The end is nigh: my last upgrades/sidegrades would be ...

[Rosewind]

For my 2000th post, I want to muse about final upgrades / sidegrades to my main system in my study. I have become a valve person over the years since I owned Naim gear.

My current system can be seen below my post.

For a very long time I have read about the Leak Stereo 20 power amp and how well it mates with Quad ESL 57s. I would love to have a listen to that amp in my set-up. So once my local techie has completed my FirstWatt F4 build later this summer, I may sell that to part-fund a Leak Stereo 20. I will then be able to compare it to the EAR 516 that I have now. The only problem will be that the Leak Stereo 20 has high gain so most likelt it won't mate well with my Herron VTSP 2.

Another niggle is my vinyl replay chain. The 6:1 gain of my Partridge 977 SUT seems low for my Benz Micro Gullwing SLR with the Croft Riaa R. I wonder how to proceed. Perhaps sell the Partridge 977 SUT and buy another SUT with more gain? Or go down the MM route which would have me sell or trade in my Benz Gullwing for a good MM cart like the Acoustical Systems Fideles or ADC XLM? Then I just need the Croft Riaa RS. End of.

The Herron VTSP2 sounds so right with my EAR 516 and Quad ESL 57 that I don't really see me getting that out of the way. Unless of course I buy one of the more recent versions or a Leak 20 makes it redundant. Then a passive pre may be on the cards.

Streaming and DAC-wise I feel that the options I have at present are as good as I am ready for them to be.

The Thorens TD 147 Jubilee is what I like. Sometimes when I see a well-built classic for sale I wonder what that tt would sound like in my system.

The Thorens TP16 semi-automatic arm with its end of the record lift is very convenient. However, I still fancy my Morch UP4 unipivot back, or a Morch DP6.

Quad ESL57s. I absolutely adore them. I toy with the idea of adding a Magnepan DWM Bass Woofer or two at some point.

Lastly, I wonder if I will ever receive the John Westlake VFET Monos that I paid most of 5 years ago. If they ever materialise before I die - and I have written off those 3200£ a long time ago - I will sell the monos off quick as a flash. Then what?

Those were the words.
Cheers!

 

[Arkless Electronics]

Both the First Watt and the EAR should wipe the floor with the Stereo 20! and I have a Stereo 20 (much modified and would give then a run for their money!) and have owned St20's since I was about 17 (54 now) with a gap of around 7 years or so....
Personally I'd use a headamp or MC stage rather than an SUT...

 

[Rosewind]

I would like to have a listen to the Leak Stereo 20 myself. Just to make sure. Tim de P told me that the EAR 516 is perfect for the Quad ESL 57s. With the EAR 802 I did not get the "euphonic" sound that the Herron pre gives me with the EAR 516 and Quad ESL 57s.

Headamp or MC stage - perhaps, although I am not going to spend another fortune.

 

[chartz]

I for one have chosen to keep the 405 with my ‘57’s, after many experiments with many amps, valve or transistor.
Too much money spent in vain.

I listen to what M. Walker listened and I am content.

The TD160 series are great cheap decks and the TP16 will happily take a modern cartridge of average compliance (VM740ML).

I say, keep your hard-earned money and buy music.

 

[Arkless Electronics]

I would like to have a listen to the Leak Stereo 20 myself. Just to make sure. Tim de P told me that the EAR 516 is perfect for the Quad ESL 57s. With the EAR 802 I did not get the "euphonic" sound that the Herron pre gives me with the EAR 516 and Quad ESL 57s.

Headamp or MC stage - perhaps, although I am not going to spend another fortune.

Ah well if you want a coloured sound go ahead... Euphonic is to be avoided in my book!
As I've said before the best I've heard ESL57's was with a VERY modified Stereo 20 I built for a mate but that said I've only ever tried maybe 5 amps with ESL57's so it's not exactly an in depth comparison...

 

[Seanm]

I too like the Thorens 147, especially the convenience of the auto-lift. Personally I find it too much of a compromise as regards SQ, and if I wanted to stick with an auto-lift Thorens and had some money spare I'd investigate a 2001 or a 3001: the arm is supposed to be much better (as is the bearing and suspension), and is higher mass, so would suit your cart better. They come up quite frequently in Europe.

