My Long List of Amplifiers and My Personal Review of Each!


So I have been in a long journey looking to find the best amplifiers for my martin logan montis. As you know, the match between an amplifier and speakers has to be a good "marriage" and needs to be blend exquisitely. Right now, I think I might have found the best sounding amplifier for martin logan. I have gone through approximately 34-36 amplifiers in the past 12 months. Some of these are:

Bryston ST, SST, SST2 series
NAD M25
PARASOUND HALO
PARASOUND CLASSIC
KRELL TAS
KRELL KAV 500
KRELL CHORUS
ROTEL RMB 1095
CLASSE CT 5300
CLASSE CA 2200
CLASSE CA 5200
MCINTOSH MC 205
CARY AUDIO CINEMA 7
OUTLAW AUDIO 755
LEXICON RX7
PASS LABS XA 30.8
BUTLER AUDIO 5150
ATI SIGNATURE SERIES 6005

With all that said, the amplifiers I mentioned above are the ones that in my opinion are worth mentioning. To make a long story short, there is NO 5 CHANNEL POWER AMP that sounds as good as a 3ch and 2ch amplifier combination. i have done both experiments and the truth is that YOU DO lose details and more channel separation,etc when you select a 5 channel power amplifier of any manufacturer.
My recollection of what each amp sounded like is as follows:

ATI SIGNATURE SERIES 6005 (great power and amazing soundstage. Very low noise floor, BUT this amplifiers NEEDS TO BE cranked up in order to fully enjoy it. If you like listening at low volume levels or somewhat moderate, you are wasting your time here. This amp won’t sound any different than many other brands out there at this volume. The bass is great, good highs although they are a bit bright for my taste)

NAD M25 (very smooth, powerful, but somewhat thin sounding as far as bass goes)
Bryston sst2(detailed, good soundstage, good power, but can be a little forward with certain speakers which could make them ear fatiguing at loud volumes)

Krell (fast sounding, nice bass attack, nice highs, but some detail does get lost with certain speakers)

rotel (good amp for the money, but too bright in my opinion)

cary audio (good sound overall, very musical, but it didn’t have enough oomph)

parasound halo (good detail, great bass, but it still holds back some background detail that i can hear in others)

lexicon (very laid back and smooth. huge power, but if you like more detail or crisper highs, this amp will disappoint you)

McIntosh mc205 (probably the worst multichannel amp given its price point. it was too thin sounding, had detail but lacked bass.

butler audio (good amplifier. very warm and smooth sweet sounding. i think for the money, this is a better amp than the parasound a51)

pass labs (very VERY musical with excellent bass control. You can listen to this for hours and hours without getting ear fatigue. however, it DOES NOT do well in home theater applications if all you have is a 2 channel set up for movies. The midrange gets somewhat "muddy" or very weak sounding that you find yourself trying to turn it up.

classe audio (best amplifier for multi channel applications. i simply COULDNT FIND a better multi channel amplifier PERIOD. IT has amazing smoothness, amazing power and good bass control although i would say krell has much better bass control)

Update: The reviews above were done in January 2015. Below is my newest update as of October 2016:



PS AUDIO BHK 300 MONOBLOCKS: Amazing amps. Tons of detail and really amazing midrange. the bass is amazing too, but the one thing i will say is that those of you with speakers efficiency of 87db and below you will not have all the "loudness" that you may want from time to time. These amps go into protection mode when using a speaker such as the Salon, but only at very loud levels. Maybe 97db and above. If you don’t listen to extreme crazy levels, these amps will please you in every way.

Plinius Odeon 7 channel amp: This is THE BEST multichannel amp i have ever owned. Far , but FAR SUPERIOR to any other multichannel amp i have owned. In my opinion it destroyed all of the multichannel amps i mentioned above and below. The Odeon is an amp that is in a different tier group and it is in a league of its own. Amazing bass, treble and it made my center channel sound more articulate than ever before. The voices where never scrambled with the action scenes. It just separated everything very nicely.

Theta Dreadnaught D: Good detailed amp. Looks very elegant, has a pleasant sound, but i found it a tad too bright for my taste. I thought it was also somewhat "thin" sounding lacking body to the music. could be that it is because it is class d?

Krell Duo 300: Good amp. Nice and detailed with enough power to handle most speakers out there. I found that it does have a very nice "3d" sound through my electrostatics. Nothing to fault here on this amp.
Mark Levinson 532H: Great 2 channel amp. Lots of detail, amazing midrange which is what Mark Levinson is known for. It sounds very holographic and will please those of you looking for more detail and a better midrange. As far as bass, it is there, but it is not going to give you the slam of a pass labs 350.5 or JC1s for example. It is great for those that appreciate classical music, instrumental, etc, but not those of you who love tons of deep bass.

