Just installed a new PH-10 Gold Note phono stage. First impressions as pretty impressive, very neutral but very musical. Only been on a few hours and I am looking forward to playing with loading, gain and equalisation curves. Fun weekend beckons!
Location: Guernsey
Posts: 119
I'm Richard.
Just installed a new PH-10 Gold Note phono stage. First impressions as pretty impressive, very neutral but very musical. Only been on a few hours and I am looking forward to playing with loading, gain and equalisation curves. Fun weekend beckons!
Analogue: Linn LP12/Keel/Karmen/Karousel/Tranquility/Radikal/Trampolin 2/Collaro mat/Ekos SE/Audio Technica ART-1000 into Gold Note PH-10/PSU-10
Digital: Cyrus CD XT Signature into Border Patrol SE DAC
Amplification: Modwright LS36.5 pre into Modwright KW150SE
Speakers: Boenicke W8
Interconnects: Reference Fidelity Saturn and Oriton Orange Symphony
Speaker Cabling: Townshend Isolda
Headphones HD600
Mains: Various MCRU kits/Russ Andrews Power Cords/X Block
RCM: Velvet Vortex Ultrasonic
I like your choice of equipment, Richard. I haven't heard a lot of it, but I admire your somewhat 'left field' approach to system building, and the fact that you're not afraid to abandon the mainstream, if necessary, and try something different.
Enjoy!
Marco.
Main System
Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.
Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/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. LDR Stereo Coffee. 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.
Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!
Also **SAY NO** to unjust 'vaccine passports' or certificates, which are totally incompatible with a FREE society!!!
Very impressive system, if the PH10 is as good as the reviews I've read then it's one hell of a bargain at the retail price.
Chris
We've gone on holiday by mistake !
Location: Guernsey
Posts: 119
I'm Richard.
Thanks Marco. To be honest I'd never thought of it as left field but I suppose it is! Two reasons really. I live in a small island where the population is not large enough to support a dedicated hi-fi dealer, therefore listening to equipment is difficult. So I have to rely on reviews and forums like AoS and Hi-Fi Wigwam - these are vital to us in the boondocks to keep abreast of gear, so my grateful thanks for oiling the computer wheels when necessary to keep things running.
Secondly I ran a small import/retail business myself for 30 years (wine, not electronics) and I know the importance of every sale to the small independent merchant. I therefore try to support these wherever possible - I realise that Linn are not exactly small these days but at least I supported Cymbiosis with the purchase!
I am one of those unfortunate souls for whom hi-fi is a journey and not a destination so I will probably die penniless but happy.
Last edited by Dickchy; 28-04-2018 at 09:37. Reason: spelling
Analogue: Linn LP12/Keel/Karmen/Karousel/Tranquility/Radikal/Trampolin 2/Collaro mat/Ekos SE/Audio Technica ART-1000 into Gold Note PH-10/PSU-10
Digital: Cyrus CD XT Signature into Border Patrol SE DAC
Amplification: Modwright LS36.5 pre into Modwright KW150SE
Speakers: Boenicke W8
Interconnects: Reference Fidelity Saturn and Oriton Orange Symphony
Speaker Cabling: Townshend Isolda
Headphones HD600
Mains: Various MCRU kits/Russ Andrews Power Cords/X Block
RCM: Velvet Vortex Ultrasonic
Location: Guernsey
Posts: 119
I'm Richard.
Chris, I know it's still the honeymoon period but I am very very impressed with the PH-10 so far. And I understand it's even better after around 50 hours of running in. Will report back in a couple of weeks, once this has happened and I've had a chance to play with the various settings.
Analogue: Linn LP12/Keel/Karmen/Karousel/Tranquility/Radikal/Trampolin 2/Collaro mat/Ekos SE/Audio Technica ART-1000 into Gold Note PH-10/PSU-10
Digital: Cyrus CD XT Signature into Border Patrol SE DAC
Amplification: Modwright LS36.5 pre into Modwright KW150SE
Speakers: Boenicke W8
Interconnects: Reference Fidelity Saturn and Oriton Orange Symphony
Speaker Cabling: Townshend Isolda
Headphones HD600
Mains: Various MCRU kits/Russ Andrews Power Cords/X Block
RCM: Velvet Vortex Ultrasonic
Nice one, Richard. I take your point, and your relative remoteness will be a factor, but you're doing yourself a disservice and your ability to apply some lateral thinking! Most folks in your position wouldn't have ended up with a system like that, but more likely something much more boring and mainstream, so give yourself a pat on the back
Bet it all sounds fab, too!
Marco.
Main System
Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.
Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/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. LDR Stereo Coffee. 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.
Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!
Also **SAY NO** to unjust 'vaccine passports' or certificates, which are totally incompatible with a FREE society!!!
Location: Guernsey
Posts: 119
I'm Richard.
Thanks Marco, yes it does sound pretty special -to my ears anyway! I am particularly impressed by the Boenicke W8 speakers which are wonderfully transparent and image beautifully. They are also quite small and very WAF friendly. Boenicke did a custom black-ash finish for me and they look great too.
The digital side is now needing improvement as I now know just how good the analogue sounds.
I'm very grateful for your encouragement. It's nice to know I'm not alone!
Richard
Marco.[/QUOTE]
Analogue: Linn LP12/Keel/Karmen/Karousel/Tranquility/Radikal/Trampolin 2/Collaro mat/Ekos SE/Audio Technica ART-1000 into Gold Note PH-10/PSU-10
Digital: Cyrus CD XT Signature into Border Patrol SE DAC
Amplification: Modwright LS36.5 pre into Modwright KW150SE
Speakers: Boenicke W8
Interconnects: Reference Fidelity Saturn and Oriton Orange Symphony
Speaker Cabling: Townshend Isolda
Headphones HD600
Mains: Various MCRU kits/Russ Andrews Power Cords/X Block
RCM: Velvet Vortex Ultrasonic