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Arkless 640P "Dr T Mode"/current input version interest check

Poor old Jez will be turning in his grave, “as long as you have enough, more than enough cannot possible make any difference, and you’re obviously a deluded fool if you think it does and disagree with a real engineer like me” (sorry Jez if you’re reading, couldn’t resist :D)
 
Jez is a mains sceptic, so I can just imagine his response. Sorry Jez, but I’m just happy to hear the improvement. It makes it a stage which I’m not sure I could improve on until into megabucks territory. Please try to be happy for me, if you read this!
 
Tarzan said:
This is the item l purchased when the wall wart fell apart on JA Turbo.... and it did improve sound... so going higher in quality should make further gains.:)
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That's pretty much what I have found, there seems to be an all round improvement in everything, better soundstage, percussion is more precise, the bass sequence leading up to Another Brick in the Wall was more detailed, a hairs on the back of the neck moment, and Appalachian Spring never sounded as involving.
This wallwart is a keeper, a bargain at that price. It doesn't run as hot as the previous CA unit, and the phono amp hasn't run any hotter than before.
I do hope that Jez will talk to me if ever I need a service or an can afford to upgrade ;-)
 
Steve Jackson came over yesterday evening to have a listen to the fruits of his labour in my system. We both agreed that the difference was very significant. Dynamic swings were emphatic and effortless, timing was tight, tonal colours were rich and there was lots of detail in the textures. After listening to the Arkless with his new transformer for a while, we went back to using it with the 'upgraded' wall wart (the one I linked to a page or two back). It sounded broken. Dynamics were smeared, and there was a general 'levelling' of the dynamics, so nothing stood out. A blues song we'd played where the singer sounded like he meant it, now sounded like he was just a bit fed up.

We were trying to think of phono stages we've heard which delivered a better result than we'd just been listening to. Neither the Accuphase, nor the Audio Research stages passed that test, and the only one we both agreed sounded better was the CH Precision P1, which is £30k. This is turning out to be one serious value phono stage, with a serious value upgrade. Even if the transformer in a proper box turned out to be £500, that'd make the Arkless package around £1k, and it absolutely thrashes the Vertere at similar money.
 
That puts it out of reach for me, unfortunately, Sue, and (perhaps) too good for my RP3/MP200.
I have left my new PSU on continuously since I bought it, and although it has improved lower frequencies, mid and higher frequencies I'm less sure about, and will try the old one. More listening required.
 
Just to be clear, I'm not suggesting the actual cost will be £500 (though it's going to be a few hundred, as the transformer itself is nearly £100).
 
Sue Pertwee-Tyr said:
Steve Jackson came over yesterday evening to have a listen to the fruits of his labour in my system. We both agreed that the difference was very significant. Dynamic swings were emphatic and effortless, timing was tight, tonal colours were rich and there was lots of detail in the textures. After listening to the Arkless with his new transformer for a while, we went back to using it with the 'upgraded' wall wart (the one I linked to a page or two back). It sounded broken. Dynamics were smeared, and there was a general 'levelling' of the dynamics, so nothing stood out. A blues song we'd played where the singer sounded like he meant it, now sounded like he was just a bit fed up.

We were trying to think of phono stages we've heard which delivered a better result than we'd just been listening to. Neither the Accuphase, nor the Audio Research stages passed that test, and the only one we both agreed sounded better was the CH Precision P1, which is £30k. This is turning out to be one serious value phono stage, with a serious value upgrade. Even if the transformer in a proper box turned out to be £500, that'd make the Arkless package around £1k, and it absolutely thrashes the Vertere at similar money.
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This all sounds very positive Steve, do you think your friend Steve would be interested in going into 'production' ?
 
Not his thing really. He’s retired, and happy to build to order, but not really looking for business. Plus, there’s a limited market of Arkless owners. But I guess if he has enough interest to put a decent batch together, that might help a bit.
 
Just to clarify, I've been speaking to Jez recently on another matter and I hope the mods don't mind me just reminding people that he is alive, well and at the end of the phone if anyone needs advice regarding any of his units; new or old!

As to the finger of blame being pointed at a ferrite for ruining sound quality, that has given me a Wednesday morning chuckle. Given that some audiophiles like to spend fortunes on daft mains cables that give them a nice, warm, cuddly feeling that they are helping "reduce RF interference", the idea of being upset by a device that is actually specifically designed to do this seems a little odd!
 
Beobloke said:
Given that some audiophiles like to spend fortunes on daft mains cables that give them a nice, warm, cuddly feeling that they are helping "reduce RF interference", the idea of being upset by a device that is actually specifically designed to do this seems a little odd!
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tsk tsk, surely you know that "all power conditioners squash dynamics".
 
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