DS Audio Grand Master + EMM Labs DS-EQ1

[gajgmusic]

Great review! Thanks for sharing. I wasn't sure that veering away from the Grand Master EQ/Phone Stage/PSU would yield greatness but now I'm going to check out the Meitner's which might give me the price wiggle room to upgrade to a Grand Master cartridge!

I know I'm becoming a broken record but have you played any mono records on the DS-3? I guess it won't be true mono as a true mono cartridge but I've been curious.

Glad it was helpful. I would definitely listen the EMM Labs - it is as good as I good hope for and would definitely save you a lot. If you have questions feel free to drop me a note.

I have listened to mono, but the downside is I don't run a mono setup normally. Honestly I have a few very good monos and they sound superb. The people who put out 'lost recordings' make a cogent argument (at least for a philistine like me) that its fine to listen to mono through stereo.

Best of luck with your choices

 

[Vinylshadow]

Glad it was helpful. I would definitely listen the EMM Labs - it is as good as I good hope for and would definitely save you a lot. If you have questions feel free to drop me a note.

I have listened to mono, but the downside is I don't run a mono setup normally. Honestly I have a few very good monos and they sound superb. The people who put out 'lost recordings' make a cogent argument (at least for a philistine like me) that its fine to listen to mono through stereo.

Best of luck with your choices

Thanks! I've been told by a DS dealer that even though the DS carts. are stereo, some of his clients said that their mono records never sounded better to them than with the optical cartridges. But I don't know if they were lathe cut mono or mono fold downs from stereo records.

From Ortofon's website "A stereo cartridge will be able to replay stereo and mono records, because mono is a special version of stereo where the right and left channels are identical. While a stereo cartridge can play mono records it can’t achieve the same signal precision between the two channels. A mono cartridge produces one signal that is directed to both channels in the system. A mono cartridge playing a mono record produces a more forceful and stable image with a fuller, more impactful sound."

Mono records sounds different and better with a true mono cartridge but you need a separate mono cart and phono stage. It would be cool if someone made a phono pre that could play mono.

I wonder if DS Audio has any plans to make a mono cartridge.

 

[TheAudioAssociation]

Thanks! I've been told by a DS dealer that even though the DS carts. are stereo, some of his clients said that their mono records never sounded better to them than with the optical cartridges. But I don't know if they were lathe cut mono or mono fold downs from stereo records.

From Ortofon's website "A stereo cartridge will be able to replay stereo and mono records, because mono is a special version of stereo where the right and left channels are identical. While a stereo cartridge can play mono records it can’t achieve the same signal precision between the two channels. A mono cartridge produces one signal that is directed to both channels in the system. A mono cartridge playing a mono record produces a more forceful and stable image with a fuller, more impactful sound."

Mono records sounds different and better with a true mono cartridge but you need a separate mono cart and phono stage. It would be cool if someone made a phono pre that could play mono.

I wonder if DS Audio has any plans to make a mono cartridge.

Mono albums sound spectacular on the DS Audio Master3 through the WestminsterLab Monologue phono stage with the optical card. Mono playback duties usually fall on the shoulders of our Miyajima Infinity mono cart but the DS brings a different presentation. Still big and bold but with the DS magic sprinkled in….

 

[Vinylshadow]

Mono albums sound spectacular on the DS Audio Master3 through the WestminsterLab Monologue phono stage with the optical card. Mono playback duties usually fall on the shoulders of our Miyajima Infinity mono cart but the DS brings a different presentation. Still big and bold but with the DS magic sprinkled in….

Very interesting!....So the mono records through the Master 3 still give a stereo presentation. Does the optical cartridge mitigate some/most of the noise from a mono record like a mono cart would?

The Westminster Lab Mono stage can play both mono MC and optical? That is great...Wonder if any other Equalizer has that ability....

Does the Westminster w/ optical card play the DS Audio cartridges equally sonically as the Meitner DS-EQ1?

Any word if DS Audio will ever make a mono cartridge?

Hope you don't mind the questions as I'm trying to put together an analog system from ground zero. Thanks!

 

[TheAudioAssociation]

Very interesting!....So the mono records through the Master 3 still give a stereo presentation. Does the optical cartridge mitigate some/most of the noise from a mono record like a mono cart would?

The Westminster Lab Mono stage can play both mono MC and optical? That is great...Wonder if any other Equalizer has that ability....

Does the Westminster w/ optical card play the DS Audio cartridges equally sonically as the Meitner DS-EQ1?

Any word if DS Audio will ever make a mono cartridge?

