What's he got in there?

[sq225917]

Any guesses?

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7124/8075145730_b79a434dbb_c.jpg

[MCRU]

no but at least I now know where to send the heavies round :lol:

DAC?

[dantheman91]

Hey,

Dude to be safe dont show your address on a forum. would of be best to turn the box over than have taken the photo.:eyebrows:

[MCRU]

I am sure plenty of forum members will be glad he has as many will want to pay him a visit!

[Havana]

Mods - I think you should delete this asap.

[chelsea]

Something for your TT?

[kininigin]

Have to agree,not wise showing your address simon!!

[MartinT]

Simon - I've deleted the photo for your protection. By all means show another piccy and we'll keep guessing.

I'll go with a 12" arm.

[Marco]

Indeed, not quite sure why Simon's done that, but I'll leave it up to him whether he wants it to remain or not :)

Marco.

[kininigin]

Address,with a list of your kit underneath :doh:

[Macca]

It's a bit difficult given we can only see the box and now we can't even see that.

I reckon it is one of those things that lets you rotate chicken over a barbeque.

Oh is it supposed to be hi-fi? Okay then a I'll go for a step up transformer - what's the prize?

[kininigin]

+1 SUT

[Sonority]

Horse power ;)

[synsei]

Schrodinger's cat...

[Macca]

Schrodinger's cat...

Ooh - good one!

That means even Simon doesn't know what it is until he opens it and even then the very act of looking in the box will change what it will be...

[synsei]

http://images.zaazu.com/img/Police-police-officer-uniform-smiley-emoticon-001085-facebook.gif

[synsei]

On the plus side, even if these are in the box he'll never know :)

http://www.hartaudio.com/images/2012/hartaudio_14.jpg

[Macca]

I'm still going with the chicken rotisserie. A lot of people buy barberque accessories at this time of year because it's cheaper.

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Schrodinger's cat...

:lol:

[Sonority]

:lol:
Schrodingers cat.

That must be really, really smelly by now - dead or alive.

[sq225917]

Dac, mmmm, good guess, kind of....

[sq225917]

Joplin, 32/384 A-to-D convertor and phonostage.

I’m an early adopter, there I’ve said it, got it off my chest, admitted my fault. I’m also a magpie, I love shiny. So the new Joplin 32/384 A/D convertor and phonostage from M2tech is right up my street. Truth be told I also have a lot of time for the brand; they broke the mould with the Hiface USb/Spdf convertor, which I owned and then continued to do great things as they expanded into the dac market with the 32-384 Async USB Young dac, which I also owned. I have to admit I was pulled from the fold by the offer of a Weiss 202 at around half msrp- who’s going to turn that down? It’s fair to say I like what M2Tech do, I like the house sound, the product design and the functionality. Best of all though I think they have so far offered pretty damn good sound per pound- and that’s what really counts.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7124/8075145730_b79a434dbb_c.jpg

The Joplin arrived last week in the usual ‘packed by Keith’ brown paper wrapper. An unassuming lightweight box, hiding an even less impressive cardboard box inside. Fair enough though, I’m not big on paying for packaging and all I want is a well packed item that will survive the inevitable fall from the back of the delivery van to the road- this packaging will suffice. Inside you get a small SMPS, USB cable and remote control, there is also the familiar silver extruded casework used for the Young but this time housing a little bit more.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8042/8070136351_c4e3bf5b84_c.jpg

Set up is simple. I was born in the age before video recorders so I’m hard wired not to read user manuals and to just go at it. Power in back, arm-leads into the input and spdif cable out into my dac and off we go. Houston we have illumination. We don’t have any sound though, ok so I do need to familiarize myself with some of the controls, well the volume control at least- hey, we have music. That was utterly painless. I then spend the next twenty minutes fiddling with every setting imaginable. I set level, I set output format, word length and sample rate. I set dither, fiddled with high and low pass settings, chose various vinyl EQ options, mess about with MPX ( I don’t have a reel to reel, but what the hell). In short there is a setting for just about everything you could possibly think of with one exception, there is no adjustment available for cartridge loading. For me that’s not an issue my Benz LP is happy running in 47k but it may be an issue for others, though I suspect the MM brigade with shelf after shelf filled with pre 54 jazz recordings and 78’s is where the Joplin is primarily setting its sights and they will be perfectly served by the 47k input impedance for their MM carts.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8461/8070143831_c549044538_c.jpg

