Recent content by BenWatts

Low budget : forever a Node and Qobuz!

Good choice ! The moon is a good one. My2cts: focus on the phono and then on the cartridge. Once you have a good one, you can put a wide range of cartridge and not only an MM. with 300€ or £ $ you can grab a real nice MC thanks to your moon, fully compliant with your tonearm

Happy for you. I read many positive feedback on this one. Another device we should have tried I a lifetime. Decisions have to be made : to buy or not to buy, to swap, to ditch, to add, to move… Now on my side, it’s time to select the good cartridge for some years. Here again : a lot to read...

https://open.qobuz.com/track/255138400

I cannot feel any difference before and after. To me, my ears move more than the hardware.

Thanks guys. If someone’s looking for a phonostage, I wish you to try one / find one used.

Seeing it yesterday, I was scarred because of the amount of money but really reassured even before plugging it in with the weight, design and finishing. The box, the documentation, the rubber feet, the weight of the power supply is huge —everything was very reassuring. Saturday night, around...

Phono stage has landed yesterday. 200h are advised by the designer to get the better results. I am still convinced my gears will adapt more than hardware. BTW, with a spare RCA cable I had first impression to get more room between instruments but also between notes. Several LPs spinned last...

Thanks. It’s a gamble. No listening session before. Only specs, only in depths discussions with the designer/manufacturer. Time will tell.

I tried the Domino and it was deceiving. Cold as I could not imagine a phono could be. I sent it back. We cannot compare the domino and the Audiomat. X10 ratio in Pricing

You are right! It’s wise to consider maintenance according to that amount of money. Life is a gamble to me. Actually qi am not sure it’s a relevant investment due to poor quality of recent vinyls except specific ones with maestros like Kevin Gray for Blue Note Tone Poet editions or Speaker...

my current device is an optional board made by Heed in an Obelisk SI3. I have tried just a few phono stage but no one won the battle. Up to a Musical Fidelity (roughly 1000€). The maintenance will be done by the owner directly. A warranty period has been agreed. Health as usual will set the limit.

Please tell me it’s not that good: one month to wait. Already paid and arrived at a relative’s but … we cannot meet before March 28th. I am still not convinced it will be night and day with my current device. I can’t afford an MC for the moment. My strategy was to invest in a long term vision...

And the chosen one is.. None of them. An incredible opportunity : Audiomat Phono 1.7 mk II. A handmade phono stage straight from the retired founder. Just to ditch the stock… Option : black face. No silver face at home. For all good opportunities, it has a drawback : I will have it in...

Fear inoculum in 2x45RPM is far better produced. But Vicarious and the pot are soooo good. I couldn’t resist.