 It is articulate sounding too
Krell 7200: Plenty of detail and enough power for most people. i found that my rear speakers contained more information after installed this amp. One thing that i hated is that you must use xlr cables with this amp or else you lose most of its sound performance when using RCA’s.

Krell 402e: Great amp. Very powerful and will handle any speaker you wish. Power is incredible and with great detail. That said, i didn’t get all the bass that most reviewers mentioned. I thought it was "ok" in regards to bass. It was there, but it didn’t slam me to my listening chair.

Bryston 4B3: Good amp with a complete sound. I think this amp is more laid back than the SST2 version. I think those of you who found the SST2 version of this amp a little too forward with your speakers will definitely benefit from this amp’s warmth. Bryston has gone towards the "warm" side in my opinion with their new SST3 series. As always, they are built like tanks. I wouldn’t call this amp tube-like, but rather closer to what the classe audio delta 2 series sound like which is on the warm side of things.

Parasound JC1s: Good powerful amps. Amazing low end punch (far superior bass than the 402e). This amp is the amp that i consider complete from top to bottom in regards to sound. Nothing is lacking other than perhaps a nicer chassis. Parasound needs to rework their external appearance when they introduce new amps. This amp would sell much more if it had a revised external appearance because the sound is a great bang for the money. It made my 800 Nautilus scream and slam. Again, amazing low end punch.

Simaudio W7: Good detailed amp. This amp reminds me a lot of the Mark Levinson 532h. Great detail and very articulate. I think this amp will go well with bookshelves that are ported in order to compensate for what it lacks when it comes to the bass. That doesn’t mean it has no bass, but when it is no Parasound JC1 either.
Pass labs 350.5: Wow, where do i begin? maybe my first time around with the xa30.8 wasn’t as special as it was with this monster 350.5. It is just SPECTACULAR sounding with my electrostatics. The bass was THE BEST BASS i have ever heard from ANY amp period. The only amp that comes close would be the jC1s. It made me check my settings to make sure the bass was not boosted and kept making my jaw drop each time i heard it. It totally destroyed the krell 402e in every regard. The krell sounded too "flat" when compared to this amp. This amp had amazing mirange with great detail up top. In my opinion, this amp is the best bang for the money. i loved this amp so much that i ended up buying the amp that follows below.

Pass labs 250.8: What can i say here. This is THE BEST STEREO AMP i have ever heard. This amp destroys all the amps i have listed above today to include the pass labs 350.5. It is a refined 350.5 amp. It has more 3d sound which is something the 350.5 lacked. It has a level of detail that i really have never experienced before and the bass was amazing as well. I really thought it was the most complete power amplifier i have ever heard HANDS DOWN. To me, this is a benchmark of an amplifier. This is the amp that others should be judged by. NOTHING is lacking and right now it is the #1 amplifier that i have ever owned.

My current amps are Mcintosh MC601s: i decided to give these 601s a try and they don’t disappoint. They have great detail, HUGE soundstage, MASSIVE power and great midrange/highs. The bass is great, but it is no pass labs 250.8 or 350.5. As far as looks, these are the best looking amps i have ever owned. No contest there. i gotta be honest with you all, i never bought mcintosh monos before because i wasn’t really "wowed" by the mc452, but it could have been also because at that time i was using a processor as a preamp which i no longer do. Today, i own the Mcintosh C1100 2 chassis tube preamp which sounds unbelievable. All the amps i just described above have been amps that i auditioned with the C1100 as a preamp. The MC601s sound great without a doubt, but i will say that if you are looking for THE BEST sound for the money, these would not be it. However, Mcintosh remains UNMATCHED when it comes to looks and also resale value. Every other amp above depreciates much faster than Mcintosh.

That said, my future purchase (when i can find a steal of a deal) will be the Pass labs 350.8. I am tempted to make a preliminary statement which is that i feel this amp could be THE BEST stereo amp under 30k dollars. Again, i will be able to say more and confirm once i own it. I hope this update can help you all in your buying decisions!


128x128jays_audio_lab

Mahgister, instead of rushing to your keyboard in a need to be heard, how about taking a step back and reading the exact claim made. That the cable used for charging, made a sound difference in the playback when running on batteries only .... then again I see you have rocks strapped to your AC house feed conduit, so I am not sure you are the best person to discuss this with.  I don't think we have a common language to discuss this. I will leave it at that.

