Still for sale https://hifiwigwam.com/forum/topic/130289-complete-vinyl-set-up/Wasn't GJO selling his basis for about that? That thing is heroic.
Haven't heard the Pianosa but do have a Gold Note Bellavista. Fantastic 'table, and they do seem largely overlooked. Definitely worth an audition if pos. The speed micro-adjustment is a great feature too (mine has via the external PSU but seems built in to the Pianosa?).Will have £3000 to spend soon on a new turntable, looking for some advice. This will be a big purchase for me so would like to get it right. Current set up is a Pro-ject Classic with Hana EL MC cart, Trichord Dino mk3 phono stage with standard PSU, Khozmo passive pre amp, Leak ST20 amp (recently expertly fettled by Graeme at AmpRegen) & JR 149 speakers with REL Tzero sub. I intend to upgrade the Dino with the Never Connected PSU. Looking to buy new so that rules out Linn LP12. Currently on the shortlist are the new Rega Planar 8, Roksan Radius 7 & Michell Gyro SE. Also like the look of the Gold Note Pianosa, cant find much info on this one on the net though. There is a dealer in Birmingham has a Pianosa to demo so will arrange this for next week. Any PFMrs have any experience of these TTs or any alternatives in the same price range?
Would also appreciate views on the buying experience, were dealers able to arrange demos, provide advice on setting up etc? I am in the Midlands & will be looking to buy locally.
Thanks in advance.
The area I have always struggled with to date is finding a phono stage that really gives its best driving a passive preamp. I’ve tried at least six so far, including some very expensive ones, and not yet been happy I was getting the dynamic range and impact that the same stage could deliver through an active preamp.
I'd replace everything but the Khozmo passive pre personally! At a pinch I'd keep the JR149's and sub. Much here depends on how good a pair of JR149's they are!
Stereo 20's good (I have one) but lacks the last degree of transparency and grip. I rarely use mine. Trichord Dino is thrashed by the budget phono stage I make at less than half the price... but with £3k to spend I'd be looking at spending at least £1K on the phono stage.
Will have £3000 to spend soon on a new turntable, looking for some advice. This will be a big purchase for me so would like to get it right.
Already done (apart from the Roon bit, can live without for now). Sorted the digital side of my set up, got an amp/speaker combo that I love, will have £3000 to spare soon & want to spend it on the vinyl side of my set up. Currently leaning toward Garrard 401, I have an engineering background so don't mind getting my hands dirty. Not set in stone yet, money won't be in my pocket for another few weeks so no rush.Can’t resist - buy Roon, a DAC and a Tidal subscription
As I stated in a previous post, on paper you wouldn't think the JR149 & ST20 would work together but they do beautifully. I am not after the last nth of detail, I don't want a clinical system, what I have a the moment sounds tonally just "right" & creates a lovely 3D soundstage. I don't mind my set up being front heavy, I very much subscribe to the rubbish in rubbish out theory, that is if you feed an average amp/speaker combo an average signal you'll get an average sound, if you feed the same amp/speaker combo a good signal you'll get a good sound. I know this is a sweeping generalisation & others will disagree but in my experience it is usually correct.I owned JR149 many years ago and they were good speakers, very much within their limitations. You can pick up a good pair for less than £500 these days. I had the wall-mount hoops as they were designed to be wall-mounted with wide dispersion. A 20w valve amp seems wrong - they need a bit of driving, what with the bexdrene coated drivers, a 303 or 405 would have been the order of the day, I seem to remember having a 30w or 40w solid state Class A amp that got red hot (Musical Fidelity A1 at some point). So to spend £3,000 on a turntable and pre-amp seems like massive overkill. Then talking about getting a Garrard 401 - the whole set-up seems aimed at getting kit more because of its vintage rather than its performance.
I'm not totally against vintage. I'm trying ESL63's at the moment and they do some things superbly and some poorly. My son has a 1980s Inca Tech Claymore that cost £250 and Quickie refurbished and upgraded it like new for £125, it has a great mm/mc phono stage and has enough power to get the best from a pair of Harbeth P3ESR, which knock JR149 out of the park. He has a cheap Pro-ject turntable, but a better one and the whole system would still be under £3,000 and sound considerably better than anything with the JR149 in front of them. I would get a Rega package for less than £1,000.
Bear in mind JR149 came out in the late 1970s when the vast majority of people purchased solid state, they were a very popular speaker for normal people with a bit of style and not really for the valve audiophile crowd.
Hi gerlando, already looking at these, some look very interesting, was up late last night researching 401s. Current thought is around restored deck in a Loricraft plinth with SME 3009 arm, maybe keep my current hana cart for now, look to upgrade arm, cart & phono stage as & when future funds allow to satisfy my need to tinker.http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5...0001&campid=5338728743&icep_item=173648177711
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5...0001&campid=5338728743&icep_item=222661518651
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5...0001&campid=5338728743&icep_item=264050347303
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http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5...0001&campid=5338728743&icep_item=202502381578
http://www.retrotechaudio.co.uk/garrard-401---231118.html
http://www.retrotechaudio.co.uk/garrard-401---301018.html
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5...0001&campid=5338728743&icep_item=223227757128
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5...0001&campid=5338728743&icep_item=202389971507
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5...0001&campid=5338728743&icep_item=173637470878