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Parks Audio Puffin phono stage.

awkwardbydesign

awkwardbydesign

Officially Awesome
Has this been discussed here? http://parksaudiollc.com/
Apart from the ADC and DAC conversion, does the cartridge not need a resistive loading, specific to that cartridge? I asked Shannon Parks about the recommended 22k-33k (depending on who you ask) for my Decca, and he said simply adjust the "Air" setting for treble balance, using the 47k ohms loading. I also have an AT OC9 and an SPU, all very different. MC loading is set at 200 ohms.
Any thoughts?
I am not a fan of DSP as such, but if it works.......
 
Only have a few evenings listening thru my Puffin. I've been madly switching carts -will get to my Decca Gold in the next few days -but this thing really works and works well ! Note: AS of now : Puffins ordered direct from the Parks Factory with SPDIF jack installed output 24/96 from that jack.
Magic works and doesn't intrude into/onto the music. As a setup/test instrument this would comfortably be worth the price - even if you didn't need/want a phono preamp.
 
I got mine in May. Shannon Parks was very helpful and built in TOSLINK for me, but I understand it is 24/48.

I love it and the features are cool. My DAC is a Dacmagic azure because I'm a bit skeptic about expensive dac voodoo. I use a beefy Maplin power supply for the azure, the balanced outputs and TOSLINK. That said, ADDA does not compete with my Uphorik, which is a shame as I could have sold. I have kept the Puffin for a second system. The click-pop correction is excellent but I only switch it on when essential.

Shannon seems to think that the effects of loading can be compensated in the digital domain, and he may be right. It's great to have notionally lossless tone controls/cartridge-loading.

Perhaps I need to try it with a better DAC.
 
The "lights" on my Benchmark DAC-3 confirm the 24/96 output. BTW- I bought the DAC-3HGC with the idea that I would NEVER use the digital pass thru feature and for the last 18 months have used it constantly- turns out the Benchmark is used as a digital switcher that feeds the built in (very old) (very good sounding) DAC built into my Meridian DSP-5000 speakers. Hesitated over buying the 3 version with the headphone amp built in -but owned a DAC-1 and had to admit hadn't heard a better headphone amp yet -so went ahead and ordered the version with headphone outputs - that also has gotten a lot of pleasurable use. The Benchmark DAC-3HGC has been the better mousetrap for me.
 
I may be persuaded to sell mine in the near future in case you're interested, although Shannon Parks deserves your business.

I will check today whether mine does 24/96 and if not, whether it's firmware upgradeable.
 
Since we're on the subject I will try to describe my impressions of the difference between Puffin-TOSLink-DACMagic Azure and Uphorik + 5m Linn black interconnects.

I was unable to make much distinction in bass and midrange. The Puffin's treble seemed a bit harder with slightly less sense of the acoustics of the recording space, less 'air' and refinement. It's like wetness or something. This difference reminded me of the reason why I stuck with vinyl and never invested in CD.

The Uphorik output by comparison sounded every bit as dynamic, clear, punchy and dramatic, but added this seductive quality in the treble that heightens the illusion that a real performance is happening in front of you.

I tried many adjustments to the 'air' and other tonal settings on the Puffin and I had hoped that it would match the Uphorik and allow me to liberate some cash in one of my downgrades (((upgrades))). In particular I wondered if 5 yards of lossless TOSLINK would show gains over 5 yards of analogue Linn black interconnects, but in the end the Uphorik gives more pleasure with each record.

Bear in mind that the Puffin costs a quarter of the price of a Uphorik and comes quite close.

I'm intending to have a second turntable in the bedroom, so will use the excellent Puffin there for the time being.
 
How recent I don't know -but my Puffin is only a couple of weeks old and has the 24/96 SPDIF. BTW - my limited experience transferring phono over a 24/48 SPDIF was very positive -wish I hadn't sold the B and K phono stage it was built into.
 
I had another comparison last night and roped the Mrs in to get 2nd opinion. Poor woman.

I should just say that I have never been able to hear any difference between 24/48 and 24/96 in the past, so I doubt the downrezzing to 48 is audible, for me at least. I will look into installing latest firmware in case that's the cause of the 48 k- 96k discrepancy.

The noticed difference between Uphorik and Puffin, repeatedly, was the impression of soundstage depth. The Uphorik gives the impression of some acoustics and instruments emanating from tens or hundreds of yards behind the back wall, and thus a greater sense that the noises which constitute the music are being played by real musicians and instruments. I think there is also a little extra detail somehow - presumably there must be in order to create a more depth-dimensional illusion. It shouldn't matter to music, but it somehow grabs the attention better and keeps you feeling absorbed in it more easily.

I also played Uphorik output into the flat line input of the Puffin in order to test adding the Magic noise-reduction mode to Uphorik output on a very scratched record. The Magic NR is amazing, but the Puffin seemed to have the front-to-back soundstage-flattening effect even on the Uphorik output too. It is not impossible that this effect is due to the DACMagic, but I did do some a/b tests on lossless DACMagic playback versus vinyl yesterday from an album which I ripped from the CD included with the vinyl. It was difficult to detect a difference. I therefore lean towards this shortcoming (relative to Uphorik) being due to the AD stage or the Puffin's input circuitry.

Don't get me wrong, though, Puffin is extremely good, and I suspect that some people would not fixate on this small difference. However, if you're spending £500 - £2000 on a phono stage, you are seeking the exceptional, and any difference becomes important.

I will upgrade firmware and if I have time I will compare again and report my results.
 
Parks Audio LLC
Yesterday at 10:44 ·


Coaxial and optical Puffins purchased from the Parks Audio website now support 24/96 digital output. Downsampling to 24/48 - a limitation of the original SPDIF mod - is no longer necessary due to a hardware revision which began at serial number 1020 and following.

--------------------
Above from Shannons latest FB post. I linked to the FB page earlier but I think there's a link embedded with the above.

Seems he'll offer US based users an upgrade and plans to detail DIY approach as well, but warns it's complex.

I'm still inclined to try it - but will wait for details and UK parts costs before finally deciding...
 
Mod is detailed here - www.parksaudiollc.com/mod/48to96.html

Quite a bit more of a challange - with the first step especially.

Personally I've not soldered to that level before.

Suspect the subsequent steps - trace cutting etc would be challenging but do-able.

Needs some thinking...
 
Doesn't look too difficult. I've just ordered the oscillator from Amazon for nearly nine quid, way more expensive than Shannon's US parts shop. Someone's having a laugh.
 
sonddek said:
Doesn't look too difficult. I've just ordered the oscillator from Amazon for nearly nine quid, way more expensive than Shannon's US parts shop. Someone's having a laugh.
Click to expand...
I'll be interested to hear how you get on, once it arrives and you get around to doing the job.

In meantime can you link to the part on Amazon pls?
 
rtrt said:
Personally I've not soldered to that level before.
Click to expand...

A few months ago I accidentally broke the wire which goes from connector pin to left coil in my AT OC9 II. I could not see the wire with naked eye. I used my son's microscope to fiddle the less than hairbreadth wire into position. I filed my soldering iron element to a sharp point, and under the microscope successfully soldered it so it's good as new. Patience and hand supports were required.

This encouraged me to look at a silent Epos ES14 tweeter under the microscope. I located the burn which was not on the coil, but at the place where the coil wire leaves the coil towards the terminal. Again under the microscope I replaced the run to the terminal and made a tiny solder join so as not to affect tweeter response. A double hairpin bend in the wire ensures full flex for tweeter excursions, and Bob's your uncle, sounds as new.

Take heart! And patience.

I will do this mod when the part arrives next week and report back.
 
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