home given the chance - was the Croft with the SUT.
But this was a just maybe front runner based on my particular love, image focus, which it just edged for me - but that could just have been where I'm sitting.

The front runners in whose pack the Croft ran were, in my pretty arbitrary reverse order, the VAS, the Wizard, the Vincent, the Digna, all of which were superb, and really did all anyone could reasonably want.

We also managed some great swap ins over the day, culminating in the system at the end which surely would be a contender for one of the most ecclectic being listened to in the uk at that moment. A Lenco in original plinth with original arm sporting a Lyra(!) out into the Aquvox, to passive silver traffo pre, to Firebottle's Dan Dare OTL power amp out to Ureis. Thanks for the Urei and Luxkit love, guys - I love this under the radar vintage gear getting the opportunity to show what it can do!

Memorable sounds? The whole second side of the Roger Waters q sound LP, the final cut was just excellent. I'd say a must have slab of vinyl if you want to hear what your system can do.

Addendum

Posted this before finishing it, had to go out to the docs. Lest we forget, some lovely and droolable gear besides the phono stages - Bigmans SP10 plus panzerholz plinth, Macca's Krell and J M Labs, Firebottles many excellent builds, of which my favourite was the Dan Dare OTL which sounded as lovely as it looked (and I loved the aesthetic).

Thanks to Oli & Alan for organising - for everything to flow and go as well seemingly effortlessly there must have been much work and sleight of hand behind the scenes, so a big thank you again.

[STD305M]

Hi Oliver

I'm finally home,

Great day for all !!!!
A huge thank you for a great day full of some excellent kit,
I Was seriously impressed with the turntable and its perfect set up and just as impressed with the Krell power amp, by the end of the day you could fry an egg on it but it was not fazed by anything, just kept on pumping out the tunes, some of them very loud indeed.

It was a great day for all who attended

Very well done Oliver and Alan

Steve...

[walpurgis]

Sounds like everybody had a great time!

I wonder how things would have stacked up if the valve units had been tried first and the solid state afterwards? You know how it is when listening to various equipment over an extended period. Impressions change.