However the ADC XLM you mention is indeed a good match for the TP16 Mkiii, so that would be worth a go IMO. I bought a NOS Mkii stylus a while ago from this retailer:

https://www.musonic.co.uk/index.php...cts_id=18221&zenid=ht76fev08b7fcpo8kd1qpcktd6

Carts are quite easy to come by on eBay.

 

[david ellwood]

A stiletto plinth for my old record player.

 

[matt j]

Lastly, I wonder if I will ever receive the John Westlake VFET Monos that I paid most of 5 years ago. If they ever materialise before I die - and I have written off those 3200£ a long time ago - I will sell the monos off quick as a flash. Then what?

Cheers!

Sorry, but what sort of madness is this??!!!

 

[Rosewind]

Sorry, but what sort of madness is this??!!!

Read through the long MDAC2 threads from one end to the other. It is the madness of crowds.

 

[Rosewind]

Ah well if you want a coloured sound go ahead... Euphonic is to be avoided in my book! (...)

I use euphonic in the sense of pleasing, yet also natural and involving. The EAR 802 was too neutral-sounding and "bland" for me.

 

[matt j]

Read through the long MDAC2 threads from one end to the other. It is the madness of crowds.

Is that a typo or was £3200 correct? If so that's terrible.

 

[Rosewind]

Is that a typo or was £3200 correct? If so that's terrible.

Don't worry. Give or take 50£. It was development money for MDAC2 + a salvaged black MDAC, development money and parts for VFET monos + a set of donor 8200Ms + initial 50£ for a Detox . All the above was converted to funding a set of high spec VFET monos. But now I am almost sorted so I have no need for the VFETS.

 

[24ggaarryy]

Really, the final upgrade'!!!!!!!!!!

It’s all a myth as I think we all know! end of days or not.

We would all still be wondering “ if only I had tried that....".........

 

[Rosewind]

Final upgrades. In the plural. Actually, there is little need for me to upgrade at all, except for the SUT. I will have to pay silly money to better what I have, or to get more satisfaction.

I need a 12:1 SUT as that would let my preamp see a little over 4mV. Or I could get the high output version of the Gullwing, the SHR.

 

[Rosewind]

I have put the SUT up for swap/sale for a similar quality SUT with 12:1 gain. I will explore this route first to see if more gain means a better perceived sound.If not, then perhaps the Benz Micro Gullwing SLR isn't for me, after all.

The First Watt F4 build will be next. I need to check the assembled boards I have visually, and test that I haven't ruined any of the Fets by handling them improperly. Then the box will go to nearby Viborg to be wired, tested, and adjusted by my local hifi wizard. Then what? A shoot-out between the FirstWatt F4 and EAR 516, that's what.

Finally, I have an incompleted build of a DIY air-bearing arm that I would like to finish. A friend of mine has a spare Lenco 78 sitting in his closet. That will be perfect.

 

[Chops54]

The GL78 has the best mat of all the Lenco’s imo of course. If you’re going to remove the arm you would be as well removing the rest of the auto return junk too.

 

[Rosewind]

The GL78 has the best mat of all the Lenco’s imo of course. If you’re going to remove the arm you would be as well removing the rest of the auto return junk too.

Re the Thorens 147: I will consider removing the automatic mechanism if I don't use it. The arm is gently lifted from the record.

 

[DavidS]

The end is always in sight , then the goalposts move.

 

[Rosewind]

Right. Do they move themselves or do I move them myself?

 

[Mr Underhill]

Hi Peter,

I am glad you kept the 516, after all the effort you put into the 802/516.

WRT Euphonics:
Personally I want my HiFi to allow me to get the greatest enjoyment of the music I love. Every part of the recording chain is arguably a degradation, and some more than others. I think that the quality we get at the far end is amazing, and a part of the choice we get is how we shade that sound to our own preference.

I have been trying a Nord One Up NC500 for a few months, and very good it is. However, the EAR534 is a touch more detailed and dynamic, but at twice the price. I could live happily with the Nord, but as I have the EAR I will be driving it home on Friday to be serviced.

The ESL57s are great speakers, are you tempted to double them up?

My most recent change, caused by an unfortunate interaction between my Focal 1008be and a pair of new cats, is an enforced move to something else ...in the event the something else is a pair of Mk I Naim SBLs.

I genuinely think I have also got to my end game system. But things will break down .....and once you have lost that system balance you are back into the maelstrom!