Sun Valley SV-EQ1616D

Click pics to enlarge. In front is the Fidelity FR-3G SUT. Note Andy's excellent Bell 3DT 6V6 PP amp on the floor in the back.

NYC Analog Log (23-2): Sun Valley SV-EQ1616D Phonoamp, Part I
Letter from NYC (23-5): Onward with Phonoamps, I

Updates 8/19/23 A few more lines added in Shortcomings section; more links added. 8/18/23 5 hours after first publication. Loading and Gain specs and discussions added. Other minor corrections.

Before I left NYC for Hong Kong in Oct 2020, from conversations with distributor Victor Kung I already knew about the Sun Valley 1616D series kits. I knew I had no interest in the Preamp, which is basically a tube-rectified Marantz 7 (one reason is I have heard a lot of DIY stuff in similar vein; another is I have the real 7C; yet another is it doesn't look like it will deliver the dynamics that I need and prefer) but I was debating whether to get the Phonoamp kit. Not many modern phonoamps, kit or not, are tube rectified (although my Fosgate Signature certainly is). When it comes to vintage preamps and integrateds, many of their MM phono sections are, though as part of a tube-rectified global supply. A good example is the Citation I, which many in our circle employ, at least via tape out (like Andy) for its excellent phono section.

What finally deterred me was the thought of building it. I was approaching my departure and a look at this kit made me say no at that time. Given its myriad features, 3 knobs and 4 toggle switches, wiring is complicated. It's not a difficult build per se, and with the low voltages and current, mistakes shall not be deadly nor costly, but it will take a LOT of sorting out. Lots of resistors and even more wires. You need to have patience.

The kit sold very well, even before HR's Stereophile review came out soon after I left. After reading the review, Andy decided to order one from vkmusic, and both Kevin and Mark followed suit. Andy is an old hand, but his eyesight is not quite as before, so building it took him a week (albeit not in a hurry). Kevin took 2 whole days of absolute concentration; his build uses all direct soldering and dispenses with all the screw terminals. Mark has yet to build his.

Andy's Unit I didn't hear it at Andy's place. The day I took the Arcam rPhono to him I took the Sun Valley home; it was light and small enough for my backpack and 40 minute walk. His has the optional V-Caps. Also tubes recommended by and sourced from VK: Psvane 274B, Brimar 12AU7 and 2x Amperex 12AX7. That must have cost Andy quite a bit! The rectifier is ungainly in size and I left it at Andy's, not wanting any transport accidents.

System As seen in above pic and described in my last article (just roll down or here), I started with Technics SL-1200 Mk II with Denon DL-103, Shindo Monbrison, Almarro 205A EL84 SE amp and Harbeth P3ESR SE, with the 新时 597 passive horns. As you shall see in the coming installments of this log, the system underwent various changes, but that doesn't change the findings at all. During this period, I also slotted in the Yamamoto CA-04 preamp, AES SE-1 300B SE amp, Rogers LS3/5A and the new arrival MoFi Studiodeck. You shall hear about the latter 2 in detail very soon. I put it in my system, then I rolled in the nearest rectifier to me, the 60's old-stock 5U4GB in Andy's Bell 3DT amp, also on loan. Incidentally, although my articles try to focus on a central piece of gear (or issue), they more often than not meander a little with the introduction of variables and re-visits of other gear,  but I maintain these shed light on many of these equally interesting "ancillary" gear - we have all watched drama and movies where the supporting actors steal the limelight, or have heard albums where sometimes the "sidemen" seem more riveting than the singer (like Nils Lofgren in The Boss' band). This benefits me, as well as more experienced readers - reading the "fine print" matters, and sometimes is the real fun. The system context is much more important than whether a piece of gear is good or bad, and it's never completely black and white. As you follow this log, you shall note the pics show the system changes in small but significant ways. The journey shall chronicle some in-depth comparisons that I should have made a long time ago and the "surprises" I had along the way.

