Conrad-Johnson vs EAR; Wilson Alexia

In front of the CJ GAT preamp are the EAR 509 MkII monoblocks, much smaller in size, but not in sound, than the CJ LP275 monoblocks. In the foreground are removed TAOC stands. Click to enlarge.

Home Visit: Conrad-Johnson vs EAR; Wilson Alexia

Talk Tweak: Ditch your Amplifier Stands; TAOC

EAR Overview

EAR 509 MkII Resurrected While my EAR 912 has been making the rounds and seen active use, my pair of 509 MkII have been idling for over ten years - until recently, when my friend WoSirSir expressed interest in them. Lo and behold, at my old place they worked a charm with my Tannoy Canterburies! We both agreed they sounded excellent, with a clear and controlled sound.

Then I met up with Andy (one of the trio covered in this blog, last featured here), and things blossomed into a second day of "slug-fest"! Don't you get too excited; it did not last long!

Resident System:

Turntable: Clearaudio Statement/Goldfinger
Phonoamp: Clearaudio Statement Phono
CAS: Aurender N10
DAC: EMM Labs DAC2X
Preamp: Conrad-Johnson GAT MkII
Amp: Conrad-Johnson LP275
Loudspeakers: Wilson Audio Alexia

Challenger Amp: EAR 509MkII
Challenger Preamp: EAR 912

SONIC NOTES

• Andy's Previous Magnepan 3.7 Setup As reported, Andy was previously a horn and SET guy. Between then and now, he had a period when he used the Maggie 3.7 with largely the same analog and CJ gears, and I had heard them. For CAS, he was still using the Weiss and as before I didn't like it one bit. Analog was much better, though the Maggies as expected lacked deep bass and had a mid-bass leaness (preferred by the ribbon/ESL crowd).

• Wilson Alexia  It was immediately apparent that the Wilson's sounded very much meatier and heftier that the Maggies. And I mean that in a good way - images were just fleshier and more real, and the bass had real kick. Although a trace of bass bloat remained in this large room, which is unfortunately closer to a square than a rectangle, it was the best sound I had heard yet at Andy's.

• CAS Aurender and EMM Labs To my ears, the Aurender N10 and EMM Labs DAC2X combo is much to be preferred to the parched sound of the Weiss. Fleshier, more naturally flowing - in a word, less digital.

• Clearaudio Statement Phono While the analog sound is clean and good, I cannot help feeling this phonoamp, like the turntable it partners, lacks rhythmic verve. Andy likes it for its remote controllable features (like equalization curves), but for me it is just plain spoken.
  

• Challenge: EAR 509 MkII vs CJ LP275 While we were chatting on the first day, I was a little surprised that Andy expressed interest in hearing the EAR after I told him of its excellent bass control. And so it happened on the second day! Despite having only just one hour of playing after a ten-year hiatus, the EAR 509 MkII trounced the actively in-use CJ LP275 immediately and in convincing fashion. The bass was simply tauter, more controlled and extended lower! The CJ LP275 uses 8 tubes per monoblock, but did not sound more powerful than the EAR's simple pair (and Andy matches his tubes with a top-notch tube tester); also, it is actually quite light and easy to lift, indicating the light weight of the transformers! Andy was impressed! See "Andy's Decision" below!

• Challenge: EAR 912 vs GAT MkII The sound was quite similar, but the EAR 912 had a more subtle and easier musical flow. Andy agrees, but loves the remote facilities of the GAT. If you ask me, the EAR 912 is the better preamp, full-function at a much lower cost; there was no area where the GAT could manage to surpass. One can only gasp at the ridiculous price some hifi manufacturers charge, or marvel at how reasonable EAR gear is!

• Andy's Response Man of Action! Andy immediately ordered the EAR 509 MkII! But he has retained the GAT for its convenience.

• UN-Tweak At first, Andy has his amps on his surplus TAOC stands (foreground). Since I have never heard amplifier stands do any positive thing, I asked for their removal. Bingo! More coherence and better bass (here is yet another example: "...like a good audiophile, SG had almost all his stuff on heavy (wood) racks and gears were placed on various tuning devices (which I usually avoid). The Goldmund Telos were placed on Nordost Pulsar Points over a Solid-Steel amp rack...JC, a previous user of Goldmund, suggested removing the Nordost devices. It took a while, but the result was mind-boggling. Music became much more lively. Then we proceeded to remove the amp rack. With the amps on the floor now, there was further improvement, but not quite of the same magnitude as removing the Nordost devices. So much for isolation devices (at least for power amps)..."). Andy's preamp is also temporarily sitting on two TAOC's, but in this case, as I had reservations about putting it on the floor (preamps are much more susceptible to vibrations than amps), we slotted two slabs of solid wood between the preamp and the stands, and sound again improved.
  

