Equipment Recommendations - The Home For New System and Upgrade Advice

Angsty said:
But, all is not peaches and cream yet. The “vintage” Bryston has a maddening hum when not playing. I don’t hear it when playing, but I know it’s there. It’s not a deal breaker because the unit was noted for its quietude when reviewed as new, so I just may have some aging components that need a refresh. The Sutherland, on the other hand, has zero hum and minimal noise at max volume.

Anyone have a good US East Coast repair shop to recommend? I have a good guy in CA, but he’s backed up right now and shipping costs to and from CA cost almost as much as the repair itself. Bryston repair has been shutdown due to COVID and is just reopening, so they also have a massive backlog.
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Unsure if this comment is relevant as I just got home from drinking good wine with great friends but here goes. Some here may remember that I recently sold a pair of Sutherland Duos to a fellow N&Ger replacIng them with the Aesthetix Rhea Signature. The Duos made me smile every, and I mean every, time I listened to them leaving me satisfied with the musical experience they gave. In the audiophile pursuit of mo’ betta and wishing to dive back into the golden glow of tubes the Rhea has left me, at times, wondering if my pursuit was misguided. Like you, I am hearing more info now but is it over complicating the big picture? Sometimes simpler is better but how do we know that until we’ve pushed a step too far? No, I wouldn’t backtrack now but if I’d known then what I know now… My take is that Sutherland gear is really top notch for those looking to be content and not needing to achieve “greatness”. Aesthetix is really great stuff too and I’m happy. 🤷
 
OMC said:
Unsure if this comment is relevant as I just got home from drinking good wine with great friends but here goes. Some here may remember that I recently sold a pair of Sutherland Duos to a fellow N&Ger replacIng them with the Aesthetix Rhea Signature. The Duos made me smile every, and I mean every, time I listened to them leaving me satisfied with the musical experience they gave. In the audiophile pursuit of mo’ betta and wishing to dive back into the golden glow of tubes the Rhea has left me, at times, wondering if my pursuit was misguided. Like you, I am hearing more info now but is it over complicating the big picture? Sometimes simpler is better but how do we know that until we’ve pushed a step too far? No, I wouldn’t backtrack now but if I’d known then what I know now… My take is that Sutherland gear is really top notch for those looking to be content and not needing to achieve “greatness”. Aesthetix is really great stuff too and I’m happy. 🤷
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I think about this a lot when I get upgrade-itis. I get the impression that sometimes things are TOO revealing. With how hit or miss vinyl pressings plants have been lately with QC, I don't really want a system that picks up every flaw of every pressing.

I'm really happy with my current main setup. I think the last two things I eventually want to get are a new DAC for my main setup (and move the Singxer DAC to my office) and explore different cartridge options for the Ultradeck once my MasterTracker runs out of juice. That's all the tinkering left to do.....for now!
 
MikeH said:
I think about this a lot when I get upgrade-itis. I get the impression that sometimes things are TOO revealing. With how hit or miss vinyl pressings plants have been lately with QC, I don't really want a system that picks up every flaw of every pressing.

I'm really happy with my current main setup. I think the last two things I eventually want to get are a new DAC for my main setup (and move the Singxer DAC to my office) and explore different cartridge options for the Ultradeck once my MasterTracker runs out of juice. That's all the tinkering left to do.....for now!
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I’m finding cartridges to be a whole lot of fun. The last few I’ve listening have all been really good but different flavours for sure. This Hana SL is especially good but I’d be in interested to see how the higher priced Grado Timbre line up against it. I’d like a tube phono stage too! Long term there will be a new table but that’s definitely a fair distance off, we’re talking 6 or 7 years at least if my current one keeps chugging away.
 
Joe Mac said:
I’m finding cartridges to be a whole lot of fun. The last few I’ve listening have all been really good but different flavours for sure. This Hana SL is especially good but I’d be in interested to see how the higher priced Grado Timbre line up against it. I’d like a tube phono stage too! Long term there will be a new table but that’s definitely a fair distance off, we’re talking 6 or 7 years at least if my current one keeps chugging away.
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Hana was next on my list of carts to try and unless something else great comes along, it'll be the likely next cart for me!
 
MikeH said:
Hana was next on my list of carts to try and unless something else great comes along, it'll be the likely next cart for me!
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The Grado Opus3 was awesome, loved everything about it. The Hana SL is just better again at everything. I’m absolutely loving it right now. It is double the price though! A fairer fight will be seeing how the Sonata3 stacks up, that’s going to be my next move!
 
Joe Mac said:
...we’re talking 6 or 7 years at least if my current one keeps chugging away.
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yeah-right-gif-15.gif
 
Joe Mac said:
It was a gift. And despite its modest status around these parts I considered it to be a big gift. It’s a huge part of why I’ve dropped upgrades on it and it’s spent 9 years in a system that’s evolved around and ahead of it. Take of that what you will but I was being deadly serious.
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Just a joke based on everything I've said about the equipment in my sound system over the last couple of decades. No offense intended, Joe.
 
budley007 said:
Just a joke based on everything I've said about the equipment in my sound system over the last couple of decades. No offense intended, Joe.
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No offence taken, it’s the default with how nuts we are but yeah, table is staying for the foreseeable.
 
