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Avondale Grad One

I’ve owned my Grad 1 / TPX2 for about 7 years to get the best out the Grad 1 you need the TPX2 so that it can achieve 32v. My one has 3 RCA inputs, a Din for power and 2 RCA outputs to your power amp. In my case I have Witch Hat moonlight mono amps an equivalent of Avondale M 130’s.
I don’t feel the need to upgrade as I find this combination has everything delicacy, Sound stage and power to drive DMS Isobariks.

Regards,

Martin
 
Ah yes, its not Naim-style cabling with hicap/psu in the middle.
As I remmener it, Les preferred avoiding taking the music along the same cable as the power lines. Before getting the Grad I fed power to my NAC72 from the TPX2 but delivered the signal directly to the 250 directly from the 72. This was also personally recommended to me by an official Naim importer here in continental Europe (I don't think he would like to be named).

PS: the 72 also benefitted from a higher voltage and Les provided a multimeter for me to set it.
 
i have used the separate power and signal from day one as found it an improvement.

That was my fear that the Grad1 needed the TPX2 to really work to its full potential Les does not make these anymore and they are far too rare to be found
 
I had visit of a Grad1 here for a little while. LesW told me that my TPR4 Snaps set at 31/32V is fine as psu. In my system I would said the Grad1 is different rather than better than the 821+. The Grad1 was a bit smoother than the 821, with a sound leaning more toward what I have heard from valve amplifiers.
 
That was my fear that the Grad1 needed the TPX2 to really work to its full potential Les does not make these anymore and they are far too rare to be found

You could always increase the voltage of your power supply.
Les's regulators have trim pots to set the output voltage and basic LM317 regs only need a couple of resistors changing to set the desired voltage (dependent upon transformer capability).

72 boards may not take too much voltage but the tants are rated at 35 volts so you could tweak the settings up a bit (note so self - must try this on my modded 42, running on 24v from HiCap which is then regulated down to about 20v by onboard 317 based regs for each "board").
 
I've a Grad 1 and TPX2 and have overcome the RC issue by using a DSpeaker Anti-mode2 prior to the Grad. Two sources running to the Anti-Mode which is also functioning as a DAC, Apple TV and vinyl. Received wisdom is that the two preamps ares overcomplicating things and degrading the result so, I removed the Grad 1 for some months. When I put it back, the sound was simply better so there it stays.

Prior to the Grad 1 I had the 821, the difference being that the Grad 1 bought a touch more scale and timbre, especially to the bass. I'm using NS1000 speakers with custom made crossovers and a REL Studio III sub to give me full range and in no way do I feel the need to look at a new pre. Worth tracking a Grad down, apparently there are around 70 of them out there so good luck.
 
I had a scout around the www trying to find an Avondale tonearm after mention here, and found nowt.....

Do you know if it uses the same principle that Les "announced" a few years back, @YNWOAN? Maglev? Presumably the magnet being the round bar, centre/beneath the yoke? The hole in the top of the yoke presumably being for exit of the toearm wires, as far as possible from the magnet?

If it is, and given how it appears to be made, it would be something of a cow to make/machine/finish, so far from cheap.
 
Someone got very lucky here

At £800!!!!!!!!! That was never going to take an age to sell.......

The tonearm looks to be the one that Les "annnounced" several years ago. A bit more industrial than as above, but the original was supposedly handed to an art and design, or suchlike, faculty at a local college.
 
Its dual pivot, 2 spikes in cups. The way the arm tube (Titanium?) is attached looks more interesting? There isn't much Linn in there, an odd looking chassis, a bit Voyd like ? Sounds all right though o_O
 
I think the TPX2 was a lot more than just higher voltage had triple regulation I was told and a black box of tricks

I was referring to the mention of voltages in posts 22 & 24.

I'm also a great fan of LesW but I'm afraid I have no knowledge of a "black box of tricks".
 


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