New phonostage under $15K

Lagonda

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Feb 3, 2014
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Listening to Willie Nelson’s Teatro right now, a analog recording made in
Daniel Lanois studio in an old Movie Theater.
Emmylou Harris to the left, Willie to right, and the dynamics of a drummer
on each side. Truly a Theater in my listening room !
 

MylesBAstor

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
11,236
81
1,725
New York City
Only at Myles where just listening to it stand alone it was impossible to judge. I would like to compare with a couple if I could.

For the record. Both Nick’s phonostage and the system have undergone significant upgrades since Ked’s visit 3 or so years ago. PeterA heard the system last fall (?) in close to its current incarnation. (The only change since Peter visited--and a worthwhile improvement—was the addition of a newly designed PC umbilical between the Doshi’s phonostage/tapestage power supply and electronics. Well I guess if you don’t count the Ensemble Fuoco integrated amplifier in house for review.)

Nick updated in the intervening time all of the phonostage’s Clarity capacitors to Clarity Caps most recent top offering as well as the new PC umbilical cord.

Among the many other changes since Ked visited:

Magico S5 Mk.1 to S5 Mk. 2 speakers with SPod feet
cj ART To cj 40Th Anniversary ART300 monoblock amplifiers
cj GAT preamplifier Series 1 to Series 2 preamplifier
Doshi V3.0 phonostage to the current offering
VPI Classic direct drive to 3 arm capable VPI Vanquish direct-drive turntable
VPI 12-inch 3D arm to VPI Fat Boy 12-inch dual pivot tonearm, VPI 12-inch 3D Fat Boy gimballed and SAT LM-12 arm
In addition to the Lyra Atlas SL (that had under 10 hrs of playing when Ked came over) both the Fuuga and vdh Colibri Master Signature cartridges were added to the stable.
King-Cello tapestage to Doshi V3.0 tapestage
Technics 1500/Nortronics heads to Technics 1506/low inductance Flux Magnetic heads run balanced out to electronics and some other JRF mods to the tape path.

Suffice it to say the Doshi phonostage belongs on anyone’s list shopping for a reference phonostage (in fact Mikey gave it a nice review recently in Stereophile.)
 

Tango

VIP/Donor
Mar 12, 2017
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Bangkok
Only at Myles where just listening to it stand alone it was impossible to judge. I would like to compare with a couple if I could.
Comparing is ok. Buying..be careful Ked. You are in UK not in US. Doshi only has good support in US.

Kind regards,
Tang
 

abeidrov

VIP Donor
Dec 17, 2015
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Moscow
Guys, I am listening to Gryphon Legato Legacy now. The first impression (yesterday) was not a positive one. After unpacking the unit, I connected it to my Shunyata Triton using 2 HFC Ultimate power cords. The sound was very dry, vocal in particular was really unpleasant to listen to. The dealer, who was present, immediately said, that I should not use any power conditioners and/or fancy power cords. Of course, I did not believe him, but nevertheless tried what he suggested and connected the phono stage directly to the power outlets using stock computer power cables. I did not believe my ears: the music started to flow, and the edginess was almost gone. Go figure, this is the first time my Shunyata failed me.
Now I am using the entry level Gryphon power cords directly to the power outlets. The sound is very neutral and resolving, the micro dynamics are phenomenal, the bass is quite impressive, deep and the same time is very well defined. I think, it still sounds lean compared to Io, maybe it will get better in a couple of days.
I must mention the most annoying feature of the Gryphon phono: its Lemo connector. Apparently, it won't work with any tonearm cable, just a shielded one, which is not likely the case with my single run Kondo cable. So, if I choose this phono stage, most likely I will have to replace my tonearm cable.
 
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trueblue

Member
Jan 23, 2013
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Gryphon states that the Swiss Lemo connector was chosen to allow superior balanced operation, the XLR alternative, is crude in comparion
It would be a shame not using the Legato in balanced mode because a cartridge is born balanced, but you can make a conversion cable from a single ended phono cable to a Legato. It is described on Gryphons website. ´But, you owe it to your self to hear the unit truly balanced.
 

abeidrov

VIP Donor
Dec 17, 2015
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Moscow
I have it connected through RCA adapter with Gryphon RCA - Lemo cable. Unfortunately, there is a small hum issue, and I am afraid, it can't be helped, unless I completely rewire my tonearm for a proper balanced connection.
 

Vienna

VIP/Donor
I have it connected through RCA adapter with Gryphon RCA - Lemo cable. Unfortunately, there is a small hum issue, and I am afraid, it can't be helped, unless I completely rewire my tonearm for a proper balanced connection.
Hi abeidrov, on ordering my Legato Legacy, I had asked Gryphon to make for me the cable too (RCA to Lemo). The Legato is dead silent. Is your Legato powered from the same power supply with your preamp and power amp(s)?
 

Bruce B

WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
Apr 25, 2010
7,006
512
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Snohomish, WA
www.pugetsoundstudios.com
Only at Myles where just listening to it stand alone it was impossible to judge. I would like to compare with a couple if I could.

I have the Doshi phono pre as well and had a friend compare it to his Allnic and preferred the Doshi. Myles the same...

New Doshi 3.0 phono pre
 

KeithR

VIP/Donor
May 7, 2010
5,144
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Encino, CA
He is a distributor but his opinions have been very honest from what I understand, however I do not know what his style of listening is

Albert plays everything including a lot of non audiophile stuff. He’s a music first guy, certainly not genre based.
 

marty

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
3,025
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United States
I should try different loading and gain setting, but the Benz LP-S has never
sounded this good before.

Thank you sir ! I’m using the SME 3012R arm for the LP-S, very nuanced,

The LP-S is the Rodney Dangerfield of cartridges. I have a ZYX sitting on the shelf for almost a year but am reluctant to put it into the system for fear of losing what i have with the LP-S. Harry Weisfeld came by a few weeks ago and listened to the system and when I told him I was considering putting in the ZYX, he told me not to change a thing as the Goldmund Studio/ASR/LP-S phono rig is singing beautifully. The LP-S requires careful adjustment for VTA but when it's "on", it's so incredibly musical that its addictive and hard for me to consider anything else. Thus the ZYX Uni II is thus an expensive idle paper weight at the moment.
 
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abeidrov

VIP Donor
Dec 17, 2015
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Moscow
Hi abeidrov, on ordering my Legato Legacy, I had asked Gryphon to make for me the cable too (RCA to Lemo). The Legato is dead silent. Is your Legato powered from the same power supply with your preamp and power amp(s)?
It is connected to a separate power outlet, but on the same line as the rest of the system. 3 other phono stages, I tried before Legato, were dead silent. The guy who installed the phono stage said it's a common problem with Lemo connectors, if the tonarm cable is not shielded.
 

Vienna

VIP/Donor
It is connected to a separate power outlet, but on the same line as the rest of the system. 3 other phono stages, I tried before Legato, were dead silent. The guy who installed the phono stage said it's a common problem with Lemo connectors, if the tonarm cable is not shielded.
At my case the legato with the lemo cable made from Gryphon its dead silent. I have connected the tonearm grounding cable on the legato but all trhe system is connected on the same power outlet to avoid ground loops
 

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