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Arkless modified Cambridge 640P: First Impressions

mickhick1

mickhick1

pfm Member
My 640P arrived back this morning, having undergone modification by Arkless and as luck would have it, I am on holiday this week so have been able to put it to the test. Not much else to do on such a grotty day anyway!

Firstly let me describe my system:
1983 vintage LP12 with bonded sub-chassis, pre-cirkus bearing, SRM silent tech baseboard, Hercules II power supply and Ittok LVII fitted with Linn Klyde MC cartridge. Deck has had a recent fettle with replacement springs, rubbers etc.

B4 based pre-amp and active crossover, driving a dual mono, NCC200 based amp driving the bass and dual mono ZAP 250 driving the treble, into late model, active Linn Keilidhs.

I have two 640Ps and a number of other pieces of equipment including a NAC72 powered by a HiCap clone and fitted with NA323 MC cards, which I have recently been using for my record play back. This is because the B4 is a unity gain device and the output from the standard 640P isn’t really loud enough with such a low output MC cartridge.

Straight away, the modded 640P has more gain and is much more usable in my system. From cold it immediately sounded pretty good, but got better and better after playing a few sides. Compared to the NA323s the sound is similar but more refined and also quieter in terms of background noise. There seems to be more of everything, particularly fine detail, but without being harsh, which sometimes the Naim boards are IMO.

I’ve played tracks from eleven albums so far, ranging from Free (first album), via Steely Dan, Little Feat, Suzanne Vega etc. to Vivaldi played by an Australian ensemble. All of it has come across as highly listenable, smooth, but detailed music.

I tried the unmodded 640P, which I haven’t used for a while, and it sounded better than I remember, but rather shut-in in comparison with both the modded 640P and the NA323s. In particular it seems to be ok in the bass and treble but with a lot of the mid range lacking.

I look forward to more listening and will report any further findings in due course.

I would very much like to thank Jez (Arkless) for giving me this opportunity and wish him well in his endeavours.

Mike
 
I am curious to know what they have modified as this could be a cost effective upgrade for a lot of people.
 
Whoops.... Mike, for some reason I had it in my head that you were using a MM cartridge! You will of had to remove the lid and set it to MC before even listening to it!

Glad you like it so far and look forward to hearing more about your adventures with it :)

I assume you are using it with the supplied 100 Ohm + 1nF loading plugs? These should be just fine for your Klyde. If you fancy trying it with MM type loading, just for the heck of it, then be sure to power down before removing the loading plugs..... obvious I know but worth pointing out just in case!

And thanks to Mike and Darryl for entrusting their equipment to me for them to be my "guinea pigs" in all this! :)
 
Arkless Repairs said:
Whoops.... Mike, for some reason I had it in my head that you were using a MM cartridge! You will of had to remove the lid and set it to MC before even listening to it!

Glad you like it so far and look forward to hearing more about your adventures with it :)

I assume you are using it with the supplied 100 Ohm + 1nF loading plugs? These should be just fine for your Klyde. If you fancy trying it with MM type loading, just for the heck of it, then be sure to power down before removing the loading plugs..... obvious I know but worth pointing out just in case!

And thanks to Mike and Darryl for entrusting their equipment to me for them to be my "guinea pigs" in all this! :)
Click to expand...

I have already tried without the loading plugs, still sounds good, a little louder and maybe a bit brighter, but overall it's better with the loading in place I think.

When I originally made contact with you I was using an MM (AT-120E) as a temporary measure after my 4 year old son managed to separate the cantilever from the body of my OC9.

I bought the Klyde from Gaius, it sounds excellent with the modded 640P. Wish I still had the OC9 as well though.

I will probably try an MM, I've also got a Goldring 1022, with it in one of my other TTs also.

Thanks again!
 
I'm pleased to hear that it's doing the trick for Mike so far!
Really looking forward to some detailed feedback from the lucky two after they've had a weekend to digest the changes! :)
 
Stop press!!

I have just seen the internals of the new 651P and can confirm that it is indeed identical.... So, I can also mod the 651P for the same price and all comments about the 640P can be taken as also applying to the 651P :)
 
UPDATE

Played some more vinyl yesterday and with the 640P having been powered up since last Thursday it sounded excellent. Particularly good with some Kate Bush; The Kick Inside and Lionheart. The piano came across as very real sounding with that great depth and range that real piano posseses.
I look forward to more enjoyment in the coming days!
 
Mick, where do you feel it has improved upon the old model? I always had a soft spot for the 640.
 
sq225917 said:
Mick, where do you feel it has improved upon the old model? I always had a soft spot for the 640.
Click to expand...

Compared to the modded 640P, the original sounds a bit boom-tizz in comparison. There is much more midrange detail and fine high frequency information, but in a musical, not analytical way.

IMO the standard 640P sounded good in isolation, but was bettered by my Naim boards. The Arkless 640P sounds similar to the Naim boards, but less background noise and generally smoother.

