Lynster
04-05-2015, 06:25
As with my other current stereo components, I have always been very happy with my A.N.T. Kora 3T SE MM Phono stage though forever doomed to wondering how much better the LTD version might have sounded even though beyond my original budget. Recently, when a small budget did become available, the accursed disease struck again but selling the SE and buying a new LTD (yes Alex Nikitin still makes them to special order) was beyond it. For those not aware, the hand matched and assembled LTD was originally about twice the price of the SE but did come with a more expensive ‘worked’ wall based 24V PS so I wondered if such a PS would give a worthwhile improvement to my SE. Fortunately, Alex is nice bloke as well as a top designer and suggested that a relatively cheap 24V (2 X 12V in series) battery supply would improve the SE up front and even the LTD if I later went that way and reused the Battery PS.:)
Initially, I set up a jury-rigged example with some borrowed Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) batteries. With the battery supply connected, I found the sound became a little cleaner, crisper and more holographic. There was better instrument separation and whilst I suspect there was no increase in actual low-level detail, I could now discern such detail better. Perhaps the low level ‘noise’ that the battery reduced/eliminated had been enough to undermine that detail even if one couldn’t hear the noise itself. It certainly seemed blacker between notes. What surprised me and I didn’t expect was that not only wasn’t there any loss of dynamics, but I feel that the dynamics have definitely improved, almost as if the battery supplied a little more ‘grunt’.
So in the end, I was very happy that this small but clearly noticeable improvement was well worth the effort to make permanent.:yay:
Unfortunately, my skilled DIY friend that I’d borrowed the batteries from and was going to help construct the BPS suggested an Italian case, some extra components and together with the 2 x SLA batteries and charger, the cheap way out quickly became moderately expensive. However, in the end my friend pretty much built the whole thing and I do think the end result looks rather nice with the Kora sitting directly on top of the BPS. :champagne: In the second photo, the charger can be seen sitting just to the left of the BPS.
Has anyone else had similar results with adding a battery supply to a quality phono stage?
http://i1359.photobucket.com/albums/q788/Lynster1/HIFI/IMG_0692_zps7yng1frf.jpeg
http://i1359.photobucket.com/albums/q788/Lynster1/HIFI/IMG_0691_zpsp68n3jjc.jpeg
Initially, I set up a jury-rigged example with some borrowed Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) batteries. With the battery supply connected, I found the sound became a little cleaner, crisper and more holographic. There was better instrument separation and whilst I suspect there was no increase in actual low-level detail, I could now discern such detail better. Perhaps the low level ‘noise’ that the battery reduced/eliminated had been enough to undermine that detail even if one couldn’t hear the noise itself. It certainly seemed blacker between notes. What surprised me and I didn’t expect was that not only wasn’t there any loss of dynamics, but I feel that the dynamics have definitely improved, almost as if the battery supplied a little more ‘grunt’.
So in the end, I was very happy that this small but clearly noticeable improvement was well worth the effort to make permanent.:yay:
Unfortunately, my skilled DIY friend that I’d borrowed the batteries from and was going to help construct the BPS suggested an Italian case, some extra components and together with the 2 x SLA batteries and charger, the cheap way out quickly became moderately expensive. However, in the end my friend pretty much built the whole thing and I do think the end result looks rather nice with the Kora sitting directly on top of the BPS. :champagne: In the second photo, the charger can be seen sitting just to the left of the BPS.
Has anyone else had similar results with adding a battery supply to a quality phono stage?
http://i1359.photobucket.com/albums/q788/Lynster1/HIFI/IMG_0692_zps7yng1frf.jpeg
http://i1359.photobucket.com/albums/q788/Lynster1/HIFI/IMG_0691_zpsp68n3jjc.jpeg