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Paradise phono stage: which carts do you use?

Rosewind

Rosewind

Lost in Translation
As I am in the process of preparing for the Paradise phono stage, I wonder which carts the lucky owners use with their personal Paradise phono stages?

I have a Benz Micro Gullwing SLR in Schwitzerland for a retip (for re-cantilevering), but I don't know when it will return, so I have thought about replacing it with something else to go on my SME 10 turntable that should arrive here in the new year. EMT HDS6, Denon 103R, Benz Ebony, EMT TSD15 SFL, Transfiguration Orpheus 1 ... etc.
 
Kiseki Blue NS, 0.44mV, 40 ohms (internal impedance), 400 ohms (recommended load)
Lyra Delos, 0.6mV, ? (internal impedance), 100-800 ohms (recommended load - after listening) / 5-15 ohms (through SUT)
Ortofon Cadenza Black 0.33mv, 5 ohms (internal impedance), >10 ohms (recommended load)
Audio-Technica Art 7, 0.12mV, 12ohms (internal impedance), >100 ohms (recommended load)
Audio Technica Art 9, 0.5mV, 12 ohms (internal impedance), >100 ohms (recommended load)
Denon DL103R, 0.25mV, 14 ohms (internal impedance), >100 (sut: 40) (recommended load)
Kiseki Purpleheart Sapphire, 0.40mV, 42 ohms (internal impedance), ?
Benz LP
 
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The design of the Paradise means that it has an intrinsic loading of 1600 Ohms with no loading plugs fitted. Hence if you wanted 800 Ohms then loading plugs of 1600 Ohms should be used as the 2 values in parallel equal 800 Ohm.

The degree to which this needs taking into account will vary hugely with the required loading of course....

100 Ohm loading plugs will actually give 94 Ohm and this is near as damn it and not worth worrying over but if you are wanting loading of higher values then the importance of this increases as the required load goes up...

470 Ohm plugs for example will give an actual 363 Ohms and to get a genuine 470 load then 680 Ohm loading plugs would be required.
 
Google parallel resistor calculator, and enter 1600 as the first value, then add what you need to get where you want.

From memory, theres another couple of lyra users, transfiguration, linn kandid, couple of rebuilt troika, koetsu black and my Benz lp.

Sounded pretty stunning with one of Dom"s NWA bespoke carts as well.
 
I am just curious as to how wide a cart window the Paradise will allow for: gain, load etc. Also I wanted to get ideas for carts to try out if I decide to sell the Gullwing. As I wrote elsewhere I have only had a handful of carts in a hifi life spanning 35 years: Stanton 681 ?, Ortofon MC200 (still here), Ortofon MC 30 Super ii, Denon 103R, Benz Micro Gullwing SLR.
 
Arkless Electronics said:
The design of the Paradise means that it has an intrinsic loading of 1600 Ohms with no loading plugs fitted. Hence if you wanted 800 Ohms then loading plugs of 1600 Ohms should be used as the 2 values in parallel equal 800 Ohm.

The degree to which this needs taking into account will vary hugely with the required loading of course....

100 Ohm loading plugs will actually give 94 Ohm and this is near as damn it and not worth worrying over but if you are wanting loading of higher values then the importance of this increases as the required load goes up...

470 Ohm plugs for example will give an actual 363 Ohms and to get a genuine 470 load then 680 Ohm loading plugs would be required.
Click to expand...

sq225917 said:
Google parallel resistor calculator, and enter 1600 as the first value, then add what you need to get where you want.

From memory, theres another couple of lyra users, transfiguration, linn kandid, couple of rebuilt troika, koetsu black and my Benz lp.

Sounded pretty stunning with one of Dom"s NWA bespoke carts as well.
Click to expand...


thats handy info to know cheers.
 
From my own trial after having years of Naim ‘S’ and ‘ K ‘ boards, then finally getting a dedicated phono stage in The Whest Audio 30R. I was able to adjust internally the settings, at that time I had a Dynavector 20L, then upgraded to a Micro Benz Wood SL.

I was contemplating on upgrading my 30R to the SE 30 RDT but even with my 30R in part exchange it was the best part of nearly £3K.
At this time I had just bought the Kiseki Blue NS. The cost for the Whest was far out of reach. I then came across Simon Clark who was building these amazing phono stages. I got in touch with him and within a few weeks I was a proud owner of a Paradise. Simon lives in Sheffield I live in Bexleyheath and he was kind enough to meet me at South Mimms.

