just a stage I'm going' through

[Ivor]

Last Thursday I was driving through Blackrock and decided to take an impromptu detour to Chez Cloney to discuss my ongoing dissatisfaction with my vinyl playback. It was a casual enough visit, most visitors to my humble “back room” had said the vinyl sounded “good” to “there’s nothing wrong with that!” however it failed to hold my attention and involve me so something had to be done.
I started by discussing an upgrade to my Roksan Xeres turntable (with Mitchell techno arm & Blue Point Sumiko cart) but, as I was looking to change everything in the chain, conversation drifted to phono stages. I currently use a Tom Evans Groove U which is certainly no slouch and highly regarded.
As it happened Ivan had a Tome Evans 20th Anniversary “Groove” handy already set up for an MC cartridge and offered me a loan. “Why not?” says I? and promptly left with an unexpectedly large product for a Tom Evans phono stage but familiarly light.

I plugged it in and left it for an hour or so (knowing 60 hours would only be a start) and I have to say the sound was a revelation. Just incredible. Now I’ve only ever heard about ten serious phono stages in my short sheltered life but this unassuming acrylic box blew every single one of them away. This was what I hoped vinyl would eventually sound like in my back room. Open, detailed, engaging, accurate and captivating. I listened to stuff I’d had for decades (Waits, Bowie and Cooder), stuff that was hardly ever played at all (Sigur Ros and Phosphorescent) and I could have listened for hours longer but for the late hour and my heart felt consideration for others in the house.

What I learned was that the component that needed attention was the phono stage. The existing Tom Evans might be good but it wasn’t good enough. Would I pay €2,200 for the 20th Anniversary version? Well yes I would. It was that good. It delivered what I had hoped vinyl would sound like. That said it had to go back to the shop today and I’m now looking around for alternatives. There’s a few possibilities coming to Cloney's over the next few weeks and I’ll certainly try them but this Tom Evans 20th Anniversary model has set the yardstick against which all others will be measured. I really think they have their work cut out for them!


http://www.coolgales.com/store/cart.php ... gory_id=66

[cybot]

Wow! There you go....you're going to be having loads of fun in the next couple of months :-)
So.... if none of the other phono stages comes up to the TE will you try and get it second hand? Whatever you do it's gratifying to know that you're willing to make the effort for the good old black plastic! Best of luck.

[Fran]

like on the old maps - "here be dragons"


Long term aim of mine: build a valve phono stage with step up transformers!


If you want to borrow either of mine, let me know.... both set up for MC though.

Fran

[DaveF]

interesting indeed Ivor. Given that the Lektor CDP is giving you a lot of satisfaction recently, I thought you had more or less abandoned the vinyl there for a while.
Any idea what other phono stages that Cloney's are getting in soon?

With my recent large haul of vinyl I'm beginning to look at upgrade possibilities for my own setup. I have a very good MM cart as it is so the question mark is whether to go for a MC cart or new phono stage?

[Ivor]

If you want to borrow either of mine, let me know.... both set up for MC though.

Fran

Done! The Sumiko is a MC so perfect. I want to hear as many as possible before deciding.

[Ivor]

interesting indeed Ivor. Given that the Lektor CDP is giving you a lot of satisfaction recently, I thought you had more or less abandoned the vinyl there for a while.

Only because the vinyl wasn't "engaging". It was with the TE anniversary box.

[Ivor]

So.... if none of the other phono stages comes up to the TE will you try and get it second hand?

It's brand new so it's unlikely that they will be SH units around for a long time. Cloney have a few exotic units coimg in but they ain't cheap! Given that the TE I have is a well regarded unit I accept I'll have to dig a bit deep to better it.

[Ciaran]

If you want to borrow either of mine, let me know.... both set up for MC though.

Fran

Done! The Sumiko is a MC so perfect. I want to hear as many as possible before deciding.

The Blue Point is a high output MC usually played through an MM stage, so maybe not so perfect! Great cartridge though!

[Fran]

Yes, essentially you need a MM stage with the blue point. Opens up the world of valve phonostages though.....

text on its way....


Fran

[cybot]

With all the talk about phono stages I completely forgot about the two box three valve yoke I built from World Audio Design! I must dig it out again and give it a listen...





Note:Seperate PSU unit not shown...