Thinking of Purchasing a Turntable; Any and All Advice Welcome!
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Thanks I'll give that a try. Just got the Hana Umami Red installed and can't wait to listen.
Lightloopy
Well-known member
I give a little spin to the platter before starting the motor...no squeal.
Here you go Guys... Its even air-gapped from the power grid! 
Christmas IS coming!
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/superioraudio/equipment/1121/Kronos_Discovery_Turntable_Review.htm
Christmas IS coming!http://www.enjoythemusic.com/superioraudio/equipment/1121/Kronos_Discovery_Turntable_Review.htm
X2 .......
All; who would you consider makes the best sounding phono stage right now?
If money was not an issue and all you wanted was the best quality phono stage, which company would you go with? I'm asking because I'll be at the Capital Audiofest this weekend and want to hear some phono stages while I'm there?
If money was not an issue and all you wanted was the best quality phono stage, which company would you go with? I'm asking because I'll be at the Capital Audiofest this weekend and want to hear some phono stages while I'm there?
Lurch
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Not available in the states unfortunately, but I would say BigBottle Audio. I have one of their BB3s, I bought it (£1k) after I had it here for audition and it walked all over an £8.4k Tron Seven Ultimate, it was that good. The BB3 has come about through work within the UK diy community, there is also currently a BBu (BigBottle Ultime) due for release into the wild for peer/audiophile evaluation. I have my name on the list to evaluate it and am pretty excited at the prospect, as if it really can triumph over my BB3 then my system will be complete once I've put my order in.
Of the mainstream I would say have a look at the Manley steelhead or similar highend Manley.
Of the mainstream I would say have a look at the Manley steelhead or similar highend Manley.
Spike
Well-known member
Off the top of my head, Manley Steelhead, and the phono offerings from Aesthetix. I am sure there are other good units which I am not familiar with.
Stefan_DR3
Well-known member
Go see the VPI room, they are running the EMM Labs (Meitner) phono stage on a killer setup!
I am sure it's rather expensive though. A Modwright might be a more reasonable option, probably as good as the beautiful Aesthetix and other big brands. As for the Manley stuff, you have to like the look (to put it politely)
Yes I went to both VPI rooms and loved both of them. Hearing the Audio Research REF 3SE Phono Stage with the New VPI Avenger makes me want to upgrade both right now. LOL Still on the fence tho whether or not TT or Phono-stage is the first upgrade.
Also got to hear the Van Den Hul Grail SE in the T+A Room. It too sounded amazing and boy was it heavy when they had me pick it up.
Also got to hear the Van Den Hul Grail SE in the T+A Room. It too sounded amazing and boy was it heavy when they had me pick it up.
Lightloopy
Well-known member
Wow! Thanks for sharing. That's a LOT of eye candy.
Spike
Well-known member
Jason,
Enough of the eye-candies. Inquiring minds want to know how the Hana Umami Red is working out on your rig.
Unfortunately I've only had enough time to listen to a few tracks. With those tracks I definitely heard a major improvement in detail and the bass is punchier if that makes sense. I'm not much of a reviewer to be honest. LOL
I would go with a Simaudio Evolution 810 lp phono stage. I am running a Simaudio Evolution 610 lp and plan on adding their 820 power supply at some point. Sound great now though.
I presently have a Synergistic Research orange fuse in it which I will be upgrading to their just released purple fuse having tried 3 of the purple fuses already in my equipment, no turning back.
Thanks Moon. Was considering the 810 but I reached out to Suncoast Audio who sells a few brands of Phonostages that I was considering and they recommended the Boulder 1108 over the Moon, Van Den Hul, and Pass Labs. And so far I really love the detail the Boulder 508 is showing me with the Umami so stepping up to the 1108 should really impress. We will see.
So Spike with about 30 albums listened now on the Umami and the Boulder 508 I'm very, very, happy with the purchase. The cart is so quiet and the detail and clarity provide so much more depth to the music. The separation in the soundstage is way above what I was getting with the ART9XA. But one of the big changes is how warm and natural the music sounds now. I'm listening to albums at an average of 90db with no fatigue at all. In some songs on certain albums I've found myself pushing the envelope and really cranking it up. Sometime almost concerned I may break something. LOL But everything keeps on pushing forward. Like the louder it goes the closer I feel to the performance instead of with the ART I had to push it to hear more detail. Not sure if that makes sense or if I'm explaining that correctly but kind of less is more maybe?
To do most of my comparison's I tested certain tracks I felt were detailed and streamed them to see what I was missing and how the sound changed between Vinyl and Digital. Now I don't have some crazy expensive DAC that peels away every layer of the music like say a dCS or MSB but with using my moon 280D I could definitely hear how much more the LP sounded like a real performance compared to the digital format. And I can only imagine and assume that the Umami and Boulder was getting me that much closer to a Master Tape sound over what the digital version was producing.
Two records I spun quite a few times were Eagles - Their Greatest Hits Volumes 1 & 2 and Santana - Shaman. Hotel California has so much going on in that track that you don't get to hear digitally streaming that you do on Vinyl. And the Umami presented even better and created such a detailed soundstage I was hocked. And in Shaman the tracks Sideways and Foo Foo stood out amazingly. In Sideways the guitar sounds as if you are right in front of Santana and when he hits those high notes on it I could feel it in my chest. As for Foo Foo, I swore you could hear every single instrument used in that track as if it were in my room. Way more detail over streaming.
Now I have made a lot of changes in my room as of late and to be honest every single change has made a wonderful improvement for me. Even my wife is able to hear the difference in the room. Last night I got the Townshend Podiums in and was shocked at how it brought out more detail in the music. Also pulled the speakers out from the wall an additional 6 inches and moved the seats back about a foot while messing around with the speaker placement. Had her sit down for Stranglehold by Ted Nugent and at that 18 to 22 second range when everything comes into the soundstage she swore I had the side surrounds on while playing music. LOL