I had no reason to believe that not to doubt it if someone experience it...I dont have an opinion...

I "rushed" to my keyboard because you rushed in this thread...

And if making a simple experiment , strapping rocks in my AC house conduit, make you believe someone is a "fool", you are a bit swift on judging others...

Change your "alias" which is a bit provocative and express a misleading judgement about all very different people all put in the same despising bag..

I can be arrogant too...

But i prefer to stay friendly...

😁😊

 

Mahgister, instead of rushing to your keyboard in a need to be heard, how about taking a step back and reading the exact claim made. That the cable used for charging, made a sound difference in the playback when running on batteries only .... then again I see you have rocks strapped to your AC house feed conduit, so I am not sure you are the best person to discuss this with. I don’t think we have a common language to discuss this. I will leave it at that.

Jay - I am curious....what projector do you have for your giant screen?   Do you use it very often?  

I own a JVC nx7 and use it 3 times a week. I am actually contemplating the new laser JVC nz7....

Folks,

Let's get this thread on track shall we? 

@kren0006 

Were you surprised i got a turntable?

I know many of you didn't see that coming...

I thought you might be adding a turntable, but I was wondering where in the room you were going to put it to minimize acoustic feedback. I was also thinking that you may have to adjust your methods, as analog does not lend itself towards the rapid A/B comparisons you can do with streaming.  Maybe stream when you want to compare and analog when you just want to sit down and listen.  It’s definitely more of a commitment than digital.  Enjoy. 

Not surprised at all. In fact I said one or two years ago in this thread that 2022 would be the year that you would. Since we’re about exactly half way through 2022 I’d say I nailed it perfectly. 
 

Remember for last 3 years WC has been saying any time it got brought up that he was not interested in vinyl, didn’t have the time or patience, etc 

I was a bit surprised when you bought a TT. And you didn't wade in at the shallow end of the pool either. What phono pre will you be using?

Nice, glad to see that Jay is looking at another/alternative source component...a Kronos. A turntable ( and a good one at that) will allow the system to show off its best abilities. 

The MSB gear is great for digital, but if you want to go to the next step, vinyl is required...and here's the thing, IF you want to go above that...well then we have tape! If budget allows, all three are great to have in the system, but analog is an ultra expensive proposition...and tape is not far behind. 

So yes I had said no Vinyl and I wasn’t planning to but the buyer of my VAC MONOS traded it in to me and so I thought it was a perfect opportunity to jump in. The stars kinda aligned and i also think it will help the channel grow (fingers crossed).

I have the Boulder 2008 phonostage in the room and i will be ordering artesania prestige 3-shelf rack with a turntable shelf on top. The issue is that i was told it will take about a month before i see it so I don’t expect the turntable to be set up in my room until next month. It’s not just that turntable, but i have to drop money on the artesania stand (luckily I’m a dealer) plus the phonostage 2008 from boulder and a cartridge which could run me another 5-10k PLUS the XLR cables to go from the phonostage into the preamp... This is an insane investment...i wasn’t planning for it but it is what it is.

I totally get it, the experiment is costly. However, i needed to bring a turntable that was worth comparing to my MSB select 2. I heard my KRONOS turntable briefly in the room where i was on my last video and it was an eye opener.

My thought process is this: I will spend the money and see how a turntable compares to my DAC. If and ONLY IF the turntable just simply takes me to an entire new level never experienced by me with digital playback then I’d keep the turntable and overlook all the tinkering associated with it. I’d probably even downgrade my digital to something more affordable and put money in the bank.

That said, that is no easy feat for a turntable. Will this turntable earn its keep in my lab? The only way that materializes is if it beats any other source I’ve previously owned to the point that i can't listen to digital anymore. 

Do you all think this turntable has what it takes to best my MSB SELECT 2? 

Jay,

New worlds are open to you with turntables, arms, cartridges. Although daveyf has experience with successive Linn models and follows the Linn contention that the top priority is the TT, then arm, and lastly cartridge, I have had findings at variance with this hierarchy. The analog project doesn’t have to be expensive. I don’t like the rolled off HF euphonic quality of Koetsu cartridges. As a first exercise, you will enjoy the differences in the VPI Avenger TT vs Kronos TT using the same Koetsu. But the AudioTeknica cartridge may be more neutral than the Koetsu, depending on the models of each. You might even prefer the overall sound from the AudioTeknica on the modest VPI TT. The differences from any of the TT/arm/cartridge combos are certainly much greater than from dacs.  Money has little to do with all this. Most older audiophiles got their start with vinyl setups when we didn’t have much money.  If you want clear/neutral cartridges, they can be much cheaper than euphonic pricey cartridges.  Of the other way around.  Listen with an open mind and ear.  