For those collectors of jazz and early issues then the Joplin includes pretty much every major EQ. RIAA, AES, Capitol, Columbia (Microgroove), HMV, Decca FFRR, MGM, Angel (EMI), Audiophile (Acoustic Sounds reissues), NAB, Oiseau-Lyre, Pacific Jazz, Philips, RCA (1, 2 & Orthophonic), Brunswick, Columbia 1925, Columbia 1938 and Columbia England (CO25, CO38 and COLE), Victor 1938-47 and Victor 1947-52 (VIC3 and VIC4), Decca 78 and MGM 78. If it’s not on there you probably don’t need it. I have no 78’s and only a handful of early HMV and one pre 54 Columbia. Playing back with the RIAA curve I’m limited to in my phonostage has always left me wondering what was missing from these records. The ability to select the correct curves has brought these records back into focus and freed the music that was pressed into them for the first time in many, many years. For me the EQ curves are a nice addition, if I had a reel to reel I’m sure I’d be very interested in the tape playback curves and filters that are built into the Joplin but the truth is I don’t, I’m looking to simplify my vinyl playback and improve upon my current phonostage.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8171/8070147408_858ceae2c8_c.jpg

I have a pretty expensive dac, the Weiss 202, it’s well regarded and to my ears sounds very good. I’m sure better exists but it would be out of my price range. I like the idea of convergence, as long as there’s no trade off of quality for functionality and interoperability. So a phonostage that integrates a high quality A/D that works with my current dac would be welcomed into my set-up. I’m genuinely not bothered about the bells and whistles and tech for tech sake, it has to sound good. Actually at the price it has to sound better, not just in one area but top to bottom, right across the board. The Joplin sounded a little thin fresh out of the box, so I left it plugged in for a couple of hours playing a locked loop dj record that I have. Whether I quickly became acclimatized to its sound or if the unit did genuinely burn in a little I can’t really say. But I did like it much more after coming back to it than I did straight out of the box. I’ve had quite a few phonostages through my music room in the past twelve months, discarding both a Naim Superline and Linn Uphorik in favour of a simpler and cheaper, modified Naim Prefix. It’s not perfect but I’ve not found anything I like more overall for sensible money yet.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8040/8070154581_9865bb2d3c_c.jpg

Back to back and still boxfresh there are areas where I prefer the Joplin and where I prefer my Prefix. The Joplin does better bass. It has more depth, greater slam and less overhang. It’s better nuanced with every kick and thwack having more shape and more natural tone. It’s not a small difference, it’s a fundamental difference and if the bottom end is where it happens for you then the Joplin excels here. It memory serves me right it sounds better in the bass than either the Superline or Uphorik did, it really is first class. Across the mids I think there’s little to separate them you could prefer either on a particular day. I think the Joplin may trade a little sweetness in the mids, but repays you with greater soundstage definition and placement. It’s only in the treble where I prefer the Prefix and not by any great margin. Reading that back it sounds very cut and dried, and it isn’t. I think there’s more ‘flow’ to how my phonostage presents the music. I’ll refrain from serving up analog vs digital analogies but that’s what I’m hinting at, at least with the supplied SMPS.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8030/8070136624_2ea32bafa4_c.jpg

The Joplin stayed in over the weekend and I played a fair bit more music for myself and for friends, several of whom were struck by the Joplin’s forthright way and firm grip down below. It was only on Monday that I started wondering what a decent linear PSU might bring to the party. I have several power suppliers lying round that would work, including a brace of LiFePo 18650’s which I plugged in and used. Instant improvement, less grain in the mids and a greater sense of cohesion. I’m not sure if this is the result of better power to the Joplin or not having the SMPS plugged into my 6-way block. Whatever it is, it’s worthwhile and needn’t be an expensive upgrade.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8320/8070146693_bb5c1816ce_c.jpg

