Nagra VPS

Would be happy to help. Am awaiting the Nagra VPS. It should arrive any day. Will replace a Phd Sutherland, an absolutely outstanding phonostage. Why am I upgrading...that is a another story. As and when I get to saviour the delights of the VPS, will share my thoughts.
All the best

Well my VPS arrived yesterday and it would be darn right stupid of me to attempt a review on 3hrs of listening but there is one observation I want to share. The tubes on my Conrad Johnson power amp are new with barely 8/10 hours of use. With my previous phonostage(Sutherland Phd - a superb phonostage) you could make out that something was amiss, the musical picture and textures were all there but the midrange was a bit on the thin side(in the context of new tubes).With the VPS in the system somehow I almost forgot the tubes have a long way to go before break in. The musical presentation was a whole lot more coherent. The VPS is straight out of the box. If this is what the VPS does before it and the power amp achieve break in, well I guess the good times are here and now.
Cheers

Hevac1 and Jfrech
A quick question : what cartridge loading are you using and with which cartridge? Am still experimenting, currently using a specially supplied 1k ohm card with a Lyra Skala. There is a difference with the 47k ohm card but hey its pretty subtle. Would appreciate any comments/advice.
Cheers

Hevac 1
Not only are we the same age but we both have impeccable taste in audio...Lol.
Tried the 470 ohm card (had actually asked for 500ohm ) but it sounded a wee bit closed. Actually I am a bit concerned that I should not rush to any conclusion as there is too much thats new in my vinyl chain : new tonearm(Triplanar), new tubes in the power amp (CJ LP70S) and of course the spanking new VPS. Have also changed the arm board on the TT etc
Jfrech
Doesn't the symmetrical option work only with a balanced (XLR) cable?
The low gain is a non starter with my preamp (CJ CT5).
Cheers

Raul
I think you hit the nail on the head when you say :"...you are happy with what you have..and that is what counts..."
I am the newest member of the VPS tribe with my unit being barely a week old with somewhere around 25hrs on it.
I have read MF's review as also his follow up comments on the VPS while reviewing the Naim phono stage in the next issue. MF is fairly clear in his remarks that the VPS adds a veneer of coloration but goes on to add that given the number of bad recordings out there thats not necesarily a bad thing.
I will in all humility, given your formidable reputation and knowledge, take issue on one critical aspect. In my subjective opinion the end gaol of our hobby is the pursuit of musical enjoyment and not transparency or neutrality per se. For example and I suspect the analogy is not altogether misplaced, how do you like your food : tasty or entirely neutral and true to the ingredients that go into the food?
I also suspect that there is no final or absolute answer to this question.
That said I could'nt agree more with both Hevac1 and Jfrech and ALSO MF that the VPS is among the best phono stages out there.
Cheers and Happy listening.

Hevac1
Thanks. I barely have 30hrs on it but I have the feeling this is the last phono stage I am going to buy. Female voices and voices in general are superb. I was playing a 20yr+ Gordon Lightfoot lp a couple nights back and I don't remember the soundstage being this wide or more important the music being this involving;the toe tapping description is absolutely spot on. Too much in my vinyl chain is new,even then I have no hesitation ,notwithstanding what more knowledgeable pundits might say, that this is really a superb phonostage. I guess I need to say a big thank you to JFrech and you for your prompt advice and experience sharing.
Need a minimum of a month or more to truly revert with further comments
Cheers