Using the Boulder phono preamp is a great idea, which will better reveal the TT/arm/carridge differences. Later, you can try the cheap Paradox 70 phono stage, which Fremer said seriously challenged his CH Precision.

I don’t know the exact outcome of these experiments, which is for you to discover.

To make these comparisons more meaningful, get recordings which have vinyl and digital versions, otherwise you are comparing apples to oranges.

Hey WC,

You mentioned "tinkering" for the analog setup, but you've also done some tinkering with the digital side of things - including the Nordost router, power cable setup, etc.   Seems like there's always tinkering that can be done.  

The big advantage of digital though is the convenience and ability to quickly get the music you like to listen to and/or use in the system.  Will an analog setup be that much better that it isn't as bothersome to have the inconvenience with getting music?  

Looking forward to your take on things.

Dave

Here’s my prediction from 12/21/20:

 

Ron, perhaps.  Let's see....

It actually would not surprise me if 2021 is the year WC brings a solid vinyl setup into his room......now wouldn't that shock everyone here.......

He has already had top-of-the-line digital (not currently), and now his speakers and electronics have caught up.  Analog seems like a natural progression.  Maybe not 2021...2022 probably more likely.  He will say he has no interest at this time, and I believe him...........for now.  

But once the college player begins dominating there and finding it more and more difficult to find challenges at that level, it is inevitable to look to the pros.

Awesome addition to the system.  Glad you have local support as you integrate the Kronos into your system.  This TT is capable of competing with your digital, but a few additional variables are now present.  Cartridge choice and setup will ultimately come into play along with actually sourcing and acquiring quality pressings.  The last is possibly one of the more challenging aspects of analogue at this level.  Enjoy and I look forward to continue following your journey.

Jay- will the TT beat the MSB? All I can say is that others that play at or near your price points say it does, with the right records, which is a big caveat. But it’s something you can only discover for yourself. Don’t forget you also need a record cleaning machine and … Records? To that end, I have collected some extra copies of certain records I liked and when you’re ready, I would like to send you as a starting point in your journey, copies of 2 original Mark Levinson recordings- Jazz at Long Wharf and Elliot Fisk plays Scarlotti. They are analog classics and I would like for you to have them. Oh, don’t forget a stylus timer. 

I just wanted to add something important. One of the greatest pitfalls of analog is the urge to constantly tinker with it. Every time a record doesn’t sound good, you will have the urge to go readjust the vta, vtf, loading and whatever else you can think of. Discipline yourself to resist!  Have your TT set up in your home by the best expert you can find and just play records. All that other stuff will burn you out on analog. Just my opinion, but I’ve seen it before. That’s why some people should not  own analog or tubes. The thought that something may not be right kills their enjoyment of listening. 

@chayro 

Thank you for the offer above. I'll definitely take you up on it. 

Also, the tinkering is something that i have indeed done with digital but if I'm being honest here, I'm pretty much done with digital folks...explored it, did just about everything that can possibly be done. Could i change to another DAC? Sure but I'd be changing flavors and not necessarily improving the experience. Maybe analog has something special for me? Who knows... 

I also want to take the time to say this: I'm sick of hearing the same music...this has slowly made me bored because my ears are used to the same songs and my brain is like " ugh not again"... Playing the same music has certainly affected my drive. I realize that this is one of the many reasons why we change out oir equipment so often. We keep listening to the same music and so we change components to change the sound of the same recordings... Yep, i hate to admit it but I'm tired of the same songs... Makes me want to sell my entire system at times and just start buying aftermarket parts for my truck to make it faster...

I have read the appraisal above for the ATI 6005 amp. I ordered 7 months ago and finally received my 6002 (2 Channel) strictly for music.  I listen only to Rock and Roll, and at fairly loud levels. (Mid 90's spl) The amp feeds A LA-4 Benchmark Line Amp, to a pair of Upgraded Tekton Double impacts. Large listening room. If you have similar tastes, I don't think you'll find a better, stronger, more accurate AMP, Glorious, WOW    Impressive  Robert TN  7 year Warranty too

It's nice to have a sincere analog guy near you to get started.  But seek the advice of many analog people here and elsewhere.  Analog can be mellow/tubey, or fast/precise, with a vast spectrum in-between.  A cartridge is THE most critical component, because it is a transducer, a speaker in reverse.  You will find more changes in the sound from different cartridges than tonearm wiring and cables.  The TT/arm is really the supporting cast for the cartridge to perform its best, but the cartridge determines the basic personality of the system, only exceeded in importance by the speaker.  Ask your analog guy about compatibility with the tonearm using criteria of cartridge mass and compliance.  Most important, read about the sonic personalities of each cartridge from users.