 Thoughts

• Things at CJ are definitely not like before (not that I have been that much of a fan). The light weight of the LP275 is a joke - indicating transformers are smaller than before (similarly, Audio Research trannies now are smaller). Those were the days, when their classic amps like the Premier One had really heavy transformers. The 8x 6550 per side did not feel very powerful. Likewise, I also think the GAT is ridiculously over-priced for what it is.

• Wilson Audio is finally getting better. I have lost count of how many times I have listened to generations of Watt/Puppy, but I know I have never heard them to total satisfaction! I have also listened to a large number of their larger offerings, like Alexandria, Maxx etc, and they never fully impressed either. That started to change when I heard the Sophia at the HK hifi show. Now, Andy's Alexia is not perfect, but it has potential. Think of all those hifi writers (like TAS) who praise each iteration - hey, should the customer fork out so much money for Wilson to move slowly on his learning curve? Basically, most Wilson's were (some still are) incoherent, and the hifi press indulged him instead of warning readers.

• EAR's Tim de Paravicini is my hero. Great designs, compact size, powerful and controlled sound, all at much more reasonable cost than most manufacturers.

Carver, Manley, Ensemble, Part II

Letter from NYC (26) 2013 (2): Magnepan, Carver, Manley, Ensemble, Part III
Review: Carver Sunfire Amplifier, Part II
Review: Manley Neo-Classic 300B Preamplifier, Part II
Review: Ensemble Dirondo and Dichrono HiDac, Part II

Article finished in HK

You can scroll down to Part I of Carver, Manley and Ensemble (link here). However, to save you time, and to make it more coherent, I have duplicated relevant Part I text in italics below.

After having finished with the Maggies MG1.7 (and it will perhaps be years before I get to them again) it is time to give some comments on the ancillary equipment that contributed to the wonderful whole.

pic borrowed from the net; click for source

Ensemble Dirondo Drive + Dichrono HiDac 
This is my one of my reference digital sources and it is a shame I haven't given it detailed treatment before! The DAC may have been discontinued as the Official Website only lists the Drive and the integrated CDP, but everything else is the same.

For a good description, read this Positive Feeback favorable review. Note that the reviewer uses gears that are more in keeping with my preferences, like Audio Note CD players and EAR amplification, and my feelings parallel his. To be complete, you should also know there is a considerably less enthusiastic review in 6moons, but I do think the reviewer was seriously remiss there, as happens so often in that site, which though frequently informative, seems more keen on tasting plats du jour than maintaining any long term philosophy, and I have never been impressed by the system integration of their reviewers.

From previous introduction I have always admired Ensemble products for their refined sound. In HK, quite a few people I know are still using their older (non-Sondoro) gears. You shall find diverse opinion on this combo on the internet. For me, it takes in-depth listening to reveal the beauty of this set. Delivering exceptional details that never call attention to themselves, they really don't stand out immediately. Partnered with the wrong gears they could even sound just a little less full in body than some, but when done right show a fleshy presence which together with great rhythmic sophistication and dynamic exactitude deliver the illusion of a live event. Talking about dynamic accuracy, let us examine the last track, Stimela (the coal train) of this much abused Hugh Masekela album, Hope. In the opening, the drummer's insistent bangs mimick the sound of a train. Most digital playbacks would homogenize the multiple hits and give you only a sense of a small crescendo. Not so the Ensemble combo, which uncannily deliver a sense of gradual, and powerful, increase in sound. Not only that, about a third of the way, one of the hits is actually less forceful than what had gone before; this is not well rendered usually, but clear as day with the Ensemble combo.

Is the Ensemble combo the best I have? Perhaps in some tonal area my Theta/SFD-2 combo can give them a run for the money, but there is little question that the Ensemble set belong with the best (and better most for musicality). I use their own Gigaflux BNC cable (which I happen to have) and the DAC uses an Ensemble power cord (I don't have another one for the transport).

