MoFi UltraDeck / StudioDeck Owners and those interested

Beatlesblogger said:
I notice a few here have Sutherland phono stages. I’ve just noticed one for sale secondhand locally (Australia). What do you think of them (it’s a Sutherland Insight), and how much of a step up would it be from my MoFi StudioPhono?
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Now a days, for the most part, comparisons become like comparing a bowl of chocolate ice cream to a chocolate Sunday. Meaning, they both taste great on their own, but the Sunday just brings so much more to the palate. The underlying problem with that is it's still personal preference, some just don't like Sundays ;)

That said, the StudioPhono is a great sounding, well rounded phono stage. Outside of the sound quality it brings, it does have a couple of great features at it's price point that you don't normally find, a mono switch and MM/MC capabilities and load/gain controls. The Insight has, in my opinion, great tonality, a huge soundstage and is just a more "engulfed" sound. It also has 50db/55db gain settings which are lacking on the MoFi, I've always found that to be a weird gap on the MoFi going from 46db to 60db, the MoFi does extend further to 66db, but I'd be hard pressed to find an "every day" reason to go that high, conversely the 50/55db gain on the Insight is kind of a sweet spot with a lot of cartridges.

The Insight is a "better" phono stage, but again, what are your needs, preferences and budget? The drawback in the here and now is you can't just go hear something if you get the itch, but if you have the funds and especially if your getting a deal, I have no doubt you'd enjoy and not regret the step up to the Insight.

As a point of reference, I've had both and they were both running on an UltraDeck.
1702123267018.png

Oooof, that was a while ago ;)
 
AnthonyI said:
Now a days, for the most part, comparisons become like comparing a bowl of chocolate ice cream to a chocolate Sunday. Meaning, they both taste great on their own, but the Sunday just brings so much more to the palate. The underlying problem with that is it's still personal preference, some just don't like Sundays ;)

That said, the StudioPhono is a great sounding, well rounded phono stage. Outside of the sound quality it brings, it does have a couple of great features at it's price point that you don't normally find, a mono switch and MM/MC capabilities and load/gain controls. The Insight has, in my opinion, great tonality, a huge soundstage and is just a more "engulfed" sound. It also has 50db/55db gain settings which are lacking on the MoFi, I've always found that to be a weird gap on the MoFi going from 46db to 60db, the MoFi does extend further to 66db, but I'd be hard pressed to find an "every day" reason to go that high, conversely the 50/55db gain on the Insight is kind of a sweet spot with a lot of cartridges.

The Insight is a "better" phono stage, but again, what are your needs, preferences and budget? The drawback in the here and now is you can't just go hear something if you get the itch, but if you have the funds and especially if your getting a deal, I have no doubt you'd enjoy and not regret the step up to the Insight.

As a point of reference, I've had both and they were both running on an UltraDeck.
View attachment 190015

Oooof, that was a while ago ;)
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I did not realize that you were such a poet in addition to a purveyor of high demand used stereo equipment .
 
AnthonyI said:
I'm really going into this because I was given the opportunity and when those come along, especially with things like this, I do like taking advantage of them not only for myself, but everyone else around here.

IF, and I know that's a loaded IF, the table is all that and a bag of chips, it would still be hard for me to pull the trigger on it. Even with flipping my current table I'd be way short of the purchase price and at that point it becomes a "is is worth it?" conversation. And at the moment, I really have no complaints about what I'm running, at all.

That said, stranger things have happened, but I'm going into it as clear headed as possible, lol.
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Look forward to your impressions, especially with the ability to have it in the room with a G. Should be really fun for you!
 