Looks YES! Just Great! I love Hammertone.

Initial Impressions At this point (it will change later), basically it's Sun Valley (circa $1,500 as tubed, not cheap at all, and that's the kit version only!) vs 2 much cheaper ss phonoamps, the Arcam rPhono and MoFi Studiophono (same link as in above System section). I used the flat settings, and with its own FET MC section (more below). While there are some significant caveats (more later too), for this tube lover the contest is not close. The ss phonoamps, best buys as they may be, in comparison seem to paint in broad strokes, whereas the brushwork is much more finely etched in the Sun Valley. One thinks of tubes as being smoother but that is not always true. Case in point, the Arcam is actually smoother in many ways, but the Sun Valley beats it handily at its own game, namely rhythmic finesse, or PRaT. Music is simply more articulated and nuanced. I will illustrate this with 2 LPs I acquired on my recent UK trip (see in pic at the bottom). This pair proves to be so revealing of the analog system that I have stowed them into my pile of Test Discs! Paavo Berglund is a Sibelius specialist noted for his 3 complete cycles of symphonies. In this sonically excellent digital LP, the Finlandia is supposedly the centerpiece. While the account is excellent, it does not quite have the sheer opulence of the same orchestra under Ashkenazy (digital Decca recorded by Kenneth Wilkinson), nor the romantic sweep of the Halle under Barbirolli (also on EMI, ASD). What's makes it a demo disc for me is the Tapiola. Like many other Sibelius tone poems based on Nordic myths, it's not at all an easy piece to bring off, its many rather still moments of beauty demanding the utmost of the conductor's skill at piecing things together. The Sun Valley elevates the atmosphere (which means everything in Sibelius) to a rarefied level, revealing playing of the utmost sensitivity and beauty. I don't have Berglund's other versions on hand, but this version is still available as a Seraphim CD release at some vendors. The LP is likely uncommonly seen. Even more surprising is the Brahms Double Concerto on EMI. This is a recording that musically is almost the complete opposite of the much vaunted recording of Oistrakh/Rostropovich/Szell (also on EMI). The very different (more subtle) personalities of Ferras/Tortelier/Kletzi present a less heroic interpretation that honors the work for its refinement and interplay. The first time I played this UK pressing with the Arcam it didn't register as much (I have it before on an Angel LP). When I played it through the Sun Valley I was quite astonished by how much more I enjoyed it. The dialogue between the 2 great soloists was learned and deep, blending perfectly with the Philharmonia (at its peak) under the equally elegant Kletzi. It's a whole fabric in a work that can sound disjointed. Yet another example is a late DG recording of the immortal Wilhelm Kempff. The seamless rapport between the soloist and the BRSO under Klee is priceless (more so than the pianist's earlier Mozart concerti recordings). The very subtle but myriad colors of this pianist are utterly spellbinding as rendered by the Sun Valley. Now, I have concentrated on classicals because that's my benchmark and I firmly believe no review is near complete without playing a lot of classicals (which is why I abhor Ken Kessler). Suffice to say, the few vocals and jazz I played were done very well too - no problem there, and you shall find many examples in HR's review. For my serious reservations, see below.

MC Section All of the above findings were heard through the Sun Valley's own built-in FET headamp, the small board mounted on the side (left in bottom pic). This is unlike HR's review, where he basically uses his expensive Step Up Transformers (SUT) into the MM section. He only gives the MC section a brief mention, and it seems I rate it higher, but then you should know I frequently prefer active headamps to SUTs. Given current practices, I seem to be in the minority. Mind you, except for initial testing after the built, Andy didn't use the MC section, so I basically ran it in for him. I should also note here that I did not use an MM cartridge for my time with this unit. Loading For the MC section, vkmusic lists the loading as 50 ohm, but the manual says "Corresponding Cartridge MM (47k ohm), MC (20-50 ohm)". That is weirdly worded. Does that mean only 20-50 ohm cartridges are recommended? I do know a few phonoamps have the lowish 50 ohm as fixed loading (100 is more common choice), but I shall note here that theoretically this is certainly not ideal for my Denon DL-103. With the Arcam rPhono and MoFi Studiophono I was able to use 300 and 500 ohm, respectively. I mention all this for completeness sake, but I am not one who obsesses about loading - note the good result described above even with the "incorrect" loading (tube magic helps).