There are so many features and functions to the Joplin it seemed remiss not to try them out. So here’s what I found. I can’t hear any difference between AES and Spdif. On Spdif and AES it sounds better using the supplied sync rather than the internal clock in my dac. I don’t have a USB dac present to test the USB output with though I did make some rips to my laptop. I already have the Young drivers installed so didn’t bother download them specifically for the Joplin. You may wish to check out later drivers if they exist. You set the input sample rate and word length on a Mac via the Audio-midi window from then on it’s a simple case of opening your preferred recording app, Audacity in my case, and hitting the record button. I spent a fair bit of time recording at 16 and 24 bit, 44, 48, 88, 96, 172 and 192khz. I can’t tell them apart, they all sound excellent. If there is any difference between the signal going from Joplin (AES)to Weiss to power amp and speakers vs, a recorded rip played back through laptop (Firewire) to Weiss and onwards as before then I can’t hear it. Whenever I’ve used A/D before there has always been an exaggeration of surface noise, tape hiss and clicks and pops from the vinyl. There’s always been a telltale I could focus on. The record/playback loop with the Joplin and my DAC as best as I can tell is utterly transparent making the Joplin not just a great phonostage but a great archival tool as well.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8179/8070157497_7c0f50e041_c.jpg

It should be obvious by now that I’m quite taken with the Joplin, it performs solid service as a phonostage and almost has every bit of flexibility you could ever wish for- in fact apart from cartridge loading options it does have everything. A quick look inside surprised me with the component density, I wasn’t expecting it to be so densely packed and it’s nice to see even though it’s mostly smt inside that a significant proportion of the parts appear to have been chosen for sonic grounds- you would choose to use the barrel resistors they use if ‘pick and place’ was your overriding concern. Likewise in the signal path all the caps are Wima film and in the digital section all the inputs and outputs are galvanically isolated and correctly terminated.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8175/8070156162_9bbffb64a0_c.jpg

For your money you get a nice case, an adequate psu, remote control, a high gain low noise pre-amp, top notch A/D, a Hiface evo, and the ability to use the Joplin as phonostage, Archival quality A/D and standards convertor between different digital formats. It would be unfair to call it a jack of all trades, with all that implies, as it does seem to be the master at extracting the best your records have to offer.

Simon

[Marco]

Dac, mmmm, good guess, kind of....

Aren't you worried about your address showing on the package, Simon? :confused:

Marco.

[MartinT]

I tried to protect him :doh:

[sq225917]

Shhh, I don't think anyone has noticed. ;-)

[Stratmangler]

Shhh, I don't think anyone has noticed. ;-)

Go and delete the pictures with your address on you plonker :doh:
Clever bugger :D

[oscarsaudio]

anyone tried putting the postcode in a map app ;)

Simon may own a black marker pen.

[synsei]

http://images.zaazu.com/img/thumbsup-thumbs-up-approve-ok-smiley-emoticon-000283-facebook.gif

[Audio Al]

I was wrong then :(

My thoughts were

" A invitation to France "

A french letter with come in it :lol:

[WOStantonCS100]

Whenever I’ve used A/D before there has always been an exaggeration of surface noise, tape hiss and clicks and pops from the vinyl. There’s always been a telltale I could focus on. The record/playback loop with the Joplin and my DAC as best as I can tell is utterly transparent making the Joplin not just a great phonostage but a great archival tool as well.

I am definitely not an early adopter; so, that is what I've been waiting to hear. Thanks for a great post. I had a feeling the Joplin was going to be something special.

[YNWaN]

I've heard this unit a couple of times now and would agree that it is extremely flexible. Some of the playback options sound so different that if you did not use them the record would be practically unlistenable (and no amount of tone control adjustment could solve this). However, personally, I don't own any records old enough to require any of the multitude of pre RIAA curve options. I would also agree that the bass is very good and so is stereo separation. However, so far, I still think there is a rather synthetic quality to it that means it struggles to hold my attention.