AnthonyI said:
Now a days, for the most part, comparisons become like comparing a bowl of chocolate ice cream to a chocolate Sunday. Meaning, they both taste great on their own, but the Sunday just brings so much more to the palate. The underlying problem with that is it's still personal preference, some just don't like Sundays ;)

That said, the StudioPhono is a great sounding, well rounded phono stage. Outside of the sound quality it brings, it does have a couple of great features at it's price point that you don't normally find, a mono switch and MM/MC capabilities and load/gain controls. The Insight has, in my opinion, great tonality, a huge soundstage and is just a more "engulfed" sound. It also has 50db/55db gain settings which are lacking on the MoFi, I've always found that to be a weird gap on the MoFi going from 46db to 60db, the MoFi does extend further to 66db, but I'd be hard pressed to find an "every day" reason to go that high, conversely the 50/55db gain on the Insight is kind of a sweet spot with a lot of cartridges.

The Insight is a "better" phono stage, but again, what are your needs, preferences and budget? The drawback in the here and now is you can't just go hear something if you get the itch, but if you have the funds and especially if your getting a deal, I have no doubt you'd enjoy and not regret the step up to the Insight.

As a point of reference, I've had both and they were both running on an UltraDeck.
View attachment 190015

Oooof, that was a while ago ;)
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Thank you for that very considered response!

It would clearly be a leap of faith as it would be a purchase without the opportunity of audition. The Insight is advertised on an Australian hi fi site where folks sell used gear and the seller is in another state…..
It’s not as though I’m unhappy with the StudioPhono. It’s just that itch that there’s something more that could be extracted from the grooves with one more piece of equipment. I’m sure we’ve all been there!
 
Beatlesblogger said:
Thank you for that very considered response!

It would clearly be a leap of faith as it would be a purchase without the opportunity of audition. The Insight is advertised on an Australian hi fi site where folks sell used gear and the seller is in another state…..
It’s not as though I’m unhappy with the StudioPhono. It’s just that itch that there’s something more that could be extracted from the grooves with one more piece of equipment. I’m sure we’ve all been there!
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Now starts the slow climb out of the rabbit hole that we have all been down so many times . Belated welcome to the forum from a fellow commonwealth country on the far side of the world .
 
Hello all, I’m happy to have found this thread over the weekend. It’s been very informative, and I hope you’ll indulge some newbie questions.

On Saturday I picked up a used UltraDeck + UltraGold MC cartridge, less than a year old, fantastic condition, for $2,000 US. When the shop owner realized someone accidentally threw out the box and the accessories with it, he found a new MoFi stylus brush to give me, and to replace the missing box cables, he gave me a brand new pair of Analysis Plus Oval One interconnects. I treated myself to the MoFi Super HeavyWeight Record Weight as well.

I could not be happier with it all so far. It replaced a Technics SL-BD20D with stock cartridge, which I had been using for 30 years. It’s quite a jump in quality for me, and I am having so much fun revisiting favorite recordings.

Advice would be appreciated about the following:

Ground wire
For immediate setup, I cut a length of the most basic copper speaker wire from a spool, which is what’s on there now. On the digital side of things I heard improvement when I placed a lower level Wireworld cable between my Oppo 105 disc player and my Marantz PM-KI Ruby amplifier. I rarely see ground wires discussed alongside interconnects. For a ground, how important is it to upgrade, and should I bother? If it's suggested to do so, any recommendations?

Phono preamp
Right now the UltraDeck is connected via the AP Oval Ones to the onboard phono stage of the Ruby, which is powering a pair of Focal bookshelf speakers. I don’t have any experience with phono preamps as separates, because I’ve always owned an integrated with a phono stage.

Might a separate like the MoFi StudioPhono/UltraPhono be a noticeable upgrade over the Ruby’s phono stage? What would the primary advantages be? I admit I don’t entirely yet understand things like the load/gain controls, or whether I actually need that. I’m not likely to be changing cartridges soon. (If I go the separate route, it will have to wait, but I enjoy learning and researching in the meantime as I plan next steps for when my budget has reset.)

Thanks in advance.
 
ithinkitsdark said:
Hello all, I’m happy to have found this thread over the weekend. It’s been very informative, and I hope you’ll indulge some newbie questions.

On Saturday I picked up a used UltraDeck + UltraGold MC cartridge, less than a year old, fantastic condition, for $2,000 US. When the shop owner realized someone accidentally threw out the box and the accessories with it, he found a new MoFi stylus brush to give me, and to replace the missing box cables, he gave me a brand new pair of Analysis Plus Oval One interconnects. I treated myself to the MoFi Super HeavyWeight Record Weight as well.