You WILL find a vinyl setup that will beat the MSB for clarity, accuracy of imaging and spatiality, but it won't be from euphonic cartridges like Koetsu on a $500K TT/arm.  A simple top $7K package from Rega may do it.  Follow Fremer's columns for cartridge reviews.  The Lyra Atlas SL is an example of a top cartridge with neutral/revealing sound.

 

jays_audio_lab

... I'm sick of hearing the same music...this has slowly made me bored ... Makes me want to sell my entire system at times and just start buying aftermarket parts for my truck to make it faster...

You've burned yourself out. It's probably an indicator that the music just isn't that important to you.

It's not that it isn't important, it's just that playing the same thing on repeat will drive anyone nuts... boredom sets in....

 

Post removed 

Find new music you like on roon, buy it in whatever format you want to listen to.  There is so much good music out there.

WC,

As requested by some folks here, they want to hear comparisons with the same songs, so you end up hearing those same songs over and over.  It becomes an analytical experience, which at times can be exciting for the improvements/differences, but in the end can produce the burn out. 

The direction you are taking - Magico over the Focal as just one example - is to have a system that is able to expose the flaws in the music that is played, as opposed to having most everything sound decent.  However, this might steer you away from anything but high quality music; hence, the same songs over and over.

 

Jay take a break it will do you good. Don’t let this hobby become the only thing you’re interested in. There are other things in life to enjoy too. Live it!  Music is more appreciated if it taken occasionally in moderation.  I think we all wax and wain in and out of the hobby to some extent. Sometimes you have to just enjoy it instead of always trying to improve improve improve. Familiarity breeds contempt. We all enjoy want you’re doing but you may need a change in direction Maybe analog will give you that. Looking forward to it. However it’s ok to take a step back once in a while. We’ll still be here when you get back. 

The key to avoiding musical boredom is expanding your horizons.  Slowly dip your toes into classical.  Great classical music has lasted 500 years or more.  Why?  You don't have to be a scholar to continue to appreciate and understand it, although there is a learning curve with every musical language.  People expose  younger generations to it, who recognize its power and depth.  Despite my nearly 70 years of attentive listening, I know only a minute fraction of it, so there is much to learn.

Further, I have a comparatively small number of favorite pieces, but I never get tired of hearing them.  The complexity of a classical piece means that I hear something new the next time I hear it.  There is room for many interpretations of each piece.  I have many recordings of each piece by different performers, and even by the same performer over decades of his career.  I have recordings of the same performers on different record labels, so I can hear how the different engineers recorded the sound.  The tone of the same violin is vastly different according to the recording techniques used.  The same violin used by different players shows similarities and differences.  When I hear the actual tone in concert close up, I can judge which recording is most truthful.

Equipment changes are interesting up to a point, but EVERY audiophile eventually gets tired of it all.  Seek the music.  Buy some LP's that have a physical presence, with interesting record jacket musical commentary and artwork.  Watch Mike Fremer's tour of his house LP collection where he says that digital downloads are nothing compared to his stories of what he was doing when he bought that physical LP, and how the tangible feel of it brings back his memories.

@jays_audio_lab   When I talk about the cost of analog, I am not just talking about the cost of the hardware, but also the cost of the software! I currently own about 15K LP's, which i have acquired over a near lifetime of collecting. ( at one time I had nearly 100K LP's, but have weeded out to what i consider the cream..although still going to be doing more of that). There is absolutely no way I could afford to acquire this collection today if I had to start over. This is the real 'hidden cost' of great analog...the LP collection that is large enough and of enough quality, plus the ability to acquire it. I have had friends who have bought large collections, only to realize that what they bought was vastly over-priced and generally of poor quality from not only a condition perspective, but more importantly from a rarity and collectibility/SQ perspective. 

IME, a great analog set up means exactly that--someone able to properly do an extremely accurate set-up and also for the user to understand what it is that they are going to be able to achieve with their particular analog hardware. 

Just plopping a good table and arm/cartridge down into one's system is just half of the battle...the synergy with the upstream gear also needs to be considered, and the flexibility of the various upstream gear as well. 

While viber6 is correct, i do believe in the Linn hierarchy of what is most important in the turntable's build, i also think that the synergy between components perhaps even trumps that. If you get your tonearm wrong for the cartridge, or your cartridge mismatched with your phono preamp, or you tonearm cable mismatched to your arm or cartridge--you will hear the detrimental results. 

