Show us your Phono Stages and Phono Cartridges

[metal beat]

Lyra Delos - one of those carts that is extremely neutral that will either sound wonderful in one's system or lean and bright depending on setup/tonearm/phono stage and taste.  The Delos luvs the Naim ARO tonearm.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 11, 2023 by metal beat

[RockRolley]

24 minutes ago, metal beat said:

Lyra Delos - one of those carts that is extremely neutral that will either sound wonderful in one's system or lean and bright depending on setup/tonearm/phone stage and taste.  The Delos luvs the Naim ARO tonearm.

 

 

 

 

 

Oooh. Nice. I've got an Aro waiting to be setup. I have a couple of carts ready too, but good to know this cartridge is a good match. What phono stage do you run?

[metal beat]

10 minutes ago, RockRolley said:

Oooh. Nice. I've got an Aro waiting to be setup. I have a couple of carts ready too, but good to know this cartridge is a good match. What phono stage do you run?

 

You need to set that ARO up quickly.  They are as rare as hens teeth and probably the ultimate musical way to hear a Linn.

  Current Phono is Phasemation EA-1200,  but also sounds good with Accuphase C-37.

 

Cheers

[Max Headroom]

2 hours ago, metal beat said:

Lyra Delos - one of those carts that is extremely neutral that will either sound wonderful in one's system or lean and bright depending on setup/tonearm/phono stage and taste.  The Delos luvs the Naim ARO tonearm.

 

 

 

 

 

Being a direct drive fan, what are doing with an LP12?!!

[cafe latte]

2 hours ago, metal beat said:

Lyra Delos - one of those carts that is extremely neutral that will either sound wonderful in one's system or lean and bright depending on setup/tonearm/phono stage and taste.  The Delos luvs the Naim ARO tonearm.

 

 

 

 

 

I have had the chance to hear quite a few Delos a realy nice cart, but beware of the stylus cover.

One of the nicest carts I heard recently is the MC2000, lovely MC

Chris

[metal beat]

23 minutes ago, Max Headroom said:

Being a direct drive fan, what are doing with an LP12?!!

 

Had the LP12 since 1985. My wife won't let me sell it.

  Probably a good thing as it still sounds very good and a nice alternative to the DD's.

[Max Headroom]

3 minutes ago, metal beat said:

 

Had the LP12 since 1985. My wife won't let me sell it.

  Probably a good thing as it still sounds very good and a nice alternative to the DD's.

She’s a keeper then… your wife that is. Any wife who doesn’t jet her husband sell a turntable is a gem of a wife!

[metal beat]

2 minutes ago, cafe latte said:

I have had the chance to hear quite a few Delos a realy nice cart, but beware of the stylus cover.

One of the nicest carts I heard recently is the MC2000, lovely MC

Chris

 

Why?    After owning Lyra carts for over 10 years now, their stylus covers are just about the best one can buy.

  You just slide it onto the groove in the cart and it's secure.

[cafe latte]

2 minutes ago, metal beat said:

 

Why?    After owning Lyra carts for over 10 years now, their stylus covers are just about the best one can buy.

  You just slide it onto the groove in the cart and it's secure.

Two that were sent they had slid the cover over the cart not into the groove slicing off the cantilever owch. Maybe owner with no glasses on. 

NIce cart though

Chris

[metal beat]

20 minutes ago, cafe latte said:

Two that were sent they had slid the cover over the cart not into the groove slicing off the cantilever owch. Maybe owner with no glasses on. 

NIce cart though

Chris

 

Unfortunately,  not much one can say if they can’t fit a plastic cover onto easy to see slots on either side of the cart. 

  I would hate to think how they set up and align their analog rig.

Edited July 11, 2023 by metal beat

[cafe latte]

14 hours ago, metal beat said:

 

Unfortunately,  not much one can say if they can’t fit a plastic cover onto easy to see slots on either side of the cart. 

  I would hate to think how they set up and align their analog rig.

Not so easy when cart is upside down under the arm and the owner has older eyes. Some fit the stylus cover every night after a listening session ( I never fit them) and it only takes one mistake. One guy modded his stylus cover with a slot so it still works perfectly as a stylus cover but if a mistake is made it won't rip thr stylus off.