I could not be happier with it all so far. It replaced a Technics SL-BD20D with stock cartridge, which I had been using for 30 years. It’s quite a jump in quality for me, and I am having so much fun revisiting favorite recordings.

Advice would be appreciated about the following:

Ground wire
For immediate setup, I cut a length of the most basic copper speaker wire from a spool, which is what’s on there now. On the digital side of things I heard improvement when I placed a lower level Wireworld cable between my Oppo 105 disc player and my Marantz PM-KI Ruby amplifier. I rarely see ground wires discussed alongside interconnects. For a ground, how important is it to upgrade, and should I bother? If it's suggested to do so, any recommendations?

Phono preamp
Right now the UltraDeck is connected via the AP Oval Ones to the onboard phono stage of the Ruby, which is powering a pair of Focal bookshelf speakers. I don’t have any experience with phono preamps as separates, because I’ve always owned an integrated with a phono stage.

Might a separate like the MoFi StudioPhono/UltraPhono be a noticeable upgrade over the Ruby’s phono stage? What would the primary advantages be? I admit I don’t entirely yet understand things like the load/gain controls, or whether I actually need that. I’m not likely to be changing cartridges soon. (If I go the separate route, it will have to wait, but I enjoy learning and researching in the meantime as I plan next steps for when my budget has reset.)

Thanks in advance.
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Welcome to the group and I am sure that someone will be able to answer your questions . Regarding the ground and to be clear you are talking about the ground to the TT. Over the years i have had ground wires which were integrated into the phono interconnects and also separate that I build using a wire like you did and I have not heard any difference .. My CJ preamp has an integrated phono stage so i cannot help you there .
 
Static Shock said:
Welcome to the group and I am sure that someone will be able to answer your questions . Regarding the ground and to be clear you are talking about the ground to the TT. Over the years i have had ground wires which were integrated into the phono interconnects and also separate that I build using a wire like you did and I have not heard any difference .. My CJ preamp has an integrated phono stage so i cannot help you there .
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Thanks, Static. Yes, you are correct, I am referring to the ground from the turntable to the amplifier, in this case. Appreciate your feedback regarding that.
 
ithinkitsdark said:
Hello all, I’m happy to have found this thread over the weekend. It’s been very informative, and I hope you’ll indulge some newbie questions.

On Saturday I picked up a used UltraDeck + UltraGold MC cartridge, less than a year old, fantastic condition, for $2,000 US. When the shop owner realized someone accidentally threw out the box and the accessories with it, he found a new MoFi stylus brush to give me, and to replace the missing box cables, he gave me a brand new pair of Analysis Plus Oval One interconnects. I treated myself to the MoFi Super HeavyWeight Record Weight as well.

I could not be happier with it all so far. It replaced a Technics SL-BD20D with stock cartridge, which I had been using for 30 years. It’s quite a jump in quality for me, and I am having so much fun revisiting favorite recordings.

Advice would be appreciated about the following:

Ground wire
For immediate setup, I cut a length of the most basic copper speaker wire from a spool, which is what’s on there now. On the digital side of things I heard improvement when I placed a lower level Wireworld cable between my Oppo 105 disc player and my Marantz PM-KI Ruby amplifier. I rarely see ground wires discussed alongside interconnects. For a ground, how important is it to upgrade, and should I bother? If it's suggested to do so, any recommendations?

Phono preamp
Right now the UltraDeck is connected via the AP Oval Ones to the onboard phono stage of the Ruby, which is powering a pair of Focal bookshelf speakers. I don’t have any experience with phono preamps as separates, because I’ve always owned an integrated with a phono stage.

Might a separate like the MoFi StudioPhono/UltraPhono be a noticeable upgrade over the Ruby’s phono stage? What would the primary advantages be? I admit I don’t entirely yet understand things like the load/gain controls, or whether I actually need that. I’m not likely to be changing cartridges soon. (If I go the separate route, it will have to wait, but I enjoy learning and researching in the meantime as I plan next steps for when my budget has reset.)

