[gsferrari]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom hankins gsferrari, Did you guys get to compare the different phono stages with each other? What are your opinions of Rays new phono compared to? I am shopping a new turntable now and will be looking for a phono stage in the near future.

I tried them both at the meet...undner less than ideal conditions with a budget TT (MMF5) and I preferred the XR-10. I dont know...maybe the settings were just a little bit off on the Herron (no otside adjustments possible) when applied to the MMF5. The sound was softer than what I would have expected to hear. It was still very nice though and I am sure it can be tweaked to individual carts.

If you are going for a table - go for a VPI Scout or straight up to the VPI-HRX..that table humbled me...told me I was a little little boy

 

[tyrion]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsferrari I tried them both at the meet...undner less than ideal conditions with a budget TT (MMF5) and I preferred the XR-10. I dont know...maybe the settings were just a little bit off on the Herron (no otside adjustments possible) when applied to the MMF5. The sound was softer than what I would have expected to hear. It was still very nice though and I am sure it can be tweaked to individual TTs. If you are going for a table - go for a VPI Scout or straight up to the VPI-HRX..that table humbled me...told me I was a little little boy

Remember the Herron is a tube phono not ss. Using an mmf-5 was not the ideal tt to use for comparison purposes. When they both were connected to the HRX through the SA7K, I thought the Herron had it's strengths as did the XR-10. I think in the end, just like headphone amps it comes down to personal preferences in terms of what each individual considers important in terms of a particular peice of equipment. I wish more people would not turn this stuff into mine is better than yours discussion (I am not referring to anything in this thread).

 

[tom hankins]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tyrion Remember the Herron is a tube phono not ss. Using an mmf-5 was not the ideal tt to use for comparison purposes. When they both were connected to the HRX through the SA7K, I thought the Herron had it's stregnths as did the XR-10. I think in the end, just like headphone amps it comes down to personal preferences in terms of what each individual considers important in terms of a particular peice of equipment. I wish more people would not turn this stuff into mine is better than yours discussion (I am not referring to anything in this thread).

Would you say they both cover all areas above avereage with the main differences being the SS compared to tubes design? I prefer tubes but dont want a slow sound that is lacking in treble extention or bass control. Would you say that the tubes provided better dynamics?

 

[tyrion]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom hankins Would you say they both cover all areas above avereage with the main differences being the SS compared to tubes design? I prefer tubes but dont want a slow sound that is lacking in treble extention or bass control. Would you say that the tubes provided better dynamics?

There was nothing slow about either amp. The differences to me are subtle. This is another example of what I said above comes into play. This is a matter of personal preference. I am guessing that both of these phono stages would make you happy. Ray's phono stage has more features and offers tremendous flexiblility. I don't think anyone could go wrong with either phono stage.

I did the best I can, when I was listening to both, it was not for the purpose of deciding which I preferred, as I have no intention of buying either due to the cost. I was just sitting back and enjoying the tunes.

 

[mikeg]

Thanks very much for your detailed comments, Guru. I find them to be of great value to me, and I appreciate them. As for my SinglePower SDS, it does not have balanced outputs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsferrari Yes they are. but I dont think mikeg's source has balanced outputs. Does it Mike?

 

[mikeg]

Tom - Since you have both an SDS and a Balanced SDS-XLR, do you plan to restrict your headphone "quality" to using the HD650/Zu-XLR with the Balanced SDS-XLR amp? Are you also looking into using a modded Qualia with this amp. (i.e., like Hirsch)? In your opinion, is it possible to mod an R10 for use with a Balanced SDS-XLR, and if so, do you think that there would be a dramatic improvement versus the SDS/R10 combo?


Quote:

Originally Posted by tom hankins It's to bad that there wasnt a better source to use with the SDS-XLR at the meet. Owning the SCD-1, I can say for sure that it is not up to the level the amp/650-ZU-XLR combo is. This amp is more than capable of stepping up to the highest level of source. Also, if Mikhail used the BMC cables, and older model LAT PC I sent him they are not nearly as good as several others I have tried with the amp. I truly believe the skies the limit with this amp. I'm glad others have got a taste of what I have had the good fortune of listening to daily. Hirsch, you and your Qualias are going to be very happy.

 

[gsferrari]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeg Thanks very much for your detailed comments, Guru. I find them to be of great value to me, and I appreciate them. As for my SinglePower SDS, it does not have balanced outputs.

I was talking about your source - the Modified Denon? Does it have balanced outputs?
You need a source with balanced outputs to use with a balanced amplifier.