Chris

[Hydrology]

15 hours ago, metal beat said:

 

Why?    After owning Lyra carts for over 10 years now, their stylus covers are just about the best one can buy.

  You just slide it onto the groove in the cart and it's secure.

Gotta agree - the Lyra stylus guards are my favourite and safest!

[cafe latte]

24 minutes ago, Hydrology said:

Gotta agree - the Lyra stylus guards are my favourite and safest!

A slot in them makes them much safer. 

Chris

[SPR08Y]

 

Synergy back in! Jackie McLean sounding great! 

[xtiva2000]

Just mounted it today.. got this during Amazon Prime Sale...   Couldn't resist a 50% off sale ...

 

For now, it seems to be a little bright on the sound but hopefully, this would get better as it breaks in.....

 

[Hydrology]

I've been enjoying this Fezz Audio phonostage the last few days at home, really want to give the bigger brother a try though, but based on this demo, I'm considering taking a punt. This one pictured is the GAIA.

 

 

 

[Guest]

A bunch of petty tit-for-tat stylus guards posts, and who is competent enough to use them, have been removed.

C'mon, play nice... It's not hard.

[andyr]

13 hours ago, Hydrology said:

I've been enjoying this Fezz Audio phonostage the last few days at home, really want to give the bigger brother a try though, but based on this demo, I'm considering taking a punt. This one pictured is the GAIA.

 

Interesting.  

 

I note from the specs that it has quite a high gain - 53dB (or 450x) ... instead of the more usual 40dB (100x).

 

Hence perhaps ideal for a 1 - 1.5mV HOMC, rather than a standard 5mV MM?

 

13 hours ago, Hydrology said:

 

Also interesting that they have gone against the standard arrangement of Right (red) RCAs on the bottom!!  

 

[Hydrology]

7 minutes ago, andyr said:

 

Also interesting that they have gone against the standard arrangement of Right (red) RCAs on the bottom!!  

 

 

Bucking the trend!

[Grant Slack]

18 minutes ago, andyr said:

... interesting that they have gone against the standard arrangement of Right (red) RCAs on the bottom!!  

 

Hi Andy,

 

It gets worse....

 

 cheers

Grant

[andyr]

52 minutes ago, Grant Slack said:

Hi Andy,

 

It gets worse....

 

 

 cheers

Grant

 

Hah - yes!  (I always think of left & right ... as seen from the front, when the component is on its rack/shelf.)

 

Edited July 13, 2023 by andyr

[PKay]

Picked this cart up on Prime the other day. AT-VM95SH. 
 

sounds great and when you consider the price this is a great buy. If you’re on a tight budget have a look at the AT. 

Edited July 13, 2023 by PKay

[cafe latte]

12 hours ago, PKay said:

Picked this cart up on Prime the other day. AT-VM95SH. 
 

sounds great and when you consider the price this is a great buy. If you’re on a tight budget have a look at the AT. 

I have the Micro line in my collection ( git that one as lasts longer and cheaper too) I agree they are a bargain for the performance. On a budget the Opus 3 is a great cart but as unshielded they are not ideal on all turntables. Another budget winner is the LP Gear Vessels which is a similar body ( Excel Corp too) like the Pearl and Garrott Brothers. 

Chris

[Grant Slack]

2 hours ago, cafe latte said:

Another budget winner is the LP Gear Vessels

"Designed by golden Japanese engineers and crafted by long-experienced artisans, The Vessel is wonderfully disruptive."

 

 

cheers

Grant

[cafe latte]

3 minutes ago, Grant Slack said:

"Designed by golden Japanese engineers and crafted by long-experienced artisans, The Vessel is wonderfully disruptive."

 

 

cheers

Grant

The Vessel is the low output Excel corporation cart. There was two low output ones the quad and the low version, I can't remember which body the Vessel uses, but it sounds lovely. Garrott, Jico and The Pearl use the high output version, my feeling is thr lower output lower inductance Vessel is a better cart and cheap too.

Chris