SUT into MM Section I did test this out with my trusty vintage Fidelity Research FR-3G. It is modest in cost and works very well with the Denon DL-103. Indeed, the high impedance setting is likely specifically designed for this cartridge, deservedly prevalent in Japan (and elsewhere). I think you will have to fork out several times its cost for a modern product to compete (as an example, I prefer the FR to the Lundahl that is built into my Shindo Monbrison.) As expected, this imparted a bigger and warmer sound and improved the dynamics. However, this came at the expense of some treble air and, more significantly, the loss of some of the wonderful rhythmic zest I heard before. Although I have other esoteric vintage and modern SUTs (like the popular and excellent Cinemag 3440A), I didn't bother to try them out and reverted back happily to the built-in FET headamp. SUT matching can be as rewarding (or frustrating) as tube rolling. Don't forget one also has to roll an extra pair of cables for best result and that's surely a chore.

Gain The manual lists the following: "Gain: MM35dB, MC +22dB (High) * Gain can be selected the cartridge output (HIGH/LOW) (HIGH when selected +4dB (MM)/+2.5dB (MC)". vkmusic changes the second part to "(LOW when selected -4dB (MM)/-2.5dB (MC)", which is perhaps just a little more clear. I take it to mean maximal MC gain is 22 db + 35 db. From my experience, I think the spec for the MC section is overly "optimistic". In my case, using the Denon DL-103, the LOW setting, supposedly only 2.5 db lower in gain, is much less, and basically useless. More on gain below in Shortcomings section.

Tube Rolling As Andy's unit came with costly good NOS small tubes I didn't roll those. Although neither the manual nor vkmusic is totally clear about this, I don't think the 2 12AX7 (V1 and V2) should be substituted with cousins U7 and T7. But V3 can, as in Andy's unit's use of U7 (it seems VK himself prefers a little softening). This is not surprising at all. The manual for my Fosgate states that the 12AX7 (V3 of the all tubed MC section) could be replaced by the 12AT7 if a little more treble is desired. I did roll the rectifier. It's one of the overkill aspect of this design. For the 3 small tubes a small 6X4/EZ81 would be more than enough (my Fosgate Signature 6-tube phonoamp uses one, as do too my Shindo Monbrison and Citation I preamps, with just one supplying the plethora of signal tubes). The octal base is certainly a conscious move to appeal to those who want to roll a larger variety of tubes, including the most iconic rectifiers, like the WE 274B. I tried a few. An old ST 5U4G was better than the GT 5U4GB, but my favorite turned out to be a 1952 5R4GY, which imparted more refinement (5U4 has a bit of grain). Worst was the 5Y3, which sounded flaccid. Of course one can also try 5AR4 and its likes but I didn't as I always prefer the direct heated rectifiers when it comes to the octals (note that the 6X4 is also indirectly heated). If you, like me, have a bunch of rectifiers it can be fun rolling them, and rectifiers are known to make as much difference in the sound as the tubes they supply. The sound difference is likely in good part due to the difference in voltage drop, which affects the gain somewhat (the 5AR4 should have the highest gain due to its smallest voltage drop). I should note here that Andy has rolled quite a few rectifiers and prefers the PSvanve 274B replica for its smoothness, though he notes it is a little opaque in the lower reaches. Also note that the manual mentions 274B, 5AR4, 5R4, but not 5U4.

