Equipment Recommendations - The Home For New System and Upgrade Advice

[SnowmaNick]

This is the one I’ve been looking at the longest:
EAT E-Glo Petit

https://www.europeanaudioteam.com/en/eat-e-glo-petit-wp000097.html

Every time I think about tubes, I’m lead to believe these guys are the best in the business:
Primaluna EVO 100

Primaluna EVO 100 Tube Phonostage — PrimaLuna USA

www.primaluna-usa.com

This is the one I am really smitten with though:
Black Ice Fusion F159

Black Ice Fusion F159 Tube Phono Stage — BLACK ICE AUDIO

Reference Black Ice Fusion F159 Tube Phono Stage with cross talk reduction built in.

blackiceaudio.com

The E-GLO Petit is a nice phono. I looked at that myself.

I’m still on the list for my Decware, nowhere near the top. If you want an opinion in another yearish I’d be happy to oblige.

If I may suggest looking into some of Allnic’s Phonos, used, the H-1201 and H-1202 show up in the price range and are truly fantastic. The H-1201 I have is super solid and I much prefer it to my Sutherland 20/20, my old Rega Aria and against the E-GLO Petit I trialed from my dealer. Plus I bought it for under a grand.

 

[Kris]

Have you tried something like this ? Bunch the cords wrapped together and they can still look neat. If she wants them attached to the wall or the stand I’ve used a staple gun to secure a looped zip tie and fed the cables through that before as well.

Good idea! I do have them zip tied. I might have to buy a staple gun, fun!

 

[Nee Lewman]

PrimaLuna integrated and power amps are just fantastic. Mainly because they have adaptive autobias and dedicated fuse protection with the power tubes. Huge positive difference moving to their power amp from the quad. Out of balance tubes can’t blow the amp and even a very bad tube that does blow takes out a really easily changed fuse.

Their stuff is really well made and although this is their first foray into phono stages I’m sure it’s great. That adaptive autobias they’re famous for doesn’t really apply though. Plus really expensive!

That black ice with the azimuth fozzy meter thing has always intrigued me too, I’d love to hear a hands on experience of it.

The other two that interest me thst I think are worth your consideration are the Decware and the Manley @AnthonyI has. I’d love to hear both of them too.

If I were doing it today, which I'm not, I would do the Black Ice. I am absolutely intrigued with the azimuth correction. They have a 45 day return policy and are the one I cannot audition at this time. I've only seen one review, Steve Huff and I'm watching a bunch of his stuff to tell if I "trust" him.

I like the way it looks, it won't look bad with what I have and what I plan on having. And it speaks to the tinkerer in me.

The people who do have Black Ice stuff seem happy with it.

By the time I do it there may be seventeen others I am interested in, so we'll see.

Transport and Headphones next. I'm 100% sure if the Leak is still around when I am ready to pull the trigger, I will be getting it because of its footprint and aesthetic

Then I'll hit up the headphone thread although I'm kind of 75% sure I will just buy some grados because I love their carts so much.

 

[Nee Lewman]

Good idea! I do have them zip tied. I might have to buy a staple gun, fun!

I have various cords through the house installed in these channel things that you can paint, it just looks like weird trim in the middle of the wall but is better than cords. I also have this weird rack that I had to cut behind my console for the hifi stuff. I bought from ikea. You can wrap stuff in coils if you wanted and it is all hidden. I can get you pictures tonight after work.

 

[Kris]

I have various cords through the house installed in these channel things that you can paint, it just looks like weird trim in the middle of the wall but is better than cords. I also have this weird rack that I had to cut behind my console for the hifi stuff. I bought from ikea. You can wrap stuff in coils if you wanted and it is all hidden. I can get you pictures tonight after work.

Thanks. I thankfully don’t have to run anything along a wall. The plug is behind the console. I just need to get them off the ground. I think the staple gun will work. I’m going to buy a pneumatic staple gun tonight. I’ve always wanted one and I’m using the excuse that I can’t find the regular one in the garage.

 

[OMC]

I've gotta redo my cables some day soon

Be sure to clean the rca fittings while you’re in there. Caig sells a small kit that has all you need. I haven’t found anything that works better.

 

[Joe Mac]

If I were doing it today, which I'm not, I would do the Black Ice. I am absolutely intrigued with the azimuth correction. They have a 45 day return policy and are the one I cannot audition at this time. I've only seen one review, Steve Huff and I'm watching a bunch of his stuff to tell if I "trust" him.

I like the way it looks, it won't look bad with what I have and what I plan on having. And it speaks to the tinkerer in me.

The people who do have Black Ice stuff seem happy with it.

By the time I do it there may be seventeen others I am interested in, so we'll see.

Transport and Headphones next. I'm 100% sure if the Leak is still around when I am ready to pull the trigger, I will be getting it because of its footprint and aesthetic

Then I'll hit up the headphone thread although I'm kind of 75% sure I will just buy some grados because I love their carts so much.

I think you should chat with @hifiguy if he’s back around anytime soon. I’m pretty sure he has, or has recently used, a standalone fozzy thing that does the same job as what’s built into that phono stage.

 

[OMC]

Thanks. I thankfully don’t have to run anything along a wall. The plug is behind the console. I just need to get them off the ground. I think the staple gun will work. I’m going to buy a pneumatic staple gun tonight. I’ve always wanted one and I’m using the excuse that I can’t find the regular one in the garage.