[size=medium]ANOTHER NOTE:

Guys - this is the FL meet thread. I would appreciate it very much if you moved your discussions about Balanced technology/amplification etc. to another thread along with the posts in this thread that pertain to that subject. [/size]

Thank you!

gs

 

[ayt999]

from what I understand, the KGSS and the Blue Hawaii both have circuits to obtain a balanced input regardless of the source input being balanced or unbalanced. so they are always balanced amplifiers and will run balanced even if fed an RCA signal. if I'm wrong... please correct me.

I would assume the stax amplifiers also operate in the same manner?

if I had known that there would be an SDS-XLR at the FL meet along with a Qualia 010... I would have sent you guys a balanced 010 cable or two.

oh, and which amp was powering the HE90 at the meet?

 

[PsychoZX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ayt999 oh, and which amp was powering the HE90 at the meet?

A stax SRM-007t.

 

[gsferrari]

Balanced source will involve separate DACs for forward and return paths working 180 degrees out of phase. Anything else is an approximation and not true balanced output.

http://www.walrus.co.uk/tech/bal.htm

 

[mikeg]

The only outputs are the usual l/r channels, needing regular rca connectors. Heck, you saw my modded denon, and you know what it has. My lack of knowledge in these matters really shows. In any case, I'll plan on an Orpheus in my distant future.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsferrari I was talking about your source - the Modified Denon? Does it have balanced outputs? You need a source with balanced outputs to use with a balanced amplifier. [size=medium]ANOTHER NOTE: Guys - this is the FL meet thread. I would appreciate it very much if you moved your discussions about Balanced technology/amplification etc. to another thread along with the posts in this thread that pertain to that subject. [/size] Thank you! gs

 

[tyrion]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsferrari If anyone is interested: I went through my stereophile pile and found magazines that have reviews of: * Sony SCD1 * Denon Digital Duo (looks like a Shanling T300 ) * Herron Audio Phono (tyrion - isnt this the one you brought to the meet...looks like it is HIGHLY sought after!) etc. Yeah...back-issues rule!

I believe we had the Herron VTPH-1MM at the meet. The one we used at the store was the VTPH-1MC. The one at the meet was the first one made and was signed by Keith Herron to Oz. There is an excellent review of the moving magnet version on Enjoy The Music.

I almost forgot, Oz and his wife had a baby girl last night!

 

[Wmcmanus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsferrari [size=medium]ANOTHER NOTE: Guys - this is the FL meet thread. I would appreciate it very much if you moved your discussions about Balanced technology/amplification etc. to another thread along with the posts in this thread that pertain to that subject. [/size] Thank you! gs

Guru, I've reviewed this thread carefully and don't see any harm in the discussion about balanced technology/amplification. It's certainly not excessive or in any way overly technical. The SDS-XRL was one of the highlights of the meet, and it has drawn a lot of attention from those who attended the meet, plus a couple of others (Alex and Tom) who have recently purchased their own, and still others who seem intrigued. If there are certain posts that you feel are harmful to this thread, those should be reported to a moderator.

 

[gsferrari]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wmcmanus Guru, I've reviewed this thread carefully and don't see any harm in the discussion about balanced technology/amplification. It's certainly not excessive or in any way overly technical. The SDS-XRL was one of the highlights of the meet, and it has drawn a lot of attention from those who attended the meet, plus a couple of others (Alex and Tom) who have recently purchased their own, and still others who seem intrigued. If there are certain posts that you feel are harmful to this thread, those should be reported to a moderator.

Nothing against anyone or anything but 4 pages of this thread have been about this amplifier. I want to read about the other items as well. Nobody heard the Shanlings? Nobody heard the Earmax? No comments about the electrostats?

If the only topic worth discussing from that meet is the balanced topology then I will drop out of this thread because I have had my fill on that subject in a thread that was intended to serve another purpose.

My recommendation is to start another thread and move all posts to that thread so that this remains a meet impressions thread. From what I can see this has gone beyond "Impressions".

I dont want to post pictures and videos after 10 pages of balanced amplification.

 

[tyrion]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeg The only outputs are the usual l/r channels, needing regular rca connectors. Heck, you saw my modded denon, and you know what it has. My lack of knowledge in these matters really shows. In any case, I'll plan on an Orpheus in my distant future.

I think we are all planning on an Orpheus in our distant future. To me that was as good as it gets in headphones. Running out of the 007t amp I enjoyed it almost as much as my brother. I wonder whether it would be better or worse out of some of the other es amps, like the Blue Hawaii or KGSS.

Unfortunately, I didn't spend enough time with the Shanling triplets. That sounds like it should be in Penthouse. The 300 was about as cool a cdp as I've seen. As with most meets, there is always more gear than time.