The Ensemble has some upsampling options which I shall perhaps cover later, but right now I am using the 48kHz setting, so the CDs are upsampled a little.

Part II Suffice to say the Ensemble duo is a greatly nuanced player in my system. Yes, if you are not careful the sound can turn a little bright, as obviously happened to some reviewers. But if you do it right, you are rewarded with a truly crystalline, scintillating sound that has nonpareil rhythm and pace. All the subtle inflections of music pour forth. I did not really do any extensive comparison, but the combo quickly put down my Rega Apollo and Meridian 506-24. Also, I compared the transport section of the Rega (very good) and the Dirondo Drive was obviously more savvy in its handling of microdynamics and rhythm. Most of the time I did not bother to upsample, using the redbook 44.1. I used the BNC input and Ensemble's own Gigaflux digital cable was better than everything else I had. As a tube man I did not try its preamp function. 

Manley Neo-Classic 300B Preamp (left pic can be enlarged by clicking on it)

From previous introduction While the 300B SE/PP amp (which is excellent, I have used it before) of Manley's wonderful and statement-level Neo-Classics series has received many reviews and much accolade, its companion 300B Preamp has had quite a low profile. There are no reviews from the major English audio press. You can find reviews from hometheaterhifi, Audio Video Revolution , Inner Ear Report, and Image HiFi (available from Manley site only in German). I suspect this is because of its ungainly nature, built like a tank and resembling more a serious amplifier. I ran into an irresistible bargain and acquired it brand new.

Part II The various reviews combined give a fair view of the preamplifier. I'd like to share briefly some of my experience: (1) since there are output transformers, the preamp is really a power amp in disguise, and as such needs a lengthier run-in than usual (transformers especially); (2) In my system, the difference between direct and transformer output is not as big as some reviewers claimed; this attests to the excellence of the output transformers; (3) I prefer the transformer output by a little; with long interconnect to the power amp, this output mode is more composed on big dynamic swings; (4) my results are based on use of the 5U4 rectifiers, which I generally prefer to the specified indirectly-heated 5AR4. The B+ of the 5U4 is a notch lower than 5AR4; I wonder if the sound would be a little softer; (5) that said, the sound is clean, focused and full-bodied; (6) as one reviewer rightly noted, the preamp is very sensitive to vibration/microphonics, and it is not just the 300B tubes; the 6SL7 tubes too! Good isolation is essential; (7) the thing runs hotter than may amps - make sure you have ventilation; (8) it gives a very different presentation from my other reference Shindo preamp, a little less colored, more straightforward; sometimes I prefer one for its neutrality, sometimes the other for nuance! Both are wonderful!

Carver Sunfire Amplifier

From Part I Although Carver's Sunfire amplifiers were famous for its time (cited in TAS' Ten Most Significant Amplifiers of All Time), there is not much info on the internet.

There appeared to have been several versions. Mine was certainly an earlier one, not a Signature version (see Audiophilia 2004 review and avrev 1998 review; see also review of the related Lightstar). The simpler front and back matches well the version described by one of my favorite writers, Robert E Greene, archived in his own website: regonaudio TAS 1996. I should also mention that I acquired the amp after I heard my friend Vash's Sunfire Architect's Choice driving Maggie.

Part II There is very little to say except that the amp is quite a smooth performer. It is quite transparent, but details never sound etched or grey (like most transistors can and do), especially when pushed. I compared it to my McIntosh MC-2200 and generally found it superior in detail retrieval and openness. This is quite a bargain!

The one thing I don't quite like about this original version is the lack of a power off switch. If you don't use a switched outlet, make sure you take care when turning on and off the preamp, especially if it is a tubed unit. I used it with my Manley 300B; what I do is switch the preamp to earphones when I power on or off. Also, when I plug my unit in, I get a (capacitor) spark, which is apparently a common problem.

Magnepan MG 1.7 Listening Tests (4), Carver, Manley, Ensemble

Letter from NYC (25) 2013 (2): Magnepan, Carver, Manley, Ensemble, Part II
Review: Magnepan MG 1.7 Listening Tests (4)

Scroll down to last post for Magnepan, Carver, Manley, Ensemble, Part I


Magnepan MG 1.7 Listening Tests (4) (scroll down for (3) and links to older posts)
I should like to share with you details of my effort to improve the performance of the Maggies. Partnering gears was listed in the previous article. In this article I shall concentrate on the Maggies, but I shall write more about the gears later.
 
