(Tube) phono stage with multiple equalization curves

[groovemaster]

A night at birdland Vol.2

The original Recording is from 1954. If you play back with the RIAA curve you surely will get a treble loss. Many Jazz collectors have the same problem with their Blue Notes from 1948 - 1955.

 

[analogsense]

OK, but what does it tell me?

Which EQ curve is the right one? Columbia, Decca? How do record collectors deal with this who want to hear their Blue Notes authentically?

 

[UEM]

Finding the "right" curve is in my opinion a matter of taste - or trial & error; but for the more common brands / records they may be well documented.

I tried to sketch some curves - here my graphical attempts
(some are "best-guesses" from other graphs, hence NOT very exact)

Interesting to note: RIAA is sometimes not such a bad compromise...


Regards

Urs

 

[groovemaster]

Finding the "right" curve is in my opinion a matter of taste - or trial & error; but for the more common brands / records they may be well documented.

Regards
Urs

That is exactly my experience.

First I start with the RIAA equalisation and then choose the right EQ curve by ear. This gives the best results in total, taking into account the most important 4 points.

1- The recording. 2- The sound characteristics of your system. 3-The room characteristic/reflections. 4- Personal taste.

With which phono stage do you listen to your mono records?

Here you can see in the PDF a list of all 20 international mono equalisations for vinyl with curve name and the corresponding frequencies - bass boost- / - roll off-.

groovemaster

 

[groovemaster]

A member of our Analog Spirit, AS community, sent me his latest Upgrade of his Mono Set up. Garrard 301 (grease beraring) with Ortofon tonearm and a Mono SPU.

His latest achievement is the AS Monophonic with infinitely variable equalisation of the various international mono labels. It is always a pleasure to see how harmoniously the AS Monophonic from Audiospecials Germany integrates into the company of legendary brands such as Mark Levinson and others.

groovemaster

 

[Birdwatcher]

….As does a small Italian brand …

Maybe you refer to Faber‘s Power. A fantastic company with very nice peoples, I have met them on a Hifi show.
The phono stage is solid state, no remote control.

Other nice gear for true mono playback is the Swedish Sentec EQ 10, or later EQ 11 phono stage. With tubes, no remote.

Another fantastic gear is the German Gruensch MCS+ phono stage.

(i know, the thread is old, but mono never dies…)

Urs, have you already find a solution?

 

[UEM]

Birdwatcher,
Yes - see my thread no 53.

It's an AMR PH77, which fullfils all (OK: Most !!) of my wishes.
I'm operating the PH77 as an MM Stage only, as I also use an excellent AirTight ATH-2A SUT, with by-pass and two ratios, 2 ohm and 40 ohm : 2 ohm (29 dB, 1:30 ) for my SPU, and the KOETSU , and 40 ohm (23dB, 1:14) for my EMT Shellac cartridges.

From the 23 EQ-curves I'm using over 99 % RIAA (!!) for Stereo, sometimes also for OLD Stereo there are Columbia & Decca + CCIR56.
Selection is highly empirical: I use what I think sounds best.

For Microgroove MONO likewise - there are even more curves to choose from...

Regards
Urs

 

[Birdwatcher]

Congratulations for the nice AMR, that I always looked at….

Just one suggestion: try for nearly all stereo German pressed LPs till to the 90ies Teldec curve and reversed phase. Just as first step….