i recently had a chat with tom evans about the loading issue
and was told that he has developed a variable loading module
for all versions of his phonostages
by all accounts he has found a way of doing this
without compromises[his words not mine].
i think this is GOOD NEWS as i own more than one cartridge but absolutely love the performance of the groove plus.
when optomised this is one staggeringly good piece of kit
and many will find it too revealing in thier systems
especially many valve users
im not knocking valve users
but to get the best from any te product phase linearity of matching ancilliarys is critical
synergy as always in audio
is the key
best regards
terry |
The G+ imo is a big step forward from the original G. Yes of matching is important, but I'm also less than happy with a break in the signal path at such a crucial point to accomodate changes. |
Ebarker,
Having owned a Groove my guess is that they couldn't adjust the Groove properly to match the cartridge. In the end that is why I sold mine. It will sound broken of the load is wrong, but so will any phono preamp. |
Very interesting. If the G+ sounds broken, one possibility is that there may actually be something wrong with the uni. Needless to say your finding is quite unusual. Which cart. was the G+ set up for, and was it run in and warmed up? I have heard the latest version (lithos 7) against quite a number of top contenders, and it usually has an extra layer of detail and speed. If one doesn't like that effect, then of course it all depends on personal taste. THe G+ not my personal favourite, but it is an incredible piece of equipment, and I know of a number of very experienced audiophiles with world class systems that have it as a key to the sound they produce. I certainly haven't heard anything that would make it sound broken.
Agree of course that matching to cartridge is critical. The Raven is an excellent turntable. I heard it in London with a Schroeder/Allaerts and was very impressed. |
Dear Thomasheisig & Kha - Very nice comaprison and thanks for sharing your findings.
Would you be so kind as to further detail the following:
a) the lps used for the comparisons
b) if you used ICs and speaker cables different from the XLO (IC) and Purist Audio Venustas (speaker cables), which are listed as part of Kha's system
c) all the changes/adjustments you made on the Klyne when compared against the Groove +
d) all the changes/adjustments you made on the Klyne when compared against the Artisan
TIA! |
I just returned from KHA's home and we did made a comparison between a Klyne 7 Phono, Zyx Artisan and a Groove Plus, with a Phantom Arm on a Raven turntable and a Kuzma Airline on a Kuzma Reference Turntable. Both Arms were fitted with Zyx UNIverse ( his and mine ). We switched between the Arms and between the Phono Stages with the same records.
To make a long story short, you can adjust a Klyne, that it is far away from it's best and you can adjust it in a way that it blows everything away. At the end I was so dissapointed from the Groove Plus that I asked KHA: "Is it defect? Did we made a mistake with the connection?"
We made no mistake. And the Zyx Artisan is a good sounding unit. |
Dear Kha - Like Goatwuss & Sbank I am curiously await the result of the Klyne vs. Zyx.
You may want to also consider comparing the Zyx to the JLTI phonostage designed by Joe Rasmussen (from Australia) in collaboration with Allen Wright of Vacuum State. It had gain switch for MM/MC cartridges and cartridge loading rca connectors. The newer versions (with a more substantial external PS option) of this phonostage are now made in Switzerland (at a considerable price increase). The earlier version uses a wall wart PS unit are still available from Joe while supplies last.
Here is the link to Joe's website --> http://www.customanalogue.com/jlti_phono_stage.htm
I also heard the Groove and had in my system for a considerable time. However, I felt that the Whest convincingly outperformed it in a number of sonic performance categories while also being more user fiendly. I still have the Whest and, in a recent session, a few of my local audio club buddies and I unanimously concluded the earlier JLTI version bettered the Whest in two different systems. Furthermore, during the same listening session, we also preferred it to the EAR 324 and was surprisingly very competitive to the Ear 88pb, a tube unit which is quite good. |
Karl,
Please compare them on any you have time to. Looks like many of us are interested in this comparison. Thank you!
Spencer |
Hi Goatwuss,
on which turntable ?
Regards Karl-Heinz |
Hi Pentatonia,
well I think the Artisan is also much better
than the Groove +.
I have one for testing right now.
I am very satisfied with the artisan.
regards Karl-Heinz |
Kha - Can you do a direct comparison of the ZYX phono vs the klyne with the same turntable setup? |
I have never heard Tom Evans "the Groove" phono stage, but I used to own a Microgroove plus before upgrade my system with Artisan. Well, let me put it this way: Artisan vs Microgroove plus is like putting on the right pair eye glasses. The notes become more apparent with perfect figure and much better silence between them. Honestly, Artisan is a GREAT phonostage. |
Well I got the Artisan
I am very impressed with this phonopre in
compination with a ZYX Universe and the
Kuzma Airline TA.
It is a perfect match between these components.
Regard Karl-Heinz |
Hi Trprowda,
well I decided to by a ZYX Artsian phono pre,
which I will receive in February. And now I am
still in the phase off burning the new PS-Audio
GCPH Phono Stage in, which is a really amazing phono
pre for the money.
Regards Karl-Heinz |
It's really not that difficult to convert to other loading; you'll need a good low-medium wattage soldering iron & decent soldering skills. It does require that the unit be extensively disassembled, putting it more into the Pain In The A-- territory rather than the Impossible To Do Unless You're A Physicist one. I do own a Groove & I love it but I would be interested to hear from others that have compared it to other phono stages. I greatly admire speed, dynamics & neutrality. The rest of my system is SME20/SMEIV, Wadia 302, Spectral DMC15, DMA100S, Wilson Sophia. Thanks in advance for the advice. |
I owned the Groove. It is very good in many areas but its lack of flexibility is a major drawback. You can't adapt it to other cartridges without sending it back to the factory. Also at its price point it can be bettered and for a little more significantly surpassed.
I don't know much about the ZYX artisan but I am in heaven w. my WNA audio preamp. You already have one of the worlds great phono stages. |
|
Hi Raul,
I am thinking of buying another phonopre,
but I will not sell my two Klyne's as there
are very good.
Regards
Karl-Heinz |
Dear Karl: What's wrong with your Klyne?
Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul. |