Will the Kronos better the MSB DAC that is in discussion, IME it will easily better it with certain music and with the right set up...IMHO digital always has a sheen of digititis ( for want of a better word) and when you hear that go away, it is hard to not hear it again. ( and the MSB Select 2DAC is one of the best two DAC's I have ever heard), but compared to great analog ( or better still- great tape) it comes in a fairly distant second. ( or third). 

Jay

Buy Mofi Vinyl . (Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab)

I have a 180 Gram 45RPM Dire Straits -Dire Straits (Original Master Recording)

and 180 gram 45RPm Dire Straits -Communique (Original Master Recording)

They sound fantastic.

The One Step Ultra-Discs should be even better, but, selections are few.

BTW, there is a lot of good music on the USB drive that you got from me.

It just takes time to explore it all and find what you like.😀

Thank you everyone for this conversation above. This is GREAT healthy discussions that i need to hear more of.

I need to look through the music you sent me @grey9hound for sure.

Anyhow, Oz just left my room. He came over to listen to my system and you will get to hear his thoughts on my system as well as me giving you all more information with regards to my turntable journey. Oz will be the person setting it up for me and by the way he had interesting things to say about my all Digital rig.

The video will drop tomorrow since we just finished shooting it.

Thanks to everyone for chiming in above and making your recommendations with regards to vinyl. You all can school me on this one and I can take the back seat. No problem with that.

For the records, you will probably eventually want to get some sort of record cleaner machine and some folks even invest in a device that flattens warped records.   It may seem a bit crazy, but it's different, and different can be fun.

Dave

I would think the first thing to acquire after the table...would be records, lots of records. Luckily there are still a great number of really good outlets to buy vinyl and now a lot of really excellent new albums in all genres. A good starting point would be some of the MoFi LP's addressed above, but one could also invest in the Tone Poet series that I think gives one an excellent intro to jazz. ( even the new Blue Note reissue series at a slightly lower price point should be on the radar).

Grey9hound has an excellent recommendation of the LP's of Dire Straits.  This way Jay can definitively hear the LP vs digital versions of the same recording.  This is the only way to tell the pros and cons of each format, otherwise it is an apples/oranges debate.  Even on a $500K turntable/arm, with a euphonic Koetsu cartridge the LP will be far inferior to digital for clarity and overall accuracy.  I can tolerate a little digititis but I hate veiled mush from euphonic cartridges.  With SOTA neutral moving coil cartridges like Lyra Atlas, Ortofon MC Anna Diamond, plus the SOTA Boulder phono preamp, the LP will challenge and likely beat the best digital for overall accuracy and naturalness.  In deference to daveyf, this may not be true with certain turntables.  Years ago before I got a CD player, I had the SOTA Sapphire TT (the brand, not the SOTA hype) and compared my Linn Valhalla TT with the same arm and cartridge.  The Sapphire was bass heavy and muddy, so it would have failed to compete against CD.  I have no idea what the intrinsic tonal balance of the VPI or the Kronos are, but if they are bass heavy, then the lighter tonal balance of the Rega TT/arm would let the LP compete successfully against digital.  Don't assume that expensive is better.  

There are only a few examples of the same recording on both LP and digital formats, but it takes only a few to settle the vinyl/digital issue.  When my Denon 305 cartridge was younger, the LP completely wiped out the CD on the same recordings in every parameter.  The CD was hopelessly veiled, compared to even crude mass marketed vinyl setups.  I did these comparisons in non audiophile friends' systems.  Now my CD player beats my aging Denon cartridge, but the cartridge is still playing the music, so my laziness lets me just settle down.  All this is true even with mediocre LP's.  I have only a few expensive pressings, but my mediocre LP's will still beat the CD version when I get around to getting a new cartridge mounted.

Jay, when you are set up with a great, neutral cartridge, you can do an A/B shootout between LP and digital versions of the same recording.  Even if there is record noise from the scraping needle, the increased information revealed from the LP should outweigh the noise.  

@jays_audio_lab Love your last video. I am super impressed with the fact that you are open to the idea of analog. I think the points about physical media are also spot on. In my system, SACD/CD and vinyl are the two source options, not streaming as I believe too much is lost in that format due to what you discuss.

As to a cartridge, this is actually not the make or break of the front end, as the tonearm and the table ( which you have covered nicely) are more important as to ultimate SQ. I have heard the Kronos set up on a number of occasions, ( my local dealer used to be their dealer). The set up works well with a variety of cartridges. The Ortofons work well in that arm ( the new Verismo, for example), albeit one has to be careful as to the ultra low output of some of their models. The Lyra Etna Lambda is another great option. ( if in budget). I would probably not entertain a Koetsu or similar if you want more resolution in the system.

