Justin & Jerry's Hifi Blog

[jandl100]

Analogue/LP system update ....

Following the mega-surprise of the GAS / Micro Seiki moving magnet cart becoming upstream LP playing component of choice (still usurping my lovely Ortofon MC25FL in that role ) I thought I'd investigate a couple of well-regarded mm alternatives.

First up was ....



Classic A&R P77.
Tracks superbly and very, very cleanly.
A lot of folks I know would love this. But warmer, less focussed than I like.
So now sold.

Then came ....



A Roksan Corus Black.
Whoa - this one don't take no prisoners.
Very high rez and upfront and just fab-u-luss on rock but oh my gosh, way too forward on classical.
So the Corus should by now be with its happy new owner.

So the GASsy one remains supreme.
For the moment.
I have a low-mileage Shure V15iii on its way - that's been an itch I've wanted to scratch for quite a while.

And just a few days ago, this pretty pair arrived ....



Jasmine Audio LP2.0 mkii phonostage.

Here's a stock shot of her rear ...



Good sound, very pleased with this. My old (about to be posted) MF V90-LPS was good, the Jas is better commensurate with price - well over double. A bit more presence focus, dynamics. Just that bit better all round really.

Jas will see me nicely through the coming months of my latest LP Revival phase.

--- mind you, I've an integrated amp with on board phonostage that I'm picking up in a couple of days ....

[Firebottle]

Very nice looking phono stage there Jerry, tidy internals as well.
Looking forward to your longer term impressions of it

Alan

[struth]

yes ive heard they are good....quite pretty too.

[jandl100]

Just to keep my system blog up to date ...

Recent arrival.



Linn Asak cartridge retipped by VdH.

Very nice indeed. Might even oust my Orty MC25FL as fave cart.

Full story so far here http://theartofsound.net/forum/showt...od-buy-bad-buy

[jandl100]

As recommended by Marco, a new small toy has arrived ....



A Lentek battery powered MC stepup doodad to feed between my VdHed Asak cart and Jasmine phonostage.
New audiophile-approved Duracell 9V battery inserted.

Oo-er --- it got off to a wobbly start -- dropouts on 1 or 2 channels for a while, but now seems to have settled down. Fingers crossed it stays that way.

But the sound.
Yes!
Marco is right - super-duper. Bucketloads more presence, clarity, dynamics - and, ooo, the bass. Sounds like it's dropped another half octave and is strong and taut.
The Lentek was a little thin-sounding from the off, but got into its stride after 30 minutes or so.

Yum, an excellent upgrade - thanks for the tip, Marco.

[struth]

Marco is not just a pretty face you know

[jandl100]

Marco is not just a pretty face you know

[Marco]

Hi Jerry,

Oo-er --- it got off to a wobbly start -- dropouts on 1 or 2 channels for a while, but now seems to have settled down. Fingers crossed it stays that way.

If your Lentek is stock, as I suspect it is, it’ll have kind of ‘rubbery’ style black output cables fitted, which are notorious for coming loose from their internal contacts after a while, and let’s remember that the unit will be about 30 years old, so there’ll have been plenty of opportunity for that to have happened.

My advice, if you intend to keep the Lentek, is to have the output cable replaced by someone handy with a soldering iron, who’s near you (Paul RFC?), as if the drop-outs continue, it’ll do your head in. Furthermore, you should also get a small sonic improvement by using something good but inexpensive, such as Shark cable, from Maplins. That’s what I have on my Lentek. You can even fit some ‘wanky’ phono plugs on the end, while you’re at it!

But the sound.
Yes!
Marco is right - super-duper. Bucketloads more presence, clarity, dynamics - and, ooo, the bass. Sounds like it's dropped another half octave and is strong and taut.
The Lentek was a little thin-sounding from the off, but got into its stride after 30 minutes or so.

Yum, an excellent upgrade - thanks for the tip, Marco.

No worries, matey - just glad it worked out. I’ve experimented so much with this kind of stuff you wouldn’t believe, so it’s good that the experience I’ve gained can be put to good use helping other folks improve their ‘choons’. That's essentially what AoS is all about!

Yup, the unit does improve after having been switched on for half an hour or so. Just be careful though, as it’s *so* easy to forget to switch it off and discover next time you go to listen to music, that you’ve got a flat battery! You need to factor it into your ‘powering-down ritual' at night, and flick it off at the same time as your amps, or whatever.

Anyway, enjoy!

Marco.

[jandl100]

Quite a lot of further, highly enjoyable LP listening last night. No further sign of intermittency from the Lentek, so hopefully it was just a warm-up glitch - I suspect it had been resting in a drawer for years.

Marco recommended Duracell 9V batteries so I picked one up in Waitrose for £5 to get me started.
Looking on eBay there are "Industrial Duracell" 9V batteries much cheaper. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-x-DURACE...item566a1530fe 4 for £3.65 delivered!
What's going on here, are they better/worse/different than the standard 9 Volters? Anyone know?

__

EDIT: Coo - looking at eBay listings I was right royally ripped off in Waitrose! But still more expensive than the "industrial" ones.

[struth]

The Waitrose ones are edible though[emoji6]