Hi All, Some advice needed. I was fortunate enough just recently to have a store nearby that was closing down so was able to pick up an RPM-5 TT with the Carbon Fibre (9c) arm, and an Ortofon Salsa MC (low output), both for half the normal price here in Melbourne. I probably would have picked up a Project Step up Transformer at the time but they had sold out and so has most of the stock of various types of Project Phono Stages here in MEL until July. Anyway, one Phono Pre-Amp that has impressed me and it seems most people who listen to it is the Cambridge Azur 640p. I can get one here for a good price and am tending to think that it is probably not a bad idea as I can always upgrade to a better phono stage at some, probably when I upgrade the cartridge down the track (although I suspect the 640P will still hold its own. What do people think of this combination (RPM5/Ort.Salsa/640p). I am now just getting back into vinyl after some years and don't know that much about the matching of cartridge and phono stage as the 640p doesn't have any adjustments other than a subsonic filter. Is the above going to work. Unfortunately I am unable to listen to them together. FYI - will be fed into an Onkyo 777 Receiver, feeding an MF HT600 and B&W Matrix 805 as the Turntable will reside within the HT system.
Project RPM-5, Ortofon MC Salsa and Cambridge Azur 640P
- Thread starter Wes Mason
- Start date
John Duncan
Well-known member
Just buy it. No debate required - it's the best performance/pound component I have (RPM5/Creek Classic/PMC). I wouldn't replace it unless I had the money for a Dino.
Many Thanks John,
I appreciate your reply and getting straight to the point.
I was also looking at the MF X-LPSv3 or 8 but I got stung with MF, getting the X-24K and X-PSU, then getting the X-10v3 and finding it didn't work with the PSU, now I hear the v8 stuff probably doesn't work with the v3 PSU's etc. so I'm a bit over that.
Here in Australia, the MF stuff is AUD599-- for the LPSv3 and 799 for the LPSv8 with the Cambridge coming in at only AUD250-- so it's a no brainer now after your comments.
Even if I hated it it's not a huge investment!
Thanks again
I appreciate your reply and getting straight to the point.
I was also looking at the MF X-LPSv3 or 8 but I got stung with MF, getting the X-24K and X-PSU, then getting the X-10v3 and finding it didn't work with the PSU, now I hear the v8 stuff probably doesn't work with the v3 PSU's etc. so I'm a bit over that.
Here in Australia, the MF stuff is AUD599-- for the LPSv3 and 799 for the LPSv8 with the Cambridge coming in at only AUD250-- so it's a no brainer now after your comments.
Even if I hated it it's not a huge investment!
Thanks again
I think that should be a fine combo, although I don't know the technicalities of matching the cartridge to the phono stage.
I have an RPM5 and love it!
I have an RPM5 and love it!
John Duncan
Well-known member
[quote user="Wes Mason"]the Cambridge coming in at only AUD250[/quote]
Whaaaaaaaaaaaat?!?! It's 60 quid here (120AUD or thereabouts) - 40 off eBay. What voltage supply does Aus have? Couldn't you import one from the UK?
Whaaaaaaaaaaaat?!?! It's 60 quid here (120AUD or thereabouts) - 40 off eBay. What voltage supply does Aus have? Couldn't you import one from the UK?
Thanks again.
Yep. I had heard so much about the RPM5 when my local 'hi end' dealer (a Melbourne Institution, been in business since the 50's and still run by the same guy!).
They have two stores and they couldn't renew the lease on the one here so I basically got the cartridge and the RPM5 for less than the RPM5 normally sells for.
Since I posted, I spoke to a local dealer and he said he has run several low output mid range Ortofons MC's with the phono stage and no problems.
So, it's a 640p for me!
I'll post some impressions when I get it set up.
This is exciting, I think, just suspect, possibly, it might blow my 27 year old Hitachi 'plastic' AUD100 Turntable and 70 dollar AT cartridge out of the water.........
What sort of cartridge do you have?
Regards.
Yep. I had heard so much about the RPM5 when my local 'hi end' dealer (a Melbourne Institution, been in business since the 50's and still run by the same guy!).
They have two stores and they couldn't renew the lease on the one here so I basically got the cartridge and the RPM5 for less than the RPM5 normally sells for.
Since I posted, I spoke to a local dealer and he said he has run several low output mid range Ortofons MC's with the phono stage and no problems.
So, it's a 640p for me!
I'll post some impressions when I get it set up.
This is exciting, I think, just suspect, possibly, it might blow my 27 year old Hitachi 'plastic' AUD100 Turntable and 70 dollar AT cartridge out of the water.........
What sort of cartridge do you have?
Regards.
Yep... It's exorbitant I know. It's not unusual though. A lot of things like cars, etc. have very little tarriff on them into Australia but some items like hifi cop it.
We also have GST on top of that and while fuel is not that expensive here (although climbing) at around $1.50c (AUD) per litre, the distances really kill us on the transport costs.
I have looked at bringing stuff in before and thanks for the suggestion but the CC inflated exchange rate, plus the shipping can add up.
Customs may also impose duty on arrival as the sale value has to be shown on the box. I think the 640p would have to be under the threshold anyway.
I'm expecting to be able to do better than the 250 AUD, say, around 200 which is about 90GBP which I guess isn't that bad considering the distance. (AUD is under half of GBP as it's pegged to the Euro, yet we get nearly USD1 for AUD1!)
