Sounds good thank you both for your responses. Always good to double check with this stuff.
Cheers!
I'm hoping to have them back out the door before then. I have the envelopes ready with addresses printed out too.
Im a going to try and get them out of the door the same day they arrive
At least then, they have a chance at arriving at peoples homes just as they need something to do.
Ambitious, bit it's a plan
Mini Review:
I've spent the last couple weeks with this phono in my system now and I have to say this is my favorite tube phono I have heard to date. In the past I have had the Bottlehead Seduction, Thorsten DC Phono, Highly-modified EAR, WAD Phono and this beats them all! I would describe the sound as tube-like but not overly warm like the EAR and very dynamic and transparent. I say tube-like as I find solid state phonos to be very dry and lacking emotion. With a solid-state phono I find myself doing critical listening whereas with a tube phono my toe cannot help but tap and listening gives me goosebumps. The downstream components are an Aikido line stage, DIY 6C8G/2A3 SET amp and Lii F15's in an OB. My system is pretty much an audio microscope! This stage is one of the quietest to date but is slightly edged out by the Seduction.
Now I'll split this into 2 sections:
MM - Soundsmith Boheme on a Well Tempered Classic (47K load) - as mentioned above, this is the best tube phono stage I have heard on my system to date. Excellent extension in highs and lows with a balanced response. Plenty of detail with my favorite being Rodrigo y Gabriela Echoes where he drags his fingernail across the bass string on his guitar. I am running Toshiba PCC88's and I have tried various 12AX7's including Sovtek 12AX7LPS, Sylvania 12AX7, Telefunken 12AX7 white tip and also a Voshkod 6N2P-EV and I really could not tell much of a difference tube to tube!
MC - Denon DL-103R on a Technics SL-1200 (240 load) - switching this to MC and playing on a "lesser" table than my MM setup, I was absolutely blown away! The presentation was even more neutral and balanced and detail improved significantly! Noise floor did not change even with the higher gain of the MC circuit. Tube rolling the 12AX7 did make a difference here tho! The Telefunken was almost too bright, the Sovtek dead and my favorite was the 6N2P-EV. I like this setup so much I told my buddy he can't have his DL-103R back until further notice!
The downside for me is that now I am in the market for an MC cart to match my Well Tempered Classic. I have heard good things about the DV-20x2 and read a review on 6moons that recommends the 20x2 for DL-103 lovers so I think that is the route I will take. If anyone is interested in a Soundsmith Boheme ... drop me a PM!
Bottom line is this is one helluva phono stage that will remain in my system for a long time to come! MC has an edge in performance over MM but MM is still no slouch and tops most other tube stages I have heard. You may need to tube roll in MC to get a tube that matches your setup.
I've spent the last couple weeks with this phono in my system now and I have to say this is my favorite tube phono I have heard to date. In the past I have had the Bottlehead Seduction, Thorsten DC Phono, Highly-modified EAR, WAD Phono and this beats them all! I would describe the sound as tube-like but not overly warm like the EAR and very dynamic and transparent. I say tube-like as I find solid state phonos to be very dry and lacking emotion. With a solid-state phono I find myself doing critical listening whereas with a tube phono my toe cannot help but tap and listening gives me goosebumps. The downstream components are an Aikido line stage, DIY 6C8G/2A3 SET amp and Lii F15's in an OB. My system is pretty much an audio microscope! This stage is one of the quietest to date but is slightly edged out by the Seduction.
Now I'll split this into 2 sections:
MM - Soundsmith Boheme on a Well Tempered Classic (47K load) - as mentioned above, this is the best tube phono stage I have heard on my system to date. Excellent extension in highs and lows with a balanced response. Plenty of detail with my favorite being Rodrigo y Gabriela Echoes where he drags his fingernail across the bass string on his guitar. I am running Toshiba PCC88's and I have tried various 12AX7's including Sovtek 12AX7LPS, Sylvania 12AX7, Telefunken 12AX7 white tip and also a Voshkod 6N2P-EV and I really could not tell much of a difference tube to tube!
MC - Denon DL-103R on a Technics SL-1200 (240 load) - switching this to MC and playing on a "lesser" table than my MM setup, I was absolutely blown away! The presentation was even more neutral and balanced and detail improved significantly! Noise floor did not change even with the higher gain of the MC circuit. Tube rolling the 12AX7 did make a difference here tho! The Telefunken was almost too bright, the Sovtek dead and my favorite was the 6N2P-EV. I like this setup so much I told my buddy he can't have his DL-103R back until further notice!
The downside for me is that now I am in the market for an MC cart to match my Well Tempered Classic. I have heard good things about the DV-20x2 and read a review on 6moons that recommends the 20x2 for DL-103 lovers so I think that is the route I will take. If anyone is interested in a Soundsmith Boheme ... drop me a PM!