I remain open to changing my mind though :).

[MartinT]

Yep - sorry to have 'protected' you, Simon, but posting your real address would have been a bad idea. Others have done it. Good wheeze :lol:

[sq225917]

I certainly didn't feel it ever sounded synthetic, it had all the hallmarks I associate with a solid state, op-amp buffered phonostage though, dry, tight, well separated and punchy. It opened up significantly when played with the linear PSU and battery pack as compared to the supplied smps wall wart. Of all the stages I've had through here in the past year or so it sounded most like the Linn Uphorik.

[Ammonite Audio]

I am very tempted to try one of these, since my Lyngdorf amp is pretty much as 'digital' as these things go so I have no need for a DAC. I did play around making up some custom adjustment curves in the amp's DSP to recreate different vinyl equalisation curves, but that was only partly successful. I do like the idea of doing all of this within the phono amp. Its lack of MC capability is no problem because I have a new Ortofon ST-80SE SUT coming soon.

The Joplin would have to be pretty special to eclipse my Paul Hynes Veron Concert phono amp, but I'm keen to make the comparison.

[YNWaN]

I certainly didn't feel it ever sounded synthetic, it had all the hallmarks I associate with a solid state, op-amp buffered phonostage though, dry, tight, well separated and punchy. It opened up significantly when played with the linear PSU and battery pack as compared to the supplied smps wall wart. Of all the stages I've had through here in the past year or so it sounded most like the Linn Uphorik.

Well, I guess that's what I meant really - synthetic as opposed to organic.

I would also agree that it is like the Uphorik - perhaps better...

[sq225917]

With the additional psu, it is defo better.

Ask keith for a demo.

[Audioman]

Well, I guess that's what I meant really - synthetic as opposed to organic.

I would also agree that it is like the Uphorik - perhaps better...

So a digital 'phono stage' beats Linn's (2nd) best. Says it all realy doesn't it :lol:

[YNWaN]

So a digital 'phono stage' beats Linn's (2nd) best. Says it all realy doesn't it :lol:

Well, I don't know if it says it all, but I guess it does say something.


Ask keith for a demo.

I'm OK thanks :).

[sq225917]

Shuggie, it's certainly not MC unfriendly, it has gain to burn, it just doesn't allow for specific loadings that some carts seem to favour.

[Stratmangler]

Shuggie, it's certainly not MC unfriendly, it has gain to burn, it just doesn't allow for specific loadings that some carts seem to favour.

Found this on page 37 of the manual...


The Joplin has an input impedance of 47 kOhms, that is a standard value that fits all linelevel
sources and also MM cartridges. On the other hand, MC cartridges and also tape
heads may need a different load impedance.
Due to the small size of the Joplin back panel, no room was available to add some
impedance matching switches. Should an impedance matching be necessary, we suggest
users to use a “T” adaptor and RCA plugs in which tip and ring are connected with a
resistor or a capacitor of the required impedance value.

[awkwardbydesign]

Yep - sorry to have 'protected' you, Simon, but posting your real address would have been a bad idea. Others have done it. Good wheeze :lol:
BTW, don't put your own address into your satnav under "HOME". Car thieves can drive YOUR car to your house and burgle it, as they know you're not there, and can't get there before them. I put in the address of a neighbour I don't like! :lol:

[MartinT]

Good point, Richard. Now then, who don't I like...

[Reid Malenfant]

At this point I'm glad I don't drive a car :rfl:


But then I would'nt use sat nav as my brain does it thank you very much :D

[walpurgis]

I don't need Sat-Nav for the bulk of most journeys, but it sure is useful on the last half mile of trying to find an address on complex estates or around twisty little country lanes.

[MartinT]

Agreed, Geoff. It's not necessary for the big stuff, city to city, but great for finding an exact address.