OMC said:
Unsure if this comment is relevant as I just got home from drinking good wine with great friends but here goes. Some here may remember that I recently sold a pair of Sutherland Duos to a fellow N&Ger replacIng them with the Aesthetix Rhea Signature. The Duos made me smile every, and I mean every, time I listened to them leaving me satisfied with the musical experience they gave. In the audiophile pursuit of mo’ betta and wishing to dive back into the golden glow of tubes the Rhea has left me, at times, wondering if my pursuit was misguided. Like you, I am hearing more info now but is it over complicating the big picture? Sometimes simpler is better but how do we know that until we’ve pushed a step too far? No, I wouldn’t backtrack now but if I’d known then what I know now… My take is that Sutherland gear is really top notch for those looking to be content and not needing to achieve “greatness”. Aesthetix is really great stuff too and I’m happy. 🤷
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I think the only phonos I'd sell the Bryston BP-1.5 for are Sutherlands: either the Duo or the Little Loco MkII. I love the sound and aesthetics of my Insight; I find the build quality to be superior to that of the Bryston. The Duo is truly an "A game" phono (looking like an Insight x2), and the Little Loco is a game-changing phono, but not as versatile as the Duo. Frankly, I'd never would have considered changing from the Insight if it were not for a bargain on the Bryston, my prior affinity for Bryston gear AND the ability to listen to them head to head. The Bryston is just sharper on the transients and details than the Insight, which I'm sure is true of the other Sutherlands as well.

But, we'll see how much of a bargain it is once I get the repair estimate! :LOL:
 
Angsty said:
I think the only phonos I'd sell the Bryston BP-1.5 for are Sutherlands: either the Duo or the Little Loco MkII. I love the sound and aesthetics of my Insight; I find the build quality to be superior to that of the Bryston. The Duo is truly an "A game" phono (looking like an Insight x2), and the Little Loco is a game-changing phono, but not as versatile as the Duo. Frankly, I'd never would have considered changing from the Insight if it were not for a bargain on the Bryston, my prior affinity for Bryston gear AND the ability to listen to them head to head. The Bryston is just sharper on the transients and details than the Insight, which I'm sure is true of the other Sutherlands as well.

But, we'll see how much of a bargain it is once I get the repair estimate! :LOL:
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You could also send it back to Bryston. No duty if the documents are marked “electronics for repair.”
 
HiFi Guy said:
You could also send it back to Bryston. No duty if the documents are marked “electronics for repair.”
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Thanks for that tip! The problem with Bryston now is that they have been closed due to COVID for a while and have a huge backlog. They are asking that customers not send in electronics for repair until they get caught up. Not sure when that will be since they have not been answering phone calls or emails! I found out about the backlog on Audiocircle. Also having supply chain issues sourcing parts for manufacture and repair.
 
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Angsty said:
Thanks for that tip! The problem with Bryston now is that they have been closed due to COVID for a while and have a huge backlog. They are asking that customers not send in electronics for repair until they get caught up. Not sure when that will be since they have not been answering phone calls or emails! I found out about the backlog on Audiocircle. Also having supply chain issues sourcing parts for manufacturer and repair.
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Then I wholeheartedly recommend Music Technology. Those guys are good.
 
MikeH said:
I think about this a lot when I get upgrade-itis. I get the impression that sometimes things are TOO revealing. With how hit or miss vinyl pressings plants have been lately with QC, I don't really want a system that picks up every flaw of every pressing.

I'm really happy with my current main setup. I think the last two things I eventually want to get are a new DAC for my main setup (and move the Singxer DAC to my office) and explore different cartridge options for the Ultradeck once my MasterTracker runs out of juice. That's all the tinkering left to do.....for now!
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I think you just described the difference between a very hard core audiophile and a vinyl collector. I've met a few guys who have $10K vinyl chains (some are well above that) and they keep 100-200 records... some significantly less. They want perfect sound, and they hunt down only the best pressings. Pretty much only going with 1 step vinyl for new pressings. To me, that's just not as fun.
 
displayname said:
I think you just described the difference between a very hard core audiophile and a vinyl collector. I've met a few guys who have $10K vinyl chains (some are well above that) and they keep 100-200 records... some significantly less. They want perfect sound, and they hunt down only the best pressings. Pretty much only going with 1 step vinyl for new pressings. To me, that's just not as fun.
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I'm somewhere in the middle of this.
 
displayname said:
I generally am too. I love gear. I want more gear. I want crazy gear. But I also want Metallica records and mid-rate indi releases pressed at Universal sometimes. It’s a balance.
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Where I've started to try to cut back is anything that my streamer can match. If the digital sounds the same as the vinyl, then bye bye vinyl, I see no reason to own it. Generally this really only holds true with below average pressings and mid 90s digital stuff. I want the charm of vinyl but if it's not good enough to beat the stream then I'd rather take up the space with something that will.
I don't have the space for tonnes and tonnes of records so I really need to keep it to 650 and under, so I'm already at one in one out at this point.
 
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