Vpi Scoutmaster vs. Aries 3 recommendations

Jun 25, 2007 at 1:08 PM Post #16 of 45
Tom, Yes but,

Joe (Art Audio) is willing to build one with my (Siltech) wire. Right now everything in my system except the phono stage is wired internally with Siltech. This is important to me because a) I am the sales manager for Siltech America, and more importantly 2) Everything that I have had wired with Siltech has been improved dramatically.

If I opt for an Exemplar or an Art Audio it will be custom built with the very best Siltech wiring inside.
 
Jun 25, 2007 at 1:14 PM Post #17 of 45
Quote:

Originally Posted by asebastian0 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Cough up the beans on the Singlepower phono stage! Tube complement? Specs?
eek.gif



He is on his own as far as design go. But these were requirements I needed. I need all settings on outside of the box.
Must have adjustable gain from 30 to 70 DB.
Must have adjustable loadings from 30-1000
Tubes are a must, but prefer some neutral tubes with maybe a touch of midrange bloom or sweetness. Also quiet and long life. Maybe some sort military mini-tubes or the Russian tubes used in the BAT preamps, 6H30s I think.
Must to be QUIET! Even when using the lowest output cartridge and the highest DB loading.
Must be balanced, have both balanced and RCA inputs and outputs.
Blackgates wherever possible.
Anything he can think of along the way to make this my last phonostage.
wink.gif
icon10.gif

No step up trans. allowed.
 
Jun 25, 2007 at 1:24 PM Post #18 of 45
Quote:

Originally Posted by Yikes /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Tom, Yes but,

Joe (Art Audio) is willing to build one with my (Siltech) wire. Right now everything in my system except the phono stage is wired internally with Siltech. This is important to me because a) I am the sales manager for Siltech America, and more importantly 2) Everything that I have had wired with Siltech has been improved dramatically.

If I opt for an Exemplar or an Art Audio it will be custom built with the very best Siltech wiring inside.


That is awesome. I used the Golden Ridge digital between my SCD-1 and Audio Aero Prima SE DAC, and SQ88 classic ICs when I had my SDS-XLR headphone system going. Very good cables. The digital was a big improvment over everything else I tried in the $1K range.
 
Jun 25, 2007 at 4:08 PM Post #19 of 45
Quote:

Originally Posted by asebastian0 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Cough up the beans on the Singlepower phono stage! Tube complement? Specs?
eek.gif



As far as Scoutmaster Aries 3 goes I can only tell the OP that when Sterophile reviewed the Scout they found it to better the (more expensive) Aries 3. Have to go to bed or I'd look up the quote. HA! fooled ya, here it is "Today, I think the less expensive Aries Scout and JMW-9 actually play music better, and I felt that way within a minute of first hearing them." Obviously you are looking at the scoutmaster but they will share the same arm, everything is just a lot bigger on the master.


Good point the stand alone Scout is a tramendous value... beyond that (more money invested), the competition gets tougher and the diminishing returns get much higher. The sky is the limit... No matter how much you invest, you could always be doing better, so hit that value sweet spot and stop the wallet from bleeding OP.
wink.gif
 
Jun 26, 2007 at 4:58 AM Post #21 of 45
Quote:

Originally Posted by johnsonad /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Alright, I lied, a Scout came up with a deal I couldn't refuse and it is on the way to me now. Let the vinyl spin and the upgrades begin!! Thanks Alan!


Congrats!
cool.gif


When does it arrive?

Have you decided on a phono stage yet or still looking?
 
Jun 26, 2007 at 10:56 PM Post #22 of 45
It was shipped out today (thanks again Alan!). The phono stage is the hard part right now. Emailed a few guys about the RSA XR-2 and am open to inputs. I don't want to have to be upgrading the cart and stage every few months... Any sugestions on a good synergistic combo for the Scout? It will be used with my soon to have RSA Apache. Thanks!
 
Jun 28, 2007 at 4:23 AM Post #23 of 45
The RSA XR-2 uses opamps =NOISE
I don't know if you want a MM/MC option in the pre-amp.
Benz PP-1 has a simple layout with the only IC being a voltage pre-regulator.
Discrete is the way to go.
Between VPI and Basis you have made a wize decision in that price range.
You will be very pleased.
 
Jun 28, 2007 at 4:30 AM Post #24 of 45
Quote:

Originally Posted by cleophus /img/forum/go_quote.gif
The RSA XR-2 uses opamps =NOISE
I don't know if you want a MM/MC option in the pre-amp.
Benz PP-1 has a simple layout with the only IC being a voltage pre-regulator.
Discrete is the way to go.
Between VPI and Basis you have made a wize decision in that price range.
You will be very pleased.


I have read a lot of reviews of the RSA XR-2, not one mentioned noise.

Please provide a link to a review that does mention noise if you have one. Or are you saying that you have auditioned this amp and found it to be noisy?

Just because an amp uses a particular topology does not mean that is noisy, or quiet for that matter.
 
Jun 28, 2007 at 4:38 AM Post #25 of 45
Quote:

Originally Posted by nelamvr6 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I have read a lot of reviews of the RSA XR-2, not one mentioned noise.

Please provide a link to a review that does mention noise if you have one.

Just because an amp uses a particular topology does not mean that is noisy, or quiet for that matter.


What's the signal to noise ratio on a XR-2?
 
Jun 28, 2007 at 5:01 AM Post #26 of 45
Quote:

Originally Posted by cleophus /img/forum/go_quote.gif
What's the signal to noise ratio on a XR-2?


I don't know, do you?

Have you heard this amp or not?
 
Jun 28, 2007 at 5:14 AM Post #27 of 45
Quote:

Originally Posted by cleophus /img/forum/go_quote.gif
What's the signal to noise ratio on a XR-2?


According to this review the S/N ratio is 86db.

That doesn't seem to be too noisy to me.
 
Jun 28, 2007 at 5:16 AM Post #28 of 45
RIAA Equalization +/- 0.5dB
Integrated Rumble Filter 10 Hz (-1dB at 20 Hz)
Gain at 1kHz 1280 (62dB)
Crosstalk below measuring range
Signal/Noise Ratio (0.5mV 0 ohm) 82dB (IHF “A”)
Maximum Input Voltage 5mV (1 kHz)
Input Impedance 22k Ohms
Heres the specs on the Benz PP-1 from there website.
Samuels HR-2 has no specs on their website,are they trying to hide something?
 
Jun 28, 2007 at 5:16 AM Post #29 of 45
Quote:

Originally Posted by cleophus /img/forum/go_quote.gif
What's the signal to noise ratio on a XR-2?


According to Todd the Vinyl Junkie (one of our sponsors):

Quote:

Ray sent me one to audition and it is not going back. This thing is fantastic. There is absolutely NO hum, distortion, noise. All you get is the sweet sound of vinyl as it was meant to be. So impressive was this phono stage that is now being used to demo the various turntables and cartridges.


Link
 
Jun 28, 2007 at 5:17 AM Post #30 of 45
Quote:

Originally Posted by cleophus /img/forum/go_quote.gif
RIAA Equalization +/- 0.5dB
Integrated Rumble Filter 10 Hz (-1dB at 20 Hz)
Gain at 1kHz 1280 (62dB)
Crosstalk below measuring range
Signal/Noise Ratio (0.5mV 0 ohm) 82dB (IHF “A”)
Maximum Input Voltage 5mV (1 kHz)
Input Impedance 22k Ohms
Heres the specs on the Benz PP-1 from there website.
Samuels HR-2 has no specs on their website,are they trying to hide something?


No, Ray just realizes that buying audio gear based on specs alone is a fool's errand.
 
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