Main System
Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & regulator mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat with Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight. Isonoe feet & boots. Ortofon RS-212D tonearm with Denon DL-103GL, in a Denon PCL-300 headshell, fitted with Funk Firm Houdini and Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.
Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp and Denon AU-310 SUT.
Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.
CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.
Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.
Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp, fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.
Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.
Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.
Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.
Location: gone
Posts: 11,510
I'm gone.
On loan from a friend ....
A 2-box Kinshaw Perception phonostage.
Oops, this kind of shows up my much-loved Trichord Dino / NCPSU.
Very good clarity, definition, imaging, bass control. Highly resolved top end; not sweet, but I suspect accurate.
Hmm. The Dino/NC ain't chopped liver by any means, it's a very fine piece of kit and has been my fave for quite a while, but the Kinshaw does seems to do it that little bit better. Just slotting it into my system instead of the Dino, it was a bit tonally stark, but a bit of cable fiddling (in comes my old fave the Hitachi LCOFC) and this is a very fine music maker indeed.
Only a couple of days in my system so far, but I can see me enjoying this loaner for a fair old while.
---- and whilst I'm here, I may as well point out the Marantz CD63 in the photo ---- no ordinary CD63, that.It's got a valve output stage and that transforms this decent budget player into a gen-you-ine piece of audiophilia, imho. No, it doesn't really do BIG scale music, and the remote control doesn't work for some reason
, but by gum it delivers the goods on smaller scale tunes. Snuggling up to some female vocalists via the valved Marantz can be a spine-tingling experience!
![]()
![]()
Last edited by jandl100; 25-11-2012 at 08:17.
.
Location: Surrey
Posts: 136
I'm jp.
Glad you are enjoying it Jerry (and in stereo!).
I have the matching pre-amp and DAC as well (bought new and mint). The DAC I think is bloody good for an old 18 bit jobbie. The Pre-amp I found a bit stark compared to a valve pre but it may be up your street more than mine.
The phono stage was a late addition a couple of years ago and was a very large step up from a Michell Iso/Hera in my system.
Location: gone
Posts: 11,510
I'm gone.
Yep - it took me a while to get the internal jumpers sorted - it arrived playing in mono!
Mmm ... must admit I might like to try more Kinshaw kit, the phonostage is ticking my boxes at the moment!
And many thanks for the loan, JP!
.
Location: Leeds, UK
Posts: 235
I'm Darren.
have you tried an NVA phono stage Jerry? if so how did it compare to the Dino?
Location: gone
Posts: 11,510
I'm gone.
Hi Darren - RD did send me a NVA Phono2 to try out, but it arrived a bit battered so was almost certainly not representative. We didn't try again.
I like the Dino a lot with a NC PSU, but not with any of the other Trichord PSUs.
.
Location: Yorks
Posts: 16,643
I'm Nobody.
I can't go on and I can't go back, I don't feel so matter of fact,
I tried and tried to make good sense, What's the good to try it all again?
Location: gone
Posts: 11,510
I'm gone.
Ha ha - naughty, Dave-- I'll not get involved in inter-forum squabbles except to say that ----> my experience of doing business with NVA / RD is that of exemplary and scrupulous customer service.
And 'mates discounts' were not asked for, offered, or received.
![]()
Last edited by jandl100; 26-11-2012 at 22:24.
.
Location: gone
Posts: 11,510
I'm gone.
These are my Hitachi cables --
I've got quite a few pairs - they come up now and again new on ebay for about £5 - a really good cable, a bit smooth and cumfy up top, nice open mids, and surprisingly powerful and controlled bass; ... and handy at being 1.5m long. I've several pairs in use at the moment for secondary sources (minidisc, cassette) and also for matching the Kinshaw's slightly upfront presentation with the rest of my system. I like them a lot.![]()
.