Placement As mentioned, I had the 1.7's in nearly a "near-field" situation. The Maggies are constrained between my low equipment rack (in front of me) and my YG horns (middle of room). I pulled them as much towards me as I could. The left speaker's bottom is obscured by the rack, but this is of little import as the bottom part of the 1.7 is just the frame, and most of the speaker is visible to me. They have about 2 ft clearance from the horns. The speakers form a near-isosceles triangle of about 8 ft with my listening seat.

Soundstage Depth is excellent, reaching further than my front wall (20 ft); Width is good, but mostly limited to the lateral span of the speakers, though on certain material images clearly exceed this limit.

Tweeter Position As I have said many times, Magnepan has no official dogma about this, though there are imaging fanatics/idiots out there who insist the tweeters of any mirror-image loudspeakers have to be on the inside. In our old flat, inside worked better, but in my current room, imaging and just about everything else just locked in with the tweeters on the OUTSIDE.

Toe-in Again, some idiots can be dogmatic about not using toe-in. Magnepan doesn't need much of it, for sure, but in my case, a small toe-in further tightened up the focus. As I was reading my older writings I was stunned to come across what I wrote in 2010: "One interesting thing. In the manual AND in a separate sheet, Magnepan says: "The 1.7 has exceptional phase characteristics that are accomplished without the use of compensation networks. To realize the optimum phasing, the 1.7 should be angled inward to be on-axis with the listener (Do not place parallel to the front wall)". No doubt this is not going to happen with HK users who cling to the superstition of "no toe-in". Well, some people want to show you they know better than the manufacturer. With electronics and modifcations I'd say maybe (but only occasionally), but with loudspeakers of good repute, and in the absence of measuring equipment (not just a microphone to measure room response) it would be foolhardy, not to say arrogant and ignorant, not to consider the manufacturer's suggestions. I experimented quite a bit and did find toeing-in to yield a more focused sound." See, I had completely forgotten about that!! Fortunately, my own efforts and intuitions arrived at the same conclusions! But, do remember to read the manual! :-)

Subwoofer Now, we arrive at the big issue. Yet again, some people are dogmatic about not using subwoofers with panels or electrostatics. What these people insist is that quality and coherence matters more than quantity. But it is not that simple, and that statement shows unfortunately a misunderstanding of live bass, even with people who pride themselves on their taste and "understanding" in bass.

I wrote something on this subject a long time ago, when I first got my 1.7, but had not published it. Time to include it here:

• Subwoofer? After driving the 1.7's with everything under the sun, I turned my attention to the bass. Although it certainly has more useful bass than the MMG, their characters are really not that different. A few more hertz of extension does not equate a lot more weight. We don't even mention percussive drum music here. On recordings such as Mahler's 6th, on the Maggie (anyone's that I have heard, bar none) the double-basses attack furiously, lean and mean, but where is the menace that one should feel? My friend, this is not just one single bass, not closely recorded Ray Brown doing a solo against Almeida, nor within the Oscar Peterson Trio, not jazz, this should sound MASSIVE.
  
  Again I used the lowly AR "sub-woofer", and the benefit it brought was substantial and, importantly, almost subliminal! I only used a couple of notches on the volume. As for the crossover point, it varies with the equipment used and is best tuned by listening carefully to a piano recording with substantial bass content. It was immediately apparent the double-basses were more threatening, and that was what Mahler wrote and wanted. When I disconnected the Maggies and listened only to the sub-woofer, there was only the faintest of rumbles, and one would never guess from that that the difference would be so significant.
   
• Coherence
  In the world of hifi, I have met many so-called "purists", but IMHO few of them are true spirits. Why is that? Because they are "true" to themselves and their own beliefs, but almost never true to the music they are listening to. In other words, they are hardly true music lovers.
  
  The "purists" insist that a sub woofer would pollute the "purity" of their beloved Maggie, bringing forth disastrous incoherence. But where were they when the 1.7 is touted for new level of coherence? Can we reason that the collorary of that is that all older Maggies are in comparison more INcoherent? Wait a minute here, has anyone said anything close to that before?

