mulveling
Responses from mulveling
| Which Preamp Would You Choose? Between those 2, Sonic Frontiers. I still use a Sonic Frontier Phono 1 SE+ that is awesome sounding. | |
| Which cantilever to choose for re-tip Shelter makes great sounding cartridges; I just wish they had a rebuild, retip, or at least an exchange service - but I've never heard any examples of such a thing? What's a shame is that a brand new 501 Mk III costs only like $1000 or so from Jap... | |
| What's Worth More on the Open Market - Your Records or Your Audio Gear I think most of us realize selling a collection as a "whole" is a great way to get pennies on the dollar, or less, for it. Going the DiscOgs route and listing individually is the only chance many of us have to see decent return on our collections,... | |
| What's Worth More on the Open Market - Your Records or Your Audio Gear Gear, by a lot. I have what, some 3000 LPs - with not too much junk, and most of which I like/love. It’s certainly enough to where I’m not repeating the same plays too often - and just about large enough for gems to sometimes go into hiding and gl... | |
| Cartridge loading Raul accusing Ralph of "blah blah blah"'ing is the most ironic moment of 2020 so far ;) | |
| Doge 8 Clarity: 12AT7 replacement for phono stage Even if you could lower the gain in your MM phono stage with a 12AT7 tube swap (which is not advisable anyways, as others have mentioned), it wouldn't help your hissssss noise floor much because the phono stage is before the preamp's volume contro... | |
| 12BZ7 ///12AX7 The Tele ribbed plates aren't as warm as the smooth plates - you may like those better. Surprised you didn't like the Mazdas, but systems change and optimal tube selections can change over time - are you sure they weren't the 5751 silver plates? T... | |
| 12BZ7 ///12AX7 Try some "used test strong" Telefunken 12ax7 when you get a chance. They’re solid all-rounders, and relatively common on the 2nd hand markets. But favorite 12ax7, by a good margin, has been the Mazda silver/chrome plate. Unfortunately they’re rare... | |
| 12BZ7 ///12AX7 I'm not sure how the extra current capability of the 12bz7 over 12ax7 would be an advantage? Most designers place 12ax7 for their gain, not current. They're never reasonably going to be asked to drive a hard load, so you're perhaps not gaining any... | |
| 12BZ7 ///12AX7 Well 12au7 suck, so it’s not uncommon for folks to find a different sub type that blows all the best 12au7 away. Many tubes operate similarly to a 12au7 and do it better. 12ax7 is a better sounding tube albeit with a very different use/purpose, an... | |
| Reference Full Function Tube Preamplifier @normie57 Yes, funny you mention the Alps Blue pot. I'm not a fan of that part, as I've over years always heard improvements swapping that for say a stepped attenuator, when possible - even in modest headphone amplifiers! That's my only knock on t... | |
| Reference Full Function Tube Preamplifier The VAC phono stages are simply sublime. I prefer the VAC tube MM stages, even the preamp built-ins, to the Herron stand-alone stage. I used to own their Renaissance III w/ phono, and for the last 2 years have run their stand-alone Renaissance SE ... | |
| Tube MC phono stage recommendation @tomic601 's suggestion for a Bob's Devices / CineMag SUT is a great one, and all of the blue-label models sound fantastic - 1254, 1131, Sky (in various ratios). Bob's Devices makes many of these (the Sky and 1131 models are exclusive to him) and ... | |
| Tube MC phono stage recommendation Sonic Frontiers is unfortunately defunct, but the head guy behind it now runs Parts Connexion, and he offers service plus upgrades on Sonic Frontiers gear. I’ve been through a number of phono stages by now, and the Phono 1 has impressed me the mos... | |
| Tube MC phono stage recommendation Which cartridge you runing? A 0.5mV - 0.8mV MC is a different world from a 0.3mV and below. In that price range for a phono stage you’ll need some help from the cartridge for best results, i.e. at least 0.5mV.For 0.5mV - 1.0mV range cartridges I t... |