The Pandora's Box of HiFi or maybe I need help?

So having changed my TT and moved to a Voyd, which I am extremely pleased with, I tried out a JELCO 10" TK850M arm on it, instead of the SME IV and the result with the Benz Micro LP-S has been excellent. The arm was supplied by the knowledgeable and very helpful Henrik at Lydprodukter DK, he suggested that once I was happy or not with the arm(I ad the option to return it) I should try two other possible changes. Firstly a LFD phono cable, he said that the LFD MMC phono stage can be quite sensitive to what cable it is used with, I had been told this from another knowledgable dealer. Secondly it was suggested a worthwhile exercise for me would be to switch the LFD MMC to run for moving magnet cartridge and to then put an EAR MC4 SUT unit in the equation. He said he had a couple of other customers who had done this and found a big improvement.

So I thought well lets be open minded and give it ago. I would point out before going further that whilst I accept cables can make a difference I am not that convinced that they can make a big differences especially when entering into high prices. Secondly I had heard a SUT in my system with a friends ALLNIC phono stage and neither of us were that impressed or thought that their was much difference, having said that the MC stage within the ALLNIC may have been very good anyway, it did sound very similar to my LFD MMC running as MC.

So earlier this week a box arrived from Henrik with the EAR MC4 and LFD phono cable (sorry but I do not know which model it is). The cable is black with a dedicated cable for each channel, each cable wrapped in black mesh, a separate part for each channel and a third earth for the arm, gold connectors and RCA's plugs look good quality. I also have no idea at the moment on its cost.

So what did I find, well I started initially with the phono cable on its own and listened to my 12 favourite evaluation tracks, what was immediately apparent was more detail, a bigger soundstage and what seemed to be better dynamics. I was a bit taken back as my Furutech AG12 is a reasonably good cable. I even switch cables and replayed tracks back to back with each cable to make sure I was not imagining stuff. I can do this easily as I have a very short shielded high end cardas cable from arm to male 5 pin din, this is so the suspension on the Voyd is not impeded by plugging a phono cable into the arm. I am definitely not imagining anything, dammit, the cable is quite a big improvement, with one reservation on some tracks it could be described as slightly bright, so I suspect a high silver content.

Next step put I back the Furutech AG12, switched my LFD MMC to MM use and listened to the same tracks again but through the EAR MC4. Well this was a big ear opener, everything came to life, more clarity/detail, bigger soundstage, better separation, and dynamics sounded better. This was a bigger improvement than what I had heard with the just the LFD phono cable.

I listened with both speakers, my Vienna Acoustics and the JBL L100's and the improvement is evident with both, with the VA's the top end has a bit more detail which I would expect with more modern tweeters and mid range drivers, however the bass is better and more defined as well. With the JBL's the improvement again is good across the board. I couldn't resist and then tried the JBL's with the EAR MC4 and the LFD phono cable and all I can say is the sound is pretty superb, great soundstage and very natural.


So here is my dilemma, I really did not intend to change or add anything to my system but the EAR MC4 is a big improvement and with the LFD phono cable it is getting to near perfect sound, for me anyway. So what do I do, I don't really have the dosh easily to hand and my better half may not be very accommodating spending more on the hifi? I still have my SME IV arm which I intended to keep, I thought I might use it again on the Voyd or possibly put it on another TT if one came along in the future, but I am not convinced it gives any better result on the Voyd than the JELCO, different but not necessarily better.

So any thoughts or advice on this would be helpful and interesting.

If you've really got the sound you want then I'd go for it. What do you want to do, spend another decade tinkering around the edges? Life's too short.

Sell the SME, that should cover the cost, or most of it as they go for a bomb. Just do it and present the mrs with a fait accompli. It's the best type of accompli.

I suspect you want someone to tell you to sell the IV lol.

I can relate to the desire to keep nice bits of kit, but if you are happy with the Jelco, selling the IV would free up a goodly amount of readies.

I wouldn’t rush into it though, make certain first you can live with the Jelco.

Getting it right with a SUT gives the best results IMO, however the trick is getting the right SUT, so many variables.

How are you getting on with the speakers btw?

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Originally Posted by Macca

If you've really got the sound you want then I'd go for it. What do you want to do, spend another decade tinkering around the edges? Life's too short.

Sell the SME, that should cover the cost, or most of it as they go for a bomb. Just do it and present the mrs with a fait accompli. It's the best type of accompli.

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Hi Martin, yes that is the obvious route, and I would probably have enough to buy the EAR and another phon cable, not necessarily the LFD as that may not be an acceptable cost. Another possibility audio friendly pointed would be to sell SME and LFD MMC find a dedicated MC phono with SUT that did the business as good or better, but that might be another can of audio worms and frustration as you rightly point out. Oh dear:eek::scratch: Thanks for your input.

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Originally Posted by Ali Tait

How are you getting on with the speakers btw?

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Hi Ali,

Thanks for your thoughts, much as I mine, just when you think you have it sussed out a wet fish slaps you in the face.

I think you are referring to the JBL L100's, well I am rather chuffed with them, in fact I am listening to them as I write, Ravi Shankar - Portrait of a Genius, still getting my head around the EAR MC4 and LFD phono cable and trying to pick holes in it. The JBL's are a bit of a revelation, one of those ahhh moments when you put some music on. Considering I still have them sitting on some temporary homemade stands that a 4" high just to get them of the floor they actually sound quite amazing. I know a lot of people go on about how good they are for rock music implying that that is what they are best for but I have found them to be excellent with anything I throw at them. I am sure that there is better in the JBL range as others have pointed out, but in our 24' by 13' lounge pointing down it they are very musical.:)

I did take some time the other week to measure them with REW and found them to be very well balance across the frequency range without any major peaks or troughs, the Vienna Acoustics in comparison are 5-6bdB higher above 8Khz, so maybe a trait with a more modern design of drivers. I have also found that bu just moving the JBL's back from 67" and 56.5" off the back wall to 47" has improved the clarity and definition, even though 56.5 or 67" should be the optimum position in our room, must be to do with the furnishings and room reflections.

All the best

Adrian

Adrian, you are clearly enjoying the sound these two items give you so the quick and easy answer is to bite the bullet and buy them if you have, or can raise the funds and the obvious way to do the latter is to sell the SME IV. From personal experience I can tell you that once items are put "on the shelf" they rarely make it back into the system again and although some can increase in value over time most don't!

Having said that I suppose the obvious questions are whether there are other SUT's which would work as well, or better with your cartridge than the EAR MC4 and whether there are other phono cables which will work as well between the SUT and LFD phono stage as the LFD one. The follow up question is of course whether those other items might be bought for less than those you are trying at the moment. The only way to find the answers is to try as many alternatives as you can.

If you like I can help with lending you a couple of SUT's if you want to compare them with the EAR, an Entre ET-100 (which was very well regarded when I bought it in the early 2000's) and a Rothwell MCX. Both should work fine with the Benz cartridge though I suspect the Entre will be better. Whether either are as good as the EAR remains to be seen. I can also lend you a Yannis Tome Gaia phono cable if you want, again whether it is comparable to the LFD I have absolutely no idea.

Good luck

David Whistance

Hi David PM sent thanks for your very kind offer.