The extra gain helps in my case as well, with the Klyde only having an output of 0.15mV and the B4 lack of any gain, I couldn't get the standard 640P to get into it's sweetspot. Sounded better with a MM cartridge. I haven't yet tried the Arkless with MM, but will in due course.
 
mickhick1 said:
Compared to the modded 640P, the original sounds a bit boom-tizz in comparison. There is much more midrange detail and fine high frequency information, but in a musical, not analytical way.

IMO the standard 640P sounded good in isolation, but was bettered by my Naim boards. The Arkless 640P sounds similar to the Naim boards, but less background noise and generally smoother.

The extra gain helps in my case as well, with the Klyde only having an output of 0.15mV and the B4 lack of any gain, I couldn't get the standard 640P to get into it's sweetspot. Sounded better with a MM cartridge. I haven't yet tried the Arkless with MM, but will in due course.
Click to expand...

i pretty much agree with that....the midband has more get up and go and better depth and central image focus than the 640....more guts and drama.

i'll try to get a fuller write up this week....i'm a bit busy 'not earning £40,000 a year' at the moment....

oh and i am using it as a mm stage at the mo....
 
I don't know if Mike or Darryl have access to or could borrow from a mate etc, a Dynavector, Whest, Trichord etc phono stage for comparison to the Arkless modified 640P.... Now that would be interesting! ;)
 
Pity you don't still have the P75!

It will interesting to see how the two field testers find it to compare to other more expensive units....

I know from my own extensive listening tests that it is not just better than a standard 640P (it's actually not really a 640P anymore....) but very good by any standards.... but obviously folks will be wanting to hear opinions other than my own on that one!

If I was, as a one man band company, having to get the boxes made (with my logo on them etc), include a power supply, and then there is the sockets, the packaging etc, all to be bought in small quantities from local suppliers.... Then for the design one is getting here for your original 640P plus £140.... I would have to be charging maybe as much as £600 or so!

That's why, IMHO anyway, it is such good value for money ;)

First one in for modification today from a paying customer here on PFM! Will be interesting to see his first impressions...
 
Arkless Repairs said:
I don't know if Mike or Darryl have access to or could borrow from a mate etc, a Dynavector, Whest, Trichord etc phono stage for comparison to the Arkless modified 640P.... Now that would be interesting! ;)
Click to expand...

I don't have access to any of those phono amps unfortunately, but as well as my NA323 boards in the 72, I do also have a Naim Prefix, which I intend to mount in an enclosure and power with the HiCap clone. Hopefully I can get this sorted in the near future and at least have that as another comparison.
 
it is a brilliant upgrade for the money....if you have a good cartridge....

my technics 205 sounds fantastic into it.....very much like a good moving coil in terms of clean dynamic sound.....have not noticed any weird warm up either....it sounded a bit better after a couple of album sides and now just sounds more confident....very good at showing the differences in production between some jazz fusion....played freeez - southern freeze and it sounded very dynamic and snappy and urgent and then span a bit of herbie hancock and got that more full fat american jazz funk production....can hear clearly the different studio production and the tighter grooves of herbies band.

gonna play some keith jarret later and just trying to find my pat metheny gear....i's certainly more addictive to listen too.
 
Arkless Repairs said:
Pity you don't still have the P75!

It will interesting to see how the two field testers find it to compare to other more expensive units....

I know from my own extensive listening tests that it is not just better than a standard 640P (it's actually not really a 640P anymore....) but very good by any standards.... but obviously folks will be wanting to hear opinions other than my own on that one!

If I was, as a one man band company, having to get the boxes made (with my logo on them etc), include a power supply, and then there is the sockets, the packaging etc, all to be bought in small quantities from local suppliers.... Then for the design one is getting here for your original 640P plus £140.... I would have to be charging maybe as much as £600 or so!

That's why, IMHO anyway, it is such good value for money ;)

First one in for modification today from a paying customer here on PFM! Will be interesting to see his first impressions...
Click to expand...
Is it as good or even better than a £500-£600 phono amp, Arkless? If yes, then it may be worth a small batch perhaps?

PS do you think it possible to upgrade a Rega Ear headphone amp?
 
kendo said:
Is it as good or even better than a £500-£600 phono amp, Arkless? If yes, then it may be worth a small batch perhaps?

PS do you think it possible to upgrade a Rega Ear headphone amp?
Click to expand...

Not sure I'm with you on the first question..... are you referring to making a small batch of completely Arkless Electronics phono stages (my own boxes, branding etc) or a batch of modified 640P's? If it's the former well as I explained, it's just not financially viable at the moment (There are zero technical issues.... I have a full range of well tested electronics including pre amps, phono stages, power amps, headphone amps etc waiting in the wings!)
If it's the latter then there will shortly be a demo unit available for loan...

I have no plans to start offering mods for Rega headphone amp.... but could do it as a one off for you if interested
 
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