Regarding my pre-amp, MFA Lumi, situation, I hope it will not cause a distraction from the topic at hand. However, it is integral to the analog chain, and I could seriously use your help / opinion, so please bear with me. I have Lumi A1 or A2, with two transformers in the PSU as opposed to four in the B-2c series. In my correspondence with Scott Frankland, he regarded the B series as the 'most advanced'.
@vuckovic '...Lumi is still the world class preamp!...'
The high regard given to the Lumi, I believe, is primarily for its phono performance. With the La Platine / Trans- Fi / ZYX entry level cartridge combo, the soundstage bleeds right out of the sides of the ET LFT-8b's. The depth, layering, and 3 dimensionality ..etc are quite something, hence my push on the TT front to get more. Instinctively, I know the Lumi will not only keep step, but is driving the herd.
While I only listen to cds' 20% of the time, the listening experience is very different. Not unpleasant, but everything is scaled down, the 'stage is restricted, resolution is down, and I am straining to hear the ambience of the venue...etc. The thinking was that the culprit lies with the vintage Wadia 16 until about a month ago. As the Lumi was sent for repairs, I decided to plug the Wadia directly into the Von Gaylords Nirvana mono's. With its own digital volume control, I was listening to a more resolved, more transparent, and slightly larger soundstage presentation. It seems clear that the Lumi line stage was the issue.
I wonder if your audio buddies or @lewm can confirm the disparity between the line and phono stages in the Lumi? If not, then I really need to get it fixed by Scott!!
@lewm What have you moved on to after the Lumi and why the regret?
For now, I am leaning towards using The Lumi strictly as a phono preamp through the Lightspeed Passive Attenuator. In other word, keep the goodness of Lumi and optimize elsewhere. This passive device is proving to be quite something and a subject for another post. @lewm I think you are skeptical of this one.
@vuckovic '...Lumi is still the world class preamp!...'
The high regard given to the Lumi, I believe, is primarily for its phono performance. With the La Platine / Trans- Fi / ZYX entry level cartridge combo, the soundstage bleeds right out of the sides of the ET LFT-8b's. The depth, layering, and 3 dimensionality ..etc are quite something, hence my push on the TT front to get more. Instinctively, I know the Lumi will not only keep step, but is driving the herd.
While I only listen to cds' 20% of the time, the listening experience is very different. Not unpleasant, but everything is scaled down, the 'stage is restricted, resolution is down, and I am straining to hear the ambience of the venue...etc. The thinking was that the culprit lies with the vintage Wadia 16 until about a month ago. As the Lumi was sent for repairs, I decided to plug the Wadia directly into the Von Gaylords Nirvana mono's. With its own digital volume control, I was listening to a more resolved, more transparent, and slightly larger soundstage presentation. It seems clear that the Lumi line stage was the issue.
I wonder if your audio buddies or @lewm can confirm the disparity between the line and phono stages in the Lumi? If not, then I really need to get it fixed by Scott!!
@lewm What have you moved on to after the Lumi and why the regret?
For now, I am leaning towards using The Lumi strictly as a phono preamp through the Lightspeed Passive Attenuator. In other word, keep the goodness of Lumi and optimize elsewhere. This passive device is proving to be quite something and a subject for another post. @lewm I think you are skeptical of this one.