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Tom Evans microgroove vs tron convergence

I thought my Tron Convergence MM Signature and SUT was better than the Tron Seven MC, which I owned at the same time and compared directly.

Combined with my EAR MC4 SUT and with NOS tubes, my Convergence MM Signature is at a similar level to my Whest PS40RDT.SE (at about double the price of the two combined) and beats a lot of other more expensive phono stages I have owned - EAR 324 and 912, TE Groove Anniversary, Aurorasound Vida, Trilogy 907 and many others. Even with the stock tubes and more modest SUT it sounds fantastic and is a true giant killer.

If only you could hear a Tron Convergence in your own system ... oh wait ..
 
I thought my Tron Convergence MM Signature and SUT was better than the Tron Seven MC, which I owned at the same time and compared directly.

Combined with my EAR MC4 SUT and with NOS tubes, my Convergence MM Signature is at a similar level to my Whest PS40RDT.SE (at about double the price of the two combined) and beats a lot of other more expensive phono stages I have owned - EAR 324 and 912, TE Groove Anniversary, Aurorasound Vida, Trilogy 907 and many others. Even with the stock tubes and more modest SUT it sounds fantastic and is a true giant killer.

If only you could hear a Tron Convergence in your own system ... oh wait ..
Based on the numbers today it will be a long time before we are out of lockdown and I can hear your Tron again.

I’m trying to work out whether the MC version gets close to your EAR MC4/MM Signature and save over 1000gbp. Your Whest is a very good phono and I thought your Tron (even with the stock tubes) was very close and better/ more enjoyable in the mid range.
 
I have no doubt that the MC version of the Convergence would be extremely good. But having heard the difference between an average SUT, a good one and a great one, I think it is worth preserving the option of using a great SUT either now or in the future.
 
Is your Tron 7 MM or MC? I am really interested to hear about whether people think a SUT with a Tron MM is preferable to Graham’s MC phonos. The SUT combination provides additional flexibility to use a MM cart at a future point.
I’m sure @G T Audio will correct me if I have this wrong, but I believe the MC Convergence uses a SUT internally. As you say, that doesn’t give you the option of then using it for MM, but what you may be doing is comparing the Tron internal SUT with your choice of external SUT.
 
Is your Tron 7 MM or MC? I am really interested to hear about whether people think a SUT with a Tron MM is preferable to Graham’s MC phonos. The SUT combination provides additional flexibility to use a MM cart at a future point.

MC, buying a MM and then a SUT is far too complicated for me, I'd always just buy the best MC phono stage I could..........
 
Is your Tron 7 MM or MC? I am really interested to hear about whether people think a SUT with a Tron MM is preferable to Graham’s MC phonos. The SUT combination provides additional flexibility to use a MM cart at a future point.

Almost all valve MC stages have a built in SUT, including the Tron.
 
Almost all valve MC stages have a built in SUT, including the Tron.
My question is whether the external SUT route will be better than the internal in the Tron Signature. I do appreciate that there is an internal SUT.

Having heard Ross’s external SUT/MM it sounds great but at a substantial cost for the SUT.
 
For those not specifically wanting to use an SUT I'll put forward my Arkless Electronics GTi Turbo MC only stage.
Available again next year.
 
My question is whether the external SUT route will be better than the internal in the Tron Signature. I do appreciate that there is an internal SUT.

Having heard Ross’s external SUT/MM it sounds great but at a substantial cost for the SUT.

I'm guessing that's going to depend on the SUT being used as I believe they're not all equal, a headamp could be an alternative though there's only a couple in production AFAIK
 
I have no doubt that the MC version of the Convergence would be extremely good. But having heard the difference between an average SUT, a good one and a great one, I think it is worth preserving the option of using a great SUT either now or in the future.

I second the above.
 
There are HUGE differences between SUT's yes!

A head amp is very much worth considering and the best of them will equal or beat the very best (£2000 ish etc) SUT's.
 
Like everything in audio, there are always compromises, unless you have a very large budget and even then there are still compromises, although they tend to be smaller...

