Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 30, 2019 9:22:53 GMT
I think Rega's rep is entirely based on the Planar 2 and 3 from the 1980s because they were affordable decks that sounded competent and back then anything Japanese was beyond the pale. It made their name. Now the market is packed with affordable decks that sound competent and a massive second hand market where you can buy a super deck for what a Planar 3 cost in 1985 they don't make much sense to me anymore. Good analysis. I’m the sort who doesn’t often give second chances and that RP1 was a shambles, It put me right off the company, Before that, I’d bought a couple of decks and a few arms and carts new over the years. I think the last stuff I’d have any interest in is the original Planar 2 and 3, Clamshell amps, Ela speakers era. Everything I’ve heard since has been poor. Oh and while I’m at it, those placcy 3 point mounts on their arms are a disgrace, My Lego bricks as a child were better made. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2019 9:22:58 GMT
Bought another Claymore for headphone duties. It also has handy Mm and Mc for one of the two decks I bought.......just in case I ever set them up  Also bought a TPA3116 class D amp on Geoff’s reccy. Likely to do tv duties but will be tried in the main rig. Well it arrived a bit ago, but I hadn’t even looked at it. I’d forgotten to buy a psu too, so I had to check my laptop supplies. Luckily one was perfect. So what about the looks and build. I’m always slagging off cheap Chinese tat, so I’m going to hate on anything badly made. Well, try as I might I can’t find a single thing to complain about. It’s a lovely wee thing: Solid, slick and perfectly formed. No way it should cost £16 to make and ship. So I witch it on expecting it not to work. It again disproves my negative expectations. And the sound is clear, detailed and “straight down the middle”. The word “lucid” springs to mind. Now this is just a quick lash up in my main bedroom floor with a Sonneteer Byron and my DIY Cubes. I did compare to the Claymore though and it’s not inferior within this setup. Could I live with this amp. On the first half hours listening, I’ve found no reason to expect I couldn’t, And I don’t want to turn it off. Remember I’d already had a TA2021 amp a few years ago and hated the thing, so it took a bit of reprogramming to even allow this wee amp across the threshold. Props to Geoff for: A: Finding and recommending it B: Being a bloke that even a skeptic like me just had to listen to. Imagine this amp with a cheap source as a pair of La Scalas: I bet it would allow you to have an amazing sound by concentrating practically all your funds on the speakers. An eye opener, an ear opener and a prejudice killer in every respect. HaHa. Another believer! Good isn't it? The nearest I can think of soundwise is the Class A, Monarchy Audio SM-70, the little TPA3116 has a lot in common. Utter bargain! |
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 30, 2019 9:34:49 GMT
It’s crazy that it can sound so clean and engaging, I think it has a bit in common with the Class A integrateds I’ve had so we are hearing similar things. I’m just as surprised at the build and finish, I still feel no desire to stop listening either,
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 30, 2019 9:40:38 GMT
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 30, 2019 9:41:43 GMT
Well,I found a fault so I’m happy! Read the lettering lol. It only makes me happier as it adds character!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2019 9:49:03 GMT
Well,I found a fault so I’m happy! Read the lettering lol. It only makes me happier as it adds character! I bought two. Mine are unbranded, although most seem to sport the Breeze Audio logo, not seen the variant you have there before. At the moment, I have one driving the little Proac speakers I picked up the other day, it's all sounding very good, no lack of weight or substance and nicely open. |
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 30, 2019 10:00:18 GMT
Well,I found a fault so I’m happy! Read the lettering lol. It only makes me happier as it adds character! I bought two. Mine are unbranded, although most seem to sport the Breeze Audio logo, not seen the variant you have there before. At the moment, I have one driving the little Proac speakers I picked up the other day, it's all sounding very good, no lack of weight or substance and nicely open. I’d love to throw one in a blind listening test and see where it finished. I bet it would unseat some decent amps, |
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Post by antonio on Mar 30, 2019 10:01:17 GMT
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 30, 2019 10:03:58 GMT
RB250 can be a great arm even just changing the counterweight and stub. Buy a third party stub though:)
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Post by antonio on Mar 30, 2019 10:10:24 GMT
I did purchase a 3rd party counterweight/stub. Wish I'd gone for one of those Michell counterweights though. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2019 10:25:13 GMT
I bought two. Mine are unbranded, although most seem to sport the Breeze Audio logo, not seen the variant you have there before. At the moment, I have one driving the little Proac speakers I picked up the other day, it's all sounding very good, no lack of weight or substance and nicely open. I’d love to throw one in a blind listening test and see where it finished. I bet it would unseat some decent amps, Did that. My mate was round and listening to the Quad 707 driving the Cheviots. It all sounded very nice, then I slotted the TPA3116 into the system without saying anything. He was shocked when he realised what I'd done, 'cos it actually sounded better than the 707. He did the same as me and ordered a couple of the amps, he's well chuffed with them. |
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 30, 2019 10:38:49 GMT
I did purchase a 3rd party counterweight/stub. Wish I'd gone for one of those Michell counterweights though. I like the Origin Live ones. The Pete Riggle ones are just as nicely made but the finish isn’t to everyone’s taste. The counterweight I bought was from Eastern Europe and was only £29 plus £4 post, it’s a nice looker but the Rega stub has had to be returned so I can’t use it until I choose another stub. Will upload a pic.  |
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 30, 2019 13:28:05 GMT
Still listening and enjoying. Quite a few expensive amps have lasted less time and been sent packing. If it was going to rub me up,the wrong way it would’ve done so long before now.