+Pioneer SW-8 Now let's move on to my current game. I mated the humble (Pioneer SW-8 subwoofer
(previous write-up and info here) and immediately found the result promising. The subwoofer was positioned between the Maggies in mid-room, largely free of boundaries, and connected to the subwoofer out of the Manley preamp: Crossover Point The budget design has a continuous pot for this, so I cannot tell you at what frequency I finally settled. I started around midway (12 o'clock) and worked worked my way around. You have to listen very carefully to bass quality. The body sound of the doublebass, the attack and finish.This is important: the leading edge should not feel blunted. I ended up around 10 o'clock, surely rather low crossover point; Volume of course, concurrently you have to adjust the volume. I tell you, just a little is enough! When you can "hear" the subwoofer contribution, you are likely turning it up too much; Phase This should be done last - in my case 180 degrees audibly snapped things in focus. If not, you may have to start all over again and go back and forth.

The difference with the subwoofer connected is hard to explain. It just adds a touch of fullness to the bass, perhaps because the finish is longer (like a good French wine). Ultimately, the lean and fast bass of Maggies does not always unfold the whole bass note adequately. It is a tribute to modern-day subwoofers that they can work in concert and not get left behind.

I am not at all a bass freak, but I know what should be there in a good orchestral recording. There is no question in my mind that Maggies need subwoofers. Just a bit of augmentation. Can I go back to listening without the subwoofer? Yes, I can, but it just sounds more real with one. One listen to the mighty opening of Mahler's 3rd Symphony  (LSO/Horenstein) (I have the LP) and you will agree with me that both the mighty brass and percussion forces benefit from a subwoofer!

Magnepan MG 1.7 Listening Tests (3), Carver, Manley, Ensemble

Letter from NYC (24) 2013 (1): Magnepan, Carver, Manley, Ensemble, Part I
Review: Magnepan MG 1.7 Listening Tests (3)
Review: Carver Sunfire Amplifier, Part I
Review: Manley Neo-Classic 300B Preamplifier, Part I
Review: Ensemble Dirondo and Dichrono HiDac, Part I

Article started in the UK, posted from NYC

Very very busy days for me. Still, it's time to catch up with older and unfinished business, if we ever arrive at the HiFi finish line, that is.

Magnepan MG1.7 Revisited (3) (see previous reports, Part I, Part II)
As soon as I got back to NYC, and before my UK trip, I listened to my usual horn system. Within a few days, I got the impulse to fire up my Maggie's again (or else it will be dormant for too long). This time I brought the 1.7 further upfront, about 2 ft in front of my YG horns and 2/3 of the way from the front wall. I also pulled them even wider apart to form a near-isosceles triangle with my listening seat. To my delight, after an absence of I think 2 years, the sound was better than before! Although the improved placement was likely the most critical, I do think the partnering electronics contributed to this immeasurably too. This report is going to take several parts. Let me start by introducing the players. Particulars in performance shall be treated in the next article, Part II.

Carver Sunfire Amplifier

Although Carver's Sunfire amplifiers were famous for its time (cited in TAS' Ten Most Significant Amplifiers of All Time), there is not much info on the internet.

There appeared to have been several versions. Mine was certainly an earlier one, not a Signature version (see Audiophilia 2004 review and avrev 1998 review; see also review of the related Lightstar). The simpler front and back matches well the version described by one of my favorite writers, Robert E Greene, archived in his own website: regonaudio TAS 1996.

I should mention that I acquired the amp after I heard my friend Vash's Sunfire Architect's Choice driving Maggie.

Manley Neo-Classic 300B Preamp
For introduction, see my previous blip.

Ensemble Dirondo + Dichrono HiDac 
This is my one of my reference digital sources and it is a shame I haven't given it treatment before! For a good description, read this Positive Feeback favorable review. Note that the reviewer uses gears that are more in keeping with my preferences, like Audio Note CD players and EAR amplification. To be complete, you should also know there is a considerably less enthusiastic review in 6moons, but I do think the reviewer was seriously remiss there, as happens so often in that site, which though frequently informative, seems more keen on tasting plats du jour than maintaining any long term philosophy. Suffice to say the Ensemble duo is a greatly nuanced player in my system.

The coming articles shall examine the system in great detail.
 