Kris, if you’re talking about AC cords, you obviously don’t want them plugged into the wall when stapling. If you are talking coaxial cable, don’t let the staple deform them in any way. Deformation screws up the signal path creating audible distortions.

 

[TenderLovingKiller®]

I think you should chat with @hifiguy if he’s back around anytime soon. I’m pretty sure he has, or has recently used, a standalone fozzy thing that does the same job as what’s built into that phono stage.

You’re in pain so I will light the bat signal for ya.

@HiFi Guy

 

[AnthonyI]

I think you should chat with @hifiguy if he’s back around anytime soon. I’m pretty sure he has, or has recently used, a standalone fozzy thing that does the same job as what’s built into that phono stage.

I think he has the V1 of this one, pretty sure.

Fosgate - Fozgometer V2 Azimuth Range Meter

The world's largest online retailer of high-end audio, audiophile music, and accessories. We specialize in vinyl records and turntables.

www.musicdirect.com

 

[Joe Mac]

I think he has the V1 of this one, pretty sure.

Fosgate - Fozgometer V2 Azimuth Range Meter

The world's largest online retailer of high-end audio, audiophile music, and accessories. We specialize in vinyl records and turntables.

www.musicdirect.com

And I’m pretty sure Jim Fosgate worked with Black Ice to build a version of that into the phono Lee is on about.

 

[OMC]

I think he has the V1 of this one, pretty sure.

Fosgate - Fozgometer V2 Azimuth Range Meter

The world's largest online retailer of high-end audio, audiophile music, and accessories. We specialize in vinyl records and turntables.

www.musicdirect.com

Unless he sold it, he has the V1 I sold him.

 

[Kris]

Kris, if you’re talking about AC cords, you obviously don’t want them plugged into the wall when stapling. If you are talking coaxial cable, don’t let the staple deform them in any way. Deformation screws up the signal path creating audible distortions.

Yep! I know that, haha. I was going to staple the velcro ties to the console and then wrap the speaker wires in the Velcro. The ac ones go into the console and are hidden. The speaker wire are too heavy for the adhesive I’ve been using. I think staples and Velcro will do the trick.

 

[Nee Lewman]

And I’m pretty sure Jim Fosgate worked with Black Ice to build a version of that into the phono Lee is on about.

My understanding of the Black Ice is that you can effectively use it to do the same thing this does. You can also use it to correct the signal because of azimuth issues. It will change what goes to the amp based on a calibration record.

 

[Nee Lewman]

But also, yeah, same dude.

 

[Mather]

Okay guys I have a dumb MC cart loading question because it's all so confusing and I know nothing.

My stage, Parasound Halo JC3+, it appears to have locked gain settings for MM and MC. 48db and 64db. I think. And then for the ohms I'm looking at either 47k ohms locked or variable 50-500k. I think. So if if was to get a Soundsmith Zephyr MIMC Star ES I would simply set my variable ohm setting to about 100k or less and and away we go? (They seem to suggest above 47 but below 100 on the soundsmith website.

 

[Joe Mac]

Okay guys I have a dumb MC cart loading question because it's all so confusing and I know nothing.

My stage, Parasound Halo JC3+, it appears to have locked gain settings for MM and MC. 48db and 64db. I think. And then for the ohms I'm looking at either 47k ohms locked or variable 50-500k. I think. So if if was too get a Soundsmith Zephyr MIMC Star ES I would simply set my variable ohm setting to about 100k or less and and away we go? (They seem to suggest above 47 but below 100 on the soundsmith website

The MIMC page lists the impedance as 470 or greater so I’d probably be around 500ohm on your stage. I’ve had good results going higher with some carts so on another stage I might have experimented up to 1k. 64dB is towards the top end of gain for a .4mV cart but it’s also fine, just won’t need to crank the amp as much.

 

[kvetcha]

Okay guys I have a dumb MC cart loading question because it's all so confusing and I know nothing.

My stage, Parasound Halo JC3+, it appears to have locked gain settings for MM and MC. 48db and 64db. I think. And then for the ohms I'm looking at either 47k ohms locked or variable 50-500k. I think. So if if was to get a Soundsmith Zephyr MIMC Star ES I would simply set my variable ohm setting to about 100k or less and and away we go? (They seem to suggest above 47 but below 100 on the soundsmith website.

You want at least 470. I liked it better at 1000 on my setup.

 

[Mather]

The MIMC page lists the impedance as 470 or greater so I’d probably be around 500ohm on your stage. I’ve had good results going higher with some carts so on another stage I might have experimented up to 1k. 64dB is towards the top end of gain for a .4mV cart but it’s also fine, just won’t need to crank the amp as much.

Yeah I'm a little concerned about the lack of gain options when it comes to this cart. My AVR already has step down db limiters on the inputs due to it being real sensitive to being over driven (I really need to get a new amp) I'm worried that running it at 64 db may present the same problem (although I suppose I could just go to higher limiters).

 

[Joe Mac]

Yeah I'm a little concerned about the lack of gain options when it comes to this cart. My AVR already has step down db limiters on the inputs due to it being real sensitive to being over driven (I really need to get a new amp) I'm worried that running it at 64 db may present the same problem (although I suppose I could just go to higher limiters).

Honestly running that one at 64dB is likely to be way less problematic than running the 2M black, which is a higher mV MM than the norm, at 48bB is.