Bottom line is this is one helluva phono stage that will remain in my system for a long time to come! MC has an edge in performance over MM but MM is still no slouch and tops most other tube stages I have heard. You may need to tube roll in MC to get a tube that matches your setup.
Attachments
Hi,
Yes, absolutely.
We will have to wait until the Covid-19 issue has resolved as i am trying to fulfil the first GB, which is being heavily delayed by Yodel not having anyone in the offices.
Mini Review:
I've spent the last couple weeks with this phono in my system now and I have to say this is my favorite tube phono I have heard to date. In the past I have had the Bottlehead Seduction, Thorsten DC Phono, Highly-modified EAR, WAD Phono and this beats them all! I would describe the sound as tube-like but not overly warm like the EAR and very dynamic and transparent. I say tube-like as I find solid state phonos to be very dry and lacking emotion. With a solid-state phono I find myself doing critical listening whereas with a tube phono my toe cannot help but tap and listening gives me goosebumps. The downstream components are an Aikido line stage, DIY 6C8G/2A3 SET amp and Lii F15's in an OB. My system is pretty much an audio microscope! This stage is one of the quietest to date but is slightly edged out by the Seduction.
Now I'll split this into 2 sections:
MM - Soundsmith Boheme on a Well Tempered Classic (47K load) - as mentioned above, this is the best tube phono stage I have heard on my system to date. Excellent extension in highs and lows with a balanced response. Plenty of detail with my favorite being Rodrigo y Gabriela Echoes where he drags his fingernail across the bass string on his guitar. I am running Toshiba PCC88's and I have tried various 12AX7's including Sovtek 12AX7LPS, Sylvania 12AX7, Telefunken 12AX7 white tip and also a Voshkod 6N2P-EV and I really could not tell much of a difference tube to tube!
MC - Denon DL-103R on a Technics SL-1200 (240 load) - switching this to MC and playing on a "lesser" table than my MM setup, I was absolutely blown away! The presentation was even more neutral and balanced and detail improved significantly! Noise floor did not change even with the higher gain of the MC circuit. Tube rolling the 12AX7 did make a difference here tho! The Telefunken was almost too bright, the Sovtek dead and my favorite was the 6N2P-EV. I like this setup so much I told my buddy he can't have his DL-103R back until further notice!
The downside for me is that now I am in the market for an MC cart to match my Well Tempered Classic. I have heard good things about the DV-20x2 and read a review on 6moons that recommends the 20x2 for DL-103 lovers so I think that is the route I will take. If anyone is interested in a Soundsmith Boheme ... drop me a PM!
Bottom line is this is one helluva phono stage that will remain in my system for a long time to come! MC has an edge in performance over MM but MM is still no slouch and tops most other tube stages I have heard. You may need to tube roll in MC to get a tube that matches your setup.
Hi Craig,
I think it's fair to say that you have exhibited the same kind of response as i usually get when people hear mine!
From a perspective of my own listening and experiments with @Vivant, in his system, i did notice quite a change in noise level between MM and MC, with MC being quieter. I do accept that this can depend largely on the gain required for the cartridge in use. I use a HA103-SEL and it is quite low gain for an MC.
I can attest that unless i turn the wick right up to ridiculous levels, the background noise would compare with that of a Solid state phonostage. Quite exceptional for a valve phonostage.
I only use MC at home, so can only talk about this part of the Phonostage with qualification.
More importantly, the fact you have felt the desire to report your experience with it and put it in your signature, it says to me that you really like it and that's all i care about.
Your work on the layout will see us turn to you with our future plans for circuit ideas, and already have
Thank you so much for helping us with this.
UPDATE
Hi all,
I am currently chasing Yodel (UK Courier) to try and find out where the PCB;s are.
They have been cleared by customs but their whereabouts have not been updated for 6 days. Yodel have told their office staff to work from home, which i support, but that is making it impossible to get hold of anyone.
That coupled with the UK now being in "Lockdown" may mean quite a delay.
I will continue to chase them and update this thread whenever i can.
Rest assured, i have a 100% record of delivering anything i have sold and if i have to reorder the PCB's at a later date, i will do so and cover the costs personally. That's a promise.
Most importantly, thanks for your patience and stay safe.
Oliver
Hi all,
I am currently chasing Yodel (UK Courier) to try and find out where the PCB;s are.
They have been cleared by customs but their whereabouts have not been updated for 6 days. Yodel have told their office staff to work from home, which i support, but that is making it impossible to get hold of anyone.
That coupled with the UK now being in "Lockdown" may mean quite a delay.
I will continue to chase them and update this thread whenever i can.
Rest assured, i have a 100% record of delivering anything i have sold and if i have to reorder the PCB's at a later date, i will do so and cover the costs personally. That's a promise.
Most importantly, thanks for your patience and stay safe.
Oliver