The Yumcha Diaries 飲茶後記: 08/15-01-11 The Yumcha Diaries 飲茶後記: 15/22-01-11 (Maggies x 2)

The Yumcha Diaries 飲茶後記: 15/22-01-11 (Maggie's x 2)

15-01-11, Long Time No See, Grandma Maggie!
After the Tannoy Kingdom Royal, we were delighted that we were able to squeeze in a short visit to limage on short notice (thanks!), to both listen to his system and catch a last glimpse of his wonderful house before he moves. I had also not heard his 27D preamp. Equipment used:

Analogue: Technics SP10-(forgot what arm)-Ortofon A-90
Phonostage: EAR 834
Digital: Ensemble Dichrono combo (last generation)
Preamp: Gnostic Technology 27D
Amp: Conrad Johnson Premiere 1
Loudspeakers: Magnepan 3.5

limage's setup is probably one of the most visited in HK, and for good reason. For decades, he has stuck to the Maggie's and the CJ and was consistent in obtaining good sound from them. limage takes pride in the imaging ability of his system, hence his moniker. The Maggie's are placed REALLY up front, almost near-field, resulting in a deep and wide sound-stage, and vivid though upfront sound. Not all, including myself, are convinced that the soundstage represents the absolute truth in its rendition of the live event. I'd think not; nothing less than a horn can do that. As a matter of fact, with these so-called true-ribbons, perhaps due to the disparate speed of the treble and bass, or perhaps due to multi-miking, sometimes the image shifts in size and presentation a little too noticeably for comfort. And the large image of near-field does not suit everyone.

I have visited limage many times, and overall the sound is consistent. However, there are noticeable differences between visits that are attributable to gear changes perhaps. This time, despite the system's considerable virtues, something nagged at me as I found both improvements and disappointments. For the former, I think it could go louder than before. Compared to the last incarnation (Pass Lab preamp and Kiseki cartridge) it was smoother, but rhythm and pace was not quite as good as before. For my own taste, I think I actually prefer the time just before limage changed to the Pass Lab preamp, when he was still using the ARC SP-11 preamp (still Kiseki too). I would venture the combination of an analytical preamp and a neutral cartridge on a direct-drive steered things a little too far towards the literal for my taste, ymmv. While Britten's masterpiece Variations on a Theme by Frank Bridge (Argo/ASMF/Marriner) was delivered energetically, limage's 首本名戯 Lehar's Merry Widow lacked just a little sense of the dance, which had manifested itself more dramatically before in largely the same system and which should be pervasive throughout.

It is only with true friends that I write so candidly. Despite the unfortunate events in the past used by dubious characters to advance themselves or to purge opponents (I despise that), limage and I have remained friends. It takes a straight shooter to appreciate another. Have you noticed that HK websites are either loaded with vitriol/arguments or obsequious (肉麻) tributes? It would be hard to decide which is the lesser evil. In my mind, limage is much taller (figuratively) than some of the virtual company he keeps and does not need either.

Maggies Now and Altec Then

22-01-11, A Run for the Money?
On this day we were happy to see a large turnout, greeting some old friends and meeting up with some new friends, particularly two from R33's 書房讚嘆區 . What a delight!

Serendipity! Our friend ivanto popped in to yumcha and we eagerly hurried to his den afterward. It's been more than a year since last visit, and the system has changed completely (for the last visit, click here). We were amply rewarded. System:

Analogue 1: Kenwood direct-drive/Dynavector
Analogue 2: Chinese TT with 12" carbon graphite tonearm/VdH Frog
Preamp: Canary monoblock preamps
Amps: Bruce Moore 4x 6550 monoblocks
Loudspeakers: Magnepan 3.6R

We were captivated, even soothed, by the musical sound emanating from the 3.6's. In this very large room, I'd reckon the ~100 wpc amps were sweating a bit, but overall I'd say whatever bass deficiency mattered little. As there were several turntables on hand, several of us asked to play the same recording on different TT's, and sat in different seats for assessment, and this fact alone attests to the likability of the system. Would you ask to play the same recording again if the sound is grating? Personally I'd guess the preamp, Canary, belongs to the camp of objective performers; despite that, the system worked well enough.

Comparison of the 2 turntables was fascinating. The Kenwood was less resolving but richer and more forgiving. The Chinese newbie was more incisive and rhythmic, though I think the suck-out in the midrange was due to the VdH cartridge. Have you heard a VdH cartridge that you really like? I have not.

Overall, quite a few of us enjoyed this pair of Maggie's as much, or perhaps more than, limage's. Now, let's move on to jules' 3.6...

