New Vertere Phono-1 Phono Stage - Anyone tried it?
- Thread starter echann
- Start date
carruthersesq
pfm Member
No, but Scott Nangle was raving about it and said he'd send me one to try when he has one in stock.
The local distributor and dealer were raving too. I have one on loan for the weekend. It's plugged in and warming up now. Have to figure out the settings (it has way more than my current Roksan reference phono stage) for my Shiraz.
mmaatt
pfm Member
I'm interested how you got on with the phono stage, echann, as I'm going to pick one up next week. I too will be changing from the Roksan reference phono, which itself is no slouch especially with Kendeil caps fitted.
There is a nice review in this month's Hi-Fi+: http://www.hifiplus.com/publications/hi-fi-plus/
mat
There is a nice review in this month's Hi-Fi+: http://www.hifiplus.com/publications/hi-fi-plus/
mat
mmaatt
pfm Member
Yes I noticed the error too.
YNWOAN said:
I would never buy a piece of hi-fi on the strength of a review, which in this case is obviously non-committal anyway. I'm buying it on the strength of the kit I've already bought which is designed by the same person, notably the Vertere motor drive PSU.
mat
mmaatt
pfm Member
Hi echann, tried sending a 2nd pm but your message box is full and won't accept any more.
mat
YNWOAN
100% Analogue
Is the motor PSU and this phonostage designed by the same person then?
Elephantears
Trunkated Aesthete
Two weeks on, can you post your findings? I'd be very interested to hear about this phono stage. I'm happy if you want to use the word 'natural'.
mmaatt
pfm Member
mmaatt
pfm Member
Interesting, in which case it still seems likely the motor psu and Phono-1 had the same designer input, but that is pure speculation on my part.
I should amend my statement from "designed by" to "approved by" Touraj - if it's good enough in his opinion to show off his top end RG-1 and reference tonearm then it's good enough for me!
I will report back in a week when I receive the stage, which is on order.
mat
I had the Phono-1 in my system for a weekend. What I found is how important gain matching / volume level was in determining how good a component / system sounds in comparison to another. On Friday evening I had my usual group of music loving friends around for a listen. We share a love of alternative rock//pop (Pony Girl, Califone, etc). Suitably enhanced we had a listen, switching back and forth between the two. This was prior to my matching the gain on the Phono-1 to my Roksan Reference stage, which we did by ear. That evening, the Phono-1 sounded better, just more alive, punchy. I suspected it was just being played louder (I had delegated volume control to my friend who was more enhanced than I was).
On Saturday I spent a couple of hours playing with the gain settings to match them up more closely. Having done this I found the two stages to be much closer. Bearing in mind the Roksan stage, which is based on the Artaxerxes X with the top level DS1.5 PSU, is a 20+ year old design (and my example could probably use a recap), it ran the Phono-1 pretty close. Make no mistake the Phono-1 is better, but to my cloth ears it wasn't night and day must buy better (unlike my recent switch to the Naim ARO, which was).
To describe what I heard, the lead vocals on one track in particular seemed better defined and more 3d/real. The Roksan sounded more diffuse/flat in comparison. Some would call it a "hifi" artifact, but nonetheless it was there and it increased my enjoyment. Tonally I found them similar. Both stages flowed and communicated music well. Perhaps the Phono-1 was a tad better in this regard, which could align with the "natural" description being used. To me both stages are excellent. The Phono-1 is just a shade more excellent. Great value too.
If I was buying my first phono stage it'd be the Vertere, but I've decided to stick with my Roksan stage for now. Who know. Maybe Touraj has a an even better one in the pipeline. It wouldn't surprise me. His range includes several TTs and tonearms. Now my interest has been well and truly peaked and I'm looking into other stages. In the meantime the Roksan will continue to serve me well.
On Saturday I spent a couple of hours playing with the gain settings to match them up more closely. Having done this I found the two stages to be much closer. Bearing in mind the Roksan stage, which is based on the Artaxerxes X with the top level DS1.5 PSU, is a 20+ year old design (and my example could probably use a recap), it ran the Phono-1 pretty close. Make no mistake the Phono-1 is better, but to my cloth ears it wasn't night and day must buy better (unlike my recent switch to the Naim ARO, which was).
To describe what I heard, the lead vocals on one track in particular seemed better defined and more 3d/real. The Roksan sounded more diffuse/flat in comparison. Some would call it a "hifi" artifact, but nonetheless it was there and it increased my enjoyment. Tonally I found them similar. Both stages flowed and communicated music well. Perhaps the Phono-1 was a tad better in this regard, which could align with the "natural" description being used. To me both stages are excellent. The Phono-1 is just a shade more excellent. Great value too.
If I was buying my first phono stage it'd be the Vertere, but I've decided to stick with my Roksan stage for now. Who know. Maybe Touraj has a an even better one in the pipeline. It wouldn't surprise me. His range includes several TTs and tonearms. Now my interest has been well and truly peaked and I'm looking into other stages. In the meantime the Roksan will continue to serve me well.
Any update Matt?
mmaatt
pfm Member
Sorry for the delay, I received my Vertere Phono stage last Friday and have been going through a lot of records, enjoying what it's doing. But I'm waiting for my nap250 recap done on the same day, to mellow out a bit before giving a more concrete opinion on the new stage. But I am totally happy with it and consider it a very worthwhile musical step up from the Roksan Reference which is already on its way to China.
mat
carruthersesq
pfm Member
Well I've had the loan of a demo unit over the weekend, brand new and not burnt in yet.
I have to say I'm very impressed, comparing it to my Primare R32 phono stage which has bettered everything else I'd had before (Trichord, Whest, Rega, Naim), it sounds so much more musical. The gian is a little less than the Primare so need to turn the volume up a tad more (it is adjustable but I haven't opened it up) but that's not an issue. The quite parts of the music are very quite and the vocals are just stunning.
Now the downside, there's always one isn't there! I do get some RF interference which I don't get with the Primare. I have 3 teenagers in the house so mobile phones and iPads are all over the place and I can't eradicate them from the lounge, so it may be a deal breaker for me.
I have to say I'm very impressed, comparing it to my Primare R32 phono stage which has bettered everything else I'd had before (Trichord, Whest, Rega, Naim), it sounds so much more musical. The gian is a little less than the Primare so need to turn the volume up a tad more (it is adjustable but I haven't opened it up) but that's not an issue. The quite parts of the music are very quite and the vocals are just stunning.
Now the downside, there's always one isn't there! I do get some RF interference which I don't get with the Primare. I have 3 teenagers in the house so mobile phones and iPads are all over the place and I can't eradicate them from the lounge, so it may be a deal breaker for me.
mmaatt
pfm Member
That's a shame seeing as you like the Phono 1 - have you tried changing between 3 different earth settings? (Don't need to open the case for that)
I don't get any RF problems with mine and I have a computer with wireless internet and a mobile in the same room.
mat
carruthersesq
pfm Member
Hi Mat
Yes tried all three settings, 2 appears to be best but still get some slight RF interference. I've not completely ruled out keeping it
