Analog Upgrade itch
Hello ! I would like to upgrade my turntable / tonearm / phono preamp
currently I am using Kuzma Stabi S / Stabi S VTA 12” tonearm / Gold Note PH10 phono amp.
Gryphon Antelion EVO + Pandora pre , Magico A5 speaker.
My music preference : 50% classical / 30% pop / 20% modern Jazz
I like my current cartridge: Etsuro Urushi Cobalt so I am going to keep it. I would like to upgrade my Turntable (possible Linn LP12 or Kuzma Ref2 or any suggestions ) with Kuzma 4 point tonearm (or recommendation in the $ range?). My biggest uncertain is phono amp : I’d like to have warmer sound (tube preferred ) with ideally 2 inputs (Manley Steelhead or EMT126 are recommended by my local dealer but not sure if they are worth the money ) . I know matching (cartridge / arm / phono stage) is more important in analog system so I’d like everyone’s comments / experience that matches my system. Musicality / warmth is what I’m after rather than microscopic details. Thanks in advance
E
I just installed the Seismion platform under my field coil speaker power supply. Huge difference! Once you hear what it does, you can't go back. Keep in mind that this is under a solid state (not tube) power supply for the electromagnets in 4 drivers, so it's not even directly in the signal path. And, I already had the power supply sitting on a Taiko Daiza panzerholtz base. |
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@surge a platform under your power supply ！ wow may I know what you used underneath your TT and your speakers lol ?
just an update : for the last 2 months I was lucky enough to have several dealers let me audition different phonos in my premise : EMT128, Kondo M7(wSUT) , CS Port (a new Japanese brand), Brinkmann Edison mk2, ASR, and SoulNote E2. My final choice is SoulNote E2 , it’s a Japanese hi-end manufacturer probably not available in NA yet but in my system (plus many showroom auditions of different brands like Nagra, Manley, Allnic, ARC) this is the best overall ( overall means it’s not overly coloured like some tube phonos but it has the density and 3-D holographic quality with excellent tonal balance and micro dynamics like some European phonos 2x the price) plus it has a built in circuitry to accommodate optical cartridges (DS) i highly recommend anyone looking for a phono in the $7-10k range, must give it an audition. |
@eddiechanghk sounds like you've made some excellent choices and had the benefit of listening to a lot of different gear. Hope you are loving your Stabi R. I will be receiving mine at the beginning of February. Excited to have two tonearms mounted on the same table. Still using my Vibraplane as well. Lots of vintage arms are supposed to match nicely with SPU. Schick, Fidelity Research to name a couple. |