Talk Vinyl: Air Tight PC-1, Ortofon MC-5000 (and MC3000MkII)

Talk Vinyl: Air Tight PC-1, Ortofon MC-5000 (and MC3000MkII)

HiFi Letter from NYC 2010 (9): Magnepan 1.7 ReduxClearaudio Concept Part IV

Right before I left NYC, I invited newly acquainted AL, a vinyl expert, to listen to my new cartridges (he had expressed interest in the Ortofon MC-5000). He brought a friend and my friends Mark and princetonsound also came. I barely had time to set up 2 systems for them to listen to.

Air Tight PC-1
I first heard the Air Tight PC-1 at ML's place several months ago (report here). I liked it but did not scrutinize it too much as we focused on comparing the Continuum and Clearaudio flagships.

Fortuitously in NYC I acquired a used, but low-hours, sample (not Supreme). I swapped out the Koetsu Black (mentioned previously here) on my Linn LP12 and the sound was instantly captivating through my reference balanced system, similar to that reported before :

Analogue Source: Linn LP12 Lingo/Ittok/PC-1
Phonoamp: BAT P5
Preamp: BAT VK3i (reviewed here)
Amp: Audio Research VT130
Speakers: Magnepan MG1.7
Cables: Fully balanced Gotham GAC-3

The PC-1 has a healthy output of 0.6 mV and did not cause the Phonoamp undue distress. Its internal impedance is 2.5 ohm and I loaded it at 30 ohms on the P5.

It excels in mid-range presence, and with its well-controlled yet full midbass yields a very live and direct sound not unlike horns, or a little reminiscent of Decca cartridge if you will (funny that JV in his TAS review compared it to a Decca). Its bass control is obviously superior to the sometimes rowdy Koetsu Black (the LP12/Ittok may be to blame too), but the treble and high-midrange is a little more clinical than the Koetsu. All in all, all my friends, including Princetonsound and AL, were impressed.

Just a brief word on the Maggies. They sound better in my new room, like all other speakers. Bass is more robust and the top smoother. I am pleased.

Ortofon MC-5000 (and MC-3000MkII)
This time I brought both the Clearaudio Concept TT and Ortofon MC-5000 to NYC. The MC-5000, like the similar MC-3000 MkII, has a ceramic body, uses the replicant stylus (same as in the previous Ortofon statement product, MC Winfield, as well as the current A-90!), an has a very low output of barely over 0.1 mV, mandating the use of step-up transformers. Installation on the Verify arm proved a breeze, and I was immediately rewarded by the sound through the more casual setup:

Source: Clearaudio Concept/Verify arm
Step-up transformers: WE 285L and Langevin 402B (into AN silver cable)
Phonoamp: Linn Kairn (using tape out and Gotham GAC-4 cable)
Preamp: Langevin 102 preamp (vintage cable)
Amp: McIntosh 2200 (Acrotec cables)
Speakers: Magnepan 1.7
As I'd expect the sound was wonderfully detailed, dynamic, and with very wide bandwidth. No frequency called attention to itself. I had actually worried whether the 5000 would be a good match with the crisp sounding Concept. There was no trouble whatsoever. In this different system it did not quite project like the PC-1 did, but in terms of neutrality it was well nigh perfect. By neutrality, please do not think of the clinical kind. Percussion were reproduced with all their sheen, not tinged with whiteness as in lesser analogues (not to mention digitals).

I am also very pleased by the Concept, particularly the arm, which seems to work well with everything, and I still have room to spare in the counterweight for a somewhat heavier cartridge (these now are around 10 gm).
America, in music
Mr AL evidently liked the reproduction of one of his favorite LPs, Varese's Amerique (Vanguard). My copy was an early one, not a re-issue. If you don't have it, I'd urge you to get it for the strangely beautiful music that still sounds modern after all these years.

Words about the 5000 must have spread fast! Despite my protest, my copy was snatched up by AL's buddy, guru TM who merits a separate report all by himself.

A brief note before I stop: In HK previously I had installed the "legendary" MC-3000 MkII on the same TT and if my memory is correct, the 3000 is a little smoother and richer, particularly shining on massed strings. Both are cut from the same beautiful cloth and would be great buys. There are out there a lot more users of the cheaper 3000, and very little info on the later 5000. I hope my little bit helps. You'd be sure to hear more of these beauties in the articles to come.
Addendum on PC-1: reviews by Ken Kessler; TAS