"A lot of it has to get lost before it gets to us" .. referring to streaming ... said by someone, posting videos, and posting on a forum, on a website, over the Internet.

Well, this thread seems to be getting deluded by someone that obviously doesn't have enough to do.  Why bother boring us with your constant nitpicking when you could be annoying another thread? 

@deludedaudiophile 

Are you trying to add to this discussion? If so, great. But if you've nothing good to add, please consider not posting at all. Keeping it cordial is what should be the standard. 

Your responses encourage him. Don’t respond if you don’t want to hear him. Seems simple to me. 

WC,

Nice video - enjoy watching you and Oz discuss things.  

So, you are probably going to compare your new analog setup with the MSB digital setup - both setups have some cost to them.  What I'm wondering is - what does it take for an analog setup to sound better than your MSB digital setup.  For example, can a $5K turntable sound better than the MSB digital setup.  I know there's a lot more variables and viber6 mentioned the cartridge having a big impact on the sound.  Anyway, not sure if you are going to venture into anything like that, but it would be interesting.  I know you mentioned that you might downsize the digital side, etc.   I'm sure the first step though is to see what you think of an analog setup in your system and how it impacts you.  Fun stuff!

Dave

I have a somewhat different view than daveyf, regarding what is most important--TT, tonearm, cartridge.  We both agree that everything is important, as with speakers, preamps, amps, interconnect/speaker cables, power cords, and now battery/inverters.  The exciting thing about analog is deciphering in what ways different items affect the total sound.  To me, the cartridge supplies the tonal character, and the TT/arm affect the cleanliness of the sound.  If you want warmth and mellow sound, get the Koetsu cartridge.  This will be consistent on any TT/arm. If you want maximum clarity and resolution, and think you can beat digital's clarity, get Lyra, Ortofon, Rega Apheta (much cheaper than the others).  Instead of spending $10K on an interconnect, take that money and buy a few cartridges.  You'll get a vast smorgasbord of tonal flavors, instead of only relatively subtle differences from interconnects.  You'll have a great time.

It is hard to obtain info about all these factors.  Linn markets total systems, but a true connoisseur may take the top Klimax system and try different cartridges with that TT/arm.  Who says that Linn knows best what is right for each customer?  Their concept of synergy is different from that of someone else with good ears and different tastes.  Their entry level Majik system includes a cheap moving magnet cartridge.  Why not save money with the Majik but paired with the best moving coil cartridge of your preference?  I don't believe any Linn dealer or user has experimented with all the Linn components in all the permutations.  The truth is only known after all the possibilities are tried.  No dealer does what is required to really know the truth.  Marketing takes over, saying in effect, "Trust me.  We have our systems approach."  Complete utter BS.

One of the interesting things about analog is that there are a number of opinions as to what works best and how to achieve the ultimate from our records. What i think is pretty much agreed upon is that analog is more inconvenient than digital and demands a little more of the end user. 

As to the hierarchy of which is more important, the cartridge or the arm/table; it has been demonstrated by a number of reviewers and others ( including Linn dealers) that you can place the best cartridge on a marginal turntable and arm and hear far less in SQ than a entry level cartridge mounted on a top flite table and arm. I have done this very experiment myself and concur with these results. 

 

I’d stay away from most Mofi, personally. their reissues usually sound worse than originals.

The easy part is the analog rig, the vinyl is much harder. And not cheap for quality. I’d also recommend avoiding new digital recordings just ported over to vinyl. Find the good analog redone stuff or originals of course.

Congrats on satisfying the analog bug! 

@pokey77 ,

 

You have someone on here, holding themselves out as an expert, making misleading and erroneous statements. I am not okay with that and that does not add to this conversation. The poster, who is out to establish credibility and make money (he is an audio products dealer by his own admission) should be held to account and to a higher account based on his activity. His statements, so obviously wrong, call into question  everything he says. Why do you feel a need to defend that? How does making misleading statements benefit the community here? They don't.

@keithr Keith, I cannot agree with you on many of the MoFi reissues. While some are as you describe, mostly from the older parts of their catalog, the newer releases have impressed me greatly. I do agree that if the reissue is from a digital file/recording, that is probably a miss, but some of these can be excellent as well. For instance, the highly prized MoFi release of Allison Krauss and Union Station ’Live’ is a digital recording, yet this is one of the best sounding LP’s in my collection.

