Yes, happy with mine too, but haven’t compared it to many alternatives: an Edwards Audio MC3 (?) and some on board numbers (Quad 99, Exposure 3010s2d, Croft integrated and 25). The Aria seemed a little fuller than most, which I like.Interested in this as I have an Aria too and I'm perfectly happy with it.
Had a Graham Slee Jazz Club with the bigger PSU, same as the Era Gold but with more features. Also a good stage, not better than the Aria, just different. Warmer sound, more 'analogue', but smaller sound stage and less dynamic. Also MM only.
I kept the Aria because it is effectively neutral, just lets through what goes in but is very clear, clean and detailed. Plus it does both MM and MC and both sections are good.
If I only used MM and needed a warmer sound I could live happily with the Graham Slee but the Aria is less coloured and can run any cartridge you like.
Under a £Grand I liked the Trilogy 906 the best of any I’ve tried/bought, most of the usuals over the years, be around £6-700 used.Had an Aria for a while, through lots of other changes. Can’t help wondering though. Can it be dramatically improved upon for under a grand 2nd hand? MM and MC would be good as I swap things around a fair bit. Carts are Nagaoka MP500 and AT Art 9.
The problem was that in my system there was a definite hum, slightly improved by repositioning.
Another thumbs up for the Trilogy 906..
I’d have mentioned the P75 it if he had a low output DV, I’ve kept my Mk4 to go with an XX2 when I swap decks around again, it’s an excellent stage.Dynavector P75, especially with MCs.
The new Trilogy 906i rrp is £1295, the old 906 was £995, I sold mine for £600. Maybe he has the 907 was £1795 but jumped when a disti got involved by £1k. HHNRR has a review of it at the old price, new price is £2895. I bought one but wasn’t blown away, defo diminishing returns, that and the psu casework doesn’t match!Another thumbs up for the Trilogy 906,my mate went from the Aria to an Avid Pulsus when he he upgraded from Rega's RP6 to the RP10,and couldn't be happier, though you would be doing very well to get one for under a grand
I find it’s excellent with LOMC but not so good with some MM, the cap starts at 200, the PSX adds a bit to the party but it’s not really a good vfm upgrade. Don’t see them come up used often but might get lucky, was one on ebay in Nov in budget. Being able to change settings while playing LPs is great plus it has inputs for 4 arms/carts.I prefer the Cyrus Sig over the Aria.
And its not just about being able to tweak loading on the fly.
The Cyrus just sounds alive, energizes the listening room.
If you can look past the plebe brand, outdated box and ancient lcd display, the Cyrus Sig phono is stonkingly good for the money.
What does it sound like? In what ways is it better?
Are you taking orders for the GTI Jez? I’d certainly put my name down for the loaner if that’s still doing the rounds.Arkless Electronics phono stages obviously!
I believe so, but at the price I’m thinking I could keep the Aria, or make do with the internal MM stage of a pre or integrated.Aren't Jez's MC only?
Are you taking orders for the GTI Jez? I’d certainly put my name down for the loaner if that’s still doing the rounds.
Ok cool, like the sound of the GTI in particular. I’ll keep my eye out for an announcement, and a donor unit.In the fairly near future I will be taking orders and the demo unit will go on another UK tour. The demo unit is a GTi.
The GTi is MC only whilst the Arkless 640P is MM and MC.
The GTi is a transimpedance stage, ie "current input", which makes all loading considerations etc superfluous but means it is very definitely MC only.
The Arkless 640P is "conventional" and can be switched between MM and MC. Loading for either can be anything you want according to which loading plugs are used in the spare sockets which were once used for the MM input before conversion.
They are of equally good quality in terms of design and parts used etc but the operating methodology of the GTi gives it an advantage over the MC setting of the Arkless 640P. Not that the MC setting of the Arkless 640P is deficient or anything! I'm confident (and reviews confirm) that it is more than a match for any price rival.... it's just that, for MC's specifically, the GTi is significantly better still and comparable to units up to £2K in many instances.