I haven’t gone to his recent upgrades I’m happy with what I got. As far as the capabilities of the phono stage he gave several values of resistors and told me to use them till you find the ones that suit you. Knowing the internal ohms on a Kiseki Blue NS is 40 ohms the manufacturers state that you use 400 ohms. Tried that for a couple of weeks but to me the top end seemed to me to have lost its sparkle went the complete opposite way to 100 ohms.
Found this to be to tizzy, brash, then went for in the middle 220 ohms the cartridge came alive, brashness gone just a lovely top end. I told Simon he said if you’ve happy with the set up ring Hi-Fi Collective and order a pair of the Z-foil resistors to that value which I did. I’ve been happy ever since the phono stage has plenty of gain even into the very low voltages most cartridges are in the 0.4mv. So you won’t have a problem, Simon was a great help.

Regards,

Martin
 
It's about as universal as it gets really as a phono stage for LO MC carts. Plenty of gain, very low noise, good overload margin, no LO MC carts I can think off need a higher resistance load than the 1600 Ohms max without loading plugs and of course with loading plugs it can go down as low as you like.
 
In terms of gain it has 64db, but its also deathly quiet and has huge headroom, so its equally happy carts at .5vm as it is .15mv, I've used it with 2ohm carts and my Benz l.p. which is happy anywhere 200 and 800 ohm. Basically it'll take any mc cart short of a audio note LO without mods.
 
martin dawson said:
From my own trial after having years of Naim ‘S’ and ‘ K ‘ boards, then finally getting a dedicated phono stage in The Whest Audio 30R. I was able to adjust internally the settings, at that time I had a Dynavector 20L, then upgraded to a Micro Benz Wood SL.

I was contemplating on upgrading my 30R to the SE 30 RDT but even with my 30R in part exchange it was the best part of nearly £3K.
At this time I had just bought the Kiseki Blue NS. The cost for the Whest was far out of reach. I then came across Simon Clark who was building these amazing phono stages. I got in touch with him and within a few weeks I was a proud owner of a Paradise. Simon lives in Sheffield I live in Bexleyheath and he was kind enough to meet me at South Mimms.

I haven’t gone to his recent upgrades I’m happy with what I got. As far as the capabilities of the phono stage he gave several values of resistors and told me to use them till you find the ones that suit you. Knowing the internal ohms on a Kiseki Blue NS is 40 ohms the manufacturers state that you use 400 ohms. Tried that for a couple of weeks but to me the top end seemed to me to have lost its sparkle went the complete opposite way to 100 ohms.
Found this to be to tizzy, brash, then went for in the middle 220 ohms the cartridge came alive, brashness gone just a lovely top end. I told Simon he said if you’ve happy with the set up ring Hi-Fi Collective and order a pair of the Z-foil resistors to that value which I did. I’ve been happy ever since the phono stage has plenty of gain even into the very low voltages most cartridges are in the 0.4mv. So you won’t have a problem, Simon was a great help.

Regards,

Martin
Click to expand...

thats pretty much the same story as mine,at the time i remember saying to simon,id like to put my name down on the list for 1 of the few pcb's he had got hold of,never really thinking id have a chance,when he said ok your on i couldn't believe i was getting one built for me!
he drove down from sheffield to my gaff in brighton,spent some time setting it all up and tweeking the loading etc.
im still so happy i took the plunge.
cheers si.
 
Output stages.

My first choice has been Calvin buffers, mostly because 2sk170 are so bloody expensive and j310 are obsolete. But now the pf5102 from the Calvin's are also obsolete and almost as expensive as 2sk170. Given that yield on the pf5102 for matching was less than 10% and the 2sk170 about 30% it makes more sense to build a paradise with the original output stage, fewer parts, easier to match and less expensive in the long run.

With this in mind I've ordered a chunk of parts from the only vendor with enough stock that I trust. Hes literally the only seller with verified 2sk170 in required grade. I should have enough for five sets matched to 0.1mA. I estimate a matched stereo set will be £25. First dibs to those I'm building, which means I may have a couple of sets spare.
 
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