Bells and Whistles I only tested out the Roll Off briefly. Engaging it certainly changes things the way a Treble Tone control would, but I left it defeated otherwise. Since most of my LPs are RIAA, I didn't test out the various EQ curves as I never find it particularly useful nor necessary (several of my vintage preamps, like Marantz 7 and Citation I, can perform this function). Personally, I'd have preferred a variable MC loading feature over these EQ's.

Cables Like with all components, cabling is critical. Through the course of this romp I largely used the Gotham 2111 (EMT replica) but I also tried Gotham DGS-1, GAC- 2, -4/1, GAC-1 Ultrapro and DIY 47 Lab, especially when the rectifier is rolled. So I'd not recommend any in particular.

Shortcomings While the Sun Valley excels in uncovering the minutiae in the grooves, and in the most meaningful way, it does have serious weakness in Gain and Dynamics. This is certainly so with the stock FET MC section. Even with my Denon DL-103, which has average output for an MC, the Gain is on the low side and I had to rely on more gain from my tube preamp. Even with MC cartridges of lower impedance than the 103, users of passive devices or 1:1 TVCs will have a good chance of being dissatisfied. I personally have no issue with this really as I can crank up my active preamp. I have said this many times before, and will again: For those who play vinyls, an preamp with gain is not an option but a necessity. However, what concerned me more is something else. This is not the most dynamic of phonoamps: with the orchestra in full throttle, there is loosening of the fabric and some coarseness. You may wonder, because you may have read about its vivid nature and even "explosiveness", so why a different opinion here? Well, if you play a jazz or pop LP the alternative narrative is definitely true because it's much easier to get the max out of those genres. That holds even for much of classical, especially baroque, chamber music and solo instruments. MY litmus test for dynamics is large orchestrals (as it should be), which is what I am talking about. With this kind of music the Sun will play loud but lose control and compress a little more than desirable. It is arguably less dynamically controlled than even the 2 budget ss phonoamps I compared it to in this article. In this aspect, of paramount importance to a listener of big orchestral works, I'd not even try to compare it with my big ones, the all-tube Fosgate Signature, the LCR Aurorasound Vida, Parasound JC3 and the transimpedance AQVOX (despite its high impedance the Denon works great in this phonoamp). Now, yes, some of this particular shortcoming can be ameliorated by using a SUT and the MM section only, but it is not a complete cure. Sound is definitely bigger when a SUT is used but, as mentioned, this has its own trade off. Even then, the dynamics is not quite up to the big ones or, say, some full function preamps (like my Shindo Monbrison). Now, even more than before, it is fashionable to use a SUT so this is likely not of concern to those interested in this product. A tubed active headamp (section or stand alone) is after all quite rare. And yes, I'm aware that there are those who will immediately disqualify me for "incorrectly" using the 103 on medium mass arms and loaded too low to boot; well, there are many places in the chain that can compensate for "non-ideal" situations. Why do we roll cables, I ask? For my money, I'd prefer a totally "incorrect" 103 over the ridiculously over-rated and popular Hana's. Yup, I know from my experience with the Hana SL. Insider news: the innards of the Hana's are vastly inferior to the Denon DL-103.

Caveats  I encountered a curious problem. One day, I turned the unit on and it sounded faulty, with drop-outs and distortion, or even no sound at all. I suspected a contact problem and flipped the several toggle switches to and fro; turned the knobs too every which way. Finally it went away. I called Andy and he said it had happened to him too, especially after changing something. I don't know whether it's this particular unit or not. The Japanese love these little switches and I concur and think of them as sonically transparent. The ones on my various gear have never developed a problem. Quality issue? Who knows! For what its worth, let it be known that Kevin's unit is fine.

A Formidable Rival I'll let the cat out of the bag here. For my taste and the music I listen to most, the Sun Valley was trumped by one of my big guns. Can you guess which one? It's so easy but if you can't, stay tuned for the next episode, when I shall do my summation on the Sun Valley.