The Convergence was designed to offer excellent performance in a single case and at an affordable price, as that is what most users want today. Hence the name "Convergence" where "excellent performance" and "affordability" converge.

If audiophiles already have their own MC transformer, or intend to buy one then the MM version offers that flexibility, bearing in mind that to get a decent MC transformer will cost you about what a Convergence phono stage costs in the first place. So the MC version is somewhat of a bargain.

Something worth noting: the MC transformers we use are no slouch in the realm of MC transformers. Yes, there are better, but you will have to pay substantially more to get better, plus you will need to factor in some good quality screened cables to connect it all together, and these are not cheap either. With the MC version, you don't have to worry about this as you just plug your tonearm leads into the Convergence MC. Also, going to a phono stage like the Convergence, it is highly unlikely anyone will be using a MM cartridge with it. Virtually everyone we have made has gone to owners who use an MC cartridge. Having said that, we have made a couple for Decca users.

The "Signature" version just moves the game on even further...
 
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Hi Graham, can you do a refresh of the price list for 2022, please? Intrigued by the Convergence MC Signature; can you explain what is different to the standard version? Thanks.
 
I have a Tron Convergence mc phono stage which is fantastic value phono stage. In my view you will struggle to obtain top sound from a turntable unless recognize the importance of a quality phono.

My knowledge of phono stages is limited, Iso, Mcintosh etc. Number one for me is the Whest Ref4 Anniversary Mono block model.

Tron is worth every penny and a few thousand more on top
 
My knowledge of phono stages is limited, Iso, Mcintosh etc. Number one for me is the Whest Ref4 Anniversary Mono block model.

I had the Whest Ref V, as well as the PS.40RDT SE. I prefer the Tron Convergence Signature to both, even though it is significantly cheaper. I have the MM version which I use with an EAR MC4 SUT, and this combination is as a good as any phono stage I have heard at any price. For reference, I recently also sold my Nagra VPS because on balance I preferred the Tron/EAR.

I know Graham has been working for some time on the Atlantic phono stage which should be an improvement over the Convergence, so I am very curious about that one.
 
I have on order a Convergence MM, first item of Hi Fi I've bought new and blind in 40 years !

I'm thinking a will end well :)

Bottom line, I've always wanted to own something made by Graham Tricker and I've stopped smoking for 500 days as of today. Put them two together and you've got a coolest of the cool phono stages in your system.
 
On the cheaper side of the equation the new EAR phonobox is very good. I have the version without the volume pot and using 12ax7 tubes. Having compared it side by side with the Tron Convergence MM signature I found it to be a bit more dynamic and slightly more neutral. The comparison was using a MC4 SUT which works brilliantly with both phonos.

Having said that I would happily live with the Tron if I didn’t have the EAR.

I was using a NOS Mullard in V1 and NOS Brimar in V2,3.

The Tron had NOS GE tubes.
 
I’m sure @G T Audio will correct me if I have this wrong, but I believe the MC Convergence uses a SUT internally. As you say, that doesn’t give you the option of then using it for MM, but what you may be doing is comparing the Tron internal SUT with your choice of external SUT.

Yes indeed, the MC Convergence uses internal SUTs made by the same company that EAR uses for their signal transformers. The Convergence Phono stage can be ordered as MM or MC and it was intended to be a simple low cost phono stage but offering a flavour of High-end sound. It was never intended to be a top flight phono stage, as I have made other phono stages for that. I have continually developed phono amplification over the last 25 years during the time when most manufacturers, distributors and dealers walked away from analogue in favour of digital. As a result, I know exactly what it takes to design, construct and voice an analogue phono stage for best results, as well as all other types of amplification and DACs. The Signature version of the Convergence takes the audio performance further down the road enabling the use of this phono stage in some of the very best audio systems made today.

Tron also makes and supplies stand alone SUTs - see here. I offer custom made SUTs to match any cartridge made today, and also those made from yesteryear too.
 


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