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
From what I have read about the Ruby, it is likely to have a superb phonostage. You’d do well to replace the cartridge before the phono.

Regarding ground wires, no upgrade will perform better. You might want to change for aesthetic reasons, but you won’t improve performance. Ground wires have a very simple function and do not carry musical information.
 
ithinkitsdark said:
UltraGold
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Angsty said:
From what I have read about the Ruby, it is likely to have a superb phonostage. You’d do well to replace the cartridge before the phono.

Regarding ground wires, no upgrade will perform better. You might want to change for aesthetic reasons, but you won’t improve performance. Ground wires have a very simple function and do not carry musical information.
Click to expand...
I'm with @Angsty on the phono stage, if for no other reason to get used to the sound you have at hand and feel it out for a bit. As for the cartridge, @Angsty, this is the new $1500 cart by MoFi ;)

I'd ride along with the cart as well for a while unless it completely doesn't work for you from a sound standpoint. Trust me, listen to what you have for a good bit before making any changes and then, make one change at a time..........rinse and repeat.

Welcome to the site :)
 
Angsty said:
From what I have read about the Ruby, it is likely to have a superb phonostage. You’d do well to replace the cartridge before the phono.

Regarding ground wires, no upgrade will perform better. You might want to change for aesthetic reasons, but you won’t improve performance. Ground wires have a very simple function and do not carry musical information.
Click to expand...

Yes, the Ruby phono stage is great to my ears, and I don't feel any need to change at the moment. I attribute it to extending the listenable life of that old Technics.

As for the ground, that is precisely what I thought to be true; thanks for the confirmation. With this new TT, I wanted to make sure I was treating it well enough.

AnthonyI said:
I'm with @Angsty on the phono stage, if for no other reason to get used to the sound you have at hand and feel it out for a bit. As for the cartridge, @Angsty, this is the new $1500 cart by MoFi ;)

I'd ride along with the cart as well for a while unless it completely doesn't work for you from a sound standpoint. Trust me, listen to what you have for a good bit before making any changes and then, make one change at a time..........rinse and repeat.

Welcome to the site :)
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Great advice, and thank you. Having never had a separate phono preamp, I wondered whether I was missing a key link in the chain, which could make a huge sonic difference. My wallet is grateful :)

Static Shock said:
Like Anthonyl and Angsty ( the double A team ) I would also suggest that you change one thing at a time . It will take time and a bit of tweeting to get use to the new equipment . At this point you will have a good reference point to judge against .
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Appreciate that, and it's exactly the route I plan to take. The current sound I get is the best I have personally ever heard – of course others have heard more/different/better – and I am elated. Sure, probably still honeymooning with it, but I see myself enjoying it for a long time, and look forward to it becoming my new familiar baseline. Once it does, I suppose my ears will tell me what, if anything, comes next.
 
ithinkitsdark said:
Yes, the Ruby phono stage is great to my ears, and I don't feel any need to change at the moment. I attribute it to extending the listenable life of that old Technics.

As for the ground, that is precisely what I thought to be true; thanks for the confirmation. With this new TT, I wanted to make sure I was treating it well enough.



Great advice, and thank you. Having never had a separate phono preamp, I wondered whether I was missing a key link in the chain, which could make a huge sonic difference. My wallet is grateful :)



Appreciate that, and it's exactly the route I plan to take. The current sound I get is the best I have personally ever heard – of course others have heard more/different/better – and I am elated. Sure, probably still honeymooning with it, but I see myself enjoying it for a long time, and look forward to it becoming my new familiar baseline. Once it does, I suppose my ears will tell me what, if anything, comes next.
Click to expand...
I went the route of upgrading my TT to the Ultradeck/mastertracker and then when I adjusted to the new sound started to work on tweaking the system with new interconnects, power cables and new isolation and found a major improvement in the overall sound . In the end did not feel it necessary to change may of the main components . I was very surprised at the improvements from the above tweaking .
 
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