Audiophiles, get in here!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mike Rotch
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And like that we have a dual 24v/1.2A power supply powering both Graham Slee devices with near ripple free linear power.

To buy the 24v / 200mA single linear power supply from GS it’s £180 plus delivery. I’d need two of them.

This was £113.47 inc shipping (Air) from China and based on a Swiss power supply design. That’s covering two supplies. Also being 1.2A and the load of both devices only calls for 0.4A it should run pretty cool too.

Add the audiophile power cable from Amazon at £50.

£380ish for the GS

VS

£163.47

It’s a no brainer.

….

So the big question l, how does it sound?

Outstanding, and so much more micro dynamics.

Top End / High Frequencies: these are so much smoother, seemingly pulling more of the finer details out. Like digital but with the unmistakable organic of vinyl. There is just much more but creamy too.

A bit like when your eyes have adjusted to dirt lenses in glasses and then you give them a good clean.

Midrange: ooff, this is where it really shines, it’s more cohesive and again brings more detail out. Helping tie the higher and lower frequencies together but also give more breathing room for music too.

Bottom End / lower frequencies: It has tightened everything up, less bloated and flabby deep down. This tightening has had a slight negative in that it a slight richness has gone and replaced by a more cold and calculated bass response. This could be just how my brain and ear interpret better timing though.

Now for the hours of burn in to allow the electronics to settle in. Remember I’ve changed quite a lot over the last few weeks with regards to new cables and the power supply. I still have the new fuse to arrive too. The noise floor has gone down a little too but I’m close to some very noisy electronics so without a dedicated and less EMI / RFI ridddled set up there are only so many things I can do at the moment.

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A few more bits for the analogue system.

The stylus is getting long in the tooth (hours of abuse by my dads friend, my dad and now myself)

However a lot of the cartridges these days like lower capacitance than my system is.

I’m sitting around 340pF and a lot of cartridges like around 100pF to 200pF. So my higher than ideal system causes a peak in upper midrange frequencies and a sharp rolloff in the very up frequencies leaving quite a harsh and sibilant listen.

My Ortofon VMS30 MKII has a load of 400pF so plays nice with my set up, but as I say is a little warn and I think at some point had a slight knock to the cantilever so sits ever so slightly askew.

So I’ve picked up two new stylus, both aftermarket as Ortofon no longer make them (70s Catridge). They both come from Tonar in Japan, one is a Shibata diamond and the other is spherical but mono!

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I also picked up a new Spincare cleaning kit. Not fussed for the spray stuff. Mainly wanted the brush etc.

A small spirit level (don’t know where my other has got to) and VTA/Azimuth guide too.

From EBay I also picked up an original Technics Overhang tool. I will eventually print off a protractor that’s for the 1210, but from all the people I’ve spoken with who own 1210s and use them for audiophile listening and not DJ use say the overhang guide does a really sweet job of getting the alignment spot on.

So even more to play with.
 
I like that you’ve nerded out. Been there. But, sigh. It really is audiophoolarie. Blind test if if you really want. I’ve done it with a group. No one knows. What is applicable is how a slight change in tonal balance from the headphone or speaker (and the room) plays a part, but those wires don’t. Power supplies filter and smooth it, good. Always start with good power. The cable doesn’t matter. Remember there’s thousands of **** wire before your outlet. The components don’t matter. As long as they do their part. Your ears are not able to detect it. Your brain makes up things.
 
coryclifford
I like that you’ve nerded out. Been there. But, sigh. It really is audiophoolarie. Blind test if if you really want. I’ve done it with a group. No one knows. What is applicable is how a slight change in tonal balance from the headphone or speaker (and the room) plays a part, but those wires don’t. Power supplies filter and smooth it, good. Always start with good power. The cable doesn’t matter. Remember there’s thousands of **** wire before your outlet. The components don’t matter. As long as they do their part. Your ears are not able to detect it. Your brain makes up things.
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I’m a headphone only system now so the only cables in play are the RCA from tonearm (hardwired on a SL1210) to Phonostage and then the Chord C-Line 0.5m RCA from the phonostage to switch box and then Switch box to Headphone Amp which is another 0.5m RCA C-Line.

As for the power, while yes there are run after run off junk with all sorts of interference and noise, attempting to clean that up before it hits the components is a tricky thing to do.

I agree there are lots of snake oil out there and I was actually skeptical about the new low ripple power supply it made quite a difference, so much so, I was shocked.

That also came off the back of going back and fourth between the two Wallwart supplies and then back again. I really couldn’t say if the power cable made any difference as I didn’t have any others to test and I don’t suspect it will, but as it’s shielded compared to others at least it’s possible it will limit the amount of pickup.

My testsing of the power supply was using side C from the Jean Micheal Jarre - Oxygen 40th Anniversay Box Set as its from a Digital source, really well pressed and super clean and new devoid of years of grime.

The sound unmistakably opened up and midrange frequencies and microdynamics improved a lot.

I also pulled my original Rush pressings…

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And the also exhibited lovely fine detail (Geddys voice and guitars in particular).

The aim of this new rig building is

  • keep it all on a limited budget.
  • source as much from UK manufacturers and EU with some stuff from Japan.
  • keep it simple and component limited.

I was surprised at the PSU from China. In fact Gabster tested it too.



I agree it’s a rabbit hole with HiFi, my dad and his friend used to call it “HiFi Hell” or “Hardwear Hell” :lol:
 
So I’ve been fixated on getting the record playback sorted (still some tweaks and it’s good to go) I’ve neglected the CD part (streaming is as simple as using my iPad and portable DAC which sounds pretty good).

So to rectify the CD part I’ve pulled my old Denon DM30 from storage. It’s now plugged in from line out 1 and into the switch box which in turn is wired to the Novo Headphone Amp.

Boy does it sound fantastic. Very rich and warm but has sparkle when needed. For an all-in-one system back new it was built like a tank and has the old Denon/Marantz sound signature.

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So as some may recall I picked up an Audiophile 13A fuse.

I’ve had the fuse in the main power cable now for about a 4/5 days.

Has this made any change to sound?

For me I’d say it hasn’t really, it may have opened up the soundstage a little more, but I can’t say with 100% what I’m hearing isn’t just confirmation bias.

As it hasn’t made any negative impact on the sound the fuse can stay.

Would I recommend a fuse to anyone? Nope, can’t say a recommendation is on the cards. I’d say if you want to buy one then by all means and I’d be interested in what your thoughts are.

I’d personally file this one tweak as not worth it, especially considering some companies charge from £50 to £4500!!

I spent £16 so maybe the one I picked up is just rubbish. But I’m not willing to part with anymore.

I mean just look at that insanity.

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New stylus arrived. A replacement for the VMS30. This is Shibata diamond so should give more detail and wider soundstage.

Fitted, a full new alignment, VTF and Azimuth adjustment too.

Currently running 1.25g of VTF recommended by Tonar who make the stylus.

Now to run it in and get that suspension flexed.
 

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