Micromega MyGroov MyDac, Meridian 200, Akitika GT-102, Schiit Saga

Click pic to enlarge. On rack, from top, Thorens TD-125, Audio Technica AT-PL120, white Micromega MyDac atop Meridian 200 and a bit of 47 Labs Shigaraki phonostage , Schiit Saga; lower middle, Micromega MyGroov in front to MoFi Studiophono; right, Pioneer PL-10.

Let's Get It On: Akitika GT-102 + LS3/5A, A Happy Union
What's Going On: Reconfiguration of System III, a Cheap and Effective All Solid State System
Review: Micromega MyGroov, Part II
Review: Micromega MyDac, Part III
Review: Akitika GT-102, Part II

Review: Meridian 200 CD transport
Review: Schiit Saga, Part III

Review: Monoprice Toslink Cable

Micromega MyGroov, Part I
Micromega MyDac, Part I
Akitika GT-102, Part I
Schiit Saga, Part II
47 Labs 4718, Part III
Pioneer SW-8 Subwoofer, Part II

Many of my articles are basically housekeeping. In the process I try to seek a moderate improvement or some insight into some of my under-used equipment. This article is one of them. It doesn't really review anything new; instead working things out and going deeper into things. 

From time to time, I reconfigure my systems. Usually this is brought about by a particular piece of equipment. In this case, it was because I moved the Thorens TD-309 from System III to I for my Koetsu Black, which weighs a little heavy. Also, as it was basically not used, to reclaim space I dismantled System IV in the living room, so quite a few pieces of equipment were again available for use.

System III This is by my seat. For someone as overreaching as I, it is not easy to cram everything onto one rack, so I tend to use things with small footprints. Ever since the arrival of Schitt Saga (here) and Akitika GT-102 (here) they have been used together with the Audiomaster LS3/5A to great effect. The crispy and fast sound of the Schiit actually suits the Audiomaster LS3/5A, the darkest of my 3 pairs. Thinking to improve things, I propped in the Nagra PL-P and was surprised at the somewhat rolled off sound. Not synergy and so out it came. Then I focused on reconfiguring my sources.

For digital, as I had moved my Sparkler CDP to System I, for some time I had been using the Linn Karik CDP. Desiring to be able to occasionally play albums on my computer, I decided to go separates. I recruited my ancient Meridian 200 transport and Micromega MyDac.

For Analog, the Pioneer PL-10 with Rao's MC mono cartridge remains, but is assigned to an adjacent shelf. In place of the Thorens TD-309 I swapped in my Audio-Technica AT-PL120 with the Shelter 201 MM cartridge. This turntable, with removable headshell, is great for comparisons, but for the near future I may keep it an MM turntable (with maybe 78 rpm option in the future). I also added a third turntable. My Thorens TD-125 (with SME 3009 and Denon DL-304) from System I, now displaced by the TD-309, claimed the top shelf as I shoved the AT to the shelf underneath (just enough room to carefully maneuver without the cover). Needing a third phonoamp I added the Micromega MyGroov. The Kondo Shigaraki phonostage is MC only, but both Micromega MyGroov and MoFi Studiophono are MM/MC, making the system highly configurable. I tried multiple combinations.

Micromega MyGroov (official link)
Aside from European (French and Spanish) reviews (link) there are virtually no other for this humble component. In Chinese, there is a surprisingly good one from Taiwan's HiFi HiVi. Switch Mode Power Supply and Surface Mount technology are used. See Part I link above for my previous, very favorable, impressions.

Micromega MyDac (official link) This one has been rave reviewed by many when it came out but surprisingly I don't see it mentioned much afterwards (perhaps it is too cheap for its own good). In my detailed Part I review you can read my utter enthusiasm for it. Actually before this round I briefly tried it out in System I with Theta Data Basic (btw a great transport) and the combo went almost head-to-head with the formidable Sparkler S306, which is my reference. Kudos!

Meridian 200 CD Transport I have used or heard quite a bit of Meridian digital products (to me their specialty,) from the first 200 series to the much later 800 series, and they in general offer excellent sound. Perhaps one day I shall write an overview. The 200 is Meridian's first CD transport. It was initially paired with the 1-bit (bitstream) 203 DAC, which I used to own in HK but sold for its ultimate lack of resolution (though it was musical). Meridian's own archive has this excellent early review of the 200/203. Meridian later replaced the DAC with the delta-sigma 263 (see Stereophile), which is likely much better as I still own (in HK) their 206, a similar one box CDP. Another reason for loving them is the styling - early Meridian had the most elegant industrial designs. Yet another is the longevity of the Philips CDM-4 mechanism, and the sound of course.