Hope you don't mind the questions as I'm trying to put together an analog system from ground zero. Thanks!

Great questions!

It doesn’t mitigate surface noise like a true mono cartridge. What it does do is give you that huge mono center image. The Miyajima and DS sound similar in that respect.

I can’t speak to how the Monologue compares to the Meitner unit. I have not heard the Meitner which I understand is a great performer.

Not sure about a DS mono cartridge. I will inquire and see.

Just an FYI… WestminsterLab offers the following cards for their Monologue and Quest preamplifier: MC/MM, Optical and Mono. The Quest has 2 expansion slots so you can mix and match as you wish. The Monologue accepts 1 card.

Hope this helps!

 

[Vinylshadow]

Great questions!

It doesn’t mitigate surface noise like a true mono cartridge. What it does do is give you that huge mono center image. The Miyajima and DS sound similar in that respect.

I can’t speak to how the Monologue compares to the Meitner unit. I have not heard the Meitner which I understand is a great performer.

Not sure about a DS mono cartridge. I will inquire and see.

Just an FYI… WestminsterLab offers the following cards for their Monologue and Quest preamplifier: MC/MM, Optical and Mono. The Quest has 2 expansion slots so you can mix and match as you wish. The Monologue accepts 1 card.

Hope this helps!

They sound similar even with mono lathe cut mono records? That would be something.

I do have 1 more question: I think the answer might be no but let me ask- Can I use the Westminster Monologue phono stage for a 2 tonearm set up? 1 true mono MC cart and 1 DS Audio optical stereo cart.? Or do I need 2 different phono stages.

A DS Audio true mono cartridge would be out of sight!

Thanks!

 

[TheAudioAssociation]

They sound similar even with mono lathe cut mono records? That would be something.

I do have 1 more question: I think the answer might be no but let me ask- Can I use the Westminster Monologue phono stage for a 2 tonearm set up? 1 true mono MC cart and 1 DS Audio optical stereo cart.? Or do I need 2 different phono stages.

A DS Audio true mono cartridge would be out of sight!

Thanks!

I’d say similar but different. The DS cartridges present the music so uniquely. The similarities are more about the center image presentation being similarly large and deep.

Can you use the Monologue on a 2 arm system? I’d say you should get each cartridge their own Monologue or get the Quest Preamp and load two phono cards of your choice.

 

[Vinylshadow]

I’d say similar but different. The DS cartridges present the music so uniquely. The similarities are more about the center image presentation being similarly large and deep.

Can you use the Monologue on a 2 arm system? I’d say you should get each cartridge their own Monologue or get the Quest Preamp and load two phono cards of your choice.

The Quest seems like the best and most convenient option for 2 arm mono/optical.

But for convenience, there usually is some sort of sacrifice. On the other hand, it's one less connection and less circuitry in the analog chain.

I currently have a pseudo balanced Townshend Allegri Passive preamp(which would not work with the true balanced Monologues) so I'd have to replace it with the Quest. Is the Quest true balanced like the Monologue?

Obviously 2 Monologues for separate optical and mono would have more power and sensitivity etc than a Quest with 2 cards, plus my "old" ears have lost some of its critical hearing I'm sure, but is there a noticeable difference in sonics from the Quest and Monologue's with those cards?

I know this is sacrilege but can 1 set of the inputs be set to pass through for a separate Home Theater systems AV processor?

I apologize if I'm hijacking this EMM thread! Perhaps this is best at a different DM/thread?

Thank you!

 

[TheAudioAssociation]

The Quest seems like the best and most convenient option for 2 arm mono/optical.

But for convenience, there usually is some sort of sacrifice. On the other hand, it's one less connection and less circuitry in the analog chain.

I currently have a pseudo balanced Townshend Allegri Passive preamp(which would not work with the true balanced Monologues) so I'd have to replace it with the Quest. Is the Quest true balanced like the Monologue?

Obviously 2 Monologues for separate optical and mono would have more power and sensitivity etc than a Quest with 2 cards, plus my "old" ears have lost some of its critical hearing I'm sure, but is there a noticeable difference in sonics from the Quest and Monologue's with those cards?

I know this is sacrilege but can 1 set of the inputs be set to pass through for a separate Home Theater systems AV processor?

I apologize if I'm hijacking this EMM thread! Perhaps this is best at a different DM/thread?

Thank you!

These are all great thoughts and I think we can take this to DM to let this thread go back on topic.

Thanks @Vinylshadow !

 

[dennis h]

These are all great thoughts and I think we can take this to DM to let this thread go back on topic.

Thanks @Vinylshadow !

thank you