Gromit's music centre...

[Gromit]

l have just had an experience almost exactly the same......

Great minds sharing great experiences or some such.

Seriously though, the Campion is a marvellous tool - I bought it on a whim after reading Good Things about it on PFM, but on listening to it for the first time it was a curved-ball moment. Very different to the Naim rig I had at the time; softer, less ragged (as you might expect) but with all the get-up-and-go still in place where needed. Not over-burdened with power (I really need more in our place tbh) but within its power envelope it's a gem.

Where does this leave the big Sony? Now I'm so familiar with this amp, there's an element of coming home, it has to be said. You know, I may well end up keeping both of them.

[struth]

Big sony's a beaut

[Gromit]

Big sony's a beaut

Sure is.

Spent a little time this morning comparing the Sony's phonostage with my Sedley. Now, the latter is a very fine phonostage imho, probably up there with a Dino2/NCPSU, which I had previously. Not quite a match for a Rega Aria (which is a bit special IME) but definitely worth its asking price and more. It's multi-adjustable and has the added benefit of plenty of different capacitance settings - a boon for those with fussy MM cartridges (2M Black, Shure 97XE to name two).

Feeding the Benz's output into the Sony's MC stage (set to the 40ohm tap) you know I actually prefer it to the Sedley. There's more heft, gravitas, to the sound with a greater sense of bounce and life. The Sedley's a touch leaner & cleaner - maybe a tad more spacious too, but by such a tiny degree it's hardly noticeable. The 770's stage is also a match in terms of noise/hiss - and that's praise indeed as the Sedley is uncannily quiet.

[struth]

finding a mint version like yours is nigh on impossible now unless you want to part with the crown jewels. always liked sonys big es models...sheer class.

[hoopsontoast]

Nice Richard, the 770ES is a cracking amp, as you know I have had 3!

[Gromit]

Nice Richard, the 770ES is a cracking amp, as you know I have had 3!

In that case we're 3-all now, Rob.

[Tarzan]

l can also confirm my minty 770ES sounds quite good.

The Dino/NCPS was that the one l brought from you Richard?

[Gromit]

The Dino/NCPS was that the one l brought from you Richard?

You know I'm not sure, Andy - could've been. <slightly embarrased that I can't remember>

It was a Dino 2/NC with the posh power cord I remember that much. Really nice little phonostage. Saying that, the best I've had at home in a long time is the Rega Aria. Stunning bit of kit - they really hit a bullseye with that, and would love to hear one into the 770.

[Gromit]

A year can be a long time in hifi...looking slightly different now:

_DSC2389

Q Acoustics 3010

[southall-1998]

abandoned the beast of that Sony for that skinny cyrus?

S.