Sonic Impressions

• Akitika GT-102 + LS3/5A As before, the combo with Schiit Saga and LS3/5A worked a treat, especially with digital. The LS3/5A are placed near field and in front of my horns, and they just disappear. At low level, the images are relatively small, but crank it up to normal listening level, the images flesh out. In fact, one could easily mistake the sound to be coming from the large horn system behind. From vocal CDs to Bruckner LP, the sound is highly articulate, just enticing. Few bookshelves can equal, let alone surpass, the LS3/5A.

• Schiit Saga This round reaffirms that the Schiit Saga is a very neutral device, not for systems already on the lean side. I started using it as a passive preamp, but soon found myself running out of gain for analog, especially my DL-304 (0.2 mV). I then used the Saga as a buffer amp into my Langevin 102 preamp and the analog sound fully fleshed out. More discussion below...

• Analog + Passive Preamp? t shows once again that a passive device is not optimal for an analog based system. I know there are purists out there who insist on passive preamp but who also use analog. Maybe with a high output MM (like the Shure 44-7) one can get away, but with a low-output MC it is just lacking in muscle.

• Micromega MyGroov This is not the most "precise" (as in pinpoint details) phonostage, but it is a highly musical one (Perhaps one can view it as a somewhat upgraded Schiit Mani). It musical warmth and finesse more than compensates, and it proves to be a much better match with my Thorens TD-125/SME3009i/Denon DL-304 than the leaner 47 Labs. It is very cheap and unjustly neglected. My Part I impression stands.

• 47 Labs 4718 As mentioned in Part III (link above), it is getting run-in. Sound is smoother now but still can be insistent occasionally. As mentioned, it did not gel with my Denon DL-304 (nor my mono rig for that matter). But a later sub of Denon DL-301 Mk II (review coming) was very promising. I then switched in DIY 47 Labs cables and it was superb. This is the best sound I have heard from it.

• Micromega MyDac/Meridian 200 I first connected the DAC with my Linn Karik and the sound was lovely, so I was totally shocked when I switched in the Meridian 200. Synergy! It was like flowers blossoming, everything was alive with colors. It went head to head with the vinyl systems. I liked Marvin Gaye's Let's Get it On so much that I pulled out his What's Going On - just did not want to stop. Absolutely superb combination. USB The MyDac played my humble iTunes/AIFF files very well too, (in fact in this setup better than many CAS setups I have heard) and that will be sometimes useful. Toslink What was most amazing was that the Optical Input, connected to the same Meridian 200 with a $6 Monoprice cable, sounded virtually indistinguishable from the coaxial input (Belden 1694A). I checked my notes (see link above) and, my, I forgot I made the same observations before. It is good keeping a blog to check on oneself. I'd guess there must be some effective re-clocking or de-jittering in the MyDAC for every input to sound alike. In such a small product, quite an achievement. The Micromega MyDac is a serious rival to the Sparkler digital products.

And so I arrived at the current configuration:

CD: Meridian 200 Transport and Micromega MyDac (Belden 1694A coaxial; Monoprice Toslink)
Turntable 1: Audio-Technica AT-PL120
Turntable 2: Pioneer PL-10 with Rao's MC Mono
Phonoamps: 47 Labs 4718 Shigaraki, Micromega MyGroov, and MoFi StudioPhono
Buffer Preamp: Schiit Saga
Active Preamp: Langevin 102
Amp: Akitika GT-102
Loudspeakers: Audiomaster LS3/5A (15 ohm)
Subwoofer: Pioneer SW-8

Subwoofer Finally, I added a subwoofer, the cheap and excellent Pioneer SW-8 (see link above). The LS3/5A does not reach deep, but its subtle mid-bass hump gives one a satisfying feeling that is frequently enough. But not quite for classical music, at least not for Bruckner and Big orchestral and Piano music. It took me a while to dial in, but the result was more than worth the effort. The fuller sound actually gives more support and air at the top. I went through an entire Bruckner cycle (LP, Jochum, DG) with great satisfaction. CD playing benefitted greatly too. The piano sound of Radu Lupu's Schubert D845/D894 (CD, Decca) was resplendent, not quite like my horn rig, but very reasonably close. Especially in Schubert, the often foreboding rumbling bass notes are very important in the overall feeling.

In this system, if I only play digital, I can get away without using the active preamp. And if I switch out the tube in the Schiit Saga, the difference will be minimal, and it will be an excellent and all solid-state system! A bargain to boot!