[nat8808]

So a digital 'phono stage' beats Linn's (2nd) best. Says it all realy doesn't it :lol:

Is it a 'digital "phono stage" ' or an analogue phono stage going straight into an A/D and then applying digital EQ?

i.e. at what signal level is it digitised?

[nat8808]

Simon, does it still sound like vinyl through the digitising process?

The 1992 Meridian 601 still sounded very much like vinyl despite going through the 16/44.1(or 48?) A/D, digital DSP and of course back out via the Meridian D/A section.

Says to me that it is not the analogue part of vinyl that sounds great, it is something about the carrier, the medium, be it bandwidth or even a psychological effect of background white noise.

The 601 had all the RIAA curves too. Such a shame it maxed out at 16/44.1 (or 48) - crazy to think it is now 20 years old!

Had you tried other A/Ds with your previous phono stages at all?

[sq225917]

I have tried a couple of other A/D's only the Benchmark was any good, the rest were all crap, not fit for purpose. The Joplin did still sound like vinyl, but not as much as my phonostage does for instance.

[YNWaN]

Simon, does it still sound like vinyl through the digitising process?

That's a good question but, at the same time, I don't see how it can be answered. A friend recently sent me a couple of recordings made from their deck and these sound very different to those made on my own deck - but both are examples of vinyl play back. So the question is, how can one say if the 'vinyl' character remains when that character varies so enormously.

[sq225917]

Shall I put a short rip online?

[sq225917]

I wasn't asking you, divvy. You've heard it.

-removed-

Ripped from new vinyl, sample rate on A/D was 24bit, with dither, and 96khz, Audacity output was 48khz.

I accept full responsibility for any breach of copyright.

contact me for the url.

[Stratmangler]

No.
Google Ads don't like it and will pull the advertising, which in turn pays for the upkeep of the forum.

http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=17116

[Marco]

A friend recently sent me a couple of recordings made from their deck and these sound very different to those made on my own deck - but both are examples of vinyl play back. So the question is, how can one say if the 'vinyl' character remains when that character varies so enormously.

LOL! Now, I wonder who that could've been? ;)

Marco.

[Marco]

No.
Google Ads don't like it and will pull the advertising, which in turn pays for the upkeep of the forum.

http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=17116

Thanks for observing this rule, chaps :)

Marco.

[YNWaN]

LOL! Now, I wonder who that could've been? ;)

Marco.

I know - it's a mystery wrapped in a conundrum...

[nat8808]

No.
Google Ads don't like it and will pull the advertising, which in turn pays for the upkeep of the forum.

http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=17116

This is the evil of such companies. They get you to use their services (bribe you with advertising revenues) and the whole time they gain a massive control over you, the next site and eventually the whole internet.

I bet they don't allow you to prove that it's covered under fair use? Just trial without jury and stamping all over the laws of the land that cover such use.

You're my wife now Dave!

I normally have Ghostery blocking all ad tracker things so I recommend we all block them and make running Google Ads rather pointless.

End of rant.

[Stratmangler]

I normally have Ghostery blocking all ad tracker things so I recommend we all block them and make running Google Ads rather pointless.

End of rant.

I block the ads with Firefox, so from my POV it's rather pointless too.
However, we've been asked not to post certain items, as the revenue generated helps pay for the forum, so as that's what has been asked...

[Floyddroid]

:scratch::stalks::mental:flippin heck dude, you are straight through to burglar central. get this erased asap.

[YNWaN]

Erm..not read much of the thread then Steve....

[montesquieu]

A question on posting links to rips ... I'm getting a loan of this shortly from Keith, my intention is to rip some 78s and early mono, all well over 50 years old, out of copyright and unavailable commercially.

Would this still be covered by the link ban?

I've been playing with mono cartridges including a rather splendid Ortofon Mono SPU GM MkII just perfect for those early Lieder LPs.

[sq225917]

Google don't tell you what you've done, just that you have infringed their copyright rules.

There's no service interface with them, they just pull the ads. You would have to encrypt the files for them not to know what's inside by looking at the packets.