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Arkless modified Cambridge 640P: First Impressions

I ordered one from Jez at the end of November and it arrived today.

Even after just a couple of hours it sounds even better than I remembered and I'm enjoying an incredibly well pressed LP that santa dropped down the chimney: Sky At Night by I Am Kloot. It's produced by Guy Garvey and has loads of fancy arrangements and orchestration - though this isn't to my taste the Arkless is doing a wonderful job of making sense of it.

Next up Fatoumata Diawara - that should be great fun!
 
Hi,

Received my "modded" phono stage back from Jez this am. Best £150 Ive spent!

Im crap at describing what I hear, but suffice to say that my intention was to plug it in and return after new year. About 3 hours later after Rory Gallagher, Blue Nile, Camel, Budgie and Focus(yes Im stuck in the 70's/80's) - I understand again why vinyl is so alluring. For £150 its definitely worth a punt IMO.

Cant post pic but system is: soled lp12, J7 251, heed psu, Denon 110, Melody 1688 II, Modded 2496DEQ, Longdog active crossover, voyagers, behringer 2400(to soon be replaced with a pair of Les's 110's, tannoy 300L HPD 15's.

Happy New Year to All

Steve
 
darrylfunk said:
i can tell you that the modded one eats the standard one.....you could still use a step up tx but i have a couple and it sounds better without.
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darryl, I know you're very familiar with the Questar MM, which is what I have right now. How would you compare it?
 
I have just taken delivery of an unmodded 640p, which on initial listening does not sound at all bad. I am in the process of completely changing my setup. Naim gear about to hit pfm classified (used NAC102 with MM boards) and now run GyroDec/Tabriz/Shure V-15 Type V front end, via 640p into ATC sia2-150 integrated amp into Yamaha NS1000M. Any folk using MM experienced positive benefits of Arkless modifications. Having read the various posts, I get the impression the major benefits would be achieved using MC...Not planning on changing from MM btw.

Thanks for thoughts
 
davidismynaim said:
I have just taken delivery of an unmodded 640p, which on initial listening does not sound at all bad. I am in the process of completely changing my setup. Naim gear about to hit pfm classified (used NAC102 with MM boards) and now run GyroDec/Tabriz/Shure V-15 Type V front end, via 640p into ATC sia2-150 integrated amp into Yamaha NS1000M. Any folk using MM experienced positive benefits of Arkless modifications. Having read the various posts, I get the impression the major benefits would be achieved using MC...Not planning on changing from MM btw.

Thanks for thoughts
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jez's mod package takes the already very competent but slightly matter of fact cam and gives everything a better more addictive presentation...better dynamics and more transparency and discrimination....easily worth the price.
in your set up i reckon you would be mightily impressed and would have to spend a hell of a lot to better the results.
 
darrylfunk said:
i still just prefer the heed....although i think jez's mods do improve the cam very fundamentally.

i think the heed is highly under rated.
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That's the first time so far that anyone has preferred anything to the modded 640P! Oh well, it would be a funny world if everyone agreed on everything! :)
 
davidismynaim said:
I have just taken delivery of an unmodded 640p, which on initial listening does not sound at all bad. I am in the process of completely changing my setup. Naim gear about to hit pfm classified (used NAC102 with MM boards) and now run GyroDec/Tabriz/Shure V-15 Type V front end, via 640p into ATC sia2-150 integrated amp into Yamaha NS1000M. Any folk using MM experienced positive benefits of Arkless modifications. Having read the various posts, I get the impression the major benefits would be achieved using MC...Not planning on changing from MM btw.

Thanks for thoughts
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You'll probably want to hear from someone erm.... less biased!? But I can assure you it works just as well with MM as with MC ;)
 
Arkless Repairs said:
That's the first time so far that anyone has preferred anything to the modded 640P! Oh well, it would be a funny world if everyone agreed on everything! :)
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i wouldn't say anything is perfect and your turbo nutter b'stard update is better in some areas that some listeners may put more importance on....:D

it reminds me of the very good sonneteer phono stage and at half the price it's a very special bargain.....i'd imagine if you could somehow rig up a 24 bit usb mod into the case you could have a mega vinyl ripper....:cool: (thinking out loud there)

it's in the top ten phono stages i have heard and it's by far the cheapest.:)

i can't imagine anyone being critical of it at all.
 
Greg said:
thanks Darryl. I'm interested to compare them. I agree the Heed is remarkable vfm.
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it may be worth hearing jez's modded stage though....it's a bit 'cleaner' and more forensic than the heed....but the heed edges it in my system....in the addictive sense.
 
You are of course welcome to try the demo unit Greg and see what you think....

It's quite possible that the Heed has some characteristic, such as very slightly excessive bass or slightly rounded treble, which just happens to appeal to Darryl!? I don't know... just an idea.
Hifi is a very subjective thing... one man's meat etc....

The modded 640p is very accurate indeed. It would have been easy to build in just that extra ummph to the bass to give it a more "impressive" sound but that to me is not what hifi is about! ;)

Maybe Darryl would like to post the detailed review that he has been promising for some time and then we can see how it compares to the Heed in different areas?
 
Arkless Repairs said:
You are of course welcome to try the demo unit Greg and see what you think....

It's quite possible that the Heed has some characteristic, such as very slightly excessive bass or slightly rounded treble, which just happens to appeal to Darryl!? I don't know... just an idea.
Hifi is a very subjective thing... one man's meat etc....

The modded 640p is very accurate indeed. It would have been easy to build in just that extra ummph to the bass to give it a more "impressive" sound but that to me is not what hifi is about! ;)

Maybe Darryl would like to post the detailed review that he has been promising for some time and then we can see how it compares to the Heed in different areas?
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yes i think you are correct the heed has a richer bottom and as all my carts are ruler flat or a little bright the 2 octave spread sounds nicer, it's a touch more grunty which i like and it has a slightly different perhaps the word would be fluid presentation....with different carts and a fatter sounding deck it would be a very different proposition....i know an amp designer who says that the heed phono stages are the best he's heard and he couldn't design a better stage without it being a couple of grand.

i will try and do a big review but as i hate reading airy fairy hi fi prose i'm a bit concerned....plus my legion of haters on here might decide to ruin the thread....
 
oh and yes it works fantastic with moving magnet and moving coil....most of my listening has been with a roksan corus cart and a technics classic....very fine sound.
 
darrylfunk said:
oh and yes it works fantastic with moving magnet and moving coil....most of my listening has been with a roksan corus cart and a technics classic....very fine sound.
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i meant the arkless modded stage here by the way....

it's sounded great with everything i put into it....even the overly romantic pickering xv625.....
 
jaz9706 said:
I did reply to the PM about a week ago , did you get it?
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Good morning - the Arkless went out to you yesterday and should arrive today before 1pm. Hope you enjoy it - I think you will.

My review will follow shortly.

But don't get too excited - I'm not that good when it comes describing hifi - well, not in terms that others will understand anyway!!
 
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