The Truth about Whats Best Forum

[Gregadd]

As someone use to say all you need is a Pioneer reciever and a well treated room....
The law of diminshing returns requires greater and greater attention to more and more minutia. That is assuming the emphasis is on better sound. That is a big assumption.
Our friend Alon Wolf declared. He is not a cabinet maker. Eye candy is not uncommon.

 

[tima]

Companies like Schitt and PS Audio have embraced the direct sales model with success, i am sure their product support surpasses that of Krell and Aesthetix !

So, have you had problems with support from Aesthetix or Krell?

 

[Lagonda]

So, have you had problems with support from Aesthetix or Krell?

Yes, Aesthetix have repair and upgrade return times of between 6 months and a year in Scandinavia , pre Covid Krell had problems supplying parts for repairing some of even relative new equipment, the main Scandinavian repair tech was a good friend of mine. I don't know if it has improved after new ownership, they used to not stock enough parts for future repair. I have personally moved on, my MBL gear does not run hot, and does not brake at all.
Krell would go down about once every couple of years.

 

[tima]

Yes, Aesthetix have repair and upgrade return times of between 6 months and a year in Scandinavia , pre Covid Krell had problems supplying parts for repairing some of even relative new equipment, the main Scandinavian repair tech was a good friend of mine. I don't know if it has improved after new ownership, they used to not stock enough parts for future repair. I have personally moved on, my MBL gear does not run hot, and does not brake at all.
Krell would go down about once every couple of years.

Not a good time for transoceanic service or even local service. The idea of the 'just-in-time' supply chain did not count on slow customs. I don't know if this is something with Scandinavia or if it is everywhere. It recently took two months for a record to arrive to me from Sweden. Despite that it looks like you did not choose Schiit or PS Audio.

 

[Lagonda]

Not a good time for transoceanic service or even local service. The idea of the 'just-in-time' supply chain did not count on slow customs. I don't know if this is something with Scandinavia or if it is everywhere. It recently took two months for a record to arrive to me from Sweden. Despite that it looks like you did not choose Schiit or PS Audio.

I actually bought a Yggdrasil for my brother and used it for about a month ! I also own 3 PS Audio regenerators. Don't use them these days. When i finally get around to buying a new DAC for myself it will probably be a Yggy, Great sound for little money. But my TT sounds so much better, it's not a priority.

 

[microstrip]

As someone use to say all you need is a Pioneer reciever and a well treated room....

Yes, sometimes I feel that some people in this forum do not realize that this an hobby, an hobby characterized by an extreme diversity and individualism.

 

[bonzo75]

Not a good time for transoceanic service or even local service. The idea of the 'just-in-time' supply chain did not count on slow customs. I don't know if this is something with Scandinavia or if it is everywhere. It recently took two months for a record to arrive to me from Sweden. Despite that it looks like you did not choose Schiit or PS Audio.

Mike mentioned aesthetix woes recently on the aesthetix thread

 

[tima]

Mike mentioned aesthetix woes recently on the aesthetix thread

There was a time I seriously looked at the Io and its various PS options. I'd need to buy a tube tester and even then possible issues with tube noise and tube expense. When it's right it is very nice. If someone wanted an all tube option today I'd suggest they look at the Atma-Sphere MP-1 - great sonics and super reliable.

 

[tima]

I actually bought a Yggdrasil for my brother and used it for about a month ! I also own 3 PS Audio regenerators. Don't use them these days. When i finally get around to buying a new DAC for myself it will probably be a Yggy, Great sound for little money. But my TT sounds so much better, it's not a priority.

No DACs or regenerators here. I rather do one media type as best I can - that's vinyl. I have beaucoup CDs and SACDs collecting dust. If someday off in the future my eyes go and I canna service my TT etc. I do have a final top-end oppo in a sealed box. Today the rule is no computers in the audio room.

 

[Lagonda]

There was a time I seriously looked at the Io and its various PS options. I'd need to buy a tube tester and even then possible issues with tube noise and tube expense. When it's right it is very nice. If someone wanted an all tube option today I'd suggest they look at the Atma-Sphere MP-1 - great sonics and super reliable.

It's not very nice, it is wonderful when things are right, especially dynamics are in a league of their own ! But between the potential noise, reliability issues, space required and excessive heat dissipation, i would probably have been happier with a EMT like Tang has, or a Lamm like yours in the long run !

 

[tima]

It's not very nice, it is wonderful when things are right, especially dynamics are in a league of their own ! But between the potential noise, reliability issues, space required and excessive heat dissipation, i would probably have been happier with a EMT like Tang has, or a Lamm like yours in the long run !