The great thing is, without Geoff singing it’s praises there’s no way it would have ever got me to listen. I’m getting another one, Maybe I will even bi-amp,for £32 lol.
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Post by macca on Mar 30, 2019 13:41:51 GMT
In the same league as your sonneteer then?
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 30, 2019 14:06:54 GMT
In the same league as your sonneteer then? Nothing so far has been but I will try it in the main rig next week. It’s never going to do what big amps do either, because some speakers need drive. It doesn’t sound in any way less powerful than the other amps I have though. |
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 31, 2019 23:17:12 GMT
Had a looong listening ses today but I did get to try the baby amp in the main system. Maybe next week.
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Post by brian2957 on Apr 1, 2019 7:10:09 GMT
Nice find guys . I sometimes swap my little SMSL amp into my system and it does most things right . Just ordered one of these to try . At the price it's a no brainer .
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Post by Bigman80 on Apr 1, 2019 7:13:25 GMT
I really should’ve tried it in my main system yesterday but the system was sounding too good to meddle. I will be interested in hearing your thoughts, Brian.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2019 8:23:55 GMT
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Post by brian2957 on Apr 1, 2019 9:07:05 GMT
Thanks Geoff , just ordered one |
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Post by Bigman80 on Apr 3, 2019 21:55:35 GMT
Bought a Dino for vinyl. Never had one before but it’s probbaly just a stop gap anyway,
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Post by Deleted on Apr 3, 2019 22:50:27 GMT
Bought a Dino for vinyl. Never had one before but it’s probbaly just a stop gap anyway, Never tried one. A lot of folk seem to like them though. The Graham Slee Era V Gold is a fav of mine, better than the EAR 834P I'd been using and I liked it more than the dearer Reflex M too. |
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Post by macca on Apr 4, 2019 6:33:13 GMT
I thought the Dino was pretty good.
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Post by Bigman80 on Apr 4, 2019 9:33:22 GMT
I got it for £120 which I thought was a good price. I will see how I like it and might try a bigger PSU. I preferred my Michell ISO withoit the Hera PSU, so I won’t make any snap jusdegments. I’m not even sure I will maintain a vinyl source as I don’t have many records now and every attempt to run a turntable in the last 5 years has failed due to sloth.
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Post by macca on Apr 4, 2019 11:16:27 GMT
That is a good price.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2019 12:19:19 GMT
My father used a Dino with matching psu for many years. I recall the unit having a clean open kind of sound.
S.
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Post by Bigman80 on Apr 4, 2019 15:57:01 GMT
My father used a Dino with matching psu for many years. I recall the unit having a clean open kind of sound. S. Sounds good to me. Even better knowing Macca says the price was good too. |
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Post by Bigman80 on Apr 5, 2019 9:48:38 GMT
I’ve got a few bits to play with but I am enjoying my main system and can’t be bothered,
Main things to set up are Mantra and Xerxes. I’ve got two Rega arms an£ a couple of carts including the Mayware MC, but only MM phono through either Claymore or Brio until the Dino arrives. I haven’t even plugged the Brio in yet.
Sometime next weekend I will post some pics and try to get vinyl playing again. I don’t know how I got so lazy bit I think it’s got a lot to do with being happy with the main setup and being far more inclined to listen to that than faff around. The TC60s in this room are unbeatable and so is anything with a Sonneteer badge, so it only really leaves vinyl to play with. When I can get such a Greta CD sound, the motivation just isn’t there.
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Post by Bigman80 on Apr 5, 2019 10:30:34 GMT
I also bought an Ortofon LH-2000 headshell new for just £20. They look nice in the pics but it’s a really nice item in the flesh. www.ortofon.com/lh-2000-p-558 |
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Post by Bigman80 on Apr 5, 2019 13:41:58 GMT
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