Funnily enough, other things like computers fair pretty well, such as my MacBook Pro.
Don't want to bore you but here's some other examples:
Rega P3-24, about AUD1300 here
B&W N805S and stands nearly AUD6000!
MF X-LPSv3 - AUD599
Don't worry, next time I come to the UK, I'm coming with a shopping list and will post things back here one by one if I have to!
I will have a look at ebay though.
We also have GST on top of that and while fuel is not that expensive here (although climbing) at around $1.50c (AUD) per litre, the distances really kill us on the transport costs.
I have looked at bringing stuff in before and thanks for the suggestion but the CC inflated exchange rate, plus the shipping can add up.
Customs may also impose duty on arrival as the sale value has to be shown on the box. I think the 640p would have to be under the threshold anyway.
I'm expecting to be able to do better than the 250 AUD, say, around 200 which is about 90GBP which I guess isn't that bad considering the distance. (AUD is under half of GBP as it's pegged to the Euro, yet we get nearly USD1 for AUD1!)
Funnily enough, other things like computers fair pretty well, such as my MacBook Pro.
Don't want to bore you but here's some other examples:
Rega P3-24, about AUD1300 here
B&W N805S and stands nearly AUD6000!
MF X-LPSv3 - AUD599
Don't worry, next time I come to the UK, I'm coming with a shopping list and will post things back here one by one if I have to!
I will have a look at ebay though.
John Duncan
Well-known member
OK, was going to offer to get you one but it'd come out around 90 gbp by the time it got to you, without the benefit of a warranty............
Hi Again,
Many thanks, that is a very kind offer but yes, it's probably going to work out around the same.
Not sure what happens in the UK but if you buy a demo model here it is law that it must come with a full warranty (it's probably the same in the UK as our law is based on yours anyway!).
So, if they have a demo, I might even get it for less than AUD200.
Thanks so much again though.
Cheers.
Many thanks, that is a very kind offer but yes, it's probably going to work out around the same.
Not sure what happens in the UK but if you buy a demo model here it is law that it must come with a full warranty (it's probably the same in the UK as our law is based on yours anyway!).
So, if they have a demo, I might even get it for less than AUD200.
Thanks so much again though.
Cheers.
John Duncan
Well-known member
Hi John Duncan and others!
Just to follow up. I ended up borrowing the MF X-LPSv3 and the Cambridge 640p. I was impressed with the MF when I first listened it but not totally.
I could not put my finger on what it was that I didn't like. When I connected up the Cambridge, I was more impressed (especially since it's less than half the price, even at retail).
If I had to classify it, I would say that the Musical Fidelity possibly (possibly) has slightly more detail but that detail is 'in your face' in that it seems bloated in some way.
My listening sessions with the 640p revealed a slightly (I hate using these terms but it seems to fit), laid back character definitely the output is less from a decibel point of view for a given volume on the amplifier but it seemed to be able to be wound up to match the MF without any noticeable increase in noise (ie; surface or otherwise) volume wise.
To my ear, the 640p just seemed more balanced. The dealer that sold it to me told me that the MF would sound better and that the Cambridge was 'good at what it does but the MF takes it to the next level'. In some respects maybe, but to my ear it was not worth the difference and doesn't sound as good.
The other thing he said was that if I was planning to upgrade to something like the Ortofon Rondo Red or Bronze from the Salsa (about twice the price) then I would be better with the MF stage but once again, that goes against what I heard and everything that is written here about the 640p happily revealing more detail from more expensive cartridges, as well as the reviews in ÿvarious magazines.
In any case, I'm off now to drop both of them back at the dealer and pick up a new, boxed, 640p.
Thanks to everyone for their opinions, especially John D.
Regards,
ÿ
Wes
ÿ
Just to follow up. I ended up borrowing the MF X-LPSv3 and the Cambridge 640p. I was impressed with the MF when I first listened it but not totally.
I could not put my finger on what it was that I didn't like. When I connected up the Cambridge, I was more impressed (especially since it's less than half the price, even at retail).
If I had to classify it, I would say that the Musical Fidelity possibly (possibly) has slightly more detail but that detail is 'in your face' in that it seems bloated in some way.
My listening sessions with the 640p revealed a slightly (I hate using these terms but it seems to fit), laid back character definitely the output is less from a decibel point of view for a given volume on the amplifier but it seemed to be able to be wound up to match the MF without any noticeable increase in noise (ie; surface or otherwise) volume wise.
To my ear, the 640p just seemed more balanced. The dealer that sold it to me told me that the MF would sound better and that the Cambridge was 'good at what it does but the MF takes it to the next level'. In some respects maybe, but to my ear it was not worth the difference and doesn't sound as good.
The other thing he said was that if I was planning to upgrade to something like the Ortofon Rondo Red or Bronze from the Salsa (about twice the price) then I would be better with the MF stage but once again, that goes against what I heard and everything that is written here about the 640p happily revealing more detail from more expensive cartridges, as well as the reviews in ÿvarious magazines.
In any case, I'm off now to drop both of them back at the dealer and pick up a new, boxed, 640p.
Thanks to everyone for their opinions, especially John D.
Regards,
ÿ
Wes
ÿ
John Duncan
Well-known member
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