Ouch. Not to badmouth anyone but I was unaware of service/reliability issues. I asked for a review sample once to write about it, but that didn't happen. Iiwiys, I'd probably look at EMT simply because it is same continent, although I believe there is a Lamm dealer in Denmark.

Did you have the Primare amps at one time?

 

[bonzo75]

The Allnic is excellent. Can have some hun issues but service is very fast. Most reliably musical. Thomas Mayer is excellent and super reliable. Misho's 4k direct is great but hey, this is the placebo price thread

 

[Lagonda]

Ouch. Not to badmouth anyone but I was unaware of service/reliability issues. I asked for a review sample once to write about it, but that didn't happen. Iiwiys, I'd probably look at EMT simply because it is same continent, although I believe there is a Lamm dealer in Denmark.

Did you have the Primare amps at one time?

I still have a full set of the original Primare 928 pre/amps and pre/CD in the stainless 200 series. The 928 pre is very neutral with a very special large gold volume control made with matched resistor, that feels like the tumbler on a old fashion safe. It has a excellent, highly adjustable phono stage, i prefer it to running IO direct. It has beaten everything else i have had in my system when it comes to tone and transparency.

 

[morricab]

The Allnic is excellent. Can have some hun issues but service is very fast. Most reliably musical. Thomas Mayer is excellent and super reliable. Misho's 4k direct is great but hey, this is the placebo price thread

on this we agree... Also, the predecessor, Silvaweld, was excellent.

 

[bonzo75]

There are only 2 DHT phono that I know, the Allnic top model I have heard and like.The phasemation top model I haven't heard and is much cheaper than the Allnic, so it will be interesting to compare after swapping the stock valves. Mayer is iDHT but just like DHT

 

[morricab]

Y

No DACs or regenerators here. I rather do one media type as best I can - that's vinyl. I have beaucoup CDs and SACDs collecting dust. If someday off in the future my eyes go and I canna service my TT etc. I do have a final top-end oppo in a sealed box. Today the rule is no computers in the audio room.

You should try a regenerator on your phonostage...at least the one I have (Monarchy Audio...very affordable) works really well, super reliable (had it for more than 10years without issue) and improves the sonics significantly. The PS Audios I and my friends have tried had mixed results. The older ones didn't seem to help but the more recent ones really work and improve the sound.

 

[microstrip]

(...) and pre/CD in the stainless 200 series. (...)

Great equipment, at some time I owned the complete 200 series stack. Still own the 205 remote - fortunately RC-5 compatible and can be used with most Philips based CD players, the 200 series booklet designed by Bo Christensen and the service manuals. A few years ago I bought a faulty 204 CD player that could not be serviced just because I could not resist ...

 

[Lagonda]

Great equipment, at some time I owned the complete 200 series stack. Still own the 205 remote - fortunately RC-5 compatible and can be used with most Philips based CD players, the 200 series booklet designed by Bo Christensen and the service manuals. A few years ago I bought a faulty 204 CD player that could not be serviced just because I could not resist ...


View attachment 80544View attachment 80545

I bough my 204 CD player used directly from Bo Chrstensen, the matching preamp came from Jamaica ! Bo sold me my first high-end system when i was in my early twenties , Martin Logan CLS and a set of his own Primare 928 pre/amp mid 80's, i still own it all. He was the importer of ML at the time. It was definitely a blast from the past when i picked up the CD player at his house 35 years later ! I also purchased a Bow Technology CD player and integrated amp directly from him for my 80 year old mom, she always gets compliments from her friends about the sound and looks of this gear and the Sonus Faber speakers i paired it with. Bow was the company he started after Primare.

 

[tima]

I still have a full set of the original Primare 928 pre/amps and pre/CD in the stainless 200 series. The 928 pre is very neutral with a very special large gold volume control made with matched resistor, that feels like the tumbler on a old fashion safe. It has a excellent, highly adjustable phono stage, i prefer it to running IO direct. It has beaten everything else i have had in my system when it comes to tone and transparency.

Wow - they look so cool, I've only seen them in black where the gold volume control against the black is quite .elegant.

 

[tima]

Y

You should try a regenerator on your phonostage...at least the one I have (Monarchy Audio...very affordable) works really well, super reliable (had it for more than 10years without issue) and improves the sonics significantly. The PS Audios I and my friends have tried had mixed results. The older ones didn't seem to help but the more recent ones really work and improve the sound.

Thanks for the suggestion, Brad. For now I'm trying to simplify my system in the power/cords/cables department, hoping to hear the components I have rather than 'tuned' components or components with auxiliaries, even when such may bring sonic appeal. Not exactly back to nature but having a baseline before adding something else.