Timestep phono stage

[rusty bearing]

I wondered does anyone have any experience of the Timestep-revelation phono 2?
Seems a handy little thing with the switching ability. Its at the bottom of the page.

http://www.soundhifi.com/phonostage.html

[sq225917]

Looks just like the £20 ones you can buy direct from the manufacturer in China.

[chris@panteg]

Interesting , I didn't know that Timestop did a phono pre ?

[The Grand Wazoo]

It looks rather like one that an AoS trade member might know rather a lot about.

[MCRU]

Looks just like the £20 ones you can buy direct from the manufacturer in China.

No it doesn't. :)

I was next to DC for 3 days at Bristol and his kit sounded stonking. I have not heard anything better through a set of cans ever.

I have no association with Dave other than a beer!

His new Tech PSU was on show.

[sq225917]

Well maybe you should have looked a bit harder.

http://www.soundhifi.com/images/revolver.jpg
http://www.phonopreamps.com/images/6LCST.jpg

Shall i dig out the price list for you?

@Chris, I had wondered if the dac was made by the same company.

[alex_san78]

Looks similar to me... :)

[chelsea]

Are the internals the same?

[Marco]

From the Timestep website:


this unit has been configured by Dave Cawley and works properly, as you would expect!


<Chortle>

Marco.

[sq225917]

@Marco, I see we hold him in similar high regard.

[Marco]

;)

Marco.

[chris@panteg]

@Marco, I see we hold him in similar high regard.

I wonder how high that could be:eyebrows:

[prestonchipfryer]

<Chortle>

Marco.

:uhho:

[prestonchipfryer]

@Marco, I see we hold him in similar high regard.
:exactly: and moi

[Slippershod]

odd this ... a US company has been selling a range of phono preamps, of which this is part, for some years. Didn't realise they were made in China, but hardly surprising I guess.

http://www.phonopreamps.com/



I have the TC 760 (or some such) and it's really not bad at all (*ah, the LC version I see!).

I noticed recently that it was cropping up on ebay under some other brand names.

[Marco]

It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if the phono stage Mr Cawley is selling is simply the Chinese one shown, with one or two very inexpensive 'tweaks' applied, along with his usual rather, shall we say, 'generous' profit margin!! :rolleyes:

I absolutely abhor this type of blatant 're-badging', simply for profit, as it never succeeds in creating equipment that is genuinely worth having!

Marco.

[sq225917]

Isn't it a small world... ;-)

[rusty bearing]

Thanks all. It was the ability to use it with two TT's that interested me. Any alternatives besides build two phono stages?

[Slippershod]

Rusty, depending on your budget and expectations, the stage in question may be fine for you - don't assume just because of the Crawley factor or it's being made in China that it's no good, relatively speaking.

there are stats for it on the US site I linked to above, and they were responsive with me via email in discussing it further, iirc.

for what it's worth Steve of 'Steve's Hifi' in Hastings thought it was quite a good little unit ! :)

[Marco]

There's probably nothing wrong with how the unit sounds, notwithstanding the fact that it's grossly overpriced for what it is - it's the principle I dislike. It's just not how things should be done :nono:

Marco.

[Slippershod]

There's probably nothing wrong with how the unit sounds, notwithstanding the fact that it's grossly overpriced for what it is - it's the principle I dislike. It's just not how things should be done :nono:

Marco.

I should clarify - I don't mean the timestep one specifically (or at all, in fact - I would be a little sceptical as to anything 'special' having been done to it at all, tbh).

as I say, it's been marketed by a US company for some years at what seems a reasonable price for the features (particularly if you live stateside), and they're quite transparent about it's spec I think.

I daresay as sq247 suggests above - you can get it for cheap on ebay?

[Marco]

Absolutely, Marc. My advice would be to ignore Cawley's overpriced effort and buy the other one you mention. Then spend what's saved on music! :)

Marco.

[The Grand Wazoo]

Take another look at the model number guys. I've a feeling this can be bought cheaper and rather closer to AoS than Devon or the USA.................perhaps from someone who designed it?

[The Grand Wazoo]

I may be mistaken about the designer (maybe not) but you might like to PM the person who started this thread (http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=10044).

[chelsea]

Think this thread is a bit unfair.
I'am sure there are numerous products bought from other places and tweaked.

Has anyone Actually heard it.

[sq225917]

They've been making these since long before there was a Beresford, in fact they were making dacs long before there was a Beresford dac. They are just a Chinese OEM, you can buy their stock designs or if you order enough they will make to order.

They make good quality at a fair price.

[The Grand Wazoo]

They've been making these since long before there was a Beresford...

......and I'm trying to alert the OP to the possibility of a very good price without starting off yet another shitstorm about who makes what for whom and who designed it.

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Think this thread is a bit unfair.
I'am sure there are numerous products bought from other places and tweaked.

Has anyone Actually heard it.

I've not always seen eye to eye with Dave, but it gets washed under the bridge with time ...
I agree with you!

[rusty bearing]

Alerted, ta;)

[sq225917]

Chris, I have no dog in any fight with Stanley. Stanley's designs are his own work and only available accordingly. This phonostage however is generic and available to anyone very much more cheaply that DC would have you believe. The fact that both items share an OEM is neither here nor there. Many brands share OEM's with each other. ;-)

[DSJR]

It's listed also as a "Revolver" phono stage. This could mean a third party in the middle, between the manufacturer and Timestep and this would easily explain the pricing I reckon.

[The Grand Wazoo]

This phonostage however is generic and available to anyone very much more cheaply......

Which is why I linked to a thread that (though a year old now) quotes a price that's under 50%.
So all's well then.

[prestonchipfryer]

odd this ... a US company has been selling a range of phono preamps, of which this is part, for some years. Didn't realise they were made in China, but hardly surprising I guess.

http://www.phonopreamps.com/






Approx. $75 delivered, which is about £47. A reasonable price. Maybe a lot cheaper when buying bulk. £75, about $120.

[sq225917]

The price list direct was under $30 per, when buying 50.

[Hypnotoad]

The price list direct was under $30 per, when buying 50.

I am pretty sure that you can use this on batteries for a significant increase in performance over the plug in 12vdc transformer. I know others have done this with the TC-750 and it made a huge difference.

[sq225917]

Yeh if the wallwart is DC no reason why not.