I also think the MoFi Dire Straits releases mentioned above are also a hit.

Agree 100% that the hard part of vinyl is not the analog rig, but the vinyl acquisition and the cost associated with that!

 

Jay,

Just watched your video--sensibly put.  Smart to go slowly and modestly at first.  Try a few cheap but excellent moving coil cartridges.  A few years ago, I was tempted by possibly the fastest one-the $7K Van den Hul Colibri (like the fast bird, colibri), but I was nervous about the exposed naked stylus.  If you want detail, the Rega Apheta 3 at about $2K, is a top choice.  Lyra is known for accuracy with some midrange sweetness, so you might consider their cheaper cartridges.  Read the latest S-phile review of the Luxman LMC-5 moving coil cartridge, which may offer what I think you like--clarity with some midrange sweetness, for $2695.  That would be my top recommendation for you.    

I bought a refurbished Denon 305 recently for $500 from Cartridge Retipping, 69 Ballard Drive, West Hartford, Conn 06119.  I forgot how I found this retipper guy, maybe eBay.  He has a large selection and turnover of all kinds of cartridges, and would be a great resource.   My 1982 Denon 305 until recently was the fastest clearest cartridge I ever owned, and on my Goldmund Studio TT + Alphason arm, beat the heck out of CD for speed and snap.  You probably would find it too ruthless for you, but I mention it to illustrate that analog can have any sonic trait you want.  Oz clearly likes euphonic components--tube electronics, Koetsu.  You will probably at first like the excursion into euphonic analog with his setup.  But later you will crave the digital precision you now have, although to make a fair comparison, physical analog should be compared with physical digital, using CD/SACD on a transport.  Just don't make any definitive conclusions about analog vs digital until you have tried a sampling of TT's, arms, cartridges.  Try a new Rega Planar 10 + arm + Apheta cartridge all set up and ready to go, for $7K.  That is high quality at a cheap price that enables you to learn a lot by swapping different modestly priced cartridges.  Some people, especially reviewers, have TT's with a few arms, to make comparison of cartridges easier.

Never spend big bucks on any cartridge.  High price is absolutely no guarantee of sound quality and whether you like that particular sound.  MOST IMPORTANTLY, all cartridges have a break in process that is more dramatic in extent than any other component you have had.  Worse, the lifespan for top sound quality is only about 1000 hours, although I got lucky with my Denon 305 which was superb for many thousands of hours.  Most of my other cartridges became dogs after fewer than 1000 hours.  Don't waste the lifespan of a cartridge when doing A/B tests of other components--that's why I used CD for such testing.  Use the cartridge to settle down and enjoy the music.

Whoa 😳!!!!!!

I'm loving this level of fire you all are showing with regards to turntables and records. I knew me bringing a turntable would be a good idea but i didn't expect to see you all so passionate about analog. This is freaking AWESOME and i TRULY THANK YOU ALL!

@daveyf 

Thanks for the info on how much more mportant is the turntable itself than the cartridge. I was actually fishing for this information but you made it easier for me 👊 

Look, don't get me wrong, you all know I'm crazy AS HELL and part of my craziness is what you all love about me (i hope?)

With that said, i wanted to buy like a next level cartridge (maybe 15k cartridge?) But i was warned by my close turntable gurus that cartridges are a dangerous investment IF AND ONLY IF i am simply looking to try a turntable to see how Iike it. 

I heard my turntable at Oz's home on his modest system and i was impressed at the immediacy and snappiness as well as clarity I heard through the Kronos (totally unexpected).

@keithr 

Interesting 🤔. I would have imagined that the set up was the harder part and not the record selection. This is what is very nerve wracking for me because most of the music that is being pitched to me happens to be older stuff which i am unfamiliar with but that is fine. I need to force my a$$ to listen to new music. I might have to borrow good vinyl (if that's even possible) and see what people deem as "special" and learn. 

@viber6 

This Lyra brand is being talked about all over the comments section of my last video. It seems to be a popular cartridge i suppose? There is quite a bit of buzz which is certainly going to make me look at it closer. 

I'm still not sure what I will be selecting because I agree with what someone said above that the cartridge also needs to have synergy with the system. 

 

@carey1110 

I agree with your statement above 👊

 

Ok, and now I get to the part that most of you guys and my YouTube channel have been asking about: what is the special 6 figure component I've been mentioning. I am going to review the edits made by the video editor today and if it all looks good, i will be releasing it tomorrow. I made some pretty strong statements which show passionate I am about this stuff (you gotta watch it). 

Thank you all above for the support and the collaboration. Can't do this without you guys- NONE OF IT.